Here Today... Gone To Hell!

When groups first form before making it in the business they seem to work their asses off and spend all their free time on making a kick ass album, usually from struggles, life experiences, all the hard ships, etc..  There's something magical about great rock band's first albums, or even bands that fade away.. I've noticed alot of groups make great first albums and whatever other material which carries over from that period of creating while hungry..

Debut albums seem to do very well,. just take afd..

ALot of bands a s they get older they tend to make music but it loses it's edge because the artists seem to be more relaxed being they have money, there's no urgency being they have a name already.. Sales always seem to decline as band go on, it's just normal, alot of bands lose that creative street edge they had when making an album was the only thing important in their lives.. I know the illusions sold tons, there are excpetion, but there were alot of tracks recorded during the afd era..

As you become rich you start to have these grand ideas and over produce what made your music so great, it loses it's edge and becomes more mainstream and over the top, expensive rather then just rocking..

Being there's not much going on these days gnr wise I figured I'd ask the question...

Do you think being axl who is a rich legend who's lived a soft life for over a decade now still has cutting edge stuff to talk about? Rock is anti everything in regards to control, government... (perfect example, out ta get me, with the ritz rant)ALso sex drugs, rock n roll, life of decadence.. Lets say axl was broke, would he have spent this time on chinese d, or would he have made his experiences into great music and got it out quick..?

Take prize fighters who are hungry for a title, they will do anything train their asses of because they have nothing and want to reach the top, but once they get there and make money they sometimes lose the drive that got tehm there because there isn't an urgency anymore..

Do you think we'll get more self indulgent music, or a political message, or whatever?

Yeah, I think he's got stuff to write about. Lots of things has happened in his life since the Use Your Illusion albums.

You don't have to write about drugs, groupies and partying in order to make a great rock album.


My guess is that once it's out, some people might get pissed off....



/jarmo

even though Axl has money, he still seems to be surrounded by turmoil. He's got more money, that just means he has more resources to create his music. I think some of the turmoil is a result of his own doing, but I think that he thrives on that. I think he likes that there are so many rumors about his band. It gives him something to get mad about. People say he just wants privacy and respect, but he is a public figure, like it or not, and that is the nature of the beast. Remember when he got arrested in the airport in Phoenix? You think that was an accident? People were starting to wonder if he was still alive, then, all the sudden, Axl is arrested.  Just letting you all know I am still here and still the mouthy little fuck I always was....

Axl is in a world of his own making, and he is unhappy with it, th only one who can change it is him. As for the music, I believe that the constant turmoil that surrounds him, some real and some percieved, is what fuels him. Chinese Democracy will be like fire and ice, angry and introspective, the angel and the devil... look at the lyrics of Silk Worms, (Axl is quite angry at someone) and the lyrics of the Blues....and no I don't think that Dizzy wrote the words to Silk Worms...


In an old interview, axl said something like the old Gunners where one of the few bands who were sincere, they acttually lived it. Axl is probably struggling to maintain his credibility and sincerity after reaching such a level of success where people tell you everything you do is right.

just my thoughts....

what do you mean by that?? general public or people in the limelight that have slagged Axl over the last (lost) 12 years 

I'm sure he will have some get in the ring type songs, and some personal songs, from relationships, to people doubting him...

I know you can write great music without being poor and talking about sex drugs n rock n roll, I was just saying how there isn't the urgency and need to put something out.. I just see alot of artists declining as they become more famous, their albums tend to be more popish and less meaningfull..

This is a topic to just kick around...It was just on my mind..

I think it's clear that urgency and Axl don't usually come in the same sentance.  Then again, what's urgent for Axl is probably not the same for the rest of the world.

I think CD will be as cutting-edge as any music can be these days.  I don't really want something to be cuting edge if it's shit though - Radiohead's Hail To The Thief is quite crap whether people like to admit it or not.

Axl is qiute angry at someone.  I agree.

I think the biggest threat to the success of this album is how Axl conducts himself in the producer's chair. I have faith is his songwriting ability, but even the most talented song writers Paul Mcartney/Mick Jagger/Pete Townshend wrote their best stuff when they had a foil, John Lennon/Keith Richards/Kit Lambert. I think some emotional distance from your music or a objective voice (another producer) can be a creative spark. If there are "layers of orchestration and long-winded, twisting song structures, with few memorable melodies" (to steal a phrase), you'd have to say this album is "self-indulgent" and a failure.

It just seems like everytime Axl opens his mouth, somebody gets pissed off. Fans, journalists, other artists or whatever.....



/jarmo

Axl will obviously have a lot to write about but who knows if it will be cutting edge. It doesn't necessarily mean what he writes about will be stale even if it's not cutting edge. He'll obviously write a lot about his feelings and what he is been through. I don't think that's cutting edge but that doesn't mean it won't have any impact. I think musicians tend to be more cutting edge through the music itself and their ideas rather than their lyrics, anyway.

I've always thought of "cutting edge" in a music sense as being ahead of the game musically in some form or fashion.? That's never been Axl's strongsuit.

As far as him being "edgy" lyrically, I think he's got plenty of material/experiences/relationships gone bad etc. to draw from to still be evocative lyrically.

I would guess that Axl is going to be more cutting edge on this album from a content standpoint than anything he's done before.  AFD was strictly sex, drugs, and rock and roll.  The Illusion albums had a greater range of subject matter and showed a lot more introspective work and social commentary.  Songs like Locomotive, Estranged, Garden of Eden, Don't Damn Me, these songs had lyrical content that was leaps and bounds above anything that was found on AFD.  And I fully expect Axl to get even more personal and take more chances so far as lyrical content.

Excellent thread!

For me this is an important matter. I hope that Axl is gonna piss some people off, and kick some ass.

He always has something to say so I hope that's gonna continue on this album, otherwise I'm gonna be a little dissappointed.

It's time someone said a few things that need saying. And I'm not talking about the great 'lets-write-songs-about-american-politics-and-criticise-george-bush' bandwagen that everyone seems to be jumpin on.

@#$%Funker

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the subject.. Married with children was my favorite show growing up.. :beer:

just lookin' at the title Rhiad and the Bedouins (cant spell it sorry)
makes me think, shit man Axl's got some cool shit to sing about : ok: The words to Chinese Democracy are unlike anything i've ever read before n' they fuckin' kick arse!!! : ok: : ok:

you right thou, some long time waiting fans will get ticked about the new one, there's just to many expectations :nervous: