Merck writes a letter to the NY Times

[Minneapolisnewsman]

I gotta agree with GYpsy Soul

only reason Merck and Axl considered giving an interview was to obtain who violated the gag order

once they found out, that person's ass wouldve been in a sling and they wouldnt have gave an interview to this douche fuck

That sums up the last ten years. ?Instead of focus and energy on the creative process and completion of music, the priority has been on lawsuits, scaring the pants off of people to shut them up, and otherwise playing "gotcha." ?Heck, all of the things Merck states in his letter are very obvious: ?"we want to know the names of the people you are going to quote so we can basically shut them up, or sue them." ?If there are NY Times writers going to prison for withholding sources names from the FBI regarding the Bush Administrations doctoring of evidence of WMD's, then does anyone for one second think the writer Leed's is going to fall for their sophomoric tactics? ?This episode is getting comical. ?I hope we get Chinese Democracy in our hand's before White Trash Wins Lotto is in the theatres.

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

How much credibility should the writer (and his 30 some odd un-named 'sources') be given when the writer himself ?blatantly lied ?that "management said (Axl) could not be reached for comment"?

How is it a lie for them to say Management said Axl couldn't be reached for comment. Sounds like management said Axl wasn't participating unless certain conditions weren't meant. Those conditions weren't meant, hence his not participating. Not quite seeing the lie there.

Also, in regards to the un-named sources. People leaked information about government happenings every day on the condition of anynonmity. Just because someone is not named does not mean they are not a credible source. They just can't always be named for fear of legal fallout. It is a weak argument to assume that because the people weren't named that they were lying, had an agenda.

If their claim that "management said he (Axl) couldn't be reached for comment" is not true - then what do you call it?

I believe a writer, knowingly making any inaccurate/imcomplete/untrue claims in his story, does bring his credibility into question.
If a writer knowlingly chooses to omit information or to 'twist' the truth on any account - then I think its fair game to question how much of his claims regarding 'unamed sources' is truthful...  and at the very least calls his willingness and ability to judge other's credibility into question. 

Readers of the press are often called onto to take a reporter at their word - especially when they claim anonymous sources.
I just think that if the guy chose to misrepresent what transpired between him and mangement (Merck), who knows what other creative choices he made?

[killingvector]

Where do you have proof that the author wrote lies or that what was written was BS?  Are you taking what Merck says as truth and what the author says as lies?  If so, why?  I mean Merck has an agenda, and presumably this author does/did not.  Is your site so blurred by blind loyalty to Axl that you don't see this?

Seems like the author did some research before going to print.  He talked to those people who would participate who have worked with Axl on CD in the past.  He asked to talk with Axl and current management, but got rejected.  It appears he did his due diligence on this article.  When asked by Merck to reveal his sources he said "fuck that" and went to print.  You Axl ball washers act like Merck is some god with power.  He is the mouth piece for a man who hides behind confidenciality agreements and "I will do your interview but only if you ask me nice questions" type of bullshit.  For those of us that are not so blind to think Axl isn't fallible or Merck isn't some genius, we can see this for what is it...an opportunity for some free PR.  It is my opinion that the article is probably quite accurate.  Could it have benefited from hearing Axl's side...sure, but notheless I'm sure Axl acted/acts exactly as he is described in that article.  I'm sure he shows up sporadically for work.  I'm sure he fires people for little or no reason all the time.  The man is a diva if there ever was one.

I am getting a kick out of everyone who thinks Merck is the best ever and this author must be a piece of shit.  It's almost like you people who are doing this have no real concept of the GNR story or history.  Very entertaining.

TyRod
 

The Times article paints the bleakest of pictures for Chinese Democracy; it essentially buries the career of Axl Rose and Nu-GnR as it ends with the band cut off financially by the label  with no completed album on the horizon. Merck's response was terse, objected to the reporter's lack of professionalism, and, brimming with the confidence of a man holding a million dollar poker hand, predicts that his client will have the last laugh. This letter was not meant as a fact by fact refutation of the article but rather served to categorically denounce the article for its out of the circle sources and the reporter for his failure to follow up on management's offer for a statement. If you were in Merck's position and you knew the piece was flawed, you could either give the reporter respectability by responding point by point or rather let the actions of the band do its own talking in the coming months.  Everyone involved in this project seems to believe they have something special, even Buckethead if you can believe his comments to Loder back in 2002. Why cower to the media's lowest denominator if you can prove them wrong with the most direct and public display of the truth. The one constant with Axl Rose over these last ten or so years is that he doesn't show his cards until he is ready to take everyone's chips from the table. 

Merck did what was necessary today.

Now all they have to do is deliver what we all have been waiting. Every GnR controversy in the last fifteen years  has been dependent on this one very significant event.

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

The Times article paints the bleakest of pictures for Chinese Democracy; it essentially buries the career of Axl Rose and Nu-GnR as it ends with the band cut off financially by the label? with no completed album on the horizon. Merck's response was terse, objected to the reporter's lack of professionalism, and, brimming with the confidence of a man holding a million dollar poker hand, predicts that his client will have the last laugh. This letter was not meant as a fact by fact refutation of the article but rather served to categorically denounce the article for its out of the circle sources and the reporter for his failure to follow up on management's offer for a statement. If you were in Merck's position and you knew the piece was flawed, you could either give the reporter respectability by responding point by point or rather let the actions of the band do its own talking in the coming months.? Everyone involved in this project seems to believe they have something special, even Buckethead if you can believe his comments to Loder back in 2002. Why cower to the media's lowest denominator if you can prove them wrong with the most direct and public display of the truth. The one constant with Axl Rose over these last ten or so years is that he doesn't show his cards until he is ready to take everyone's chips from the table.?

Merck did what was necessary today.

Now all they have to do is deliver what we all have been waiting. Every GnR controversy in the last fifteen years? has been dependent on this one very significant event.

Excellent post.


and so i don't violate any rules here I'll add...

who thinks Geffen/Interscope will be pleased with this article raise your hand...

anyone...?

anyone at all..?

 

[Saul]

The one constant with Axl Rose over these last ten or so years is that he doesn't show his cards until he is ready to take everyone's chips from the table. 

 

Well as much as I'd like to say something good here I just have to disagree with that statement KV. Axl showed his "cards" at the VMA's and everybody but the hardcore fans agree he was out of breath and did poorly with WTTJ and PC , however madagascar was kinda like his saving grace that night. he showed his cards by doing the 2002 tour and as we know , that tour ended up causing two riots for 2 missed shows , average reviews , very poor attendance and an abrupt pulling of the plug by clear channel because of either the last no show or poor ticket sales .. you take your pick. He showed his cards with the single OMG on the end of days soundtrack and it went nowhere , sadly. (I love that song). he showed his cards by putting a newly recorded version of SCOM as performed by the new band and nobody seemed to notice or care. Axl showed his cards with two lawsuits , to stop the GH's and the hollywood rose album .. both jaunts also failed.

The sad thing is , to me anyways , the last time axl won a "hand" was when the greatest hits came out and sold really damn good .. the irony is that was a game axl didnt even wanna play and somebody else played his cards for him.

I just hope to high hell that axl can find it within himself to get back in the game and I hope he has a full house and can walk away his the whole pot ... I hope he doesnt fold again and I hope he doesnt wait to show those cards after everyone else has gone home and bowed out of the game.

I'd like to see axl and Co. out there fighting for it .. competing with velvet revolver , metallica and all the hard rock acts (if new gnr are hard rock .. I dunno)

Axl can bring things to the table no other performer can or ever could .. but he needs to make sure to have himself dealt into the game .. prove he has the chips to run with the big boys.

 

[killingvector]

The one constant with Axl Rose over these last ten or so years is that he doesn't show his cards until he is ready to take everyone's chips from the table. 

 

Well as much as I'd like to say something good here I just have to disagree with that statement KV. Axl showed his "cards" at the VMA's and everybody but the hardcore fans agree he was out of breath and did poorly with WTTJ and PC , however madagascar was kinda like his saving grace that night. he showed his cards by doing the 2002 tour and as we know , that tour ended up causing two riots for 2 missed shows , average reviews , very poor attendance and an abrupt pulling of the plug by clear channel because of either the last no show or poor ticket sales .. you take your pick. He showed his cards with the single OMG on the end of days soundtrack and it went nowhere , sadly. (I love that song). he showed his cards by putting a newly recorded version of SCOM as performed by the new band and nobody seemed to notice or care. Axl showed his cards with two lawsuits , to stop the GH's and the hollywood rose album .. both jaunts also failed.

The sad thing is , to me anyways , the last time axl won a "hand" was when the greatest hits came out and sold really damn good .. the irony is that was a game axl didnt even wanna play and somebody else played his cards for him.

I just hope to high hell that axl can find it within himself to get back in the game and I hope he has a full house and can walk away his the whole pot ... I hope he doesnt fold again and I hope he doesnt wait to show those cards after everyone else has gone home and bowed out of the game.

I'd like to see axl and Co. out there fighting for it .. competing with velvet revolver , metallica and all the hard rock acts (if new gnr are hard rock .. I dunno)

Axl can bring things to the table no other performer can or ever could .. but he needs to make sure to have himself dealt into the game .. prove he has the chips to run with the big boys.

 

true enough. I would argue that these were all minor events compared to what will be the defining moment for Axl Rose as a solo artist. My point was that he doesn't want to involve fans or media in the process, rather have the final project speak for itself. Critics can lament that the band is a mess and will never get its act together, but is there a real expectation that Axl would lower himself to release a statement in reaction to these type of articles? he has said a number of times that he would not seek attention for himself until he has something to promote. The constant in the equation is Axl's unwillingness to explain how and why he is doing what he is doing. He is waiting, to keep the card game analogy that has been beaten to death in the last two posts of ours, for the money game.

I do think the VMA moment was significant; despite your reaction to it, the performance was exciting to watch and geniunely shocked people. The tour had its moments but the small crowds during the early dates owed more to overbooking and lack of promotion. Boise idaho on a tuesday night? yikes.  The end of the tour is still a mystery to everyone; we have some indication that the label and axl had a dispute which led to the rug being pulled out from under their feet. These events could never put down the GnR animal in the manner that an unsuccessful album could.

[younggunner]

too much in this thread..

To compare Merck to a Doug Goldstein is pretty funny. One was a bodyguard/manager whereas the other has been moving up the music chain at a fast pace. Im pretty sure Merck a lot more things to do than just please Axl. BUt whatver.

[Saul]

true enough. I would argue that these were all minor events compared to what will be the defining moment for Axl Rose as a solo artist.

So are you saying that chinese democracy isnt a band effort but rather an axl solo project?    I cant agree with that if what I read from band members is correct.

[Voodoochild]

Ok, it's fair to say that Axl hardly wouldn't give any comment on that article. But there's more people envolved right now with the album and the Leeds guy just talked with people who were dismissed by the crew years ago!
And if he wanted to really put the other side there, I'm sure Tommy Stinson would allow an interview to put out his thoughs about the whole story. Or Dizzy. Or anyone who is still with the band.
I am a journalist myself, I know how it works. It's quite obvious that Leeds wanted to just print some bizarre tales about Axl. Those kind of gossips sell a lot more than any fair view of the band and the project.

[killingvector]

I think Merck's comments this week spoke volumes on that issue, saul. Axl didn't write songs with these guys, he had them noodle around until he heard something that he liked then directed them to embolden it. I think this is Axl's record, for good or for bad.

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

yeah, I see the release of Chinese Democracy as the moment when Axl 'shows his hand' ?

my chips are on the table... in Axl's corner...err... you all know what I mean!

too much in this thread..

to summarize 'eva' style...

Merck said the writer lied when he claimed "managment said Axl could not be reached for comment"
then he went on to say that the people who quoted have not been involved with the process for many, many, years...
and finally he said that Axl is gonna have the last laugh. ?

so some people on the board were like "its never coming out ? "
and then some other people were like "yeah when cd comes out - you'll all see ?"
but some other people were like 'oh its never coming out" ?
and thens ome other people were like 'its is too coming out!

um... yeah... so what did we learn?
oh yeah... ?Axl fucking rules and fuck the press ?
 

[Saul]

I think Merck's comments this week spoke volumes on that issue, saul. Axl didn't write songs with these guys, he had them noodle around until he heard something that he liked then directed them to embolden it. I think this is Axl's record, for good or for bad.

Then I guess Tommy must lie out the side of his face.  Tommy has said over and over how each and every song on this album is a total group effort and that everyone was encouraged to put their own stamp , their own piece of themselves into every song. Tommy has said that axl is a collabartor "to a fault" and that sometimes he (axl) "cant make a move" on his own.

So many conflicting stories from people supposably so close to this project. It baffles me.

One thing is for sure , 10 years or so down the road when gag orders expire and people involved in this whole .. this .. umm ... "situation" can finally write about and/or talk about honestly and openly all the things that went on it should make for one helluva read/story!

[killingvector]

I think Merck's comments this week spoke volumes on that issue, saul. Axl didn't write songs with these guys, he had them noodle around until he heard something that he liked then directed them to embolden it. I think this is Axl's record, for good or for bad.

Then I guess Tommy must lie out the side of his face.  Tommy has said over and over how each and every song on this album is a total group effort and that everyone was encouraged to put their own stamp , their own piece of themselves into every song. Tommy has said that axl is a collabartor "to a fault" and that sometimes he (axl) "cant make a move" on his own.

So many conflicting stories from people supposably so close to this project. It baffles me.

One thing is for sure , 10 years or so down the road when gag orders expire and people involved in this whole .. this .. umm ... "situation" can finally write about and/or talk about honestly and openly all the things that went on it should make for one helluva read/story!

why must he be lying? I don't see why what tommy said is in conflict with what im saying. The project was a democratic effort in that each performer was given a crack at working out a particular section of music for each track. The band didn't write the music then turn it over to axl to finish off; axl directed what sound fragments were to be worked on. He listened to hours of taped jam sessions and isolated which sections he found to be the most interesting. Each band member was given the segment back to work on and embellish. This clearly isn't how the old GnR functioned; each member of the old group came in with their own ideas of the direction and through a combined effort, AFD and Illusions were born. Just remember, this album has to sound like Guns N Roses, not some amalgamation of Replacements, NIN, Deli Creeps, and Tool. Axl is the only one capable of providing this direction.

i don't doubt that tommy and the rest of the band contributed each of their own signatures to these songs, but axl was the general and dictated the direction of each piece. He could never play such a role with Slash, Duff, et al. This album is axl's vision, realized by the combined efforts of Tommy, Robin, Brain, Bucket, Dizzy, and Mother Goose. If he was as multi talented as Trent Reznor, perhaps he could create an album solely on his own. But I believe axl has taken the proper command of the project and ensured this sounds as every bit as much like Guns N Roses.

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

I am a journalist myself, I know how it works. It's quite obvious that Leeds wanted to just print some bizarre tales about Axl. Those kind of gossips sell a lot more than any fair view of the band and the project.

GREAT point ?

this would fit in with Merck's reference to 'their own agenda'...
he already had the line about 'axl's mangement said he could not be reached for comment' written WEEKS before he even spoke to Merck. ? Seems his calling Merck was an empty gesture and he was apparently full of shit when he said he would consider Merck's request/terms for an interview.

[Saul]

The band didn't write the music then turn it over to axl to finish off; axl directed what sound fragments were to be worked on. He listened to hours of taped jam sessions and isolated which sections he found to be the most interesting. Each band member was given the segment back to work on and embellish. This clearly isn't how the old GnR functioned; each member of the old group came in with their own ideas of the direction and through a combined effort, AFD and Illusions were born. Just remember, this album has to sound like Guns N Roses, not some amalgamation of Replacements, NIN, Deli Creeps, and Tool. Axl is the only one capable of providing this direction.

actually it's a fact the old band worked in this same vein while recording stuff for what would be the illusions. I remember a couple interviews from axl and slash where they talk about slash playing parts of music over the phone for axl and axl would comment on "this note and this riff" and then slash would go back and work from there. And I dont think this album has to or will sound like GNR of old .. not at all. Unless the new material thus far is very different then what the actual album will be? cause I hear nothing of the sound that was GNR in songs like Madagascar , Silk Worms and Oh My God. Not to say thats a bad thing per say , but those songs dont sound at all like "old" gnr.

[killingvector]

The band didn't write the music then turn it over to axl to finish off; axl directed what sound fragments were to be worked on. He listened to hours of taped jam sessions and isolated which sections he found to be the most interesting. Each band member was given the segment back to work on and embellish. This clearly isn't how the old GnR functioned; each member of the old group came in with their own ideas of the direction and through a combined effort, AFD and Illusions were born. Just remember, this album has to sound like Guns N Roses, not some amalgamation of Replacements, NIN, Deli Creeps, and Tool. Axl is the only one capable of providing this direction.

actually it's a fact the old band worked in this same vein while recording stuff for what would be the illusions. I remember a couple interviews from axl and slash where they talk about slash playing parts of music over the phone for axl and axl would comment on "this note and this riff" and then slash would go back and work from there. And I dont think this album has to or will sound like GNR of old .. not at all. Unless the new material thus far is very different then what the actual album will be? cause I hear nothing of the sound that was GNR in songs like Madagascar , Silk Worms and Oh My God. Not to say thats a bad thing per say , but those songs dont sound at all like "old" gnr.

i've heard that interview with axl, but what you are referring to is alot different than what is going on with new gnr. Axl dictates what Chinese Democracy sounds like; he writes the lyrics, produces the record, and directs the players what pieces of music he wants them to work on. This was not how UYI and AFD were made. That is a fact. Slash and Axl fine tuning UYI is not the same as Axl handing a fragment of tape to Buckethead to work out a melody and solo.

Axl said a long time ago that the record would sound more like GnR than anyone was anticapating. the rolling stone article and the loder interview, albeit dated, said as much. CD, Blues, Rhiad, and madagascar do sound  like UYI style Guns songs with a little modern kick.

[estranged.1098]

kv,

that's probably how things worked in the making of the songs, but I don't think this would qualify it as an Axl solo album. What you described as Axl picking up something from a jam session is just the beginning of the process of making a song, and I'm sure the 8 people contributed a lot of their ideas to get from there (the start) to the end of each song.

Now I'm wondering who wrote "General" and what it's about. 

[killingvector]

kv,

that's probably how things worked in the making of the songs, but I don't think this would qualify it as an Axl solo album. What you described as Axl picking up something from a jam session is just the beginning of the process of making a song, and I'm sure the 8 people contributed a lot of their ideas to get from there (the start) to the end of each song.

Now I'm wondering who wrote "General" and what it's about. 

As I said, this is how the process was described to us. You can argue about the conclusion that I am drawing, but you cannot argue about the redhead's expanded role in the creation of this record: producer, vocalist, sole lyricist, and most importantly general.

[grog mug]

Like I said before, Axl DOES NOT want to be a rock star.  He wants to make a great record, and put it out for the fans of old/new.  This will completely satisfy him.  He's more satisfied with being out of the public spot light and making his monster of an album quietly.  I believe he will have the last laugh....

[John J. Rambo]

 
You all really have no idea about the album. You write your unjust comments like you actually do know something about the album, to fool your soul that you're apart of something great. The Guns N'Roses world is much larger than you could ever know. What Merck speaks is the truth. Axl and the GNR family only want to make the best record for you and the world. This makes the record a process. It's not some bullshit Velvet Revolver, recycling B sides of the past. This is the REAL DEAL. Axl is the last rock star in this world, the time will come. To make one of the best records of all time takes time and much effort, be patient and the time will come.   

John J.