guitarpatch

9 minutes ago, bikka said:

This. The way Duff and Slash talked about this issue recently doesn't put them in the best light. It wouldn't be too hard say that they considered a lot of different things and in the end it worked out the way it did. Not saying mcuh, no spilling stuff, no putting anyone down, just a clear statement that this was the best way for a lot of reasons that were important. But "I wouldn't go anywhere near that" and "I don't follow social media" / "When I'm doing my thing [rehearsals] it just that" / "I'm not going into the machinations" etc? Seriously? At least Slash was honest, Duff is lying. There is no way he didn't know the responses on social media to the Izzy issue (from the uncertainty about his presence to the "loot" tweet) and there is no way he was just focusing on rehearsals and not keeping a close watch on (and possibly a decisive power in) the "machinations". BS!

Maybe, who knows what he knew. You and I can’t prove it. But since when has this band catered to expectations in how they are supposed to act and react? That’s pretty much been the antithesis since day one. They all pretty much go about things in their own way. I think it’s obvious he doesn’t want to broach the subject. He chooses to do so in the most comfortable way for him, not us 

18 minutes ago, ludurigan said:

 

 

 

What is he supposed or going to say besides nothing? You think Duff is going to be up front and honest on those types of subjects? They aren’t gonna throw anyone under a bus at this point in this lives. Especially people who they’ve known for over 30 years and aren’t there to defend themselves on a podcast.

Same thing with new music talk. They aren’t gonna spill the beans on the whole operation/plans on podcasts and during a promotional tour on a solo project. There’s a time and place for all of that 

Lots of great tidbits of information in that interview. Touched upon a ton of subjects. Such as where the band was mentally during the process of recording the illusion records. How they were under a time crunch to record as the studio was booked and they needed a drummer. Basic tracks being done live on the studio floor with Matt having to learn the material in a short amount of time. Lots of insight to Izzy during that time period and diffusing some rumors that he was pulling away from the group. How involved he was etc... 

1 hour ago, sc_gunner said:

Yeah if you are going to go Epi Les Paul then the $500 range is the way to go.  If you want that AFD sound put some Seymour Duncan Alnico II Slash pickups in.  They are wound different for that AFD sound.  Did that with my Epi Les Paul, and couldn't be happier.  Still need to change the pots though so by the time I'm done I'll probably be in the entry level Gibson Les Paul range as far as costs.  My Epi has the coil tapping so you get that single coil stripped back blues sound as well. 

I do play a Strat for the classic sound, and Dean MAB III for shredding.  Although those are for when I'm in the mood.  My Les Paul is my everyday rocker.

You can find used Slash epis for around 600-700 if you wait and look around. When you consider pickup upgrades/ pots and capacitors the cost difference to just grab one is almost negligible. Especially if you are not doing the mod yourself. All that stuff comes stock on those models.

Its just that they sound pretty particular (you sound sort of like Slash). Players may not find them versatile enough as a main player and would rather have that $ freed up elsewhere in the rig. 

If I want a LP sound I’ll grab my studio. If I want that Slash growl, the Slash models do replicate that very well. I would expect the new Firebird to do pretty much the same thing. Which isn’t any different than all the other models they have ever released save for the Snakepit guitar.

Maybe the response on these will be tepid and they don’t release any more. Could make it valuable down the line as a limited run. That’s the only thing that would make me buy one at this point 

Can’t hate the hustle. Those signed ones will sell out instantly and jump a few hundred or more on the secondary market. 

As far as a $900 epi firebird? With those pickups/wiring they put in every Slash guitar, I can’t see how it would sound much different. Those pickups are pretty overpowering sonically. If Firebirds are your thing I could see how that may appeal. Limited release until they decide to make more in a different finish.  

Have a Slash AFD Epiphone (not the cheap beginner ones) It’s more than enough to get my Slash fix when it pops up. It does what it should do if that makes sense. However I would def grab a Standard/Classic/Traditional if I wanted to go after a traditional LP sound rather than the Slash models.

I’m more of Fender scale/bolt on player personally though

It will need to happen for two reasons:

1. They want to write, record and/or release something under the GNR banner together again

2. They need a release of that nature to help fuel another tour and/or maintain a level of touring that makes their time and energy worthwhile to continue playing 

It’s gotta be worth everyone’s time, energy, and you know what else to do such a venture. Just because they’d like to do it, doesn’t mean the cards are aligned for it to happen

I would think the band would want to discuss a renegotiated advance/deal from the label whether it includes previously written material or not. It was rumored to be a sticking point beforehand, so this situation pushes things over the top and in GNr’s favor as well as more willingness from UMG to play ball. They may even choose to rework something the other way so that they can get out of their deal sooner. That would open up the possibilities quicker of having a live archive project that everyone here seems to be salivating over. 

Record deals aside, if it means they can also take those songs to help facilitate another tour that takes in a similar or better pay day, that would be even better

Question is the next US tour when they would need that boost? Could they go out again after this time off without anything new? I think they could or try. Then you save an album for the tour afterwards, or if that falls through pull the AFD 5 Card that’s still in the back pocket 

Personally, I’d like to see them use the album as leverage to end their deal sooner with UMG. 

1 hour ago, Wagszilla said:

My guess: liability reasons.

(Emphasis mine)

 

This quote is directly related to the issues with UMG/Azoff/Best Buy and finding a way to release the record and recoup on the large costs to the label. Best Buy and GNR getting the short stick there when there was no need to sink really any substantial marketing costs into the venture when UMG recouped up front on those units. Axl and co shutting down any cooperation with the release moving the situation even further into disagreement. All of which resulting in lawsuits.  The more minor stuff was getting clearance from the MLK estate for Madagascar, etc.... 

The follow up from my guess is an issue with giving the band another advance. They couldn’t agree on that number and a marketing budget to push it through. There was a lot of red tape between GNR and UMG. They were prob far apart on an agreement to facilitate a release due to where each party stood in the scope of the industry and their rights 

30 minutes ago, RecipeForDisaster84 said:

I just wanna throw in that that design is the first time you all ever seen the appetite cross without Izzy and Steven.I sadly feel responsible for removing the two because that’s just how it was as the lineup was revealed and as the shows started to come to fruition.When the band officially posted their version a week later,a lot of you guys were pissed! Most seeing that cross without Izzy and Steven for the first time as “blasphemy” lol.Thats when I felt the need to start making attempts by posting “Don’t blame the band! Blame me! It was my idea!” That’s all 

It’s a great concept. They should have hooked you up w something. A print or shirt at the very least. Again, who knows who’s in charge and ran w taking it. I hope it’s not a general practice. 

Also people would have complained if they used the full imagery too. 

43 minutes ago, Chester 524 said:

that's maybe the biggest F U I have ever seen a band do to a fan.  steal your crap and you weren't even mad about it, and they didn't even send you a freaking t shirt or 2 tickets?  other bands probably would have given you tickets, let you come early to see sound check (and maybe let you play a song with them)- all of which doesn't cost them anything!!!!

 

instead they BLOCKED you????  

that's just wrong.  really wrong.  

All I can say is that hopefully it’s a lone wolf situation or an outside vendor that they hired and not something indicative of an overall theme behind the scenes. That’s just bad on multiple levels. I cant think of any artist who wouldn’t be willing to at least send a care package in this situation.

Leads you to believe someone stole the design as a way to cut corners   

10 hours ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

Legitimately was unaware. Never kept up with his solo work or The Replacements 

The Replacements output in the 80's was one of the biggest influences for whatever happened in Alternative Rock in the 90's. Every major artist pretty much looked up to them and you can hear the influence. 

The 2 Bash and Pop albums are also really good and I'd highly recommend them even to GNR fans. 2 different bands recorded them, but the concept was the same in that they got into the studio with the songs and churn them out in a few takes. The 2nd one getting very Stones-esque to my ears at times. 

1 minute ago, donny said:

i have never sent money over a FB page. if something happened like for example=

"i'm doing a one off intimate show for 100 people and all money goes to a homeless charity, send a $50 donation here to get a ticket" and this impersonator has pocketed the money then Tommy needs to say that. if not then why say "dont send money" ? 

dont get me wrong i am on Tommy's side here but it seems like a strange thing to say if it has never happened.

 

I’m not exactly sure, but I believe something happened beforehand w fake profiles and $ going out. I vaguely remember something w Replacement reunion shows and illegal merch/charity related. They could just say that as a general warning  

3 minutes ago, Wagszilla said:

Interesting. So why did he name the profile page Tommy Stinson? 

4 minutes ago, zombux said:

of course you are right on this  we're not the ones who are the milkcows. not many people here are indeed interested in buying fake LP's, fake flyers and plastic skulls (probably designed primarily for 3-6 year old kids).

And there lies the disconnect. This community should be barometer of that level of fan. If they are looking to grow and nurture fans to this level where they subscribe to Nightrain and participate, then knowing how to relate here is essential to nightrain’s long term success 

2 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

Yeah, uhm, I don't think anyone has expressed such a desire. It is more about pointing out that people are trolls just hanging out on a forum for band they lost interest in years ago to post negative posts for the shits and giggles, and not arguing for their removal. Like a spade is a spade, you know? Personally, I would hate it if Diesel left, because he is usually quite entertaining in the non-GN'R sections, both funny and knowledgeable and I try to learn better English from him. Here, in the GN'R section, he is more of a broken record that rarely contributes anything but negative noise.

Come think of it, I don't think there is ANYONE on this forum that I think doesn't deserve to be here. And that's a credit to the admins and mods; they have managed to create the best version of mygnrforum that has ever been.

The problem with the fan base (which goes beyond this forum) is all the drama we generate No wonder the band shies away from us. Just take the current sad situation with YT takedown. We overreact. And then the mood of the forum takes a turn for the worse (NOT saying it isn't sad, just that we take it a bit too far). Rarely do we in a correlative sense react as well when positive things happens, or if we do it is shortlived, while grudges and disappointed lingers as if it is the default state. We are MUCH more likely to complain than to cheer. Just look at the cold fact: Slashs and Duff is back in the band, a scenario that only existed in the wet dreams of many fans. They played Slither. They played SOYL. Slash recently said the whole band is thinking about releasing new music. And where is the people going apeshit about this? They are here, then they are drowned out in negativity. The noise static cancels the signals. Where are people posting thread after thread of celebration? Hell, GN'R in 2018 are active with Axl, Slash and Duff and consider making new music? Am I the only one who are able to see this in any historic perspective? We tend to harp on the negatives. Again, NOT saying the negatives are negligible or shouldn't be part of our discourse -- they are many and serious enough. Just that things aren't in relation to each other. We complain, complain, complain. And we do tend to take ourselves way too seriously, as in "why don't the band listen more to us? why don't the band respond to our complaints?" when fact is that we are pretty much negligible as consumer demographics. Answer is: they prefer not to deal with us. They consider us naive, entitled and negative, and sorry to say it, but we don't really matter to them anyway. We can be safely ignored. 99 % of all income to the band comes from casual fans, not from us. And I AM sorry to say it, because I would very much prefer GN'R to be the kind of band that takes special care of any diehard fans, but obviously they aren't and partly, I think, we have ourselves to blame (and that last sentence will likely trigger some response so as Del said: let the flames begin). 

Agree to an extent. However they and their partners do rely on this part of the fanbase to an extent for their VIP packages, big box sets, big priced items and eventually supporting any new releases outside of the reissues and live material on their social channels down the line.  This is the top of the pyramid and the forum community does factor into the overall health of that market somewhat. It's probably a headache and a half to deal with it where there are serious cost/benefit discussions on an energy level to factor. They do like some aspects of having a community. They've just done things in the past to try and incorporate and nurture a community on their terms in the past (gnronline, Nightrain, etc..)

The issue is that negativity seems to amplify more so than anything positive on the internet these days. The forum Q&A prob scared them for life. Maybe this situation forces them to comeback. Sometimes you just have to address the noise. Even if you find it obnoxious, naive, a pita, etc... it gives the perception that you are at least around from time to time and that you listen (even if you don't). Those are just my personal thoughts. Who knows what else they deal with on a day to day. 

7 hours ago, Crazyman said:

It would be a weird step for a band that once encouraged its listeners to borrow an album from a friend and copy it so that they wouldn't have to buy two separate albums

Let’s be honest and say they released 2 albums separately so that you had to buy 2 separate releases, Geffen could fudge numbers with more breakage & promo, and that made more $ instead of bundling together for less. That line was BS if Duff believed it or not 

I think it would be a disservice to their continued long term success if they took that stance on uploads. My guess they will continue the current policy of more or less hands off on fan recordings. The demos and leaks may be another issue all together 

22 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I guess I should clarify a couple of things; in the time since the letter was posted, Team Brazil was given the exact details of everything to do with what this is about. They were given proof of the theats made towards families and who they were made by. They were also given proof that they people making the threats are doing so while claiming to represent Team Brazil and Guns N' Roses. So whether or not they read the entire letter where it's made clear that the threats are the problem, they have since been brought 100% up to speed on everything.

Second, when I said "people missing the point are doing so on purpose" I was referring to people who've come here to post the idea that posting YouTube videos online is a crime but threatening families is not. IMO, there's just no way someone can actually believe that, yet they came here and posted it as if that's their belief. 

Threats are a serious matter and deserve the most attention.

As far as YouTube crime, it’s only a crime to be taken seriously if UMG/GNR decide to litigate the matter (which they won’t outside of a simple C&D). Otherwise it is nothing that would or should dissuade from reporting online threats

I think some are pretty naive to think that the parties involved weren’t going to capitalize on the renewed interest in the band. Especially in this modern music business environment. No one is going to run things like it were 1988, 1993 or even 2008. It’s not feasible. 

That doesn’t mean I necessarily agree or like the direction some of this has gone. Is GNRAir tacky? You bet. Is a targeted email from UMG to people who purchased an item unexpected in 2018? Absolutely not. Could it have been worded better? Definitely, yes. 

21 minutes ago, killuridols said:

Laziness in the sense that for them it was "be a rockstar" or nothing.  They didn't want to settle for regular jobs.

A different thing is being poor for not having choices. They did have choices but as you said, they had priorities or a plan in mind, that had to be executed at any cost.

When I mention Duff being a cook, I mean the guy wasnt scared of having a regular job while trying to be a rockstar. That's why he had a roof and Axl didnt. Axl was the laziest, I think. Maybe along with Izzy or Steven. 

Izzy didnt have a decent job, he was a drug dealer, women dealer. But that doesn't mean he couldn't do something else. He could have done something else, he just didn't want to.

Wife cant always leave the beating husband but you could have healed yourself and find the real love of the Slash, a.k.a., the new good husband 

I can't believe you still haven't dusted yourself off of the Ashba and porn mustache and bloated beer gut! (Oh wait... in 2012 he didn't have a bloated gut , right?)

Doesn’t mean they were lazy. They were barely high school educated and that meant they could get general labor jobs. There was def a ceiling at what they could obtain and they prob didn’t make much $. So yeah I would call them lower class in the USA 

48 minutes ago, killuridols said:

Their "Poorness" was more due to being lazy asses, bums, not because of a social context that pushed them to live in poverty because of high rates of unemployement.

Duff was the hard-working one, I think. He got a job as a cook or something in some restaurant.

Try and be committed to a band on that level and see where your career takes you. Nothing to do with laziness. Maybe priorities. Being a line cook wasn’t exactly a great paying gig. At least not enough to claim he was anything but lower class 

39 minutes ago, killuridols said:

They were "band of the people" for a few years, maybe the club years. As soon as the UYI tour started, Axl was spotted in limos, wearing fur coats and dating supermodels.

After that, he became even more of a fat rich asshole: his Versace jackets, shirts, the expensive boots, cars, all the jewelry....... He always wanted to be a millionaire, that's clear and that's why he didn't gel with any of the grunge bands. McKagan and Slash camouflage themselves better but we all know behind the scenes they eat caviar and stay at 5 stars hotels, plus their lifestyle is nowhere close to "working class".

Yes and no. LOL.

I know what you mean but sometimes I think that if Axl had not gone out after 1993, he would have been even more clueless than he is now. The yellow raincoat and the porn mustache are cringy but I guess they were a reality check for him as well. Just like the "fat meme" picture. Those things, at least, gave him a sense of reality that he was not the sexy attractive symbol from the 90s and that he needed to lose some weight.

Not that he lost all the weight that he should have and not that his image now is the best, but I wonder if he had stayed untouchable in his mansion, listening to TB and the rest of Yes Men, I think he would have returned fatter and crazier.

He needed to suffer and go through what he went through during the "dark years", to realize that he needed Slash and to reunite the band. Better sooner than later, I dont know

You say all of this as it relates to $, but he was also poor as hell wearing cowboy boots and dressed drag in the street in the mid 80's in LA. The guy wore assless chaps. They were all sort of misfits who dressed weird, listened to weird bands and looked a little out of the norm. You could say all of that came from some tangent

43 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

I came across this article about the box set with comments from various people related to the music industry. It gives a good insight of the way these people think

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/24/why-guns-n-roses-fans-may-be-willing-to-part-with-1000.html

It looks like the Locked N' Loaded box is seen as the beginning for this kind of very high-priced boxes with a lot of non musical "collectable" things as the new "norm":

The -simple- reasoning seems to be this:

- "There are hundreds of thousands or millions of people, to whom this album was very important".

- "The majority of these people are now adults with an income".

- "At least 10.000 of these people don't have just an income, but they're rich, hence capable and willing to pay this amount of cash for something special by the band they love, based also on how well the most expensive tickets for the NITL shows sold".

- "There will be cheaper versions of it for the rest who can't afford it, so everyone will be happy and the endeavour will be a success".

So, likely, that's how it was presented to the management/band (supposing that the band participated on this level) and they said "yeah, sure, sounds good".

What they don't get -or maybe they do but don't care- is:

1) That the fans don't think like this. Fans who can't afford the big box, i.e. the vast majority, feel equally entitled to it since the album and the band have been equally important to them too. Other fans, even among those who could technically afford it, feel insulted by the high price and the way this thing is marketed.

2) That it hurts the profile of the band as a "band of the people". Even fans who are well off have found the band appealing because of that.

Yep, this is exactly how major labels think. The fan base is a pyramid with each section more willing to spend $ on specialized product than the one on the bottom. Not surprising it correlates to the most engaged/crazed fan also being at the top.

They are now targeting the top as their business model of selling a large volume of cheap plastic across the entire pyramid generates less revenue. It is in their best interests to take advantage of those types of fans at the top now. 

14 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

I'm starting to question whether they ever were infact a ''band of the people''? You also see McKagan, Mr ''Punk as Fuck'' himself, weighed down by designer bags.

Band of the people? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that term used w them. GNR did whatever the hell they wanted. That was their appeal

They went on stage late hammered and put on a performance that always seemed to be on the brink. They bundled a previously released EP with 4 acoustic session songs as a release to tie things over. They had an extravagant stage show w backup singers and scantedly dressed woman who also happened to play horn. They took a double album project that could have been bundled into 1 release and released them separately at full MSRP. They took 18 years to release the most expensive album ever made. 

Should we really be shocked at one of the most expensive box sets out for sale? 

15 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I was just going by what Axl said somewhere along the line. I honestly have no clue whether it actually happened or not. 

Who knows, he said it at a show in 02. Although this all could have meant they turned him down on the stage monitors. You couldn’t hear that in the mix for crowdtapers or soundboards. Would explain Izzy trying to turn himself up though