Does Axl care anymore?

[volcano62]

I think his voice is the main reason another album isn't out. He certainly cares about how much he dislikes a certain guitarist.

He could still pull it off. The difference when he isn't running around is pretty big, it's more a fitness thing. Obviously, his voice has detoriated but it's better now than it was in 2001/2002.

Madagascar was epic though at the VMA's 2002. It's never sounded as good ever since.

[Brodie]

please tell me more about how much axl cares though.

He says how much he cares in Rocket Queen, you fucking moran that's all the proof you should need!

I think his voice is the main reason another album isn't out.

False. If you knew how much shit was in the tank you'd blow a fucking gasket.

Edited May 24, 2012 by Brodie

[bacardimayne]

I think his voice is the main reason another album isn't out. He certainly cares about how much he dislikes a certain guitarist.

He could still pull it off. The difference when he isn't running around is pretty big, it's more a fitness thing. Obviously, his voice has detoriated but it's better now than it was in 2001/2002.

Madagascar was epic though at the VMA's 2002. It's never sounded as good ever since.

2001-02: Every raspless song sounds great, raspy songs sound like full-blown Mickey Mouse

2006-10: Every raspless song sounds awful, raspy songs are spot on

[Cosmo]

I think his voice is the main reason another album isn't out. He certainly cares about how much he dislikes a certain guitarist.

He could still pull it off. The difference when he isn't running around is pretty big, it's more a fitness thing. Obviously, his voice has detoriated but it's better now than it was in 2001/2002.

Madagascar was epic though at the VMA's 2002. It's never sounded as good ever since.

2001-02: Every raspless song sounds great, raspy songs sound like full-blown Mickey Mouse

2006-10: Every raspless song sounds awful, raspy songs are spot on

IMO, vocal-wise everything from '01-'02 sounds awful.

[californiaz06]

Because of the lack of news about another album, or the lack of any word about any other material, some have questioned whether Axl has lost his creativity--Whether the well has run dry for him. i think a more important question to ask, which could tell us why Axl doesn't talk about new music, is: Does Axl care anymore? Does he have any passion, fire, drive, or motivation for music anymore--Is music something which gets his "juices flowing", or simply a chore he'd rather not do?

What does he have to say, and what does he have to prove to people? All of Axl's work always had a purpose, a meaning--Axl had something to prove, something to say, some point that had to be made and goddamnit he was going to make it, regardless of who he offended in the process. But does he have anything to prove, to himself or anyone anymore? Does he have any point he wants to make? As a rockstar at 50, whose life is very boring and content who has settled into a routine and who is used to fame, fortune and getting everything he wants all the time, what is there around him to inspire him?

AFD was born out of being an angry, hungry, confused, poor Indiana kid living on the streets of the big city of LA, who wanted the spotlights, glory, power, fortune and fame--The poor punk kid who wanted to get out of the ghetto. The UYIs were born out of a guy dealing with going from being a nobody who was bullied in school to being the biggest and most listened to rockstar in the planet overnight, his various personal, mental and emotional issues, the stuff he was learning about himself and his life and his past, his love and experiences up to that time, and a whole host of other factors. CD's statement was that he had a side of the story to tell, and also that he could go it alone, as the "last man standing" in Guns N' Roses, and also about the sorrows and disappointments in his life and the women who left him in the years prior. But what is there now to inspire him?

And to get back to the main point, does he really care anymore, care enough to do the hardwork of being a musician, creating new material? Or has he settled into a comfortable sort of stasis--settled into middle age and into a routine where he really doesn't feel the passion or hunger or drive anymore? More to the point, where he doesn't HAVE to feel the drive, in order to survive.

The answer to that question, I think, more than anything else, will tell us if we'll ever get another album.

It's not a question of creativity; If Axl wanted, he could easily sit down and write about a bunch of made up shit--Like Aerosmith and the Stones do--and pump out easy, fun rock like that. That option, writing fictional, glorious rock fairy tales, was always there--but very seldom used in Guns, all of their songs having at least one foot grounded in truth. But it's never been truly fun for Axl, and he's always taken music too seriously--So does he have the drive, ambition, or desire to sit down and let whatever feelings he has loose, to go to that emotional place which makes him create and pull from it?

Does he care?

The real question is...do we care about cupcake posts anymore?

Nope.

Go away cupcake.

How is it a cupcake post? He made a thread open for discussion on a pretty damn interesting topic. Just because you don't like the thread or disagree doesn't mean he is a "cupcake". Do you even know what trolling is?

[Eu4ic]

I definitely think he cares. Probably too much. I think the lofty goals and wild visions he's had have been impossible to see through, given realistic circumstances. As Klosterman said, Axl chooses the path of most resistance. But, for what it's worth, he did make big promises and gave us every reason to believe that he'd deliver the fucking music we waited forever for, and we've heard very little of it, waited forever, and I dunno if we'll ever see them performed live, especially in a way that does justice to the grandiosity and all the nuances of the music. Seems very anti-Axl. I always thought Axl cared the most.

[GivenToFly]

If I recall correctly he said in one of the chats, about the making of Chinese Democracy, that knowing what he knows now he wouldn't do it all again. And all that about what a nightmare the whole process was. If the prospect of what would follow if he were to embark on the making of a new album reminds him of Chinese Democracy maybe he's just not willing to put the effort into it anymore. He's procrastinating on a grand scale, that's what I'm saying.

[RocketQueen1985]

If he didn't care anymore he'd just quit, but he hasn't so obviously he does care.

Just because he doesn't perform the songs certain fans wants to hear or plays any new songs doesn't mean he doesn't care, it just means he doesn't do everything people expect of him and GN'R fans should know that by now, this is how Axl works.

Would I like new music? Of course I would, what fan wouldn't? But getting frustrated and upset about it is not gonna make him release it any faster. It's like on the TMS interview when Eddie asked him if he was able to put the pressure of a new album aside and just focus solely on recording and Axl answered "Absolutely not". He feels the pressure for a new album (like he did with the pressure for CD to be released) and it makes him nervous probably cause he wants to release a perfect album and because CD was looked upon as a failure he's probably super nervous this time around.

So the fact that he hasn't released it is probably a sign that he does care cause if he didn't care he'd have just released it cause he'd give a fuck about what people thought. Does what I'm trying to say make sense at all? I've been out in the sun for a while so I can't think of a better way to formulate my opinion right now

[SoulMonster]

If he didn't care about GNR he'd have done a cash grab reunion with long gone members years ago.

only in the opposite world of forumland can an opinion like this exist.

to most people, reuniting the band and performing the music people want to hear would be considered a caring thing to do. soldering on with this failed experiment would strike most sensible people as celebration of selfish futility worthy of a werner herzog movie.

I believe Axl has bigger aspirations for Guns N' Roses than to let it become a pathetic nostalgia act who tours the world with former members he dislike and who has limited musical ambitions and are stuck in 80s rock and roll. He might not have succeeded yet with his vision of renewing the band and making it as relevant today as it was in the early 90s -- and he probably never will -- but he has my respect for giving it a try and for keeping Guns N' Roses interesting. The alternative to soldering on with Guns N' Roses through all the shit is probably not reuniting with old members with whom nothing except history remains, but doing nothing, and again, I would very much have Axl out there trying, than giving up. If I want to relive history I visit Youtube, and I do that often. I would never degrade myself by calling Axl selfish for not reuniting with people he doesn't like to try to relive a part of history that is long gone.

[maynard]

If he didn't care about GNR he'd have done a cash grab reunion with long gone members years ago.

only in the opposite world of forumland can an opinion like this exist.

to most people, reuniting the band and performing the music people want to hear would be considered a caring thing to do. soldering on with this failed experiment would strike most sensible people as celebration of selfish futility worthy of a werner herzog movie.

I believe Axl has bigger aspirations for Guns N' Roses than to let it become a pathetic nostalgia act who tours the world

LOL.

[Use Your Delusion 1]

no.

[Guest Satanisk_Slakt]

If he didn't care about GNR he'd have done a cash grab reunion with long gone members years ago.

only in the opposite world of forumland can an opinion like this exist.

to most people, reuniting the band and performing the music people want to hear would be considered a caring thing to do. soldering on with this failed experiment would strike most sensible people as celebration of selfish futility worthy of a werner herzog movie.

Agreed.

[dalsh327]

Because of the lack of news about another album, or the lack of any word about any other material, some have questioned whether Axl has lost his creativity--Whether the well has run dry for him. i think a more important question to ask, which could tell us why Axl doesn't talk about new music, is: Does Axl care anymore? Does he have any passion, fire, drive, or motivation for music anymore--Is music something which gets his "juices flowing", or simply a chore he'd rather not do?

What does he have to say, and what does he have to prove to people? All of Axl's work always had a purpose, a meaning--Axl had something to prove, something to say, some point that had to be made and goddamnit he was going to make it, regardless of who he offended in the process. But does he have anything to prove, to himself or anyone anymore? Does he have any point he wants to make? As a rockstar at 50, whose life is very boring and content who has settled into a routine and who is used to fame, fortune and getting everything he wants all the time, what is there around him to inspire him?

AFD was born out of being an angry, hungry, confused, poor Indiana kid living on the streets of the big city of LA, who wanted the spotlights, glory, power, fortune and fame--The poor punk kid who wanted to get out of the ghetto. The UYIs were born out of a guy dealing with going from being a nobody who was bullied in school to being the biggest and most listened to rockstar in the planet overnight, his various personal, mental and emotional issues, the stuff he was learning about himself and his life and his past, his love and experiences up to that time, and a whole host of other factors. CD's statement was that he had a side of the story to tell, and also that he could go it alone, as the "last man standing" in Guns N' Roses, and also about the sorrows and disappointments in his life and the women who left him in the years prior. But what is there now to inspire him?

And to get back to the main point, does he really care anymore, care enough to do the hardwork of being a musician, creating new material? Or has he settled into a comfortable sort of stasis--settled into middle age and into a routine where he really doesn't feel the passion or hunger or drive anymore? More to the point, where he doesn't HAVE to feel the drive, in order to survive.

The answer to that question, I think, more than anything else, will tell us if we'll ever get another album.

It's not a question of creativity; If Axl wanted, he could easily sit down and write about a bunch of made up shit--Like Aerosmith and the Stones do--and pump out easy, fun rock like that. That option, writing fictional, glorious rock fairy tales, was always there--but very seldom used in Guns, all of their songs having at least one foot grounded in truth. But it's never been truly fun for Axl, and he's always taken music too seriously--So does he have the drive, ambition, or desire to sit down and let whatever feelings he has loose, to go to that emotional place which makes him create and pull from it?

Does he care?

I don't think he sees his life as boring, but there's reasons why he stopped recording for the time being. Creative energy can really take a toll on you, esp. if you're writing from things going on in your life.

[Guest Satanisk_Slakt]

Axl cares about the money, that's why he's doing cash grab tours every now and then.

[SoulMonster]

Axl cares about the money, that's why he's doing cash grab tours every now and then.

Eh, it is human to care about money and almost every tour from every band has financial objectives. Were that actually meant as some criticism against Axl? Haha.

But if Axl ONLY cared about money he would reunite and tour old material with the UYI or AFD lineup. The fact that he insists on the new lineup, released a record in 2008, and has hinted at releasing new music, suggests very strongly that he has artistic ambitions as well. So the route he has chosen is much less a cash grabbing thing than reuniting, and it is immensely more musically interesting than just regurgitating the same old music ad nauseum.

[Guns n' Swedes]

Axl cares about the money, that's why he's doing cash grab tours every now and then.

I have said that myself in the past, but I think too much is pointing against this. These are just a few...

- Why would he then do 3 hour shows and why would he include any new material in the shows at all?

- He could just go to a few huge festivals per year and earn a boat load of money with minimum hassle.

- If he just quit today, I'm sure he could live comfortable for the rest of his life cause then he wouldn't need to pay managers etc

- He would be out promoting the band and release a music video in order to generate ticket and album sales

[November_rain]

The fact that Axl doesn´t do what the fans expect doesn´t mean he doesn´t care. If he didn´t care he would spend his days living the good life and ejoying his money without touring 3 hour shows, he would have done a cash grab tour with the old guys, he would have attended and played the HOF, he would record 177 cd per year full of crap ...etc.

[RocketQueen1985]

If Axl only cared about the money he'd go for the reunion cause that's where the real money is.

[axlsend]

If he had no fire or passion no way would he be able to put on a 3 hour show, it wouldn't work you can't fake it. Also carrying on at the moment badly bruised, with a broken shoulder and a torn ligament. He could have turned round and said fuck it I'm going home.

[stumbleine]

I think the whole manic-depressive thing plays a big part here.

maybe Axl simply isn't able to concentrate.

It will be hard to top CD too.

CD is like a journey through Axl's soul and that's hard to recreate.

[November_rain]

If he had no fire or passion no way would he be able to put on a 3 hour show, it wouldn't work you can't fake it. Also carrying on at the moment badly bruised, with a broken shoulder and a torn ligament. He could have turned round and said fuck it I'm going home.

Yes, that too. Thanks for reminding us.

[volcano62]

I think the whole manic-depressive thing plays a big part here.

maybe Axl simply isn't able to concentrate.

It will be hard to top CD too.

CD is like a journey through Axl's soul and that's hard to recreate.

It would have to be a different journey unless there really is anough material left for CD II

He could have turned round and said fuck it I'm going home.

1992 Axl would have done that.

[Original]

Does he care?

3 hr shows.

You need an asterisk by that. 3 hour shows- yes. 3 hours of Axl - doesn't happen. If Axl himself was actually on stage kicking ass for 3 hours (see Bruce Springsteen or Bon Jovi) that'd be awesome. He disappears to much doing whatever while band plays these jams etc...he could probably play 4-5-6 more songs if he aced out the jams or solos or whataver.

[The Glow Inc.]

"Do I look like I care ?"

[iftheworld]

ha ha... dude, don't worry one bit about hurting my feelings. i promise you, it's not even the most remote possibility.

please tell me more about how much axl cares though. i think it's really interesting to hear your interpretation. what does he care about? his music? you?

It has to be said...Get a fuckin' life dude (and maybe a girlfriend OR boyfriend). You're just a little cupcake and nobody gives a fuck what you think about Axl or GNR.

Man words can't describe how much I missed you.