Axl had a MasterPlan - which collapsed

[kanudo19]

Bumblefoot: just a shadow compared with Buckethead.

Quit what you're smoking while u can man

[Gia]

The Replacements being one of the most important bands of the 80's? Pffft please.

Yea, I'm a little confused about that lol

[Tom2112]

This all sounds a little dramatic. Also, if we know anything about Axl it's that he will do whatever he wants, when he wants. I don't know what's coming next, it could easily be CD II, it could be an album of all new material. My gut says CD II, I just don't think that Axl will sit on 10 years worth of material. If the band make an all new record with the current members songs, they can't backtrack a few years later and release CD II it's going to sound weird. Another option is the new band will make an all new record but intersperse re-recorded CD II tracks... that's the option I hope for. I loved CD but it's a mistake to release the sequel ( CD II) without taking on board the criticisms leveled at it's predecessor and trying to amend them.

[Ric Nightingale]

Okay, I'll throw my two pence in. DJ Asba is a better guitarist than Finck, but neither are great songwriters. Buckethead is the best musician to walk through the revolving GNR door. His ability, in my opinion is unmatched by anyone. The early 2000's line up looked and often sounded unmatched though. However, I think they functioned as a band a lot better than what came next. Yes, I think he genuinely tried to create something to rival old GNR, but it all collapsed around him. If the much hated Tobias had stayed in the band we probably would have had a hell of a lot more songs to talk about too.

[Tom2112]

One other thing, Bumblefoot being a shadow compared to Bucket is ridiculous. Ron's absolutely amazing, his guitar parts are crazy (like bucket), but he also produces... he can see what GnR should like. Example: when he joined the band he added "sleazy guitars" to the title track of CD... you guys had heard the early leak, it was good but the Ron version was much, much better. I have to say his additions to the record were some f my favourite parts. Also, You should really listen to his solo stuff! there's some crazy ridiculous stuff going on there but there's also some great riffs and beautiful songs, "simple days" being the obvious reference.

The 2002 era band, I don't think they ever truly sounded like a band. when you compare the vibe from 2009-present GnR to the 02 line up I think the present band are a tighter machine and they seem to be gelling together like a real band.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Tom2112

[Bono]

Axl never had a plan. His lack of anything shows this. A person with a plan doesn't end up being so incredibly unproductive. Anything else is just a bunch of BS excuses.

[volcano62]

Someone needs to photoshop some Axl features

[alfierose]

Axl is a visionary rather than a planner imo. The former needs to employ or join forces with people who are the latter to translate visions into actions. Unfortunately Axl is also a control freak and doesn't always have the best judgement so...

My 2 cents.

[wasted]

I have a feeling were still going to see the next two records. Axls just really marinading it. He prob wants material to have space to be known and have its time. Theres no rush. The songs will eventually come out.

[dalsh327]

This all sounds a little dramatic. Also, if we know anything about Axl it's that he will do whatever he wants, when he wants. I don't know what's coming next, it could easily be CD II, it could be an album of all new material. My gut says CD II, I just don't think that Axl will sit on 10 years worth of material. If the band make an all new record with the current members songs, they can't backtrack a few years later and release CD II it's going to sound weird. Another option is the new band will make an all new record but intersperse re-recorded CD II tracks... that's the option I hope for. I loved CD but it's a mistake to release the sequel ( CD II) without taking on board the criticisms leveled at it's predecessor and trying to amend them.

I think it'll be 75 percent CD sessions, 25 percent new stuff, but the next album could be 7 songs or 50 songs. They're not limited by time constraints or how many songs because record companies put 4 CDs out of artists that don't go platinum. The days of shipping gold and platinum are over, and maybe GNR are the reason it stopped, but considering how the CDs were displayed, the store's to blame on not doing their part to promote it better. Like they showed in '08, big bricks of Soprano DVDs next to the puny display of CD. Axl should have just gone to the damn Best Buy in LA and spent a few hours signing, something he'd probably do now. Springsteen went to his local record store when Tracks came out and signed, but it was unannounced and because he was in the mood.

I give it two years before new music's out. Average for bands to put new albums out is around 3 years.

[RussTCB]

I have a feeling were still going to see the next two records. Axls just really marinading it. He prob wants material to have space to be known and have its time. Theres no rush. The songs will eventually come out.

You know that theory that an artist really isn't appreciated until they're gone? Honest to God, I sometimes wonder if that's part of his plan now. Like he's holding on to all this material for release after he passes so that people will love it when they're in their "Didn't know what we had when he was here" phase.

I know I'm playing left field on that one, but it's just something that's crossed my mind.

[axlrod]

Axl says they had extremely successful shows without incident. That was his Master Plan.

All of that said I'm not a “punctual” type of person, never have been. I apologize to anyone I've inconvenienced or put out in any way. And for those who've felt they've lost money with any cancellations in the past perhaps you'll find some comfort in that I'm sure I've lost tens of thousands, if not millions, more - especially in the long run. In general I usually don't really go by or live my life by a clock and outside of touring I don't really ask anyone else to. It's not out of lack of respect for anyone or intentional.

I can say I haven't been late because I was watching a sporting event or something equally as ridiculous. The reasons have all been in one way or another show-related or having to do with those involved with the show in some fashion. It's just my reality and I try and work on it. It's been getting better with our tours, especially over the last three years.

In the last three years we've done three Asian runs including Taiwan, Jakarta and a hugely successful record breaking, sold out India run, three European runs including four sold out nights at London's 02 Arena, five shows in Russia, headlined several sold-out festivals such as Reading and Leeds, Rock In Rio, two record breaking, sold out South American tours, an Australian tour (this will be our 2nd), a sold out tour in Central America, a Canadian tour, a sold out US arena tour, a sold out US club tour (that included The Ritz/Webster Hall in NY, The Electric Company in Philadelphia, The Fillmore in Detroit and The Palladium in Los Angeles), New Year’s and a sold out month residency at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, the Middle East, Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit, NY Fashion week gigs w/Varvatos, The Rose Bar and the Hiro Ballroom and a few one off club and private party shows such as at L'Arc in Paris, The Zep in Tokyo and recently for Tommy Hilfiger at LA's The Soho House.

In a concerted effort to make things up to our fans, friends and associates we've gone back to various cities where things have in the past gotten... ahem... “complicated” such as Vancouver, Montreal, Atlanta (twice), Indianapolis, Philadelphia and Dublin and had extremely successful shows without incident.

We've been fortunate to be able to play everything from the smallest clubs to giant stadiums and huge outdoor audiences for a total of 185 shows in 48 countries, in 147 cities with approximately over 500 hours of stage time with an average full show time around three plus hours, performed for over 2,000,000 fans with our current lineup of DJ Ashba, Ron Bumblefoot Thal and Richard Fortus on guitars, Tommy Stinson on bass, Frank Ferrer on Drums and Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman on keyboards, worked with over 200 bands and artists from Motorhead to Black Label Society, shared bills with Elton John, Aerosmith, Rhianna, Queens Of The Stone Age and Metallica with minimal promotion, minimal to zero label support, minimal nonsense and often with serious management challenges.

And in our defense addressing the nonsense, the relatively small majority of which percentage wise being in general what we feel are at least somewhat reasonable or justifiable such as technical difficulties, crowd control issues, health or injuries, managerial/agent nonsense or simply beyond our control and often as the case may be more hype than reality which again (and definitely not taken for granted) with all things considered, eventually has seemed to work out fairly well.

AXL SAYS ABOUT PRIVACY?

Regarding social media, I really don't understand what appears to be the general population's lack of concern over privacy issues in publicising their entire lives on the internet for others to see to such an extent... but hey it's them, not me, so whatever.

However, when so many seem to be making similar choices regarding their privacy to where it seems to become the norm, and in turn businesses use someone's lack of involvement with social media to marginalise or stereotype and stigmatise them, or use it as grounds not to hire someone, I feel it's extremely unfair and seems a bit Orwellian.

[vaida]

without Slash, Axl isn't in a band called Guns N'Roses anymore, and there's nothing he can do about it, other than to pretend

Edited September 1, 2013 by vaida

[Powerage5]

without Slash, Axl isn't in a band called Guns N'Roses anymore, and there's nothing he can do about it, other than to pretend

[pe_teko]

Obviously I get what you're saying, but all you're really doing is reciting the timeline since 1999, which we all know very well. I agree with you, I think there was a plan. But its hard to blame anyone but Axl for that plan falling apart. Yes, I'm sure at SOME point the record label did some annoying and idiotic things. But they didn't keep the record from being released for 10 years. Ultimately Axl did.

I assume his master plan was to come back in 2002, reinvigorate everyone about GNR, then release a record. And he was doing pretty well. Then Philadelphia happened. HE decided not to go to the show, it really fucked everything over, and the tour was cancelled. Thats it. Any plan he had after that had to be completely remodeled because he essentially just pissed away what was looking like a pretty successful plan and was actually working.

OK, so then because that plan fell apart, it killed him. Took at least a year to recover. Around 2004-2005, he starts coming up with a new plan. "I have ONE more shot. Let's get the 2002 lineup, minus Buckethead because he understandably got tired of waiting for me, I'll get in really good shape so I sound better and look less weird, and we'll release the fucking record. It will be like 2002 never happened." Ok, so thats another pretty good and realistic plan. It works rather well. They successfully tour through 2006 and Axl is great. He probably didn't attract anymore new people, which was probably still the goal in 2002, but he got back all those that had previously given up. And for no other logical reason, except for what I have to assume is laziness, Chinese Democracy doesn't come out, not even the next year in 2007.

Boom. Thats the end. It sounds harsh, but thats it in a nutshell. He was given two shots and both crumpled. Two master plans gone awry because of poor decisions on Axl's part for the most part. Any plan he had after the album failed to come out in 2007 is and has remained hopeless. Too many people gave up after the second time and unless you put out another Appetite that will be universally praised, he knows there's no way to comeback for a THIRD time. It all fell apart very quickly, but all due to his own actions, which is hilarious to think because he must have spent years coming up with these master plans that were relatively easy to accomplish.

I must agree with what you say. Laziness is the word. Good analysis there.

What you people are pointing is not that Axl's masterplan failed because of people going out of the band but because of him not doing enough for keeping them and then plan is collapsed. That's probably true. I wasn't that interested about who to blame but about Axl's masterplan slowly collapsing through the years.

Still think Bumblefoot doesn't play in Buckhead's league. He is obviously a good player. No doubt about that. Still think The Replacements were one of the most important american bands in the 80s with Pixies and some others. Not about commercial success. Still think Freese is the best drummer they've had.

[vaida]

without Slash, Axl isn't in a band called Guns N'Roses anymore, and there's nothing he can do about it, other than to pretend

[Tom2112]

I have a feeling were still going to see the next two records. Axls just really marinading it. He prob wants material to have space to be known and have its time. Theres no rush. The songs will eventually come out.

You know that theory that an artist really isn't appreciated until they're gone? Honest to God, I sometimes wonder if that's part of his plan now. Like he's holding on to all this material for release after he passes so that people will love it when they're in their "Didn't know what we had when he was here" phase.

I know I'm playing left field on that one, but it's just something that's crossed my mind.

That crossed my mind too a few years ago... I think it would be a little crazy considering his age, but I guess when your dealing with or trying to predict Axl you have to contend with a certain amount of crazy

[iftheworld]

Opinions are like assholes and in my opinion, I'm an asshole.

[wasted]

I have a feeling were still going to see the next two records. Axls just really marinading it. He prob wants material to have space to be known and have its time. Theres no rush. The songs will eventually come out.

You know that theory that an artist really isn't appreciated until they're gone? Honest to God, I sometimes wonder if that's part of his plan now. Like he's holding on to all this material for release after he passes so that people will love it when they're in their "Didn't know what we had when he was here" phase.

I know I'm playing left field on that one, but it's just something that's crossed my mind.

Over My Dead Body seems like a good post Axl album title. Im hoping to get CD I I and III maybe even IV.