Life On Planet Rock, new book by Lonn Friend with a chapter on GnR

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Lonn Friend who used to be the editor for RIP released a new book a few weeks back.  I haven't gotten all the way throught it tet but it's a great read so far.  The first chapter is about GnR, and is overwhelmingly positive.  Some great anecdotes about the band, stories like Axl, Sebastian, Ian Astbury and Del James deciding out of the blue to come to Lonn's low key birthday party and stay up drinking all night.  There are also some more serious stories.  But the stuff about GnR is  overwhelmingly positive and there's some interesting stuff in there.  I recommend checking it out 

[ShotgunBlues1978]

I made a post about this a year or two ago but whatever, no clue if anyone responded or even saw it

If you haven't read the book Life On Planet Rock by Lonn Friend, you should.  It's a good read for any fan of GnR and any rock fan period.  The first chapter is about GnR

If you don't know, Lonn used to be the man in charge of RIP magazine (Del was one of the top ranking editors/writers, BTW)

I just read the GnR chapter again, it's really a great read.  It gives some good insight into what motivates Axl and what makes him different from most rock musicians.  A couple passages of note are:  "Axl was possessed to create something larger than life and rock, heaven and earth.  'November Rain' and 'Estranged' presented a moment in music history where the bar would be raised so high, even the band members lost sight', and "Our conversation rambled on about the press, and I was forced to ask Axl why a sentence in [Kerrang!] should matter to the lead singer of the biggest rock band in the world.  'I just care,' he answered.  'I don't know why, but I do.'

[gunns1]

To say axl is a very complicated man would be a huge understatement,

And what he is doing with this record, no one ever before in the history of music has the balls or the insight to try and pull something of to this magnitude and perhaps succeed...

I mean, axl has tasted the highest success and has felt the lowest of lows that no one on this planet should feel, but If he can pull off chinese democracy
and it be successfull, then hes mission on this planet would be acheived...

[willow]

I bought it but haven't had a chance to read it. I am currently reading Slashs' book. I wasn't going to but decided to anyway. I will work on Lon's next.

[oldgunsfan]

To say axl is a very complicated man would be a huge understatement,

And what he is doing with this record, no one ever before in the history of music has the balls or the insight to try and pull something of to this magnitude and perhaps succeed...

I mean, axl has tasted the highest success and has felt the lowest of lows that no one on this planet should feel, but If he can pull off chinese democracy
and it be successfull, then hes mission on this planet would be acheived...

Brian Wilson did dude, not sure if he succeded

[Mr. Redman]

Axl with Megan, Lonn's daughter;

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Here's a passage about why Axl goes on late

"Many nights on tour, the adored front man tested the patience of the good folks who put him on the pedestal.  But it wasn't out of malice or a sociopathic need to fuck with people's heads.  Axl was a pathological perfectionist when it came to getting on stage and delivering.  He pushed his vocal ability to excruciating limits because he was emotionally and ethically unable to give a half-assed performance"