Here Today... Gone To Hell!

From Sp1at news / Classic Rock:

John Kalodner, a former A&R man for Geffen, has spoken about Axl Rose and Guns N'Roses in the this month's edition of Classic Rock.
The excerpt from Classic Rock reads;

Kalodner was also at Geffen during the astonoshing rises of both Guns n'Roses and Nirvana. Of GN'R he says: "When I saw them at Santa Monica Civic for the first time I knew they'd be huge. Nobody could quantify exactly how big, but you know when your singer comes out in a kilt, they know you have balls. Axl could sing and wasn't afraid of anything."

Kalodner is one of only a few people who have met Axl recently: "I saw him in the Sanctuary office a month ago. This guy walked by and says: 'Hello, John'. It was Axl. And he looked great - like Axl The Rock Star again'. He did those last shows and he just wasn't himself any more."

Unfortunately the meeting didn't throw any light on the long running saga of GNR's Chinese Democracy album, and Kalodner remains as uncertain as everyone else over whether it will be released - or even finished. He mentions that the New York Times did a whole article on the making of that album, and says "All of it was true. They did spend all that money, and they've been working on it since I left Geffen - 11 years ago!"

If Kalodner was still at Geffen, does he think money would continue to be shovelled into Chinese Democracy?

"Well, I wasn't their A&R man," he says. "But if we were talking about a Journey or an Aerosmith record, then definitely not. But with someone as unpredictable as Axl, anything's possible. I honestly couldn't speculate."

That's really cool. 8) Axl is a Rockstar and this is a quality. It's good to know he came back to us. :peace:

Ye, good thing if hes got rid of hes ridiculouse rapper outfit.

Well, i think its great, that he was in a Sanctuary office.... :peace:

Do you think it means the braids are gone? :peace:
Axl the Rockstar again...that's a great news! :)

These days it's not even a question of "when" it'll be coming out, but whether it ever will be or EVER completed.

not good.

I'm surprised no one has tried bringing Kalodner in to work with Axl. He is one hell of an A&R guy, and has worked with some big names. He seems to know how to get a band to get its shit together.

Am I the only soul on this lonely planet who thought the braids were cool?   :nervous:

Its just the botax that made em look bad... his face was... so.. shiney... and.. s-ss-so.. buldgy...  :crying: *remembering the vma's*

But still it sounds promising. What did he mean when he said "the last shows changed axl"? I dont get that at all... like... his personality...? his mindset...? his looks? O well... another horrible tease of what we want so bad.

   -jack

what's an A&R? is it a manager or something like that?

I believe A&R stands for Aquisition & Retention, they are more or less responsible for signing bands and acting as a liason between the talent and the label thereafter.

EDIT: See Jarmo's post below.

Artist and repertoire (A&R for short) is a music industry term that refers to the division of a record label that is responsible for scouting and developing talent. The A&R department is the link between the recording artist/act and the record label, and is often required to handle contractural negotiations, find songwriters and record producers for the act, and schedule recording sessions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%2526R



/jarmo

Nevermind, jarmo beat me to it!  ;D

People wondering if this album will ever come out? ?If not, why would Axl be hangin out at the sancutary office? ?Think about it. Hes there for a reason.

No, you're not alone.? I think the braids are cool too.  :yes:?
But most people would agree that you should still be? :nervous:? about it since I'm that one agreeing with you.? :P

AXL THE ROCKSTAR!!!? :headbanger:

Well, Sanctuary did buy the rights to the back catalog as well so there quite possibly may be a multitude of reasons for Axl to be there.

Maybe just to say hello

I don't think he received Botox injections.

You have to understand when we saw him in 2000-2002 he wasn't at his 130 pound coke/heroin weight from the early 1990's. But he weighed less than he did in 1998-ish when he got arrested.

When you lose weight, your face is one of the last parts the fat comes off of.

So assuming Axl doesn't resort to drugs to lose weight, you're never going to see him in the shape he was 15 years ago again.

But like John Kalodner said, he seems to be handling himself better nowadays. He looked/sounded great in 2001 but then gained some weight back before the 2002 tour. Listen to the Boston bootleg - he's out of breath after every song.

His voice is already damaged from years of smoking and abuse - I'd say if he stays healthy he has another 10 years of "passable" performing left in him.

But his shelf life is much shorter than Mick Jagger or Stephen Tyler - I can't see him singing 20 years from now without looking/sounding terrible.

This board never ceases to amaze me!!! :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

I think even Axl himself would get a laugh out of this one.

Posted on: Today at 01:08:50 PMPosted by: DunkinDave

His voice is already damaged from years of smoking and abuse - I'd say if he stays healthy he has another 10 years of "passable" performing left in him.

But his shelf life is much shorter than Mick Jagger or Stephen Tyler - I can't see him singing 20 years from now without looking/sounding terrible.


 ? Okay, it took me 398 posts here at HTGTH to mention my mom, but it's relevant here. ?She saw Elvis in July of 1975, about 2 years before he died at the age of 42. ?Yes, I know, it was alot different seeing that Elvis drugged and ate himself to death...but DunkinDave is right about time being of the essence. ?My mom wasn't a huge Elvis fan, but she was saddened by what she saw. ?By that time all you could do was feel sorry for the guy. ?I never want that to happen to Axl. ?Enough of that...

 ?I'm actually happy to hear that Axl was seen at Sanctuary. ?He can sit on his ass at home to collect checks, or have someone go run errands...for him to be there personally, it means he's needed. ?I think this is great news...and honestly, how f'in cool would that be, walkin' down a hallway, "Hello, Axl4Prez, how's it going?" ?Sweet! ? :beer:

Oops, w botaxl rose beat me to it, botaxl is probably right, but who cares?  I thought Axl looked awesome for the VMA's.  I still think an NFL (American football league) tie-in would kick major ass.  The jerseys kicked ass...especially the Minnesota Vikings!!!   

Huh? You're an idiot. There almost nothing truthful in your entire post.

Get lost, loser.

HAHA! Man thats harsh! Heh.. I love this board. "Huh? Whats that? Your a f***ing IDIOT! SHUT IT!"

Gotta loveeeee the loveeeee  :love:

Anyone still believe in an '05 release? Whatcha think the chances are? Sorry to put the spot light on ya, and bring up a semi dead horse.. but I just wanna hear some other people's opinions.. c-cuz.. im.. so.. lonely and i need f..f-...f-f-friends!  :hihi:

    -jack

And Oh yeah, on Axl's voice... I think it'll be around for awhile. I don't think we can "really" know until we see him on another tour. I hear his voice was actually better for the most part on the '02 tour. Amen? Or am I wrong?

I don't mean to be that harsh but there isn't any basis for that post. Axl wasn't a heroin/cocaine addict in the 90s. He gained weight because, and this is hard for alot of people to understand, because HE GOT OLDER.  The poster incorrectly states that Axl became fat on the 2002; not true. He was a bit chubby at Rio 3 but came back at the 12-29/12-31 Vegas shows, much much slimmer. Go see the pics from those shows. I know it doesn't strike the same resonance as what some haters would want to believe. Also, he wasn't out of breath on the 2002 tour and certainly not during the Boston show. I know because I was there. He showed an impressive vocal strength. He definately got better as the tour progressed.

It goes on and on.....but if some hater wants to make up a bunch of lies about Axl for whatever self interested reasons, he should expect to be called on it.

Come on now Vector, lets not use Age as an excuse for his weight gain


Axl gained weight

A. he quit smoking and most people gain weight when they quit
B. Didnt he get off some kind of anti depressant medication and that made him gain weight
C. he probably quit working out and started eating too much

Jon Bon Jovi looks better today than he did in his prime
anthony kiedis,steven Tyler,mick jagger,iggy pop,paul stanley,tommy lee the list goes on and on

getting older isnt an excuse to get out of shape and overweight

but since Axl is back in shape it doesnt matter anyway.

Axl's vocals on the 2002 tour were great and he will be able to sing for as long as he chooses now he has learned how to properly use his voice in concert.

I agree entirely with your post Vector, except on the Boston performance part. Ive seen alot of bootlegs from that show and yes, for the most part Axl is great, but listen to Rocket Queen specifically the last few verses..he is most definately running out of breath and definately having trouble hitting those high notes.

There is something known as middle aged sprawl. I have hit 30 and noticed how easily it is to gain weight.

The guys you listed above are the exception to the rule. Most haven't been out the limelight as long as axl.

In 2002 he relied on that awful vocal filter to help him cover up the lack of strength in his voice.

That, coupled with him not using vibrato for whatever reason (I think he was just lazy) made his voice come off as sounding terrible. At least in 2001 he was able to hit every note and use vibrato - which made his voice passable, but still much different than the voice we came to know and love.

I played the Boston concert for my friend the other day who hadn't heard any New-GNR before. First thing out of his mouth was "what the fuck happened to Axl's voice?".

The general concensus on this board is that Boston was the best New-GNR show.

Let me make this clear - there's a difference between "best sound quality" and "best performance".

The bootleg of the Boston soundboard has the best sound quality.

Axl's best performances with the new lineup were in 2001.

Yeah, and that concert was 8 months before the European tour where he reappeared and was fat as hell.

What's your point?

No, MSG is regarded as the best show of the 2002 tour.

I disagree with you about the effectiveness of his vocal preformance on the 2002 tour. I thought by Boston and MSG, he had really hit his stride and nailed even the difficult high notes of LALD and Rocket Queen.

I don't understand this difference between 2001/2002. You maybe the first person ever to insinuate that he regressed in between those years.

He had his shirt off during the Vegas shows. He wasn't fat.

Are you suggesting that he gained weight, spent a year getting rid of it, then gained it all back in 8 months? What is your proof because Axl wore jersies during that whole tour.

The band had to slow down songs such as "Think About You" and "Out Ta Get Me" during the 2002 tour because Axl couldn't keep up with them.

It sounded really, really bad and made the limitations of his voice even more apparent.

Listen to "The Blues" from House Of Blues in January 2001 and then listen to Axl sing it in Boston in December 2002.

That's how much his voice changed in a 2-year span.


Isn't that proof enough?

Bands usually play songs live faster the first few times. As they gain more experience, the tempo slows and approaches the ideal. The Blues wasn't slowed down for Axl's benefit.

And no. The jersies aren't enough because he wore the jersies during the 12-29-01 and 12-31-01 shows in addition to the open french style coat which exposed his toned torso.

Dude - that was 8 months before he started wearing jerseys.

If I can lose fifteen pounds in a month, he can sure as hell gain fifteen pounds in eight months.


Apparently not, because it reveals his voice is quite awful.

no it wasn't 8 months before he started wearing jersies because he wore them during the later 2 Vegas gigs. You can gain 15 lbs in a month like Morgan Spurlock but you've yet to prove that Axl gained weight between the 12/29 & 12/31 vegas shows and the Asian/European tour.

I think the Boston version of the Blues is the best SB version out there, in quality of Axl's voice. Nice and grainy like the old days.

I can't believe that a generally positive post has been turned into a thread about botox, braids and Axl's weight. No wander he hates the internet.

Yeah I agree - I was happy when I 1st read this thread - and as it progressed I just got angry!!

I don't really get the point of this discussion... but Dave get a copy of the Pittsburgh gig from the 02 tour. IMO after MSG, the best show of the 02 tour

Folks, this isn't a thread about Axl's voice, weight or choice of clothes. Get back on track.

I understand ur support of Axl's figure, but that's too much. :hihi:
P.S: Sorry, now what were we discussing?

I thought the best show was Leeds 2002 but anyway, I find some differences in 2001 and 2002 shows too. Boston was a long-length show. The Blues in Boston was no way better than Pittsburgh.
In WTTJ (Las Vegas), in the first words I think he tries himself to sound like he were in 92-93 or something but he fails and makes it as in '02 shows. In think about you ('01) he puts a scream on the solo. The quicker versions of the Blues were beautiful and suitable for his voice. In the slower the vocals seemed a little flat, especially the screaming in the middle of the song.
Now about the botox, I'm not sure. The braids might be the reason for the turn. Besides in bottox you can't blink your eyes with ease. Is anyone here that believes he had a bottox in Rio?

Sorry for the mess in the thread but some things should not be judged after a sort.

that was very nice to read.. Hope he comes back soon..

11 years axl has been working on CD, damn never knew it was that long..

that is the best thing I have read in ages.. :peace:

more like 5 or 6 yrs but if 11 makes u sleep at night then its all urs

totally agree with you! :yes:
The good news is that axl is around Sanctuary and looking good.
Maybe just maybe he might be up to something which means we'll be able to talk about his music rather than his barnet. :no:

not my words

he had songs already in 1999 and cd was mentioned so it is at least 6 years old

did i not say 6 yrs?

dizzy mentioned there are different variations on a number of songs; even though some material was 'scrapped' , it is highly probable that most was re-cast in a more up to date style.  Alot of this is guesswork anyway. It will be interesting to hear the true story someday.

nice to hear he's fine. Thanks Scabbie.


How many more times shall I tell you the braids are kool?
Even Venus wears braids.
I guess Axl put on the baggy jerseys not to look top-heavy with all the braids.

BTW Am I the only soul who thought that chubby Axl in RIR was kinda dashing?  :nervous:

**********
Just one point as to the singing and I'll shut up.

To my knowledge,
In most cases you'll find it harder to sing a song at a slower tempo than at a quicker tempo.
When you sing slow, You must hold every note and every breath longer. The slips are more obvious and You can't easily gloss them over.

But If you are yet to learn the song, that is another story.

Matt and Duff left in 1997 and Axl blamed them for not wanting to do OMG. I know that this song won't be on the album, but it was supposed to be on the 'next GN'R record' in the late 90s. BTW even Slash's songs were supposed to be on the 'next GN'R record' in 1994. So yes, Axl's been working on this album for 11 years... but not too hard.

yes you did but you made it sound like I was the one making up the 11 year thing when I only repeated what the person said. You had wrote 5 or 6 years, so automatically the 5 is wrong the least it could be is 6..

Either way 6 year 7 or 11 it's taking forever

well   i think the album which we`ll hopefully see sooner or later is mostly recroded between 2002 and now. i`think it depends on the definition of the time axl worked on the album. you could say axl worked for 14 years on it, when the illusion came out, or you take the time he actually worked on it.

Well technically since Kalodner was talkin about Axl's apperance and how he looked like a star again this kinda is on topic to be honest.

No me too :love:

No, because it's degenerating into one of those endless "he's overweight, no he's not, I like the braids, I don't" debate that we've seen a million times. Boring.

Boring or not, that's basically what the topic is...

I agree but stupid posts like what were presented in this thread should be singled out and chided. I'm glad we are back on topic though.

I worry about the mention of the Times article.

Yeah, that Times article was a pretty hefty nail in the CD coffin. The guy who wrote it probably expected it to bring CD crumbling to its knees. He didn't achieve that, but came awfully close. Hopefully this album will come out before an even more in depth article brings Chinese Democracy crashing down.

The NYT article info about CD was from 1999, nothing was from 2001 and beyond. The whole thing about the tapes and tapes of parts was from 1998 after robin and josh freese left the band. Im sure those dat tapes are around but they still had over 60 songs done by 2005.  Also John said that the NYTs article was right, they spent all that money, he said nothing about the album not being done or what not.

the outraged reaction from both Merck and the fans in response to the Leeds article kind of surprised me to be honest. Although he didnt uncover alot of new info and alot of it was common to us diehards, it didnt paint Axl in a bad light and ultimately it was factual

If anything, it was a case of any publicity being good publicity. Not to mention it added to the mystery and and allure of CD

I agree, it is taking too long. But BTW I heard that Bob Seger is coming out with his first  album  since 1995. Should be released sometime in the autumn (of 2005).

Anyway, like most of you said, I think it's a good thing that he was seen in the Sanctuary office. I mean he's workin' on the cd, right? And I think it's good that Kalondner said Axl was great,like Axl the rock star again. Yeah, maybe that means that the braids are gone and he looks like before, which is good even if I didn't hate the braids so much. Anyway, I think this is very good news, it made my day!  :)    Oh! This is my second post and I forgot to say: glad to be here with you!! :peace:  : ok: