GNR Takes Swings at Donald Trump (the foam kind)

[downzy]

This is first and foremost a GNR fan forum, not a place to discuss the political matters.  That said, we have two threads already devoted to Trump and American politics.  If you would like post about either of these topics, please direct yourselves to Anything Goes, where we have had a lively conversation about Trump and American politics for several years now.  

Posts relating to your opinion about GNR and their use of a piñata of Trump are fine.  Arguments about Trump, immigrants, American politics will be removed from this thread.  

This is the final warning on the matter.

[Padme]

6 hours ago, Billsfan said:

This is the most logical thing I've read. I personally voted trump and I don't care who knows it here or who's butt hurt over him making some offensive comments because words apparently hurt more than physically harming someone... but bottom line, pinanta or not, a lot of the people who are backing the band in this ironically dislike trump so the hypocrisy there is hilarious 

Bottom line it's an embarrassing moment for the band. It's childish and the band shouldn't be proud of it, frankly it's not like them doing it is making me boycott gnr but it's just a reminder that bands and celebrities really need to stay away from politics. 

Im not offended at bashing trump... but what I am offended at is that they spent so much time and effort on putting a piñata together, and busting it versus playing a locamotive, or even putting out new material, or having a therapy/mediation with Izzy and working things out. Screw getting Adler back in the band for an appetite set when we can spend our time bashing Donald trump. There's just more important things to be worrying about...

Ted Nugent is a Trump supporter. Are you saying he doesn't have the right to be involved in politics because he is celebrity? He is a citizen and he has every right. And I don't mind if he in one show brings an Hillary or Obama pinata to his show. I'm not gonna tell him what he should do during his shows.

Wasted time a effort over the pinata? Do you really think Axl and Slash spent any time making that pinata? They have a big crew of people who could get it done. They could've played Locomotive or new material? They haven't played locomotive in decades, no new material has been performed during this tour. If those fans in attendance didn't get to enjoy Locomotive and new material. They are in the same boat with the rest of us, pinata or not pinata. Mediation with Izzy? Sure, that would be great. And the pinata is not an obstacle at all if they want to have conversations with Izzy. They added something extra to what they do on stage. The mediation with Izzy doesn't take place on stage. Now this leg of the tour is over. They have plenty of time to talk with Izzy until the new leg begins.

[Nalbi]

This is definitely an entertaining topic.

Funny to see how many people wished that Axl was still the "One in a million" dude.

Sadly for them, some people mature enough to admit they've been stupid and wrong.

[Silent Jay]

Anyway, YG did it first.

 

[eggers]

I'm glad people are offended by this. Suck it.

[Kenan]

Not too crazy about the whole thing.

Why would they do that to such a nice guy's effigy. He's been spreading love and tolerance throughout his campaign.

I am flabbergasted.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Kenan

[BOSSY78]

52 minutes ago, Nalbi said:

This is definitely an entertaining topic.

Funny to see how many people wished that Axl was still the "One in a million" dude.

Sadly for them, some people mature enough to admit they've been stupid and wrong.

This right here.

 

[EvanG]

8 hours ago, Billsfan said:

This is the most logical thing I've read. I personally voted trump and I don't care who knows it here or who's butt hurt over him making some offensive comments because words apparently hurt more than physically harming someone... but bottom line, pinanta or not, a lot of the people who are backing the band in this ironically dislike trump so the hypocrisy there is hilarious 

Bottom line it's an embarrassing moment for the band. It's childish and the band shouldn't be proud of it, frankly it's not like them doing it is making me boycott gnr but it's just a reminder that bands and celebrities really need to stay away from politics. 

Im not offended at bashing trump... but what I am offended at is that they spent so much time and effort on putting a piñata together, and busting it versus playing a locamotive, or even putting out new material, or having a therapy/mediation with Izzy and working things out. Screw getting Adler back in the band for an appetite set when we can spend our time bashing Donald trump. There's just more important things to be worrying about...

This doesn't make sense. Why should bands stay away from politics? This stunt is barely even being involved, but whatever. Everyone is allowed to give an opinion on politics, no matter what your situation is because politics is about all of us.

Also, you make assumptions without knowing anything about it. Who said they even made this piñata themselves? Maybe a fan or whatever gave it to them and they thought they'd use it on stage to let their Mexican fans know they don't share Trump's sentiment. If you don't agree with that, fine... that's alright. But it's really not a big deal. This is a little stunt that took a few minutes and look at your reaction... even bringing Steven and Izzy into the story now... for christ's sake...

Edited December 2, 2016 by EvanG

[Asia]

1 hour ago, Nalbi said:

This is definitely an entertaining topic.

Funny to see how many people wished that Axl was still the "One in a million" dude.

Sadly for them, some people mature enough to admit they've been stupid and wrong.

Show me the interview in which Axl admitted he was stupid and wrong. I'm really, honestly curious to see it...

[Nalbi]

1 hour ago, Asia said:

Show me the interview in which Axl admitted he was stupid and wrong. I'm really, honestly curious to see it...

If you don't get that Axl obviously defends the people who Trump has been stigmatizing for months, the same people he talked shit about in "One in a million" 28 years ago, there's nothing I can do for you.

[Asia]

22 minutes ago, Nalbi said:

If you don't get that Axl obviously defends the people who Trump has been stigmatizing for months, the same people he talked shit about in "One in a million" 28 years ago, there's nothing I can do for you.

So he "defends" people he himself offended in the first place, using much harsher words, and never appologized, never even admitted it was a mistake. This is maturity for you? Well, there's nothing I can do for you. Plus where is Axl defending anybody? It's just your biased interpretation. So far so good I haven't heard a word from him as to who he is defending and why. He's only bashing trump just like everybody, a very trendy thing to do right now.

I am against musicians being engaged in politics, surely it's their choice but it will alwyas sooner or later turn against them. Any politician they choose to support will sooner or later drag their names, faces and reputation through the gutter and make them look like fucking idiots and lose the resect they've earned through years of hard work. If somebody wants to risk it, their choice. I would never. And by being so fiercely against one side, they are showing their support to the other, or so it is perceived.

But even if they think Trump is  so bad that they need to take the risk and engage in that pathethic political shitstorm, at least do it well. Speak out, say what it is specifically that makes you so angry or worried, whatever. Just beating a doll with sticks doesn't really serve much purpose other than making the headlines in a stupid way.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Asia

[StrangerInThisTown]

9 minutes ago, Asia said:

So he "defends" people he himself offended in the first place, using much harsher words, and never appologized, never even admitted it was a mistake. This is maturity for you? Well, there's nothing I can do for you.

The lyrics were due to his experience with the gay and black community at the time the way I see it. I remember reading about him talking about it in some magazine interview from the early 90s or late 80s. He said something about him hitchhicking and some aggressive gays tried to fuck him in the ass but he managed to fight them off and run.

[Asia]

7 minutes ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

The lyrics were due to his experience with the gay and black community at the time the way I see it. I remember reading about him talking about it in some magazine interview from the early 90s or late 80s. He said something about him hitchhicking and some aggressive gays tried to fuck him in the ass but he managed to fight them off and run.

Yes I know these explanations pretty much by heart, he repeated that a million times. I also never accused him of being a racist cause he never was. But he recorded that song and published it against the will of pretty much everybody in the band, never admitted to it being a mistake not to mention how much he cried about being persecuted for these words so now attacking others for saying similar things is sort of hypocritical.

[StrangerInThisTown]

4 minutes ago, Asia said:

Yes I know these explanations pretty much by heart, he repeated that a million times. I also never accused him of being a racist cause he never was. But he recorded that song and published it against the will of pretty much everybody in the band, never admitted to it being a mistake not to mention how much he cried about being persecuted for these words so now attacking others for saying similar things is sort of hypocritical.

Yeah but I think it's ridiculous to nail someone to the wall for things he expressed 28 years ago. So much happened in his life in all those years just like in everybody elses. Applying his situation to yourself in a way lets you understand it better, I'm sure if I was as in my mid 50s now I would have said things now that would be totally hypocritical to things I've said 28 years ago..the difference is Axl, unlike the average person, has the misfortune of being able to be called out on it due to it being on public display for everyone to see (or hear, in this case). In my opinion he and everyone is allowed to think differently now and not have to stand by things said 28 years ago. It's just totally ridiculous.

[EvanG]

7 minutes ago, Asia said:

Yes I know these explanations pretty much by heart, he repeated that a million times. I also never accused him of being a racist cause he never was. But he recorded that song and published it against the will of pretty much everybody in the band, never admitted to it being a mistake not to mention how much he cried about being persecuted for these words so now attacking others for saying similar things is sort of hypocritical.

I'm not here to defend Axl but I always thought, and maybe I'm wrong, that the song was written from the perspective of someone in his situation and upbringing... white person from a small town going to the big city. When an author or movie director writes a story with racial slurs or racial characters it's considered fiction, but that can also be the case in a song. In Duff's book he actually says he understood what he was trying to say. 

[James Bond]

Choosing sides aside, I've got to say that when the headlines and thread titles and whatnot started popping up of the whole "beating up an inflatable Donald Trump," I was expecting more than them smashing a piñata.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

America! All my american friends here, there, and everywhere. We in Europe have not forgotten about you. Let's stick together.

That pinata thing was ridiculous and painful to me, but let's get this Indiana rednecks one more try. Just one more try,

[Tom-Ass]

11 hours ago, Ubukitty said:

Question? Where you a fan before this happened? Just curious because this apparently has affected a lot of peoples opinions of them.

I have been a fan of the band for 30 years. Still am.. As a fan I find this completely pathetic and embarrassing. 

[nelsontod]

gnr is dead to me.

[Blackstar]

2 hours ago, Asia said:

So he "defends" people he himself offended in the first place, using much harsher words, and never appologized, never even admitted it was a mistake.

I don't agree at all with the logic "he wrote OIAM 30 years ago so he'd better shut up for ever and not address these issues".

Yes, he never said "I apologize", except for that lame "apology" on the Lies cover. He said though something along the lines "This is how I felt at the time and how someone like me would feel, someone like the Midnight Cowboy character, and I wrote a song about it. I don't feel this way now and I wouldn't write this song now" and "Had I known that this song would hurt so many people, I wouldn't have released it" (yes, he should have known better). And I think that Civil War was sort of an apology or an effort to fix it.

And anyway, he never performed OIAM again and never said things like that again.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Blackstar

[Eric Cantona]

22 minutes ago, nelsontod said:

gnr is dead to me.

 because of a fucking piñata?  

[EvanG]

37 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

Yes, he never said "I apologize", except for that lame "apology" on the Lies cover. He said though something along the lines "This is how I felt at the time and how someone like me would feel, someone like the Midnight Cowboy character, and I wrote a song about it. I don't feel this way now and I wouldn't write this song now"

If he wrote the song from a person's perspective that wasn't his at the time of writing then he doesn't owe anyone an apology. Did you see Quentin Tarantino apalogize after making some of the movies he made with racist characters in it? No, because I don't believe they were stating his personal beliefs even though he created the characters.

20 minutes ago, AslatIE said:

 because of a fucking piñata?  

I know, right?! This thread has taught me a lot of GnR fans are very sensitive people.

Edited December 2, 2016 by EvanG

[passenger57]

I wonder what 25 year old 'One In a Million' Axl would think of this - lol
If GnR really want to be relevant again, RELEASE A NEW ALBUM!!!

Edited December 2, 2016 by passenger57

[Padme]

3 hours ago, Asia said:

So he "defends" people he himself offended in the first place, using much harsher words, and never appologized, never even admitted it was a mistake. This is maturity for you? Well, there's nothing I can do for you. Plus where is Axl defending anybody? It's just your biased interpretation. So far so good I haven't heard a word from him as to who he is defending and why. He's only bashing trump just like everybody, a very trendy thing to do right now.

I am against musicians being engaged in politics, surely it's their choice but it will alwyas sooner or later turn against them. Any politician they choose to support will sooner or later drag their names, faces and reputation through the gutter and make them look like fucking idiots and lose the resect they've earned through years of hard work. If somebody wants to risk it, their choice. I would never. And by being so fiercely against one side, they are showing their support to the other, or so it is perceived.

But even if they think Trump is  so bad that they need to take the risk and engage in that pathethic political shitstorm, at least do it well. Speak out, say what it is specifically that makes you so angry or worried, whatever. Just beating a doll with sticks doesn't really serve much purpose other than making the headlines in a stupid way.

They have talked about it in their twitter accounts, all of them but mostly Duff, Del James and Richard. As for Axl's apology. He said a lot of horrible things about Slash. And they are together again. He never made a public apology for calling Slash a cancer, maybe in private he did. But we don't know. OIAM is kinda the same situation. He said a lot of things back in the late 80s, now it's 2016. In the 2012 Kimmel interview he said that although he didn't vote he supported Obama. His adopted family and current managers are immigrants. Also back in 2006 he attended a fund raising even for Parkinson. He met Mohamad Ali. We've seen a picture of Axl and Ali together. I don't think anyone forced Axl at gun point to sit right next to Ali.

Axl is also an animals rights activist or supporter or animals right. Was he an animal rights activist back in the 80? I don't remember any interview where he said he was.  Chances are he wasn't. But now he is. There are plenty of comments about animal rights in his twitter account. People change their point of view for whatever reason. I don't know if now Axl is more mature or less mature. But over the years he has changed. Or at least he is trying to be more open minded.

[beautifulanddamned]

Something that really stuck with me from Duff's book is him saying that the guys in that band had basically no cutural touchpoints in the 80's. They had no money and spent their time tryng to survive.  Most people probably look back at the 80's and think Ghostbusters! Cheers! Reagan's America!  But theses guys were in their own little (substance fueled) degenerate bubbles for a long time.  It's not too hard to believe that they just got older and gained some perspective.  All of them, not just Axl.