Axl's views and lyrics

[zepsun]

I get the feeling when Axl wrote One in a Million, he was smart enough to know that even if he was joking around (as we sometimes do with our friends with this kind of shit), that it would get lots of press and probably bite him in the ass. Even though it's a great song, it's fairly hate-filled, lyrically.

Axl has claimed he was never homophobic. Do you believe this? Do you think as he travelled more and started knowing more people, that his views might have changed instead from being homophobic to accepting?

I know his favourite (or one of) singer is Elton John, so I mean I don't think it's possible to look up to someone and hate them simultaneously. I'm just curious from an insider perspective, if Axl actually felt that way at the time.

Cheers.

Edited November 10, 2013 by zepsun

[Guest Len B'stard]

He never claimed to be joking around with OIAM, in fact he pretty clearly expressed it as his view at a particular time in his life and later made certain defences of it, ranging from 'i have no problem with immigrants who come here to better themselves BUT…' and 'when i said N****** i was talking about a particular kind of black person that is pushy and forceful in their selling of stolen goods to you' and 'there's a group out there called NWA, they call themselves that word' and other such opinings, the only other one of which springs to mind offhand is him having a tendency to yell things from moving cars at groups of homosexuals and how, as a heterosexual male, he did not understand homosexual propulsions. Oh yes, and the oft repeated tale of his being accosted as a hitchhiker by a homosexual who attempted to take advantage of him, causing him to go for his straight razor in self defence.

Also, saying how can he be homophobic when he looks up to a gay performer doesn't really mean anything, songs are songs and you can like a song by anyone and admire then in regards to their art and still not approve of where they decide to put their penis when the lights go out. Not saying that he is or isn't, I wouldn't know, just making a distinction.

Edited November 11, 2013 by sugaraylen

[ohlovelyrita]

I understand David Geffen tried to smooth things over (damage control) and got gay journalist/s

on the phone and explained Axl was gonna volunteer to sing at a AIDS benefit. Isn't that the story?

Besides as said above, he is known to love Elton and Mercury so much.

I have to say that the 80's were a different time and we didn't need to be politically correct

and we could say what we were feeling. I abhor homophobia but can understand if one vents

if met with the sleezy side of gay men pushing their fantasies on others uninvited. Now if

you aren't worldly and have no exposure to gay culture then you may be homophobic

based on ignorance. Certainly most people aren't spiritually developed in their 20's.

In Axl's defense, I have been touched or hit on by gay women and it enraged me altho i'm

not homophobic and have had gay friends since age 14. So if you didn't judge your gay friends or treat them

differently it is a betrayal of trust more so than a person you didn't let your guard down with. So soon you go back to

treating anyone unfamiliar like a potential danger (when buzzed) and that's not good. One or two bad eggs spoil the dozen.

Edited November 11, 2013 by ohlovelyrita

[machinegunner]

Well he didn't address the question to Marc properly so i guess i can chime in too?

He never claimed to be joking around with OIAM, in fact he pretty clearly expressed it as his view at a particular time in his life and later made certain defences of it, ranging from 'i have no problem with immigrants who come here to better themselves BUT…' and 'when i said N****** i was talking about a particular kind of black person that is pushy and forceful in their selling of stolen goods to you' and 'there's a group out there called NWA, they call themselves that word' and other such opinings, the only other one of which springs to mind offhand is him having a tendency to yell things from moving cars at groups of homosexuals and how, as a heterosexual male, he did not understand homosexual propulsions. Oh yes, and the oft repeated tale of his being accosted as a hitchhiker by a homosexual who attempted to take advantage of him, causing him to go for his straight razor in self defence.

Also, saying how can he be homophobic when he looks up to a gay performer doesn't really mean anything, songs are songs and you can like a song by anyone and admire then in regards to their art and still not approve of where they decide to put their penis when the lights go out. Not saying that he is or isn't, I wouldn't know, just making a distinction.

Dude, why not just post the article you plucked those quotes from, where Axl expounds on what he was thinking when he wrote One In A Million, and provide fair context? -

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=3

Edited November 11, 2013 by machinegunner

[Guest Len B'stard]

Because I have absolutely no recollection where they are from or indeed that they are contained and condensed in a single article, hence my using the term 'offhand' and the phrase 'springs to mind' in my original post. i thought it was just stuff i'd picked up from this forum over the years from various quotes. Suffice to say i haven't had an active interest in what Axl says or does for quite a long time now so it's a little difficult to remember where i heard everything i know, if they are at all inaccurate please feel free to correct them Is there anything is Axls expounding that has significant bearing on my condensed relaying of them?

I understand David Geffen tried to smooth things over (damage control) and got gay journalist/s

on the phone and explained Axl was gonna volunteer to sing at a AIDS benefit. Isn't that the story?

Besides as said above, he is known to love Elton and Mercury so much.

I have to say that the 80's were a different time and we didn't need to be politically correct

and we could say what we were feeling. I abhor homophobia but can understand if one vents

if met with the sleezy side of gay men pushing their fantasies on others uninvited. Now if

you aren't worldly and have no exposure to gay culture then you may be homophobic

based on ignorance. Certainly most people aren't spiritually developed in their 20's.

In Axl's defense, I have been touched or hit on by gay women and it enraged me altho i'm

not homophobic and have had gay friends since age 14. So if you didn't judge your gay friends or treat them

differently it is a betrayal of trust more so than a person you didn't let your guard down with. So soon you go back to

treating anyone unfamiliar like a potential danger (when buzzed) and that's not good. One or two bad eggs spoil the dozen.

So…only gay people shouldn't be allowed to hit on people? Why specify if their sexuality is not an issue, why is it not a case of forward people in general, regardless of their sexuality? Seems a bit homophobic to me, just saying.

Edited November 11, 2013 by sugaraylen

[machinegunner]

Because I have absolutely no recollection where they are from or indeed that they are contained and condensed in a single article, hence my using the term 'offhand' and the phrase 'springs to mind' in my original post. i thought it was just stuff i'd picked up from this forum over the years from various quotes. Suffice to say i haven't had an active interest in what Axl says or does for quite a long time now so it's a little difficult to remember where i heard everything i know, if they are at all inaccurate please feel free to correct them Is there anything is Axls expounding that has significant bearing on my condensed relaying of them?

Well if you can recall THAT much of the quotes surely you can put them into google and find out for yourself.

[ohlovelyrita]

Because I have absolutely no recollection where they are from or indeed that they are contained and condensed in a single article, hence my using the term 'offhand' and the phrase 'springs to mind' in my original post. i thought it was just stuff i'd picked up from this forum over the years from various quotes. Suffice to say i haven't had an active interest in what Axl says or does for quite a long time now so it's a little difficult to remember where i heard everything i know, if they are at all inaccurate please feel free to correct them Is there anything is Axls expounding that has significant bearing on my condensed relaying of them?

I understand David Geffen tried to smooth things over (damage control) and got gay journalist/s

on the phone and explained Axl was gonna volunteer to sing at a AIDS benefit. Isn't that the story?

Besides as said above, he is known to love Elton and Mercury so much.

I have to say that the 80's were a different time and we didn't need to be politically correct

and we could say what we were feeling. I abhor homophobia but can understand if one vents

if met with the sleezy side of gay men pushing their fantasies on others uninvited. Now if

you aren't worldly and have no exposure to gay culture then you may be homophobic

based on ignorance. Certainly most people aren't spiritually developed in their 20's.

In Axl's defense, I have been touched or hit on by gay women and it enraged me altho i'm

not homophobic and have had gay friends since age 14. So if you didn't judge your gay friends or treat them

differently it is a betrayal of trust more so than a person you didn't let your guard down with. So soon you go back to

treating anyone unfamiliar like a potential danger (when buzzed) and that's not good. One or two bad eggs spoil the dozen.

So…only gay people shouldn't be allowed to hit on people? Why specify if their sexuality is not an issue, why is it not a case of forward people in general, regardless of their sexuality? Seems a bit homophobic to me, just saying.

No one should hit on anyone by surprise unless they are fairly certain that it will be welcome.

It's not politically correct to admit that I had a brief instance of homophobia since the thought came up to judge the group not the

individual. I didn't feel the same when very mildly assaulted/mugged. I only blamed the individual.

[magisme]

No one should hit on anyone by surprise unless they are fairly certain that it will be welcome.

?????????

[ohlovelyrita]

No one should hit on anyone by surprise unless they are fairly certain that it will be welcome.

?????????

I'm speaking for myself and I meant "forcefully". If I wasn't touched or grabbed I

could just forget it but I won't let those girls off the hook because it ruined my mood.

If someone hits on you politely, it's fine. I have plenty of rejection stories, too.

As far as N.W.A., I used to sing the lyrics before I realized they were insulting to women.

Now Enimem came later and he was out of line and I never forgave his homophobia.

The rest I understood because it was a different time. Even Malcolm Gladwell talks

about how the 80's was different socially.

Now we have gone from free-style to politically correct to "WTF"?

Like this video entitled "NY Kids Rapping About....Wait WTF???"

Right or wrong, this would not have been accepted in the 80's or 90's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoszA7psIIA

[recklessroad]

Joking around was I Used To Love Her. Axl was not joking around with One in a Million but I also don't think he would do a song like that again. I think he would have up until about 1995 after that Axl moved on from writing like that. I do think he will always write about personal experiences but not like that one.

[snooze72]

Joking around was I Used To Love Her. Axl was not joking around with One in a Million but I also don't think he would do a song like that again. I think he would have up until about 1995 after that Axl moved on from writing like that. I do think he will always write about personal experiences but not like that one.

Why '95?

[Padme]

Sorry I don´t get why Duff twisted this around in his book. Duff says that Axl was talking from a 3rd person perspective. And that Axl meant it as critricism of society and the Reagan era

[Guest Len B'stard]

Because I have absolutely no recollection where they are from or indeed that they are contained and condensed in a single article, hence my using the term 'offhand' and the phrase 'springs to mind' in my original post. i thought it was just stuff i'd picked up from this forum over the years from various quotes. Suffice to say i haven't had an active interest in what Axl says or does for quite a long time now so it's a little difficult to remember where i heard everything i know, if they are at all inaccurate please feel free to correct them Is there anything is Axls expounding that has significant bearing on my condensed relaying of them?

Well if you can recall THAT much of the quotes surely you can put them into google and find out for yourself.

OR...if i can recall THAT much perhaps there is little need?

No one should hit on anyone by surprise unless they are fairly certain that it will be welcome.

?????????

I'm speaking for myself and I meant "forcefully". If I wasn't touched or grabbed I

could just forget it but I won't let those girls off the hook because it ruined my mood.

If someone hits on you politely, it's fine. I have plenty of rejection stories, too.

As far as N.W.A., I used to sing the lyrics before I realized they were insulting to women.

Now Enimem came later and he was out of line and I never forgave his homophobia.

The rest I understood because it was a different time. Even Malcolm Gladwell talks

about how the 80's was different socially.

Now we have gone from free-style to politically correct to "WTF"?

Like this video entitled "NY Kids Rapping About....Wait WTF???"

Right or wrong, this would not have been accepted in the 80's or 90's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoszA7psIIA

Political correctness is often used as a veil behind which people hide their predudices. It just appears to me that people go to great lengths to justify predudice, Mr Canter certainly didn't, when the truth is plain just say it plain.

You needed a moment of realisation to understand NWA insulted women?

[SoulMonster]

Dude, why not just post the article you plucked those quotes from, where Axl expounds on what he was thinking when he wrote One In A Million, and provide fair context? -

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=3

More quotes here:

http://www.a-4-d.com/t99-one-in-a-million

[Dazey]

I'm speaking for myself and I meant "forcefully". If I wasn't touched or grabbed I could just forget it but I won't let those girls off the hook because it ruined my mood.

But again, what does that have to do with their sexuality?

[Dazey]

As far as N.W.A., I used to sing the lyrics before I realized they were insulting to women.

You needed a moment of realisation to understand NWA insulted women?

Pray tell, what was it that gave it away?

A bitch is a bitch (bitch)

So if I'm poor or rich (word up)

I talk in the exact same pitch

Now, the title bitch don't apply to all women

But all women have a little bitch in 'em (yeah)

It's like a disease that's plagues their character

Takin' the women of America (yeah)

And it starts with a letter B

It makes a girl like that think she better than me (bitch)

See, some get mad and some just bury

But, yo, if the shoe fits wear it (wear it)

It makes 'em go deaf in the ear

That's why when you say 'hi' she won't say 'hi'

Are you the kind that think you're too damn fly?

Bitch eat shit 'n die (ha, ha)

Ice cube comin' at you at crazy pitch

(Why?) I think a bitch is a bitch

Edited November 11, 2013 by Dazey

[DieselDaisy]

Axl playing with Elton (following the One In Million controversy) rather reminds me of that scene in The Office when Brent goes up to the black office worker and starts talking about Sidney Poitier. It is that same incredibly lazy and self-conscious - 'I am not homophobic, I like Queen'', or, ''I am not racist, I have a copy of Marley’s Legend'' - demonstrative stance to establish your political correct credentials.

[ohlovelyrita]

As far as N.W.A., I used to sing the lyrics before I realized they were insulting to women.

You needed a moment of realisation to understand NWA insulted women?

Pray tell, what was it that gave it away?

A bitch is a bitch (bitch)

So if I'm poor or rich (word up)

I talk in the exact same pitch

Now, the title bitch don't apply to all women

But all women have a little bitch in 'em (yeah)

It's like a disease that's plagues their character

Takin' the women of America (yeah)

And it starts with a letter B

It makes a girl like that think she better than me (bitch)

See, some get mad and some just bury

But, yo, if the shoe fits wear it (wear it)

It makes 'em go deaf in the ear

That's why when you say 'hi' she won't say 'hi'

Are you the kind that think you're too damn fly?

Bitch eat shit 'n die (ha, ha)

Ice cube comin' at you at crazy pitch

(Why?) I think a bitch is a bitch

I dunno sometimes the lyrics just hit you later:

"Pray tell"? Didn't I use that line on you yesterday?

[ohlovelyrita]

Axl playing with Elton (following the One In Million controversy) rather reminds me of that scene in The Office when Brent goes up to the black office worker and starts talking about Sidney Poitier. It is that same incredibly lazy and self-conscious - 'I am not homophobic, I like Queen'', or, ''I am not racist, I have a copy of Marley’s Legend'' - demonstrative stance to establish your political correct credentials.

Hopefully the whole band saw the light on that one. If they weren't invited to play they could have made a contribution or a gesture.

I'm not gonna judge others but I couldn't live with that misunderstanding. Now it was a different time and I feel confident no one in that band

is homophobic or I wouldn't be interested.

Didn't Elton John got criticized for trying to smooth over the Eminem situation? I just completely ignored Eninem after that and even turned off the radio or t.v. if I saw him.

Kurt Loder."Though he defended the singer as "a nice guy," Loder said homophobia "wasn't unusual" in hard rock circles when Bach donned a T-shirt which read, "AIDS kills fags dead." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/18/kurt-loder-sebastian-bach-_n_3298963.html

[Guest Len B'stard]

Didn't Elton John got criticized for trying to smooth over the Eminem situation? I just completely ignored Eninem after that and even turned off the radio or t.v. if I saw him.

Thats odd, Em' openly did it to wind people up and stated he had no issues with gay people whereas Axl outlined actually problems with em yet you don't tune him out. Weird.

[Dazey]

"Pray tell"? Didn't I use that line on you yesterday?

Buggered if I know, I've used it hundreds of times before myself. Your point being?

[ohlovelyrita]

Didn't Elton John got criticized for trying to smooth over the Eminem situation? I just completely ignored Eninem after that and even turned off the radio or t.v. if I saw him.

Thats odd, Em' openly did it to wind people up and stated he had no issues with gay people whereas Axl outlined actually problems with em yet you don't tune him out. Weird.

Makes sense to me. Axl had a first hand experience and vented. Enimem did it to be cool and I thought about all the people bullied in his name even Moby.

Enimen was more popular for his stance, OIAM wasn't a popular song. Like Kurt Loder said, it was a different time. Axl was one of many voicing their

opinions. "The Tipping Point" talks about the social climate in the 80's. "Politically correct" came later and Eninem was just being controversial for $$$.

"Pray tell"? Didn't I use that line on you yesterday?

Buggered if I know, I've used it hundreds of times before myself. Your point being?

I used it on you or Sugaraylen yesterday. Maybe time to get some space. I don't want to start sounding like YOU.

[Dazey]

Buggered if I know, I've used it hundreds of times before myself. Your point being?

I used it on you or Sugaraylen yesterday. Maybe time to get some space. I don't want to start sounding like YOU.

Yeah, god forbid you start making sense one day.

Okay, I'm out.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Makes sense to me. Axl had a first hand experience and vented. Enimem did it to be cool and I thought about all the people bullied in his name even Moby.

Enimen was more popular for his stance, OIAM wasn't a popular song. Like Kurt Loder said, it was a different time. Axl was one of many voicing their

opinions. "The Tipping Point" talks about the social climate in the 80's. "Politically correct" came later and Eninem was just being controversial for $$$.

The whole thing with Eminem arose from a lyric in My Name Is where he's like 'my English teacher wanted to fuck me in junior high', a weird crass lyric in a song that was full of silly weird crass lyrics and it was immediately picked up on by the media who called him homophobic for it, when this was a song where everything he said was out there and ridiculous and wilfully stupid (how you gonna breast feed me Mom, you ain't got no tits! Hardly a manifesto of The New Way i'm sure you'll agree). and the media tore him to bits for it so his response, in a song called Criminal was to go, OK, you wanna call me that, i'll run with it, followed by the lyrics:

'my words are like a dagger with a jagged egde that'll stab u in the head whether a fag or lez or a homosex or a trans-a-vest, pants or dress? hate fags? the answers yes!'

whilst seconds later, in the same song he's like:

'relax, i like gay men, right Ken? gimme an amen!'

Basically it was a ridiculous song full of ridiculous and totally contradictory lyrics that were designed to wind up people up, the entire song is very very comic strip.

Now there's a world of difference between that and Axl, who actually underlined issues he had, both in the framework of a song and later in interviews about actual issues he has with gay people.

[ohlovelyrita]

Makes sense to me. Axl had a first hand experience and vented. Enimem did it to be cool and I thought about all the people bullied in his name even Moby.

Enimen was more popular for his stance, OIAM wasn't a popular song. Like Kurt Loder said, it was a different time. Axl was one of many voicing their

opinions. "The Tipping Point" talks about the social climate in the 80's. "Politically correct" came later and Eninem was just being controversial for $$$.

The whole thing with Eminem arose from a lyric in My Name Is where he's like 'my English teacher wanted to fuck me in junior high', a weird crass lyric in a song that was full of silly weird crass lyrics and it was immediately picked up on by the media who called him homophobic for it, when this was a song where everything he said was out there and ridiculous and wilfully stupid (how you gonna breast feed me Mom, you ain't got no tits! Hardly a manifesto of The New Way i'm sure you'll agree). and the media tore him to bits for it so his response, in a song called Criminal was to go, OK, you wanna call me that, i'll run with it, followed by the lyrics:

'my words are like a dagger with a jagged egde that'll stab u in the head whether a fag or lez or a homosex or a trans-a-vest, pants or dress? hate fags? the answers yes!'

whilst seconds later, in the same song he's like:

'relax, i like gay men, right Ken? gimme an amen!'

Basically it was a ridiculous song full of ridiculous and totally contradictory lyrics that were designed to wind up people up, the entire song is very very comic strip.

Now there's a world of difference between that and Axl, who actually underlined issues he had, both in the framework of a song and later in interviews about actual issues he has with gay people.

Good info. A popular artist making gays the punchline will end up with gays getting punched down the line. I dunno I have

a policy that if someone tells me they want to kill their ex-girlfriend I tell them if they tell me again I will go to the police.

A "just kidding" is not gonna change my mind. I'm not fond of Axl's lyric but I still like him. I don't think he was trying to influence anyone nor

do I think he imagined his prose would be controversial since people around him were probably in the same headspace. In the 80's in

Los Angeles, they didn't have the same club scene as other cities where people mixed well together. In L.A. when you drove by a gay club there

were really skeevy men outside and they weren't very welcoming to straight people. I feel the divide was there on both sides.