Richard Fortus brief interview

[D-GenerationX]

It gets to a point where it feels like we're living in Groundhog Day when they make comments like these.  Sure, it's nice to hear, but good intentions a new album does not make.  I'll believe it when there's tangible proof that a new album is, in fact, in the works. Any GNR fan who has been around for 5 minutes should know that's probably wise.

At the basest level, I'd rather hear this sort of talk than outright laughter at the question.

[russkwtx]

Anyway, back to the original topic about new music: I frequently hear that bands of GNR's generation who have matured and grown tired of the excessive drugs and drinking now fill their time writing music while on tour. I wonder why GNR does not do the same. I realize their schedule is tight but musicians are always talking about sitting around in their rooms strumming a few lines that eventually turn into riffs and from there the basis for a new song. I don't have the answer, I am just curious why that creative process doesn't seem to bearing any fruit, so to speak, for GNR. Or maybe it is, and we will find out, but we don't have any evidence to date that it is.

I don't understand this....
what does bands of GNR 's generation mean... this is a completely different band than the one who took part in excessive drugs and drinking....they didnt mature in to the band today... they are gone!

if this version chooses not to record...thats on them.. has nothing to do with what GNR did in the past

all of us here think recording or re recording half way finished stuff while in vegas makes a lot of sense... lets just see what happens and see if Axl says ok to anything

we all know by now the band has no say whatsoever in anything getting done, so if Axl says ok lets do this...then it will...if he doesnt...it wont... that simple

comparing how gnr goes about it today to 25 years ago makes no sense in any way

I don't know, but maybe it's not optimal to record anything while doing shows? 3 shows a week must be hard on Axl's voice. The rest of the band can lay down som tracks though. And Axl can still be involved, even if he must save his throat for the live shows.

You might be right about that.... it could be too much for this voice

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

[D-GenerationX]

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

But the songs are supposedly largely done.

And whatever tweaks or add-ons that might come be, it won't be new vocals.

[sofine11]

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

But the songs are supposedly largely done.

And whatever tweaks or add-ons that might come be, it won't be new vocals.

I would be willing to bet the farm that this ends up being the case.  And I am in no way against that.  I don't care if Axl recorded vocals in 1999 or 2007, a new song is a new song.   Not to mention his voice was probably a bit stronger when these tracks were recorded anyway.

[D-GenerationX]

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

But the songs are supposedly largely done.

And whatever tweaks or add-ons that might come be, it won't be new vocals.

I would be willing to bet the farm that this ends up being the case.  And I am in no way against that.  I don't care if Axl recorded vocals in 1999 or 2007, a new song is a new song.   Not to mention his voice was probably a bit stronger when these tracks were recorded anyway.

Agreed.  If he sounds like he did on CD, that's fine.

[sofine11]

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

But the songs are supposedly largely done.

And whatever tweaks or add-ons that might come be, it won't be new vocals.

I would be willing to bet the farm that this ends up being the case.  And I am in no way against that.  I don't care if Axl recorded vocals in 1999 or 2007, a new song is a new song.   Not to mention his voice was probably a bit stronger when these tracks were recorded anyway.

Agreed.  If he sounds like he did on CD, that's fine.

I think Chinese featured some of his best vocal performances to date.  TWAT, IRS & Better are absolute standouts IMO.  How could anyone not be excited to see what else he was cooking during that time?   You know, other than Bumblefoot. 

[Ginger King]

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

But the songs are supposedly largely done.

And whatever tweaks or add-ons that might come be, it won't be new vocals.

I would be willing to bet the farm that this ends up being the case.  And I am in no way against that.  I don't care if Axl recorded vocals in 1999 or 2007, a new song is a new song.   Not to mention his voice was probably a bit stronger when these tracks were recorded anyway.

Agreed.  If he sounds like he did on CD, that's fine.

I think Chinese featured some of his best vocal performances to date.  TWAT, IRS & Better are absolute standouts IMO.  How could anyone not be excited to see what else he was cooking during that time?   You know, other than Bumblefoot. 

Agreed.  TWAT, IRS and Better are three of my favs from CD too.  I wish IRS could find its way back into the setlist (not a complaint, btw).  A very underrated song...was glad I got the chance to hear it live in 2010.

[JAEBALL]

bring on the box set  ! 


if Axl sang on a record with jarmo and Del on guitars , fernando on drums and beta on bass.... i would buy it !!!

[Lord Stan]

Lyrics come later, as I understand. I am not a musician so I don't know. But from what I picked up you start with riffs and from there build a song, and later write the lyrics. So there could be a creative process that does not require Axl or add any additional strain to his voice.

What I've heard from a musician friend of mine that's pretty much so. However, not necessarily. You also scribble notes and stuff and you come up with a few lyrics. Then you pick up your favourite guitar (the only one in this case) and start playing around trying to piece together if this could work with the words I just wrote down.

My guess is there is plenty of unsorted material, which just needs, well, sorting out. Most of it even could be unusable but there will be something spectacular as well.

[Ginger King]

Why do you need to get so extreme almost every time somebody brings up a point? There's no middle?

Of a phony and ridiculous argument?  No.

No one ever, ever, ever has said they need a new GNR album to "make their lives better".  Yet that's a direct quote by you upthread and not the first time you've put that forth either.

And its preposterous.

When I am at happy hour after work and my friends ask me what's new, is there even a 1% chance I will respond "Well, I still have no new Guns n' Roses album, so...obviously that's weighing on my mind." 

Is that real world?  Not in the slightest.

Just getting caught up on comments here and your happy hour one's a good one!  Just because we express a desire for new music on a website, doesn't mean we obsess about it 24/7 or let it consume our lives.  Sure, the only thing you know about me is that I want (not need) to hear new Guns music...but that's because the only thing you know about me are from my posts on a Guns n Roses website.  I'll give the benefit of the doubt that people here have other things in their lives to think about once they log off.

[dolphins]

That's the first time I've heard Richard Fortus speak and what a nice guy he is. I didn't expect him to be like this so was pleasantly surprised to watch this interview. 

[Ginger King]

That's the first time I've heard Richard Fortus speak and what a nice guy he is. I didn't expect him to be like this so was pleasantly surprised to watch this interview. 

Yeah, Richard seems like a real cool, down to earth dude.  Cool to see Axl give him some props at the GG ("if you're not Fortus, you're against us!").