What would/could have been

[Captain Obvious]

When the GnR name is mentioned in the Rock world, their high points always tend to be overshadowed by their sudden demise. Journalists/fans/musicians tend to view the fact that GnR dissappeared as a negative event, most of the time, blaming Axl. We are often told they could have been the next Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, etc.

Now the queston I have for you deals with this...We all know how overexposure can ruin careers. We all know GnR were the biggest band in their prime, being on every source of rock media possible. Had a sudden breakup did not take place, and an actual album would be released (not a small cover album), do you think GnR would fall into the famous trap that has claimed the credibility of so many other artists and celebrities, sickening the general public to a point where noone gives a damn anymore and alienating their fans.

I seem to be the only who thinks that the GnR breakup in a way saved them from riding off that cliff at full speed and falling into obscurity, unlike pretty much everyone I talk to.  As dumb as it may sound, they left on a high point...or took a really long break, leaving on a high point, which is why people still seem to care.

What do you think?

[MadmanDan]

People would have never gotten bored of GNR,simply because they were the best Rock band ever and all their albums sound different. AFD,Lies,the Illusions and TSI are completly different albums and I'd lilke to think thet if they would have stayed together they would have continued to grow.


  But fuck it,let's look to the future

[Mr Cowbell ?]

No i think there was two types of Rock Groups/Singers from the 80's

The cheesey ones. Bands like Poison, Stryper, Warrant, Cinderella, Survivor.  These bands were more POP then Rock and THE POP fans havnt been to fond of them over the years.

The Hard Rock groups lasted the test of time. Look at bands like Van Halen, Metallica, Ozzy (solo), Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and bands played on "Hard Rock Channels" They have stood the test of time, They tours are still huge and they have the hardcore from back in the day who still like them and they got the younger crowds just getting into them.

If GnR didnt break up and Axl / Slash could get along and put out CDs. I dont think they would of just faded away. When you have as many hits of your SOLO album as AFD had you are always in the spotlight.

[SlashFan]

There really wasn't a sudden break up of GN'R,Duff didn't leave the band until '98,GN'R wasn't/isn't just about Axl and Slash,it was a great band and I hope GN'R will be a great band again,you know,with a great new album soon.

[ShotgunBlues1978]

People never get tired of great music.  I don't think GnR would have sold 10 million copies every time, but if they stayed together and focused and kept putting out good music, their fanbase would always be strong.  No one stays on top forever, but GnR's pure talent and ability for making music is right up there with any band that was ever formed, for that reason they never would have become an afterthought or irrelevant so long as they kept making good music.

[Wheres Izzy]

I think it really depends on what incarnation u are referring to by "stay together". I mean the stones have had alot of people come and go but because the nucleaus of jagger and Richards was there it's still the stones and the obvious comparison would be Slash and Axl. I think u need duff and Izzy there tho. Izzy did alot more song writing then he is really given credit for and Duff is just fuckin' Duff. Even if it was just Slash and Axl 2 super talents like that woulda picked up some of the slack and made incredible music over the past 11 years.

[Dave_Rose]

Things just slowly fell apart and Axl has reconstructed the band by finding the perfect band for him but they did leave on a high point and I dont think people expected TSI to be there last album.

I was wondering I know they got back together after that album was done and the worked on material but did they release anything?

[matt88]

I think Slash or Duff or both Slash and Duff both said....."hadn't GN'R ended the way it did we would have died from the lifestyle that went with being in GN'R.

So maybe it was a good thing the breakups within happened

[vicarious existence]

I was wondering I know they got back together after that album was done and the worked on material but did they release anything?

Yeah, a cover of "Sympathy For The Devil"  for a movie soundtrack in 95 I think.

[gnr1967]

I don't think GNR would have gone the way of Poison and the eighties "hair bands."  They were just too good...not like the "pop" metal that eventually became a parody of itself.  However, I wonder what it would have been like to have GNR release new material in the '90s when grunge and "alternative" was the norm.  I don't think GNR would have been quite as mainstream if they had continued in the '90s - sure, they'd still have their huge fan base and people would still take notice, but given the music climate of the '90s, I don't think they would have been able to maintain the huge popularity they had with the Illusions and AFD.  Then again, I would have loved to see a strong rock band like GNR continue a bit longer.  Maybe today the music industry wouldn't be in such dire straits had GNR continued. 

 

[Izzy]

When the GnR name is mentioned in the Rock world, their high points always tend to be overshadowed by their sudden demise.

What do virtually all the great bands have in common?

They quit when they were ahead - GNR quit when they where ahead and so preserved their legend

If they had continued i have no doubt they would have slowly collapsed like Metallica - the classic case of a band that hung around for too long.

[JustUsOwls]

Indeed. Man if Metallica would've just broke up at the right time I would still have a lot of respect for their music. heh

[HoldenCaulfield]

Well, I think GNR was special. Had they continued to take their time and put out meaningful albums, they would be in the class with the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. As long as they didn't just put out albums to fill a void (TSI?!?). On the other hand, the band would never have made it. Had they not dispersed when they did, one of them would probably be dead right now. But what Axl is doing is genious. He went into hiding, then he reassembles an empire from the ground up, bringing essentially a new entity into the world. He's akin to a great military mind: say a guy leads the American Army to a military victory, then he goes away, and shows up in China 10 years later, again, leading them to victory in war. He's got the mind and talent to head something up huge.

[ClintroN]

if they had of stayed together i dont think much would have changed, in music that is.
just look at all the ex-members solo albums, CH-DEM CHI-DEM!!!!!

[Mr Cowbell ?]

When the GnR name is mentioned in the Rock world, their high points always tend to be overshadowed by their sudden demise.

What do virtually all the great bands have in common?

They quit when they were ahead - GNR quit when they where ahead and so preserved their legend

If they had continued i have no doubt they would have slowly collapsed like Metallica - the classic case of a band that hung around for too long.

Hell yeah, why the hell did Metallica have to make a documentary of behind the scenes of their last album, and why did they have to put it in theatres here in the states? Doesn't Lars have enough money yet?