Letter to the fans???

[doublejivetalk]

There is an important issue here that I feel needs to be thought about. If you notice, many people on this board, regardless of their feelings about Axl/Guns, felt that this recently released letter was to us..."the fans."

I believe this to be false. He wrote this letter to his fans and friends from Rock in Rio. He only acknowledges specifically in the letter these two groups of people. I am a little disheartened by a pattern I see developing here. Why does he choose to ignore fans from his own stomping grounds? I believe I've read an interview or two where either he or the band as a whole loved shows in other countries because of what he claimed to be a better appreciation for what they had to offer.

Is there a personal vendetta here? He acknowledged the people of Portugal with an explination and an appology. Why did he not acknowledge the people of Philly? Why does he not acknowledge us? Does he not care about the loyalty we've shown him?

I was lucky enough to see him for the first time with a good buddy of mine in Moline, Illinois a year and a half ago. I have to admit, I had a blast...but one thing dampered the evening. I was lucky enough to have tickets in the first row and I shelled out some pretty descent money to get there. I also drove from my hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin which is by Minneapolis all the way to a town that's about 2 hours north of St. Louis, Missouri on a Sunday night in November. Again, I had a great time...but there was a moment that could have made it 10 times better, but in retrospect made my memories of the night tainted.

I was jamming out to Mr. Brownstone...the song had just ended and Axl approached me on one the right wing of the stage. I held out my hand for a high five and bent as far over the railing as I could...being in the jovial mood that I was...I was cheering him on and enjoying everything my senses were bringing to me. His response to my raised hand was sort of a blankness toward  me.....no expression...no emotion....he had made the sort of eye contact with me that reminded me of my relationship with a chair or a penny on the ground....I was a die hard, loyal fan showing love and affection....he showed me a blank stare of indifference.

I continued to enjoy the show with a buncha guys playing that I really didn't know very well. I didn't care...I was loyal and it was still fun...for me anyway...it didn't seem to me as if he was having fun anymore. That stare of indifference has stuck with me. I believe that to be his take on all his fans...or more specifically....U.S. fans. That stare of absolute indifference was just too insulting if you think about it. I represented all of us....all of us patient, caring, loyal people who find a little bit of joy in what Axl does....or used to do. I believe we deserve more than that.

Prove me wrong, Axl....acknowledge us for what we are worth....or maybe you already have...you've acknowledged us for years now as nothings to you...and if that's true....I'd rather keep my memories of the good times...not the final vain attempts to recapture something that many simply not exist anymore...

No qualms or bad reservations, Axl...do what you have to do, but don't tease us anymore. If you care for us...let us now and let us know now. You've taken us for granted long enough. We are here for you, why aren't you here for us?


Sorry for the length...

[K-Rock]

There is an important issue here that I feel needs to be thought about. If you notice, many people on this board, regardless of their feelings about Axl/Guns, felt that this recently released letter was to us..."the fans."

Is there a personal vendetta here? He acknowledged the people of Portugal with an explination and an appology. Why did he not acknowledge the people of Philly? Why does he not acknowledge us? Does he not care about the loyalty we've shown him?

Good point.

[younggunner]

Regardless of anyone's opinions of me and what I may or may not deserve, clearly the fans, individuals in this band, management, crew and our support group do not deserve this type of treatment.

How is he not acknowledging us? By him saying support group proves to me he reads these boards and knows that we are frustrated.

[McGann]

I think Axl's reasoning here is simple.

He shares blame for this situation, as he feels he indulged Buckethead's eccentricities and helped bring this result about.  AXL was the one who cancelled Rio.

The Philly show/tour cancellation was CLEAR CHANNEL'S deal.  I believe Axl feels he has no complicity in those cases, as he didn't make the choice to call them off.

/Mike

[Smoke]

I think Axl's reasoning here is simple.

He shares blame for this situation, as he feels he indulged Buckethead's eccentricities and helped bring this result about.  AXL was the one who cancelled Rio.

The Philly show/tour cancellation was CLEAR CHANNEL'S deal.  I believe Axl feels he has no complicity in those cases, as he didn't make the choice to call them off.

/Mike

I agree, if he was going to say something about the cancelled philly show he woulod of by now, and he is only going to talk about what he feels is impotant or is his fault or responsibilty

[KeVoRkIaN]

I think it was a letter to buckethead

[axlsalinger]

He wrote this letter to his fans and friends from Rock in Rio. He only acknowledges specifically in the letter these two groups of people. I am a little disheartened by a pattern I see developing here. Why does he choose to ignore fans from his own stomping grounds?

Give me a f$&*#$ break. This letter is obviously meant to encompass all fans of Axl and GNR, and provide an update as to what is happening in the GNR camp. If it were only about Rio, he wouldn't have mentioned the album and the other band members.

And just in case you don't believe me, here is a quote FROM the letter:

"On behalf of Guns N' Roses and myself I apologize to the fans who planned to see us at Rock In Rio - Lisbon ... I would also like to express my gratitude to those who chose to embrace Buckethead's role in Guns and support our new line up."

I guess you could argue that if you were one of those people who refused to accept Buckethead and instead kept on whining about Slash for the last 5 years, then no, the letter does not refer to you."

[SLCPUNK]

I think you are reading too much into it. Really.