Just What Does "Axl Got Musical Integrity" or "A True Artist" Mean?

[ChristmasFnatic]

Ive seen that thrown a lot, and even a few days ago, someone mentioned Axl being a true artist. Is it cuz he remains a recluse more often or what?

[The Glow Inc.]

A "true" artist is excited about his art and doesn't really care if people don't like it since he simply did what felt right.

I feel Axl was like that during the early sessions of Chinese but right now he simply seems scared to release anything new because of the potentially catastrophic reception.

If I were him, I'd embrace potential failure and not give a fuck because at the end of the day, if that's the music he wants to do, who's to argue that he shouldn't ?

[Guest NGOG]

The simple fact is, no artist contracted to a label have absolute musical integrity. I think Chinese Democracy has more integrity than say, Slash records because it doesn't fulfill preconcieved ideas as to what it should represent, it's uncharacteristic of GNR, a melting point of experimentation whereas with Slash he tends to heed to expectations.

Axl isn't perfect in this regard either however. His early obsession with industrial was not only because he personally enjoyed the genre, but because strategically he felt it would best suit GNR's continued relevance. Also, he allowed various label reps to come in and force tinkering/re-recording to satisfy the agenda of Interscope.

To suggest Axl discarded the possibility of popularity with Chinese Democracy is a romantic myth. He's always enjoyed the mainstream status as much as everybody else.

[GNR123GNR456]

It's just a phrase thrown around by Axl cult follower's. It's complete bullshit and I can't believe there are people who actually believe it. So, if not releasing music and not being in the media mean's a artist has "artistic integrity, than I guess during the late 80's/early 90's Axl has NO artistic integrity at all. He was releasing music on a timely basis, touring all the time, doing sit-down and magazine interviews, on award shows.

Edited April 19, 2013 by GNR123GNR456

[November_rain]

A "true" artist is excited about his art and doesn't really care if people don't like it since he simply did what felt right.

I feel Axl was like that during the early sessions of Chinese but right now he simply seems scared to release anything new because of the potentially catastrophic reception.

If I were him, I'd embrace potential failure and not give a fuck because at the end of the day, if that's the music he wants to do, who's to argue that he shouldn't ?

I don´t think he is scared. What I think is that there might be some kind of ties with the label that prevent a release of a new record. Also, taking into consideration how the industry is right now he could be facing some obstacles or even rejection from the label, but that´s just what I think, it could be for whatever reason.

[Jeez]

It's just a phrase thrown around by Axl cult follower's. It's complete bullshit and I can't believe there are people who actually believe it. So, if not releasing music and not being in the media mean's a artist has "artistic integrity, than I guess during the late 80's/early 90's Axl has NO artistic integrity at all. He was releasing music on a timely basis, touring all the time, doing sit-down and magazine interviews, on award shows.

According to your logic, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber has A LOT of musical integrity and are true artists.

The point is, Axl seems to go in whatever direction he wants musically. He's doing exactly what he wants to do, not what his record company tells him or what fans tell him. If he doesn't want to do interviews, he won't... If he doesn't feel ready to release an album, he won't.. You get the picture.

A "true artist" to me, is a musician who follow their heart.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Jeez

[Eu4ic]

Axl made more grandiose gestures than anybody, ever. He only delivered somewhat, and fell off completely the past two years. That's why others like myself are a little agitated.

[Apollo]

The simple fact is, no artist contracted to a label have absolute musical integrity. I think Chinese Democracy has more integrity than say, Slash records because it doesn't fulfill preconcieved ideas as to what it should represent, it's uncharacteristic of GNR, a melting point of experimentation whereas with Slash he tends to heed to expectations.

I don't quite agree with that.

Are you saying that to have musical integrity, you have to jump outside of what you normally do?

That makes no sense at all.

Using your logic, that means Stephen King has no artistic integrity because he hasn't written a romantic classic yet. (I'm not a King fan, he is just an easy examply to use). King loves horror, grew up reading horror, and loves to write horror stories. So in your view......for him to have any kind of integrity in his industry, he must STOP writing horror and try a different genre?

Maybe Slash loves classic blues rock. That's what he enjoys writing and playing. But because he didn't add a techno song or a rap song or a epic TWAT like ballad on his last album, he doesn't have any musical integrity?

You are confusing the definition of integrity with the willingness to try different styles.

Would Axl have more musical integrity if he put out a country album next, instead of putting out another album that was similar to CD?

And to be honest, CD isn't really that much of a departure from the Illusions. Most of the songs from CD could have fit on either Illusions.

[sweetness]

And to be honest, CD isn't really that much of a departure from the Illusions. Most of the songs from CD could have fit on either Illusions.

this a million times, I don't understand how anybody considers CD to be this experimental "outside of the box" album from the rest of GNR's catalog

[Carlos Castaneda]

I said he was at the artist and compared him to th French poet rimbaugh who stop producing work at age 20, but who still considered influencial to this day. Axl, much like rimbaugh follows his heart. People want Axl to act like other musicians or pop stars, but he ain't that. He follows his own path like an artist before pop culture. People want him to be a pop star or rock star but that stuff holds no value in the heart of an artist. Terrence malick is comparable to axl as an artist

Edited April 19, 2013 by Carlos Castaneda

[Guest NGOG]

Are you saying that to have musical integrity, you have to jump outside of what you normally do?

No, that is absolutely not what I'm trying to say. To me, musicial integrity is where you create the music you want to. Irrespective of money, acclaim, chart success, radio play, label pressure, stereotypes.

[magisme]

I said he was at the artist and compared him to th French poet rimbaugh who stop producing work at age 20, but who still considered influencial to this day. Axl, much like rimbaugh follows his heart. People want Axl to act like other musicians or pop stars, but he ain't that. He follows his own path like an artist before pop culture. People want him to be a pop star or rock star but that stuff holds no value in the heart of an artist. Terrence malick is comparable to axl as an artist

Rimbaugh would've been all over a Vegas residency.

[Carlos Castaneda]

I said he was at the artist and compared him to th French poet rimbaugh who stop producing work at age 20, but who still considered influencial to this day. Axl, much like rimbaugh follows his heart. People want Axl to act like other musicians or pop stars, but he ain't that. He follows his own path like an artist before pop culture. People want him to be a pop star or rock star but that stuff holds no value in the heart of an artist. Terrence malick is comparable to axl as an artist

Rimbaugh would've been all over a Vegas residency.

^^^

[trqster]

The man's a musical genius and a living legend - nuff said...

[AlterL]

Well I'll give my point of view, Axl is a real artist becouse all he cares about is his music, and it has been that way since the start, even during AFD Slash and Axl didn't really get along, but they supported eachother becouse they knew they where the best they would find to follow their own visions then when Slash wanted to create another AFD Axl said hell no and decided to go bigger, and make the Illusions, once again doing his own music in his own way, wheter anyone else liked it or not, if I'm correct there is even a lot of people that said that the UYI were not real GN'R records becouse how different they were from AFD or Lies, and even with Chinese (my personal favorite) he refused to take millions to work again with a guitar player that he no longer nedded or wanted in his band (Slash and I'm not saying this to disrespect Slash in anyway) and he did his album in his own way, sure it was not the best way to do it, but he did it anyway and he never apologized for being whom he was, good or bad he decided to be himself, and of course I'm sure he had many doubts in his mind many times, but he still decided to do what he felt was best for him. Thats the difference between a real artist and a comercial artist that will just go for whatever he think will give him more money

[Johnny Drama]

More money? You mean like keeping the name so he could get more asses in seats, the Best Buy deal, doing shows for weddings, doing shows for grand prixs, performing shows and taking money off people with no discernible effort to present a premium offering, perpetuating a band where even the original post reboot members have almost all been replaced, continuously touring with no new material?

[ManetsUS]

More money? You mean like keeping the name so he could get more asses in seats, the Best Buy deal, doing shows for weddings, doing shows for grand prixs, performing shows and taking money off people with no discernible effort to present a premium offering, perpetuating a band where even the original post reboot members have almost all been replaced, continuously touring with no new material?

[SoulMonster]

Ive seen that thrown a lot, and even a few days ago, someone mentioned Axl being a true artist. Is it cuz he remains a recluse more often or what?

Recluse? No, it's because he won't make compromises when creating music.

[dalsh327]

A lot of directors from the 70s had grandiose visions, Coppola and Cimino are prob. at the top of that list.

You could say "Chinese Democracy" is the "Heavens Gate" of rock albums, except ChiDem made its money back...

If GNR were truly going to not compromise, Axl would've boycotted everything from AFD to UYI and toured off of nothing but new stuff. Billy Corgan was doing Smashing Pumpkins shows with no "hits" at all.

To me, the down side of the residency wasn't digging deeper into the less or never played songs, or just working out some new songs live. That was the place to do it.

Edited April 20, 2013 by dalsh327

[bucketmaster101]

I guess one example of artistic integrity could be Neil Young... I interviews he often states he does what he wants not what anyone else wants. It doesn't equate to experimental or diversifying your output but just doing what you want refusing to meet expectations, even if sometimes they correspond. The Stephen King example mentioned earlier kinda comes into this. He does mainly write horror, although he does do other things ie shawshank and things like that, but I don't think he does it because its expected, but because he loves it.

xXx

Edited April 20, 2013 by bucketmaster101

[EvH]

Axl isn't concerned by both anyway.

[wasted]

Turns out Chi Dem was Apocalypse Now. Without judgment, because judgment destroys us all.

Seems like Axk is expressing his self. Thats very modernist but there new elements creeping in.

[GNR123GNR456]

More money? You mean like keeping the name so he could get more asses in seats, the Best Buy deal, doing shows for weddings, doing shows for grand prixs, performing shows and taking money off people with no discernible effort to present a premium offering, perpetuating a band where even the original post reboot members have almost all been replaced, continuously touring with no new material?

[Bruno P.]

Musical integrity? If you dont turn into a Bon Jovi and release shitty pop music you have musical integrity.

[ChristmasFnatic]

So what if an artist/band decides to change their music cuz they feel like it, does that mean they dont have musical integrity?

I mean Axl did change from AFD to UYI and beyond.