Axl's Social Commentary

[gnr157]

From reading a couple of the Stinson articles, and his reference to the lyrical side of Chinese Democracy being Socially minded, I'm beginning to wonder how far that will reach.?
Needless to say one of the most striking new songs we've heard is Madagascar- and looking into the past Civil War serves as one of GnR's best.? Two songs that are definitely socially minded.?
And the last time GnR was in the? mainstream....early nineties...it wasn't exactly high political times (from an American prespective) .
I wonder how Axl's socially minded lyrics will be recieved by the public at large today.?
I think it would be pretty intriguing to hear Axl's social commentary today...especially looking at his lyrical past...you get the sense that you don't know where he would fall on the ideological specturm.?
From one in the million (homophobic and racist) as interpeted by some...to anti-war tunes like Civil War.?
And it also an interesting to see how GNR's fan base would react...especially on an American front to socially charged lyrics.? Considering that GNR fans range from rural redneck Republicans to the liberal artsy rock types.? Could this hurt or help the new band...
But this is all speculative of course....for we do not know the substance of Axl's social commentary...but following Axl's career I wouldn't be surpirsed if his social commentary didn't incite some talk, especially from right wing American conservatives.?

[jarmo]

One of the rumored album tracks is called Oklahoma.

Who knows what the song is originally about, but I wouldn't be surprised if it could be interpreted in many ways.



/jarmo

[Dr. Blutarsky]

I don`t think he will lose any fans.

Regardless of your political stance, why would you stop listening to an artist if they don`t agree with your personal views?

 If Axl has a song called Bush sucks or Kerry is the answer, I`ll still be a fan, even though I don`t agree with him.

Yes there are 2 extremes in US politics. The rural republican rednecks, and you forgot about the  flighty urban Liberal Socialists. BUT that is another conversation...

[POPmetal]

especially from right wing American conservatives.?

nowadays it's the left wing critics who trash Axl because they still can't get over the fact that he used the word "faggot" in a song over 15 years ago

when was the last time you heard a "right wing American conservative" bitch about Axl?

Anyway, I always loved how Axl wore the American flag and gave props to this great country. Whatever he does, conservative or liberal, I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back. I find this a major turnoff. It's like with Rage Against The Machine. I like their music, but DAMN, these guys are IGNORANT!!! Just going to Harvard and absorbing all the propaganda without doing any critical thinking of your own doesn't really make you educated. I've had enough of that empty Hollywood rhetoric, let's hope Axl has something real to say.

[TimeToPlay]

Whatever he does, conservative or liberal, I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back.

I don't think that's what he meant by it.  I was at the Boston 2002 show and when they went into Paradise City, the big screens on the back showed the American flag in vibrant colors, waving in all its glory.  I doubt he would have anti-America shirts and then have that on the screens.

[jarmo]

I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back. I find this a major turnoff.

You find it a "major turnoff" that there's a world outside of the USA and the tour t-shirts meant for places like Japan or the UK didn't have a big US flag on them? 



/jarmo

[Will]

One of the rumored album tracks is called Oklahoma.

Right, here's what Axl said about it:

Another song, called ''Oklahoma'' - heard tonight only as an instrumental - was inspired by a court date with ex-wife Erin Everly. ''I was sitting in my litigation with my ex-wife, and it was the day after the bombing,'' Rose remembers with a wince. ''We had a break, and I'm sitting with my attorneys with a sort of smile on my face, more like a nervous thing - it was like, 'Forgive me, people, I'm having trouble taking this seriously.' It's just ironic that we're sitting there and this person is spewing all kinds of things and 168 people just got killed. And this person I'm sitting there with, she don't care. Obliterating me is their goal.''

Source: http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=30

[POPmetal]

I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back. I find this a major turnoff.

You find it a "major turnoff" that there's a world outside of the USA and the tour t-shirts meant for places like Japan or the UK didn't have a big US flag on them??



/jarmo

When and where did I say that?
I'm not even American. I think I'd know there's world outside of the USA 
And I love the Union Jack. I wear it all the time on Def Leppard shirts. As for Japan, it's one of my favorite countries.
I have no idea what you're talking about Did you even read my post?

[POPmetal]

Whatever he does, conservative or liberal, I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back.

I don't think that's what he meant by it.? I was at the Boston 2002 show and when they went into Paradise City, the big screens on the back showed the American flag in vibrant colors, waving in all its glory.? I doubt he would have anti-America shirts and then have that on the screens.

Cool! That's good to hear. I didn't see them on that tour since I had tickets for the Vegas show, but it fell through before that.

[Booker Floyd]

Anyway, I always loved how Axl wore the American flag and gave props to this great country. Whatever he does, conservative or liberal, I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back. I find this a major turnoff. It's like with Rage Against The Machine. I like their music, but DAMN, these guys are IGNORANT!!! Just going to Harvard and absorbing all the propaganda without doing any critical thinking of your own doesn't really make you educated. I've had enough of that empty Hollywood rhetoric, let's hope Axl has something real to say.

"America bashing"? 

What constitutes America bashing?  I suspect anybody who uses such phrases most likely construes liberalism/Bush-criticizing as "American bashing," and probably subscribes to an emptier, even more ignorant rhetoric.  I could be wrong though...

I dont see any of Axls new songs to be political at all...Sure, theres some "political" quotes in "Madagascar," but theres no discernable political message there.  I think its obviously more introspective than social (which I prefer). 

[POPmetal]

"America bashing"??

What constitutes America bashing?? I suspect anybody who uses such phrases most likely construes liberalism/Bush-criticizing as "American bashing," and probably subscribes to an emptier, even more ignorant rhetoric.? I could be wrong though...

No, it doesn't have anything to do with criticizing Bush. If it was that, I'd be one hell of an America basher too. I'm talking about people like RATM who are communist and hate America and its system of capitalism and democracy.

I dont see any of Axls new songs to be political at all...Sure, theres some "political" quotes in "Madagascar," but theres no discernable political message there.? I think its obviously more introspective than social (which I prefer).?

Yeah, I agree with you about that.

[ppbebe]

I sure hope he hasn't become one of those America bashing Hollywood nuts. Which I fear he might have judging from the 2002 tour t-shirts, some of which had a communist star over a faded US flag, while others had UN flags on the back. I find this a major turnoff.

You find it a "major turnoff" that there's a world outside of the USA and the tour t-shirts meant for places like Japan or the UK didn't have a big US flag on them??

Maybe these countries have attained statehood of US?51st n 52nd.

I guess the problem lies behind American anaphylaxis to communist shit. Who is still living with Marxism or McCarthyism? Let ideology lie and idiocy die.
Music is for everyone who?s got an ear for it.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

I think it would be pretty intriguing to hear Axl's social commentary today...especially looking at his lyrical past...you get the sense that you don't know where he would fall on the ideological specturm. 
From one in the million (homophobic and racist) as interpeted by some...to anti-war tunes like Civil War. 

ahh, I had the same thoughts too when I read that Tommy article.  Axl can be absolutely incendiary when he wants to, and regardless of whether it leans towards OIAM or Civil War, I am dying of curiosity to hear what he has to say. And not simply because I want to hear something different from a typical love song, but because Axl writes on a personal level and how things relate to him. 

It'll be different from RATM-type lyrics of course because there is the feeling of unpredictabilty as you dont know if it's going to be a Left-leaning or Right-leaning song.

And it also an interesting to see how GNR's fan base would react...especially on an American front to socially charged lyrics.  Considering that GNR fans range from rural redneck Republicans to the liberal artsy rock types.  Could this hurt or help the new band...

Well, GNR still takes the heat from OIAM. But lyrically, Axl doesnt seem to care about pleasing people - he just writes honestly even if it's ugly and brutal.   So they might lose fans who cant stomach it, but it wont matter to the ones that can.

There's an article in the recent LA Weekly about 'The Return of the Protest Song'.   For some reason, I cant picture Axl writing a typical protest song (like American Idiot).  I think it will zig-zag between Left and Right which makes it even more interesting. 

[POPmetal]

great post random Jesse James 

[Booker Floyd]

No, it doesn't have anything to do with criticizing Bush. If it was that, I'd be one hell of an America basher too.

 

I'm talking about people like RATM who are communist and hate America and its system of capitalism and democracy.

Okay...thanks for clarifying.

[gnr157]

I don`t think he will lose any fans.

Regardless of your political stance, why would you stop listening to an artist if they don`t agree with your personal views?

I wouldn't personally stop listening based on an artists political views.? But when thinking of an artist putting their two cents in the political specturm I am reminded of the Dixie Chicks.? After their anti-bush statement, radio stations were having gatherings for country music fans to bring down their dixie chicks cd's and have them ran over with a bull dozer.? (and maybe that's why I could see the right attacking Axl today) There is also an extreme religious right that doesn't want to see anything with sex or foul language in the mainstream media (not that anyone is listening to these people) ...
I am of them opinion that a lot of art is spawned from a reaction to the world we live in by the artist.? So it is important to a lot of fans what their artist stand for...or how they think on a wordly level and not just a personal level.?
Anyways I'm sure Axl's had a lot of time to react to the world in which we live.? So Axl's social voice should be interesting.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

I dont see any of Axls new songs to be political at all...Sure, theres some "political" quotes in "Madagascar," but theres no discernable political message there.  I think its obviously more introspective than social (which I prefer). 

Yeah, I agree with you about that.

Same here, but OIAM is a great example of a song that is both introspective and social.  The most interesting thing about that song is to see people bash certain parts of it, but ignore other parts.   I've yet to see someone who criticizes all aspects of the song equally.  And that exposes the person's bias much more than it does about Axl.

As far as introspective goes.... I'm very curious to see if he will show some humility in his lyrics.  Is it going to be more of 'They're outta get me!!" or will he admit to some fault?   I absolutely love Madagascar, but the lyrics dont admit to any fault.   I just hope that he manages to convey that he has learned some lessons from all this shit that has happened to him.  It will be a lot easier to defend him, then.

[gnrvrrule]

"Rural, redneck Republicans."  Sure there are many of those, but the Republican Party certainly is not dominated by them.  In fact, there are a lot of redneck Democrats as well.  Anyway, I agree that Gn'r fans have very diverse political views; all you have to do is look at the arguments on this board.  I sure hope he doesn't make politically charged songs favoring either side though because even though it's his right and he tends to do whatever he wants, it turns off more people than it turns on.  I think most of us are sick and tired of what rich Hollywood people think about politics, because they are not the ones that have to deal with economic problems, poverty, many crimes, etc.  I just hope it's a relevant album though, and I think it will be.

[younggunner]

Catcher In The Rye could be one of those special lyrical song

[ppbebe]

As far as introspective goes.... I'm very curious to see if he will show some humility in his lyrics.?

By contraries I?ve been viewing OIAM as a song full of humility.