Do you think Axl should leave the US for good?

[ITW 2012]

Do you think Axl should leave the US for good? The industry appears to have put up a wall around Axl and they are stifling his output with lawsuits and other ploys to try and get him to sell himself out for their financial gain. The same type of thing happened to Jimi Hendrix, and well, it happens to any artist who wants to stray from the formula that the industry believes made them successful in the first place.

[henfjel]

Do you think Axl should leave the US for good? The industry appears to have put up a wall around Axl and they are stifling his output with lawsuits and other ploys to try and get him to sell himself out for their financial gain. The same type of thing happened to Jimi Hendrix, and well, it happens to any artist who wants to stray from the formula that the industry believes made them successful in the first place.

this.

that is one thing that is VERY lame about the US.

i don't think he should leave it for good, but i think he should tour the rest of the world more.

Edited May 21, 2010 by henfjel

[Nintari]

You guys fail to understand something here. Axl is useless to these guys because there's no money to be made. Make no mistake, be it the UK,South America or Australia, the people who hold the power only want to make money. In the US, Axl is pretty much washed up and finished. As long as he's refusing a reunion, it's over for him here. So why in the HELL would anyone use their money,power and time on something that's a losing cause? The American public voted with their dollar when CD released. They let Axl and everyone else know what they think about him and his "new" band/album/vision. These promoters, they don't give a damn about artists. They're just trying to make their living anyway they can and you don't make a living wasting money on something that isn't a draw anymore.

But leaving the US? There's no point. He's American, loves American culture and wants to live there. Living there doesn't prevent him from releasing albums and touring elsewhere. If he wants to do that, he can. There's no reason to leave his country.

[Monty]

Performing wise, he may be scunnered from ever performing in the US again. Believe it or not, you can have a successful career outside of the US , but ideally we'd want GNR to be playing anywhere and everywhere.

We can agree that the promotion for CD was nowhere near what it should have been, being such a highly anticipated album. You need to sustain a high level of promotion to have a successful album, through tv appearances, etc, all of which were lacking/non existent. Who knows what would have happened if everything that was promised (major promotion, Van Halen stadium tour, etc) actual came through .

[batman007]

NO! Its his home and he wont leave. He would of left already!

[The Glow Inc.]

...

Check out how many copies Motley Crue sold of "Saints of Los Angeles" ( a band which sold more or less the same number of albums as GnR during their whole carrier ) on American soil.

Then compare this number to Chinese Democracy ( was it something like 500 000 copies ? )

Then do the math and see that CD sold almost twice as much.

Then realize that Motley Crue have no plans to leave the US for good and that they are still doing fairly well financially.

Then you have the answer to your question.

Sure, GnR is nowhere near as big as it used to be. But people still go to see the shows. They aren't sold out. True. So what ? There is still the rest of the world if they wanna make a big buck.

Leave the US for good ? lol Why would he do that ? Out of shame ? Because cupcakes on the internet and medias constantly mock whatever he's trying to do ?

I say fuck that.

Edited May 21, 2010 by The Glow Inc.

[ppruks]

haha, there's one thing that Axl Rose will never do, give in and bail, at least that's my opinion, he will not have himself forced into doing anything, if he did that, it would basically defy his whole existence and what he's been trying to accomplish for the past 15 or so years, so no...never

Edited May 21, 2010 by ppruks

[kyrie]

GN'R still outsells and outdraws Motley Crue, as someone pointed out. They also outdraw STP, Rob Zombie/Alice Cooper (I'm seeing them tonight in Toronto, at a smaller venue than GN'R played in January, and Zombie/Cooper hasn't sold nearly as many tickets), etc. They pulled a much larger number than VR here. I dunno, it's not the U.S., but still, GN'R should have no problem doing arena shows in larger markets. Smaller markets are smaller markets... you won't sell out unless you're in a select number of bands, and with the history of GNR, right now they're likely not.

Does it matter though? I'm happy to see them where ever.

I think the main thing here is, will the dispute with Azoff hurt GN'R picking up promoters/venues for US dates.

[ManetsBR]

Axl doesn't need the US for Guns N' Roses. They can bash him as they have been doing in the last years, the tour is being a sucess, and it didn't even had an US leg. Chinese Democracy was #1 in several countries outside the US.

USA is not a good place for Guns N' Roses, talking about marketing. But they have fans there, and leve the US wouldn't be fair with them. But ignore the media and the bashes is fair enough for what they have been doing with Axl and Guns N' Roses, and they do it already.

[tkarmy]

When you can still sell out shows in big markets like new york, chicago, LA, etc you by far from washed up. They could probably do without playing boise idaho.. but seriously when you can still draw 7000 people in Saskatoon and Regina Saskatchewan Canada when the combined population is 450,000 your still doing just fine its all about perspective.

[Sunn]

I just feel so terribly, terribly sorry for Axl. Nearly every person he's ever known or worked with or had dealings with has just had as their ultimate goal - "How can I fuck over Axl Rose?"

Imagine living a life like that, where you just want to do your own thing, your own way, and some lame ass is telling you how to get your band out there, how promotion works, and what the "rules" are.

How could someone with Axl's integrity, artistic talent, and refusal to play "the game" ever bow down to THIS?

How DARE anyone tell Axl how to run his band? Who the fuck do they think they are?

Poor, poor Axl. My heart just hurts for the indignities he's had to face.

[sweetness]

I hate to break it to you guys but Axl was never known for pushing musical boundaries and he certainly isn't expected to do so, he's a rock musician, and a rock musician is only as good as his band. Guns N' Roses set the bar too high, its useless trying to surpass what has already been achieved with a totally different group of guys. The industry isn't against him for whatever formula he's using, they just aren't banking on what he's trying to sell because no matter how good the product is it will always be compared to that of his heyday, with those other guys... but this is what Axl wanted, no need to feel sorry for him

That said, quit the fucking melodrama, these days you don't need the industry to find success, you just need a fanbase and Axl already has that. If they balls up and schedule some dates in the US people WILL go to the shows, why leave the US for good? You think if he just packs up and moves to Brazil suddenly everybody will talk about Guns N' Roses and videos will come out and shit?

the logic in this section...

Edited May 21, 2010 by sweetness

[Cdlove]

Axl is god, he goes wherever he wants to.

[JesusisSavior]

Do you think Axl should leave the US for good? The industry appears to have put up a wall around Axl and they are stifling his output with lawsuits and other ploys to try and get him to sell himself out for their financial gain.

Financial gain? Is that all there is to this picture? Not that i'm speaking for the entirity, but Americans don't settle for second best. People don't get why someone who was once so beloved and so good at what he does would attatch himself to a dead name brand and hold the darkest of resentment towards the infamous men who are willing to accept forgiveness and make commends.

If anything, Axl is the one seeking financial gain.

[ITW 2012]

I'm thinking that he should take his masters and flee the country. Then he can release them online and tour outside the long arm of the law. Otherwise he's most likely going to be tied up in the US courts for years. The record company probably won't release CD II unless they get another Best Buy deal or unless he gets the old band back for re-recordings and a tour. They've got Axl over a barrel because he still owes them more albums. Fucking Suits!

[wasted]

I could see the next album being recorded in Rio.

[dalsh327]

To me, he should do a run of shows either in Vegas at The Joint,and the rest of the world gets the festival and stadium shows. Plus The Palms has a recording studio which I think GNR used. He really doesn't have to do a tour when most fans go there to spend money to have fun, drink, party, and raise hell. Plus there's no curfew enforced... if he goes on at 2AM they're fine with it. The tickets might be a little more expensive, but worth it.

[dalsh327]

Usually when they put the greatest hits out, the contract's been fulfilled.

Axl pretty much said there's no "sequel" to Chinese Democracy, there might be a few finished tracks. I don't think he'll take 15 years to follow up on it. I think when they go on an extended break or when the tour comes to an end, all depends on how full his journals are getting. Right now, his focus and energy's on the live shows.

Odds are the record company owns the masters, considering they put out the Greatest Hits without the band's consent. Had GNR recorded for Island, that wouldn't have been the case and he would've been able to own the master tapes. Bob Marley's estate owns the master tapes. U2 owns their master tapes, which put them in the highest recording contract ever, more than the Stones because they had the entire catalog.

Granted, there's people in the indie and majors that can be either way. Jeff Buckley's estate gave his mom complete ownership over how the music is put out. Ozzy and Sharon have complete control over their back catalog, Springsteen has never changed labels, so they're not all evil or out to screw artists over. But there's been some shady indie companies that have.

I'm thinking that he should take his masters and flee the country. Then he can release them online and tour outside the long arm of the law. Otherwise he's most likely going to be tied up in the US courts for years. The record company probably won't release CD II unless they get another Best Buy deal or unless he gets the old band back for re-recordings and a tour. They've got Axl over a barrel because he still owes them more albums. Fucking Suits!

[BigRed79]

Oh god...another stupid ITW 2012 topic....

No. He should not leave the US for good. There is no legitimate reason for him to leave, and a tour in the US would obviously be well received; there is little to no evidence suggesting it wouldn't.

You speak of "the industry" as if it was the US government; it's not. The United States is not get him to sell himself out for their financial gain, and it's insanity to draw that kind of comparison.

The record company probably won't release CD II unless they get another Best Buy deal or unless he gets the old band back for re-recordings and a tour.

So, pretty much the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Thats not how record companies work, and it's evident that you have barely any knowledge industry - at least, not enough to start making statements like this.

Edited May 22, 2010 by BigRed79

[wasted]

They'll stall on a new album to try to get a reunion like they've been doing for last 20 years.

[Guest Nasty Nate]

Axl Rose should pull a Ricky Williams.

He should travel around the world in a tent, smoke a lot of weed, come back and write something simply amazing that nobody could ever understand or do ever, and release it. It sound improbable, but it's possible. He has to go all out on it too. Then he can have an epic death so people will remember him.

[Snowmass]

Do you think Axl should leave the US for good? The industry appears to have put up a wall around Axl and they are stifling his output with lawsuits and other ploys to try and get him to sell himself out for their financial gain. The same type of thing happened to Jimi Hendrix, and well, it happens to any artist who wants to stray from the formula that the industry believes made them successful in the first place.

LOL. Just about shat myself reading this...LOL again. Yeah, a 50 year old dude (who used to and still has ability to sing/be the biggest rock star around) should leave the US. As talented as he is, as much as I/we love him, he doesn't want to be as big as he was. Period. What was his quote to Bas when bas said something to him like 'VH1 will pay you a million $ for an interview...?"....didn't Axl say "I'll pay them a million $ to leave me the fu*& alone".?

[SaskGunner]

He doesn't really need to leave. He has the ability to make more albums should he choose , for everyones sake I hope not another 15 fucking years, but he can do that while technically ignoring the American Market if you want to look at it that way. South American always draws big numbers that's just how the musical culture is down there. In North America we get a fucking rock show every week where if you live somewhere like Bogota Columbia the chance to go see a rock show and ignore how fucked up everything is for a couple hours will instantly gather huge interest. Promotion would have been nice for Chinese Democracy, honestly I haven't posted on here in a couple years and just stopped waiting for the album after enough "release dates". Then someone told me it was actually released and I was shocked as hell.

I know everyone is considering the US tour dates would have to be large stadiums, but technically if he wanted to make a killing he could throw out some club shows with rank expensive tickets. I would throw money down for those in a heart beat to actually get to hear a show with half decent acoustics as oppose to what I heard in two of the Canada Shows.

[wasted]

You don't get bigger than being on TMZ. Axl is back and on top of his game. The only thing the record company can take credit for is fucking up the booklet and failing to organise a US tour. Well done, they couldn't organise a terrorist strike with the taliban. Meanwhile GNR did a world tour without any backing, the fans loved the shows and then they get back to the US and all Azoff can do is sue them cos he couldn't do his job?

[ITW 2012]

The game in the US appears to be all about a reunion. Sure, Axl can make albums, but will Universal actually release them? Shit's fucked up.