Towelie Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) I think Chinese Democracy fans need to let go (and I say that as a massive fan of that album/era). Axl releasing the second half of Chinese Democracy has never seemed less likely than it does right now, and if a reunion DOES happen, then I see that as the final nail in the coffin for any follow-up record to Chinese, at least from NuGNR.I think that ship sailed the moment Axl stepped out onto stage at Rock In Rio 4 in 2012, no new songs, same setlists as the last three years and then continued touring the same already tired set for a further two years showing seemingly zero interest in creating music with the Ron/DJ/Fortus lineup. It's over. We can speculate endlessly as to the why's and wherefore's, but Axl's actions speak louder than words.The biggest shame about a reunion is that it likely spells no new music released by Axl for the foreseeable future. Edited November 18, 2015 by Towelie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Whoever wrote that wrote it for readers of the sort you'd find on forums like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Whoever wrote that wrote it for readers of the sort you'd find on forums like this.He's fucking spot on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Whoever wrote that wrote it for readers of the sort you'd find on forums like this.He's fucking spot on.Y'know what fella, i think i agree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 A reunion without new music would just be shit.A bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines playing the same tired songs they've been whoring for the last 20 years. Once the novelty of seeing Axl and Slash share the same stage wears off, it's going to be really dull unless they make another record together. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moreblack Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Sure but they'd have to get thru a reunion tour first to confirm if the chemistry is still there and if they want to work together on new stuff. Reuniting to play the old stuff is easy, creating new music that measures up is much more of a commitment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billsfan Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Whoever wrote that wrote it for readers of the sort you'd find on forums like this.He's fucking spot on. except he isn't. At all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguy Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Do people really think Axl will release CD2?We're talking about an album which was written and recorded over a decade ago. The people who made that album haven't been part of the "band" in over a decade.Axl will not release it. How can he say "this is Guns n Roses" when the album was performed by employees who haven't had anything to do with his "band" in over a decade? It makes no sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 The article would have been correct if it was c.2002-4 and Axl had just folded his new band and experimental 'trilogy' in favour of a reunion and cash pot, but today, the article makes absolute no sense! Just where is this ''artist guided by an idiosyncratic muse...uninterested in making a profit or pleasing anyone'', because all I have seen since c.2011 has been a wash-out rolling out the hits in endless Vegas cash grabs? The antithesis of Axl described by the writer - “another middle-aged musician trading on nostalgia, trying to cash in while cash is still on the table'' - is actually a much better description of the Axl we see these days, not this 'visionary'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 A reunion without new music would just be shit. A bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines playing the same tired songs they've been whoring for the last 20 years. Once the novelty of seeing Axl and Slash share the same stage wears off, it's going to be really dull unless they make another record together. With or without a new album you will be getting a bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines so a new album will not a some magical fountain of youth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoSoRose Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) A reunion without new music would just be shit.A bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines playing the same tired songs they've been whoring for the last 20 years. Once the novelty of seeing Axl and Slash share the same stage wears off, it's going to be really dull unless they make another record together.With or without a new album you will be getting a bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines so a new album will not a some magical fountain of youth.But at least if they toured with a new album, the music won't be old and tired. I don't think I can stomach another tired AFD plus YCBM, LALD, KOHD and November Rain tour. Edited November 18, 2015 by Towelie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 A reunion without new music would just be shit. A bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines playing the same tired songs they've been whoring for the last 20 years. Once the novelty of seeing Axl and Slash share the same stage wears off, it's going to be really dull unless they make another record together. With or without a new album you will be getting a bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines so a new album will not a some magical fountain of youth. But at least if they toured with a new album, the music won't be old and tired. I don't think I can stomach another tired AFD plus YCBC, LALD, KOHD and November Rain tour. Don't get me wrong I would love to see them do a new album of originals but, IMHO, for those who have never seen the AFD/UYI era band(s) live I don't think it would be old and tired if they played only the old material........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 (edited) A reunion without new music would just be shit.A bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines playing the same tired songs they've been whoring for the last 20 years. Once the novelty of seeing Axl and Slash share the same stage wears off, it's going to be really dull unless they make another record together.With or without a new album you will be getting a bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines so a new album will not a some magical fountain of youth. But at least if they toured with a new album, the music won't be old and tired. I don't think I can stomach another tired AFD plus YCBC, LALD, KOHD and November Rain tour.Don't get me wrong I would love to see them do a new album of originals but, IMHO, for those who have never seen the AFD/UYI era band(s) live I don't think it would beold and tired if they played only the old material........Why not though? They've both been performing those songs separately year in, year out for the last two decades. Just because they're playing those songs together rather than separately, it won't make any difference to whether or not Axl/Slash are tired of/going through the motions etc with said material. Edited November 18, 2015 by Towelie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 A reunion without new music would just be shit. A bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines playing the same tired songs they've been whoring for the last 20 years. Once the novelty of seeing Axl and Slash share the same stage wears off, it's going to be really dull unless they make another record together. With or without a new album you will be getting a bunch of overweight men with saggy tits and receding hairlines so a new album will not a some magical fountain of youth. But at least if they toured with a new album, the music won't be old and tired. I don't think I can stomach another tired AFD plus YCBC, LALD, KOHD and November Rain tour. Don't get me wrong I would love to see them do a new album of originals but, IMHO, for those who have never seen the AFD/UYI era band(s) live I don't think it would be old and tired if they played only the old material........ Why not though? They've both been performing those songs separately year in, year out for the last two decades? Just because they're playing those songs together rather than separately, it won't make any difference to whether or not Axl/Slash are tired of/going through the motions etc with said material. How do you know they would be going through the motions? I have seen Slash half a dozen times solo and I never got the impression he was going through the motions playing the old Guns songs. Even SCOM which he claims to dislike was played with passion. Just getting back together again on the same stage should energize them when playing the classics IMHO..........Maybe you don't want a greatest hits tour but I am betting many of the younger fans on this forum who were too young back in the day would be happy to hear the hits from the "original" band. Not saying we all would not be thrilled with new music but I doubt too many here would not go see them if they only did a greatest hits tour...... Hell I have seen the AFD era band 4X and the UYI band twice and would love to see them play the old music together again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towelie Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Why not though? They've both been performing those songs separately year in, year out for the last two decades? Just because they're playing those songs together rather than separately, it won't make any difference to whether or not Axl/Slash are tired of/going through the motions etc with said material.How do you know they would be going through the motions? I have seen Slash half a dozen times solo and I never got the impression he was going through the motions playing the old Guns songs. Even SCOM which he claims to dislike was played with passion.Just getting back together again on the same stage should energize them when playing the classics IMHO..........Maybe you don't want a greatest hits tour but I am betting many of the younger fans on this forum who were too young back in the day would be happy to hear the hits from the "original" band. Not saying we all would not be thrilled with new music but I doubt too many here would not go see them if they only did a greatest hits tour......Hell I have seen the AFD era band 4X and the UYI band twice and would love to see them play the old music together again.I would still pay to see them with or without new material, but I just know I would find the whole experience ten times more exciting watching them perform something new as opposed to the old stuff yet again. And I never saw them do it the first time (I'm only 30, I was 8yrs old in 1993 when Slash/Axl last played together).I just think if they're going to do it, then they should do it properly. As much as I'm sure Axl disagrees with me, GNR fans deserve new fucking music, probably more than any other fanbase I can think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Why not though? They've both been performing those songs separately year in, year out for the last two decades? Just because they're playing those songs together rather than separately, it won't make any difference to whether or not Axl/Slash are tired of/going through the motions etc with said material.How do you know they would be going through the motions? I have seen Slash half a dozen times solo and I never got the impression he was going through the motions playing the old Guns songs. Even SCOM which he claims to dislike was played with passion.Just getting back together again on the same stage should energize them when playing the classics IMHO..........Maybe you don't want a greatest hits tour but I am betting many of the younger fans on this forum who were too young back in the day would be happy to hear the hits from the "original" band. Not saying we all would not be thrilled with new music but I doubt too many here would not go see them if they only did a greatest hits tour......Hell I have seen the AFD era band 4X and the UYI band twice and would love to see them play the old music together again.I would still pay to see them with or without new material, but I just know I would find the whole experience ten times more exciting watching them perform something new as opposed to the old stuff yet again. And I never saw them do it the first time (I'm only 30, I was 8yrs old in 1993 when Slash/Axl last played together).I just think if they're going to do it, then they should do it properly. As much as I'm sure Axl disagrees with me, GNR fans deserve new fucking music, probably more than any other fanbase I can think of.No disagreement from me......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 "Receding Hairlines" should really be the name of the reunion album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2112 Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 I'm confused. How on earth has Axl NOT been a nostalgia act for the past decade?Nostalgia acts do not continually play songs from unpopular albums. Look at the CD tour set list, in the beginning he played half the CD album, then he went down to about 5 and continue this for 3 or so years. Yeah, he plays the big hitters, but what's he supposed to do? ignore them? If he did you would be on here saying "Axl's trying to hide the history of the band" or some crazy shit like that. He can't win. Have more respect for Axl for keeping CD songs in the set, than most other bands 25 + years into their career; most of which play 2/3 new songs at the start and by the next tour they are back to playing all the hits with no sign of the past album. GnR are a nostalgia act in the same way that every band is now, every band right now are doing the same thing. Even if Axl completely flipped the set every night it would still be nostalgia... but thats the job of a touring musician. record music (he's obviously shit at this part), play it and play your back catalogue... mainly! play the songs that the crowd want to hear - thats not selling out, that's just what you have to do in order to tour somewhat successfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Whoever wrote that wrote it for readers of the sort you'd find on forums like this.He's fucking spot on.except he isn't. At all.He is, it would be a soulless cash-grab that would go against literally everything Axl has stood for, for nearly two decades. Regardless of the fact he totally fucked it up, it would mean the intentions behind it were also totally meaningless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double talkin jive mfkr Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 This essay is brilliant: http://www.stereogum.com/1844250/heres-why-id-hate-a-guns-n-roses-reunion/franchises/essay/Particularly these ending paragraphs:Most disheartening of all, though, is what this reunion would mean for Axl Rose’s legacy: He’d be downgrading from “paranoid, perfectionistic, and tyrannical” to “acquisitive, avaricious, and cynical.” He’d be evolving from “genuine eccentric” to “just another middle-aged musician trading on nostalgia, trying to cash in while cash is still on the table.” He’d be dismissing the goodwill of every fan who dedicated serious time to Chinese Democracy, every fan who heard that spoken-sung Count Chocula accent and wondered, How and why the holy hell did he come up with THAT? After spending more than 11 years and $13 million on Chinese Democracy, he’d be disowning the thing. His magnum opus, disavowed. More than a decade of his life, tossed aside in favor of rehashing songs he co-wrote when he was 23 years old, when Ronald Reagan was in office. He’d be betraying us a little bit, but he’d be betraying himself a whole lot more.He’d also be shutting the door on those Chinese Democracy sequels. In the case of the remix album, that’s probably a good thing. Nobody wants that. I’m not even sure anybody would release that. But I, for one, was sincerely and eagerly looking forward to hearing the “second half” of Chinese Democracy, irrespective of how the world at large might respond to such a proposition. I mean it! I didn’t expect that album to yield a vast trove of great music, but Axl Rose rarely puts his name on anything that’s not at least pretty good and inherently interesting. Furthermore, the very existence of both those albums — even if they existed chiefly in Axl Rose’s imagination — suggested an artist altogether unmoored from reality, and therefore, an artist guided by an idiosyncratic muse, an artist uninterested in making a profit or pleasing anyone.Scoff all you like, but those choices require an almost religious-fanatical commitment; a commitment to a deluded worldview, yes, but a commitment that’s all too rare in art today. We need more musicians like batshit Axl Rose: musicians who pursue their vision at any cost, financial or personal. We don’t need more reunion tours: reprehensible cash-grabs that spurn integrity and monetize nostalgia. If caring about music is supposed to mean something — anything — we need at least a handful of unyielding, unreasonable, uncompromising iconoclasts to give it definition, to give us direction. Where do we go? Where do we go now?I couldn't agree more.this article says it all make izzy do it monitor steven and MAKE IT REAL not a fucking cash grab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan H. Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 (edited) Force Izzy to do it at gun pointBabysit a grown man that can barely speak and who really only appears on 12 songs anywaysNot a cash grab. No way. That would be so real.Man GNR as a band has been a cash grab since they started touring again. The show I saw was basically a Jaegermeister/ Monster Energy commercial.I mean if they're going to tour just to make a shitzillion dollars and never play new material anyways, might as well stick Slash and Duff back in. Edited November 19, 2015 by Dan H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick85 Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Whoever wrote that wrote it for readers of the sort you'd find on forums like this.He's fucking spot on.I'd say so. An utterly engrossing article for my money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Dude Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 This essay is brilliant: http://www.stereogum.com/1844250/heres-why-id-hate-a-guns-n-roses-reunion/franchises/essay/Particularly these ending paragraphs:Most disheartening of all, though, is what this reunion would mean for Axl Rose’s legacy: He’d be downgrading from “paranoid, perfectionistic, and tyrannical” to “acquisitive, avaricious, and cynical.” He’d be evolving from “genuine eccentric” to “just another middle-aged musician trading on nostalgia, trying to cash in while cash is still on the table.” He’d be dismissing the goodwill of every fan who dedicated serious time to Chinese Democracy, every fan who heard that spoken-sung Count Chocula accent and wondered, How and why the holy hell did he come up with THAT? After spending more than 11 years and $13 million on Chinese Democracy, he’d be disowning the thing. His magnum opus, disavowed. More than a decade of his life, tossed aside in favor of rehashing songs he co-wrote when he was 23 years old, when Ronald Reagan was in office. He’d be betraying us a little bit, but he’d be betraying himself a whole lot more.He’d also be shutting the door on those Chinese Democracy sequels. In the case of the remix album, that’s probably a good thing. Nobody wants that. I’m not even sure anybody would release that. But I, for one, was sincerely and eagerly looking forward to hearing the “second half” of Chinese Democracy, irrespective of how the world at large might respond to such a proposition. I mean it! I didn’t expect that album to yield a vast trove of great music, but Axl Rose rarely puts his name on anything that’s not at least pretty good and inherently interesting. Furthermore, the very existence of both those albums — even if they existed chiefly in Axl Rose’s imagination — suggested an artist altogether unmoored from reality, and therefore, an artist guided by an idiosyncratic muse, an artist uninterested in making a profit or pleasing anyone.Scoff all you like, but those choices require an almost religious-fanatical commitment; a commitment to a deluded worldview, yes, but a commitment that’s all too rare in art today. We need more musicians like batshit Axl Rose: musicians who pursue their vision at any cost, financial or personal. We don’t need more reunion tours: reprehensible cash-grabs that spurn integrity and monetize nostalgia. If caring about music is supposed to mean something — anything — we need at least a handful of unyielding, unreasonable, uncompromising iconoclasts to give it definition, to give us direction. Where do we go? Where do we go now?I couldn't agree more.Brilliant. My thoughts exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 CD wasn't the easiest thing to pull off, a record or touring was always going to be against the grain of anything normal. But that doesn't mean Axl wanted the original band to fall apart or wouldn't do a reunion if it was going to work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts