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Official GNR Social Media Update / Discussion


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1 hour ago, SoulMonster said:

There’s no denying they are tight friends, regardless of Del working for GNR. Shit, I hope many of my colleagues consider me a friend, too, and we don't go 30 years back. 

....and on the other side of that coin, I hope I never have to pay someone to be my friend. 

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6 hours ago, RussTCB said:

....and on the other side of that coin, I hope I never have to pay someone to be my friend. 

You think Axl is paying him to be his friend? :lol:

They were friends before Del got jobs in the GN'R crew. One way Axl had been taking care of friends is to offer them jobs. I would have done the same. 

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2 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

You think Axl is paying him to be his friend? :lol:

They were friends before Del got jobs in the GN'R crew. One way Axl had been taking care of friends is to offer them jobs. I would have done the same. 

Axl and Del James became friends when both of them were penniless. However Del James has no place to go. Who would give Del a job? And to do what? I guess you could say that someone like Eddie Trunk could hire Del to do something for his radio show. But Eddie would be doing Del a favor. The same can be said about Beta and Fernando.

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3 minutes ago, Padme said:

Axl and Del James became friends when both of them were penniless. However Del James has no place to go. Who would give Del a job? And to do what? I guess you could say that someone like Eddie Trunk could hire Del to do something for his radio show. But Eddie would be doing Del a favor. The same can be said about Beta and Fernando.

I am sure whatever expertise and skills Del has developed in his job positions in the GN'R machinery, including being a video director and road manager, would qualify him for similar jobs in the music industry, without him being hired out of charity. As for Beta, she has a complex job history including being an executive assistant and working in music management (in addition to more menial jobs), and would thus be qualified for a bunch of different jobs. There isn't that many people who have actually sat at the negotiation table when big international music tours and releases have been planned. Regardless of what we might think of her, that gives her very valuable experience that would be coveted by many employers. I am sure the same goes for Fernando.

Regardless, this is irrelevant to Russ' suggestion that Axl is paying Del to be his friend. Axl might pay him because he is a friend, but suggesting that Del wouldn't be Axl's friend if he wasn't paid, is unnecessarily callous thinking. People might not like Axl for whatever reasons, but suggesting he is unable to have friends, that people won't be friends with him if it wasn't for monetary benefits, is a bit ridiculous. 

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4 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Axl might pay him because he is a friend, but suggesting that Del wouldn't be Axl's friend if he wasn't paid, is unnecessarily callous thinking. People might not like Axl for whatever reasons, but suggesting he is unable to have friends, that people won't be friends with him if it wasn't for monetary benefits, is a bit ridiculous. 

Exactly, he probably got the gig because he is a friend. I think it only shows how loyal Axl is in his friendships. I think Duff wrote about that in his book, loyalty being one of his best qualities as a friend.

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Just now, EvanG said:

Exactly, he probably got the gig because he is a friend. I think it only shows how loyal Axl is in his friendships. I think Duff wrote about that in his book, loyalty being one of his best qualities as a friend.

Yes, that Axl is extremely loyal, and values loyalty very high, is a consistent message from anyone who knew Axl well and has talked about it. I have yet to find anyone saying something contrary to it.

The flipside of Axl being vey loyal to his friends, is that he expected the same in return and this helps to explain the numerous falling outs he has had with previous friends and could also help shed light on his venomous reaction to Slash leaving the band, which lasted for many years after it happened.

 

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19 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

Yes, that Axl is extremely loyal, and values loyalty very high, is a consistent message from anyone who knew Axl well and has talked about it. I have yet to find anyone saying something contrary to it.

Controversial opinion, but this is why I actually believe Ashba about him being asked to be part of NITL even though Fernando denied it, I just think it was a private phone call and not something Axl discussed with TB. I don't think Axl is ever comfortable with firing someone.

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29 minutes ago, ShadowOfTheWave said:

Controversial opinion, but this is why I actually believe Ashba about him being asked to be part of NITL even though Fernando denied it, I just think it was a private phone call and not something Axl discussed with TB. I don't think Axl is ever comfortable with firing someone.

I have thought the same, although I haven't concluded in either way.

Totally irrelevant, but I forgot to reply to someone else earlier today (not you, ShadowOfTheWave) regarding Axl firing people, when said someone said Axl had never fired anyone except Gilby. I am not so sure he fired Gilby, either. I mean, to some extent this is a technicality, but Gilby's contract wasn't renewed (in contrast to an agreement being terminated) but more importantly: Axl had been quite clear since Gilby was hired that he might not be there for the after-touring. He was a quick-fix to not have to cancel the next leg of the UYI tour when Izzy quit. So this wasn't a firing in the typical sense, and definitely not as unexpected or mean-spirited as some seem to think it was. The reason Gilby was disappointed in the decision, and probably felt hurt and angry although he is too gentlemanly to express this, is that he had been led to believe there was a chance he would be part of the band going forward since he had worked so tightly with Slash on new music. He was part of "camp Slash" then and they worked on what they assumed would be the next GN'R record. That would have been huge to Gilby. But not only did Axl reject the music they had worked on, Axl also (repeated) his decision to not renew the contract and not, sort of, promote Gilby to be part of the writing lineup. That must have been a colossal bummer and it is to Gilby's unlimited credit that he has taken the high road on this and been so genial towards the band and Axl in later interviews -- likely because he knows Axl had been clear about there maybe not being a future for him in the band. And while on this topic, Axl would claim he didn't make this decision to let Gilby go, alone, but together with Slash (who had been frustrated with Gilby at the time), and Slash would to a large extent confirm this (but kind of make it seem it had been a misunderstanding), yet in the years after this, and especially after Slash had left GN'R and was bitter towards it all, Slash would consistently make it seem Axl had acted all along in firing Gilby against Slash's wishes. And as we know, Slash got to steer the narrative with his frequent interviews while Axl missed out from his self-imposed exile.

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18 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

I have thought the same, although I haven't concluded in either way.

Totally irrelevant, but I forgot to reply to someone else earlier today (not you, ShadowOfTheWave) regarding Axl firing people, when said someone said Axl had never fired anyone except Gilby. I am not so sure he fired Gilby, either. I mean, to some extent this is a technicality, but Gilby's contract wasn't renewed (in contrast to an agreement being terminated) but more importantly: Axl had been quite clear since Gilby was hired that he might not be there for the after-touring. He was a quick-fix to not have to cancel the next leg of the UYI tour when Izzy quit. So this wasn't a firing in the typical sense, and definitely not as unexpected or mean-spirited as some seem to think it was. The reason Gilby was disappointed in the decision, and probably felt hurt and angry although he is too gentlemanly to express this, is that he had been led to believe there was a chance he would be part of the band going forward since he had worked so tightly with Slash on new music. He was part of "camp Slash" then and they worked on what they assumed would be the next GN'R record. That would have been huge to Gilby. But not only did Axl reject the music they had worked on, Axl also (repeated) his decision to not renew the contract and not, sort of, promote Gilby to be part of the writing lineup. That must have been a colossal bummer and it is to Gilby's unlimited credit that he has taken the high road on this and been so genial towards the band and Axl in later interviews -- likely because he knows Axl had been clear about there maybe not being a future for him in the band. And while on this topic, Axl would claim he didn't make this decision to let Gilby go, alone, but together with Slash (who had been frustrated with Gilby at the time), and Slash would to a large extent confirm this (but kind of make it seem it had been a misunderstanding), yet in the years after this, and especially after Slash had left GN'R and was bitter towards it all, Slash would consistently make it seem Axl had acted all along in firing Gilby against Slash's wishes. And as we know, Slash got to steer the narrative with his frequent interviews while Axl missed out from his self-imposed exile.

To add to this: it also seems, based on some contemporary Slash interviews and a later Doug Goldstein letter (which, very likely, reflected Axl's stance on the matter), that Axl was initially willing to keep Gilby in the band in some capacity, like as a touring member or "side guy". But Gilby was not happy with that, since, of course, he wanted no less than be a full member and write with the band; and then he said some things in the press at the time (which he tried to retract from shortly after) that Axl probably didn't appreciate, and that was it.

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10 hours ago, mystery said:

I feel like November Rain is what really elevated the band to legendary tier. The music video is the first one made before the 2000s to hit one billion views on YouTube.

It’s a stone cold classic that comfortably stacks up against all the top classic rock songs of any era. Axl’s finest song in my opinion. 

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On 2/19/2022 at 12:29 AM, mystery said:

I feel like November Rain is what really elevated the band to legendary tier. The music video is the first one made before the 2000s to hit one billion views on YouTube.

Yeah, that's my feeling as well. The hype around that video and the UYI Tour is what made them the biggest band in the world. I'm too young to have witnessed that myself but I've got some first hand memories and stories by my older sister who was really in that time and age.

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