Did we back the wrong horse in our support/belief of Axl over Slash?

[Rovim]

2 minutes ago, Powderfinger said:

It all goes back to that contract. I think that shows how Axl viewed the band. Slash left because he took a huff over the snake pit material being rejected by Axl, the direction of the record, and the general diva behaviour over the course of the Illusions tour. 

Slash left cause he thought he could come back cause he couldn't envision Gn'R going on without him imo. Maybe as a power play. I don't believe it was all on Axl and Slash was innocent of sabotaging what they had.

[Stiff Competition]

Yeah picking a side was always stupid. I saw VR 14 times, slash solo a ton and Axl 4 times in 2006 and once in 2011 but hated DJ so stopped with GNR after that.…plus Adler shows here and there. 
 

I’m a GNR and music fan. It’s not one or the other.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Stiff Competition

[kiwiguns]

Thankfully the individuals involved seemed to have all moved on, and it's all water under the bridge and has been since the reunion. 

Not sure why the fans have to continually rehash the past. 

If there were issues, then thats understandable, but why waste time on the past, compared to what the future may hold. 

Place yourselves in the shoes of the individuals involved. 

Do any of you think the reunion would have lasted this long, if those individuals had not reconciled there past differences. 

There is no need to take sides as fans, when that doesn't exist amongst the individuals themselves within the band at this correct point in time.

Why focus on Axl versus Slash or any other band member, when all seem happy, comfortable and at ease each other. 

The original topic is all based on us choosing a side. 

How about we just be Guns N Roses fans..

Edited December 8, 2021 by kiwiguns

[Mikey Whipwreck]

12 hours ago, Draguns said:

Before the reunion, Steven Tyler said that there was something very deep and personal regarding the feud of Axl and Slash. I believe this was the case as well.  I think it was more complicate than just a change in musical direction.

Not disagreeing that it eventually reached that point but that was after the breakup. 

Axl admitted he cried tears of rage when Slash quit. And things festered from there because he felt abandoned and betrayed. And I'm sure Slash felt insulted that Axl was moving forward with the name. They both had people in their camps painting the other as the devil. Not to mention all the lawsuits. 

But it's very clear Axl didn't want Slash to quit and was deeply hurt when he did. Even in 2001 he was quoted as saying he had 3 songs on CD he'd like Slash to play on if he would publicly apologize for past comments he made to the press.

Fast forward to 2009, Slash had become a "cancer" in his eyes even though they hadn't spoken directly since the 90s.

[moreblack]

It wasn't even about backing any horse, the songs and the output volume spoke for itself. Axl had the band name, limitless budget and an all star hired musician cast and producers team. 

Slash had to start over from ground 0 with virtually nothing.

[Bitchisback]

I like both of them. I've always been intrigued about what Axl was doing and love many of the Chinese Democracy songs but Slash has been putting together a great cataloge of music himself.  

 

They are such an iconic duo

[Free Bird]

12 hours ago, Powderfinger said:

It all goes back to that contract. I think that shows how Axl viewed the band. Slash left because he took a huff over the snake pit material being rejected by Axl, the direction of the record, and the general diva behaviour over the course of the Illusions tour. 

Exactly, not because he thought he could make it on his own. It was the Paul Huge/Sympathy For The Devil thing, Axl's absence for rehearsals and songwriting sessions and most of all the downgrading of Slash and Duff by quitting the band to reform a new one as the only leader.

[History2010]

16 hours ago, kiwiguns said:

Do any of you think the reunion would have lasted this long, if those individuals had not reconciled there past differences. 

Some people in the fanbase still believe they hate each other and only reunited for the money. They need to understand that just because some bands work like that, it doesn't mean that is how GN'R is. There is legitimate chemistry between the big three, we've seen it on stage and off.  The problems of the past have been settled and everyone has moved on.   

[mingsubu]

20 hours ago, kiwiguns said:

 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by mingsubu

[denin]

I recall that on a certain other Guns forum the polarization between Axl & Slash became toxic after the release of Contraband. It felt stupid and unnecessary then, and is obviously the same at hindsight.

[BangoSkank]

The only sad thing about them resolving their issues is it makes me doubt we'll get a book from Axl - something I've always wanted. 

He's said he's tried, but either found it too depressing or that he hasn't figured out a way to do it without calling everyone a liar. At this point he probably doesn't want to rip any wounds open. Shame. 

[WhazUp]

On 12/8/2021 at 1:03 AM, kiwiguns said:

 

Not sure why the fans have to continually rehash the past. 

 

Dude, this is a band that has only released two songs that were written in 1999, since 2008 lol compared to GNR themselves, the fans ourselves are not really that far behind regarding that past

[GnR Chris]

On 12/7/2021 at 7:53 AM, allwaystired said:

Probably what we're dealing with here alongside the idea of 'backing' is that most of us have just become insanely disappointed with Axl over the years. All that promise, potential and.......nothing.

I think, as a fan, you'd be hard pushed to be anything other than disappointed really. Given what was going on in 2001 I'd never have dreamed we'd be heading into 2022 with so little being achieved (taking aside the reunion of course....which was obviously fantastic, but has now also settled into a rut). 

I think a lot of us bought in totally to what Axl was saying in the early 2000s and his desire to be a forward thinking artist, release lots of interesting albums, etc etc. For pretty much none of it to happen, and for the focus to become virtually entirely nostalgia......that's going to hurt! 

This reflects my thoughts, pretty much. It isn’t about Slash vs. Axl to me. 

In the movie A Bronx Tale, the character Sonny tells the kid, “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever.”

Even if Axl had released multiple records that were viewed as mediocre by some, you could be satisfied as a fan with the notion that he put it all on the table. Some people even now will say they don’t care about new GNR music because “it won’t be as good as Appetite” or “it will tarnish their legacy” but these statements are equally ridiculous. To me there’s nothing worse than being purely a nostalgia act. However, there’s also nothing wrong with a musician enjoying performing vs creating. That doesn’t make someone less of an artist. There are some people who prefer acting vs writing the script. 

[GnR Chris]

On 12/8/2021 at 12:02 AM, Powderfinger said:

I didn’t back any horse, but the original GnR had songwriting chemistry. All Axl’s baby’s were elevated by Slash. Axl forgot that and thought he could drive it forward alone. 

I disagree here. Axl took on the responsibility of keeping GNR alive after every core member left. Whether Axl had a hand in driving them away is irrelevant to the point though. I don’t think Axl’s vision included wresting control of the name in an effort to drive everyone away so he can have total control. I honestly just think that they inevitably all had very different creative ideas about where to take GNR next.

[GnR Chris]

On 12/8/2021 at 12:51 PM, moreblack said:

It wasn't even about backing any horse, the songs and the output volume spoke for itself. Axl had the band name, limitless budget and an all star hired musician cast and producers team. 

Slash had to start over from ground 0 with virtually nothing.

While the GNR name is certainly a brand that generates interest and revenue, Slash was popular in his own right and he worked the media in the ensuing years after the split to become even more popular, and certainly a media darling.  Saying he had virtually nothing when he quit GNR is disingenuous. He eventually formed a “supergroup” including former members of GNR and Scott Weiland. A band some fans considered “more GNR” than the actual GNR of that time period. 

[allwaystired]

2 hours ago, GnR Chris said:

This reflects my thoughts, pretty much. It isn’t about Slash vs. Axl to me. 

In the movie A Bronx Tale, the character Sonny tells the kid, “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever.”

Even if Axl had released multiple records that were viewed as mediocre by some, you could be satisfied as a fan with the notion that he put it all on the table. Some people even now will say they don’t care about new GNR music because “it won’t be as good as Appetite” or “it will tarnish their legacy” but these statements are equally ridiculous. To me there’s nothing worse than being purely a nostalgia act. However, there’s also nothing wrong with a musician enjoying performing vs creating. That doesn’t make someone less of an artist. There are some people who prefer acting vs writing the script. 

Couldn't agree more.....and for a band with the talent, ability and (early) passion of GNR to settle themselves so comfortably into being purely nostalgia is a crying shame. 

I get that some people doubtless enjoy hearing the same songs over and over forever and wishing they were 17 again, but, to me at least, I hoped GNR were better than that. 

I continue to believe they are....hence my visits here and my hope that things will change. 

 

 

[lost un the jungle]

On 12/6/2021 at 5:20 AM, Towelie said:

The more music Slash puts out, the more I think GNR fans collectively backed the wrong horse in obsessing over Axl from the late 90s to present day. It is beyond obvious to me in 2021 that Axl was luckier to have Slash than the other way round. 

You may not love everything Slash puts out, but his body of work combining the Snakepit albums, VR albums, SMKC and his 2010 offering really puts Axl to shame. 

In the six years since the reunion Axl has released just two songs, both more than 20 years old - one of which we've known for two decades, meanwhile Slash is on his second album with his real band. 

Axl really hasn't earnt his stripes to be taken seriously as an artist in his own right, unlike Slash. 

Axl Rose appears not to have a creative bone in his body and is coasting on a legacy which he was given way too much credit for over the years. His lack of productivity speaks volumes about who the true driving force was in original Guns, and I really believe that Axl was incredibly fortunate to have been in a band with Slash and Izzy. 

It really is time for the fanbase to stop looking at Axl through rose-tinted glasses. A great singer/frontman in his prime? Absolutely. But a serious artist/songwriter/musician he is not.

The real truth is that only a hundred people on this forum want new music, 99% want classics. Take a look to other bands, even if they put out new music people only want old classics. Sad but true.

[Tom2112]

20 minutes ago, lost un the jungle said:

The real truth is that only a hundred people on this forum want new music, 99% want classics. Take a look to other bands, even if they put out new music people only want old classics. Sad but true.

In a live situation the majority, outside of a fanclub gig will always want the classics.... that does not mean that writing new music is a pointless endeavour and that people aren't excited about new songs (beyond this forum). 

[Free Bird]

 

1 hour ago, lost un the jungle said:

The real truth is that only a hundred people on this forum want new music, 99% want classics. Take a look to other bands, even if they put out new music people only want old classics. Sad but true.

Of course there are people who wanna hear the classics especially on a live setting but I believe that there are enough rock fans out there who wanna listen to good new songs.

This kind of music isn't mainstream anymore but it's not dead at all.

[WhazUp]

On 12/9/2021 at 2:36 AM, denin said:

I recall that on a certain other Guns forum the polarization between Axl & Slash became toxic after the release of Contraband. It felt stupid and unnecessary then, and is obviously the same at hindsight.

I remember I think it was around 2009 and 2010, things got super polarized even more.  Idk if anyone remembers the era of a small faction of Axl fans calling Slash "$la$h" around the time of his Superbowl cameo, but that era of GNR forum-going was a pain in the ass sometimes lol

I just remember a ton of old forum personalities who have been long since banned from many of these GNR forums, perpetuating all that (anyone remember Volcano? )

[Tomek1985]

No.

[Tomek1985]

39 minutes ago, WhazUp said:

Idk if anyone remembers the era of a small faction of Axl fans calling Slash "$la$h"

Wow, remember that. Im here from 2005 and it was the hardest from it all around here. Its really really easy to be a fan from 2015 onward. Belive me "new ones"😀

Edited December 11, 2021 by Tomek1985

[Gordon Comstock]

1 hour ago, WhazUp said:

(anyone remember Volcano? )

 

He was basically this caller:

 

That conversation perfectly represents the forums around 2010

[Draguns]

3 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

He was basically this caller:

 

That conversation perfectly represents the forums around 2010

Speaking about wasting talent, Opie & Anthony are up on that list. My college buddies and I used to listen to them in college.  From my understanding, Opie, Anthony and Jim Norton are no longer speaking to each other.  Sorry about derailing the thread. I had to comment since  I used to like these guys back in the day. 

[Free Bird]

6 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

He was basically this caller:

 

That conversation perfectly represents the forums around 2010

Yeah there was a time you were getting attacked by those people if you had something negative to tell about Axl or something positiv about Slash. They had more excuses for anything Axl did, than Axl himself 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Free Bird