Dizzy Reed at Cornell Interview

[madagas]

They don't have any say in what songs are on the album or what songs Axl decides to sing over-the mixing process (huge! as parts could be deleted by Axl or not used), the tracklisting, etc. The mixing process and tracklisting are probably the most creative part of making an album.

[younggunner]

in terms of music it was collaborative. Everything else its all Axl...its just a fact. That doesnt mean they are less of a band becuase of that or anything. It just means Axl runs the ship hands down. Its no different then he was with the old band

[ppbebe]

They don't have any say in what songs are on the album or what songs Axl decides to sing over-the mixing process

Any? Absolutely nothing? Are we really sure about that?
Why the hell did Brain have some songs last year?

[jarmo]

They don't have any say in what songs are on the album or what songs Axl decides to sing over-the mixing process (huge! as parts could be deleted by Axl or not used), the tracklisting, etc.

If that's the case, it's not something new.

"My World" appeared on an album in 1991. I wonder who wanted it on the album.....




/jarmo

[younggunner]

i wouldnt go as far as Madagas in saying that they dont have any input on what makes thr album, songs structure, tracklisting and even album art...but in terms of leading and taking action its all Axl

[Neemo]

lets not bring this arguement up again there is no good in it

Pilferk, Madagas where were you guys a week or 2 ago when i needed ya

[ppbebe]

They don't have any say in what songs are on the album or what songs Axl decides to sing over-the mixing process (huge! as parts could be deleted by Axl or not used), the tracklisting, etc.

If that's the case, it's something new.

"My World" appeared on an album in 1991. I wonder who wanted it on the album.....




/jarmo

Duff .

[madagas]

Tank, read their interviews-they have nothing to do with the mixing and don't have any idea in some cases about what Axl is working on. Read Dizzy's interviews and anything from Tommy. You can't just take selected lines from the interviews and assume that this is a total collaborative effort-it is only to a small extent-go back and read them all again. There are plenty of hints that they have no idea what Axl is working on and in some cases, no idea what the final tracklisting of the album will be. Dizzy is unsure of song titles as recently as his latest statements. Also, if you are referring to Brain and "The General". Beltrami worked on it in 2002! This wasn't a song from last year.

[pilferk]

lets not bring this arguement up again there is no good in it

Pilferk, Madagas where were you guys a week or 2 ago when i needed ya

Let me be very clear about a couple of things: I'm not putting down the way the band is/was/has worked through the album creation process....largely because doing so without hearing the album would be a bit pointless. ?I'm also not saying it was an entirely uncollaborative effort. And I'm not saying Dizzy is misleading anyone or being hypocritical, either. ?My one and only point in my comment is Dizzy says one thing, a very specific thing (and it's funny because it sounds almost verbatim like what the rest of the band has said...so they either believe it or it's "the party line" they've been asked to toe), but then, in other responses, gives a completely different impression.

I'm just trying to make sense of the two vastly different things he's saying, largely because I think he IS being sincere and honest in his responses: A) That the music creation was very collaborative and then B) to be completely clueless about how stuff sounds currently and a variety of other things. ?I know mix and arrangement can have huge impact on material. But to me, if they had little to no input on that subject then, really, I'd say the music creation process was not as collaborative as he's saying it was...simply because those factors DO have such an impact. ?I'm sure he believes it was, as do many of the other bandmembers. ?And maybe it WAS. ?But his other answers paint a very muddy picture.

Did they sit down and write the songs together? ?Probably, making it a collaborative effort to that point. ?But after that point, and there's a LOT of "stuff" after that point, it seems not so much.

I suppose, at the end of the day, it doesn't REALLY matter much....as long as the material they release is good.

[madagas]

Exactly. 

[Neemo]

pilferk I agree with you 100%

[jmapelian]

damnit...I spent all that time reading this "interview" and didn't get a damn thing out of it.

this band has got the art of speaking with out saying anything down to a science

the best part of this interview was the story about Shaq, which must have happened years ago because it's been forevcer since he was with the Magic

[AxlsMainMan]

i wouldnt go as far as Madagas in saying that they dont have any input on what makes thr album, songs structure, tracklisting and even album art...but in terms of leading and taking action its all Axl

Definately hit the nail right on the head.

Ppbebe, I really know you'd love to imagine all 6 bandmembers huddled around Axl in the studio all day long, going through every step of the creative process together, but through many bandmember interviews, it appears that analogy just isn't correct. Dont get me wrong, musically, the album surely was a collaborative effort and they probably tossed ideas back and forth, but make no mistake: Richard, Dizzy, etc will have no power when it comes to the album art, or even what tracklist will be selected. That side of the buisness, is entirely in Axl's hands, always has been...Remember the article where he said a huge delay was him taking over more jobs than he had too before?

Im sure if the songs on Chinese Democracy are epic, mindblowing pieces of music, Tommy and the other guys will get a huge pat on the back for their contributions, but it still wont change the fact, Axl appears to be composing the album by his lonesome and will only call for his comrades when it is complete.

[ppbebe]

Ppbebe, I really know you'd love to imagine all 6 bandmembers huddled around Axl in the studio all day long, going through every step of the creative process together,

What makes you think so? If you read my posts, you'd notice that I've been saying that Axl is doing a lot more than an ordinary band leader's role, which are taking time.

if you are referring to Brain and "The General". Beltrami worked on it in 2002! This wasn't a song from last year.

No I'm not solely referring to the song. Besides it?s possible that some changes have been made on the song since 2002.
In the interview, Dizzy says
"last year Brain had this song called 'the General' that was really cool... and another song called "we were lying [not sure if thats the name he said]"

[AxlsMainMan]

What makes you think so? If you read my posts, you'd notice that I've been saying that Axl is doing a lot more than an ordinary band leader's role, which are taking time.

Nay! the album(s) won't be just Axl's. otherwise he should call the project Axl Rose solo.
As I said earlier in this thread ( I quote myself below ), this band is as collaborative as any other band. Just the leader is holding many other posts for the project than just a band leader concomitantly and taking time.
Tommy, Dizzy and Axl's words are of one accord in regarding this thing to be corroborative efforts.
I'd say it is wholly Axl's endeavor to produce this fucking band ie an advanced GNR.

[WARose]

i wouldnt go as far as Madagas in saying that they dont have any input on what makes thr album, songs structure, tracklisting and even album art...but in terms of leading and taking action its all Axl

Definately hit the nail right on the head.

Ppbebe, I really know you'd love to imagine all 6 bandmembers huddled around Axl in the studio all day long, going through every step of the creative process together, but through many bandmember interviews, it appears that analogy just isn't correct. Dont get me wrong, musically, the album surely was a collaborative effort and they probably tossed ideas back and forth, but make no mistake: Richard, Dizzy, etc will have no power when it comes to the album art, or even what tracklist will be selected. That side of the buisness, is entirely in Axl's hands, always has been...Remember the article where he said a huge delay was him taking over more jobs than he had too before?

Im sure if the songs on Chinese Democracy are epic, mindblowing pieces of music, Tommy and the other guys will get a huge pat on the back for their contributions, but it still wont change the fact, Axl appears to be composing the album by his lonesome and will only call for his comrades when it is complete.

so what?s exactely the definition of collaborative here?

i think it was the part of the band to write the music and now it`s axl`s part to actually make it sound like gnr (or queen..... ....whatever) or how he wants it to sound. there`s no doubt that he`s the captain of the ship called gnr, but that doesn?t make it a solo record though..... ?everyone`s involved and axl takes it to the right direction... that`s my guess. and i think that?s cool, because axl`s the man

by the way i think it`s the same now as it was in the old gnr....... and don?t you think that was a collaborative effort either? and i don?t think slash and duff had that much influence on the final track lists..... ? some examples are one in a million, my world and look at your game girl....

and well.... i don?t care if tommy and the other guys decide on the tracklist/cover art or not...... it`s the music that matters....

[WARose]

They don't have any say in what songs are on the album or what songs Axl decides to sing over-the mixing process (huge! as parts could be deleted by Axl or not used), the tracklisting, etc.

If that's the case, it's something new.

"My World" appeared on an album in 1991. I wonder who wanted it on the album.....




/jarmo

Duff .

       are you referring to duff`s excuse ..... " oh sorry i forgot... axl wrote my world"....?

[AxlsMainMan]

so what?s exactely the definition of collaborative here?

i think it was the part of the band to write the music and now it`s axl`s part to actually make it sound like gnr (or queen..... ....whatever) or how he wants it to sound. there`s no doubt that he`s the captain of the ship called gnr, but that doesn?t make it a solo record though..... ?everyone`s involved and axl takes it to the right direction... that`s my guess. and i think that?s cool, because axl`s the man

by the way i think it`s the same now as it was in the old gnr....... and don?t you think that was a collaborative effort either? and i don?t think slash and duff had that much influence on the final track lists..... ? some examples are one in a million, my world and look at your game girl....

and well.... i don?t care if tommy and the other guys decide on the tracklist/cover art or not...... it`s the music that matters....

I think the easiest way to put it would be that the music has been recorded written largely from a collaborative effort of the band, while the composing, sequencing, or overall STRUCTURING/COMPLETION of the final record will be solely on Axl's to-do list.

[ppbebe]

by the way i think it`s the same now as it was in the old gnr....... and don?t you think that was a collaborative effort either?

And even as compared with other great bands, GNR has been collaborative efforts.

A M M, so where did I say all 6 bandmembers huddled around Axl in the studio all day long, going through every step of the creative process together?

[pilferk]

by the way i think it`s the same now as it was in the old gnr....... and don?t you think that was a collaborative effort either? and i don?t think slash and duff had that much influence on the final track lists..... ? some examples are one in a million, my world and look at your game girl....

For UYI and SI? Yes, I think that's how it went. By all reports it is, from both the band members and other sources. For AFD and, to a lesser extent, Lies (since much of that was just LLAS redux)?  By all reports, no. THAT was all the band members huddled around working collaboratively on each step of the process.  It's one of the reasons the writing credits were doled out on that album the way they were, I think.

Both processes seem to work, given the output.  But you can plainly see the vastly different output, too.  In addition, the extent in which Axl "took over" the UYI records goes a long way toward explaining some (if not much) of the tension in the band, IMHO.  While the music, itself, was obviously a collaborative effort, the "sound" seems to be pure Axl.  Hell, Slash's comments that his "unproduced" tracks sound better than the final mix are a testament to who steered the final production on UYI!  It's almost like he's channeling Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney always said that "Let it Be" was the sounds of the Beatles breaking up...they just didn't know it yet (well, by the time it was finally released they did....but not while recording it nor during it's early production).  And he credits, largely, Johns "control" of the sound of that album (and, to a lesser extent, some of their recent, previous material) as what caused the tension in the band that, ultimately, led to their demise (Damn Yoko! Damn Linda!).   You can listen to UYI and, I think, plainly hear much of the same thing.  Which, again, isn't necessarily a good or bad thing...all depends on how you feel about the output.