Vincent Vega Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Let's say Axl started trying to write a new album. What would he even be able to write about at this point? GN'R's lyrics were always grounded in reality, real situations and issues--Axl prided himself on writing about stuff that was real, from the heart. With AFD, the lyrics were about life and sex and death and grit and grime and crime living as 'urchins' in the streets of 1980s LA. Lies was a continuation of that. With the UYIs, the lyrics spanned from those themes, to dealing with newfound fame and success, emotional issues, romantic problems, legal issues, optimism, religion; pretty much everything you could think of. CD was about Axl's sadness, bitterness, the people he felt abandoned or betrayed him, the breakup of old GN'R, and the stress of recording the album itself.Nowadays, Axl is 51. He's seemingly content, finally has a stable 'family' and generally stable personal life, has no major personal problems that we're aware of, has a band which is stable. All this comfort and stability and contentment does not translate to good rock lyrics or even to creativity. Usually, artists are moved by something to create. When you're just existing, going through the motions of day to day life, what is there to write about that will captivate and be worth recording? How many fans could relate to a record with lyrical references to growing old, middle age and gray hairs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinaski Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) Tom Waits and Nick Cave are both older than Axl. They are both married and they are still two of the best songwriters on the planet. The idea that stability can't contribute to creativity is naive. It just won't lead to Welcome To The Jungle.Besides, it's not as if the discontent of the past (and of the present day, which we would know nothing about as we don't know his day to day life) is completely gone from Axl's life anyway. Edited February 22, 2013 by Chinaski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cineater Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Your not there yet so I'm ignoring what you think your life is going to be like when you get there. You know it's what you make it and if that's what you want so be it. Axl hardly seems to be the type to sit on his ass and tell himself he is limited in what he does by the sterotype of what one is expected to do at certain ages. I don't think either, he is going to limit himself to trying to write music for the younger generation only.But your general question is themes that interest all generations. Cars, a good fucking driving song would be fun. Politics, not that I'm interested but I do like a well put bitch session and there's so much material there. The internet, we're all up to our ass in that or waiting to get caught on youtube--lol. Death, happens to everybody. Relationships although I can't take any more of the I'm hurt by them, lets go for ain't this great or I'm pissed off and not going to take it any more. There's probably a lot more but I've got to run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drtydane Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Hopefully there's a song about the departure of his longtime housekeeper/manager/mother/leach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saber_ Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Axl may not be exposing himself on webcam or having venomous freakouts in Anything Goes, both of which are ripe for storytelling, but I'm sure he can find something he can write about. lolNot to be rude, but OP seems to be projecting his own perceptions on to Axl. Axl travels the world- there is tons of inspiration to be found from being in different countries, different cultures. Hell, he could write a song about flying in a plane. Axl has always been able to write lyrics. As an artist and lyricist, I think it's ignorant and folly to suggest that Axl's suddenly going to run out of ideas just because he isn't in a band with drug addicts anymore. If anything, Axl is wiser, more experienced, and has grown as a lyricist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustycage Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Yeah, the CD lyrics are so complex and show his growth as a lyricist. Well....maybe not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbgnr Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) What the hell are complex lyrics anyways?Some sort of subliminal messages in them,or a secret code for us to figure out.Or maybe lyrics to bring peace and harmony all throughout the world. Edited February 22, 2013 by cbgnr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magisme Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 As an artist and lyricist, I think it's ignorant and folly to suggest that Axl's suddenly going to run out of ideas just because he isn't in a band with drug addicts anymore. If anything, Axl is wiser, more experienced, and has grown as a lyricist.With all due respect, my friend, I don't think people are saying that he has run out of ideas because he's not in a band with drug addicts (btw I think that's a bit of a reductive and dismissive way of referring to the old band). We wouldn't be having this conversation if Axl had put out albums at even close to a regular pace. But since he doesn't, he invites speculation about whether he has creativity left in him. It may not be accurate, who knows, but it's a legitimate question.I agree that Axl is more experienced, but I'm not so sure about wiser and better lyricist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreCC Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) He should write a whole album saying i'm sorry for always being late (lol) Edited February 22, 2013 by AndreCC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useyorappetite Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 ^ that is a good song idea right there!Illusion lyrics are better than CD lyrics IMO. He should write the lyrics first for this album. I think it would have the same theme as CD and illusions. Alot of illusion lyrics would fit perfectly in CD. Estranged is the soundtrack of his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 With the UYIs, the band created music and Axl put lyrics to it. Or, he wrote lyrics and the band would work up a song to match the lyrics and intent.On AFD, the process was totally that the lyrics came last, with the music and melodies and whatnot first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustycage Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 What the hell are complex lyrics anyways?Some sort of subliminal messages in them,or a secret code for us to figure out.Or maybe lyrics to bring peace and harmony all throughout the world.Roses are redviolets are blueStephanie Seymour left me so fuck you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yourcrazy Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I imagine there is still a lot of things for him to write about. I agree things are more stable now than ever in the GNR world. But Axl, is Axl. He has always been quite complex and no one can figure him out or know what is going thru his mind. I would think that turning 51 has aged and matured him quite a bit, but deep down I'm sure he continually fights with what ever demons have plagued him thru his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useyorappetite Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 With the UYIs, the band created music and Axl put lyrics to it. Or, he wrote lyrics and the band would work up a song to match the lyrics and intent.On AFD, the process was totally that the lyrics came last, with the music and melodies and whatnot first.But i think mark said lyrics came first on AFD and some illusions song. Dunno it's just that in some parts of CD i feel like he's just trying to fit the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Facekicker Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Just stay out of This I Love territory and he'll be ok. That was seriously reminiscent of Meatloaf taking inspiration from How now, brown cow. Axl didn't even want to put it on CD. Unfortunately he listened to the band when he (for once) should have ignored them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saber_ Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 As an artist and lyricist, I think it's ignorant and folly to suggest that Axl's suddenly going to run out of ideas just because he isn't in a band with drug addicts anymore. If anything, Axl is wiser, more experienced, and has grown as a lyricist.With all due respect, my friend, I don't think people are saying that he has run out of ideas because he's not in a band with drug addicts (btw I think that's a bit of a reductive and dismissive way of referring to the old band). We wouldn't be having this conversation if Axl had put out albums at even close to a regular pace. But since he doesn't, he invites speculation about whether he has creativity left in him. It may not be accurate, who knows, but it's a legitimate question.I agree that Axl is more experienced, but I'm not so sure about wiser and better lyricist.I did not mean to refer to the old band in a dismissive way. I just meant a lot of the old lyrics revolved around drug references, the party lifestyle, being poor, etc. I phrased it wrong. I just believe Axl will have no problems writing lyrics if he wants to. I just don't think he wants to. Or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magisme Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I did not mean to refer to the old band in a dismissive way. I just meant a lot of the old lyrics revolved around drug references, the party lifestyle, being poor, etc. I phrased it wrong. I just believe Axl will have no problems writing lyrics if he wants to. I just don't think he wants to. Or something.I see what you mean, then.I hope you're right about "if he wants to." And if you are, I hope at some point he fucking wants to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useyorappetite Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Just stay out of This I Love territory and he'll be ok.That was seriously reminiscent of Meatloaf taking inspiration from How now, brown cow.Axl didn't even want to put it on CD. Unfortunately he listened to the band when he (for once) should have ignored them.I think it's a great song and i love axl's voice on it. Lyrics can be cheesy but also very emotional at the right moment. listen to the instrumental . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosaj Thing Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Well, according to him, "he couldn't write for years" because Slash, Duff and Stephanie bullied him throughout the Use Your Illusion Tour. Oh, poor Axl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volcano62 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Well, according to him, "he couldn't write for years" because Slash, Duff and Stephanie bullied him throughout the Use Your Illusion Tour. Oh, poor Axl.http://www.bullyville.com/You might learn a few things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustycage Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 You linked bullyville? LMAO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragnar Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Well, according to him, "he couldn't write for years" because Slash, Duff and Stephanie bullied him throughout the Use Your Illusion Tour. Oh, poor Axl.http://www.bullyville.com/You might learn a few things.Do you really think that Slash Duff and Stephanie dared to bully Axl ? I find it very hard to believe and it`s load of bolllocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drtydane Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 He should write a whole album saying i'm sorry for always being late (lol)Lololololol. Idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magisme Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Well, according to him, "he couldn't write for years" because Slash, Duff and Stephanie bullied him throughout the Use Your Illusion Tour. Oh, poor Axl.http://www.bullyville.com/You might learn a few things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binge_And_Slash Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Has anyone made the predictable joke about him writing songs about Stephanie Seymour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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