Final day of rehearsals

[Blackstar]

1 hour ago, RussTCB said:

So you agree that the majority of fans tried to be supportive of TB. Since we agree on that, I'm still curious how that justifies TBs open disdain for GN'R fans. 

I think we all agree that TB have been terrible at the communication with the fans (at least the online communication, because I don't know how they conduct themselves when they meet fans in person) and at communication in general. No one can contest that.

However, the negative opinions on them have gone way beyond the justified criticism on them being condescending to the fans and on the other things where it's due, e.g. the silly merch (which I personally don't care about since I'd never buy any merch anyway, but I understand why other fans find it so annoying). There's this deeply ingrained perception among a large portion of the fanbase - and I wonder how it started - that everything starts and ends with TB, that they call all the shots, and so they're to blame for everything that has been wrong with this band, from the lack of new music to whatever else. They're painted - not so much on this forum as in other places - as these villainous caricatures and evil masters of puppets who control even Axl's computer and phone, etc. I think that maybe this perception, even if it started from a minority in the fanbase and then expanded to a lot more fans, has made them even more openly hostile to the fans in general - and that goes back to their poor communication.

Speaking of the communication, I was looking at the band's social media from 2010 (because we're working on that year at a4d) and randomly at some posts from the years after that, and I was surprised to see that they were more ... personable? compared to how they've been since the reunion. I don't know if it was someone else who handled their social media then (I also don't know if there were controversial or rude posts that have since been deleted), but they sometimes replied to fans' questions (e.g. about the General, where they gave the information that it had been played at shows as an intro) and they even shared bootlegs. I also watched Brando's podcast with Rick, and Rick said that once Fernando gave him batteries for his phone so that he could live-stream the show. So that means that they weren't always against bootlegs and fanmade videos, right?  I'm genuinely asking, because that doesn't add up to the idea that they've been actively behind the video takedowns - it rather suggests that they just don't care if videos are taken down, because they now loath the fanbase.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Blackstar

[adamsapple]

1 hour ago, Axeli said:

Oh man. I almost forgot this. Did they really delete all the good live videos from youtube? And fan made musicvideos? Last year I saw great Axl/Dc full show video but cant find it anymore. 

They did, not all but a lot of them. I could see their point to some degree if those NITL selects were top notch performances and HQ audio getting you excited about upcoming shows, but what they did was basically providing a million reasons to NOT go and see the band. And it's not like the entire NITL sucked, for example Houston 2016 was really good but they even fucked that one up with the soundmix on the selects.

I can't wrap my head around the stupidity of all that, it's 2021, no one watches TV anymore. People watch YouTube, especially when it comes to music. So people have top stuff like the classic videos and iconic live performances like Freddie Mercury tribute, plus Axl's lineup totaly killing it at Rock in Rio and in Germany. And what do they do? Replace the finest business cards of the current lineup with some notes scribbled on a piece of toilet paper.

Never ever erase any video from there unless it is truly hurting your business or copyright. Period. YT is today's MTV. The only way to "control" the public image there is to provide the best content yourself on your own channel. But GNR didn't get that memo.

Stupid fucking idiots, all of them.

Edited July 29, 2021 by adamsapple

[RussTCB]

14 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

I think we all agree that TB have been terrible at the communication with the fans (at least the online communication, because I don't know how they conduct themselves when they meet fans in person) and at communication in general. No one can contest that.

However, the negative opinions on them have gone way beyond the justified criticism on them being condescending to the fans and on the other things where it's due, e.g. the silly merch (which I personally don't care about since I'd never buy any merch anyway, but I understand why other fans find it so annoying). There's this deeply ingrained perception among a large portion of the fanbase - and I wonder how it started - that everything starts and ends with TB, that they call all the shots, and so they're to blame for everything that has been wrong with this band, from the lack of new music to whatever else. They're painted - not so much on this forum as in other places - as these villainous caricatures and evil masters of puppets who control even Axl's computer and phone, etc. I think that maybe this perception, even if it started from a minority in the fanbase and then expanded to a lot more fans, has made them even more openly hostile to the fans in general - and that goes back to their poor communication.

Speaking of the communication, I was looking at the band's social media from 2010 (because we're working on that year at a4d) and randomly at some posts from the years after that, and I was surprised to see that they were more ... personable? compared to how they've been since the reunion. I don't know if it was someone else who handled their social media then (I also don't know if there were controversial or rude posts that have since been deleted), but they sometimes replied to fans' questions (e.g. about the General, where they gave the information that it had been played at shows as an intro) and they even shared bootlegs. I also watched Brando's podcast with Rick, and Rick said that once Fernando gave him batteries for his phone so that he could live-stream the show. So that means that they weren't always against bootlegs and fanmade videos, right?

I'm genuinely asking in an effort to understand.

You said it yourself..... "until the reunion" 

So, when they absolutely needed the die hard fans to make money, they were somewhat nice. 

As soon as that NITL reunion money started rolling in, boom, die hards to the curb while they have fun counting money from casual fans. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by RussTCB

[Blackstar]

9 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

You said it yourself..... "until the reunion" 

So, when they absolutely needed the die hard fans to make money, they were somewhere nice. 

As soon as that NITL reunion money started rolling in, boom, die hards to the curb while they have fun counting money from casual fans. 

So it's just that, then? Because, from what I've gathered, a lot of  fans already had issues with them (and the perception I described) before the reunion - not you and the admins of this forum, but many others had.

[RussTCB]

1 minute ago, Blackstar said:

So it's just that, then? Because, from what I've gathered, a lot of  fans already had issues with them (and the perception I described) before the reunion - not you and the admins of this forum, but many others had.

Sure, some people had a problem with TB prior to the reunion but far from the majority of fans/forum members. 

The greater majority of forum members were indifferent to TB. Many were positive / nice toward them and a few were negative. Things really went south once they (TB) started openly insulting and lying to the die hard fan base. 

To say that TBs attitude towards the die bards is a reaction to widespread hostility towards them is just plain false. 

The hostility from the die hard fan base is absolutely the result of TBs disdain for them and not the other way around. 

Many people, myself included made many attempts to repair this. It was, and continues to be, made clear that TB has absolutely no interest in that. 

Due to all of the reasons above, we're where we are now. 

[BlueJean Baby]

I contacted Fernando and gave him an opportunity to do a Q&A on my discord server, telling him that they were losing longtime fans and they are the ones who buy tickets and box sets. I gave him several options to choose from such as a private voice chat with only selected fans or one with just me asking questions given to me by members, so that he would not have to deal with trolls. I told him that he could come and clear the air with the fans. He replied quickly saying he was going to get some things off his schedule and that he wanted to take me up on my offer. I followed up twice, that was 6 weeks ago and I have not heard back from him. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by BlueJean Baby

[Joraz]

Was it really final day of rehearsal if they are there at the venue now? Also no sign of Axl there hey? Not a good indication from the past weeks rehearsals

[Bitchisback]

10 minutes ago, Joraz said:

Was it really final day of rehearsal if they are there at the venue now? Also no sign of Axl there hey? Not a good indication from the past weeks rehearsals

Love how you can tell Axl isn't there by 8 seconds of Meegan panning a low quality video on her insta. 

[Joraz]

1 minute ago, Bitchisback said:

Love how you can tell Axl isn't there by 8 seconds of Meegan panning a low quality video on her insta. 

Chill man geez im one of the more optimistic ones who strongly believes we will hear hard school. Im just saying i didnt see him on the vid calm mate calm

[Sosso]

43 minutes ago, Joraz said:

Was it really final day of rehearsal if they are there at the venue now? Also no sign of Axl there hey? Not a good indication from the past weeks rehearsals

Yes, it was. They are there for the soundcheck. 

 

They don't need Axl for a soundcheck. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Sosso

[MaskingApathy]

1 hour ago, Joraz said:

Was it really final day of rehearsal if they are there at the venue now? Also no sign of Axl there hey? Not a good indication from the past weeks rehearsals

This thread was started on Monday which was the final day of rehearsal.

[Sosso]

Just now, MaskingApathy said:

This thread was started on Monday which was the final day of rehearsal.

Correct. There is a difference between rehearsals and soundchecks.

[PatrickS77]

33 minutes ago, Sosso said:

Correct. There is a difference between rehearsals and soundchecks.

Yeah. But then again, today is thursday, the show is saturday. That's mighty early for a regular soundcheck.

[Sosso]

4 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

Yeah. But then again, today is thursday, the show is saturday. That's mighty early for a regular soundcheck.

That's a question for the management

[adamsapple]

rehearsal = practicing songs/parts/transitions

soundcheck = adjusting levels, monitors and stuff at the venue

Edited July 30, 2021 by adamsapple

[MaskingApathy]

27 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

Yeah. But then again, today is thursday, the show is saturday. That's mighty early for a regular soundcheck.

It's more for the crew to make sure everything is in order, and the band can run through some things on the big stage. Especially after having been off the road for over a year it's better to get there early and make sure everything is in order.

[Bitchisback]

1 hour ago, Joraz said:

Chill man geez im one of the more optimistic ones who strongly believes we will hear hard school. Im just saying i didnt see him on the vid calm mate calm

Regardless Meegan just posted an image of the stage and you can see Axl singing on one or the left screen.  So he is there and practicing.

Kinda looks like they might be doing a test run thru the show

[Gimpy Hewitt]

Just saw a pic of Axl at soundcheck, bigger than ever....

[mystery]

4 minutes ago, Gimpy Hewitt said:

Just saw a pic of Axl at soundcheck, bigger than ever....

Can you post the pic?

[Gordon Comstock]

3 minutes ago, Gimpy Hewitt said:

Just saw a pic of Axl at soundcheck, bigger than ever....

 

Hard to tell but yea he looks about the same as 2019-20, bowl cut and all.

[mystery]

There goes a lot of my intrigue then. I honestly have more fun thinking up hypotheticals about the 90s than today.

There's a Woodstock 99 documentary that came out. Guns n Roses were asked to perform but declined.

I'm wondering what a setlist for them would look like in July 1999 knowing what we know now about the leaks.

[darkside259]

14 minutes ago, Gimpy Hewitt said:

Just saw a pic of Axl at soundcheck, bigger than ever....

britney spears-toxic

[MaskingApathy]

9 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

Hard to tell but yea he looks about the same as 2019-20, bowl cut and all.

Probably sounds more or less the same too. I wouldn't expect any different.

[PatrickS77]

1 hour ago, MaskingApathy said:

It's more for the crew to make sure everything is in order, and the band can run through some things on the big stage. Especially after having been off the road for over a year it's better to get there early and make sure everything is in order.

Yes. But the band wouldn't really be needed for that. Them having rehearsed and all. And yet they're there. So much for them not caring. And who knows, maybe Axl will show up too, so his first time back is not at the show. 

Edit: Oh, he actually really does. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by PatrickS77

[MaskingApathy]

Just now, PatrickS77 said:

Yes. But the band wouldn't really be needed for that. I'm having reheaesed and all. And yet they're there. So much for them not caring. And who knows, maybe Axl will show up too, so his first time back is not at the show. 

Yes they are needed, because they need to make sure their monitor mixes are ok (among other things).