Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Sep. 16, 2007

Sweden's Metalshrine recently conducted an interview with HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Metalshrine: There's a great book about GUNS N' ROSES and on every other page they keep saying how they wanted to be like HANOI ROCKS and that you were a huge influence on them back when they started out. Did you ever think, when they started to take off and sell millions of records, that it should've been you selling all the records since they took a lot of what you had?

Monroe: "No, I never felt that! Not at all! I was always happy for their success and they definitely earned it themselves. I'm thankful for them recognizing the HANOI ROCKS influence and talking about it in the press. A lot of bands weren't really that talented and they sold a lot of records and really just deliberately tried to fake something out of it with the looks and not having much to back it up with. But GUNS N' ROSES really had their own thing and they were secure enough in themselves to quote HANOI ROCKS as an influence. Also, they released a lot of the old catalog in America with their Uzi/Suicide label. So they were definitely paying homage to us and they were being very cool. I've never been envious of their success, quite the opposite, I've been very happy for them. I was part of it. I played on their records and I was happy to be part of it. It's always fun working with those guys. Slash played the right kind of guitar because he grew up with HANOI and mine and Andy's (McCoy) playing. I actually did something with him for the movie 'Coneheads'."

Metalshrine: Do you remember the first time you met those guys?

Monroe: "I met Axl... he came to my video shoot in New York. I was shooting a video for 'Dead, Jail or Rock and Roll'. He showed up and just came to say hi and he introduced himself. I got to talk to him and he was a big NAZARETH fan and I was like 'Wow, a NAZARETH fan!' He didn't realize that 'Not Faking It' was a cover of a NAZARETH song. He had heard the record and he was really into it and he liked the song 'Dead, Jail or Rock and Roll', so I said 'Why don't you come up and do a couple of takes with us?' He came up on stage and he ended up in the video. I got along with him great and I always had a nice time with him. I never had a problem with him. I hear all these horror stories, but he's always been cool with me. It was fun working with those guys afterwards. Playing sax on their record and we did the duet 'Ain't It Fun'. That was magical and they have great star quality. A great band and it's a shame that they didn't stay together."

Complete interview and watch Michael Monroe's "Dead, Jail or Rock and Roll" video (featuring Axl Rose) here:

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=80879

Cool.. Hanoi Rocks!  :hihi:

Would be cool to see them open for GNR... but.. i guess that wont happen

Yes, it would be cool. One thing I really expected when Gn'R played in Finland in 2006, especially when BFMV cancelled their show. But naaah, Hanoi guys were in another country :P

he threw shit about GNR in 2002...He said that axl was worried to share stage with Hanoi on the Osaka festival, last 2002

yes, big influence

A great band with a great frontman.  I will be seeing them in a couple of months with LA Guns (Not tracii's version).
If you listen to their early records, you can definately see where GN'R took some influence.

He did ? Did he said something about the band ?

I think so.

Wasn't that the interview where he said that the "New GN'R" sucked?

And he also said that Axl Rose was afraid to take the stage in Osaka since Hanoi Rocks where playing there as well.

But I might be wrong...

If I remember right, he was talking about the Rio 2001 and he said that the band seemed to be "little lost" or something. Nothing really bad I think. And yes, he also said that Osaka thing.. but.. sharing a stage with Hanoi Rocks in Japan back then..

Axl Rose afraid......give it a rest!

Although HR may have influenced GN'R, how many of us have heard of them BECAUSE of GN'R?

I saw HR supporting the Wildhearts at a gig in Scarborough a couple of years ago. Really entertaining, even when its freezing cold and windy!

As far as I remember, he said back in 2002 that he missed the old band when he saw the new one.

I think (yeah, it's just a random thought) it was more because of the look the band had back then than the music. He would be way warmer now that the new band looks more rock n' roll style. IMO, that's bullshit and I loved them for what they play rather for how they look, but it seems like it's a big deal for some people...

Yep, I was there also.... remember the wait to get into the Beer Tent?

And again, remembering the wind up there. I went in a T-shirt, absolutely freezing I kept having to check my nuts hadn't dropped off!

No, you're right. I don't know if it was in Osaka aswell but Hanoi Rocks were originally scheduled to play the main outdoor stage at the Summer Sonic Tokyo show in Makuhari Messe on August the 17th 2002. I got there on the day of the gig and they'd been moved to the much smaller indoor stage. Hanoi are really popular here so Mike Monroe was pretty pissed off and did say something about Guns being afraid to share the stage with the reformed Hanoi Rocks. And I don't blame them to be honest!

Yes, that's how I remember it too. Thanks for clearing it! :beer:

How about more clarity?

Was he not thankful to axl? 
hes being pissed shouldn't have made the band a ridiculous cover band that lost on stage having no connection with the audience. And the guitar player mediocre?

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=968

Beef Jerky is right.  what a scum.

Yes he is thankful to Axl, for particular reasons. He's said it many times actually. And you know, that's his opinion. Just because he didn't like their performance doesn't mean he's a scum.

Well, he lied when he said it was all old songs. And, as I said previously in this thread, he was judging a lot by their look...

kaasupoltin, Do you even read what he said? providing he said all those slanders out of the anger or the friendship to someone, he is.  And now he's saying good things about axl when the odds are in axl's favour?
more scummy.

I seem to remember the back of the queue was almost off the end of the cliff! Apparently Carling pulled out at the last minute.

Despite all the screw ups it was a fun day...you never know whats going to happen with the Wildhearts, a little like GN'R!

I was very impressed by Hano Rocks though...it kind of makes me think of what GN'R were like when they used to play clubs. I think Axl was very influenced by Michael Monroe's look.

Ok well lets see.. as I am a HR fan, I've read many articles about Hanoi/Monroe during my life, and Mike has always said good things about Axl when asked. And seriously, maybe he just didn't like their performance this time..? That's what it was all about, their show. Whether Gn'R had connection with the audience, I can't say, I wasn't there.
I understand that Mike was pissed off 'cause they had to play on a smaller stage. Who wouldn't be? Especially when it was in Japan where Hanoi Rocks is still a huge thing for many people. Of course they would have wanted to play on a big stage as it was planned.

But yeah I know, "everyone who talks shit about Guns n' Roses is a fucking dumbass" :rant: That's just naive..
I'm just happy that they're friends and like each others bands. Plus, you never know what he has originally said in this interview.


That's true, or then he just referred to the fact that people were still waiting for more new songs. I don't know. And the look-thing, I wouldn't be so sure.. he's a professional musician and knows what's important and what's less important.

RIGHT -ON !

kaasupoltin, There are witnesses that say there was a great connection between gnr and them. Besides, the mike guy wasn't there. he  just watched the monitor. That's practically same as seeing a dvd or youtube.

I'm not a fan of hanoi Rocks but a fan of the present gnr.

I don't think he really mean it as just people wanting new songs or that the look wasn't important enough to him. From what I understood from his own words, it seems exactly what I said before...

Whatever has been said I hope Guns and Hanoi make friends again. That would be the best tour ever to see those to bands together. I saw Hanoi live this summer and they are kick ass rock n roll band! And Guns is too of course.

His own words weren't really brought up in the shorter version of the interview. And what I've read from articles through the years, he still likes Guns n' Roses and still is a good friend of Axl. And when it comes to the real thing; was Hanoi moved to a smaller stage 'cause they were too big for Gn'R.. can you deny it in this case?

he still likes the old lineup for sure.


Bah! that's what the promoter would have said to make hanoi feel better.  Or some metal writers would in 2004. :rofl:

I don't know if I'd call him a scum, but he was definitely judgemental.

And calling Buckthead mediocre is just a pure lie.

There's no point arguing with you ;D But I can tell you, as I live in Finland and I do read certain magazines, it's impossible to not spot articles/interviews about Hanoi Rocks. So I do know some things. And if he would hate the new band, why did he say he's dissapointed 'cause he was anxious to see Gn'R in Helsinki but couldn't go because Hanois own stuff?

where did he say that? ???
In the article he only says he couldn't tour with velvet revolver because of the hanoi stuff.

It wasn't in this interview, if I remember right it was in a Finnish magazine called City or Sue. Can't remember but it makes no difference anyway..

from what year is the video ?

and i dont want to be rude , but the video was horrible and the song also , it was like all the hair bands of the 80s.

i know HR has many fans among those Axl, but i was shocked by the video.

Michael Monroe > Almost everyone else

The song is from 1989, so I think the video is from somewhere near. Btw. it's not Hanoi Rocks.

Btw. how many original members are still in Hanoi Rocks? two perhaps?

So what? Maybe he just thinks so. As much as I love current Gn'R-lineup, I also still think it's a shame the old lineup didn't stay together.

Sure.

But he's also being a hypocrite by calling Guns N' Roses a bunch of "hired guns" when he does the exact same thing himself.

Not that I care, though.

Well, I'd say exact same thing would be Axl & Izzy still in GNR. Or Axl & Slash. Or maybe all three would be more like it. Hanoi has always been Andy & Mike.

Kaasu can disagree if he wants  ;D

I totally agree with what you're saying about Mike and Andy.

People say things "in the heat of the moment" that they didn't mean, and that they regret later ... God knows I have.

Well, if i remember correct Hanoi Rocks was touring England when GN?R played in Helsinki 2006.
I also wanted  Mike to join the band atleast on encores.

"Japan incident"...HR was VERY dissappointed when they was told to play in smaller arena.
Ofcourse they were pissed. I don?t know if Uncle Axl had nothing to do with that thing.
But it was HR-guitarist (at that time),Costello Hautam?ki and someone else (not Mike or Andy) who said that GN`R was boring liveact and something about guitarsounds or guitarists were also mentioned.
But again, they were bitter.

So, as a finnish dude myself, i can confirm that we get a LOT of information about Mike and Andy even if we don?t want to.
They were the only rockstars in Finland in 80?s and 90?s (well, you can count Ville Valo of H.I.M. nowadays in).
So whatever they do, we know about it :rofl:
I don?t mind cause i like the old Hanoi stuff, new stuff is ok, but old is better. IMO.
And 97% of all interviews they (Mike and Andy) talk positive things about GN?R and Axl.
So, calm down people.
97% of all interviews they don?t talk so positively about M?tley Crue and Vince (or Nikki sometimes)  :rofl:
So they know good rock band when they see one  :beer:

"peace"

makkonen, that's all I was trying to say :beer: But didn't know it was Costello who talked about Gn'R's stage presence though.

gnr has always been about axl and his vision

yknow, mike was on alot of drugs in his youth people do have strange tendencies from being fucked up off them maybe he has a short temper because of it.

either way, the 80s hanoi rocks are the shit and there five albums they made, especially mystery city, are awesome.

Is the 2004 blabbermouth article false? It says
"HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe has spoken to Rock Rage about his previous friendship with GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose and his opinion of Rose's current band........"

the comments about the 2002 festival were made in 2004 when the heat seemed to be on in the GNR world.


@ kaasupoltin and makkonen,
Next time you see him speak highly of GN'R of today, please post it, will you?

I just don't have a need to do that. I know what I'm talking about, you can do some research yourself..

I think ppbebe just asked nicely because everyone would be interested in a GNR mention. No need to be rude.

I wasn't rude on purpose, so sorry for that. But usually when Mike or Andy are interviewed and asked about Gn'R/Axl, they just say the same thing and it isn't usually that interesting. They are not "big news". Maybe it's different here in Finland 'cause as makkonen said, it's impossible to not to see their faces in media here.

Read my line again. I said I want to hear it when they say something nice about the current band. Something relevant and not the same old story. Like voodoo said, a fan would like to hear.

You needn't to be so over defensive.

He said that he didn't mean it like that...

Do we have to fight? :P

Well as I said: they usually talk about the same things when asked about Gn'R.. they do say nice things and blaablaablaah. If you're judging Mike because of this interview, be my guest :hihi: Btw. this thread is going nowhere..

that's why I'm asking you to share it if you see they compliment current GNR in the future.

Not everyone here lives in finland or speaks finnish you know.

I just posted this interview because he had some positive things to say about Axl...but I guess there is a lot of history. :peace:

HR has released three great records, GNR none same time. Big difference.
There is no bad blood between these bands, no contacts, you know...

Funky it's just nice of you and there's no objection whatsoever to your posting it.

You wouldn't have thought it would make 3 pages, would you? :hihi:

this is off topic , but like makkonen wrote something about HIM , im wondering how is HIM  treated in Finland? are they treated like a rock group? pop rock?

i had the chanse to interview Ville Vallo ones here in Mexico, he was nice .

As a rock band, definitely. And they are much appreciated in the media too..

Is there the same general appreciation for bands like Ensiferum, Turisas and Korpiklaani?  Bands like those make me want to move to Finland...

They don't have anything to do with GN'R.

Use the PM feature or take it to Bad Obsession. Thanks.



/jarmo