Could Axl have done it without the old guys?

[Lineker10]

With the other threads going on about credit for writing music etc. i was just wondering what people though of these to questions-

a) Do you think Axl could have made AFD and the Illusions, been as good as the old band and acheived the great success by himself - without the old members?

and....

b) Do you think he could of been as good and successfull without the old guys but with a differant set of guys.

I always viewed Gn'R - apart from mabye Adler as a unit that while they may have had limited success would never have been as good without each other.

[jameslofton29]

Without Izzy, AFD, Lies, and UYI would not exist. Simple as that. Why do you think Axl could have had success without old members when he's been without them for so long and he hasn't put out one album? Every former member of GNR has done an album. Hell, I bet Tracy and Roberta even have an album floating around out there somewhere. I think Axl is taking this shit too seriously. It doesn't have to be the greatest album ever. Let's say that CD is just an average album. So what? He can just immediately do another one and redeem himself. Every great band has a shitty album or two.

[Annie]

When my Mom and I were watching the VHI Behind the music about GNR she said and I quote, " AXL is GNR, those other guys would be nowhere without him! "

[*Izzy*]

Axl - A? mediocre songwriter (So far, in my eyes, he hasn't proven himself as a songwriter, I'm not judging the unreleased tracks)

Slash - Not a very good songwriter (Judging: - All his solo albums - Contraband)

Izzy - A great songwriter (Judging: - All his solo albums - AFD - Lies - UYI)

Duff - A great songwriter (Beautifull Disease - AFD - Lies - UYI)

Steven - How the hell should I know, his druming sounds cool

  Izzy?

[jabba2]

AFD and the Illusions wouldnt be possible without the original bandmembers, who still have chemistry to this day together. They have written tons of music that isnt released because they couldnt always find a singer. Now that they have Weiland they could finish some of it, but im positive there was a ton of songs that were designed for Axl, that Axl refused to work on.

[ClintroN]

With the other threads going on about credit for writing music etc. i was just wondering what people though of these to questions-

a) Do you think Axl could have made AFD and the Illusions, been as good as the old band and acheived the great success by himself - without the old members?

and....

b) Do you think he could of been as good and successfull without the old guys but with a differant set of guys.

I always viewed Gn'R - apart from mabye Adler as a unit that while they may have had limited success would never have been as good without each other.

put it this way, would the old band have been successful without  Axl??

[Chief]

nope, i really don't think so!

With the other threads going on about credit for writing music etc. i was just wondering what people though of these to questions-

a) Do you think Axl could have made AFD and the Illusions, been as good as the old band and acheived the great success by himself - without the old members?

and....

b) Do you think he could of been as good and successfull without the old guys but with a differant set of guys.

I always viewed Gn'R - apart from mabye Adler as a unit that while they may have had limited success would never have been as good without each other.

put it this way, would the old band have been successful without  Axl??

[jameslofton29]

I dont want to start "bashing" Axl, but Axl is the main reason for the breakup. The problems really started when he decided he wanted to start following trends. That was a HUGE mistake. First he wanted to do a grunge record, then an industrial record. Twelve years later, we have nothing. Its shocking to think that Axl wanting to copy grunge destroyed the greatest band on earth. GNR should have done something to counteract grunge, not try to fucking copy it. Izzy's departure created a void in the band, and apparently no other member knew what the hell to do. Imagine if Izzy had left in 1987 or 88. That would have been a nightmare beyond belief.

[younggunner]

Axl could not have made AFD< or the Illusions without the old guys.

But Axl can make an album called Chinese Democracy with a new set of chararcters and it could turn out to be just as good as the old stuff or it could turn out better.

But until Axl decides to release the album, we will never know...

and its ashame because I have been rejuvenated by the new matrial lately. Ive been listening to it nonstop, except for rhiad. The new songs particularly IRS, TB,Maddy,and Cd are simply amazing. I dont care what peopels expectations are of this band and album. If Cd is like those songs and better thats all I want.

The songs we have heard so far are so much better than the stuff out on the radio right now. NAd they are 5  yrs old....The lyrics the music, its all great.

I never really thought of the blues as an amazing song, but for some reason it just hit me recently. The song is amazing. IMO, its the best gnr ballad ever, old are new....except for NR{i dont consider it a ballad}...but its better than DC.

Im kinda down on GNr but the music keeps me hanging. And Im glad for that. I just want this band to do it. Whetehr they turn out to be big or not is something they cant control. But what they can control is releasing quality,killer music like they have already introduced to us.

It sux that we have to speculate and be left in the dark, but if if CD is like these songs we have heard or better, ill suck it up. But it better come out, and not left in some vault. That would be the biggest tease we would all experience in our lives. And thats the ultimate no no

[jameslofton29]

Younggunner, great post. I still dont understand why Axl has sat on this material. If The Blues had been released as a single in 1999/2000, it would have been #1. Axl could have reclaimed his throne with just one song. Instead, we got Oh My God. CD could also have had an impact at that time. Not a #1 song, but it would have been well received, and would have got heavy radio play. Axl has had several years when the album could have had a big impact(1999,2000,2002), but he refused to release it. 2004 was also a good time to do it. Total dead year music wise. What I fear is another 'movement' occuring similar to grunge, changing the musical landscape, and then Axl abandoning CD because it doesn't fit in with the musical landscape. It will only take one band to do this. Sometimes I wonder, if Nirvana had made it big in 1990, would Illusions have even been released?

[DoubleTalkingJive]

There is no way Axl could have made AFD, Lies and UYI without the combination of the old guys.   Especially AFD, that album is timeless, one of the greatest albums of all time.  It was not only the songwriting but the attitude and the chemistry they had a a band.  I love Axl but all of them as a band back then, is what made Axl what he is or was.   Old GNR is responsible for all of their careers to this day.  I don't think any of the material that we have heard from their solo projects and even from VR will ever match up to the magic they had together as a band.

[MikeB]

I hate it when certain members are treated like they matter more then other members in the band. The bottom line is a G n' R without either Axl or the other members straight-up sucks ! No, Axl would of failed without the old guys. They were meant to be together . I don't give a fuck about their solo acts, side projects , VR, and especially new-GnR. Too bad the last real Rock n' Roll band had an asshole as its frontman.

[jimmythegent]

No he most certainly couldn't have

one of the main things that made GN'R such a great band, was that there were such distinctive personalities and characteristics at work. These things were reflected in the sound - Axl the wild screaming banshee with a sensitive side, Slash's rough, hard as nails blues, Duffs melodic punk sensibilities and of course Izzys ear for a great tune.

these things combined were what made GN'R a timeless rock act

[Butch Français]

No he most certainly couldn't have

one of the main things that made GN'R such a great band, was that there were such distinctive personalities and characteristics at work. These things were reflected in the sound - Axl the wild screaming banshee with a sensitive side, Slash's rough, hard as nails blues, Duffs melodic punk sensibilities and of course Izzys ear for a great tune.

these things combined were what made GN'R a timeless rock act

don't forget Adler and his hollywood shuffle drumming style!
otherwise, I agree with you.

[Rob]

People who question if Axl could've done what he did without the old guys really don't appreciate GN'R for what they were.  They were the greatest band of all time.  An amazing collection of guys who were great musicians, performers, personalities, and songwriters.  Axl of course was a huge part of that, but so was Slash, Izzy, Duff, and even Steve and to a lesser extent Matt.  Just listen to the Hollywood Rose stuff.  Axl and Izzy without Slash and Duff.  Its good, but not great...and damn sure not on the level of GN'R.  Same goes for all the solo stuff the guys have done.  They just can't recapture the magic that was GN'R.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

We will find out when CD is released.

[Lineker10]

We will find out when CD is released.

No we wont - becasue the question was - could he have made AFD and the Illusions by himself or with other guys aka. could he have broken out of LA back in the day alone/with others.

[ppbebe]

A) No. Axl without a band....might be good but different. I'm not a fan of solo acts in general.

B) Yes. that would have been highly possible. There would be always plenty more fishes in the sea.
the same is true with the other guys. Well maybe the posibilities were less than Axl's.

[nesquick]

a) no
b) I will anwer when CD comes out. Until yet, it's "no".

[deliverthecow]

Nope, without Stradlin', Slash, or Duff those albums wouldn't exist. I honestly think that is the whole delay on the new GnR record. I think it is done and has been done for awhile now. This is not bashing Axl but i think the man realizes this and his insecurites releasing an album without the other guys presence especially Stradlin' is constantly in the back of his mind. I just wish he would get this album out and we can see if he can do something without the original guys.