How do you get $13 million out of a record company?

[marknroses]

How do you get $13 million out of a record company?

I think its the same source as what helped Axl acquire some amazing session musicians to come and work on these records. It probably helps to be an incredible negotiator and talent. Axl did represent himself in court before. He's a very outspoken individual, partcularly when he feels he is right about a situation - which is 99% of the time. He also has hired some great people in the background and a lot of "yessssss" men, who will never stop to defend Axl, to further his cause and to insulate him from the world. There are also quite a few members in these boards who do Axl's work for free by trying to promote everything he does as brilliant. Im not going to bag on all these people - its a testament to the success Axl had had in winning his admirers and his fans through his talents and personal charms and dynamic looks and attitude.

Personally though while I really really like Axl, sometimes, I really resent the money he was given by the record company because its like a carte blanche to let him do whatever he wants for however long he wants which has become a pain in the ass to the fans, musicians, the company and even Axl himself. Its like why bother? Life is too short to obssess over making a record or even a series of records. In the process, Axl has shot down any other means to advance his career and his celebrity and to diversify his talents. All he has left now is this "damn record". H'es put all his marbles on it,. but the funny thing is that he hasn;t advanced his bets yet on its success.
PEOPLE, Axl could have acted in feature films, he could have written books, produced bands, co-written songs, co-performed with the likes of U2 which he was going to do after 1993, gotten married, had kids, gotten a law degree for God-Sakes and a wwhole lot more. Instead all he has left is this record, and its pathetic that since 1993-94, he has been an overwhelming dissapointment and seems to have forgone the dreams he had as a struggling artists in Lafayette Indiana/LA.

Thats why I celebrate the man and his band from before 1993, and maybe the few success that have come since such as VR. Let the $13 million take care it itself.

MNR

[Mikkamakka]

i dont have to tell my self that... Axl has already told me?

He said a lot of things...

Time will tell, but if he'll be release 3 albums in a row in 2015, 2016 and 2017, you'll surely feel that it's the proof for your theory. Man, he even had to release 3-4 perfect albums since 1994.

[younggunner]

Axl has shot down any other means to advance his career and his celebrity and to diversify his talents. All he has left now is this "damn record". H'es put all his marbles on it,. but the funny thing is that he hasn;t advanced his bets yet on its success.
PEOPLE, Axl could have acted in feature films, he could have written books, produced bands, co-written songs, co-performed with the likes of U2 which he was going to do after 1993, gotten married, had kids, gotten a law degree for God-Sakes and a wwhole lot more. Instead all he has left is this record, and its pathetic that since 1993-94, he has been an overwhelming dissapointment and seems to have forgone the dreams he had as a struggling artists in Lafayette Indiana/LA.

Maybe Axl doesnt care about being that kind of "celebrity". Its obivious the guy had a lot of shit to deal with with his personal life and his career. Maybe his only goal is to make the best dam music he can make. WHy is that a bad thing is beyond me.
You say how hes missed all of these "oppurtunities"...but why do you care? He certainly doesnt care. Why should you? He has his life and he does what he does. Hes obiviously happy otherwise he would be pumping record affter record with or without the old guys. He would have came out of the hole years ago if he wanted it all back.

Hes got his life and hes making the music. The best music he can make. Nothing wrong with that.

He said a lot of things...

Yep and none of those things have to do with the actuall music. More to do with "release dates" etc...

he even had to release 3-4 perfect albums since 1994.

if theres one person that can do it...its Axl ROse

[mikegiuliana]

When is the deadline for this project? February is looking less likely everyday.

[GNFNRAXL]

While I mostly agree with you yoinggunner.  You must also realize that he took 13 millions out of Geffen and as of right now he has nothing to show for it.  I'm just surprised that they didn't drop GnR already.  So in that sense he's lucky.  And for Chinese to be successful he'll have to sell at leat 8 million copies.  I say that because I remember that Joe Elliott from Def Leppard said that it had cost 12 million to make Hysteria and they had to sell 8million just to pay back the 12 million$  So the longer it takes.  The more pressure Axl is putting on himself.

[younggunner]

You must also realize that he took 13 millions out of Geffen and as of right now he has nothing to show for it.  I'm just surprised that they didn't drop GnR already.

I think we as the fans have to realize is although things seem bleak and we dont know anything...that doesnt mean the band and the company dont know whats going on. Im willing to wager the company knows a lot more of the bands plans than we do. So as a result they dont get "involved" .

And for Chinese to be successful he'll have to sell at leat 8 million copies.

From a financial standpoint your prob right...but that does really mean if CD was successful?

[Gunner80]

I'm sure the record company has made back what it spent on CD.  You all have to remember Gn'R still sell a lot of their back catalog every year.

[mikegiuliana]

I'm sure the record company has made back what it spent on CD.? You all have to remember Gn'R still sell a lot of their back catalog every year.

They could have made the same money and not have spent a dime on cd, so they still haven't made any money on their investment..

[younggunner]

theres something in life/business called....short term and long term investments

[Naupis]

You get 13 million because you don't release anything new for 10-11 years and you're still working off of a contract you signed in the late 80's/early 90's when you were still the biggest band in the world selling 10-15 millions copies per album and selling out stadiums. I am sure at the time giving him that type of advance money was no big deal because there was a guarantee they would make it back off of them. I don't think at the time they extended that contract to Guns they figured they wouldn't release an album of new material from 1991 to 2005. So from that aspect, Axl was smart in taking his time as he will never see another contract like the one he is working on now, and the record company just kind of gets screwed as a product of circumstance with nothing to really do.

[Mikkamakka]

theres something in life/business called....short term and long term investments

and very, very long term investments