Skwerl's GN'R Leak story

[magisme]

So somebody is trying a Brooklyn Bowl style roast and failing miserably? I go away for a few days and this is what happens, have I taught you guys nothing?

Yeah, it's a pretty disappointing and plagiarizing follow up.

The Brooklyn Bowl thing was hilarious but it will never be done again with the same comedy level. Almost like a classic movie with shitty sequels each time someone tries to do it again.

Is your avatar referencing what I think it's referencing?

[Coma16]

So somebody is trying a Brooklyn Bowl style roast and failing miserably? I go away for a few days and this is what happens, have I taught you guys nothing?

Yeah, it's a pretty disappointing and plagiarizing follow up.

The Brooklyn Bowl thing was hilarious but it will never be done again with the same comedy level. Almost like a classic movie with shitty sequels each time someone tries to do it again.

Is your avatar referencing what I think it's referencing?

I almost bought that piece lol

[GivenToFly]

I will laugh at all the Groghan's over here if my label conspiracy theory is true.

"Why would the label hold back the record? They are in the money-making business" lol

So...wait, what are you arguing against? That the label held the record back or leaked it to force it out? You can't do both.

Yes they held it back and then leaked it (at different points in the decade). So, um yeah, you can do both...

So just so I'm clear on what your contention is: The label funded a $14 million project, but held it back from coming out, despite watching anticipated release dates come and go, closing out the tab, refusing to allocate further funds and offering Axl extra millions in advances to finally turn it in.

All indications from UMG was that they desperately wanted this thing on shelves for almost a decade. To the point of either leaking it themselves to create a buzz or capitalizing on the hype surrounding the leaks.

Bards you make a great point.

A small group on here continues to say the label was and is the problem. But they ignore the fact that the label invested 14 million bucks, supplied Axl with numerous producers and people to work on the album with, and that Axl missed deadline after deadline. What the heck more could the label have done??? Sent Axl another $5 million bucks and told him to turn in CD by 2015?

The label gave Axl more money and freedom and support than I'd bet they have ever given any artist in the history of the label. Yet people act like the label is the one thing preventing Axl from releasing music. You can't make this stuff up.

According to one of Axl's statements (I think it was in one of the post release interviews) and other sources the problem with the label was that there was no coherent plan. GNR and the CD project were passed around between different executives each with their own vision of what should happen, pulling in different directions.

It's not that big of a stretch to believe that a company can fuck up its own product because of a lack of proper organization considering that companies are made up of many different people often with different agendas. In fact it happens all the time. Here's just one example that I happened to come across a few days ago.

[dalsh327]

I think it'd be cool if the next record was titled CD IV...kinda like an inside joke in the vein of Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II.

Or Wilbury Brothers Vol 3

[dalsh327]

I will laugh at all the Groghan's over here if my label conspiracy theory is true.

"Why would the label hold back the record? They are in the money-making business" lol

So...wait, what are you arguing against? That the label held the record back or leaked it to force it out? You can't do both.

Yes they held it back and then leaked it (at different points in the decade). So, um yeah, you can do both...

So just so I'm clear on what your contention is: The label funded a $14 million project, but held it back from coming out, despite watching anticipated release dates come and go, closing out the tab, refusing to allocate further funds and offering Axl extra millions in advances to finally turn it in.

All indications from UMG was that they desperately wanted this thing on shelves for almost a decade. To the point of either leaking it themselves to create a buzz or capitalizing on the hype surrounding the leaks.

Bards you make a great point.

A small group on here continues to say the label was and is the problem. But they ignore the fact that the label invested 14 million bucks, supplied Axl with numerous producers and people to work on the album with, and that Axl missed deadline after deadline. What the heck more could the label have done??? Sent Axl another $5 million bucks and told him to turn in CD by 2015?

The label gave Axl more money and freedom and support than I'd bet they have ever given any artist in the history of the label. Yet people act like the label is the one thing preventing Axl from releasing music. You can't make this stuff up.

According to one of Axl's statements (I think it was in one of the post release interviews) and other sources the problem with the label was that there was no coherent plan. GNR and the CD project were passed around between different executives each with their own vision of what should happen, pulling in different directions.

It's not that big of a stretch to believe that a company can fuck up its own product because of a lack of proper organization considering that companies are made up of many different people often with different agendas. In fact it happens all the time. Here's just one example that I happened to come across a few days ago.

Until we get someone who was working at Interscope, and I'm sure they have a hell of a story to tell because it involves other artists from the same timeframe, we'll never know what happened from their side of things. This is part of the court saga though - only thing that's missing is Erin and Stephanie's transcripts. But we've got the Rapidfire story, Skwerl's story, Axl vs Slash & Duff, Axl, Slash and Duff vs Interscope, Axl vs Azoff to chew on for a while, and Activision. Am I leaving anyone out? It's probably the "tip of the iceberg".

[John Bonham]

"To say the making of this album has been an unbearably long and incomprehensible journey would be an understatement... a bad dream where one wakes up only to find they are still in the nightmare"

-Axl Rose 2006

...And the nightmare never ends.

[Apollo]

I will laugh at all the Groghan's over here if my label conspiracy theory is true.

"Why would the label hold back the record? They are in the money-making business" lol

So...wait, what are you arguing against? That the label held the record back or leaked it to force it out? You can't do both.

Yes they held it back and then leaked it (at different points in the decade). So, um yeah, you can do both...

So just so I'm clear on what your contention is: The label funded a $14 million project, but held it back from coming out, despite watching anticipated release dates come and go, closing out the tab, refusing to allocate further funds and offering Axl extra millions in advances to finally turn it in.

All indications from UMG was that they desperately wanted this thing on shelves for almost a decade. To the point of either leaking it themselves to create a buzz or capitalizing on the hype surrounding the leaks.

Bards you make a great point.

A small group on here continues to say the label was and is the problem. But they ignore the fact that the label invested 14 million bucks, supplied Axl with numerous producers and people to work on the album with, and that Axl missed deadline after deadline. What the heck more could the label have done??? Sent Axl another $5 million bucks and told him to turn in CD by 2015?

The label gave Axl more money and freedom and support than I'd bet they have ever given any artist in the history of the label. Yet people act like the label is the one thing preventing Axl from releasing music. You can't make this stuff up.

A label should fund the album, and when the album is released, they should promote it. Proper promotions too, not like the horrible CD promotion

I suppose when a label gives an artist 14 million dollars to make an album.......and then over a decade period the artist misses numerous deadlines and fires every producer the label offers him for help.................and then the artist refuses to promote HIS OWN ALBUM...............I wonder how much more resources that label wants to invest in the artist? You see that as a label flaw and not an artist flaw? Maybe the label had a million dollar promotional budget, but most of that was spent on the 14 million they invested into getting the album made? Or maybe they told Axl they would invest as much time promoting it as he would.

And again. I saw more promotion for this album than for almost every other album released in 2008. Save for the biggest pop artists. I saw TV commercials for CD - how many albums do you see that for?

What more could the label have done? Went door-to-door to people's houses? Upped their budget from 14 to 20 million? The most anticipated rock album of all time. Myspace streaming of the album broke records.

Are you seriously implying that there were GnR fans out there who didn't know CD was released?

How about this. In regards to CD2. I think the label would give Axl a fair shake if they agreed to these terms.

16 million dollar budget

Album must be released by 2021

5 million dollar promotional budget

Axl has access to 10 different producers

Axl can ignore any and all deadlines

And Axl doesn't have to do ANY promotions himself

If the label agreed to that deal, would you then be willing to say did a reasonable job?

*******************

GivenToFly

You are probably right about the label.

But I would bet more that the lack of a plan that FIT what Axl wanted had more to do with the label just getting tired of dealing with his BS.

Throw in that they invested millions of dollars and that Axl fired everybody they sent his way, and that he missed every deadline given to him to turn in the album........

I'm sure we all have dealt with things like that at work. Ever supervise people? If so, you'll see that 99% of your staff does thing correctly. They follow the rules and procedures, and they do their job correctly and on time. But there is always 1 or 2 guys who constantly screw up everything they do. Eventually everybody gets so tired of that problem child that they start passing him off to other supervisors, and then eventually everybody just throws their hands up in the air and says "I guess he'll complete his job when he does, and we'll just go from there." Then the bad worker says "See, you didn't give me the same support you gave everybody else."

I'd bet the label had a concrete plan for Axl and CD for years and years and years and years and years.

I just don't understand how people can keep blaming the label for this while ignoring the nightmare that it must have been working with Axl and Beta. People just ignore that this was the most expensive rock album ever made. They ignore how long it took to make. They ignore that Axl fired every producer the label offered up to him. They ignore that Axl ignored label deadlines. They ignore that Axl turned in a shotty book. They ignore that Axl refused to promote his OWN ALBUM.

Edited January 8, 2014 by Groghan

[Coma16]

In regards to promotion it seemed like there was an effort but something (or someone) was missing:

- ITW was in a movie soundtrack

- SR was in Rock Band 2

- CD was a theme song for one of the WWE ppv events

- album broke myspace records

- Exclusive BB deal (which backfired on everyone but the label)

[Mr. Dude]

I think Axl should tour the lawsuits.

[axlsalinger]

It is very clear that the label failed in not selling the album door-to-door. They could have easily sub-contracted Jehovah's Witnesses and the Girl Scouts for a built-in distribution network.

[Mr. Dude]

It is very clear that the label failed in not selling the album door-to-door. They could have easily sub-contracted Jehovah's Witnesses and the Girl Scouts for a built-in distribution network.

Have you heard about Chinese Democracy, the scripture of the great prophet Axl Rose?

Edited January 8, 2014 by Mr. Dude

[Apollo]

In regards to promotion it seemed like there was an effort but something (or someone) was missing:

- ITW was in a movie soundtrack

- SR was in Rock Band 2

- CD was a theme song for one of the WWE ppv events

- album broke myspace records

- Exclusive BB deal (which backfired on everyone but the label)

Great post.

People act like the CD got no promotion at all.

Anybody who would spend the money to purchase a GnR album in 2008 knew the album was released.

[Coma16]

In regards to promotion it seemed like there was an effort but something (or someone) was missing:

- ITW was in a movie soundtrack

- SR was in Rock Band 2

- CD was a theme song for one of the WWE ppv events

- album broke myspace records

- Exclusive BB deal (which backfired on everyone but the label)

Great post.

People act like the CD got no promotion at all.

Anybody who would spend the money to purchase a GnR album in 2008 knew the album was released.

Granted, I believe we only got like 2 week's notice though.

[Apollo]

In regards to promotion it seemed like there was an effort but something (or someone) was missing:

- ITW was in a movie soundtrack

- SR was in Rock Band 2

- CD was a theme song for one of the WWE ppv events

- album broke myspace records

- Exclusive BB deal (which backfired on everyone but the label)

Great post.

People act like the CD got no promotion at all.

Anybody who would spend the money to purchase a GnR album in 2008 knew the album was released.

Granted, I believe we only got like 2 week's notice though.

But does that really matter? It's not like any of us needed three months notice so we could save up $15!

There isn't a best buy within hundreds of miles of where I live. But I've still bought three copies of CD.

I think the Best Buy deal and Axl's lack of promotion of his OWN album certainly cost GnR in terms of opening week sales.

But after say a three-year period, anybody who is interested in GnR has bought (or not bought) the album. Meaning opening week sales could have been improved.....but overall sales totals - that is an accurate number that no amount of promotion three years earlier would have changed.

That's all I'm saying!

[Coma16]

In regards to promotion it seemed like there was an effort but something (or someone) was missing:

- ITW was in a movie soundtrack

- SR was in Rock Band 2

- CD was a theme song for one of the WWE ppv events

- album broke myspace records

- Exclusive BB deal (which backfired on everyone but the label)

Great post.

People act like the CD got no promotion at all.

Anybody who would spend the money to purchase a GnR album in 2008 knew the album was released.

Granted, I believe we only got like 2 week's notice though.

But does that really matter? It's not like any of us needed three months notice so we could save up $15!

There isn't a best buy within hundreds of miles of where I live. But I've still bought three copies of CD.

I think the Best Buy deal and Axl's lack of promotion of his OWN album certainly cost GnR in terms of opening week sales.

But after say a three-year period, anybody who is interested in GnR has bought (or not bought) the album. Meaning opening week sales could have been improved.....but overall sales totals - that is an accurate number that no amount of promotion three years earlier would have changed.

That's all I'm saying!

All I meant was that other releases are known months in advance.

[Mysteron]

Skwerl possibly did something positive for some of you guys/ladies that like this kinda thing

But you have to cringe at his attention seeking ways. It is above and beyond even the levels of forums posters on GN'R forums.

He is like a handsome slug

[Apollo]

In regards to promotion it seemed like there was an effort but something (or someone) was missing:

- ITW was in a movie soundtrack

- SR was in Rock Band 2

- CD was a theme song for one of the WWE ppv events

- album broke myspace records

- Exclusive BB deal (which backfired on everyone but the label)

Great post.

People act like the CD got no promotion at all.

Anybody who would spend the money to purchase a GnR album in 2008 knew the album was released.

Granted, I believe we only got like 2 week's notice though.

But does that really matter? It's not like any of us needed three months notice so we could save up $15!

There isn't a best buy within hundreds of miles of where I live. But I've still bought three copies of CD.

I think the Best Buy deal and Axl's lack of promotion of his OWN album certainly cost GnR in terms of opening week sales.

But after say a three-year period, anybody who is interested in GnR has bought (or not bought) the album. Meaning opening week sales could have been improved.....but overall sales totals - that is an accurate number that no amount of promotion three years earlier would have changed.

That's all I'm saying!

All I meant was that other releases are known months in advance.

[magisme]

That is the one semi-legit complaint about promo, imo. It seemed like they announced it was coming out and then immediately it was just there. Everything felt a little rushed, which feels kinda ridiculous to say after a 14 year prologue.

[Coma16]

That is the one semi-legit complaint about promo, imo. It seemed like they announced it was coming out and then immediately it was just there. Everything felt a little rushed, which feels kinda ridiculous to say after a 14 year prologue.

They should have released 2 singles like Dre did for Detox. Wait, never mind...

Seriously, Detox is getting to the same level of CD for the wait...

[Mr. Dude]

My main concern at this point is that if Axl doesn't hurry up and get the next record going, Pitman may get restless and go solo. I can wait on the new material, but losing Pitman will be catastrophic for the band. Not only will Axl lose a vital member, but if Pitman goes so does a good portion of the fan base.

[Nick85]

My main concern at this point is that if Axl doesn't hurry up and get the next record going, Pitman may get restless and go solo. I can wait on the new material, but losing Pitman will be catastrophic for the band. Not only will Axl lose a vital member, but if Pitman goes so does a good portion of the fan base.

The loss of Chris Pitman would make Slash & Buckethead's departures look like minor bumps in the road.

[rockerman]

That is the one semi-legit complaint about promo, imo. It seemed like they announced it was coming out and then immediately it was just there. Everything felt a little rushed, which feels kinda ridiculous to say after a 14 year prologue.

Best Buy had a newspaper insert the previous Sunday that had Axl ala 2006 on it announcing that It would come out 11/8/2008. I show up in the evening to the Best Buy in Loveland Colorado and the guy says" your the first person to buy this album." I laughed at him and asked him Seriously? He taps into his comp showing their stores alotment and it was true I had bought the first 2 copies. The store had been open at that point for 9 hours. THey had a Kiosk with it sitting front and center as you came in the door - Three days later I was back and he said that a total of 11 copies had left the store. Centerra mall serves Northern Colorado with a population distribution demographic of 300,000 people . I got to talking to the assistant manager about the promotional posters and packages that they had...like what will you do with them when this has run its course? He takes me in back and shows me a whole lot of promo stuff that tehy had but never put up because district manager said not to...so one poster and one cardboard kiosk and that was all for that store. I would have thought they might have a place to listent to it, something with a big selling point... and since no one had heard it on the radio or seen Axl and company on something like Dave Letterman or Saturday Night Live chatting it up.... By Christmas it was in the 2.99 rack. EP{IC FAIL. Poster child FOR WHAT NOT TO DO TO MARKET YOUR PRODUCT

[Spirit]

That is the one semi-legit complaint about promo, imo. It seemed like they announced it was coming out and then immediately it was just there. Everything felt a little rushed, which feels kinda ridiculous to say after a 14 year prologue.

They should have released 2 singles like Dre did for Detox. Wait, never mind...

Seriously, Detox is getting to the same level of CD for the wait...

What label is Dre with again?

[eggers]

My main concern at this point is that if Axl doesn't hurry up and get the next record going, Pitman may get restless and go solo. I can wait on the new material, but losing Pitman will be catastrophic for the band. Not only will Axl lose a vital member, but if Pitman goes so does a good portion of the fan base.

LOL. Who the fuck cares who Chris Pitman is?

[Bobbo]

That's gotta be hrs!