What was your initial reaction when...

[Bobbo]

I've always been curious as to what peoples first reactions were when gnr fell apart in the mid 90s, specifically when the big news hit that Slash had quit. Rightfully so or not, there's no question that departure caused the biggest stir.

I was only 6 years old in 1996, and didn't get to experience that time as a gnr fan. Did you have endless faith that Axl could continue gnr without slash and the rest of the guys? Did you think it was over? Were you angry? Sad? Dare I say...happy? How much faith did you have when Axl (sans Dizzy) was the last man standing?

I'm especially curious for those who are extremely pro nu guns. Was that always the case? Completely ignore however you feel about "guns n roses" now. I'm talking exclusively about INITIAL reactions for those who were fans back then.

So...how bout it?

[DR DOOM]

I wasn't all that bummed out to be honest, because Axl was sure to come back better than ever imminently.

By the time I was in high school GNR were already passé, all the cool kids were into Pearl Jam and Nirvana etc etc-personally I had this silly notion GNR were about to hit back with something even better.

I used to tell anybody that would listen Axl would return better than ever and GNR would rule the world again etc etc...when Brain and then Robin left I just gave up with all that shit.

Never thought it would end up with DJ Ashba though LOL

[wasted]

I just thought thered be a reunion. solo albums is what people did. I was kind of intrigued with what Axl was doing after hearing Oh My God.

[SoulMonster]

I've always been curious as to what peoples first reactions were when gnr fell apart in the mid 90s, specifically when the big news hit that Slash had quit. Rightfully so or not, there's no question that departure caused the biggest stir.

I was only 6 years old in 1996, and didn't get to experience that time as a gnr fan. Did you have endless faith that Axl could continue gnr without slash and the rest of the guys? Did you think it was over? Were you angry? Sad? Dare I say...happy? How much faith did you have when Axl (sans Dizzy) was the last man standing?

I'm especially curious for those who are extremely pro nu guns. Was that always the case? Completely ignore however you feel about "guns n roses" now. I'm talking exclusively about INITIAL reactions for those who were fans back then.

So...how bout it?

After Steven was fired the band stopped being about the AFD lineup. Izzy leaving just confirmed this. I started losing interest in following the band as an entity defined by particular members at that time. The newcomers, Matt, Gilby and Dizzy, just didn't have the history with the band to rekindle that type of fanthusiam from me. It became a diluted thing I really couldn't get very excited about. This was also reinforced with the sprawling Use Your Illusions and the bloated live shows at the time (especially with back up singers and Teddy). The thing that made me love GN'R just wasn't there any more. Then it became very apparent that Axl and Slash wasn't on good terms anymore. When Slash quit it wasn't a surprise at all and I don't think many believed the band would continue on. Especially not after Duff leaving. So for me the band was dead by then. But the dying had started a lot earlier and Slash leaving was neither a shock or much of a big deal.

I wasn't really emotional about believing the band was over. The lineup that created AFD had been gone for a few years already. So it wasn't that much of a deal to me. It had been such a drawn-out process where any disappointment form my side had been metered out long before. I was happy, though, that Axl refused to call it quits. Of course I knew that I would never hear any music that would impact me the way AFD did (also because I had changed and wasn't as susceptible to be blown away by music anymore), but I already knew that years earlier. I was just happy that Axl would add a new chapter to the band's history, hopefully release more music I would appreciate, and continue a highly entertaining saga. So at the time when the post-UYI lineup fell apart I didn't really feel much at all. Of course Axl was busy trying to replace people as they left with Duff being there for some while longer, but it just felt...irrelevant.

Now I enjoy the band and what they do, in a much more detached way. I am rooting for them and hope they will have success on their own merit but it is not a big deal to me.

Edited October 9, 2013 by SoulMonster

[silkchild]

Distraught - The only way I can describe it, I got in to Guns in 94 at secondary school, when Slash went I wondered how the hell he could be replaced. I think Axl has hired awesome players over the years so I give him great credit for that, GN'R has a face again which I just couldn't have imagined at the time without the old key members.

Edited October 9, 2013 by silkchild

[volcano62]

I loved the Illusion lineup and when Slash quit in 96 I had my doubts about the bands future until I heard "Oh My God" in 1999. I didn't really follow the band between 96-99.

That was the best song I heard since 1991.

At that moment I knew Axl was always GNR and he had my full confidence.

I won't lie, that confidence has diminished over the last 2 years.

Edited October 9, 2013 by volcano62

[feconroses]

I loved the Illusion lineup and when Slash quit in 96 I had my doubts about the bands future until I heard "Oh My God" in 1999. I didn't really follow the band between 96-99.

That was the best song I heard since 1991.

At that moment I knew Axl was always GNR and he had my full confidence.

I won't lie, that confidence has diminished over the last 2 years.

When even volcano is losing interest in nu GNR, we know we are fucked.

[trqster]

IMO no real Gn'R fan truly believed that Slash had left for good - the concept of Gn'R without Axl & Slash on it was just plain ridiculous...

[aranrod]

I've always been curious as to what peoples first reactions were when gnr fell apart in the mid 90s, specifically when the big news hit that Slash had quit. Rightfully so or not, there's no question that departure caused the biggest stir.

I was only 6 years old in 1996, and didn't get to experience that time as a gnr fan. Did you have endless faith that Axl could continue gnr without slash and the rest of the guys? Did you think it was over? Were you angry? Sad? Dare I say...happy? How much faith did you have when Axl (sans Dizzy) was the last man standing?

I'm especially curious for those who are extremely pro nu guns. Was that always the case? Completely ignore however you feel about "guns n roses" now. I'm talking exclusively about INITIAL reactions for those who were fans back then.

So...how bout it?

I felt sad... Very sad and distraught. Yes, I got the feeling it was over, but I kept hoping. Then some internet sites were started. Jarmo started in 1996, and some guy called Rat's in 1998, if I remember correctly. There were some more. They offered bootlegs and leaks to download (took appr. 15-20 minutes to download a song via telephone connection. That cost me a bunch!! ) Loved Oh My God!! Those sites gave us some hope that GnR would survive eventually. Please, don't kill me for giving Jarmo positive credits but back in the day those sites were all we had and we were ever so happy with them. They were the only ones around to keep us informed. Then came Rio 2001. I loved to see Axl back, but his voice...!! I liked the band, they sounded tight and strong, but still we hoped it was a temporary solution and the old members would hook up again and Axl would turn back using his original voice.

I stopped following after 2002. Started again for a short time in 2006, saw the corn rows, listened to the voice and left again. Came back in 2008 after CD came out. I played CD, and the more I listened to it, the more I disliked it. But that's a personal thing. Don't kill me. So I stopped following again and came back in 2011 when I bumped into this site...

Saw NUGnR twice in 2012. Those were good shows. Apart from the mickey. I would go see them again.

[JONEZY]

When Slash left officially, I was bummed out. But it wasn't a suprise. I think it was 1995 at the VMA's, Slash was there and was interviewed by Kurt Loder. Loder asked him what was up with his band(meaning GnR), Slash paused and said "......Snakepit? Oh Guns N Roses. Yeah, were looking to get together and record early next year" Something like that. It was clear that Slash wasn't happy with the way things were going.

Then I just waited and waited for Axl to do something. All the time hoping for a reunion at some point.

[LoadedNightraiN]

OP makes it sound like we woke up one day to find GNR had split.

Although there were multiple announcements slash was gone, there was almost as many staements saying he was still in. By the time it was infact official Slash was gone, it wasnt a shock. There was also a long downtime before OMG was released, knowing there were replacments.

So my inital reaction was "OK, No Surpise at this point"

[trqster]

I stopped following after 2002. Started again for a short time in 2006, saw the corn rows, listened to the voice and left again.

So you didn't like Axl's '06 vocals.......

Edited October 9, 2013 by trqster

[bigcountry]

For me it was no big deal! I don't even remember it to be honest!

I was a huge GNR fan in high school and after.

I was around 23 when Slash left looking back at the time line and I am being honest I don't remember this.

I really only started looking for New GNR info around the time the internet started to get ramped up, I had a super fast 33..6K modem then upgraded to a 56K and thought I was flying through the internet. Man how times have change for both the internet and GNR!!!

[wasted]

Im sure I read about it in The band that Time Forgot.

[gnfnrs1972]

Axl's biggest career mistakes in my opinion is not losing Slash. It is his late concert starts. His bad use of the internet by not keeping his fans informed. And his sorry vocal performance at 2002 vma's.

[Apollo]

The internet wasn't the beast of information that it is today.......so the only way we found out about Slash leaving was thru an MTV news update and maybe a story in one of the major music magazines - RS, Circus, Hit Parader.

I figured that Slash would come back after a short break, or that they'd just get another guitar player and continue pushing GnR forward. I never dreamed in a million years that we wouldn't see another GnR album until 2008.

Man, what a shame that is. The best rock singer of my generation has only put out one album of new original material since 1991. That's 22 years and one album. AXL/Beta.........do your fans a favor and give them some new music to enjoy while Axl still has that amazing voice!!! Give this current band a chance to make their mark on the GnR name.

[Snowmass]

The internet wasn't the beast of information that it is today.......so the only way we found out about Slash leaving was thru an MTV news update and maybe a story in one of the major music magazines - RS, Circus, Hit Parader.

I figured that Slash would come back after a short break, or that they'd just get another guitar player and continue pushing GnR forward. I never dreamed in a million years that we wouldn't see another GnR album until 2008.

Man, what a shame that is. The best rock singer of my generation has only put out one album of new original material since 1991. That's 22 years and one album. AXL/Beta.........do your fans a favor and give them some new music to enjoy while Axl still has that amazing voice!!! Give this current band a chance to make their mark on the GnR name.

Shame it is.....great post. Although do we really expect Axl to go in the studio to start writing and recording now and have anything out for years? And do we want him to (the voice has deteriorated alot).

[volcano62]

The internet wasn't the beast of information that it is today.......so the only way we found out about Slash leaving was thru an MTV news update and maybe a story in one of the major music magazines - RS, Circus, Hit Parader.

I figured that Slash would come back after a short break, or that they'd just get another guitar player and continue pushing GnR forward. I never dreamed in a million years that we wouldn't see another GnR album until 2008.

Man, what a shame that is. The best rock singer of my generation has only put out one album of new original material since 1991. That's 22 years and one album. AXL/Beta.........do your fans a favor and give them some new music to enjoy while Axl still has that amazing voice!!! Give this current band a chance to make their mark on the GnR name.

Shame it is.....great post. Although do we really expect Axl to go in the studio to start writing and recording now and have anything out for years? And do we want him to (the voice has deteriorated alot).

His voice is fine. It's been hit and miss since 1985.

He's always sounded great in studio.

[Apollo]

The internet wasn't the beast of information that it is today.......so the only way we found out about Slash leaving was thru an MTV news update and maybe a story in one of the major music magazines - RS, Circus, Hit Parader.

I figured that Slash would come back after a short break, or that they'd just get another guitar player and continue pushing GnR forward. I never dreamed in a million years that we wouldn't see another GnR album until 2008.

Man, what a shame that is. The best rock singer of my generation has only put out one album of new original material since 1991. That's 22 years and one album. AXL/Beta.........do your fans a favor and give them some new music to enjoy while Axl still has that amazing voice!!! Give this current band a chance to make their mark on the GnR name.

Shame it is.....great post. Although do we really expect Axl to go in the studio to start writing and recording now and have anything out for years? And do we want him to (the voice has deteriorated alot).

Double album...........one of the remaining CD tracks, and one written by the current band. Then go tour and vacation for the next five years!

[hashtaggnr]

It was the start of very dark times boys. Coupled with the fact that shortly after Metallica released load. Talk about the double whammy. The music scene I loved and grew up on was dead. And I was reduced to mainstream pumping out the Limp Korbizkits or whatever they're called.

I had a short rebirth in the early and mid and late 2000's with New Gnr ramping shit up, but it was soon to be forgot. No Rasp, No Variety, No Album.

[WAR41]

I remember the back and forth about Slash being in or out of the band. I remember thinking "there is no way Axl can do this without Slash, this has to be untrue". Once Slash was officially kicked out I sort of laughed and figured he'd be back in the band shortly. Well, its been how many years later and Slash still isn't back in that band. I was closely following GNR after Slash was canned (quit, whatever) and then Matt was fired. That left just Duff and Axl and I convinced myself that they could continue the GNR legacy as Duff wrote what is still my favorite GNR song to this day (It's So Easy). Then when Duff quit.... wow I felt really bad.

Axl disappeared for a while and then came what I believe is still the best and most intriguing article ever written about Axl/GNR in 1999. Spin magazine published "What the World Needs Now is Axl Rose" in July of 1999. This got me caught up on EVERYTHING that was GNR. I learned about Robin, Josh Freese, Stinson, Shaq guest rapping (was that ever confirmed as true?).... there was so much in that article, it became a daily discussion amongst my friends and I at the pool club I was working at the summer after my senior in high school before I left for college.

When the Vegas comeback show was announced I was a sophomore in college and I wanted to attend so badly. Flying to Rio 3, which for those who remember was announced BEFORE the Vegas show, was out of the question. My brother and I tried to make Vegas work, but it was just too pricey. If that comeback was announced today you'd better believe I'd fly wherever I needed to go for that show. I got the Vegas bootleg and watched the Rio 3 show. Axl talking shit about Xozi is still one of the funniest GNR related things I've ever heard, especially when she defended herself after that. Rio 3 and Vegas were definitely the high point for the new GNR. Axl was on a mission and was out to prove everyone wrong. It wasn't a steep drop after that, but it was steadily downhill since then. There was a minor spike in 2006 with the NYC warmup shows and Ron being introduced to the band, but after that it plunged. The setlist still hasn't changed since then and Axl has decided to drink himself into obesity.

To come full circle, I know that Slash and Duff had to quit GNR. They would not have survived otherwise. Axl had a good thing going for a while after both left GNR, but he blew it. Some of the things Axl does I love him for because that is who he is, but some of the shit he does I will never understand. If you'd have told me after Rio 3 that we wouldn't have the new album until late 2008 and that today in late 2013 I'd have close to zero interest in Axl Rose as a musician I'd never have believed you. Not in 1 million years. But, here we are..... DJ Ashba is the lead guitarist for the band I used to profess my love for daily, Bumblefoot and the rest are just collecting paychecks in a glorified tribute band, and Axl Rose is content pounding beers and saving his voice for a follow up album he refuses to make. Jesus Christ.

[ChristmasFnatic]

I won't lie, that confidence has diminished over the last 2 years.

Shocked volcano said this. Props to him I guess. Unless, this is the part of him that also said 3MB is the best rock band, and better than GNR.

[Liquor & Whores]

GNR never fell apart

They just went on hiatus and then changed the line-up

simple as that

nothing unusual in the music world

[hashtaggnr]

GNR never fell apart

They just went on hiatus and then changed the line-up

simple as that

nothing unusual in the music world

GNR never fell apart

They just went on hiatus and then changed the line-up

simple as that

nothing unusual in the music world

To call GNR's history nothing unusual is pretty unusual.

[aranrod]

I stopped following after 2002. Started again for a short time in 2006, saw the corn rows, listened to the voice and left again.

So you didn't like Axl's '06 vocals.......

Sorry! I meant in general. This one is great! And there were more songs that sounded amazing. Rock am Ring was good. But on the whole of 2006 his voice was, well, different. To me, that is.