What fans is Axl Rose catering to?

[the rush]

Well of course he needs to start putting out new music or else fans will keep dropping off. He said he would release a CD trilogy a few years ago so there wasn't a prob with the label then. I think Axl is the problem. He doesn't want to release it for whatever reason.

HE said that? Last time I recall him referring CD as a trilogy was back in 2002 but nothing after that. In the Eddie Trunk Radio interview he said that CD would be released as a single album. Sebastian Bach later said it would be a trilogy with the last installment being released in 2012.

If you have a more recent statement from Axl stating CD would be a trilogy, please tell me.

I believe in the 2008 forum chats he said something along the line of "i've always thought of it as a double album". (Not got time to find the actual quote)

Ah, thanks I forgot about that. Found it...

Axl do you really have 2 or 3 other albums of material?

Dexter wrote:

For now we'll concentrate and keep our focus on this album but I will say I've always thought of it as a double.

And no offence but no one's trying to talk in parables. The issues are a bit more complex than anyone would like.

AND

Q: - the "next" album ,does it look like that one ? so different style ?

A: Not clear on the question exactly but I’ll take a shot… it’s a lot more different styles than on this one. As I’ve said it seems more like a double album to me meaning Chinese and the followup.

So here he refers to it as a double, not a trilogy. And he doesn't say anything about another release anytime soon...

"The issues are a bit more complex than anyone would like."

being an artist has nothing to do with pleasing somebody

[dalsh327]

No new music for a few reasons:

Record companies aren't banging down the door to sign GNR, but being that he has history with Universal and they own the masters, it's possible he could just use the Black Frog name and release future recordings with them, but holding on to the master tapes, and possibly working out a deal where he can buy out the tapes, just leave them with the greatest hits and live 86-93. GH is what they make their money off of anyway.

Music industry's unstable as hell. A lot of bands are reluctant to record if they're stuff's being traded for free. No controls, no accountability.

He has music stockpiled, maybe some of it's finished, maybe some of it isn't. But if you're the record company, and you spent millions of dollars on someone taking their sweet ass time to put it out, and then you find out, they recorded 30 or 40 more songs? They could sue him and try to say it's their property.

You have any idea how many albums that wind up unreleased for really stupid reasons, that was out of the artist's control?

[Kira]

He's clearly not trying to please the large majority of fans; that is, fans largely or strictly of the old band.

He's clearly not trying to please fans that loved Chinese Democracy or he'd release another part to it.

He's clearly not trying to please fans who like the new band or he'd record with them.

Nope, he's done artistically, now it's just make some money from touring and pretend a long show justifies the band's existence or constantly touring will somehow prove to people the worth of whatever version of "GNR" he is touring with.

Yeah, he thinks going out and performing music with his band justifies the band's existence. What a maroon, right?

Hiring a bunch of guys to play his old band's songs, does not constitute actively moving forward. He would have to be rehearsing and writing music with them for that. The only time these guys see Axl is when he shows up on stage.....late.

Excuse me but I was under the impression that these "hired guys" also played many of their own songs since people like Ron, Frank, Tommy and Chris actually happen to be on CD. Plus the songs arent just the "old band's", they also happen to be Axl's own songs. Since the complaint always is that GN'R isnt like other bands, how many other bands decide to "actively move forward" by refusing to play their old hits? As for the writing music part, every time DJ talks about the fact that he is writing, it leads to nasty attacks on him. It seems that there are no alternatives here that can truly make people happy.

Of course Axl can play his old songs, that's not the point. The point is touring old songs with new players doesn't constitute a band. I'm sure DJ and some of the new guys do write music, just not with Axl. That's not a band. Some people just don't want to believe that but it's true.

[Voodoochild]

He won't release the rest of the 'Chinese Democracy Era' music, like he said he would. He won't record new music with the current lineup, despite their extreme desire to do so.

Even DJ has expressed his frustrations about how constant touring has been hindering new music.

The fact that the fans booed his name in droves when it was mentioned at the HOF should be a wake up call.

When has Axl ruled out the release of a further installment from that era? He's never publicly addressed the matter of new music with the current incarnation therefore how are we to know whether or not it has happened in some manner? I think the shift to new album mode this time is going to be a silent transcencion rather than a series of brash vocal statements like with CD.

When did Ashba express such a sentiment? I think he offered the tour schedule as a reason behind no official studio time to date but I don't recall him saying he was personally resentful to this fact?

The vast majority or those in attendance at the Hall of Fame event wouldn't, in my opinion, constitute a 1999 onwards GN'R fan. It was those there to see an Axl/Slash formation or simply attend a corporate glitzy event like 'the Hall'.

You're right, there's lots of assumptions on this thread. I don't think Axl just scraped all of their work from the CD era, that kind of thinking looks a hell lot like people saying back in 200X how Chinese wouldn't never get released. Hell, there was even people saying Axl didn't record any vocals (Slash talked about this, he said he knew "for a fact", lol) or that the songs didn't exist at all. Just because no plans got public yet it doesn't mean they are not looking for something. I'm pretty sure Axl will release the songs, I just don't know when.

About Ashba, I think it was pretty clear how he wasn't happy to once again skip the studio to get on tour. Don't know if he expressed so clearly about that, but that's what me and lots of others here got what he said.

[rabia]

He's clearly not trying to please the large majority of fans; that is, fans largely or strictly of the old band.

He's clearly not trying to please fans that loved Chinese Democracy or he'd release another part to it.

He's clearly not trying to please fans who like the new band or he'd record with them.

Nope, he's done artistically, now it's just make some money from touring and pretend a long show justifies the band's existence or constantly touring will somehow prove to people the worth of whatever version of "GNR" he is touring with.

Yeah, he thinks going out and performing music with his band justifies the band's existence. What a maroon, right?

Hiring a bunch of guys to play his old band's songs, does not constitute actively moving forward. He would have to be rehearsing and writing music with them for that. The only time these guys see Axl is when he shows up on stage.....late.

Excuse me but I was under the impression that these "hired guys" also played many of their own songs since people like Ron, Frank, Tommy and Chris actually happen to be on CD. Plus the songs arent just the "old band's", they also happen to be Axl's own songs. Since the complaint always is that GN'R isnt like other bands, how many other bands decide to "actively move forward" by refusing to play their old hits? As for the writing music part, every time DJ talks about the fact that he is writing, it leads to nasty attacks on him. It seems that there are no alternatives here that can truly make people happy.

Of course Axl can play his old songs, that's not the point. The point is touring old songs with new players doesn't constitute a band. I'm sure DJ and some of the new guys do write music, just not with Axl. That's not a band. Some people just don't want to believe that but it's true.

Strange reasoning. Firstly, GN'R is NOT just touring old songs with new players- as I said before, many of the players are also playing their own songs. Secondly, in those bands where some older members die or quit and new members come in, do they stop being a band altogether? That sounds ridiculous to me. Surely, any band plays a combination of old and new songs - that is Standard Operating Procedure for bands. Why exactly is this a problem when GN'R does it?

Thirdly, people writing separately and then bringing things in was the way GN'R did things on the Illusions too. So GN'R stopped being a band after 1988, by your reasoning. To pretend that all bands always write all songs sitting in a room together is just not realistic.

[Apollo]

He's clearly not trying to please the large majority of fans; that is, fans largely or strictly of the old band.

He's clearly not trying to please fans that loved Chinese Democracy or he'd release another part to it.

He's clearly not trying to please fans who like the new band or he'd record with them.

Nope, he's done artistically, now it's just make some money from touring and pretend a long show justifies the band's existence or constantly touring will somehow prove to people the worth of whatever version of "GNR" he is touring with.

Yeah, he thinks going out and performing music with his band justifies the band's existence. What a maroon, right?

Hiring a bunch of guys to play his old band's songs, does not constitute actively moving forward. He would have to be rehearsing and writing music with them for that. The only time these guys see Axl is when he shows up on stage.....late.

It seems that there are no alternatives here that can truly make people happy.

There actually is, and it is really simple.

Release new music like every other band in the world does.

Since CD release Slash has released three albums (One VR and two solo). And I'd bet that if VR found the right singer, they would put out another album before Axl does. Is every song that Slash has put out a masterpiece that will stand the test of time???? NOPE. Does Scraped fit that category for you??? Do Slash fans care that every song isn't Jungle or SCOM? Nope. They are just happy they have 45 songs from their favorite guitar player.

Having a backlog of quality songs is a good thing. GnR has always "saved" songs for other albums. Wasn't You Could Be Mine the first single off of Illusions? And that song didn't make Appetite, even though it was finished.

Pick 7-8 songs from those leftover CD songs.

Collaborate with the current band and come up with 5-6 new songs.

Release an album in 2012.

Tour. Take time off. Collaborate and release another album in 2015. I'm sure Axl is creative enough to creat 14 songs in three years.

Stop feuding, stop the lawsuits, stop firing every single manager in the world, stop feeling like everybody in the universe is out to get you. And start doing what you do better than 99.99% of all other people in the world. Release classic rock and roll music.

Or don't. It is his life and he can do whatever he wants. But as long as he doesn't, then people will complain.

Chinese is one of my 10 favorite albums of all time. And I think if we had 3 more albums just like it right now, the majority of the rock world wouldn't still be harping on the breakup of the old band or the fact that Axl kept the name. Music is the one and only thing that will shut up the critics.

[Axl Rose Husband]

Chinese is one of my 10 favorite albums of all time. And I think if we had 3 more albums just like it right now, the majority of the rock world wouldn't still be harping on the breakup of the old band or the fact that Axl kept the name. Music is the one and only thing that will shut up the critics.

Who are these *majority* in the *rock world* that are *harping* at Axl?

Nobody cares that Slash and Duff are not in the band anymore. Really. Nobody cares!

Pre-1993 GnR became yesterdays old news ... like in 1992!!!

Nobody cares about pre-1993 GnR because its 2012!

All people care about is what is happening RIGHT NOW!

If this is the pace that it takes GnR to make great music ... then so be it. There is nothing you can do about it!

Nobody cares about the quantity of songs. You will be remembered for making great music.

[_HelloBeatle_]

Nobody cares that Slash and Duff are not in the band anymore. Really. Nobody cares!

Really? I take it you were in a cave the past week. Perhaps the entire last US tour too.

[Nick85]

Chinese is one of my 10 favorite albums of all time. And I think if we had 3 more albums just like it right now, the majority of the rock world wouldn't still be harping on the breakup of the old band or the fact that Axl kept the name. Music is the one and only thing that will shut up the critics.

Who are these *majority* in the *rock world* that are *harping* at Axl?

Nobody cares that Slash and Duff are not in the band anymore. Really. Nobody cares!

Pre-1993 GnR became yesterdays old news ... like in 1992!!!

Nobody cares about pre-1993 GnR because its 2012!

All people care about is what is happening RIGHT NOW!

If this is the pace that it takes GnR to make great music ... then so be it. There is nothing you can do about it!

Nobody cares about the quantity of songs. You will be remembered for making great music.

"RIGHT NOW" all the current lineup is doing is touring Chinese Democracy....again....which has been happening on and off since 2001. Talk about something nobody cares about anymore. When this incarnation of Guns, at the very least, announces the next album, you may have a leg to stand on. Until then...

Edited April 16, 2012 by sofine11

[Chloe]

Chinese is one of my 10 favorite albums of all time. And I think if we had 3 more albums just like it right now, the majority of the rock world wouldn't still be harping on the breakup of the old band or the fact that Axl kept the name. Music is the one and only thing that will shut up the critics.

Who are these *majority* in the *rock world* that are *harping* at Axl?

Nobody cares that Slash and Duff are not in the band anymore. Really. Nobody cares!

Pre-1993 GnR became yesterdays old news ... like in 1992!!!

Nobody cares about pre-1993 GnR because its 2012!

All people care about is what is happening RIGHT NOW!

If this is the pace that it takes GnR to make great music ... then so be it. There is nothing you can do about it!

Nobody cares about the quantity of songs. You will be remembered for making great music.

I care about everything you just said.

[sweetness]

Chinese is one of my 10 favorite albums of all time. And I think if we had 3 more albums just like it right now, the majority of the rock world wouldn't still be harping on the breakup of the old band or the fact that Axl kept the name. Music is the one and only thing that will shut up the critics.

Who are these *majority* in the *rock world* that are *harping* at Axl?

Nobody cares that Slash and Duff are not in the band anymore. Really. Nobody cares!

Pre-1993 GnR became yesterdays old news ... like in 1992!!!

Nobody cares about pre-1993 GnR because its 2012!

All people care about is what is happening RIGHT NOW!

If this is the pace that it takes GnR to make great music ... then so be it. There is nothing you can do about it!

Nobody cares about the quantity of songs. You will be remembered for making great music.

what kind of fantasy world are you living in

[Slaxls]

Rose is Bi-Polar. He is screwed in the head. Question answered. Even HE doesn't know why he is doing the things in the way he does them. He probably just finds it very difficult to do ANYTHING.

[Black Sabbath]

As much of a fan of Guns N' Roses I am, and I try my hardest to support Axl as much as I can these days, but I agree. I mean, at this point, the only fans he's catering to are the ones that drool at the mouth whenever he announces shows near them. Don't get me wrong, I can easily be one of those people, but I won't be if new music isn't on the horizon any time soon.

[Nick85]

As much of a fan of Guns N' Roses I am, and I try my hardest to support Axl as much as I can these days, but I agree. I mean, at this point, the only fans he's catering to are the ones that drool at the mouth whenever he announces shows near them. Don't get me wrong, I can easily be one of those people, but I won't be if new music isn't on the horizon any time soon.

My sentiments exactly, well said.

Now that they've finally toured the states after the album's release, there's nothing more to prove by continuing the Chinese tour. But, for whatever reason, that's happening. Word is they're thinking about touring the states again later this year. Without a new album to promote, I can't see how that's going to go well for them...

[Black Sabbath]

As much of a fan of Guns N' Roses I am, and I try my hardest to support Axl as much as I can these days, but I agree. I mean, at this point, the only fans he's catering to are the ones that drool at the mouth whenever he announces shows near them. Don't get me wrong, I can easily be one of those people, but I won't be if new music isn't on the horizon any time soon.

My sentiments exactly, well said.

Now that they've finally toured the states after the album's release, there's nothing more to prove by continuing the Chinese tour. But, for whatever reason, that's happening. Word is they're thinking about touring the states again later this year. Without a new album to promote, I can't see how that's going to go well for them...

Yeah, exactly. I mean, I know I'm going to go to a show or two if they do tour the states again, but, I'm a diehard. Not everyone at the shows is a diehard, and people that saw them during the arena tour or the UCAP tour who aren't diehards might go "Hey, Gn'R are touring again. Wanna go see them?" 'Nah, I saw them them on the last tour. They were pretty good though!'

But, if they either had a new album to promote, or hell, even advertise that they'll be playing new songs, the person asking the first question could easily say "Yeah, but they'll be playing new songs this time!" Non-diehards who enjoyed their first New Gn'R show would probably be a lot more interested in seeing the band again if they were doing new songs, mainly because it wouldn't be the exact show they saw last time.

I mean, we'll see what happens. We have yet to see what they'll be playing in Europe, but if they play the same set(s) they did in the US, I don't see much hope for different material to be played at any future US shows without the promotion of a new album or promotion of new music in any way.

[Apollo]

Obviously Axls husband is just a banned member having some fun on here. Or it could actually be an old poster who used to bash Axl and argue with the Axl die-hards, so he made a new account and is posting idiotic comments to make the Axl fans look bad.

[rabia]

He's clearly not trying to please the large majority of fans; that is, fans largely or strictly of the old band.

He's clearly not trying to please fans that loved Chinese Democracy or he'd release another part to it.

He's clearly not trying to please fans who like the new band or he'd record with them.

Nope, he's done artistically, now it's just make some money from touring and pretend a long show justifies the band's existence or constantly touring will somehow prove to people the worth of whatever version of "GNR" he is touring with.

Yeah, he thinks going out and performing music with his band justifies the band's existence. What a maroon, right?

Hiring a bunch of guys to play his old band's songs, does not constitute actively moving forward. He would have to be rehearsing and writing music with them for that. The only time these guys see Axl is when he shows up on stage.....late.

It seems that there are no alternatives here that can truly make people happy.

There actually is, and it is really simple.

Release new music like every other band in the world does.

Since CD release Slash has released three albums (One VR and two solo). And I'd bet that if VR found the right singer, they would put out another album before Axl does. Is every song that Slash has put out a masterpiece that will stand the test of time???? NOPE. Does Scraped fit that category for you??? Do Slash fans care that every song isn't Jungle or SCOM? Nope. They are just happy they have 45 songs from their favorite guitar player.

Having a backlog of quality songs is a good thing. GnR has always "saved" songs for other albums. Wasn't You Could Be Mine the first single off of Illusions? And that song didn't make Appetite, even though it was finished.

Pick 7-8 songs from those leftover CD songs.

Collaborate with the current band and come up with 5-6 new songs.

Release an album in 2012.

Tour. Take time off. Collaborate and release another album in 2015. I'm sure Axl is creative enough to creat 14 songs in three years.

Stop feuding, stop the lawsuits, stop firing every single manager in the world, stop feeling like everybody in the universe is out to get you. And start doing what you do better than 99.99% of all other people in the world. Release classic rock and roll music.

Or don't. It is his life and he can do whatever he wants. But as long as he doesn't, then people will complain.

Chinese is one of my 10 favorite albums of all time. And I think if we had 3 more albums just like it right now, the majority of the rock world wouldn't still be harping on the breakup of the old band or the fact that Axl kept the name. Music is the one and only thing that will shut up the critics.

Libertad was released in 2007, not after CD like you claim.

Releasing new music would certainly help a LOTTTTT with making many fans happy but its naive to proclaim that its going to take care of all fans. There are many who seem to think that there's only one use for W. Axl Rose: to be aligned with their approved list of old guys. Nothing short of that with do it for them. When new music comes out, there will still be those who complain a lot about too much touring or setlists or Axl's moustache or DJ's stage poses, etc etc.

You make it seem as if Axl sits round just waiting for opportunities to pounce on people with lawsuits. Its the kind of simplistic vision of the man that makes your black and white statements possible. Axl wasnt inventing feuds from thin air - he was sued by Slash and Duff and by Irving Azoff and counter-sued. Do you think he doesnt realize the kind of toxic influence legal wranglings have on his life and career? He HIMSELF has referred to it directly!

As for the managers, if there are problems with the reunion focus that managers bring into play, it leaves hardly an option open. Where has Axl said that "everybody in the universe is out to get him"? He's been thanking fans for their support over and over while addressing them on the tour, GN'R's Facebook nd Twitter page have linked up reviews from mainstream sources. You can state your position without the over-exaggeration instead of trying to make a caricature out of Axl.

[Nick85]

At the very least, Axl should release the rest of the CD era music. Fans waited a long, long time for Chinese Democracy, all while being told *by Axl* and many others that it would be a multi-album opus. You'd think he'd at least make good on that. You'd think.

Edited April 17, 2012 by sofine11

[tomfriend]

Release new music like every other band in the world does.

I refer you to the upcoming European tour's support act.

[Nosaj Thing]

As much of a fan of Guns N' Roses I am, and I try my hardest to support Axl as much as I can these days, but I agree. I mean, at this point, the only fans he's catering to are the ones that drool at the mouth whenever he announces shows near them. Don't get me wrong, I can easily be one of those people, but I won't be if new music isn't on the horizon any time soon.

After all and after my big preference for the original line-up, I keep supporting the old man because he's fuckin' Axl. I went to see him in 2010 and I will see him in July, 2012. I love him and being honest, I just want him to give the opportunity to the new guys to write their own material. I want someone that feel the passion of playing his own notes and melodic shit or whatever every night and not some robot covering other people's material. It's fuckin' time!!

[Guest NewGNRnOldGNR]

About Ashba, I think it was pretty clear how he wasn't happy to once again skip the studio to get on tour. Don't know if he expressed so clearly about that, but that's what me and lots of others here got what he said.

I don't think so, I think Ashba fully embraces Axl's stategy for the current band and was performing the role of apologist to the media/fanbase.

[Young_Gun]

He won't release the rest of the 'Chinese Democracy Era' music, like he said he would. He won't record new music with the current lineup, despite their extreme desire to do so. Absolutely will not have anything to with the old lineup. What fans is he trying to please?

It is not that Axl *will not* ... it is that he *can not*.

The debacle with the last 3 managers screwed up a lot of things for GnR. They tried to manipulate the situation to get a reunion tour instead of helping GnR secure more funding for promotion, music videos, and new music.

The debacle with these managers were largely responsible for Robin Finck bailing shortly after CD was released.

The record company is also not very eager in *investing* more money into new GnR material. It is a safer bet for the record company for GnR to remain as the 1993-GnR.

That is why GnR has been touring a lot. Besides raising money for new GnR material, they need to convince the record company that they can still make them a lot of money.

At the end of the day, it's all about the $$$. Nobody except the band members cares about *artistic* innovation and integrity. The record company just wants a big return on their investment.

As Axl stated, once they figure out what their deal is with the record company, they will be able to move on with their next plans: new music videos and new music.

Care to elaborate? I too have heard something about Finck leaving due to Azoff's tactics. If you want you can PM me. I have been very interested in this..