Ex-Guns N' Roses Manager Has Theory About Why There Aren't More GNR Albums

[SoulMonster]

Just now, default_ said:

Well, even if Izzy wasnt there for the production of the records, he still helped to writte most of the UYI songs, after they had the goods, it was easy to just go and produce them. Would UYIs be half as good had Izzy left straight after the release of Lies? 

As I said, Izzy is a gifted song-writer and having him as a member would definitely result in some great songs. I don't think anyone is denying that (unless people happen to dislike everything he has written, an I doubt anyone like that exists). My point was that he isn't required for the band to write good songs, nor is he required for the band to manage to release said songs.

[Voodoochild]

30 minutes ago, default_ said:

 Would UYIs be half as good had Izzy left straight after the release of Lies and didnt help on the writting for UYIs?

The best songs in the UYIs to me were not written by Izzy, so yes. It would still be a good album. Maybe even more streamlined. 

[soon]

9 minutes ago, Voodoochild said:

The best songs in the UYIs to me were not written by Izzy, so yes. It would still be a good album. Maybe even more streamlined. 

Theres some bangers for sure. And on some of those Izzys contributions really help bring them to full glory, just as Axl and Slash do for Izzy tunes. Dead Horse comes to mind, an Axl track. The old school rock n roll rhythm guitar in the verses and solo is so good imo and thats Izzy 

[Voodoochild]

22 minutes ago, soon said:

Theres some bangers for sure. And on some of those Izzys contributions really help bring them to full glory, just as Axl and Slash do for Izzy tunes. Dead Horse comes to mind, an Axl track. The old school rock n roll rhythm guitar in the verses and solo is so good imo and thats Izzy 

No doubt about it. I think Izzy's work in Don't Damn Me and Perfect Crime are as good as what he played in Rocket Queen. 

[NeonKinight]

Axl has contractual issues that "prohibits" him from releasing anything until 2025.
 

[Tom-Ass]

4 hours ago, DieselDaisy said:

The last time GN'R released any new material was 1991 with Stradlin. Since then they have released solo albums, Rose's Chinese turkey, and bits and bobs, some good, some not so, yet the hypothesis that Duff, Slash and Rose can write something of quality post-Stradlin is thus far unproven and remains just that: a hypothesis. 

Yup.. 29 years later

[Blackstar]

That GnR released only one album of original material since Izzy left is a fact that can't be disputed. However, the "Nu" era during which only CD was released was a totally different incarnation of the band and, by this logic, the same argument could be made for the absence of Slash and even Duff. The reasons Axl didn't release more music in that era, even though music was created (regardless of whether one likes the musical direction or not), is a whole other discussion.

So the only period that actually counts for the "no Izzy --> GnR are unable to make new music" argument is 1991-1996  - 1993-1996 in particular, i.e. after the band stopped touring. I think Izzy's absence was a factor then, not only as far as songwriting goes, but also because his departure changed the band's inner dynamics, balance and relationships  (it has to be taken into account, though, that Izzy had started phasing out in 1989 already, at the time the actual writing process for UYI was just starting, and he had written the songs he contributed to UYI before that). But it is unfounded to say that it was the factor. There were many other factors, with an important one being, in my opinion, that Axl and Slash didn't really give themselves and each other a chance to sit and write music together or write on each other's songs, like they had done before.

Then there is, of course, the 2016-present period, but we have to wait and see...

-----------

As for why Izzy phased out and eventually left the band in the first place, it was for a combination of reasons which can't be summed up with just "he left because of Axl", as it's often - very simplistically - suggested on here. 

Edited February 13, 2020 by Blackstar

[rocknroll41]

Didn’t they even try to bring Izzy back in 1995? And that’s where Down By The Ocean came from?

[Blackstar]

Just now, rocknroll41 said:

Didn’t they even try to bring Izzy back in 1995? And that’s where Down By The Ocean came from?

Yes, it was initiated by Duff, and he and Izzy made some demos in 1995 including Down By The Ocean. Then Izzy reconnected separately with Slash (during his tour with Snakepit) and with Axl as well, but no writing occurred with either of them. But shortly after Axl and Izzy had another fallout for reasons that are unclear and most likely stupid (after a conversation over why Izzy had originally left, according to Izzy) and Izzy disappeared again.

[GnR Chris]

15 hours ago, gnfnrs1972 said:

I'm saying its laughable that people think he contributed so much to gnr's music or success. 

But if you can't tell already,  he is my least favorite. 

It really isn't laughable though. It's a fact. The look of GNR? Izzy. Most of their biggest early hits? Izzy's fingerprints all over it. 

To dismiss his contributions is just so completely ignorant.

[El Guapo]

10 minutes ago, GnR Chris said:

It really isn't laughable though. It's a fact. The look of GNR? Izzy. Most of their biggest early hits? Izzy's fingerprints all over it. 

To dismiss his contributions is just so completely ignorant.

Izzy brought the cool. Music and style wise. Not everybody gets it, don't bother.

[double talkin jive mfkr]

8 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

As I said, Izzy is a gifted song-writer and having him as a member would definitely result in some great songs. I don't think anyone is denying that (unless people happen to dislike everything he has written, an I doubt anyone like that exists). My point was that he isn't required for the band to write good songs, nor is he required for the band to manage to release said songs.

time would prove otherwise what have them 3 done since him as GNR ? NADA señor 

[SoulMonster]

5 minutes ago, double talkin jive mfkr said:

time would prove otherwise what have them 3 done since him as GNR ? NADA señor 

Well, Axl has released Chinese Democracy and helped write a bunch of other songs and Slash has released lots of records and collaborated with everything that breeds, and Duff has also done quite a bit and has starte to obtain a nice discography. So again, they don't need Izzy to write good songs (in my personal opinion) and they don't need him to release music. 

Again, this isn't a criticism of Izzy. A great song writer and a player with feel. Just not essential to good, released songs. 

Edit: I just noticed you meant them in GN'R. Well, they haven't been together for that many years since Izzy left. 1991-1996 and 2016-2020. Out of these 9 years, 6 were spent in busy touring. The remaining three years (1994-1996) the band fell apart. Hardly anything to do with Izzy's absence. 

Edited February 13, 2020 by SoulMonster

[Blackstar]

8 hours ago, NeonKinight said:

Axl has contractual issues that "prohibits" him from releasing anything until 2025.

This isn't accurate (I think we've gone through this discussion before  )

It's unknown where that deal is at right now, as we don't have the information. Probably, based on the information that is available (if it isn't dated) about the status of the deal, a lot of Axl's publishing royalties will go to UMG - that doesn't have anything to do with "prohibiting" him to release music, though.

[double talkin jive mfkr]

3 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Well, Axl has released Chinese Democracy and helped write a bunch of other songs and Slash has released lots of records and collaborated with everything that breeds, and Duff has also done quite a bit and has starte to obtain a nice discography. So again, they don't need Izzy to write good songs (in my personal opinion) and they don't need him to release music. 

Again, this isn't a criticism of Izzy. A great song writer and a player with feel. Just not essential to good, released songs. 

Edit: I just noticed you meant them in GN'R. Well, they haven't been together for that many years since Izzy left. 1991-1996 and 2016-2020. Out of these 9 years, 6 were spent in busy touring. The remaining three years (1994-1996) the band fell apart. Hardly anything to do with Izzy's absence. 

hahahahah ok 

[Chester 524]

kind of surprised noone has mentioned West Arkeen here.  I'd say he was really important to the sound of GNR.  Axl called him the sixth member. 

Edited February 14, 2020 by Chester 524

[Hollywood Gunner]

cant stand vicky hamilton and here she is again stating the obvious. she just annoys the fuck outta me... i mean shes right but they could have interviewed 9 outta 10 random people from this forum that woulda said the same thing.

im definitely not ruling out at least one izzy track on the next album. just because he couldnt be bothered with endless touring for probably the same amount they paid frank, doesnt mean he wont write some awesome shit that gains traction and gets him back in the lineup where he belongs 🤘

[2020_Intensions]

Does anybody remember when that GnR news YT channel interviewed her a few year back & she said to expect new Izzy music soon? Whatever happened to that? 

[double talkin jive mfkr]

Izzy's first ju ju's album would've surpassed the quality of UYI's if Axl had joined him on vocals, thats how good the album was, prob 3 songs at least would've been top GNR material

Duff's Believe in Me album was laughable at best and better than anything he did after 

5 o'clock was pretty bad and Axl was right, very one dimensional writing and still yet better than anything slash did after including VR minus Scott's fall to pieces which was GNR like quality 

CD was prob worst of all the solo efforts solely because of post production not really the writing there were a couple songs that could've been gems stripped down

so it's all irrelevant of what could've been they're all 10 times better when they are together and that would be original 5

Edited February 14, 2020 by double talkin jive mfkr

[Izzymacbeth]

Slash had to double up rhythms on Civil War and Locomotive and Axl played rhythm guitar on Shotgun Blues and West Arkeen on The Garden. 3 of those are great songs without any Izzy contributions. So theres that I guess. 

Izzy always plays amazing on their songs though and they always ride so much higher on Izzy's. It really is such a fucking shame that things couldn't be worked out with Izzy, Steve and Matt. I know the average Joe and a lot of hardcore fans are happy as fuck with the "reunion" but I'm gutted. 

It's STILL not Guns N' Roses for me. Those 7 guys inducted in 2012. That's Guns N' Roses.

[Tom-Ass]

9 hours ago, double talkin jive mfkr said:

Izzy's first ju ju's album would've surpassed the quality of UYI's if Axl had joined him on vocals, thats how good the album was, prob 3 songs at least would've been top GNR material

Duff's Believe in Me album was laughable at best and better than anything he did after 

5 o'clock was pretty bad and Axl was right, very one dimensional writing and still yet better than anything slash did after including VR minus Scott's fall to pieces which was GNR like quality 

CD was prob worst of all the solo efforts solely because of post production not really the writing there were a couple songs that could've been gems stripped down

so it's all irrelevant of what could've been they're all 10 times better when they are together and that would be original 5

 agree JuJu hounds was great...

I really liked Believe In Me at the time but it didn't age well aside from a few songs. 

I couldn't disagree more on 5 o'clock. I am not huge on a lot of the vocals but the songs and music are there for sure. Throw Axl in his prime on that album and holy shit..

I agree 100% on CD.. 

Now they are all past their prime.. Although I thought Living The Dream was the worst thing he ever released, I think Slash has the most potential only because there was some great guitar on WOF.  I have zero expectations for anything good out of Axl.  I don't see how Izzy's contributions could do anything but elevate the quality of any music they decide to release. 

[RussTCB]

15 hours ago, Blackstar said:

This isn't accurate (I think we've gone through this discussion before  )

It's unknown where that deal is at right now, as we don't have the information. Probably, based on the information that is available (if it isn't dated) about the status of the deal, a lot of Axl's publishing royalties will go to UMG - that doesn't have anything to do with "prohibiting" him to release music, though.

Thanks for clarifying. It still makes me laugh when these "insiders" make statements of their opinion or whatever they've made up, as fact. 

[double talkin jive mfkr]

2 hours ago, Tom-Ass said:

 agree JuJu hounds was great...

I really liked Believe In Me at the time but it didn't age well aside from a few songs. 

I couldn't disagree more on 5 o'clock. I am not huge on a lot of the vocals but the songs and music are there for sure. Throw Axl in his prime on that album and holy shit..

I agree 100% on CD.. 

Now they are all past their prime.. Although I thought Living The Dream was the worst thing he ever released, I think Slash has the most potential only because there was some great guitar on WOF.  I have zero expectations for anything good out of Axl.  I don't see how Izzy's contributions could do anything but elevate the quality of any music they decide to release. 

yeah i mean 5 oclock would've way better with axl, the singer he chose was shite so Juju's were way better, you put axl on that Juju album and it's a 60's stones calibre quality

[yourcrazy]

The fact is Axl has the most say and has been and will continue to be the reason why it takes 20 years for each album.  I really thought Slash and Duff would help streamline the process, but evidently not 

[RONIN]

Didn't Slash put Locomotive together in Izzy's house? Hard to imagine that Izzy wasn't involved at all in that process given the circumstances. 

Duff is an Axl Rose yes-man. He's in a competition with Del James now to see who can lick Axl's boot more.