effectfreak Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) Hi! long time reader first time writer here. Hello all. I've been watching concerts lately from the first comeback era 2001-2002 and I've been thinking that what people thought at the time about the way Axl looked? I mean all the loose clothes, braids, Adidas pants, jerseys, buckethats...I at the time wasn't really into Guns n Roses yet but I still remember some of my friends were talking about his rap/numetal look. So, what people thought about it? Edited June 3, 2016 by effectfreak Missed a word Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MillionsOfSpiders Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) Hated it. Its obviuosly up to Axl what he wears, but I thought he looked terrible and weird and i still can't watch anything from that time period. In a way, I'm glad he cancelled the shows I had tickets for back then. Edited June 3, 2016 by MillionsOfSpiders 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-W.A.R- Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 he looked ridiculous that whole era of hip-hop fashion where you bought everything that 3x your size was awful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effectfreak Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 Not having to be there at the time and looking back it even seems kinda cool/fun that he was dressing up like that and blasting his hits from the 80s, in a time where 80s wasn't looked at the way it is today. We'll maybe cool isn't exactly the word but you know what I mean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesecake Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 INB4ThePatrolingUnit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasan--97 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) When i was younger i thought the cornrows was a cool look but yep looking back now i understand the hate the heck was Axl thinking.. Also I was just watching paradise city from Rio 2001 & it feels like that was the last time Axl looked like Axl Rose Edited June 3, 2016 by Hasan--97 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weaponsnflowers Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I think the braids were cool, specially in 2006. They weren't that bad before, maybe a bit too much. Very Predatorish look, but that sort of pussy faced pissy attitude suited Axl well. Axl was like the Predator, impailing his listeners with his sharp wails. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MillionsOfSpiders Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Yeah, I can remember the press were absolutely scathing about how Axl looked at RIR 2001. They were in the UK anyway. It makes me feel a bit sorry for him, the things I read in Kerrang and the like, really were just mean. I thought he looked ok there :/ It certainly contributed to whatever happened to Axl after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Jay Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) It was part of the mystery. http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/versace-pockets/2872730 Edited June 3, 2016 by Silent Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limpan Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Thing is Axl's always dressed over the top in whatever style he has persued. I mean to me some of the clothing from 2002 just looked like a joke, but if I try to look at it a bit more objectively his style has always looked kind a like a joke, just depending on what style suits you. That said I am glad that he got rid of the childish look of that era, he is a grown man after all and it's just silly to try to look much younger than you really do. He was in good shape in 2001 though... Well, just ramblin' here, but that said, I appriciate the toned down approach he sometimes sports today, just jeans and t-shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hasan--97 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 38 minutes ago, MillionsOfSpiders said: Yeah, I can remember the press were absolutely scathing about how Axl looked at RIR 2001. They were in the UK anyway. It makes me feel a bit sorry for him, the things I read in Kerrang and the like, really were just mean. I thought he looked ok there :/ It certainly contributed to whatever happened to Axl after that. Yh seems Axl really took it to heart, looked pretty cool for a rockstar in his 40's 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Słash Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 He did fit in well with all the clowns around him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babooshka Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I wonder how Duff and Slash would have fit into any of that. Slash with dreads? Duff in an oversized Seahawks top? I didn't mind the braids on Axl, though the shorter ones were better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprite Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I think it worked for what the goal was in that era in a similar way to hairspray being vital to the 80's. 2002 was a long time ago now. 20% of the average person's lifespan is how much has gone by since then. Of course it looks silly in retrospect, but in 2002 certain styles were in and the band was going for that odd man out look it felt like. Is it really any different than other peers in their respective eras having a certain look? We just didn't see many of GNR's peers in hard rock make it on a big scale post 2000 so they really stand alone to criticism in a way because they were pioneers, and not living off nostalgia. I wouldn't go for the style myself but looking at it in the context of what the goal was, which was a makeover of Guns N Roses musically and aesthetically, I think it was a great move on Axl's part. Enough to warrant parodies by the most famous actors/musical acts on famous late night or awards shows. You don't pick on poor people if you know what I mean. And from what level are we talking the impact of his look in that era? Here we are talking about it 14 years later. How does the old line go? No press is bad press because it gets them talking? From that level it was great because it still gets talked about or you'll still find daily mail type articles from 2015 about the "top 10 worst plastic surgeries ever!" and they still use those old pictures from the VMA's, which were really just bad angles that people ran with to make themselves comforted in knowing their distaste for Axl is grounded in some sort of reality that comforts their view. What about from the level of being a celebrity/musician and image being a, for better or worse, huge part of your appeal? I don't know why it is that way but it is. As I said no press is bad press from that level. Alice Cooper gets a pass and he's probably the weirdest one. All that chaos, all those fuck ups, all the "axl is terrible" articles, all the controversy... it laid the ground for 31 year old band to be selling out stadiums this summer. Who else is doing that this year? Honest question. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Braids looked okay in 2006 when he kept them tied back, but the clothing of 2002 was awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F*ck Fear Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 13 hours ago, Wagszilla said: He looked awesome at the House of Blues show in December 2001. I was not a fan of the jerseys and leather pants look in 2002 but I generally don't care. Release music, I pay you money, repeat. I agree with this. His style in December 2001 is the style he should have kept going into the next year. Regardless, the guy could go on stage fat, bald, or dressed like a clown for all I care. If the voice is there, that's all that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GN'R Forever Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 His 2006 look was awesome in my opinion 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Comstock Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 The whole 2002 band, except maybe Fortus and Brain, looked weird. I don't really care how he looks as long as he sounds good though. He could've worn jerseys a size or three smaller but the fact that he sounded the opposite of how he should've was the real problem. You got 'He doesn't sound or look like Axl, wtf is this alien-GNR shit? Is he hiding all his fat behind the jerseys?' instead of 'Axl wore a jersey and pants most of the night and sang his fucking ass off' most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killuridols Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 15 hours ago, MillionsOfSpiders said: Hated it. Its obviuosly up to Axl what he wears, but I thought he looked terrible and weird and i still can't watch anything from that time period. In a way, I'm glad he cancelled the shows I had tickets for back then. This. All of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncitingChaos Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 There are some great pics of Axl arriving at Rio in 2001 and he looks awesome...completely different person took the stage at the 02 VMA's but ask anyone who has seen gnr in 02 and saw them in their prime and everyone says the 02 show was better. Maybe watching the videos of it now would make you laugh at that comment but I think the energy and feel of 02 was exciting and breath taking to watch and hear in person 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ludurigan Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 19 hours ago, effectfreak said: Hi! long time reader first time writer here. Hello all. I've been watching concerts lately from the first comeback era 2001-2002 and I've been thinking that what people thought at the time about the way Axl looked? I mean all the loose clothes, braids, Adidas pants, jerseys, buckethats...I at the time wasn't really into Guns n Roses yet but I still remember some of my friends were talking about his rap/numetal look. So, what people thought about it? what i think about it that? i dont care what axl looks or how much weight hes got or what clothes he wears anyone that likes axl and that has ever listened to the intro to out ta get me on the ritz should actually be ashamed to care about these things when it comes to axl all i care about is if he is singing good and i care if hes got izzy, slash, duff and a great drummer at his side, thats what i fucking care about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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