What do you think Axl thinks of GNR nowadays??

[WhazUp]

I was just thinking about this today, from what I can see the general consensus on this forum is that of agreeing that GNR's wasted potential has been pretty substanital. Do you think Axl thinks that GNR is thriving nowadays? Or do you think Axl secretely agrees that GNR has wasted a lot of potential? Or maybe he thinks they have wasted potential but it is everyone else's fault?

I for one don't really get why Axl hasn't utlized the guys he has hired to their full potential. Or even if he did - why hasn't he realeased any more of that material? I honestly don't understand why more hasn't happened with GNR in the past 20 years

Edited April 7, 2015 by WhazUp

[dando]

A memory, I can't see guns releasing an album, they're just a touring band

[SoulMonster]

I suppose he considers it a shame they weren't able to release 2-3 records with the lineup consisting of Finck and Bucket. As for whether he blames himself, yeah, to some extent I think he does, but I also think he considers himself a victim to other things that prevented his vision from being realized, including lawsuits with former members, problems with the labels/producers/etc, band members who quit on him, and so on.

[SoulMonster]

I for one don't really get why Axl hasn't utlized the guys he has hired to their full potential. Or even if he did - why hasn't he realeased any more of that material? I honestly don't understand why more hasn't happened with GNR in the past 20 years

The current lineup is mostly a touring lineup. His vision was to release 2-3 records with Finck and Bucket. With Finck and Bucket gone, it has sort of thrown a spanner in his original vision and he isn't inspired be the new guys or isn't able to muster the enthusiasm and drive to start a new vision with this lineup and new music. He will probably release the rest of the CD material, but for each year that passes it becomes more dated to him (not necessarily musically or sonically) and in addition with Finck and Bucket gone it isn't a pressing matter to him.

At least this is what I think.

[DR DOOM]

The guy isn't stupid, he went to lengths to get Robin (who he is said to have thought would be "his Randy Rhoads"...LOL) and Buckethead in his band and they split around 7 and 12 years ago respectively- he's lost his dream team twice over, the classic band and then the band that wrote and recorded CD.

If he doesn't realize he has the D team now and his own performances have been dodgy the past few years, all he has to do is watch the Appetite For Democracy DVD or just youtube.

If he was excited by the creative talents of Ron Thal and DJ Ashba I think he might have tried to write some material with them in the past 8/6 years.

You can tell from his performances that he doesn't really care too much anymore, back in 06 and 07 you could tell he had something to prove and was on top of his game...when the band made a mistake you could tell he would be pissed and he'd make them do it again.

Fast forward to Ashba, with Axl just laughing at how bad he sucks playing lead.

The dude has given up.

[wasted]

Well, you wanted him on time.

[Intercourse]

Well, you wanted him on time.

Yes we do want him on time.

On time like every other major act out there today is. Without whining, sulking or excuses.

If that's such a huge head fuck to him then he should retire or people should stop going..like I did.

[T-Minus]

He obviously doesn't care. Check out his performances, they say more than words ever could. The biggest body of evidence is in the fact that Pitman dresses like a gayer version of a village people member, shaking his salt cellar and tambourine during You Could Be Mine and Gashba is anywhere near lead duty.

[Rovim]

I'd say he still cares about his only musical outlet. It's just that he won't change the way he does things even for Guns.

So Bumble left cause he got sick of it, but Ashba and the rest of them don't seem to mind and accepted Axl's lifestyle.

[wasted]

Well, you wanted him on time.

Yes we do want him on time.

On time like every other major act out there today is. Without whining, sulking or excuses.

If that's such a huge head fuck to him then he should retire or people should stop going..like I did.

Reason he was late is because he cared. He's fired up and on edge to deliver the best show which made him late. I think maybe somewhere along the line maybe that Reading festival he came back and just sang standing still. So he really just decided to be on time not get too stressed out. Maybe speculation speculation were going down.

[DieselDaisy]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

[Rovim]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Still got the fire screamed his ass off in Vegas when he performed Prostitute in 2014. That's all I need to see to know there are still glimpses, so when he gives a fuck he can still nail it.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Rovim

[DieselDaisy]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Still got the fire screamed his ass off in Vegas when he performed Prostitute in 2014. That's all I need to see to know there are still glimpses, so when he gives a fuck he can still nail it.

As an 'artist' though? Creatively he basically went in to his shell. It is almost like, he had too much (artistically) riding on cd so the non-event of that album made him go, ''sod this, I will just travel an easier path in future''.

[wasted]

He was still fired up in 2006 tho. Even 2010 he was still stopping shows threatening to take his boys home. Even that US tour was serious business. Think he just started feeling happier. Joking around less bloated etc.

"living the dream"

[Rovim]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Still got the fire screamed his ass off in Vegas when he performed Prostitute in 2014. That's all I need to see to know there are still glimpses, so when he gives a fuck he can still nail it.

As an 'artist' though? Creatively he basically went in to his shell. It is almost like, he had too much (artistically) riding on cd so the non-event of that album made him go, ''sod this, I will just travel an easier path in future''.

But some of the CD songs are staples now. Better, Chinese, SOD, and he has played all of them live.

He said he was pleased with CD's reception in That Metal Show interview, and they also played deep cuts like Catcher and There Was A Time.

He toured it for years, I don't see what more he could have done to represent it live better.

And then he talked about CD ll being done and a remix Chinese and not in a hurry to record new songs. When you consider the fact he said he viewed Chinese as a double, it makes sense that he'll want to first get the whole Chinese project released (CD ll) and then probably try to move forward with an Ashba/Fortus centric album.

[DieselDaisy]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Still got the fire screamed his ass off in Vegas when he performed Prostitute in 2014. That's all I need to see to know there are still glimpses, so when he gives a fuck he can still nail it.

As an 'artist' though? Creatively he basically went in to his shell. It is almost like, he had too much (artistically) riding on cd so the non-event of that album made him go, ''sod this, I will just travel an easier path in future''.

But some of the CD songs are staples now. Better, Chinese, SOD, and he has played all of them live.

He said he was pleased with CD's reception in That Metal Show interview, and they also played deep cuts like Catcher and There Was A Time.

He toured it for years, I don't see what more he could have done to represent it live better.

And then he talked about CD ll being done and a remix Chinese and not in a hurry to record new songs. When you consider the fact he said he viewed Chinese as a double, it makes sense that he'll want to first get the whole Chinese project released (CD ll) and then probably try to move forward with an Ashba/Fortus centric album.

Are you forgetting the original plan of Chinese and a quick release second and third album?

[Rovim]

Are you forgetting the original plan of Chinese and a quick release second and third album?

No, but I just factor it in as plans going wrong for Axl. He's been known to bit more then he can chew in the past and a trilogy of albums perhaps proved too difficult to accomplish for him.

That doesn't mean he won't go forward, eventually, with what seem to be a more scaled down version of his vision which is a double album.

[DR DOOM]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Indeed.

Really seems like it's just to pay the bills now, at the end of the day I can't really blame him for that.

[Rovim]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Indeed.

Really seems like it's just to pay the bills now, at the end of the day I can't really blame him for that.

It was never just that for Axl imo. If anything, he seems to mainly be interested in the music and also make his living touring to maintain his spoiled lifestyle.

[DieselDaisy]

"There's been some concern. That if we play five or six new songs, then there can't that many more on the album. Au contraire, mon frére. We're just playing the songs we're not considering putting out as singles or anything. So, you'll get 18 songs, and about 10 extra tracks. And when that, when the record company feels that has run its course, then you'll get it all over again. By that time, I should be done with the third album. So we'll see if all goes well boys and girls." (Axl, Docklands, 08/26/02)

It is like a different guy.

[Rovim]

He was still fired up in 2006 tho. Even 2010 he was still stopping shows threatening to take his boys home. Even that US tour was serious business. Think he just started feeling happier. Joking around less bloated etc.

"living the dream"

I don't believe he has lost it. It's just gearing up for the future. A most violent ride.

"There's been some concern. That if we play five or six new songs, then there can't that many more on the album. Au contraire, mon frére. We're just playing the songs we're not considering putting out as singles or anything. So, you'll get 18 songs, and about 10 extra tracks. And when that, when the record company feels that has run its course, then you'll get it all over again. By that time, I should be done with the third album. So we'll see if all goes well boys and girls." (Axl, Docklands, 08/26/02)

It is like a different guy.

At the very least 18 songs are done. There are probably way more then that. Way more. But plans to releasing songs and the amount seems to vary for Axl as years go by when nothing is released.

I think he knows what is going to be released now. CD ll is done so what you're talking about is not relevant anymore.

[WhazUp]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Still got the fire screamed his ass off in Vegas when he performed Prostitute in 2014. That's all I need to see to know there are still glimpses, so when he gives a fuck he can still nail it.

But then my question would be will we ever see/hear him "nail it" on new songs? Or an entire show like back in 2010 and in 2006? I don't disagree that he stepped up his game for those very last Vegas shows however if all of those shows in 2014, even with Duff there, had mostly a Mickey laden Axl I must question how much effort he really wants to put into it nowadays

[Rovim]

I think CD and the disintegration of the 2002 line-up killed him off a bit.

Still got the fire screamed his ass off in Vegas when he performed Prostitute in 2014. That's all I need to see to know there are still glimpses, so when he gives a fuck he can still nail it.

But then my question would be will we ever see/hear him "nail it" on new songs? Or an entire show like back in 2010 and in 2006? I don't disagree that he stepped up his game for those very last Vegas shows however if all of those shows in 2014, even with Duff there, had mostly a Mickey laden Axl I must question how much effort he really wants to put into it nowadays

He came back from 2002. I believe he has the potential to deliver vocally. I guess we'll just have to wait and see but I'm not worried. As a tour progresses, Axl gains more power and confidence. Anything can happen on a good Axl day. Don't know if it will compare to 2006 or 2010 as those were very strong, but I think he can still deliver quality shows and if CD ll is released, he'll probably be motivated to represent them live well.

[dalsh327]

The music's there but how hard he's actually "looking into it" is another story. He also said "everything is subject to change" a while back. We call it ChiDem 2 but I'm doubting that name will be used, he never called the last album "Chinese Democracy I" the way you have a UYI I.

With Axl I always think of the line in "Life's Been Good" - "just leave a message, maybe I'll call".

[Rovim]

The music's there but how hard he's actually "looking into it" is another story. He also said "everything is subject to change" a while back. We call it ChiDem 2 but I'm doubting that name will be used, he never called the last album "Chinese Democracy I" the way you have a UYI I.

With Axl I always think of the line in "Life's Been Good" - "just leave a message, maybe I'll call".

Whatever it's called, there is a finished album and a remix Chinese. Those will probably get released relatively soon. It's still a double album. There are songs in the album which Axl talked about and gave titles like The General and Atlas Shrugged, a song that was supposed to be released and be a part of Chinese.