GNR turned down "Decline of Western Civilization" documentary

[TheSeeker]

Thought this was interesting - all 3 "Decline of Western Civilization" documentaries were just released on Blu Ray. I'm reading a review of the box set, and there's this note about the director's commentary for "Part II: The Metal Years":

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/68048/decline-of-western-civilization-collection-the/

Extras for The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II start off with an audio commentary from director Penelope Spheeris and Nadir D'Priest (of London). Like Spheeris' track on the first disc, it's a scene specific talk so she talks about things as they play out in front of us, including the mooning in the lineup featured in the early part of the movie. She talks about interviewing the different people that appear on camera, dealing with Gene Simmons when he wanted to ‘do something classy,' who was and wasn't drinking on camera, why Poison's interview really is funny, how Lemmy was the coolest guy in the movie and of course the fashions and trends that started in this period that have come back again. She notes how sex keeps coming up again and again during the interviews, when drugs are and aren't emphasized in the film, what was shot on a soundstage and what wasn't, trying (and failing) to get Guns ‘N Roses, and of course, the infamous scenes with Ozzy (who she describes as ‘clean and on top of things' and yes, the truth about the pouring of the orange juice) and Holmes (she talks about how much of the vodka was and wasn't real, how wasted he really was, and her thoughts on this infamous scene in general). Again, this is a solid track and quite an informative listen.

I wonder why they turned it down

Edited June 25, 2015 by TheSeeker

[Silent Jay]

Axl did the Queen documentary and pretty much it right?

[Val22]

Well since GNR were not Heavy Metal, it didn't make sense for them to be in this movie.

Most of the movie was guys who were in bands in the 80's who never made it. Chris Holmes drinking in a pool and being so fucked up as his mother watched was just plain sad.

[Bards]

They were on the soundtrack though right? With Alice doing "Under My Wheels"?

[tomfriend]

They were on the soundtrack though right? With Alice doing "Under My Wheels"?

Correct

[ChineseIRS]

Axl was pretty into those documentaries from what I remember. He mentioned them in an interview or two back then.

[Apollo]

Well since GNR were not Heavy Metal, it didn't make sense for them to be in this movie.

Most of the movie was guys who were in bands in the 80's who never made it. Chris Holmes drinking in a pool and being so fucked up as his mother watched was just plain sad.

Grandma dropping F-Bombs.

[GUNNER PT]

Their main focus now is the new album and the following tour.

[HuskerTornado]

I love that doc, so many memorable moments in it. A great look at the scene on sunset strip.

Edited June 26, 2015 by HuskerTornado

[gunsfanoldie]

Thank god they turned it down. I understand liking the documentary for what it is and the memorable moments, but no one comes off looking good from it. Everything memorable is extremely embarrassing or sad. For a band on the rise, if they actually were begged to do it (which makes sense cause they are on the soundtrack so I would guess they did that to do something for the movie) thats one of the smartest moves they could have made NOT doing that movie because thats turning down what probably was offered as a lot of exposure at the time. But look at the bands in it and everyone comes off as either a has been or a band going absolutely nowhere. I wonder why GNR actually said no (cause everyone else said yes and you wouldn't know how bad it would look till it came out).

Having said that, it is something to see at least once, just to really see what that scene was like. Its still sad, but it has the star musicians and memorable moments to make it worth watching once as part of history. Honestly, the only good thing to come from this rerelease is I would like to hear the commentary with Penelope just to hear everything that was faked. The two biggest scenes (Ozzy and Chris Holmes) have been revealed to be fake, so I'd just be interested to hear what else was and get the story straight about what went into the rest of the movie.

[JONEZY]

I agree with gunsfanoldie. But I'm sure it was tempting to take part in the movie. It was filmed probably in early 1987. When GnR were only known in LA. Penelope used "Faster Pussycat" instead. But using the song with Alice Cooper during the credits helped their career.

[HuskerTornado]

Thank god they turned it down. I understand liking the documentary for what it is and the memorable moments, but no one comes off looking good from it. Everything memorable is extremely embarrassing or sad. For a band on the rise, if they actually were begged to do it (which makes sense cause they are on the soundtrack so I would guess they did that to do something for the movie) thats one of the smartest moves they could have made NOT doing that movie because thats turning down what probably was offered as a lot of exposure at the time. But look at the bands in it and everyone comes off as either a has been or a band going absolutely nowhere. I wonder why GNR actually said no (cause everyone else said yes and you wouldn't know how bad it would look till it came out).

Having said that, it is something to see at least once, just to really see what that scene was like. Its still sad, but it has the star musicians and memorable moments to make it worth watching once as part of history. Honestly, the only good thing to come from this rerelease is I would like to hear the commentary with Penelope just to hear everything that was faked. The two biggest scenes (Ozzy and Chris Holmes) have been revealed to be fake, so I'd just be interested to hear what else was and get the story straight about what went into the rest of the movie.

Ozzy making breakfast was faked?

[Strange Broue]

Thought this was interesting - all 3 "Decline of Western Civilization" documentaries were just released on Blu Ray. I'm reading a review of the box set, and there's this note about the director's commentary for "Part II: The Metal Years":

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/68048/decline-of-western-civilization-collection-the/

Extras for The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II start off with an audio commentary from director Penelope Spheeris and Nadir D'Priest (of London). Like Spheeris' track on the first disc, it's a scene specific talk so she talks about things as they play out in front of us, including the mooning in the lineup featured in the early part of the movie. She talks about interviewing the different people that appear on camera, dealing with Gene Simmons when he wanted to ‘do something classy,' who was and wasn't drinking on camera, why Poison's interview really is funny, how Lemmy was the coolest guy in the movie and of course the fashions and trends that started in this period that have come back again. She notes how sex keeps coming up again and again during the interviews, when drugs are and aren't emphasized in the film, what was shot on a soundstage and what wasn't, trying (and failing) to get Guns ‘N Roses, and of course, the infamous scenes with Ozzy (who she describes as ‘clean and on top of things' and yes, the truth about the pouring of the orange juice) and Holmes (she talks about how much of the vodka was and wasn't real, how wasted he really was, and her thoughts on this infamous scene in general). Again, this is a solid track and quite an informative listen.

I wonder why they turned it down

cuz Axl doesn't wan to promote the old band (playing their old classic songs are exceptions of course, lol). It's not rocket science

[ChineseIRS]

Thought this was interesting - all 3 "Decline of Western Civilization" documentaries were just released on Blu Ray. I'm reading a review of the box set, and there's this note about the director's commentary for "Part II: The Metal Years":

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/68048/decline-of-western-civilization-collection-the/

Extras for The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II start off with an audio commentary from director Penelope Spheeris and Nadir D'Priest (of London). Like Spheeris' track on the first disc, it's a scene specific talk so she talks about things as they play out in front of us, including the mooning in the lineup featured in the early part of the movie. She talks about interviewing the different people that appear on camera, dealing with Gene Simmons when he wanted to do something classy,' who was and wasn't drinking on camera, why Poison's interview really is funny, how Lemmy was the coolest guy in the movie and of course the fashions and trends that started in this period that have come back again. She notes how sex keeps coming up again and again during the interviews, when drugs are and aren't emphasized in the film, what was shot on a soundstage and what wasn't, trying (and failing) to get Guns N Roses, and of course, the infamous scenes with Ozzy (who she describes as clean and on top of things' and yes, the truth about the pouring of the orange juice) and Holmes (she talks about how much of the vodka was and wasn't real, how wasted he really was, and her thoughts on this infamous scene in general). Again, this is a solid track and quite an informative listen.

I wonder why they turned it down

cuz Axl doesn't wan to promote the old band (playing their old classic songs are exceptions of course, lol). It's not rocket science

These documentaries were released when the original band was still together so that logic doesnt apply.

[Strange Broue]

Thought this was interesting - all 3 "Decline of Western Civilization" documentaries were just released on Blu Ray. I'm reading a review of the box set, and there's this note about the director's commentary for "Part II: The Metal Years":

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/68048/decline-of-western-civilization-collection-the/

Extras for The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II start off with an audio commentary from director Penelope Spheeris and Nadir D'Priest (of London). Like Spheeris' track on the first disc, it's a scene specific talk so she talks about things as they play out in front of us, including the mooning in the lineup featured in the early part of the movie. She talks about interviewing the different people that appear on camera, dealing with Gene Simmons when he wanted to do something classy,' who was and wasn't drinking on camera, why Poison's interview really is funny, how Lemmy was the coolest guy in the movie and of course the fashions and trends that started in this period that have come back again. She notes how sex keeps coming up again and again during the interviews, when drugs are and aren't emphasized in the film, what was shot on a soundstage and what wasn't, trying (and failing) to get Guns N Roses, and of course, the infamous scenes with Ozzy (who she describes as clean and on top of things' and yes, the truth about the pouring of the orange juice) and Holmes (she talks about how much of the vodka was and wasn't real, how wasted he really was, and her thoughts on this infamous scene in general). Again, this is a solid track and quite an informative listen.

I wonder why they turned it down

cuz Axl doesn't wan to promote the old band (playing their old classic songs are exceptions of course, lol). It's not rocket science

These documentaries were released when the original band was still together so that logic doesnt apply.

oops, my bad then

What gunsfanoldie posted seems reasonable in this case

[RockerRoller]

Well since GNR were not Heavy Metal, it didn't make sense for them to be in this movie.

Most of the movie was guys who were in bands in the 80's who never made it. Chris Holmes drinking in a pool and being so fucked up as his mother watched was just plain sad.

Yeah they were considered heavy metal, hell there was a category of metal called hair metal back in the eighties. Gnr might not seem like metal nowadays when modern metal is typically defined by growling instead of singing ala slipknot and guitar work thatd make Metallica plug their ears, but back then they were heavy metal. Hell they even won an award or two for heavy metal stuff.

[Strange Broue]

Well since GNR were not Heavy Metal, it didn't make sense for them to be in this movie.

Most of the movie was guys who were in bands in the 80's who never made it. Chris Holmes drinking in a pool and being so fucked up as his mother watched was just plain sad.

Yeah they were considered heavy metal, hell there was a category of metal called hair metal back in the eighties. Gnr might not seem like metal nowadays when modern metal is typically defined by growling instead of singing ala slipknot and guitar work thatd make Metallica plug their ears, but back then they were heavy metal. Hell they even won an award or two for heavy metal stuff.

1. Hair Metal is still a living genre... Look for bands in Sweden, Norwegia, there's a renaissance of this genre there....

2. GNR's only metal elements came in AFD, after that only YCBM is the song that contains some actual metal. Axl's vocals made them sound like a metal band, imho

3. Modern metal typically is more melodic, with some harsh growling, but most of the verses/choruses contains clean singing (that is why most of the modern metal bands sucks ass and the whole metalcore movement is a joke)

4. Slipknot also contains melodic vocals, that is why they were called NUMetal back then (and even now) Their most hardcore metal album (Iowa) is pure hardcore music with very harsh growling, but all of the other albums contain melodic parts (hell, even now that much, that they were become almost metalcore pussies, lol)

5. Metallica hasn't released a "true" metal album since AJFA. they are become more commerce since 1991, and Death Magnetic was an actual attempt to get back to their metal days. Btw metal guitar work is far more technical of what Metallica can capable of since AJFA... their true trash metal period ended there

Btw Metallica almost won a Grammy in 1988, but Jethro Tull (lol) wins instead of them

Edited June 28, 2015 by Strange Broue

[RockerRoller]

Well since GNR were not Heavy Metal, it didn't make sense for them to be in this movie.

Most of the movie was guys who were in bands in the 80's who never made it. Chris Holmes drinking in a pool and being so fucked up as his mother watched was just plain sad.

Yeah they were considered heavy metal, hell there was a category of metal called hair metal back in the eighties. Gnr might not seem like metal nowadays when modern metal is typically defined by growling instead of singing ala slipknot and guitar work thatd make Metallica plug their ears, but back then they were heavy metal. Hell they even won an award or two for heavy metal stuff.

1. Hair Metal is still a living genre... Look for bands in Sweden, Norwegia, there's a renaissance of this genre there....

2. GNR's only metal elements came in AFD, after that only YCBM is the song that contains some actual metal. Axl's vocals made them sound like a metal band, imho

3. Modern metal typically is more melodic, with some harsh growling, but most of the verses/choruses contains clean singing (that is why most of the modern metal bands sucks ass and the whole metalcore movement is a joke)

4. Slipknot also contains melodic vocals, that is why they were called NUMetal back then (and even now) Their most hardcore metal album (Iowa) is pure hardcore music with very harsh growling, but all of the other albums contain melodic parts (hell, even now that much, that they were become almost metalcore pussies, lol)

5. Metallica hasn't released a "true" metal album since AJFA. they are become more commerce since 1991, and Death Magnetic was an actual attempt to get back to their metal days. Btw metal guitar work is far more technical of what Metallica can capable of since AJFA... their true trash metal period ended there

Btw Metallica almost won a Grammy in 1988, but Jethro Tull (lol) wins instead of them

Spent way too much effort on that post there a lil bit dude lol. While I agree with most of it, it was almost all subjective and didn't really have anything to do with what I was saying about GNR just being considered metal back in the day.

[DieselDaisy]

Too me, the less Stradlin in the band, the more metal gnr become. Izzy and to a lesser degree Duff were the two elements which maintained the rock n' roll/punk. That is not to say that Axl and Slash are outright metal but they are both rather stupid, those two, and let the metal genre dominate. They lack the mental faculties of Izzy and Duff. I would actually argue that Adler was important in rescuing the band from dipping into the metal genre by playing a groove.