Axl close to Ashba

[JAxlMorrison]

We’ve all heard and read several times that Axl became good buddies with Ashba, but my question is why? No insult to DJ, but he was the newest guy there when he arrived. Tommy had been around forever, Richard nearly as long, Pitman forever, Bumble several more years than DJ, etc. How come you think he wasn’t as close with his longer term band mates as he was with the new guy?

[Blackstar]

Part of it might have to do with DJ Ashba's background (that he is from Indiana, his stories about being bullied, etc.), which was probably also a big part of the reason Axl hired him in the first place. Axl seems to be protective towards people from Indiana.

Maybe also because Ashba showed genuine admiration for Axl.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Blackstar

[mikeman5150]

Maybe Axl was a fan of beautiful creatures or he really dug Motley Crue’s Saints of Los Angeles because DJ helped write it. Speaking of, is anyone else surprised Nikki Sixx is bringing in John 5 to replace Mick Mars instead of DJ? As much as I wasn’t a fan of DJ in Guns, I really think he would fit well with the Crue and he could definitely handle the riffs. Maybe he and Nikki aren’t on good terms anymore? 

[El Guapo]

I would guess Ashba was the most shameless ass licker of them all. 

[Lethalis]

Well, these things are always unpredictable. Sometimes people just get along really well, like they have known eachother forever.

So, no matter what we think of DJ, if he and Axl get along great... well, good for them. DJ being from Indiana might help as well (like @Blackstar mentions).

 

[t-p-d-a]

I feel Axl and Ashba's relationship is more intense than Axl and Slash's. I've never seen such a pretty smile from Axl. Axl's eye contact with Slash is always reserved, and both are tense. But between Axl and Ashba, they're both relaxed and happy.

[megaguns1982]

It’s just Daren saying how he felt at the time trying to protect and justify his spot in the band… by that point not many A list guitarists wanted to join GnR, the B and C  lists guitarists like Daren jumped at the chance.

[Gackt]

Ashba had an impressive resume at the time, and looked the most appealing for the "New Slash" position when it became apparent Robin wasn't coming back.  Didn't take long at all for things to sour and the band to eat each other, but that's GNR in a nutshell.

[Sledge]

I never had much of a problem with ashba. Monetary reasons or not, I appreciated his optimistic focus on new material being released. I was indifferent to his writing pitches. Loved his scarecrow beanie and sad that I can no longer get a replacement for it. Only thing really that I disliked about him was the "wait and see" gesture he did to the crowd during estranged. A little too histrionic for GNR in my opinion 

[Billy Cundy]

6 hours ago, JAxlMorrison said:

We’ve all heard and read several times that Axl became good buddies with Ashba, but my question is why? No insult to DJ, but he was the newest guy there when he arrived. Tommy had been around forever, Richard nearly as long, Pitman forever, Bumble several more years than DJ, etc. How come you think he wasn’t as close with his longer term band mates as he was with the new guy?

Sometimes you just click with people. Nothing to do with how long you’ve known each-other. I have more fun with a coworker I’ve known for a year than i do with an old friend I’ve known for 15 years.

[Free Bird]

2 hours ago, t-p-d-a said:

I feel Axl and Ashba's relationship is more intense than Axl and Slash's. I've never seen such a pretty smile from Axl. Axl's eye contact with Slash is always reserved, and both are tense. But between Axl and Ashba, they're both relaxed and happy.

That's probably not a smile rather than Axl laughing at Ashba while he is trying to play the Patience solo

[DoMw94]

5 hours ago, mikeman5150 said:

Speaking of, is anyone else surprised Nikki Sixx is bringing in John 5 to replace Mick Mars instead of DJ?

Huh, now you mention it, that's a good point!

I dunno, he seemed to be well 'in' with a few classic rock guys in previous years (Axl, Mötley etc.) but we (or at least I) don't seem to see that interaction these days, he seems very much out there on his own besides the odd throwback Insta post.

I wonder what that's all about 🤔

[Sweersa]

It very well could be as simple as them having a good working relationship chemistry. 

[AtlasShrugged]

I think it stems down to when Axl and Daren Jay had to defend their honour against a drunk, obnoxious guy, big dude.

https://blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-guitarist-dj-ashba-recalls-funny-bar-fight-involving-axl-rose

[guitarpatch]

I assumed at the time that he was brought to help write due to his successful collaborations with Crue and Sixx AM

Of course that didn’t happen and Ashba was up on stage on an endless tour sharing too much of the lead responsibilities. Not a good spot when your playing is being compared to Fortus and Ron nightly, let alone the other one missing in the top hat. He’s certainly serviceable live in certain situations but he’s just not on that level to handle that material alongside those musicians and it showed 

Edited November 3, 2022 by guitarpatch

[Guest]

1 hour ago, guitarpatch said:

I assumed at the time that he was brought to help write due to his successful collaborations with Crue and Sixx AM

Of course that didn’t happen and Ashba was up on stage on an endless tour sharing too much of the lead responsibilities. Not a good spot when your playing is being compared to Fortus and Ron nightly, let alone the other one missing in the top hat. He’s certainly serviceable live in certain situations but he’s just not on that level to handle that material alongside those musicians and it showed 

Exactly this.

 

[downzy]

DJ was personable when I met him.  

Why does anyone like anyone? 

Who knows. 

Maybe Axl appreciated the enthusiasm that DJ brought.  Might have been a nice contrast to the other members who had been in the band for a decade or more.  

 

[Jw224]

They were so close that Axl didn't get him to record a single note of music and publicly made fun of his bad playing on stage at a show

[Bluefish18]

4 hours ago, Free Bird said:

That's probably not a smile rather than Axl laughing at Ashba while he is trying to play the Patience solo

Axl's just amused by the fact that even though that gig was the worst of his career, DJ still sounded worse.

[Tomek1985]

Karice 3, 2, 1..

[Blackstar]

43 minutes ago, Jw224 said:

They were so close that Axl didn't get him to record a single note of music and publicly made fun of his bad playing on stage at a show

I guess it's one thing whether he liked his writing/playing and another if he liked him as a person or enjoyed his company.

[mikeman5150]

5 hours ago, DoMw94 said:

Huh, now you mention it, that's a good point!

I dunno, he seemed to be well 'in' with a few classic rock guys in previous years (Axl, Mötley etc.) but we (or at least I) don't seem to see that interaction these days, he seems very much out there on his own besides the odd throwback Insta post.

I wonder what that's all about 🤔

Yeah it’s hard to say. Don’t forget he was also in Sixx am with Nikki just recently.  

[DoMw94]

48 minutes ago, mikeman5150 said:

Yeah it’s hard to say. Don’t forget he was also in Sixx am with Nikki just recently.  

Yeah, and at the time he said he left GN'R for that, but Sixx:A.M. lastest another five minutes before that seemingly fell apart too.

All a bit weird

[Sosso]

DJ needs a big name behind him. Axl and Nikki are the best examples for that. 

[allwaystired]

Ashba, love him or hate him, seemed very genuine in his desire to move the band forward and do new things. I'd have loved to hear what he could have created with Axl. 

Same with all the past incarnations really. If each one of them had managed to make an album we'd have such a varied and interesting discography.