Here Today... Gone To Hell!

For a lot of us, dealing with negative comments is just part of online life, and you never know when something you say or do will provoke an angry outburst from a stranger behind the safety of a keyboard. But guitarist DJ Ashba says he had no idea how negative the internet could be until he joined Guns N? Roses.

Speaking with attendees at this year?s Sweetwater GearFest in Fort Wayne, Ind., Ashba ? as captured in the video above ? looked back on the days after he joined the GNR roster in 2009 and admitted, ?Even after I accepted and everything, I had no idea that the shoes I was stepping into were pretty hardcore.?

Obviously aware of the accomplishments of the classic Guns lineup, Ashba says he was nonetheless caught off guard by how vehemently opposed some fans were to the idea of anyone trying to pick up where an original member left off. ?I?d never read a bad thing about me on the internet ever ? it was like, ?You?re not Slash. F? you!? And I?m like, ?Oh s?, this is a whole different thing.? That kind of blindsided me, because my head wasn?t even there,? he continues in the clip. ?I was like, ?I?m a fan of the band. I?m just trying to help keep that music alive.??

But all?s well that ends well for Ashba, whose low-key approach to the Guns gig started with an audition where he insists he didn?t even know he was trying out and ?just wanted to say hi to everybody.? Now that he?s been in the band for awhile, he says he?s felt some of that early online hatred subside: ?I finally slowly won some of them over, so that?s good.?




Read More: DJ Ashba Says Joining Guns N' Roses Gave Him First Experience With Online Haters | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/dj-ashba-online-haters/?trackback=tsmclip

That's from the same Q&A where DJ say GN'R auditioned over 100 guitar players.

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/board/index.php?topic=65960.msg1388541#msg1388541

Ultimate Classic Rock lifted the Blabbermouth story.

The full quote:

GUNS N' ROSES Auditioned 'Over A Hundred Guitar Players' Before Settling On DJ ASHBA

June 17, 2015

Speaking about how he landed the GUNS N' ROSES guitarist gig six years ago, Ashba said: "GUNS N' ROSES management called me, which, actually, was my personal manager too, so that kind of helped. But they said, you know, 'GUNS had been auditioning guitar players on the down low. They've been through over a hundred guitar players. Would you wanna come down and check it out?' And I honestly never saw myself doing it. I was, like, man, me and Axl [Rose, GUNS N' ROSES singer] are both from Indiana. I'd met him. Sharon Osbourne introduced me. When I was doing a BEAUTIFUL CREATURES record, they were next door doing the 'Chinese Democracy' record. And I was, like, 'Yeah, I'll go down. I'd love to see Axl again and say hi.' And he wasn't there, but he caught wind that I was gonna come down. And he called management and said, 'If he even shows up, he has the gig.' And that's kind of how it happened. It wasn't a real audition process, and I didn't even know that I was getting the gig. I just wanted to go down and, kind of, say hi to everybody."

He continued: "I didn't have a clue? Even after I accepted and everything, I had no idea that the shoes I was stepping into were pretty hardcore; it was a hardcore thing. I'd never read a bad thing about me on the Internet ever [before], and [now it was], like, 'You're not Slash. Fuck you!' And I'm, like, 'Oh, shit! This is a whole different thing.' I mean, that kind of blindsided me, 'cause my head wasn't even there. I was, like, 'I'm a fan of the band. I'm just trying to help keep that music alive.' But, you know, I finally slowly won those? some of them over, so it's good."

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-auditioned-over-a-hundred-guitar-players-before-settling-on-dj-ashba/

DJ is given far too hard a time, in my view.

If your whole deal is that he is not Slash, well, then no one will ever pass your test except the man himself.  You will hate anyone that's not Slash.

If your whole deal is that he's a poser and spends too much time crafting an image...I have a gallery of about 347 posters and photos of the old band I could point you to where the same exact thing was done.

If your whole deal is that he has yet to appear on even on GNR song...is that his fault?  Maybe your beef is actually with someone else in the fold.

So, basically, give DJ a break.  At least, in my opinion.  At minimum, take a look at some of your arguments and see if they are fair.

I think there are far more lovey lovey DJ posts like this these days that there are hateful ones..

Here, maybe.  And even here, its more like 50/50.

Anywhere else?  Its 95/5 against.  And they are vicious.

There arnt that many other places really to talk GNR.  If you are talking MYGNR, that site has very little to say nice about anyone/anything, let alone DJ.  (Site died to me years ago)

Then there is the general public....  Who may have been a little harsh towards the line up in the great Buckhead and Robin years.  I used to hear the crap all the time, "thats not slash!  this is garbage..  yada yada."

These days, DJ may bring enough of his own fan base to a guns show than that are there to see any other member of the band (other than Axl) combined.

I don?t hate DJ.
So far, he hasn?t written anything particularly memorable to my ears, and he wasn?t very impressive at the show I attended, so I can?t say I?m a fan yet, either.
Granted, he?s being asked to step into shoes he never had the chops to fill, so I will keep my expectations low and hope to be pleasantly surprised should he get a chance to record with GN?R.

As far as the ?posing? goes though, there is no comparison.
DJ seems much more image conscious and it comes across as forced.
With classic GN?R it was obvious the music came first.
They were real deal train wreck drunks/drug addicts.
The last thing on an addicts mind is their wardrobe.

DJ is a designer so it?s his job to care.

I?m not saying one is better than the other, just saying I don?t think they are cut from the same cloth.

In the end, it?s the music, if ever released, that will make fans of DJ era Guns.
Until then, Guns opens themselves up to criticism by doing little more than merely existing.

Well, if an album ever actually come out with DJ on it, its just going to him adding on to something written and recorded by others.

I don't know how much that can really tell you.

As for live, I think his solo spots are quite good.  They you hear him try and put his spin on 'Patience' and you want to shoot him.  Or yourself.

I dont think anyone has every said the classic songs where ever hard to play, so DJ better be able to pull off a Slash classic solo. (Not taking anything away from the work Slash did, becuase aint no one else writing hits like that)

When it comes to the songs on CD, I feel the solos are mostly above DJ

Also give DJ credit.  He at least does media.  He is overly possitive.  He actually wants to be a guitar player in guns, in a time and age where, we dont even have a full line up and some other guitar players cant even be bothered with the band any more

Oh, be careful there.

I suggested such a thing a few weeks back, and I thought we were going to have to hose Jarmo down.

My rope is a little longer...  hahaha

I While "cant be bothered" may sound a little harsh...   It is true, from a certain point of view...

Bucket (left/fired/quit??  Only 1 interview given about his time in guns I could find online and it was in spanish), never played with the band again....

Robin (left/Quit, doesnt seem to be any bad blood on either side.  Both parties have gone there own ways.  I have only been able to pull up 1 interview from Robin as well, about his time in guns.  He has played 1 guest spot with the band I believe)

Ron (left/quitt/fired/contract not redone?...   He is not short of interviews......   He doesnt seem to interested in having any future with guns and it might be a mutual feeling from guns)

So those are the last 3 "lead" guitar players in this band.....  Its not a bad thing.....    Its just a thing,

Its also a compliment to DJ, with they way previous guys have left and never looked back, DJ seems very loyal

I do not think Bucket, Robin, or Ron want anything to do with GNR going forward.  I don't see a strong argument for any of the three.

If there was 1 to pick out of the 3 for  doing future work with the band, I would have to say Robin... 

I would be willing to say that none of the 3 ever do anything with guns again though..

I have read and heard more possitive things from members of the classic lineup than I have these three..   

TheBaconmans order of former guitar players performing live with GNR (1 equals most likely)

1.  Izzy
2.  Robin
3.  Paul
4.  Ron
5.  Gilby
6.  Slash
7.  Bucket

I realize that it was an excerpt taken from a previous interview, but I thought we could use a new topic.

I have definitely seen more hate thrown DJ's way than any other GNR guitarist in the last 20 years.  Now a lot of that is probably because social media is becoming much more popular at an alarming rate, so everyone has a voice and they love to use it.  There are so many avenues for people to post their opinions, and that just didn't exist back in 2002.

DJ is probably my favorite guitar player that GNR has had since the original line up disbanded.  I have heard people complain about his playing chops, but they are more than adequate for the old GNR material.  If you listen to any of his SIXX:AM stuff you will see what a great songwriter he is.  He is especially good at writing a solo that FITS the song perfectly, which is not something everyone knows how to do, and something that I feel is the most important thing for a guitar player.  Anyone can just shred a million miles an hour, but try writing something meaningful while doing less, not easy.

 In rock, having great chops is meaningless at the end of the day if you don't know how to use them.  That is why I will take guys like Billie Joe Armstrong, Tom Delonge, Izzy Stradlin, Noel Gallagher or Kurt Cobain over guys like Yngwie Malmsteen or Joe Satriani any day of the week

He has been a great addition..Looking forward to his studio input....

People were ridiculing Paul's importance for years, until the album with the song credits was released.

And Paul was "just" a rhythm player!
Imagine that kind of hate and multiple it due to Dj being in the lead guitarist position...



/jarmo

To clarify:

Bucket left.  And he basically said it was because the band was not productive enough to satisfy his soul. He feels a burning need to release music (and he's pretty much put his money where his mouth is, considering he's released roughly 2 albums a month for the better part of 2 years).  He seems to need to write and release music as almost cathartic therapy (which is a bad way to phrase it, I know...but I can't think of a better way).

Robin left to join NIN.  That doesn't surprise me.  While his sound fit GnR very well....I think HE felt he "fit" better in NIN.  I don't recall him ever giving a detailed explanation as to why he left, or saying a bad word about his time with GnR.

See, I felt the same way about Robin, early on (2002 tour), too.

But he seemed to sort of "figure it out" as time went on.

I think, as an ARTIST, you have to balance respect for the old material with installing a bit of yourself into the notes you're playing.  It takes awhile to find that balance, I think.  Longer with some material...maybe material that doesn't resonate as closely with you...than with other material.

Sure, but that's because (right or wrong) he was so tied to the demise of the old band in the eyes of many.

A lot of folks saw it as Slash/Duff vs. Paul...and Axl picked Paul.  It didn't make a lot of sense to people.

I would put myself both in that camp that questioned the swap, but also one that softened my stance once I saw the writing credits.  I still think overall its a bad trade where everybody ultimately lost, but I don't think its fair to say Paul was not a huge part of putting the new material together.  He clearly was.

What is this clarifying?  I would like to read that interview you are some what quoting of Buckethead.  As I have really only been able to find the one     Is are just refer if to the press release his managment released?   Compare those comments to that of the letter Axl released when guns had to cancel rock n rio and pretty much blamed bucket for for the cancelation   

I don't think anyone has ever said Robin got fired or was released.  So his reasons for leaving could be vast.  The original comment is how he and other couldn't be more bothered with guns any more.   And using that point as a compliment to DJ.  Who wants to be in the band.   

Nin does not seem to busy these days and guns may be short a lead guitar player these days.   If there is interest from any of these past players, guess we will see..........

It surprises me, just in the contrast of the opportunity each offered.

Axl gave him a creative voice and a strong level of input in the direction the band.  Trent hands him something he wrote and says "here, play this."

The vast difference in opportunity is what leads me to conclude he wants nothing to do with GNR.  He's picked a far less favorable and artistically rewarding option.

That 2002 line up literary looked like "a band of misfits".   And I loved it!!   Instead of trying to replace what was there with a similar version, Axl created a new band full of the best players available to him.     Nothing cookie cutter about that

I think a lot of the previous hate towards DJ, was a lot of his stage presence comes off as fake.   With all the constant posing and his wardrobe, he may of come across as trying to play the toll of a rock star and not actually being one.      Too image concered.   I personally couldn't stand him at first.   He has strongly warmed up to me however

I think a lot of the hate Pail received was put on buy Slash publicly cutting down the guy every chance he got asked about him.  Then all the pure slash supports just jumped on the hate wagon.   To this day we don't really know much of the guy or his time with guns, so I really don't know where all the hate could come from when you really don't Ben know about something.   Really is the definition of ignorance

I agree.

And I think that was the line-up he was excited about.  I don't think its a coincidence that as that line-up dissolved, so did a lot of Axl's artistic fire.

Is it though?

People know Axl's insistence was a huge part of why Slash left.

Even though Axl and some of his supporters have tried to spin it how Axl only intended Paul as a placeholder, that misses the point.  Even as a placeholder, Slash said no good.  That should have been the end of it.

Instead, Axl dug in.  In the eyes of many, it was of paramount importance for Axl to bring Paul into the fold, even if only in a temporary capacity.  And if it cost him members of his band...oh well.

That's never going to make sense to folks.  No matter how you try and dress it up.

I am 100% onboard with the concept that this shit happened 20 years ago and you can't change it.  But totally disagree that accepting that reality means you have to also endorse it all was a great idea.

All the players in those early sessions were just kids and in there artistic prime!!!   There was an artistic fire so large created that I am sure Axl just loved feeding off it.   He created the fire out in which it was buring!  

As much as the classic line up was a perfect storm of everything lining up right for the band

The new era line up is almost the complete opposite of that.  Where everything went wrong.....    

There are various reasons for members leaving from the 2002 lineup.  But ultimately,I really think Axl felt a little heartbroken over it.   I think he had a lot of emotional investment in these guys  

Replacing the classic line-up was going to be a motherfucker.  But he did it.

But I just don't see the same fire once his band went from a replacement band to a replacement band *of* the replacement band.

Look at just what we've been told.  The 2000-2002 line-up put together 2, maybe 3 albums of material.  The band from 2006 has yet to write their first song.

30 plus songs in 3 years vs. zero songs in 9 years?  That's no accident.

Ha I am neither a Axl or Slash ra ra ra cheerleader.    And in the mid 90s when this was all going on I was only a teenager with no internet and just music news on TV or in print.   So I really don't know what happened with Paul coming in.  So why would I judge.   I do know that there were many drug addicts and substance abusers in the band in the time and I will just not be taking there word for what happens

I don't remember saying Paul being in the band was a great idea either.....



But I will say this though.  It seemed to be what guns and Axl needed    Paul's contributions on the album CD are huge.   He played live in one of my fav guns concerts of all time.    Enough said

It seemed in those very early 2002 the band really wanted to play new music live..  That's all apart of the fire and the drive they all had.    Then the storm came in and took everything sideways

It clarifies terms, and motivation, really.

I believe "Herbie" commented, after Bucket left (meaning Bucket commented, really) and said his primary reason for leaving was productivity. Then there were "no comments" and "no answer" when reasked the question in different places (Rolling Stone, the Grammy's Green Carpet, etc). There was the statement from his manager. I believe Brain also corroborated this.  There was other industry talk.  Add all that to the fact that, once he had recuperated (the guy was REALLY sick), he started releasing music at a frenetic pace...and it sorta makes sense.


Nope, but I was adding a bit of context as to why.


And I wasn't disputing the point. Just adding context to why those guys seemingly, ultimately, left.  There seemed like there was confusion, there. 


I don't think Robin has any interest in rejoining.

This was a really cool letter from Robin to the fans back in 2005 (especially in light of the awesomeness that followed in 2006 :smoking:)

gnr fans:

to be clear, the request to refrain from emailing me about Guns n' Roses is not a diss to you or to the band or to anyone. i simply am not eager to instigate that conversation until an official release date for the album is made public. otherwise, i'd go a little nutzo tossing "i dunnos" and "can't quite says" in every direction. i trust you may understand. there will most certainly be a time to embrace this new ship. let's first allow it to launch from the pad in all it's glory. i look forward to such a time.

what is real, is that i am alive and inspired and look forward to sharing this new chapter with you. thank you for your support and for your enthusiasm along this long and winding off-road trek. each email to me personally is gratefully received.

see you-
r ob i n

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=1389 (http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=1389)

Yeah, sometimes it's not about opportunity, it's about comfort/happiness/life.  Especially when a) you've made a butt ton of money already and b) you have personal stuff going on in your life (like a new kid, for instance) that might not fit in with the commitments, culture, and situations presented by that opportunity.  

I think (and this is me spitballing) that Robin was ultimately just more comfortable with NIN, and their setup/deal. At the end of the day, I think Robin just thought he'd be HAPPIER....not necessarily professionally better off...in NIN.

I think he is still friendly with the GnR guys (he did a guest spot, live, on Better not THAT long ago). But I don't think he's interested in reliving it.

Early on, they played like a band of misfits too.  Stuff just not quite fitting together quite right.  And then...*BAM*....it seemed to come together. Listen to early shows in that tour, and then listen to later ones.  You can practically hear the progressions/changes (even on the crappy, crowd sourced, recordings).


Yeah, I always liked him...but the longer he's around, the more I like him.  I agree...early on it seemed like he was trying a little too hard.  BUT, I think now, he's gotten more comfortable..both in the band, and in his "skin".

OK, I just have to point out some irony here..given another conversation we were having:

Slash said no to Paul, Zakk Wylde, Tracey Guns, and a couple other prospective guys.  And, when asked who he WOULD like to audition/replace with....there was resounding silence (this according to Axl, so....you know...YMMV).

But, ASSUMING all that's true...is that productive? Does that solve anything? Is that proactive. :P

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. You mine as well have been throwing BP. :)


Yeah, here we're on the same page.  But his other option was complete inactivity, I guess. And waiting for Slash to come up with "something else".  They didn't really have that kinda time, given the commitment to IWAV's soundtrack, etc.

I agree: It was a BAD move. There couldn't have been any other expected response.  But I think, by that point, Axl's frustration level was SOOO high...he was like "fuck it".


See, I think it makes perfect sense.  Not logical "I want to keep the band together and will do whatever it takes" sense.  More like "Shits going down, I can't take this anymore, something's gotta give" sense.


Endorse it? No.

Come to terms with it? Yes.

It is what it is. It's not gonna change...neither the outcome nor the motivations.

Your very on point here, thanks for adding this

Tracii Guns? When did this happen?

Robin wrote this on his website in April 2007.
3 months later he played his final gig as a member of GNR.

I'm writing now in the wake of the recently postponed and cancelled GNR commitments in Japan and in South Africa. I guess I'm writing because I too am disappointed, have a conscience, a website, and I am not on the Bullet Train to Osaka this evening.

I purely want to share with those whom were avid for seeing GNR at these concerts that I too was looking forward to seeing you all. The band was primed and pumped, production packed and shipped. Then, much to our distress, unforeseen circumstance walked in, dropped its surly case and announced with certainty, "I'm here! ". What can we do.

I have received innumerable emails from real people who where hooking up with friends or family, flying to faraway cities, booking hotels or friend's couches, docking the USS Kitty Hawk, and otherwise scheduling their time and enthusiasm around these events. In short, these peeps wuz straight stung adrenalized and lettin' me square have it! I too was psyched about the shows, planning to meet friends and family, watch the cherry blossom blossom etc. It is my wish that your bounce forward from here be one of a willful arc and opportunity. Believe me, I'm swallowing that very pill by your side.

Well, I'm not gonna go on with this letter, this letter to you who've sent me. I think you catch my drift.

Best of spirits to you all and I sincerely wish for you a successful trip ahead. Have fun wherever you are-

r ob i n

DATE: April 23, 2007
SOURCE: robinfinck.com