Here Today... Gone To Hell!

   Once the officail announcements are made about the album, do you guys think that Axl will inevitably be on the cover of Rolling Stone?  I mean, it would obviously give him good publicity and respect.  What do you guys think?  I just figure it's a no brainer. 

It definetly would be a smart move.

It will happen.......count on it...

Absolutely

Rolling Stone needs him as much as he needs them - It's one of the most interesting stories in Rock&Roll history- it belongs on Rolling Stone's Cover

Axl might tell Rolling Stone to fuck off as they're going to try and ask him bullshit questions about his hair and plastic surgery.

bet he wont be on the front off Kerrang!!


 ;D

Who cares, kerrangs for 12 year olds

rollingstone magazine sucks...i'd much prefer to see the band interviewed in Guitar World :yes:

100% for sure, RS and Guns/Axl have had a long and good relationship.  When the album is announced/out and they are in the middle of the tour, there will be an article about them, likely an extensive one.

I hope so. I think it would be a smart move.

I hope so! The 2 covers he did were absolutely gorgeous! Being in Rolling Stone is exciting! There was a teeny-tiny picture of me under Axl's microphone in the Hammerstein shows and I love telling people that my picture was in Rolling Stone. It may be tiny, but it's in there!!!! :hihi:

I'd love to see a band cover photo.

I'd frame that shit!

doubt it, im sure merck would have stipulations.

they really need some mainstream exposure, esp in the UK...cos believe me, NO ONE knows about them here.

How true.

^ so so so true! If ask anyone who Guns N' Roses are around here they'd probley say "Guns N' Roses, you mean that band that renamed themselfs Axl Rose?" thats how stupid some people are around here

more like "guns n roses? yeah slash rules."  :'(

Rolling Stone is utterly irrelevant...I'd rather SPIN or NME...and, of course, the blogs are where the hype builds these days anyway.....

I'm hoping it won't only be Axl doing a cover feature, but the whole band being interviewed together.

NME?! its a fucking fashion magazine. it's relevant to todays music yeah, but they fucking hate the incarnation of gnr, it'd be completely hypocritical on NME's behalf. i wouldnt wanna see them in there anyway, they have too much credibility in my eyes for that shit.

I hope it will be the whole band, especially Robin given that he seems to have the most input with Axl along with Tommy.

The fact the new website has Axl's face on thr front is worrying in this respect.

i thought that too. wouldve been cool to see maybe some kind of slide show (not some tacky myspaz one but a propper one). and of course, studio shots. but all within time i guess.

merck's keen to get the guitarists on some magazines...that i know. but no one knows them in the uk, they need some DAMN good promotion.

as for a kerrang cover - as much as i strongly dislike kerrang, its a big magazine, and would educate a lot of people out there. plus id love to see them kiss axl's arse, which they would.

I think a Metal Hammer cover is more likely.

Put it this way....

AXL can get a cover on any music mag he wants.  GNR cannot.  FACT!

GNR will not be on the cover of Metal Hammer.  GNR wil not be on the cover of Kerrang.  Etc Etc Etc

And as for the person who suggested NME.... are you for real?  NME can't wait to make a mockery of this band - despite how good or bad the album turns out to be, and NME readers are so low on the target demographic/lifestyle putch of GNR that they wont give a shit if NME like em or not.

Metal Hammer, Kerrang & Classic Rock are the only european mags worth doing, but GNR need some serious promo and a CD date before any covers would happen. 

AXL is still the star!  - maybe not to us die-hards, but to the rest of the world the other members are still nobody's.

Doing a Rolling Stone cover and feature story is critical.  While some may not like the mag, it is still considered the most mainstream music mag and will get the most exposure.  There are so many questions I want answered.  Hopefully it happens, they ask good questions, and its lengthy.  I can see them doing smaller features introducing each bandmate.

Only if the magazines want them.

I love how you people assume Axl can just snap his fingers and end up on the cover of Rolling Stone.  I am by no means saying that it cannot happen.  I certainly think it could.

If he ends up on the cover at any point it will be Axl and Axl alone, as in the grand scheme of things he would be the only reason Rolling Stone would be interested in this project anyway.

It would be good promo for the band, but in a way such a thing would just further drive home the perception that it is Axl and a backing band. I see this type of thing as the likely scenario in alot of promo actually if and when this ever starts taking off.

I'm not sure if this will happen. If Axl tries to put restrictions on the interview, like saying the reporter can't ask certain questions, then RS isn't going to go along. They just won't do it. The magazine's reviewers may, often times, be bullshit, and their commentaries/editorials can be sketchy, but their real reporters and the people who do real interviews don't fuck around. They're real jounalists and they're not going to bow down. If Axl comes in with demands, they won't do the story. Plain and simple. It's over.

Also, someone made a comment that RS needs Axl as much as Axl needs RS. That's absurb. RS isn't going to sell any more copies with Axl on the cover than it normally would. Now put one of those skanks like Britney, Christina, etc on the cover and you have a whole 'nother ballgame. Just my thoughts.

Are you mad? RS is the biggest music publication in history - This is going to be one of the most coveted feature articles in a long time -The competitive balance in the industry will make RS move fast and hard to get Axl's story -and make no mistake - if the only Axl story they're gonna get involves "Axl's rules" they will cave in to secure the interview

Axl needs the RS exposure more than they need his rules. They will throw his mug on the magazine and tar and feather him if he tries to screen the questions they were to ask him.

Axl is going to be between a rock and a hard place for the new album cycle. If he thinks he is going to pre-screen all media interviews and people are still going to have an interest in him he will be sadly mistaken. Media outlets aren't going to waste their time on him if they can't ask about the old band and the break-up, as that is the juicy stuff people want to hear. He isn't going to want to talk about it all the time I suspect, but not doing so is going to tremendously dry up alot of his media opportunities.

That would be cool if the whole band was on the cover. Yeah I can see Axl and Guns N' Roses being in RS once the cd is out.  :beer: Just another way to let more poeple know about a great band.

When I saw the subject of this thread, I thought that you meant that it was inevitable that GNR was going to cover a Rolling Stones song. I was like, wasn't Sympathy for the Devil enough.

Then when I opened the thread, I realized that I was an idiot...

I guess only time will tell huh?  I'm of the opinion that this guy is a story to be had and RS will do what they must to get it -  The last time he was on the cover, they
were asking a lot about Izzy leaving and I think that hurt him more than seperating with Slash , so we'll see.  You are definitely right about saying everyone on this site will buy it regardless of how watered-down the questions - Can you imagine the topics that could come up in an open interview????

Slash
Velvet Rev
Weiland's comments
15 years on the album
the end of the 2002 tour
Buckethead
Paul Huge
Seymour
etc.

It could be a damn auto-biography by the time it'd be done

take this is FACT people, its the sad truth.

I believe this article (http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=32) back in 2000 soured the Axl/RS relationship for a good while. Can't remember the source, but I recall reading that Axl offered RS an exclusive 10,000 word essay instead, detailing the original lineups breakup with his own words. RS didn't budge, Axl withdrew his offer. Also, didn't the intro cartoon played in HOB and RIR back in 2001 have Axl practically wipe his ass on a mag called 'Rolling Drone'?

Then again, an RS reporter met Axl at the Korn party, and Axl had no problems in conversing with him. Their website had a big banner on the news saying only 'Axl Speaks'. Also, RS commented the leaks in March, with very positive remarks.

So I think RS is again back in the cards. BTW, a contributing editor for RS is one Kurt Loder, who might get the gig unless he'd do his interview for MTV.

I'm wondering if the band will ever bother to do a studio shoot. So far they appear happy enough using photo's taken at gigs.

There's no reason why the whole band can't be on the cover... there are plenty of other bands where the frontman is the star, and the only one people are really interested in but they get the whole band on the cover.  Even if it is only Axl on the cover, though... it'll have to be a full band interview - or even just include a proper photoshoot with the full band.

the whole band should definetly be on the cover, however I totally lost my faith in Rolling stone magazine, Id prefer guitar world

I believe this, although not sure how much time Merck has to be detailing this stuff, where are the publicists?? I assume they're waiting for the label to kick in, and the label is waiting for the release, but mags need months of lead time.? ?I'm sure the reps are keeping the mags hanging re: an Axl interview, so getting the guitarists out there will be a good start..


The demand for Axl/GNR stories most certainly isn't what it was even a few years ago, as evidenced by the story in GQ not even rating a cover mention. ? Stuff like that really lowers his stature.

RS may give him cover exposure if he coughs up a revealing interview.? They probably won't worry about any 'rules' because with all the tap dancing his publicists do about 'not asking certain questions', Axl doesn't seem to pay much attention.? If he's in the right mood and he feels like talking, he'll talk about that stuff anyway.? (IE: He was never asked about being abused as a kid, he volunteered all that info).


The source I think was the article itself describing the negotiations.? When mags in the past have started working on Axl stories, his reps have always promised the press 'exclusive official interviews' if they kill the unauthorized story and go with an authorized one when the CD is ready.? Obviously after 10 years of this, nobody waits.? ?Rolling Stone were offered the essay, which was viewed as yet another stall tactic.? They did wait, though, at least for awhile, and I do believe it was Axl that withdrew and RS went ahead with the original story.

The Korn party could have been a freelancer who got lucky and sold the story to RS, I'm not sure.? The writer certainly wasn't there expecting an Axl story, and neither was the mag.? The big thing with that was that it was exclusive, Axl wasn't talking to any reporters, so the value was way up there.?

Meanwhile, the most important thing to keep in mind with GQ, RS, Spin, MTV, NME, GQ and the works, is that they respond to the demand.? They gage it on the volume of requests they get, general 'non-fanboard' chat, and a sense of 'the buzz', which unfortunately (and surprisingly to me) seems to be very very low key.? ?Hardly anybody I talk to knows they're touring, the excitement level is hovering around zero.

If people want to see stories in the mags, than start dropping emails, letters and whatever to those mags and ask to see some coverage.?? Believe me, the editors and writers aren't going to come here to check out the buzz, the buzz has to come to them.?

Of course all that will change with a hit single, but hey, it was word of mouth that got them off the ground in the first place.

Can't wait to post links to covers when you're wrong.

I am only talking about the UK magazine market.  You really think any UK mag wants anyone other than Axl on the cover?  Why would they? 

I was talking about UK mags, too... being from the UK. :P
I believe if there's a cover feature, it will feature the full band... why?  Because that's what they do with most other bands, even when the frontman is the only person people are really interested in.

Don't you remember the No Doubt video (based on a true story) where Gwen Stefani and the band do a photo shoot for a big mag cover and the rest of the guys are edited out leaving just Gwen? 

Most of the people out there seeing a cover on the newstand -- like 98% -- won't have a clue who the other guys are, nor will they care.  Having Finck, Fortus and even Stinson isn't likely to sell even one more copy (well, maybe the five copies for their mothers) than a shot of Axl alone.  The shot of Axl alone would be more recognizable.  Many of the more news oriented rags would still put the whole band on the cover (if they rate a cover at all), but mostly because they're 'new', (as in 'news'), not because they're viewed as a band.

Because this band is Guns N' Roses.

it wouldnt sell magazines, only the gnr community know who the band are, sorry but no one else does; and magazines cant run an issue depending on being bought by gnr fans.

listen to red1, he's not lying; believe me  ::)

It's not a matter or who's telling the truth. It's a matter of someone eventually being proved wrong.

How do you suppose people are going to get to know the new lineup? Through touring, interviews and overall press coverage.

BTW, if this all has to do with the new lineup then why did Rolling Stone have only Axl when the UYI lineup was together?

what interviews? if gnr are going through with releasing the album this year,  it wont be a commercial success based on touring; cos what other pr are they doing right now? i dont see any interviews; and in the UK there's virtually no press coverage (music magazines like kerrang just mock axl, the tabloids mock axl - NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BAND). unless theyre planning a huge pr campaign to back the tour up, its commercial suicide.

and as for the rolling stone magazine with just axl - everyone knew gnr then, and knew who the band was. they knew slash axl and duff were the backbone. now, people just think of axl as gnr, and its shocking how many people still think slash is in the band. axl doesnt need the promotion, the band does; if they want to gain any respect and new fans other than the online community.

i sure as hell hope they prove me wrong. gnr managment team - do some fucking pr for the love of god!

IF the album comes out and is critically acclaimed AND a commercial success, then the UK mags will start taking an interest in putting them all on the cover (because the fickle media will want to look like they are backing the band).  My point, which may have been lost somewhere somewhere along the way is that at this point in time none of the press want or need the rest of the band in order to sell more copies - and that is the driving force behind any cover feature. 

If GNR had been an active band and say... Slash had left in the middle of recording an album and then someone well known like John 5 had stepped in - that would have been a cover feature. 

At the moment I think the only way in hell that the mags would put the whole band on a cover is:

a) They want Axl but management insist that in order to get him, they must also put the rest of the band on the cover.
b) They want to ridicule the band.


This will all get blown out of the water if the album comes out and is huge and the general feeling in the industry is that it's a great album. 

I don't think this is about proving anyone right or wrong - it's just common sense.  If GNR do a successful tour, release a CD and become a huge band again - then they are obviously going to be come cover stars.  They will have to become HUGE to warrant that happening.  In my mind I can see the covers now where Axl is the main picture and the rest of the band are purposely in the background and made to look less significant - because no matter what happens the press will always see GNR as a band that is now Axl and his 'hired guns' no matter what us true fans feel.

Regardless of what you think of Rolling Stone (I like it), you have to admit that [1] they have been very kind to GNR/Axl over the years, and [2] their photography is some of the best in the business.? Their cover photos become classics.? Take a look at their GNR/Axl covers to date:

1988
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/Cleopatra2U/GNR/881117RS539.jpg)

1999
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/Cleopatra2U/GNR/890810RS558.jpg)

1991
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/Cleopatra2U/GNR/910905RS612.jpg)

1992
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l313/Cleopatra2U/GNR/920402RS627.jpg)

(Slash also appeared on a cover by himself in 1991.)

It's not hard for me to imagine a cover with Axl, Robin, Richard, Ron, Tommy, Brain, Dizzy, and Chris (assuming they would all fit? ;)).? And what great promotion it would be for them!? Even people who don't buy the magazine would still notice the cover at newsstands, bookstores, grocery and drug store checkout lines, etc., etc.? Maybe some lapsed GNR fans would notice Axl on the cover and read the magazine to find out what's he's been up to...

In short, I see only positive things from being on the cover of Rolling Stone, and I hope we see GNR there (again!) soon.

so true ?:-\

Cleopatra2U, you forgot the Slash cover pic.

I think GnR will do the dec or jan cover. If RS got first word of the Nov 21st release, Youd have to think that its GnR's managements way of saying "Hi rolling stone, here we are"

I mentioned it.  I just didn't post it.

Hopefully the cover will have the entire band, cause it is much needed for those guys to really get out there and be known by the public.

I wonder how many casual fans out there even know their is a new band?

People would probably be surprised at how many have no clue.

I feel the same way. I think it'd make a GREAT RS cover and be a smart move for both parties.

I think it would be stupid looking trying to fit the entire band on the front page as there is just too many of them to get into one shot without it looking cramped. I would just like Robin,Ron and Richard on the cover or Richard, Tommy Brian etc... But I think you would have to stick Axl in there somewhere so people know what band there actually looking at and to sell the magazine with him on the front.

Ofcourse Axl will be on there but readers would know anyways from the headline with the words "Guns N' Roses" in it.

If I were the rs editer, I'd put a coolest pic of just robin on the cover with the headline. People would get curious like "where is axl?".  then inside, a long interview with axl, with his pics and each members.

There will be a progression of pictures showing Axl Rose at various stages and looks and then the current photo of him and the title will read: 

HE'S BAAAAAAAAAACCCCCKKKKKK

" THE COMPLETE STORY OF GUNS N' ROSES LEADER W.AXL ROSE AND THE MAKING OF THE MOST ANICIPATED ALBUM IN ROCK & ROLL HISTORY "

I'm gonna put my crystal ball away now....

If the band can release CD in November, then Rolling Stone can hit us with this cover blurb:

"NOVEMBER REIGN: Why Everything Is Coming Up Roses For Axl and the New Guns"

They can put them on the cover, do an interview with Axl (or somebody else in the band), and review the disc!   They can skip the obligatory "making of the album" article, since that's all we've gotten for years from any mag...

And they should put the WHOLE BAND on the cover, not just Axl!!!

NICE!   :)   :yes:


I agree with you that the whole band should be on the cover -- they fit six Gunners on the cover in 1991; they can fit eight now.  And since the review would be separate from the article, they could do one nice long group interview.

*sigh*

I love rampant speculation...  And hope.   :)   :yes:

Wow dude, do u write for a mag?

That  is brilliant.

That's actualy kind of a cool idea, except that most magazines already have a lot of copy in the bag months ahead, so it probably wouldn't make November. Plus, I'd imagine coordinating something like that with all those members would be a pain in the ass to get done at this point to make it. But . . . .