Has the bar been raised?

[gilld1]

In the last year or so there have been several excellent new albums released.  New ones by U2, Radiohead, NIN, SOAD, Audioslave, and with the Foos and White Stripes on the way.  Have these new albums raised the bar for Axl?  Especially, NIN and SOAD because Axl is a fan of both.  Does this add pressure to succeed? 

What do you guys think?

[Wooody]

almost all of  those bands suck 

[Falcon]

What do you guys think?

Not sure if it raises the bar or not, could be I guess. 

I think any shift in a current musical trend or direction quite possibly could make him do a rethink on whatever material he's working on at that particular time.

[Neemo]

Someone says the same thing every year. 

If Axl went back and played with stuff every time he heard something new and cool. it would take like 13 years to get a new album.

[axlsalinger]

Yeah, aren't we lucky that hasn't happened....

[ppbebe]

Yeah we'll strike it lucky

When the band has made the "new and cool" of their own...Never fear!

[mikegiuliana]

I don't think so, the only people that the bar has been raised for is the fans.. I can't say on the bands because I never liked most (foo fighters, nins, soad) u-2 could release any old piece of shit by now and it would sell good.. U-2 is the only real rock stars left, well in the mainstream that sell millions of albums..

[Judge Dredd]

Some of the new album releases this year are so good, that when you hear Axl's 'new material', you know unless he has been keeping something in reserve, he has a bit of a problem.

[smith13]

axl is the bar

[blues rocker]

In the last year or so there have been several excellent new albums released.? New ones by U2, Radiohead, NIN, SOAD, Audioslave, and with the Foos and White Stripes on the way.? Have these new albums raised the bar for Axl?? Especially, NIN and SOAD because Axl is a fan of both.? Does this add pressure to succeed??

What do you guys think?

sorry, but most of those bands represent everything that is WRONG with rock these days...radiohead - gay, nin - crap, soad - gay and crap, audioslave - boring...

[Falcon]

The bar definitely will be raised this fall as far as shows go, NIN and Queens Of The Stone Age just confirmed a North American arena tour with a 3rd act forthcoming.

That's one a helluva rock show...

[Hammy]

Great albums are released every year, the bar hasn't been raised, Axl's making this album so it's upto his standards and the best in his eyes.  There's always successful bands you have to compete against, always pressure these new albums are nothing special apart from Nine Inch Nails With Teeth but still like i said you get great albums each year...who gives a fuck....what's he gonna do...start re-recoring the album just because he thinks Radiohead have a better album than him...not likely.

[Mr Cowbell ?]

The hype for CD is soooo HIGH there is going to be no way Axl can p-lease everyone.  It would of been huge in 94 after the UYI, it would of been huge in 99 when OMG came out and it would of been huge in 2002, now the hype just keeps growing and the pressure is on Axl but he will never be able to please everyone. He could have an album on par with the Beatles White Album or Sgt Peppers and it still wont live up to its Hype.  I love what I have heard from bootlegs but no matter what Axl's new album wont live up to the hype and mystery he has created for everyone, espially sense there is so many people who are out there wanting to hate on it.

[Saul]

I'll be surprised if democracy is better then greenDays "American Idiot" album (not the song , the whole album)

IMHO that was easily the best rock album I've heard in the last couple years.

[Eeebs]

Axl hasn't lef

axl is the bar

Actually, Axl hasn't left the bar... hence the lack of any concerte release date in sight   Hehe.  Only kidding.  Only having some fun with all of ya's

[audjon]

In the last year or so there have been several excellent new albums released.? New ones by U2, Radiohead, NIN, SOAD, Audioslave, and with the Foos and White Stripes on the way.? Have these new albums raised the bar for Axl?? Especially, NIN and SOAD because Axl is a fan of both.? Does this add pressure to succeed??

What do you guys think?

Naaa, those bands have probably lowered the bar. None of those who you mention have released a groundbreaking album this year (or last) - just merely echoes of a glorious past.
U2 - 'How to...' was ok, but noting close to 'Actung baby'
Radiohead - they just can't figure how to get past 'Ok Computer'
NIN - oh man, that industrial sound was so cool and progressive in 1991, now it sounds as out-dated as the Spice girls.
SOAD - Good album, but it seems that they drained their idea-tank on 'Toxicity'
Audioslave - Not as good as Soundgarden, and definitely not as good as RATM
Foos - Can't expect them to beat Nirvana
White stripes - Nice wrapping, empty can.

The competition is not stiff at the moment, his 'bar' is ADF/UYI.

[Falcon]

The competition is not stiff at the moment, his 'bar' is ADF/UYI.

I tend to agree with your general premise but for vastly different reasons.

GNR is not thought of in the same scope/realm of bands like Audioslave, Foos, SOAD, White Stripes, NIN etc.

A more accurate barometer would be Aerosmith and Motley, both much more closely associated with GNR than any of the newer acts mentioned.? That being the case, I have no doubt when and if CD gets released it
will be far superior to any new material released from either of the 2 above, at least that's my hope.? It remains to be seen if GNR will have the same kind of recent success Aerosmith or Motley have enjoyed as a live act but I suspect that will take care of itself if the material is good.

As for your quote above, I think you got it half right.? The bar is AFD.

[Genesis]

Other than U2, all the other bands are crap. Since GN'R doesn't sound like U2 anyway, the bar still is AFD.

[F*ck Fear]

I'll be surprised if democracy is better then greenDays "American Idiot" album (not the song , the whole album)

IMHO that was easily the best rock album I've heard in the last couple years.

Man I just busted a gut reading that,thanks.

[2NaFish]

In the last year or so there have been several excellent new albums released.  New ones by U2, Radiohead, NIN, SOAD, Audioslave, and with the Foos and White Stripes on the way.  Have these new albums raised the bar for Axl?  Especially, NIN and SOAD because Axl is a fan of both.  Does this add pressure to succeed? 

What do you guys think?

sorry, but most of those bands represent everything that is WRONG with rock these days...radiohead - gay, nin - crap, soad - gay and crap, audioslave - boring...

most of those bands are not rock bands. it's not their fault that rock music is in a slump - they make their own music and do it, with varying degrees of success, very well.

As for the bar having risen, i don't think it really makes that much of a difference. The music side of cd appears to be pretty much complete.