I don't need a reunion - but there's no point in an AFD/UYI nostalgia act without Slash and Duff

[axlsalinger]

I don't need a reunion. I really don't. I understand that bands break up (the divorce analogy applies here), and what happened, happened. If Axl were here, I would tell him honestly. I, as in me personally, would love a reunion, but I don't need one. I have loved pretty much every song Axl's ever done, and have supported nuGNR every step of the way.

But this refusal or inability to release new music (or hell, even a live dvd) is ridiculous. We were told that one reason the recording of CD took so long, was so that we WOULDN'T have to go through that again. Yet here we are again... 5 years of nothing. The live shows are almost entirely Appetite and Illusion songs.

What is the end game here? Why go through all this hell to create a new Guns n' Roses (twice), actually succeed in forming a stable, ass - kicking group, and then refuse to release or record new material, and play 90% songs written and recorded by people no longer in the group (slash, duff, izzy), and another 10% also written and recorded by people no longer in the group (bucket, finck, and brain)?

Edited August 29, 2013 by axlsalinger

[ZoSoRose]

I agree. Love the current line up, Chinese Democracy, and all that- but if you are going to become more of a nostalgia band, regroup and do it right

Or release new music and try and show us all why you fought so hard for the name

[WhazUp]

I share the same sentiments, either move forward or do the music with the people who actually helped create it

[axlsalinger]

I also want to be clear... In no way do I mean Axl and the boys shouldn't play a lot of the old songs. Sweet child, Paradise City, Jungle, November Rain should be staples. The band can play a bunch of others too, depending on their preference. I'd hope Estranged and Civil War stay, for example.

But for the love of God, move forward already with something new.

[MEXzilla]

I wouldn't want one simply because Axl doesn't have his voice but as far what band is better its simple AFD/illusions lineup is the best. Now if you were to tell me a reunion with an album then fuck yeah those dudes created the best rock albums ever IMO.

[wasted]

The new stuff will probably be made in the past about the past so I think moving forward seems unlikely.

[dalsh327]

I don't think Axl would exclude Duff, Izzy, Brain, Paul, or Robin from continuing to take part in the band on stage or in the studio.

Bucket isn't "excommunicated", but Axl would want to talk to him again, and it's probably coming up on a decade since he last did.

The people who were looking forward to Chinese Democracy and didn't really care if a reunion happened, felt like more was going to come and it didn't, and they're the ones getting frustrated.

The people who want the reunion won't support Axl as long as Slash isn't in the band, but they probably could care less about seeing Slash, too.

[NachoLZ]

I also want to be clear... In no way do I mean Axl and the boys shouldn't play a lot of the old songs. Sweet child, Paradise City, Jungle, November Rain should be staples. The band can play a bunch of others too, depending on their preference. I'd hope Estranged and Civil War stay, for example.

But for the love of God, move forward already with something new.

this, but jarmo on his forum says that people dont go to the shows for new songs because they wanna hear the songs they grew with, but thanks to that people doesnt respect the new band as much as the 90s lineup.

Edited August 29, 2013 by ignaliza

[wasted]

do you think that the band accepting that people just come to the shows for the old songs basically means they won't release a new album.

[vaida]

I don't think anyone wants a reunion after all that's been said, mostly by Axl Rose

The Slash and Myles combo is working just fine, and I love the music they have released. Slash really has up'ed his game since Velvet Revolver was put on (presumably) indefinite hold. There's already a new Slash album in the works, fingers crossed, there will be more epic Anastasia moments to come, although that might be asking too much.

[Amir]

Tbf, 2009-10 setlists were pretty CD-heavy. And in 2011-12 we got Estranged and Civil War back, along with a couple of Lies tracks (UTLH/You're Crazy). 2013 was just an extension of the 2012 Greatest Hits tour for Australia and Middle East, and Canadian shows were basically UCAP II (Toronto was originally gonna be part of 2012 UCAP tour). So while it's been a while, in hindsight, it's not too bad; Metallica have done a similar thing since Death Magnetic was released, and Iron Maiden often tour an album, and then follow up with a Greatest Hits/Retro Tour. The only part that really bothered me about 2011-13 was Axl's voice. I would have enjoyed the Abu Dhabi show a lot more if his voice was like it was back in 2010 and he didn't hide in his leather jacket + hat + sunglasses combo for nearly the whole show.

Don't get me wrong, though, I'd much rather see Slash and Duff up there with Axl playing the AFD/UYI material (and Robin and Bucket up there for the CD stuff). I like the Bumble + Fortus combo, but DJ will never be anything but a poor man's Slash+Johnny 5 to me. I gave him a chance for a couple of years but his (lack of) playing ability is really starting to bother me for a marquee band like Guns N' Fuckin' Roses.

If we'd gotten CD II in Summer 2010, I don't think we'd have had UCAP shows or Estranged and Civil War as setlist staples, or CD songs would have been dropped in favour of CD II tracks.

[axlsalinger]

I also want to be clear... In no way do I mean Axl and the boys shouldn't play a lot of the old songs. Sweet child, Paradise City, Jungle, November Rain should be staples. The band can play a bunch of others too, depending on their preference. I'd hope Estranged and Civil War stay, for example.

But for the love of God, move forward already with something new.

this, but jarmo on his forum says that people dont go to the shows for new songs because they wanna hear the songs they grew with, but thanks to that people doesnt respect the new band as much as the 90s lineup.

That's true, it's always been the case that if you go to a U2 or a Springsteen concert for example, there are going to be people that don't have various albums, some that got a free ticket or whatever, so lots of people won't know everything. But almost everyone will know the hits. But if the album's out there, then a reasonable portion of the crowd will know the songs. How about a new Guns n' Roses song on the radio, how well would that go over? How into it would the band be?

When you get right down to it, new material pleases the hardcore fans, and it rejuvenates the band. At its core, that combination is what makes a band tick. All the peripheral stuff is just extra money in the bank.

I once saw Smashing Pumpkins at an all-day festival, and it was the year the Machina album came out. The band walked onstage and played (I think) 6 straight songs off of Machina. People were starting to get annoyed, cause hardly anybody knew these songs. It was just weird, because it wasn't even a Smashing Pumpkins show per se, it was an all-day festival. Eventually they started playing some of the old material. That's not "moving forward", that's being an asshole. But to play a bunch of stuff everyone knows and intersperse those 6 songs throughout the set? The band has more fun, the hardcores are thrilled, the "hits" crowd can take a piss break, and the curious can check out and probably later buy your new stuff.

I have no doubt this band could write some good songs. I just wish Axl had released a bunch more of the CD stuff already, so it wasn't still the elephant in the room for five fucking years. Hopefully there is at least some truth to this "2014 talk" that certain individuals have been floating. With this band's track record though, how can anybody put any stock in that?

[Amir]

First time I saw Springsteen back in June, the first 10 songs were deep cuts (for a casual fan like I was back then) and sign requests. I was getting a bit restless. Then they played Darkness On The Edge Of Town from start to finish, and the final 10 songs made a hardcore fan out of me. When they came back in 2 weeks I was much more familiar with the majority of the setlist, even though it was almost completely different.

As it is now, the GNR setlist is pretty good, opening with CD, then Jungle, then a few Appetite tracks, etc. Also, for the hardcore fans, how the CD songs don't change much (good to see SOD swapped out for Catcher). SOD in particular never comes across well for me live, too slow. Especially exacerbated when in 2012 we'd have Motivation/Dizzy Solo/SOD, you could feel the crowd get restless. Wasn't so bad in 2010 when YCBM would pick things up again, but with Axl's inability to sing that song since 2011 it doesn't really improve things too much.

[SoulMonster]

This would make more sense if they didn't play so many songs off CD at every show.

[cooker]

I think the best setlist they current line up had was the 2009-2010 period. You could really get into the show. But it's all personal taste. I like music period and can really have a good time no matter what they played. That being said, I would have to agree with the OP...

[Gia]

do you think that the band accepting that people just come to the shows for the old songs basically means they won't release a new album.

I think this is correct

Most people go to a guns n roses show to hear WTTJ , the classics...

seems Axl is content with that

[rockerman]

The point of most tours is to promote an album. GNR had to fall back on more AFD material and UYI material because CD just didnt gell with the public in the same manner that the hits did. Only a small fraction of people are there to hear anything off of CD.

When all the numbers are punched and the reality hits home...what makes the money machine roll??? People want the hits and the classics and thats what Promotors are pushing with GNR.... GnR doesnt have anything to sell at the moment...theres nothing in pop culture or media thats screaming GNR.

[Crash Diet]

I share the same sentiments, either move forward or do the music with the people who actually helped create it

[T.wa.T]

Its been 5 years but they we're touring for 4 of those years. The other was getting TB to be their manager. The tour just ended, give em some time to be human for a bit. The dvd is coming in a few months

[Apollo]

This would make more sense if they didn't play so many songs off CD at every show.

Four songs is a lot?

How many songs are they playing that the current band had a hand in writing?

[trqster]

Gn'R is a nostalgia act band. Deal with that, cause it ain't never gonna change.

[vaida]

Reading all the new threads, GN'R seem so dead.

[ChineseDemocracy2004]

If the classic version of the band were to reunite they should do a theatre tour, play Appetite in full and rotate some of their other classics as encores.

[gunnari]

I would love to see reunion..sadly it will never happen in this universe

[Tom2112]

GnR are not a nostalgia act, The band can't tour without playing the hits but they still play a bunch of new songs every night! a nostalgia act might play one new song every once in a while. Also GnR are not dead, if they were dead, this forum would not be filled with new posts everyday. the fan-base is frustrated and screaming for more... definitely doesn't sound like an audience that's "over" GnR... However, if we have to wait a year or two for a record... that might be a different story. even I would say to call it a day at that point... and I love the band!