update: Axl writes an apology letter to fans

[Hammer1]

I'm trying to figure out why Axl had responded to this situation with a statement. since the tour there has been nothing.

Is it because he feels partly responsible?
Unlike in Philly he felt it was clear channel?
I'm just guessing, I just think it is weird that he never speaks but he has here.

Don't get me wrong, ThankGod he filled us in.  But, I think he feels"Fuck you Bucket, you are screwing me around, and don't think you are taking my fucking fans along for YOUR ride with sanctuary by dissing me about how long CD had taken!"

So I think he may wanr us to know his side for this reason, because he knows how much we all accepted him and what a great idea Bucket and his personna were to Guns.

I think there are always two sides but I'm sorry my loyalties are with AXL on this one

After all GNR is and always will be number fucking #1 in my book, even if I have to keep playing the same old CD's year after year when i am 45.

[AxlBaby]

I'm glad Axl has chosen to share this with us.  He's definitley helped me understand him more.   Communication's good so I'm glad

Thank you Axl.  

[speed_stone]

I'm glad Axl has chosen to share this with us.  He's definitley helped me understand him more.   Communication's good so I'm glad

Thank you Axl.  

yes, i agree. people should appriciate that he wrote his fans a letter, instead of bashing him when he finally speaks.

[oneway23]

I'm trying to figure out why Axl had responded to this situation with a statement. since the tour there has been nothing.

Maybe because in this instance, Axl had Buckethead's departure as a scapegoat and excuse?  Not saying it's not a legitimate excuse on THIS particular occasion, but you never got an apology from him for the others because Axl would never communicate if it meant having to place the blame squarely upon himself...
 

[elevendayempire]

Axl's reasoning seems sound. To the naysayers: is it really feasible to play live dates and support an album release with only two guitarists, neither of whom is as technically skilled as Buckethead, given that Buckethead has laid down tracks for the album? I seriously think that GN'R has not been an active concern since 1993 or 1996 or whatever. Things really only started to move up a gear in 1999. Moreover, the current incarnation of GN'R (and it is a band, a cohesive group of players with a core made up of Axl, Finck, Dizzy and Stinson) only started writing and rehearsing a few years ago (since the Las Vegas shows). Since then, each delay can be explained by the lineup changes - since you're not going to want to put out an album where tracks have been laid down by a bandmember who's departed the band. Buckethead and Brain arrive - therefore the band has to rehearse with them, work out what their strengths are and apply them to the album. Then the tracks have to be recorded. Then Huge leaves and Fortus turns up, and they have to go through the process again - because each member brings unique skills and tone to the album, that can't be easily replicated.

The way Axl explains it, it seems clear that Buckethead's position as regards the band has been somewhat uncertain, and, indeed, this may be the reason behind the delays. We've got to brace ourselves for another round of delays, since Bucket's departure means that the band needs to either find a new guitarist of comparable skills and re-record and rehearse with him, or rethink their musical direction to take account of a 2-guitarist structure - which isn't simply a case of removing all Buckethead's parts from the album... Oh, and there's the strong possibility that Brain might depart, meaning they have to get a drummer too.

In any case, the delay might actually do them good. Velvet Revolver look set to capitalise on the release of the GN'R greatest hits album (being as how they have the iconic presence of Slash, which many people associate with GN'R). Axl's GN'R could do without the confusion created by Velvet Revolver's release following hot on the heels of the GH album, so a breathing space might actually do them good.

The most pressing concern at the moment, though, is who the hell do you get to replace Bucket (and Brain?). After this little experience, Axl's sure to want someone who can demonstrate absolute commitment to the band, and the likely candidates such as Zakk Wylde and Dave Navarro are off doing their own thing at the moment...

SG

[Smoke]

I think it is awesome that there is some life back in the communication world of GNR.  I hold buckethead responsible but also Axl too.  He knew what he was getting involved with buckethead, maybe not to this extent but he knew that he is not a typical person.  Axl cannot blame everything on one person, sure bucket screwed up and caused some hell but he is responsible too.  Which he pointed out in the letter.  I'm actually pretty excited now, after reading the letter.  So my guess is that in June or July we will here something from him again saying there are only a couple more things left to do to finish the album up and it should be out by next christmas.  Which will make me go  

[Hammer1]

i have always had this little feeling that bucket and possibly brain were not in it for the long haul

Since i read an interview with les claypool, there was so much sarcasim in his vioce.

There should be no problem replacing him, the extra work on the CD is the big problem I think!

Legalities!!!!!

[Booker Floyd]

Axl's reasoning seems sound. To the naysayers: is it really feasible to play live dates and support an album release with only two guitarists, neither of whom is as technically skilled as Buckethead, given that Buckethead has laid down tracks for the album?

Yes, absolutely...

So what are you implying?  The they can never perform those songs unless Buckethead returns?

And this is all under the unlikely pretense that they were even going to play many Chinese Democracy tracks.

The most pressing concern at the moment, though, is who the hell do you get to replace Bucket (and Brain?). After this little experience, Axl's sure to want someone who can demonstrate absolute commitment to the band, and the likely candidates such as Zakk Wylde and Dave Navarro are off doing their own thing at the moment...

Well Dave is with Janes, Zakk with Ozzy...and I doubt that either want to be bothered with all of this bullshit, especially considering both were previously involved with Axl and bailed.

I would like to see Gilby Clarke or Jerry Cantrell (although I heard Jerry is getting back with the Alice In Chains guys).  More than that, Id to see two guitar-players, preferably without Finck.

And all that other stuff you wrote, about people leaving and having their parts rerecorded - Im sure if Axl wanted to, he could keep their parts.  All of that rerecording would be unnecessary.  Obviously everything the new band has done has been on the back of everything that the old band created, so I dont think theres a problem with playing others material.  I just think it would be an incredible waste of time and energy to continually scrap music because band member after band member keeps walking out.

[Hammer1]

I agree summer sounds like the time.

I think we are all focusing on Axl's age and there is a little panic but presuming he has no kids, he probably still thinks he is 28.

I find most of my friends that are 30 something that have no kids or 40 something really don't have something to gage their time or age or maturity yet. Therefore they still perseive themselves as 20 something.

Whereas the kids remind you everyday how much time has passed and how much we are changing as adults.

After rambling, I don't think he feels this tremendous presure that we think he must feel about his age!!!
If that makes any sense I'm not sure?

[younggunner]

And all that other stuff you wrote, about people leaving and having their parts rerecorded - Im sure if Axl wanted to, he could keep their parts.  All of that rerecording would be unnecessary.  Obviously everything the new band has done has been on the back of everything that the old band created, so I dont think theres a problem with playing others material.  I just think it would be an incredible waste of time and energy to continually scrap music because band member after band member keeps walking out.

Fuck you dude. You act like this new lineup is going to just be about what the old members did.

Being that you and many others fail to realize this ill mention it again...

Axl wants gnr to return as a band. That band finally evolved around 99/00. The current lineup evolved and made its own material. Now bucket left. Gnr has to figure out how they want to go about continuing with a pivotal member of the band gone.

Please stop with the what is and isnt necessary stuff. You have no clue what is or isnt necessary for this band. If theres 3 guitarists then theres a reason for it. I hate to break it to ya but if slash and duff stayed theres was a good chance there was gonna be another guitarist in the band too. So that argument is useless....

Other than buckehead and josh freese who else left this band?

navarro,sunshine, and wylde were all session players.Wylde was brought in when slash was here. They were here to help form a new direction when the old left. They were never in gnr. They could have been if the material had evolved but never were in.

Josh Freese left because he KNEW THAT THIS PROJECT WAS GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS AND DIDNT WANT TO BE A PART OF IT. He did the band a favor by leaving honorably. Hes all about the action and he knew that gnr would be mia for a long time so he got out before anything began. And he left on good terms.

And we all know what happened with bucket.

Stop making it seem like theres a revolving door. For someone who visits these boards for years now should know that what the media says isnt true. The media thinks that all the muscicians brought in in the beginning stages were the band when that is not the case. They were brought in to help form a new direction of gnr. If something evolved after that then fine, but it never did so as a result they were never in the band. Gnr began to have a band around 98/99. Now one of its pivotal members has departed.

[slashnbuckethead]

my favorite part is the "Buckethead has been inconsistent and erratic in both his behavior and commitment "

I get the feeling that there is a possibility for buckets return. And i like the little glimpse of hope at the end. rock on axl

[2NaFish]

the fact that they won't play lisbon because bucket isnt there probably means they would've played new music. He could've easily gotten a guitarist on the short term to just cover slash's solos if it was only the 2002 setlist, but the fact that bucket was essential to the show says we were gonna get new stuff.

[TealaRose]

True, but we don't know everything. Maybe Axl felt Buckethead was a big part of the band and not replaced just like that? Maybe he didn't want to play in the first place because the record isn't out? Who knows?


/jarmo

Our leader speaks  

I agree, what do we really know, a big fat ZIP,nothing. As per usual, we will have to wait and see.

[SOH]

Does anyone else find it interesting that Axl never mentions "Chinese Democracy" in this letter? He talks about "our recording" and everybody that's mentioning this assumes he's talking about Chinese Democracy...but I think he would mention it directly if that was what he was referring to. To me, this means one of two possible things: #1, the name of the album is changed and Axl will pretend the tour never happened, Buckethead was never in, and some songs will need to be re-worked, or #2, they really are about to release three albums, but now they will be part of the same package. Why else wouldn't Geffen countersue after all that money they put into this project? It sounded to me like they were jusy shrugging the Greatest Hits lawsuit off, saying "We gave him $13.5 million, he should shut up and be happy." They obviously have faith in this material. I remember someone coming on here before and saying he knew someone backstage or something and saying he knew the reason Philly happened and we would all be kind of upset but it wasn't what we thought...could it have been Buckethead that really caused the whole thing?

[True Believer]

Honestly, If anyone else wants to leave, DO IT NOW.  Get it overwith, fix the cd, rehearse the songs, then rock the world.

Band members with side projects and solo albums SUCK.  Fucking commit already.  Or leave.

[Slashly]

yep, I felt this one coming....
well I think we are seeing one of the las and long chapter of a book called "The Begining of The End"(written by W.Axl Rose)
I?m so angry i could just start to cry

[Sillything]

Mr. W. Axl. Rose wrote us a letter of apology. Apologies are a good thing. He's been my "messias" since I was 13 I respect him. That doesn't mean I trusted him enough to buy a ticket to RIR 4  

[Is he struggling?]

I get the feeling that there is a possibility for buckets return. And i like the little glimpse of hope at the end. rock on axl

I personally think this statement, and some of the far from complementary comments about BH within (I refer to the 'nice guy!' paragraph) pretty much closes the door on any chance of reconciliation.

On the other hand, I'm glad all of this has been officially confirmed, and Axl is communicating with the outside world (at tleast it shows he is still alive, as is Guns N' roses in some form). I was expecting RIR 4 to roll around with no further word from the band, and another unexplained no show.

This kills those negotiations for 'Rock am Ring' dead too, doesn't it?

[Jessica]

Is izzy good enough for what GNR need now ?

[Eduardo]

Is izzy good enough for what GNR need now ?

Good enough to replace bucket? Not even close