Slash defuses 'fuck Axl' chant + Chicago Review

[GypsySoul]

Source:  BLABBERMOUTH.NET
http://www.roadrun.com/blabbermouth.net/index.aspx#22769
 
SLASH Defuses 'Fuck AXL ROSE!' Chant VELVET REVOLVER's Chicago Gig - May 21, 2004  

Jeff Vrabel of the Chicago Sun-Times reviewed VELVET REVOLVER's sold-out concert at The Riviera in Chicago, Illinois Wednesday night (May 19).

"Not surprisingly, VELVET REVOLVER sounds exactly like what would happen if one melded parts of GUNS [N' ROSES] with parts of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS," he wrote. "Liberated from [Axl] Rose's penchant for bombastic excess, VELVET REVOLVER has a sound that's still grounded in Slash's trademark riffs, but grittier and more efficient.

"Smartly, and since their debut 'Contraband' isn't set to drop until June 8, VELVET REVOLVER loaded its set with crowd-igniting nuggets from its respective pasts. Weiland aired out 'Sex Type Thing' and 'Crackerman' from STP's grunge incarnation, and from the GUNS catalog, there was a ravaging 'It's So Easy', a choogling 'Mr. Brownstone' (a winking self-referential choice for Weiland) and a bounding reading of 'Used to Love Her', the acoustic, murder-themed ditty that probably sounded more controversial in 1988. (The song led into a chant of 'F--- Axl Rose!' from the pit, which Slash defused with more than just a little patience: 'Was that entirely necessary?' " Read the rest of the review here:  http://www.suntimes.com/output/rock/cst-ftr-velvet21.html
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
www.suntimes.com

Velvet Revolver shows true GNR grit
May 21, 2004
BY JEFF VRABEL Staff Reporter

It's been a long, cold decade for Guns N' Roses fans. Maybe because the GNR train wrecked so dismally, demand for some form -- any form -- of Guns-related material remains huge. Heck, Axl Rose packed the Allstate Arena in 2002 for a disastrous "comeback" tour with a no-name cast of jokers that could barely stay on the same beat for two hours.

Rose still owns the band's name, but his long-rumored "Chinese Democracy" record has become generally accepted as fiction, and though the remaining ex-members have materialized occasionally, none has managed to stick for more than a few albums (with all due respect to Slash's Snakepit and Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds).

All of which is why voracious fans gobbled up tickets for this sold-out Chicago debut by Velvet Revolver. The original GNR's corpse remains Ted Williams-cold (though its recently released "Greatest Hits" remains in the Billboard Top 20), but this hard-rock supergroup is the most promising Guns offshoot to come down the boulevard since Rose canned everybody. A full three-fifths of Velvet Revolver is composed of GNR outcasts: guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum. The remaining members are guitarist Dave Kushner and ex-Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, possibly the only man on the planet with a less reliable datebook than Axl's.

That's a lot of old-school rock energy and a whole lot of old-school rock baggage. But in the fourth show on their coming-out tour, the members of Velvet Revolver showed, over 90 sweaty minutes, that while they didn't necessarily bring much new to the table, they certainly remembered what made them a huge attraction in the first place. What the group lacked in subtlety and innovation, it made up for -- loudly -- with incendiary guitars and locomotive grooves, all of which added up to a sweltering performance successfully designed to be a welcome throwback to the days before rock 'n' roll was invaded by clowns like Nickelback.

Not surprisingly, Velvet Revolver sounds exactly like what would happen if one melded parts of Guns with parts of Stone Temple Pilots. Liberated from Rose's penchant for bombastic excess, Velvet Revolver has a sound that's still grounded in Slash's trademark riffs, but grittier and more efficient. Tracks like "Set Me Free" and "Slither" were meaty rockers almost nostalgically simple in their compositions, but also Slash-powered dirty bombs that splashed into the crowd with full force. Behind the guitarist, McKagan and Sorum retain an automatic chemistry, and held down songs like the roaring "Do It for the Kids" and "Headspace." New single "Fall to Pieces" has a descending riff straight out of "Sweet Child o' Mine," but had enough of a groove to avoid sheer power balladry.

For his part, and despite his well-documented drug troubles, the fit-looking Weiland pushed his Bowie/Iggy Pop frontman drive to its breaking point, writhing and wriggling like a man born without bones and even indulging himself in a theatrical, golden-god leap from one of the Riv's balconies during a roaring take on STP's "Sex Type Thing."

Smartly, and since their debut "Contraband" isn't set to drop until June 8, Velvet Revolver loaded its set with crowd-igniting nuggets from its respective pasts. Weiland aired out "Sex Type Thing" and "Crackerman" from STP's grunge incarnation, and from the Guns catalog, there was a ravaging "It's So Easy," a choogling "Mr. Brownstone" (a winking self-referential choice for Weiland) and a bounding reading of "Used to Love Her," the acoustic, murder-themed ditty that probably sounded more controversial in 1988. (The song led into a chant of "F--- Axl Rose!" from the pit, which Slash defused with more than just a little patience: "Was that entirely necessary?" On a scale of things you're likely to see in Chicago this year, Slash serving as the calm voice of reason ranks with Sammy Sosa sneezing his back out).

Weiland and band closed the show with a cover of Nirvana's "Negative Creep," an appropriately jagged selection that ended up being mostly a mess. But more than end the show, it made a great closing argument: These guys know messes, they're familiar with messes, and they clearly remain skilled at turning messes into searing rock.

[slashedguns]

Shows a bit more class and composure than that guy who said "those guys can suck my dick".

[madagas]

I cannot believe they aren't playing Atlanta. It does sound tantalizing, to say the least.

[Naupis]

I know, they're not coming to Ohio or western PA where I can go see them.....not quite sure who's resonsible for this tour schedule but it needs to get here fast. I'm tired of reading about how great they are live without being able to see them.

[Will]

Yeah they avoided the south (except Texas)...that sucks...

[Cornell]

AAAhhhhhh  - proof again of Slash's class...


They aren't coming near me either, but I'm driving to Boston to see them.  

[Freya]

with a no-name cast of jokers that could barely stay on the same beat for two hours.

Hmmm...Buckethead and Stinson aren't no-names.  I always wonder if these critics really know what they are talking about or if they are going on hearsay.

[younggunner]

New single "Fall to Pieces" has a descending riff straight out of "Sweet Child o' Mine," but had enough of a groove to avoid sheer power balladry.

sure its straight out of scom..give me a fukin break....

AAAhhhhhh  - proof again of Slash's class

How do you know how slash said it....maybe he was being arcastic and said it in a tounge and cheek way. You have no clue if he said it like he meant it or was just joking around.

[gezm]

younger gunner do u always look for bad in ppl or somthing  

[AxlGunner]

AAAhhhhhh  - proof again of Slash's class

How do you know how slash said it....maybe he was being arcastic and said it in a tounge and cheek way. You have no clue if he said it like he meant it or was just joking around.

Even if it was tongue in cheek, it was still a good way to calmly handle the situation. can't fault the guy if he doesnt like axl, im sure he has reason for it, but at least he doesnt start shit left and right.

[Drew]

I cannot believe they aren't playing Atlanta. It does sound tantalizing, to say the least.

Me either. But I hope they will have a second leg American tour and hit the Southeast.

btw: I think what Slash did was pretty cool of him.

[younggunner]

Even if it was tongue in cheek, it was still a good way to calmly handle the situation

if axl said somehting liek that in atongue and cheel way we would have a  10 pg thread on how he didnt mean it because he said it tongue and cheek and he would be deemed an asshole in the meanitme. Plus the who "it was a good way to deal with it anyways" would never come up....

can't fault the guy if he doesnt like axl, im sure he has reason for it, but at least he doesnt start shit left and right.

He has every right to say whatver he wants. He hasnt held back over the years. hes always talking about the situation...dont make it seem like slash is this repressed guy who hasnt said anything on the situation...

oh really....axl starts shit? because he says slash didnt want to do slower songs is starting hsit? because he said slash is no longer his friend etc is starting hsit? because axl said suck my dick?

how come its ok though for matt to say shit about axl every second but no1 says anything. If slash was such a class act he would pull matt over to the side 1 day and say stop saying shit about axl. But they dont because they dont care if he bashes axl. maybe slash has the same feelings as matt. and its cool but slash hides. i liek how everything is always on axl...

[younggunner]

younger gunner do u always look for bad in ppl or somthing  

example being???

[jarmo]

Heck, Axl Rose packed the Allstate Arena in 2002 for a disastrous "comeback" tour with a no-name cast of jokers that could barely stay on the same beat for two hours.

"No-name cast of jokers"? Dave Kushner isn't exactly wellknown either. Does that qualify as poor journalism?

How about the thing about how you don't have to write negative things about GN'R in order to make VR look good?

No VR fans object to the article?  

The fans chanting "Fuck Axl", are those the objective VR fans?


I need coffee....  



/jarmo

[younggunner]

jarmo arent you used to axl and his freaks being in every vr article yet?

You have to show both sides to have a fair assessment therefore its objective jounralism...get with the program buddy

[AxlGunner]

Heck, Axl Rose packed the Allstate Arena in 2002 for a disastrous "comeback" tour with a no-name cast of jokers that could barely stay on the same beat for two hours.

"No-name cast of jokers"? Dave Kushner isn't exactly wellknown either. Does that qualify as poor journalism?

How about the thing about how you don't have to write negative things about GN'R in order to make VR look good?

No VR fans object to the article?  

The fans chanting "Fuck Axl", are those the objective VR fans?


I need coffee....  



/jarmo

My buddy and I were at the infamous "suck my dick" concert. When he was ranting about them I was applauding and cheering and going hell yea axl, they can suck my dick too.

I'm sure if I go to a VR concert I'll chant Fuck Axl if the crowd starts yelling it.
I like all members of GNR, so I'll support all of them.

And yes, that article was unneccessarily bashing axl alot, but they also unneccessarily bashed scott also. the writer was a bit of a douche. How many times did he refer to people as "clowns"? What a tool...

[Doc Emmett Brown]

and a bounding reading of 'Used to Love Her', the acoustic, murder-themed ditty that probably sounded more controversial in 1988.

probably?  probably?!

That's why I was shocked when they sang it at the KROQ acoustic set - I thought it was bold... silly me - I'm stuck in 1988    

It seems it is now a staple of their setlist - I wish they'd exchange it with You Got No Right.

Once, it was a shocking song when it came out and it represented the fuck you spirit of the original GNR.  I dont want it being seen as a random novelty song with no meaning or purpose.  That bothers me.  

[WalrusOct9]

Heck, Axl Rose packed the Allstate Arena in 2002 for a disastrous "comeback" tour with a no-name cast of jokers that could barely stay on the same beat for two hours.

Nevermind the "no-name" cast of actual, reasonably well known names.  I have that Chicago show on DVD and while no one will claim it's the same type of band that the original Guns was, they were really good, and kicked a fair amount of ass, and most certainly stayed on the fucking beat for the whole show.  It's cool to trash the new Gn'R, and there are some less than postitive things I could say about them (they're just a little too "perfect," ya know?), but criticizing the musicianship of those guys is fucking weak.  Anyways...

What the group lacked in subtlety and innovation, it made up for -- loudly -- with incendiary guitars and locomotive grooves, all of which added up to a sweltering performance successfully designed to be a welcome throwback to the days before rock 'n' roll was invaded by clowns like Nickelback.

Oddly enough, I made virtually the same comment on the way out of the Detroit show last night.  I was like "these guys may singlehandedly be able to ressurect what Nickelback has killed."  

New single "Fall to Pieces" has a descending riff straight out of "Sweet Child o' Mine," but had enough of a groove to avoid sheer power balladry.

In musicians terms, this means that FTP has the same chord progression as "Sweet Child."  It's the same D, C, G progression, and while a slower tempo, Slash's clean rhythm guitar part is a bit similar to what Slash/Izzy play on the verses of Sweet Child.  Vocally the songs are worlds apart, but I can see the comparison being made just because they do have some things in common instrumentally.  FTP is a fucking beautiful song though, and I hope it ends up being judged on it's own terms.  I told Matt that after the show, basically saying that the heavier songs were the kind of rock i'd been waiting to hear for years, and that Falling To Pieces was the kind of song that could rip your heart out after you'd had your ass kicked by "Illegal I" and all that.  He seemed to appreciate it...and he gave me a signed drumstick before he went back in the bus.  

[ppbebe]

Slash defuses 'fuck Axl' chant

-Related extract from a March Interview:
Slash said he hated people bash Axl cause he was one of the best he?d ever worked with.
And that He hoped Axl would release his new album, which by all means he wanted to listen to.
And that when Axl said he was touring, Slash really hoped it realize and then Axl called it off and he was like "uh-oh no, come on!". - BURRN! June issue

Weird? How do you(some of you) think?

[Pviljoen]

Heck, Axl Rose packed the Allstate Arena in 2002 for a disastrous "comeback" tour with a no-name cast of jokers that could barely stay on the same beat for two hours.

"No-name cast of jokers"? Dave Kushner isn't exactly wellknown either. Does that qualify as poor journalism?

How about the thing about how you don't have to write negative things about GN'R in order to make VR look good?

No VR fans object to the article?  

The fans chanting "Fuck Axl", are those the objective VR fans?


I need coffee....  



/jarmo

Well I for one would have been pissed to be in that crowd if they started with their "Fuck axl" shit. But anyways..

Jarmo: Can you please stop with this whole VR thing with their fans not being "objective"?

I realize that english may not be your first language, so you don't exactly understand the full meaning of the word. If there is one area of human existence where it's nearly impossible to be objective, it's music. Music is based entirely on the influence of people's emotions, and strong reactions are therefor in inherent in discussion concerning music.

You can't ask people to be objective when the topic is music. One can be objective about science, or some other arts, but when it comes to music, which is entirely dependant of how it influences people as individuals, you cannot expect objectivity.

I also see you consistently saying that Velvet Revolver fans are unobjective. Why don't you also acknowledge the same problem with GNR fans?