Axl Rose Rant on Conan O' Brien - 2002

[Blackstar]

32 minutes ago, mystery said:

Its hard to tell because of the clothes like you said but he looked fine. The thing is that even though he reappeared publicly in 2001, 2002 was kind of his reintroduction into the mainstream.

The public by and large hadn't seen him since 1993 so the look, the band, and his voice were an adjustment.

I think some of the pictures from Rock in Rio had widely circulated and that's how it started (although he wasn't fat, he looked chubbier - especially in one picture where he was shirtless - than how people remembered him). And then it stuck, and the oversized clothes - as well as his overall appearance - in 2002 didn't help despite him being slimmer than in RIR.

[mystery]

7 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

I think some of the pictures from Rock in Rio had widely circulated and that's how it started (although he wasn't fat, he looked chubbier - especially in one picture where he was shirtless - than how people remembered him). And then it stuck, and the oversized clothes - as well as his overall appearance - in 2002 didn't help despite him being slimmer than in RIR.

You're right on that even though stuff like that didn't spread nearly as much as today. Probably the first thing people jumped on to hate Axl for with Slash out. Most people would've seen the band for the first time in a decade at the 2002 MTV VMAs.

I've said it before but something major must have happened between the Joint shows in December 2001 where he looked in great shape and August 2002.

[Rovim]

38 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

I think some of the pictures from Rock in Rio had widely circulated and that's how it started (although he wasn't fat, he looked chubbier - especially in one picture where he was shirtless - than how people remembered him). And then it stuck, and the oversized clothes - as well as his overall appearance - in 2002 didn't help despite him being slimmer than in RIR.

the worst picture of Axl from Rock In Rio 2001 was in the papers in my country. The media didn't need a reason to mock Axl, he wasn't liked back then. Conan seems to be a pretty big Slash fan and it was a low hanging fruit to mock Axl so I think he just went for it. Axl wasn't even fat in 2002, he seemed to be in a pretty good shape doing gym warmups on stage before performances.

Edited July 31, 2022 by Rovim

[jamillos]

He looked great, considering he was 39/40 in 2001/02. But since the last time these people saw him without a shirt was 10 years before that (i.e. in his 30 yrs), of course it was a bit of a change to them. And yeah, those who wanted to mock him would always find a reason. 

[mystery]

10 minutes ago, Rovim said:

the worst picture of Axl from Rock In Rio 2001 was in the papers in my country. The media took didn't need a reason to mock Axl, he wasn't liked back then. Conan seems to be a pretty big Slash fan and it was a low hanging fruit to mock Axl so I think he just went for it. Axl wasn't even fat in 2002, he seemed to be in a pretty good shape doing gym warmups on stage before performances.

I recall Slash making a few appearances on Conan in the 2000s. I feel like younger people don't realize that Axl was legit hated in the 2000s. The perception has shifted since Slash came back to nostalgia and he's kind of beloved now.

[Blackstar]

14 minutes ago, Rovim said:

the worst picture of Axl from Rock In Rio 2001 was in the papers in my country. The media took didn't need a reason to mock Axl, he wasn't liked back then. Conan seems to be a pretty big Slash fan and it was a low hanging fruit to mock Axl so I think he just went for it. Axl wasn't even fat in 2002, he seemed to be in a pretty good shape doing gym warmups on stage before performances.

Even Izzy had commented on those RIR pictures: 

Didn't you listen to something of new Guns N' Roses?

Izzy: No, I just saw a report on them in Q, in England. There was a photograph where Axl was not really to his advantage, he was large and puffed up. I hope that that sounds better than it looks.

https://www.a-4-d.com/t4708-2001-06-dd-guitar-bass-france-izzy-top

[Blackstar]

Another one:

In a review of the Leeds show in 2002, NME wrote: "Axl looks as big as a house, complete with bandana and dreadlock wig befitting a man so ridiculous. Meanwhile Buckethead tries to outslash Slash at every corner, and though they're little more than Axl Rose's mobile disco by now it's still attached to a juggernaut. His screech is still as blood-curdling as ever and if you squint it could be 1991."

To which Axl responded a few days later:

Axl: I wanna say that I learned that I'm as big as a house. So I think I'm owed some rent money. I think that there’s a little pussy-ass writer over at NME that owes me some rent money for living inside my ass! Just playing around... This is 'Live And Let Die. [London Arena, London, England, August 26, 2002]

[Georgina Arriaga]

39 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

Another one:

In a review of the Leeds show in 2002, NME wrote: "Axl looks as big as a house, complete with bandana and dreadlock wig befitting a man so ridiculous. Meanwhile Buckethead tries to outslash Slash at every corner, and though they're little more than Axl Rose's mobile disco by now it's still attached to a juggernaut. His screech is still as blood-curdling as ever and if you squint it could be 1991."

To which Axl responded a few days later:

Axl: I wanna say that I learned that I'm as big as a house. So I think I'm owed some rent money. I think that there’s a little pussy-ass writer over at NME that owes me some rent money for living inside my ass! Just playing around... This is 'Live And Let Die. [London Arena, London, England, August 26, 2002]

Why no more of those delicious answers? I love them all

[Ratam]

Axl is "big as house".... my question is: as many rooms had it house.... 

[Nintari]

1 hour ago, Blackstar said:

I think some of the pictures from Rock in Rio had widely circulated and that's how it started (although he wasn't fat, he looked chubbier - especially in one picture where he was shirtless - than how people remembered him). And then it stuck, and the oversized clothes - as well as his overall appearance - in 2002 didn't help despite him being slimmer than in RIR.

If he hadn't been as skinny as a rail during 80's and early 90's and then disappeared for almost ten years, people wouldn't have said Axl was fat when he played Rio3. It was only in comparison to his prime (basically anorexic looking) that he seemed so big. 

Edited July 31, 2022 by Nintari

[NostalgicRock]

The hate for 2002 axl was really stupid, the dude 10 years ago was frontman for the biggest band in the world. People just forget what you achieved and bat out insults as soon as they see you're not at the top no more.

[Jakey Styley]

If they thought he was fat then….

[sackxl]

On 7/28/2022 at 1:53 PM, Blackstar said:

That was a good one, too (probably in response to comments on fan forums ):

Axl (introducing the band): My name is Fat Bastard and these are the Yes Men.  [Target Center, Minneapolis, USA, November 14, 2002]

Finck got blown by Manson onstage so I guess he is the ultimate yes man.....I always thought some favors must have been done for him to get in GNR as bad as he is on guitar.

[Rovim]

8 minutes ago, sackxl said:

Finck got blown by Manson onstage so I guess he is the ultimate yes man.....I always thought some favors must have been done for him to get in GNR as bad as he is on guitar.

it's all about emotion with Robin. A very soulful player. Doesn't have the chops/technique that Slash got, but he is creative as fuck and his melodies are brilliant imo. There are many types of good guitar players, but sure, go ahead and focus on blowjobs he has received.

[mystery]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:16 AM, NostalgicRock said:

The hate for 2002 axl was really stupid, the dude 10 years ago was frontman for the biggest band in the world. People just forget what you achieved and bat out insults as soon as they see you're not at the top no more.

Its odd because culturally 10 years from 1992-2002 might as well have been 20 years. One of the biggest rock bands in the world seemingly disappeared for nearly a decade with very little news from the frontman and leader of the group. 2012-2022 feels like a much shorter period culturally.

Early 2000s was also an odd period for Guns in that they weren't quite old enough to be a full nostalgia band but at the same time the Chinese Democracy songs would never get judged fairly because Slash wasn't there.

Edited August 7, 2022 by mystery

[sackxl]

11 hours ago, Rovim said:

it's all about emotion with Robin. A very soulful player. Doesn't have the chops/technique that Slash got, but he is creative as fuck and his melodies are brilliant imo. There are many types of good guitar players, but sure, go ahead and focus on blowjobs he has received.

I've been playing guitar for nearly 30 years and Robin is in the top 3 worst professional guitar players I've ever seen. Different opinions I guess.

[Rovim]

7 minutes ago, sackxl said:

I've been playing guitar for nearly 30 years and Robin is in the top 3 worst professional guitar players I've ever seen. Different opinions I guess.

I have no issues with different opinions. What sucks is you labeling Robin as a yes man without knowing anything about him personally and mentioning shit that has nothing to do with his ability as a guitar player in order to validate your opinion of him.