Jump to content

Axl's method of writing


Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, jamillos said:

That's an example of this particular song, doesn't necessarily apply to all. I remember reading something where he was talking about Coma and how the ending verses just spurted out of him all in one sitting.

How's Coma different from Estranged, then? A big chunk of a song comes up to him overnight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, denin said:

Axl on Estranged, RS 1989

There’s also a song tentatively titled “Without You.” Last night, I wrote a whole new intro to that. It just appeared out of nowhere, like the verses – just little pieces that have come whole.

How do you write complete songs from separate bits and pieces?
They’ll just show up. I keep them on file in my brain and then add them together. Like, I’ll be brushing my teeth and all of a sudden a prechorus will come, and I won’t know why. Then a bridge came about a year ago. Six months ago another part came. Last night a whole intro came. When I was writing it, I wasn’t planning on putting it with this song, but all of a sudden it just flowed.

So bits come in six-month intervals while he's doing something else. No wonder it takes.

So he's not really writing. He just sits around and waits until something comes. Yeah, that does explain the 15 years it took for CD to be finished and why we're still years from a new GNR album.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

So he's not really writing. He just sits around and waits until something comes. Yeah, that does explain the 15 years it took for CD to be finished and why we're still years from a new GNR album.

it's not like there is just one way for writing a song for any songwriter, I don't think. It's unpredictable so sometimes I'm guessing it just comes to him and other times you work at it, trying different things until it sounds "right" or feels good. Kinda like fishing.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For sure, there's more than one way. But those moments of epiphany are often described by songwriters. Furthermore, Nick Cave has spoken about how he got serious with it. He rented a workspace for writing and started hammering out lyrics, the way a novelist would write a book. At first, the stuff was atrocious to him. Yet, over time, routine stepped in and he found himself able to control the flow, so to say.

What Cave did requires discipline, tho. Axl barely even rehearses for tours, so I have my doubts about him desiring to harness his craft better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, denin said:

What Cave did requires discipline, tho. Axl barely even rehearses for tours, so I have my doubts about him desiring to harness his craft better.

Yes. I guess that's my point. Some work on it and are disciplined. Others wait until the inspiration hits them. Obviously there are many ways to write a song. And all valid. But when you don't have the discipline to push through, even if it means wrecking your brain to come up with something, it may take years until you have something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

Yes. I guess that's my point. Some work on it and are disciplined. Others wait until the inspiration hits them. Obviously there are many ways to write a song. And all valid. But when you don't have the discipline to push through, even if it means wrecking your brain to come up with something, it may take years until you have something.

but you don't know that Axl doesn't have the discipline to work at it. I believe it's unlikely or at least very rare for a songwriter to rely on days when it just comes to you. Most of the time it's not like that for most songwriters imo. Axl worked years on November Rain for example and moved in the studio to work on UYI. We don't know what the status is now, but at least at some point he had the discipline and my guess is he worked very hard on Chinese Democracy as well. You can be lazy some of the time and still have the discipline to work with a concentrated effort on shit when you feel like it.

Edited by Rovim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, Rovim said:

but you don't know that Axl doesn't have the discipline to work at it. I believe it's unlikely or at least very rare for a songwriter to rely on days when it just comes to you. Most of the time it's not like that for most songwriters imo. Axl worked years on November Rain for example and moved in the studio to work on UYI. We don't know what the status is now, but at least at some point he had the discipline and my guess is he worked very hard on Chinese Democracy as well. You can be lazy some of the time and still have the discipline to work with a concentrated effort on shit when you feel like it.

Geez. Do we really have to discuss this now? It was a flippant remark. But given his output in the past 30 years, it suggests that he isn't very disciplined/productive and leans more towards the lazy side. But really, both of us don't know and so I really don't need to discuss this, since none of us really knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, PatrickS77 said:

Geez. Do we really have to discuss this now? It was a flippant remark. But given his output in the past 30 years, it suggests that he isn't very disciplined/productive and leans more towards the lazy side. But really, both of us don't know and so I really don't need to discuss this, since none of us really knows.

I felt the need to discuss it because it's not as black and white as you made it out to be with your remark. Like there are only 2 types of songwriters but whatever, have a nice day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Rovim said:

I felt the need to discuss it because it's not as black and white as you made it out to be with your remark. Like there are only 2 types of songwriters but whatever, have a nice day.

Yes. Maybe he has bursts of productiveness and discipline in between all the laziness. ;) But his output and everything else we know about him, doesn't really suggest that. Have a nice day too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, denin said:

How's Coma different from Estranged, then? A big chunk of a song comes up to him overnight.

Yeah I meant the final part is the major portion of the song. Sure, he may write in chunks, but that doesn't mean some of the (shorter?) things couldn't have been written within some short time. My point is, a single song example does not really tell us anything, especially such a monster as Estranged. 

Edited by jamillos
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/21/2022 at 9:19 AM, axl666 said:

Is there any info. out there on how Axl works on music and lyrics? For example, does he work or experiment in the studio, at home, does he write his lyrics out long hand or by computer? And how does he come up with melodies?

I recall speaking with Beta several years ago about how Axl will spend a lot of time on his piano in his home.  At some point during the day he'll move to his studio and I would assume record anything that might have stayed with him.  This was around 2014/2015.

How much of his time he devotes to coming up with new material on the piano wasn't clear.  Perhaps he just enjoys playing songs written by other people.  I don't know.  I did get the impression that this was something he did or does fairly often.  Daily? Not sure.  

But as a piano player myself, I think it's clear that he takes a similar approach to songwriting as someone like Elton John.  A lot of Axl's most notable songs (Estranged, November Rain, etc.) are usually structured around a piano chord progression that also functions as a percussion.  My guess is he spends time working on a chord progression he's discovered while playing and starts to sing a melody line over top.  He might already have some lyrics written and uses them as the basis of a melody and reverse engineers the chord structure.  I'm sure he has melody or instrumental hooks pop into his head at random moments and he sits down on a piano to map things out.

For the guitar-driven songs, he likely takes what his guitarists gives him and plays around with different melody lines, most likely without lyrics at first and then fills in the words later on.

There are numerous ways songwriters approach the craft so all of this is speculation on my part.  

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...