Here Today... Gone To Hell!

We (gnrsource.com) did a small Q&A with Marc Canter, he was pleasant enough to answer some questions.
Thank you again for it Marc.  : ok:

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1. I know you've remained friends with all the guys in the band, at least to some degree. Did you in any way hesitate to dig into the band's past the way you have done?

Marc: No, when I started working on the book it was 1993-1994 and by then the band was so big that it was important for the fans to see where they came from. Also I wanted to share with the fans the great photos and memorabilia that I collected.

2. Now that the making of Appetite is out, do you have material to make a follow up, say for making of Lies and the Illusions album? Would you consider doing that?

Marc: No, I do have some stuff but it's not something I would do. My job was documenting the birth of the band. When the band started to get big, Del James started documenting all that stuff. He was on the road with the band.

3. A lot of fans would be interested in the video material you have. Any plans to release one or more DVDs or distributing that material in any way, or are such opportunities blocked?

Marc: I would like to see a DVD of the book that has photos, interviews, and some of the Video all mixed together like a documentary of the book. Someday if the band is ready to do it, You guys will get a killer project.

4. You say you always had faith in GnR, but did it come as a surprise that Appetite did as good as it did? Did you see that coming?

Marc: I knew if the band could stay together long enough that something would happen. They were the perfect team of songwriters for that time and Place and where they were in their lives. Slash knew what to do with whatever Izzy and Duff came up with and Axl knew what to do with whatever Slash came up with. It was a great team effort. The balance was perfect Slash was hard rock and blues Duff was punk Izzy was right in between them and Steven's drums fit well and Axl put his magic to all of it with a lot of lyrics and melodies which was so important in the way the songs came out. Axl was sort of like the producer in the way the songs got finished. New songs were put together all the time that were album ready. They had the look, the sound, song-writing,and the attitude. I knew they would get signed and put out a record and sell about five hundred thousand copies ( a gold record). I was almost right until MTV kicked in and showed the world what Guns N' Roses had to offer. Then They sold millions and millions of records.

5. Do you know or have any contact with the current members of Guns n' Roses?

Marc:I have met them all at the shows but I don't know them well enough to hang out with them.

6. Do you remember when the first concert you saw by GnR was?

Marc: Yes, it was there first show. June 6th 1985 at the Troubadour. That was the first show with the Appetite For Destruction line up. There was a few shows with Guns N Roses before Slash and Steven joined, with Axl ,Izzy, Duff, Tracii Guns, and Rob Gardner that I didn't see But I did see Rose with Axl and Izzy and I did see Hollywood Rose With Axl, Slash, and Steven one year before that in 1984. I also saw LA Guns with Axl and Tracii Guns.

7. Do you have any favorite GnR song?

Marc: They all mean something to me,but if I had to pick one maybe it would be "Sweet Child".

8. Do you think that bands like Guns n' Roses that started out in a time when there was no internet or real mass media as far as rock is concerned had a much harder way to get a contract than bands in the 21 century [especially the opportunity casting bands now have]? And does it have any kind of negative influence on the creativity of these "new" bands?

Marc: Well I think it's harder now to get signed because most of the record companies and A&R people are gone and most of the record stores are also gone, But The internet does have some great ways to get your band out there. Utube is a great tool for getting your ban out there.

9. Have you had the chance to take a look on our website (www.gnrsource.com), and what do you think about it?

Marc: I have been on your site. I think all the sites are great, It's a great way for the fans to communicate with each other. When Reckless Road came out, I was looking on the boards to see what people were saying about the book. I know it's great but sometimes when your so close to something for so long you forget what you have. So far the people love the book and that make me happy to know that I was able to gave something special to the people. No one knew that the first 50 gig's the birth of GNR was ever documented.

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If this is the wrong section for it, please feel free to move it to the section where it should be.

hey .....


was he using the scree name " reckless roads" at one time when that one thread was going on about purchasing the book ?



Nice Q / A

I think he used that nickname here, but I contacted him somewhere else.

And maybe I am wrong, but I think there was also a thread about "Reckless Road" somewhere around here too.

Not directed at mj23


Sorry, but dude, do you have any background in journalism; from what University did you graduate?

What is your credentials?

Sorry, but I don't mean to be rude. However, the writing style, above, is crude at best ...

says the guy who just wrote "What is your credentials?"

The Q&A went this way:

I contacted Marc and asked him for a small Q&A and he agreed to do it.
Then some people of the forum staff (me included) made up some questions what would be ok for him to answer. We left out every question that could have led to a "Chinese Democracy" answer or any kind of discussion later on. Because we basically wanted to give Marc the opportunity to talk about "Reckless Road", a book that I consider being really great and about the background of that era.
To me the answer to the question #4 sounds quite good. Marc has answered it from his point of view, he answered it based on the things he has witnessed.

*******

I know the comment was not directed at me, but I feel that I needed to respond since it was me who made the contact. Marc was kind enough to take some time and answer all these question that maybe were asked a million times before.

"Marc:I have met them all at the shows but I don't know them well enough to hang out with them."

This statement is totally confusing. I am reading Slash's book right now and Slash states that they are good friends. They use to be really close. Hell Slash use to work at the Deli. So whats up with a statement like this??

well if you would have read the question about current members you would have understood that he was asked about robin finck, richard fortus and the others, not slash since he's 12 years gone this year : ok:

 ... and your point is?

I am aware of who is Canter, but that does not excuse the fact that the paragraph ... is some piss poor writing, and, perhaps, be best left to some internet site that speculates at best, and is a turd, at worst.

You are having a go at the guys piss poor writing, yet you say "What is your credentials?".

I believe what the previous poster is suggesting is that the correct english is "What ARE your credentials?"

Pot meet kettle...

Touch?, though, I never pretended to be a journalist.

Oh crap! Sorry. I had just got out of bed. Didn't mean to mess that one up.
Peace out
amyl

... and I definitely never rambled; even after sever inebriation. Well, maybe, I fudged the latter ...

and I have fuckeduped many a plural, and other gramatic errata. However, rarely, am I strung out ... :thumbsup:




I'm surprised that you missed the fragment.
[/i]

This book is so unnecessary in 2008.
Only a book on the making of CD would be healthy for the band.

Not really,because there are alot of people who would like to know about how the band got started from someone else's point of view,you can't have this GN'R without having the old GN'R,no matter what the past is still the history of the band. :smoking:

Something is better than nothing.

Where the fuck do you get off?  The guy gave us an interesting interview with someone close to the band.  Ungrateful!!  Go back to drinking paint thinner and leave your comments to yourself.

 I can't get excited at the pics of good old days as widely as about cd era either but I'd speak for myself. 
it's good to learn a history of the band.

 ::)

Speak for yourself.

This book details the beginning of my favorite band. I'm very appreciative of that.

Goal!  :peace:

yup..  its pretty obvious by your posts, your avatar, and your attitude exactly where your interests lie.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I guess we shouldn't write or read about anything in the past. Let's get rid of presidential biographies, old newspaper clippings and anything else that doesn't have to do with the present.

I do speak for myself, but it is not hard to imagine that this would be the position of the GN'R camp.
No one is trying to discredit how the band started and how great AFD turned out to be. However, focusing, and re-focusing, and re-focusing on that period and that album is way beyond narrow-minded and damaging for the band NOW. Instead of setting the stage for the release and the official start of a new era for the band, books like this and others only stir up nostalgy thoughts and stupid reunion wishes among fans today. How is this good for GN'R and the upcoming CD?
There has been many books, DVDs, interviews, CDs that acknowledged that era. Most of them were also released when the time was still appropriate - back in the 90s. So, if anyone wants to read or see pics of that era, it is not very hard to dig the sources.
Axl officially said good-bye to that period with the release of Live Era in 1999. Since then he's been 100% focused on the new era.  Why couldn't people put this period to rest and move on? Why do people keep digging and digging and bring it back and stick it in the face of the fans at the expense of the current band? Money?

I fully realize that Canter is still a friend of Axl's (although not sure in what capacity since he is even better friends with Slash). But I am pretty sure that does not mean Axl endorsed this project at least not in the year it came out (2007). He most likely didn't object to it because he is a nice person and tries to help all his friends any way he can - or in this case help by not stopping this book hit the shelves in the worst possible time. It is funny how Canter's plan actually, as I believe he said in an interview, was to release the book at the time CD is released. Which, if it happened probably would've created a massive confusion among fans, media, etc. Nice guy. As well as how he keeps emphasizing and re-emphasizing in interviews how AFD was a "band" effort. Yeah, right. A "band" effort that would've gone nowhere without Axl. But would've just been as big if any of the other 4 were different musicians....as time has proven....or will for the yet unconvinced ones.

are you serious?  ??? I dont wanna be rude and it´s great that you stick to your beliefs but face the reality... what time has proven is that it was the original band who made history and for most people in general, those are Guns N´Roses. We are fans, we are aware of the present  but we must get out of our bubbles sometimes and look at the reality... you can ask whoever you want (not a fan obviously) and Guns N´ Roses will be the band of Sweet Child of Mine, the band of Axl and Slash, the band who is still remembered by much as one of the best rock n roll bands of all time. Whether this is will change or not... we must wait and see.

First off, point to me to one thing Axl has done, "besides" fun projects like TSI and guesting on Baz's album, that is not pure geniuos regardless of the people involved.
Second, I can point you to numerous medicore crap that the other 4 have created since they parted ways with Axl, again regardless of the people involved.

Yet, you'd say but they were perfect together at the time. Maybe. But to somehow insinuate that Axl wouldn't have been able to break big without those 4 given his artistic history, is just naive. Maybe AFD wouldn't have sounded the same without those 4, but how the hell do you know it wouldn't have sounded better? And has it ever occurred to you that the "band effort" called AFD is a little overrated and wouldn't have succeeded that much if it wasn't for the greatness and grandiose of the Illusions? How many people checked Illusions out because they saw T2 or the videos for Nov Rain, Don't Cry, fell in love with the band, and "then" bought AFD as well? Quite a few I think. Any follow-up album will boost the sales and popularity of older albums by gaining new fans.

Humm... thats not quite what I was saying but as you brought that up...


thats too subjective and depends from each person. e.g you call TSI a fun project... I love that album to death... almost as much as AFD. what you call "pure genious" may also be different for me...


again, what you call "mediocre crap" may be pretty good material for me. Let it be Izzy's albums or Velvet Revolver. So... we´re still at the subjective camp.


how do you know it wouldnt happen the other way around? GN´R did break because they were the sum of those individuals. That´s what a band is... each bandmember has its part... you sum it all and you got something... As much talent as Axl has, he wouldnt have gone nowhere without the guys. He needed them as much as they needed him. They were starting and no one had acknowledge Axl´s talent yet. Still to this day, Axl needs a band. Would he be that "virtuoso" musician who pretty much does everything on his own, he would have gone solo a long time ago.  : ok:


What do you mean? Appetite is one of the best hard-rock albums of all time! You may prefer the Illusions to AFD... thats one thing... but saying AFD, one album that comes in every single "best rock albums of all time" lists by reviewers of all around the world is overrated, well.... it´s quite disturbing, coming from a fan.  ::)

I agree that videoclips of masterpiece songs like November Rain did help GNR to win even more reputation around the world...but it wasnt the Illusions who launched them... it was Appetite...don´t forget that.   ;)

 But to somehow insinuate that Axl wouldn't have been able to break big without those 4 given his artistic history, is just naive.

[/quote]

I can agree with a lot of what you say except for the above statement. I've heard some of the stuff he did before he met the other 4 and it sucks. But that's just my opinion and it's subjective. : ok:

I'll have you know Sir, I only drink the finest whiskey.

I might frequent cheap whores, but liquor is different.

I think that there is no need for personal attacks.

fucking crazy has his opinion on these things, I have mine and others have a different opinion maybe.
I always like a discussion where each opinion is treated in an equal way.

And up to a certain degree people should be able to raise their opinion based on facts, there is no need for name calling.

So let's get back on topic and talk about the small Q&A we have done.

 ... and I might add, how dare you!!!


one might impugn my integrity, but to take a shot at my liquor ... that Sir, is a low blow.

You Sir, are a scalawag!!!

mj23 - thanks for putting this interview together and for posting it, here.  I thought it was a great little interview!  I, for one, appreciate all the work and effort he put into this book. 

I second that.  I've got the book and appreciated it.  But for the record, Mr. Canter has never bad mouthed anyone one in the band that I've seen or heard (including Axl).  Axl played November Rain at his wedding before it was released and his wife was cutting Axl's hair until a few yrs ago.  To me that shows that he is involved in with Marc to a certain extent. 

and keep in mind what this masterpiece of a book really covers: the whole making of AFD. Marc Canter was there from day 1, he taped nearly all the first 50 gigs himself and shot tons of photos, most never been released to the public before!! there is no other popular band having this type of die hard fan and friend who has put together such a project from the beginning.
the book release in 2007 had some very cool bonus promotion move: 20th anniversary of Appetite!
add the fact that he is still friends with Slash and Axl.....the missing link  ;)

for a "making of CD"-book/DVD there surely are enough professional recordings to create a similar project.

It might be a unique book/project/whatever and I am sure it is worth every penny for the stuck in time nostalgetic fans. However, this book would have really done justice if it had come out in the 90s.

And please, no link between Axl and Slash is needed. Ever.

it was to be released in the 90s but the project stopped cause the book deal couldnt be finished in a fair way.

and yes, Marc Canter was very helpful to the band and needed  :yes:

Wow....

Maybe Axl might have been able to break big, on his own.  We'll never know.  I don't think so, however, in the same way.  AFD is one of the biggest selling albums of all time, isn't it?  The band effort for that is overrated?  I think it succeeded on it's own - even without Illusions.  (Illusions was, in my opinion, awesome, but probably a bit of a "letdown" in comparison to AFD, for the masses).  I remember AFD as being HUGE, way before UYI, and it catapulted GnR into infamy. 

Personally, I feel that AFD was (and remains) a phenomenal album, that only came to be, based upon the combination of the 5 guys that made it, based upon a combination of personalities and musicianship that meshed.  Without that, we wouldn't have what has become the legend of GnR, to this day....

Axl could have been able to break out big on his own, but chose not to. He could have done alot of things.....but chose not to.
Which ends that discussion.

Thanks MJ23 for a nice Q/A!