More respect for Axl after watching Chicago 92

[metallex78]

I've always admired Axl, but after watching GN'R's Chicago 1992 concert bootleg on DVD recently (thanks to a very cool Aussie GN'R fan hooking me up with it - thanks Sam! ), I have an even deeper and greater respect for W. Axl Rose.

The performance isn't anything too special, but Axl's rants were what really caught my attention.

For those who haven?t seen the show, Axl goes into a few rants about the whole rockstar/record-company thing as well as how fucked up his childhood was (with mentions of the Rolling Stone interview he gave) and how he?s supposed to ignore all of that and just play to the masses, sell records, and generally keep everyone ELSE happy.

But the fact that he chooses not to do that, because he has issues in his own life to sort out, not only gives me greater insight into what he must?ve gone through, and is possibly still going through, but also a better understanding of also why the release of CD is probably taking so long.

Here is a guy who has had success from pouring his heart out in his music, yet still battles with that everyday of his life, and the record company wants to squeeze him dry to capitolize on this because they only see what they can gain from it, not whether or not Axl's life will be better.

Axl has inner demons, like all of us do, and although his case might be more extreme, he chooses to work against all of this to better himself and get it all out and the music he makes is an expression of all of that. And he?s not about to give-in to record companies, forcing him to release a product so that they can line their pockets and make them happy, when he isn?t gonna be happy. Which is pretty much what he stated at the Chicago 92 show.

I?ve seen many great rock frontmen over the years, and although some others may hit the right notes and play to the crowds better than Axl, no-one, and I mean no-one has the passion and virile that Axl delivers when he?s on stage, because he well and truly stands behind what he says when he sings.

I know similar threads like this have probably been posted by other members on this board many, many times, but for the most part it just looked like (to me anyway) that they were kissing Axl?s ass.
But I really do hope the guy finds happiness one day, because the music he?s made has made the lives of myself and many others full of happiness as well.

[youngerformofaxl]

Great points and better than a lot of the posts I've read in the last year on this web-site.

[Dave_Rose]

Did u download this show, btw yeah Axl never seemed to have anything easy has he

[littleredcorvette]

I really hear you and agree so much. It's because of the RIP and RS type interviews that my feelisgs towards Axl go way beyond anyone or anything else in music. Cause as a rock fan, his life and struggle is like a ridiculously oversized version of the shit many of us go through, using music as an escape and even looking for solutions in it.

Springsten said once: We learnt more from a 3 minute rock n roll record than we ever learnt in school.

For me, Axl's personal struggle, his trajectory and unique vision was and is at th very heart of Guns n Roses, not Slash's solos or anything else. And the reason I have always had complete faith in his ability to ultimately deliver exactly what we all need from him has alwys stood up because I go back to what he said in thos old interviews.

I can't understand a lot of th negativity on here from people who have read those interviews. I guess some people don't 'get' him and just want some good old fashioned rock n roll already. Meh.

[Izzy]

Did u download this show, btw yeah Axl never seemed to have anything easy has he

 

No he had to work for decades and decades to even make any money from his music

His first album went 35 times platinum - 99.9% of groups never hit 1000 sales - i don't think he's had it that hard

[metallex78]

Did u download this show, btw yeah Axl never seemed to have anything easy has he

 

No he had to work for decades and decades to even make any money from his music

His first album went 35 times platinum - 99.9% of groups never hit 1000 sales - i don't think he's had it that hard

While Axl has had lots of success from album sales and making money, he's still battling with his inner demons thanks to his fucked up childhood. And does money really buy you happiness???

[metallex78]

Did u download this show, btw yeah Axl never seemed to have anything easy has he

Nah, I didn't download it. Another board member (from Australia) made me a copy on DVD.

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

"Any of you, uh, read the latest Rolling Stone? I was on the phone a long time last night and a friend of mine was telling me how ---- (Axl stops talking and directs this next comment to the audience) --------- SHUT THE FUCK UP! Ohhh, Axl, cool, metal dude, rock-n-roll, party, cocaine, yeah...... I AIN'T HERE FOR THAT !!
Anyway, a friend was telling me that my family has taken offense to what I said in the magazine. It's a shame. (they say) His mother can't even go out of the house now. It was amazing my mother could go out of the house before knowing the shit she fuckin knew!!
And, why is he talking about this? (Axl asks the audience) Cause it might not have happened to you, but it may have happened to the 2 or 3 people standing going to come back and haunt them when they hit about the age of 25! And, then you gotta find your way, and climb your way out of what you "thought" was your life!
But, it looks more like a fuckin car wreck in your head that no one told you about because the 'family" doesn't want to have to be embarrassed about these things coming out. We just shouldn't have to deal with this publicly, then were probably not going to deal with the bullshit at all! And I bet that THEY like it that way!
I'm not a qualified therapist. I don't know a lot of shit about this, but I do know that this is the 90's! And I know that if were going to make it another 50 years on this planet we gotta FUCKIN CHANGE OUR SHIT NOW!!!
And, there'ss a lot of motherfuckers that don't want that shit to be changed! Cause that's going to dig up their crap! The parents who done fucked up their kids through their whole fuckin lives, and they are about 40 or 50, and think it's cool!
FUCK THAT SHIT! And, I'm the last motherfuckin person who they thought would be climbing up their ass to tell them about it!
But see for me.....it ain't about doing fuckin cocaine. It ain't about how much vodka I drink, or how much I can drink someone under the table! It ain't about what a "macho man/rock-n-roller" I can be!
That shit don't work no more! That's great for little kids, fuckin bullshit! But, it don't work no more in the real world, not for my ass! I can't come up here and go "Yeah, I'm bad. I'm rock-n-roll, we're doing this rock & roll thing." If my life is falling apart......
I can't, FAKE it NO MORE!
Just because my family or my record company tells me I should(fake it) so everybody can be happy or make money....YEAH!!! SUCK MY DICK!!
Anyway, there are those in my family that they plan that they are going to get revenge, because it was a terrible thing I did! (exposing their life by interview to the public) YEAH! TRY IT!!!!
And, if a fuckin, scrawny little jr. high. 90 pound weakling can get up here and get this shit on. SO CAN YOU, who have the same fuckin problems in life!! THEY DON'T. HAVE TO GET AWAY WITH IT! I tried being nice. I tried being cool about it. I tried being friends offering love and forgiveness and all that shit! And, they say you know how much we love you. But let's keep you down like we always have.
Yeah, well, guess what? I've 'changed" my point of view! For me now, it's kinda like-live and let die motherfucker!
(GnR perform Live and let Die)

(After GnR does Civil War, Axl continues.)
You know it never ceases to amaze me ........when you, are up here and you look out over the crowd, and you can always find usually 18-25 year old's .....real pot smoking, judgemental, rock-n-rollin, fuckheads! (next directing ccomments to the crowd) - You say I don't know I'm cool and shit. And I don't know who those GNR think they are cool and shit, but I'm cool.
WELL, IT AIN'T ABOUT ME BEING COOL! IT AIN'T ABOUT YOU BEING COOL! But, what were doing here tonight is pretty fuckin, cool.
So, if you come out here to be a critical, judgemental, "FUCK," ya know, I guess that's your fuckin problem. If you want to stand there like James Dean with a fuckin corn cob up your ass, that's cool.
Seems to me you are wasting your own Goddamned time though.
And that's another fuckin problem-we all think we have so much fuckin time you know? We ain't got no Goddamned time to waste at all!!
You want to sit on your ass and think your COOL? You, WILL end up working in a factory til your fuckin 80 years old, then they will rip you off for your fuckin pension!
Meanwhile, I'll get off my fuckin soapbox. I was singing that song (Civil War), and people were going-- "Yeah, OK." But, maybe you are just stoned.
But this is a WAKE-UP call Chicago! Do you know where the fuck you are? Wake up!! It, s time to die!!!!"

transcription by Betsy Kendrick

[metallex78]

"Any of you, uh, read the latest Rolling Stone? I was on the phone a long time last night and a friend of mine was telling me how ---- (Axl stops talking and directs this next comment to the audience) --------- SHUT THE FUCK UP! Ohhh, Axl, cool, metal dude, rock-n-roll, party, cocaine, yeah...... I AIN'T HERE FOR THAT !!
Anyway, a friend was telling me that my family has taken offense to what I said in the magazine. It's a shame. (they say) His mother can't even go out of the house now. It was amazing my mother could go out of the house before knowing the shit she fuckin knew!!
And, why is he talking about this? (Axl asks the audience) Cause it might not have happened to you, but it may have happened to the 2 or 3 people standing going to come back and haunt them when they hit about the age of 25! And, then you gotta find your way, and climb your way out of what you "thought" was your life!
But, it looks more like a fuckin car wreck in your head that no one told you about because the 'family" doesn't want to have to be embarrassed about these things coming out. We just shouldn't have to deal with this publicly, then were probably not going to deal with the bullshit at all! And I bet that THEY like it that way!
I'm not a qualified therapist. I don't know a lot of shit about this, but I do know that this is the 90's! And I know that if were going to make it another 50 years on this planet we gotta FUCKIN CHANGE OUR SHIT NOW!!!
And, there'ss a lot of motherfuckers that don't want that shit to be changed! Cause that's going to dig up their crap! The parents who done fucked up their kids through their whole fuckin lives, and they are about 40 or 50, and think it's cool!
FUCK THAT SHIT! And, I'm the last motherfuckin person who they thought would be climbing up their ass to tell them about it!
But see for me.....it ain't about doing fuckin cocaine. It ain't about how much vodka I drink, or how much I can drink someone under the table! It ain't about what a "macho man/rock-n-roller" I can be!
That shit don't work no more! That's great for little kids, fuckin bullshit! But, it don't work no more in the real world, not for my ass! I can't come up here and go "Yeah, I'm bad. I'm rock-n-roll, we're doing this rock & roll thing." If my life is falling apart......
I can't, FAKE it NO MORE!
Just because my family or my record company tells me I should(fake it) so everybody can be happy or make money....YEAH!!! SUCK MY DICK!!
Anyway, there are those in my family that they plan that they are going to get revenge, because it was a terrible thing I did! (exposing their life by interview to the public) YEAH! TRY IT!!!!
And, if a fuckin, scrawny little jr. high. 90 pound weakling can get up here and get this shit on. SO CAN YOU, who have the same fuckin problems in life!! THEY DON'T. HAVE TO GET AWAY WITH IT! I tried being nice. I tried being cool about it. I tried being friends offering love and forgiveness and all that shit! And, they say you know how much we love you. But let's keep you down like we always have.
Yeah, well, guess what? I've 'changed" my point of view! For me now, it's kinda like-live and let die motherfucker!
(GnR perform Live and let Die)

(After GnR does Civil War, Axl continues.)
You know it never ceases to amaze me ........when you, are up here and you look out over the crowd, and you can always find usually 18-25 year old's .....real pot smoking, judgemental, rock-n-rollin, fuckheads! (next directing ccomments to the crowd) - You say I don't know I'm cool and shit. And I don't know who those GNR think they are cool and shit, but I'm cool.
WELL, IT AIN'T ABOUT ME BEING COOL! IT AIN'T ABOUT YOU BEING COOL! But, what were doing here tonight is pretty fuckin, cool.
So, if you come out here to be a critical, judgemental, "FUCK," ya know, I guess that's your fuckin problem. If you want to stand there like James Dean with a fuckin corn cob up your ass, that's cool.
Seems to me you are wasting your own Goddamned time though.
And that's another fuckin problem-we all think we have so much fuckin time you know? We ain't got no Goddamned time to waste at all!!
You want to sit on your ass and think your COOL? You, WILL end up working in a factory til your fuckin 80 years old, then they will rip you off for your fuckin pension!
Meanwhile, I'll get off my fuckin soapbox. I was singing that song (Civil War), and people were going-- "Yeah, OK." But, maybe you are just stoned.
But this is a WAKE-UP call Chicago! Do you know where the fuck you are? Wake up!! It, s time to die!!!!"

transcription by Betsy Kendrick

Thanks for that!

[littleredcorvette]

Wow. Thanks. That's a big slap in the balls to whoever brought up the money old GnR made as if Axl originally went to LA to get rich. Fuck's sake.