Being a Gn'R fan is tough, eh?

[axlsend]

The twenty years I've followed the band have flown by. You do what Axl said, live your life, you're only here once so enjoy it. I didn't think I would ever see or hear new music from GnR when the old band broke up, but the gigs I went to in 2006 and 2010 were the best I have ever seen. When you've seen GnR live, for me anyway, no other band comes close. There's an old saying that if it's worth having, it's worth waiting for. For me that's true, so just a little patience!

[Anonymity]

It's not hard at all, but some people around this board in particular seem to believe the band owes them something, and should be run the way they see fit, which is total BS.

Agreed.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Anonymity

[SunnyDRE]

i really don't like how people make excuses for the underhanded shit that goes down, and they also complain about 'whiners', when really they're whining just as much in return. basically I love the old music better than the new

[AmyL]

Nothing really good in life is easy!!!!

[kevin]

Whys it so hard to like the music?

[AngelZ]

It's not hard at all, but some people around this board in particular seem to believe the band owes them something, and should be run the way they see fit, which is total BS. So I guess the one thing that annoys me most about the band is its fans, or the "we're not really fans we just like to cupcake" segment.

the one thing that annoys me are the people who think they can define what a fan is

ur a fan n someone who has a different view is labeled a cupcake-thats the only thing here that is total BS

these so called cupcakes were the only people who kept this band alive and relevant through years of nothing on these boards

they didnt hop on the gravy train just because Guns finally decided to do a tour or release an album or a leak turned up

n these so called cupcakes dont express their opinions out of feeling Axl owes them anything

they remember when this was the best fuckin band in the world

when they were making music not excuses, when they were giving interviews not hiding behind gag orders, when their albums were topping charts for months not tumbling off them after a week

u want to diss on people n u dont even understand what theyre doing

its not about feeling owed for shit its about knowing the band they loved could do so much better and rooting for them to do just that

stroking an ego n blindly agreeing with everything they say without question doesnt make one a bigger fan

makes them mindless sheep who cant come up with an original thought except to call another person a cupcake or tell em to find another band

give urself a pat on the head, good job for coming up with that

[ChineseDemocracy2004]

I became a fan of the band around 2003 or 2004. I downloaded the live versions of CD songs from the 2001/02 shows as well as the band's back catalogue and joined this forum. Once in a while there would be a thread about CD's upcoming release and the forum would go crazy with excitement only to let down eventually for whatever reason, usually it was misinformation. To take my mind off of the waiting I started collecting bootlegs and listened to them religiously and not only that I started to learn how to play their songs on guitar. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months and so on so I started to listening to other bands but kept an eye on things without getting too carried away with what I read but when Axl reappeared in 2006 I couldn't help but get excited and the leaks that followed made me believe that the album was real and it was coming out. I remember the day I bought my copy of CD (I had previously pre-ordered one from the ill-fated March release date as well) after 9am on an overcast November morning. Listening to the CD wasn't only a relief but a privilege.

I've seen the band before and after CD's release which was also a rewarding experience.

[JAC185]

How can it be tough to be a fan of a band? Really? This is just mental.

When they release music I buy it and when they tour I see them and their whole back catalogue sits proudly in my record collection and at times has helped me get through the days.

If anything I think my life would be tougher if I were not a fan of GNR such a prominent role in my growing up have they played.

I have hundreds of bootlegs, various t-shirts and posters aswell as obviously the DVDs and CDs from GNR and related releases. It was not exactly a chore and it never really is.

At times it was a bit annoying on the forum when it seemed like CD might be coming and it turns out it was taking a little longer or whatever, but in the same way its a bit annoying I could not get tickets to the Zeppelin reunion and thus may never get to see them and a million other musical things are a little bit annoying that I would change in a perfect world. I do not get frustrated about it or anything and sometimes when people post really angry this on the forum I assume they are just venting some other frustration as they can not really be irked that much....I hope.

Edited February 27, 2011 by JAC185

[ChineseDemocracy2004]

How can it be tough to be a fan of a band? Really? This is just mental.

When they release music I buy it and when they tour I see them and their whole back catalogue sits proudly in my record collection and at times has helped me get through the days.

If anything I think my life would be tougher if I were not a fan of GNR such a prominent role in my growing up have they played.

I have hundreds of bootlegs, various t-shirts and posters aswell as obviously the DVDs and CDs from GNR and related releases. It was not exactly a chore and it never really is.

At times it was a bit annoying on the forum when it seemed like CD might be coming and it turns out it was taking a little longer or whatever, but in the same way its a bit annoying I could not get tickets to the Zeppelin reunion and thus may never get to see them and a million other musical things are a little bit annoying that I would change in a perfect world. I do not get frustrated about it or anything and sometimes when people post really angry this on the forum I assume they are just venting some other frustration as they can not really be irked that much....I hope.

If anything our lives are better because we let GN'R's music into it.

[rockerman]

When it comes down to it...this is only entertainment ..only a distraction from everyday life. Thats all. Its the brand you buy to make your life a little bit better.

What i suspect people latch onto is the drama of it all.. theres a fight to be had...whos camp you place your feet in.. do yo identify with it the message being sent?Will he wont he? can he? will he???

In the late 90's i couldnt give a shit about the drama of it all.. it was a band i listened to when i was in highschool/college...bands came and went good music came in went.

After the dust had settled post graduation and getting on in life..cars mortgages jobs ect...one day i became extremely sentimental about the times i had with GNR blaring in the background...The old band defined the era of when life was simpler and a bit less hectic. For me it was about the story i came to know and experience GNR to and by.

In my backwater town in Wyoming.. Axls story had so much creedance.. local trouble maker rebel misfit outcast with overbearing religious background crawled out of that story and went on to become internationally famous and singing on stage with the biggest bands in the world ..and being the force in his own band that took them from bar club band to rocking stadiums...pretty powerful story for any young boy who dreams of escaping the shiit story they were given through childhiood. When I open up the liner notes to AFD it was like I had written that myself and thats when GNR became a force in my life. So many of my friends as well as myself said...if he can do it ..then so can I .. and many did in thier own way and in their own fields.

I went on to be a Doctor when everybody including my preacher s, teachers, parents friends and cops thought i was on the way to the penetentiary!

[saber_]

It's not hard at all, but some people around this board in particular seem to believe the band owes them something, and should be run the way they see fit, which is total BS. So I guess the one thing that annoys me most about the band is its fans, or the "we're not really fans we just like to cupcake" segment.

the one thing that annoys me are the people who think they can define what a fan is

ur a fan n someone who has a different view is labeled a cupcake-thats the only thing here that is total BS

these so called cupcakes were the only people who kept this band alive and relevant through years of nothing on these boards

they didnt hop on the gravy train just because Guns finally decided to do a tour or release an album or a leak turned up

n these so called cupcakes dont express their opinions out of feeling Axl owes them anything

they remember when this was the best fuckin band in the world

when they were making music not excuses, when they were giving interviews not hiding behind gag orders, when their albums were topping charts for months not tumbling off them after a week

u want to diss on people n u dont even understand what theyre doing

its not about feeling owed for shit its about knowing the band they loved could do so much better and rooting for them to do just that

stroking an ego n blindly agreeing with everything they say without question doesnt make one a bigger fan

makes them mindless sheep who cant come up with an original thought except to call another person a cupcake or tell em to find another band

give urself a pat on the head, good job for coming up with that

That's all well and good, but most of it is idealized bullshit. And it perfectly demonstrates how some fans, including yourself, have concocted this rationale for being assholes all the time. Let me tell you something: AXL DOESN'T GIVE A SHIT. He doesn't give a fuck about what OTHER PEOPLE want. He controls his own destiny, and he's made it pretty fuckin clear how things are going to be. So you and others can keep holding on to the "good ol days" and can constantly remind people how you like original 5 or the UYI lineup, and how things used to be. But you're living in the past. And you've watched the Blues Brothers one too many times. "We're getting the band back together. We're on a mission from God." Seriously that's how it comes off. When I first came to this board, hel-l I was all about "puttin the band back together." But then as I learned more and more, I grew to accept the REALITY of the current state of affairs. And it wasn't that hard. I can still dig it- I can still dig GNR. And the REALITY is Axl is saying "Fuck you" to anybody who thinks that just because they want something to happen, he should want it to happen too.

So while you may try to spin things (bravo, by the way) and call some fans "mindless sheep," the truth is SOME FANS HAVE GOTTEN OVER IT, and are digging the new albums and new tours and internet messageboard rants from their favorite GNR members. Is that so hard to understand? Is that so hard to believe? And yes I will give you credit where credit is due- there are ass-licking yes-men and sycophants galore. But I got news for ya buddy, those people are everywhere when it comes to successful entities in the public arena. So anyway, you'll have to excuse some people if they get irritated by faux-righteous motherfuckers (who indeed are fans, in a way) who live only to perpetuate their love of the old days, and their bitterness for the new days on others. It gets old. It gets annoying. And y'know what? There are some punks on this board who are stereotyped debbie downers (google it). It's not that hard to look at the positive, and enjoy what's going on nowadays.

Sure, can criticisms be made? Yes. Is it ok to point out how you feel to other fans, even if your view differs from theirs? Yes. But what's not ok is constantly shitting on everything and trolling internet messageboards incessantly in some vain hope that they might actually influence decision making for Axl and GNR. It gets old. It really does. It gets old. And yes ya know what? You're right: gushers are almost just as annoying as haters, but there is a middle ground, you know. There's a way to convey your opinions in rational, thoughtful ways. There is indeed a way to be be open-minded and not behave like some fuckin spiteful robot on autopilot hating on everything. Ya dig?

[Casual]

I remember GNR a little bit from the 90s (but I was more into alternative rock back then.) I started following them around 2004, when VR started. That was when I bought AFD, and UYI and I probably still must have played UYIs a million times while waiting for Chi Dem. I sawGNR live in 2006, which was fun too. I think the forums have kind of held my interest, by being able to talk about the band and members with other people. I think GNR is kind of like Wu Tang where they have all these different members and they are all kind of branched out and interconnected.

[therealdoofey]

It's not hard at all, but some people around this board in particular seem to believe the band owes them something, and should be run the way they see fit, which is total BS. So I guess the one thing that annoys me most about the band is its fans, or the "we're not really fans we just like to cupcake" segment.

the one thing that annoys me are the people who think they can define what a fan is

ur a fan n someone who has a different view is labeled a cupcake-thats the only thing here that is total BS

these so called cupcakes were the only people who kept this band alive and relevant through years of nothing on these boards

they didnt hop on the gravy train just because Guns finally decided to do a tour or release an album or a leak turned up

n these so called cupcakes dont express their opinions out of feeling Axl owes them anything

they remember when this was the best fuckin band in the world

when they were making music not excuses, when they were giving interviews not hiding behind gag orders, when their albums were topping charts for months not tumbling off them after a week

u want to diss on people n u dont even understand what theyre doing

its not about feeling owed for shit its about knowing the band they loved could do so much better and rooting for them to do just that

stroking an ego n blindly agreeing with everything they say without question doesnt make one a bigger fan

makes them mindless sheep who cant come up with an original thought except to call another person a cupcake or tell em to find another band

give urself a pat on the head, good job for coming up with that

You know how you can always tell someone is using a proxy server/ip scrambler?

Because all their

posts cut off mid-sentence

onto another line just

like the one above.

[Trilogy]

I'm really curious how all of you Gn'R lifers made it through the storm that was Chinese Democracy? What in god's name did you do all those years to curb your anticipation? Where do we go now?

Let me summarize my Gn'R history-- I've been a fan of the band and the music (the singles) for as long as I can remember. My mother sang Sweet Child O' Mine to me since I've been in the womb. I remember thinking as a kid that Don't Cry was one of the coolest fucking videos I've ever seen. I grew up in LA so bands like Gn'R and Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been pretty accessible through local radio-- But I haven't always been such an avid fan until recently.

I hadn't heard about Chinese Democracy until like 2007. I listened to a track on YouTube, believe it was Chicken Dinner, and didn't think much of it-- But the little promotion there was back in 08 really reinvigorated my interest and I started taking a liking to the demos and the back catalog. So long story short, I didn't have to wait long for Democracy.

But now it's been a good few years, and I've played the fuck out of all the albums-- And while I still would call Gn'R my favorite band, it's hard to advocate for the lack of releases. I've gone back and listened to about every old demo or alternate version I could find.... But I'm deeply afraid of it growing stale.

I'm genuinely curious as to how many of you made it through the long haul, with such patience and devotion to the band? Cause-- heck, I'm preaching to the choir here, but it's tough being a Gn'R fan. There's a lot of waiting... Lots of unfulfilled promises... And lot's of bitter MF'rs on here that will shit on the band at any chance they get.

No, it's as hard as they make it on themselves,nobody said for the people to wait,it's their own choice and preoccupation,granted,there seem to be a number of bitter losers on here who attempt to "get even" by malicious internet attacks,which doesn't accomplish a damn thing,so they "migrate" to different forums,trying to spew their bile spittle like a rancid honeybee spreading contaminated honey to as many locations as possible,I.m a bit older than Doakes,according to his time frame,and have seen numerous anonymous petty little cyber warriors,getting their nuts off by slagging GNR,will no doubt see more,don't care in the grand scheme of events,they are microsopic in depth and effect.

[ITG]

i really don't like how people make excuses for the underhanded shit that goes down, and they also complain about 'whiners', when really they're whining just as much in return. basically I love the old music better than the new

[AngelZ]

It's not hard at all, but some people around this board in particular seem to believe the band owes them something, and should be run the way they see fit, which is total BS. So I guess the one thing that annoys me most about the band is its fans, or the "we're not really fans we just like to cupcake" segment.

the one thing that annoys me are the people who think they can define what a fan is

ur a fan n someone who has a different view is labeled a cupcake-thats the only thing here that is total BS

these so called cupcakes were the only people who kept this band alive and relevant through years of nothing on these boards

they didnt hop on the gravy train just because Guns finally decided to do a tour or release an album or a leak turned up

n these so called cupcakes dont express their opinions out of feeling Axl owes them anything

they remember when this was the best fuckin band in the world

when they were making music not excuses, when they were giving interviews not hiding behind gag orders, when their albums were topping charts for months not tumbling off them after a week

u want to diss on people n u dont even understand what theyre doing

its not about feeling owed for shit its about knowing the band they loved could do so much better and rooting for them to do just that

stroking an ego n blindly agreeing with everything they say without question doesnt make one a bigger fan

makes them mindless sheep who cant come up with an original thought except to call another person a cupcake or tell em to find another band

give urself a pat on the head, good job for coming up with that

That's all well and good, but most of it is idealized bullshit. And it perfectly demonstrates how some fans, including yourself, have concocted this rationale for being assholes all the time. Let me tell you something: AXL DOESN'T GIVE A SHIT. He doesn't give a fuck about what OTHER PEOPLE want. He controls his own destiny, and he's made it pretty fuckin clear how things are going to be. So you and others can keep holding on to the "good ol days" and can constantly remind people how you like original 5 or the UYI lineup, and how things used to be. But you're living in the past. And you've watched the Blues Brothers one too many times. "We're getting the band back together. We're on a mission from God." Seriously that's how it comes off. When I first came to this board, hel-l I was all about "puttin the band back together." But then as I learned more and more, I grew to accept the REALITY of the current state of affairs. And it wasn't that hard. I can still dig it- I can still dig GNR. And the REALITY is Axl is saying "Fuck you" to anybody who thinks that just because they want something to happen, he should want it to happen too.

So while you may try to spin things (bravo, by the way) and call some fans "mindless sheep," the truth is SOME FANS HAVE GOTTEN OVER IT, and are digging the new albums and new tours and internet messageboard rants from their favorite GNR members. Is that so hard to understand? Is that so hard to believe? And yes I will give you credit where credit is due- there are ass-licking yes-men and sycophants galore. But I got news for ya buddy, those people are everywhere when it comes to successful entities in the public arena. So anyway, you'll have to excuse some people if they get irritated by faux-righteous motherfuckers (who indeed are fans, in a way) who live only to perpetuate their love of the old days, and their bitterness for the new days on others. It gets old. It gets annoying. And y'know what? There are some punks on this board who are stereotyped debbie downers (google it). It's not that hard to look at the positive, and enjoy what's going on nowadays.

Sure, can criticisms be made? Yes. Is it ok to point out how you feel to other fans, even if your view differs from theirs? Yes. But what's not ok is constantly shitting on everything and trolling internet messageboards incessantly in some vain hope that they might actually influence decision making for Axl and GNR. It gets old. It really does. It gets old. And yes ya know what? You're right: gushers are almost just as annoying as haters, but there is a middle ground, you know. There's a way to convey your opinions in rational, thoughtful ways. There is indeed a way to be be open-minded and not behave like some fuckin spiteful robot on autopilot hating on everything. Ya dig?

not idealized bullshit, its one persons opinion, accept it or not, who cares really

save the lecture on what Axl wants or doesnt want

supporting him on a message board doesnt make u his spokesman

sure he doesnt give a shit about the naysayers

realize he doesnt give a shit about the ass kissers either

i dont give a fuck what anyones agenda is

u want to praise everything he does n doesnt do

or u want to point out the flaws, none of it matters other than getting to express ur thoughts on a particular subject without being labled

people like YOU and others are what perpetuates the rifts between fans

as if u found the secret to a long n happy life

there are extremes on both sides of the fence, but for the most part neither last long on a forum

yea, i dig middle ground, dont know if u were implying thats where u stand since ive never bothered reading any of ur posts before

being a fan of the old band isnt about living in the past n definitely not some faux-riteousness....lol where do people come up with this shit

its appreciating how we got here even if some people would rather forget

that band was on top, they made some good fuckin albums, why in the hell would i want to forget about music i still enjoy today?

its like saying i know you like chocolate ice cream, but youve like it since u were 12, get over it time to start liking vanilla

we may express varying views on an internet forum, but we are at the same shows and buying the same merch like u and everyone else

ultimately, that may be the best and most important support anyone can give to a band

not 3 paragraphs on what you think is a fan

[AngelZ]

You know how you can always tell someone is using a proxy server/ip scrambler?

Because all their

posts cut off mid-sentence

onto another line just

like the one above.

That is really interesting. I had no idea since I do not utilize a proxy server /ip scrambler, if that is what you were not so subtly hinting at. I type that way because it is quicker and I am usually pressed for time. Thank you for mentioning it however. It is one of those useless pieces of information that I might be able to pull out at a party someday.

[saber_]

not idealized bullshit, its one persons opinion, accept it or not, who cares really

save the lecture on what Axl wants or doesnt want

supporting him on a message board doesnt make u his spokesman

sure he doesnt give a shit about the naysayers

realize he doesnt give a shit about the ass kissers either

i dont give a fuck what anyones agenda is

u want to praise everything he does n doesnt do

or u want to point out the flaws, none of it matters other than getting to express ur thoughts on a particular subject without being labled

people like YOU and others are what perpetuates the rifts between fans

as if u found the secret to a long n happy life

there are extremes on both sides of the fence, but for the most part neither last long on a forum

yea, i dig middle ground, dont know if u were implying thats where u stand since ive never bothered reading any of ur posts before

being a fan of the old band isnt about living in the past n definitely not some faux-riteousness....lol where do people come up with this shit

its appreciating how we got here even if some people would rather forget

that band was on top, they made some good fuckin albums, why in the hell would i want to forget about music i still enjoy today?

its like saying i know you like chocolate ice cream, but youve like it since u were 12, get over it time to start liking vanilla

we may express varying views on an internet forum, but we are at the same shows and buying the same merch like u and everyone else

ultimately, that may be the best and most important support anyone can give to a band

not 3 paragraphs on what you think is a fan

Well you certainly are indefatigable. Is there a comprehension thing going on here? Haha.

But since your debate tactic is to make up shit I never said and then respond to those cockamamie made-up premises... [Lumberg voice]Yeeeahhh, uh...[/Lumberg] I'm gonna go ahead and say you are a prime example of what makes being a GNR fan tough. Believe it.

[ITG]

@HighVoltage. It's been 24 hours. Can you make being a GN'R fan easier?

[Guest gunns5]

not 24 hours in gnr time :xmassrudolph:

[Young_Gun]

@HighVoltage. It's been 24 hours. Can you make being a GN'R fan easier?

PWEEEEASSEEEEE

[SunnyDRE]

I scored it 7 - 5 Angelz.