Why Did Axl Fight So Hard For The GNR Name...

[Nick85]

...Only to release just 1 album in the almost 20 years since he retained the rights to the Guns N' Roses name?

Before I inevitibly get labeled a "hater" by some, I'd like to make it clear that when all is said and done I'm glad Axl continued the GNR legacy after Slash & Duff's departure, and I really dug the music on Chinese Democracy. So there's that.

Anyway, Axl maintains that he took control of the Guns N' Roses name to "salvage" and continue Guns N' Roses, not to end it...But the last time Axl did any real recording was from 1999 through maybe 2002, not counting the rerecording & tinkering that went on through early 2007.

We saw that the majority of Axl's vocals were laid down early on, many from the initial demos (See the TWAT, IRS, & Catcher 1999 demos, as they're the same vocals that are on the album.) That's a long time ago, more than ten years in some cases!

I recently said in another thread that I'd have no problem whatsoever with Axl calling his band Guns N' Roses, as long as they were releasing more new music & earning the name. But they're not doing that.

So here's a question: If Axl won't or can't (we don't know) release the other album that he already has recorded from the Chinese Democracy sessions, does anyone who's actually been around for a while honestly see Axl ever stepping into the studio again with the intention of writing/recording/releasing a new Guns N' Roses album with the current lineup? Keep in mind how difficult it was for him to complete and release CD back when he had a great deal of backing & financial support from the label. After what went down with CD's release, we have no idea where he currently stands with them.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if whatever else has been recorded during the CD sessions becomes the last official recordings from Guns N' Roses, that is, if they can find a way to get that out, gulp, soon.

Edited August 10, 2011 by sofine11

[moreblack]

I dunno, but in the Del James interview he sounds pretty passionate that he had to have the name i.e. not let it die.

[Nick85]

I dunno, but in the Del James interview he sounds pretty passionate that he had to have the name i.e. not let it die.

Maybe it's more about self-identity than it is about the music. Axl said Guns is who he is during the chats, so maybe even if they're not releasing or recording music, he MUST still have control over it in his eyes.

[SunnyDRE]

money.

[Guest siliconmessiah]

I think that he took hold of the name with a vision to continue to create music.

He also stated that in an interview, wich makes the activity with mostly AFD tours during the years 2000-2011 very questionable.

But I think that things fucked up along the way. People left, Axl may well have doubted his music....well anyway, things certainly didn´t play out as he planned.

Edited August 10, 2011 by siliconmessiah

[Nick85]

I think that he took hold of the name with a vision to continue to create music.

He also stated that in an interview, wich makes the activity with mostly AFD tours during the years 2000-2011 very questionable.

But I think that things fucked up along the way. People left, Axl may well have doubted his music....well anyway, things certainly didn´t play out as he planned.

Well, I'll tell you this much, we're miles away from his initial vision which, as of 2002, he said the plan was to release a trilogy of albums a year apart while the band toured and recorded continuously throughout that time. Man, did that train derail fast.

[saber_]

money.

I guess that's some of that "superior" conversational brilliance you were referring to on that other gnr messageboard. Of course, looking through your posts, it would seem that one word snarky responses is about all you're really capable of. As the kids say: lol.

[moreblack]

money.

I guess that's some of that "superior" conversational brilliance you were referring to on that other gnr messageboard. Of course, looking through your posts, it would seem that one word snarky responses is about all you're really capable of. As the kids say: lol.

although looking at it objectively, if he grew accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and with x amount of people depending on him for jobs. It's pretty much the only choice. He wasn't gonna generate that amount of revenue in any other way, certainly not solo.

[Guest siliconmessiah]

legalities and obstacles that have been thrown at him

what?!

[ITW 2012]

I don't believe Axl will ever write and record an album with the current lineup. Hopefully we'll get to hear CD II and III if he can work something out with the label. I think somebody is going to have to start leaking songs for that to happen though.

Edited August 10, 2011 by ITW 2012

[WhazUp]

money.

I guess that's some of that "superior" conversational brilliance you were referring to on that other gnr messageboard. Of course, looking through your posts, it would seem that one word snarky responses is about all you're really capable of. As the kids say: lol.

although looking at it objectively, if he grew accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and with x amount of people depending on him for jobs. It's pretty much the only choice. He wasn't gonna generate that amount of revenue in any other way, certainly not solo.

Axl has Ozzy status...he could have easily toured and released music under "Axl Rose" and do just as well.

BUT why should he? He never quit Guns N' Roses

Also let me ask you this, if an employee quits a job will they change the company name?

legalities and obstacles that have been thrown at him

what?!

What?!

Companies and band names = apples and oranges. They might have similar schematics and whatnot but that analogy simply does not work

Edited August 10, 2011 by WhazUp

[ITW 2012]

money.

I guess that's some of that "superior" conversational brilliance you were referring to on that other gnr messageboard. Of course, looking through your posts, it would seem that one word snarky responses is about all you're really capable of. As the kids say: lol.

although looking at it objectively, if he grew accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and with x amount of people depending on him for jobs. It's pretty much the only choice. He wasn't gonna generate that amount of revenue in any other way, certainly not solo.

Axl has Ozzy status...he could have easily toured and released music under "Axl Rose" and do just as well.

BUT why should he? He never quit Guns N' Roses

Also let me ask you this, if an employee quits a job will they change the company name?

[

Axl and Slash had Mick and Keith or Page and Plant type status. Can you imagine the Stones or Zeppelin carrying on without Keith or Page?

[Ali]

...Only to release just 1 album in the almost 20 years since he retained the rights to the Guns N' Roses name?

Before I inevitibly get labeled a "hater" by some, I'd like to make it clear that when all is said and done I'm glad Axl continued the GNR legacy after Slash & Duff's departure, and I really dug the music on Chinese Democracy. So there's that.

Anyway, Axl maintains that he took control of the Guns N' Roses name to "salvage" and continue Guns N' Roses, not to end it...But the last time Axl did any real recording was from 1999 through maybe 2002, not counting the rerecording & constant adding to the songs that went on through early 2007.

We saw that the majority of Axl's vocals were laid down early on, many from the initial demos (See the TWAT, IRS, & Catcher 1999 demos, as they're the same vocals that are on the album.) That's a long time ago, more than ten years in some cases!

I recently said in another thread that I'd have no problem whatsoever with Axl calling his band Guns N' Roses, as long as they were releasing more new music & earning the name. But they're not doing that.

So here's a question: If Axl won't or can't (we don't know) release the other album that he already has recorded from the Chinese Democracy sessions, does anyone who's actually been around for a while honestly see Axl ever stepping into the studio again with the intention of writing/recording/releasing a new Guns N' Roses album with the current lineup? Keep in mind how difficult it was for him to complete and release CD back when he had a great deal of backing & financial support from the label. After what went down with CD's release, we have no idea where he currently stands with them.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if whatever else has been recorded during the CD sessions becomes the last official recordings from Guns N' Roses, that is, if they can find a way to get that out, gulp, soon.

I think that it was never Axl's intention to only release one album from the new era of GN'R. You are looking at it with the benefit of hindsight, irrespective of any knowledge of intentions at the time Axl retained the rights to the name and starting writing and recording new music.

I think if GN'R can get out another album from the CD sessions, and that may be a difficult task, I think he may want to move forward with the current lineup and record. But, then again, if it is another huge nightmare to get another album out from the CD sessions, who knows? The will and desire to move forward and write/record additional material may be eradicated.

Ali

[moreblack]

Axl has Ozzy status...he could have easily toured and released music under "Axl Rose" and do just as well.

no.

not so much, not without putting in the work first. Ozzy worked like a dog post-Sabbath to make a good go of it solo.

[Nick85]

Axl and Slash had Mick and Keith or Page and Plant type status. Can you imagine the Stones or Zeppelin carrying on without Keith or Page?

It's also probably why, deep down, Axl resents Slash so much. If the past 10 years hasn't shown Axl that he was only half the equation in GNR's commercial success, then I don't know what to tell him. That's not to knock the new music, which again, is great. But in terms of GNR's recognizablitity & commercial draw, especially domestically, Slash + Axl = Guns N' Roses in the publics mindseye.

[WhazUp]

Companies and band names = apples and oranges. They might have similar schematics and whatnot but that analogy simply does not work

Such a warped view on bands and music, holy shit man. On no other band forum could this be said and be taken seriously by around half the people who post there.

You 2 do realise that on one of Axl's arrest reports that can be found online it is marked "Guns N' Roses" as his employer?

Like I said, they might have similar schematics, but there is a reason a company is called a company and a band is called a band.

[ITW 2012]

Axl has Ozzy status...he could have easily toured and released music under "Axl Rose" and do just as well.

no.

not so much, not without putting in the work first. Ozzy worked like a dog post-Sabbath to make a good go of it solo.

GNR was way bigger than Black Sabbath ever was. Axl could have easily had an Ozzy type career if he'd wanted to.

[moreblack]

Axl could have easily had an Ozzy type career if he'd wanted to.

that's probably what David Lee Roth thought too.

[D..]

Why Did Axl Fight So Hard For The GNR Name?

To prevent shit or average material like Slash's last album to be credited under the name Guns N' Roses.

True we only got 1 true album since UYI I&II but it's only Very High Quality albums. Very few other bands if not any got this level of quality on each of their albums. Axl is a perfectionist, that's why he kept the name. Period.

[Nick85]

Axl could have easily had an Ozzy type career if he'd wanted to.

that's probably what David Lee Roth thought too.

Roths first two solo efforts went multi-platinum & enjoyed critical and fan acclaim. Just sayin.

Anyway, Axl is closer to Ozzy than Roth, and I think he would have done just fine under the Axl Rose banner. But like Axl said, the label was rooting for him to stick with the GNR name too so he wasn't alone in his thinking, albeit that they were thinking about their wallets while telling him that.

[sleeper]

Money, control and power!

[packersnroses]

I pretty sure Axl answered this question back in the chats.

[feconroses]

Its just sad, sometimes I think that Axl had lost his hunger...I will always support him (I'm unemployed but spending TONS of money to see him in October) but I wish he would do some things different.

[WhazUp]

I always imagined that Axl sort of uses the name like a crutch because he doesn't know if he could succeed without the name. Without the band name, the record company would have been more short tempered and demanding and probably would not have funded Chinese Democracy nearly as much. We can all speculate if Axl would have done well as a solo artist but the truth is none of us will know the validity of that until he releases music under something different which he most likely never will. The band name is such a complicated issue, IMO there is no right answer, what the band is, just simply is. I am glad Guns N' Roses exists today and I dig Chinese Democracy. I can get behind that, even though nothing has yet to compare to the music of old Guns (for me, everyone has different tastes)

Edited August 10, 2011 by WhazUp

[D..]

Its just sad, sometimes I think that Axl had lost his hunger...I will always support him (I'm unemployed but spending TONS of money to see him in October) but I wish he would do some things different.

This post is moving feconroses. Axl is almost 50, he said it was difficult for him just to hit the gym, he hasn't "lost" the hunger, he's proven the hunger. Now he deserves his daily cheeseburgers and doughnuts, thank god there was television to record his brilliant performances in the 80's and 90's, and he still gives ultra good shows nowadays.

No matter what he does now, he has my eternal respect for having kicked so much asses on stage in the 90's.