Members of New GnR leaving and how much they hurt the band

[Dazey]

Bucket for sure from the ex members. As for the current lineup I'd say none of them.

[DieselDaisy]

Buckethead was the single greatest musician to join Guns N' Roses since Slash. It was sort of, over then. I know that was the moment I became less positive about the whole set up, Axl driving him away like that through his own laziness then writing some anti-Buckethead letter, written in undecipherable Axlspeak.

[Trin9498]

I'm going with Finck. When bucket was in the band, the band looked like a circus sideshow. Guy with a Mike Myers mask and KFC bucket on his head, pitman looked like one of the village people (esp at rock in rio) and robin looked real odd. By '06 GnR looked like a rock band again. Finck leaves and they look like they do today.

[liers]

I'm going with Finck. When bucket was in the band, the band looked like a circus sideshow. Guy with a Mike Myers mask and KFC bucket on his head, pitman looked like one of the village people (esp at rock in rio) and robin looked real odd. By '06 GnR looked like a rock band again. Finck leaves and they look like they do today.

I feel like Axl was trying to make it look like a freakshow, in an attempt to reinvent the band.

Buckethead.

Robin being half bald wearing skin tight clothes.

Pitman

And Axl with his oversized Jerseys and Cornrows

[Rdeyahlxp]

They looked fucking ridiculous in 2002. Especially Axl, what was he thinking? He was a major Rn'R style icon in the 90s and just looked plain weird with the Predator hair and oversized jerseys. It's the same as Obama showing up in his pyjamas in the Oval Office. Nowadays A$hba is the weakest link in terms of style consistency within the band. Looks like a member from Tokio Hotel and just totally out of place.

[jmapelian]

I voted bucket and pitman since it seems they were most influential in the sound of CD. Of course, all the members now could be easily replaced.

[Apollo]

They looked fucking ridiculous in 2002. Especially Axl, what was he thinking? He was a major Rn'R style icon in the 90s and just looked plain weird with the Predator hair and oversized jerseys. It's the same as Obama showing up in his pyjamas in the Oval Office. Nowadays A$hba is the weakest link in terms of style consistency within the band. Looks like a member from Tokio Hotel and just totally out of place.

They did look ridiculous. But man, that band had so much potential to really push Axl to create and release some amazing music. When you look at the songs that Robin and Bucket really had their fingers on off of CD - wow, I wish we'd have gotten a couple more albums from that group.

I like the current group as well. But I think the BBF/DJ duo is going to contribute more of a basic old fashion rock n roll type album.

[Seb91]

I voted for Finck and Ron.

Finck because whilst Bucket was awesome the 2006/7 tour was still incredible and IMO the best leg of the CD tour. Plus, Bucket leaving led to having Ron in the band, every cloud and all that. Finck's departure on the other hand led to Ashba. Now, I wouldn't call myself an Ashba hater, the guy can certainly play but Finck is just a far more creative and original player and really seems to be in it for the 'art' and the love of playing music. DJ on the other hand seems to be primarily interested in how much merch he can shift and how much he can promote himself. Nothing wrong with that, I mean I'm a huge KISS fan. I'd just rather have someone in the band who seemed to love music and playing the guitar. Sure Finck could be as sloppy as hell but then so could the greats - I mean hell listen to Zeppelin bootlegs, Page could hit plenty of bum notes but there's just something great about seeing/hearing a musician completely going for it and really getting into the music even if they're not that technical. I'll take that over cheesy rock cliché poses any day. Saw NIN with Robin a few months back and it reminded me how much I miss him in GN'R.

Ron leaving would be a huge blow now as not only is he a phenomenal player but he's great to the fanbase. I love Ron's solo work so given the opportunity I think he could write or co-write some killer tracks. Plus, as with Finck the guy is original and does his own thing.

[WFA]

Anything after 2007 is a joke

And former member is Paul since he wrote a lot of stuff with Axl

[Rdeyahlxp]

They looked fucking ridiculous in 2002. Especially Axl, what was he thinking? He was a major Rn'R style icon in the 90s and just looked plain weird with the Predator hair and oversized jerseys. It's the same as Obama showing up in his pyjamas in the Oval Office. Nowadays A$hba is the weakest link in terms of style consistency within the band. Looks like a member from Tokio Hotel and just totally out of place.

They did look ridiculous. But man, that band had so much potential to really push Axl to create and release some amazing music. When you look at the songs that Robin and Bucket really had their fingers on off of CD - wow, I wish we'd have gotten a couple more albums from that group.

I like the current group as well. But I think the BBF/DJ duo is going to contribute more of a basic old fashion rock n roll type album.

Agreed. Musically it had the potential to be even more interesting than original Gn'R. I still think TWAT could've been a major hit, same goes for This I Love. Some of the best Guns songs are on CD. A lot of songs still feel unfinished, however. Even on the final version of the record. It could've been an amazing trilogy had Axl not procrastinated so much and was willing to point the blame at himself more.

[Nosaj Thing]

I couldn't vote because I had to pick one of the current members in the second poll and I think that no matter who wants to leave, Axl's band will continue to play the hits with another replacement.

Regarding the first poll, Buckethead.

[evader]

Bucket, easily. It probably delayed CD. It may continue to delay follow-up(s). Bucket can write amazing stuff in his sleep. I think he over-filled a void when he joined and left one a million times bigger when he left.

BBF from the second group. He kept modern GNR alive, and I appreciate that. But my guess is that Bucket's leaving and refusal to return destroyed Axl's desire to create and share anything new. If I was sitting on a pile of songs co-written and performed by Bucket, and had already laid my heart down in vocals and everything else, but couldn't release them b/c the dude who made them sound so good left 11 years ago, I'd be pretty fucking depressed. But I'd still do everything I could to let them be heard.

[RussTCB]

Anything after 2007 is a joke

I take shit for this, but the 2007 line up is my all time favorite. I'd love to have that group back :/

(imagine that I cared enough to make Dizzy & Pitman emoticons)

[WFA]

Anything after 2007 is a joke

I take shit for this, but the 2007 line up is my all time favorite. I'd love to have that group back :/

(imagine that I cared enough to make Dizzy & Pitman emoticons)

For me it's 01, 02, 06a, 06b, classic lineups. I say the 01 band is my fave since they're really the ones on CD, which is my #1 album of all time. I saw the 2006b band, wasn't lucky enough to see Brain, but oh man was that a tight band. I'd love to have that group back. The HOB show where Robin came out and Dj left the stage, that looked so....right you know? Axl looked cool (yeah I liked the braids, so what) and sounded amazing, and he had a fire in him that felt like he was proud of what he had to offer. Now? Well, you saw the Golden Gods.

[magisme]

Anything after 2007 is a joke

I take shit for this, but the 2007 line up is my all time favorite. I'd love to have that group back :/

(imagine that I cared enough to make Dizzy & Pitman emoticons)

For me it's 01, 02, 06a, 06b, classic lineups. I say the 01 band is my fave since they're really the ones on CD, which is my #1 album of all time. I saw the 2006b band, wasn't lucky enough to see Brain, but oh man was that a tight band. I'd love to have that group back. The HOB show where Robin came out and Dj left the stage, that looked so....right you know? Axl looked cool (yeah I liked the braids, so what) and sounded amazing, and he had a fire in him that felt like he was proud of what he had to offer. Now? Well, you saw the Golden Gods.

Congrats, Russ. You have WFA-ish taste in music.

[username]

They looked fucking ridiculous in 2002. Especially Axl, what was he thinking? He was a major Rn'R style icon in the 90s and just looked plain weird with the Predator hair and oversized jerseys. It's the same as Obama showing up in his pyjamas in the Oval Office. Nowadays A$hba is the weakest link in terms of style consistency within the band. Looks like a member from Tokio Hotel and just totally out of place.

Hah! Musically, 2002-GnR might have been the best post-2000 incarnation of the band. But I have to agree that they looked completely off. Bucket looks like he's from another planet and uses sockpuppets. Also he nunchuck-dances. I hated Finck's goth sort of look too. And then there was Axl. Complete clusterfuck really.

[Apollo]

They looked fucking ridiculous in 2002. Especially Axl, what was he thinking? He was a major Rn'R style icon in the 90s and just looked plain weird with the Predator hair and oversized jerseys. It's the same as Obama showing up in his pyjamas in the Oval Office. Nowadays A$hba is the weakest link in terms of style consistency within the band. Looks like a member from Tokio Hotel and just totally out of place.

Hah! Musically, 2002-GnR might have been the best post-2000 incarnation of the band. But I have to agree that they looked completely off. Bucket looks like he's from another planet and uses sockpuppets. Also he nunchuck-dances. I hated Finck's goth sort of look too. And then there was Axl. Complete clusterfuck really.

Finck looked so much better when he came back with the big beard and long hair.

The great thing about that line-up was you looked at them and went "what the f*ck is going on here" and you looked forward to seeing what this crazy creation was going to come up with. I thought they were really going to push GnR to a direction that Axl had never been before. I personally love Shacklers, Twat, Better, Rhiad. A heavier, crunchier, with a touch of nine inch nails thrown in.....but still with Axl's fingerprints all over it for the Catchers and SODs.

I think that line-up could have propelled GnR back to the top of the rock pile. I like the group they have together now, but does anybody really think a DJ penned tune is going to be innovative and mind blowingly good?

[Spirit]

They looked fucking ridiculous in 2002. Especially Axl, what was he thinking? He was a major Rn'R style icon in the 90s and just looked plain weird with the Predator hair and oversized jerseys. It's the same as Obama showing up in his pyjamas in the Oval Office. Nowadays A$hba is the weakest link in terms of style consistency within the band. Looks like a member from Tokio Hotel and just totally out of place.

Hah! Musically, 2002-GnR might have been the best post-2000 incarnation of the band. But I have to agree that they looked completely off. Bucket looks like he's from another planet and uses sockpuppets. Also he nunchuck-dances. I hated Finck's goth sort of look too. And then there was Axl. Complete clusterfuck really.

Finck looked so much better when he came back with the big beard and long hair.

The great thing about that line-up was you looked at them and went "what the f*ck is going on here" and you looked forward to seeing what this crazy creation was going to come up with. I thought they were really going to push GnR to a direction that Axl had never been before. I personally love Shacklers, Twat, Better, Rhiad. A heavier, crunchier, with a touch of nine inch nails thrown in.....but still with Axl's fingerprints all over it for the Catchers and SODs.

I think that line-up could have propelled GnR back to the top of the rock pile. I like the group they have together now, but does anybody really think a DJ penned tune is going to be innovative and mind blowingly good?

Maybe not a song written solely by Dj, but I think the guy could come up with some interesting riffs that Axl could work with.

In my opinion you can't know exactly what a certain group of people working together can create just based on each individual's past merits. If everyone is a participating part of a creation process, the final outcome will be different with different people involved. Music is and should be an organic thing. I reserve judgement until we hear something created by the current line-up. Until then, release the ChiDem era material!

I agree that the Robin/Bucket line-up sparked a more unpredictable feeling about the kind of music they would come up with.

[WFA]

Anything after 2007 is a joke

I take shit for this, but the 2007 line up is my all time favorite. I'd love to have that group back :/

(imagine that I cared enough to make Dizzy & Pitman emoticons)

For me it's 01, 02, 06a, 06b, classic lineups. I say the 01 band is my fave since they're really the ones on CD, which is my #1 album of all time. I saw the 2006b band, wasn't lucky enough to see Brain, but oh man was that a tight band. I'd love to have that group back. The HOB show where Robin came out and Dj left the stage, that looked so....right you know? Axl looked cool (yeah I liked the braids, so what) and sounded amazing, and he had a fire in him that felt like he was proud of what he had to offer. Now? Well, you saw the Golden Gods.

Congrats, Russ. You have WFA-ish taste in music.

There is nothing wrong with my taste in music

[wasted]

SLASH .

Boy... you don't post much, but when you do, every post is a revelation.

I didn't know Slash was in New GnR..... I must be missing something.

Slash is everywhere.

I'm not sure Bucket really had an impact on the fortunes of CD as it was more Axl that failed to meet that 2004 deadline. Before that the label were indulging Axl.

I feel like Axl made CD somewhat outside of expectations of success or failure.

Ron could be the new Bucket. we'll get to enjoy their solos but they'll never dominate GNR.

[Terzyo]

I dont like Buckethead and Finck, im not a fan of a "2001-2004 freak band" thats why im happy with the current line up, but my favorite are the classic line up and UYI line up.

Edited August 17, 2014 by Terzyo

[Patience 4 Axl]

I voted Bucket / DJ

Not so much about how it hurt the band, because it hasn't been a real band since 1996, but more about how it hurt Axl.

From Axl's perspective I've always gotten the impression that losing Bucket was crushing to him. From all accounts he tried very hard to get him back. Finck had already left the band once, came back, and left again. It never seemed to be that big of a deal honestly, and Axl's attitude sort of came across at the time as I can take him or leave him. But it felt different with Bucket.

As for the current group, again from Axl's perspective it looks like he has a real soft spot for DJ. He's not deaf, he's got to hear what DJ is doing to the songs, and he oddly seems totally ok with it. Let's not forget DJ was the one he brought with him to the Eddie Trunk interview to mentally hold his hand, not Tommy or Bumble. He seems to be the closest with him, or maybe that's simply DJ's perception, but I do think him leaving would be very hurtful to Axl, more than any other member right now.

[Zint]

Bucket for sure from the ex members. As for the current lineup I'd say none of them.

This, very much so.