Did Slash get that thing going...?

[PirateRadio]

Just trying to mix it up with a few GNR discussions, so bear with me here!!

 

Back in 84 or 85, Slash picked around for good bands to play in, and once he found Axl, he stayed until the unthinkable happened --> Axl hired a second lead guitar WITHOUT Slash's input. That sounds crazy if you let it sink in!

 

I remember in an interview or maybe even his book, Slash said that listening to Axl sing on a demo tape, or rehearsing with him for the first time, that Axl sounded like nothing he'd ever heard, and it was wild but that he was always in tune! Slash's interest was piqued, and he stuck with the frontman from then on. (I butchered Slash's words, probably, but I believe that was the gist.)

 

I just don't think a lot of musicians would have realized Axl's potential like Slash did. At that time, without the GNR catalogue in Axl's pocket, what was Slash really listening to...? It wasn't top ten, wildly popular mainstream music, that's for sure.

 

So, yes, Slash would have been great without Axl, and Axl would've been great without Slash..... But was it Slash that we should really be thanking for bringing Axl's vocal and presence to our mainstream attention, simply by jumping up and holding on to the crazy redhead for life?!

 

Way back then, Slash was a bigger mystery...like he was straight mythical to us fans. I'd say Slash was more popular than Axl, maybe by far too, and that still may be the case. But boy did Axl evolve during Act I of his career. I was listening to 1986 Don't Cry and the Paris 1992 PPV gig. Slash basically stayed the same, and Axl is out of his freakin' mind! I'm sure that when Slash heard that demo tape of Axl singing back in the mid-80s, he didn't see that coming. But therein lays the genius of Slash - he knew what horse to back.

 

Slash's popularity and draw allowed Axl to create and perform like no other, especially during the early 90s.

 

Am I giving Slash too much credit here?! Or do you believe it was more organically magical??!! ...Or was it somewhere in between ?

[Free Bird]

I prefer Axl '86 than Axl '92 

[Original]

22 hours ago, PirateRadio said:

Just trying to mix it up with a few GNR discussions, so bear with me here!!

 

Back in 84 or 85, Slash picked around for good bands to play in, and once he found Axl, he stayed until the unthinkable happened --> Axl hired a second lead guitar WITHOUT Slash's input. That sounds crazy if you let it sink in!

 

I remember in an interview or maybe even his book, Slash said that listening to Axl sing on a demo tape, or rehearsing with him for the first time, that Axl sounded like nothing he'd ever heard, and it was wild but that he was always in tune! Slash's interest was piqued, and he stuck with the frontman from then on. (I butchered Slash's words, probably, but I believe that was the gist.)

 

I just don't think a lot of musicians would have realized Axl's potential like Slash did. At that time, without the GNR catalogue in Axl's pocket, what was Slash really listening to...? It wasn't top ten, wildly popular mainstream music, that's for sure.

 

So, yes, Slash would have been great without Axl, and Axl would've been great without Slash..... But was it Slash that we should really be thanking for bringing Axl's vocal and presence to our mainstream attention, simply by jumping up and holding on to the crazy redhead for life?!

 

Way back then, Slash was a bigger mystery...like he was straight mythical to us fans. I'd say Slash was more popular than Axl, maybe by far too, and that still may be the case. But boy did Axl evolve during Act I of his career. I was listening to 1986 Don't Cry and the Paris 1992 PPV gig. Slash basically stayed the same, and Axl is out of his freakin' mind! I'm sure that when Slash heard that demo tape of Axl singing back in the mid-80s, he didn't see that coming. But therein lays the genius of Slash - he knew what horse to back.

 

Slash's popularity and draw allowed Axl to create and perform like no other, especially during the early 90s.

 

Am I giving Slash too much credit here?! Or do you believe it was more organically magical??!! ...Or was it somewhere in between ?

 

[DeadSlash]

I'm not sure if I'm understanding your point, but it certainly reads like Slash's popularity was key to GnR's (or specifically, Axl's) popularity in the 90's?  If so, that is not correct.  Axl and Slash were on pretty equal footing pre-breakup.  If anyone was "more" of a draw, it was probably Axl, but really GnR was unlike most bands because if you asked the average fan "Who is GnR?" People would say "Axl and Slash." 

 

Slash's talent might (did imo) have helped Axl and GnR make amazing songs in the 90's, but there was never a time during the original run of the band that Slash's "draw and popularity" were turning people onto Axl.  That simply wasn't a thing back then.  They came into the national consciousness at the same time, as a team.  "Axl vs. Slash" was not even a  realdiscussion prior to the break up, outside of maybe arguing in the lunchroom at school about who was cooler, usually resolved after concluding that it didn't matter who was cooler, because they were both really fucking cool.   

 

I guess the short answer is: Yes, you are giving Slash way too much credit.  I was in 7th grade in 87, and in high school in the 90's, it's not before my time or anything.  As an admitted superfreak of a fan, I was into all things GnR.  The only thing even remotely close to what you're talking about were people who were not fans of the band saying Axl was a fag, or a bitch because he sang with a high voice, however, there was not a polarized fan base like there is today.

[soon]

I belive that Izzy has told accounts of thinking Axl would be a good frontman even before hearing him sing. I think that comment was attached to when Izzy saw Axl screaming and getting chased down the hallway by a teacher.

And then later at a rehearsal Axl stumbled on the voice we know and love with the high rasp and Izzy says that he encouraged Axl to stick with that voice.

I may have some specifics off, but I think that Izzy would get some credit for bringing Axl to the world stage?

[default_]

They were equals during the band activities. Axl became the Jester and Slash the King by the time the band imploded. And at that point, even Slashs popularity was in check due to everything that happened to the band. 

[GNRfan2008]

On 8/11/2019 at 6:18 AM, soon said:

I belive that Izzy has told accounts of thinking Axl would be a good frontman even before hearing him sing. I think that comment was attached to when Izzy saw Axl screaming and getting chased down the hallway by a teacher.

And then later at a rehearsal Axl stumbled on the voice we know and love with the high rasp and Izzy says that he encouraged Axl to stick with that voice.

I may have some specifics off, but I think that Izzy would get some credit for bringing Axl to the world stage?

 

Izzy moved to Los Angeles and Axl followed him. If Izzy stayed in Indiana, Axl would’ve stayed in Indiana and I’m pretty sure his music career would have gone nowhere. Getting away from all his problems in Indiana was the best thing that ever happened for Axl. 

[Blackstar]

3 hours ago, GNRfan2008 said:

Izzy moved to Los Angeles and Axl followed him. If Izzy stayed in Indiana, Axl would’ve stayed in Indiana and I’m pretty sure his music career would have gone nowhere. Getting away from all his problems in Indiana was the best thing that ever happened for Axl. 

I think Axl wouldn't have stayed in Indiana, regardless of Izzy. He would have left anyway, but most likely wouldn't have had the career he had. And I think the same goes for each one of the GnR guys.

Axl didn't stay in L.A. right away after the first time he went there to find Izzy, in 1981. He tried other cities until he finally ended up in L.A. permanently in the end of 1982.

Edited August 12, 2019 by Blackstar

[double talkin jive mfkr]

8 hours ago, Blackstar said:

I think Axl wouldn't have stayed in Indiana, regardless of Izzy. He would have left anyway, but most likely wouldn't have had the career he had. And I think the same goes for each one of the GnR guys.

Axl didn't stay in L.A. right away after the first time he went there to find Izzy, in 1981. He tried other cities until he finally ended up in L.A. permanently in the end of 1982.

to me if GNR were going to do a movie it would start out and focus on axl and izzy's friendship in indiana and middle would be  to when Axl found each other in LA and the very ending would be the first jam session of the original 5 (there would be some parallel story telling on the other 3 on where they were at before that first jam but the main focus would be axl and izzy)

 

the ending credits would be the real present all original 5 jamming to 14 years and dust n bones

Edited August 12, 2019 by double talkin jive mfkr