Sunset Gardner

1 hour ago, DieselDaisy said:

It strikes me as a 'show', i.e. a set piece, to see 'Axl and Slash again'. It is fixed rigid like a show - also you might add ticket prices must deter repeat viewings. My main point is that it is a show worth seeing once - a 'must see' you might say? - but whose interest deteriorates significantly after that initial viewing. I was of course speaking of a broader fanbase than the ones who post on forums - indeed, there are people who go to multiple viewings of Phantom of the Opera in the West End. Another way to put it is, if you could imagine this on a graph, the drop off in interest from show one to two slumps significantly when compared with other acts, but so long as you are still on your 'show one' then I do not believe there is a (to use the colloquial) hotter ticket in town.

I see no evidence of this returning to a functioning band which would entail writing together and albums. Guns N' Roses now solely exist as a legacy setpiece show. This will go on for years.

i think you're spot on although i hope you're wrong about the "returning to a functioning band" part.  "a legacy set piece show" that will go on for years - well put.  again i hope you're wrong but money's a motherfucker and these guys can milk this for many moons.  

6 hours ago, Rovim said:

I see Frank as the bridge between Steven and Matt stylistically speaking. Groovier than Sorum, more powerful than Steven, and so jolly, even when he fucks up. As good as a fit as Fortus is to be frank. I still want Popcorns N' Sorums cameos, but the shit Frank gets for his fuck ups and style is unwarranted.

Frank is clickable.

3 hours ago, Rovim said:

Sorum more than groped it, he forcefully injected his integrity into it and made his mark on Guns like it or not. Clerk probably, but never Matt. Disrespectful to dolphins all over the world. Axl and Matt shared a "loath-hate" connection and it probably wasn't French or natural but way more than merely an employee plus Slash and Duff hiring him to be VR's drummer. He's part Guns. Credits where credits due. He served the band well, his teeth and laugh are fake, give him a break.

i agree.  i do see sorum as a real member who earned his place.  i remember the first pictures to come out, the first videos with sorum and no steven… his poodle curls and drummer faces were very hard to look at and accept… but like i said, he earned it, he plays on some of my favorite songs.  it's a shame what a train wreck steven is because it distracts from what a unique stand alone drummer he is, watch a clip from the ritz 88 show to see steven peaking or even from the NITL tour… they just sound better with his swing… unfortunately he's a handful off stage and i get everyones trepidations about including him on this tour.  moving forward, now that's it's been established everyone can and will get along and play nice, i'd love to see steven included… and matt.  

frank definitely gets a lot of shit which sucks because he's clearly a good guy who wasn't about to pass up the money/gig to work for axl and be his drummer… and maybe he really was a great fit for axl's solo record and tours but he's just not gnr, there's something missing in my opinion, it's a feel thing, like maybe there isn't a word to describe it. 

i used to work in this restaurant in hollywood and matt used to come in (around the time of VR's first record).  he was always kind, always said please and thank you and ALWAYS left a generous tip and ALWAYS had a pretty girl on his arm.  matt's okay in my book.  

this is encouraging news… all i can say is: come back brian!  save axl from himself… save angus from trying to pull off being ac/dc by himself with no other real members of the band… PLEASE brian… come back!  

Just now, Original said:

Lawyers.   I mean leading up to this I think Gilby was suing or had sued Axl over the pinball machine or something petty.   But I think any lawsuit between the guys (Slash/Duff/Gilby etc... vs Axl) was all lawyer driven (on both sides).   Take away the "power hungry" and the ass kissers and put the guys in a room say circa 1999 and we have our band back then.    

can you imagine if they got their shit together circa 99… THE BODY OF WORK THEY'D HAVE BY NOW.  i agree the egos, the power, the ambulance chasing lawyers, it all got so fucking horrible and they all played a role.  axl always takes the focus and heat but if slash is any kind of man he knows the role he played, that his ego played.  to slash's credit he came around literally decades before axl did about wanting to work shit out.   

too bad gilby never got a chance to write with the band, but i dig they acknowledged him at the rock n roll hall fame induction.  classy. 

Just now, RONIN said:

No one cares about Dizzy Reed including Dizzy Reed.

who?  

richard is fine… i'm glad he's been retained as a touring employee by axl and team yes… of all the guitarists from axl's solo years richard is the one and ONLY that would and could work, i don't know if it's an accident or somebody figured it out, but richard is a great fit and no doubt could one day write and record with the band and become a real member.    

my issues are with frank and this interview seems to suggest there were issues for slash and duff as well.  while he seems like a excellent human being it's hard for me to watch shows and not think how much better the whole thing would be with adler/sorum trading off.  adler is guns, matt came in after steven's four bandmates abandoned him and did a really good job and earned the right to be a real member of the band, but the further you get away from steven the less guns it gets.  while matt is fine, frank is a bridge too far.  frank should be let go by axl's company, given a really great severance package, thanked and praised for his service and let go to make room for the two real members.

anything that doesn't include adler while adler is living and able sucks.  steven and matt should both play on a new record and tour behind it.    

2 hours ago, default_ said:

As much as I usually appreciate your posts, I dont agree with this. Why? 'cause its too early to say the reunion is a waste of time.

Its just a year and a half since they got back together, and I'm pretty sure the whole first year was the three of 'em testing waters to see if their relationship would work as we all know the past dramas. It was about retrieving and remembering the past, no doubt about that.

It seems to me that, right now, they are ready to start thinking about the future. Their relationship seems good, tour is sucessful and aside some minor issues, band is killing.

We all need to chill a little bit and try to understand their situation, they couldnt just get back together releasing songs and stuff, its not that easy when you have so much shit around you all the time, maybe it'll happen on the coming leg of the tour, maybe in one or two years, maybe it wont happen.

Right now I think its too soon to start throwing shit on the guys.

i land somewhere in the middle of these two opinions, i get the going up the eiffel tower thing, it's AMAZING to see Axl/Slash/Duff share the stage again, but every night the sets are the same, the shows are very predictable down to the movements almost, and generally speaking not the sort of thing one would need to see twice like going up the tower.  but i see Default's point too… i too believe this first leg was all about seeing how they got along, how the shows went, crowd response, etc.  the gnr reunion potentially could've been a nightmare had things gone the other way.  so my opinion is IF gnr start a new chapter, renewed relationships, renewed writing partnerships, new album(s), and with the new fresh material go out into the world a reborn band, then i think it will be worth watching this band, again and again for a long time to come.  

but if they ever tour again with this lineup, this setlist, i'll root for them from the sidelines and catch clips on youtube.  

it's interesting with gilby… what is the true story between him and axl?  i always got the impression axl looked at gilby as a slash and duff guy and didn't want him around… but this clearly would suggest otherwise.  loved gilby in the band.  i think gilby and richard are quality replacements for izzy.   

i'd love to see a true acoustic moment this leg… i'd love to see them come out, sit in a small circle and do something from lies; patience, used to love her, you're crazy, any of em… or if they really wanted to make me happy i'd love to see them break out the acoustics, sit together as a band and DO SOMETHING NEW.  ha.  i know, i know… but my shrink tells me it's healthy to have hopes and dreams… 

part of the afd anniversary should include an official remastered, color corrected, maybe even re-edited release of the 88 Ritz show.  nothing would make me happier than to have that show properly documented and released.  that show, the energy, the comraderie between the five kings… this is the proof real gnr was a force, all axl's bullshit "lineups" were just a caricature of that band, nothing ever came close and that's why everyone rejected it.  don't call it gnr if it ain't gnr.  Ritz 88 is gnr.  

part of me thinks axl and Team Yes will do their best to bury the show because of how it shines a spotlight on what a great band they were and how axl's hired employees on their best night couldn't touch real guns n' roses.  

Just now, bucketfoot said:

 

March UK/May US.

this is my fault… i edited my post to clarify today is mothers day in the U.S.  my apologies to the forum for assuming everyone lives in my little world.  

Just now, Len Cnut said:

Fair point . Also, I had no idea it was mothers day!

all good Len... as ringo would say: peace & love.  

Just now, Gibson_Guy87 said:

Dude he's joking... I think

i hope he's joking.  it's not out of left field we honor the late mothers of slash and duff on mothers day.  it's only right.  in my book anyway… 

Just now, Len Cnut said:

And uh, Lord curse my mother for giving birth to me so that I one might one day live to read this thread, fuck you Mum, this is all your fault!

then maybe you should go to another thread and fuck yourself?  come on Len, have a heart, it's mothers day… and without these two women there'd been no slash or duff, no slash or duff equals no gnr.  no gnr equals you have no gnr forum to act like an asshole… just saying.  

it's MOTHERS DAY today in the US - 5/14, so i thought it'd be right to acknowledge the late mothers of slash and duff: 

i am not sure about all the moms in gnr… but i know duff and slash lost their moms too soon.  so this is a thread to thank them for their sons, for allowing them to be creative and play instruments as young kids and for their role in giving me, and all of us, some of the greatest music we would've never had otherwise to accompany us in our lives, on our journeys, etc…

so thank you ladies, thank you moms… thank you mrs. mckagen and mrs. hudson.  happy mothers day!

billy joel and axl… so fucking great… so classic… i'm so happy for this… for axl… if i could like every post everyone is writing i would.  

i don't doubt for a second richard clicked with slash and duff, it seems obvious watching the shows. he's an excellent player and a great fit for the band if izzy can't be there.   like i've said before i hope he gets the chance gilby never got… if izzy won't be there.  

10 hours ago, RONIN said:

Yeah - the praise caught me off guard a bit.

I always assumed that his voice was shot in that performance given the way he was singing. Maybe he was still recovering from the UYI tour or just hadn't practiced singing for 6 months after the final UYI show.

Either way, as the Aussies would say - Crikey, it's awful mate! 

14 hours ago, RussTCB said:

I've always thought that too but people seem to praise it a lot.

i totally get what you're saying but i still dig it, not because i think axl "sounds" amazing or even bruce for that matter… but i find a sort of bizarre energy between them, like maybe they'd never met before, or like some are saying never even rehearsed the song… it certainly feels like there's something going on between them when they make eye contact and when axl tries to not to smile at one point.  

i love the way bruce is playing his guitar, the up/down swing is badass and axl is no doubt rough, but it's gritty, it's real blue collar shit straight out of small town indiana.  and axl feels engaged, feels like he wanted to be there, i wish this axl never went away.  

i love that slash and duff attended the bruce show in Aus.  i wish axl would have gone.  e street shows are so solid and i think  axl would've walked away inspired.  

Just now, ohmygod said:

But, why can't we all just at least respect all eras of GNR?!?  

because there are no "eras".  there are no "lineups".  axl's solo band and solo record with no members of gnr were enabled by lawyers.  they were a cover band bullshitting people across the world.  

axl's "karaoke era" does not and will not hold up.  rock n roll history will take a giant shit on it.  this tour clearly proves and destroys any question that the last guns show was in 93 and they did not return until the Troubadour.   and thank god they did.  i can't imagine axl and Team Yes regret a second of any of this.  

Just now, AxlRoseCDII said:

Id kill to hear the audio from that show. I wonder if his voice was closer to '99 or '01.

would love to hear this as well… anyone have it to share? 

also on the SPRINGSTEEN end… was there any other pictures or stories to emerge from slash and duff attending his show in australia.  it sounded like maybe little steven van zandt had something to do with it???  would LOVE to see bruce play with guns… maybe a jersey show down the road.  

i've always loved this… bruce and axl… this is where axl belonged, playing alongside LEGENDS honoring other legends.  could've, should've, would've.  bruce's legacy and respect for his fans is second to none.  really GREAT performance though, these are two true powerhouses.  rock n roll royalty.  too bad after this axl went the other direction and fell from grace.  ego'll do that.    

13 hours ago, MADDOGJONES said:

I'm sure it will be fine for @RONIN now that he knows Izzy was there too. Or is Izzy a failure too @RONIN?

it's not that anyone would begrudge axl and izzy for throwing a band together for a single night to pull in a ton of dough… it's the cheap way that axl had his lawyers grease him the gnr name and how he so arrogantly carried on with his solo band actually having the balls to call it gnr, acting like gnr's success was his and his alone.  without guns n roses axl rose is just a voice… he is just sabastian bach and his hired employees are just Skid Row.  

guns n roses was the Sistine Chapel… Axl's solo band was a strip mall… a strip mall with a mcdonalds, a walmart, a papa johns and a bumblefoot… and another douche with a corporate chicken bucket on his head.     

41 minutes ago, Sydney Fan said:

Im sure once axl saw the amount of people in the audience and how the tour was going during say , half way through the first US leg, he probably thought " should have done this years ago". That comes down to one thing.....ego.

i agree… the stadiums, the crowd sizes, the overall positive vibe, there's no way it didn't dawn on axl and Team Yes that THIS is guns and the fake lineups were just that… fake lineups enabled by lawyers.  fernando, too young to remember real gnr, must be blown away by the size and scope of this compared to his boss' days as a axl rose impersonator on the cover band circuit.  

1 hour ago, Mendez said:

 He was in a cover band that covered some GNR songs.

it's true he was in a cover band, axl's lawyers enabled that band to be called Guns N' Roses.  

28 minutes ago, ohmygod said:

I find it hilarious that people get so appalled by the fact that Duff and Slash rejoined GNR due to the vacancies of Tommy and BBF.

I kinda think it really hurts the egos of the fans of the old band that hated the post 94 band and refused to recognize it as GNR... but now you have Duff and Slash on stage with the likes of Frank playing CD songs... and classic fans heads are spinning!

it wasn't due to vacancies, axl crawled back to slash and duff after realizing his solo band and solo record were failures, then slash and duff agreed to play with him.  they are playing CD songs to appease the singer not because they want to, it's an olive branch.  And the only reason employee drummer frank is there is because axl is threatened by Matt and refuses to admit Steven is the best drummer he's ever played with.  

10 hours ago, Nikki_Sixx said:

No way ANYONE should have to put up with Axl and TB's style of 'doing' things ...

Axl and Team Yes.