The Ball is Rolling: Now It's Time To Step It Up A Notch!!

[Mattattack]

Chinese Democracy has to be out within the first few weeks of November. They need a single to come out next week to jump start promotion for this tour. It's mildy amusing that they are being all cryptic with the release date, by making statements about there being 13 Tuesdays left in the year, but they need to cut that shit out right now. Don't they realize that they are just going to put non die hard fans off by making statements like that. People are going to be like, sure Axl the albums coming out this year, yeah right, and Slash is still not in the band, so fuck seeing you and your cover band. GnR has a lot of tickets to move and they need to put out a single next week and give an actual album release date. They are going to be playing to a lot of half empty arenas if they keep fucking around. I want Axl to get back on top so bad, but it pains me to think what will happen if they don't step it up right now. Releasing a song to radio next week, and having ads featuring the new song in commercials for the baseball playoffs would be a nice start. I got tickets for the show in Everett today, but it wasn't an easy sell to get my friends to come as they are not die hard fans like all of us.

[Buddha_Master]

Then your friends shouldnt come. My bro isnt as excited as I am for GNR so his ass cant join me at a show. That simple. GNR is for me first. You dont share in my enthusiasm...then its your loss.

[Mattattack]

I just don't want the tour to get cancelled because of poor ticket sales.

[burden]

I agree. ?Axl is basically behind the eight-ball here. ?What he had going for him in 2002 was that a lot of the people that went to the shows thought the old band was still together. ?And that tour didn't sell well. ?If they want this to go well then they need to do a few things.

1. Put out the best single they have. ?Whatever song they deem #1 out of all 30 in terms of radio play needs to be released. ?Better yet, release that song for free on ITunes. ?The money lost will be made up if that jumpstarts this.
2. Embrace the new players. ?My feeling is they've lost 95% of the 1987-1993 GnR crowd. So accept that loss and promote what you have. ?Maybe if people liked the Replacements they will come because they know that Tommy is in the band, or NIN fans will come because Robin is in the band, etc. ?So far they only showcase Axl which appears like he is hiding the others. ?
3. Publicity - get to Rolling Stone, the guitar magazines, teen magazines, adult magaizines, late-night TV, MTV, VH1, The Tube, etc. ?A live kick-ass performance wouldn't hurt either.
4. Axl needs to explain his side of the GnR story. ?He also needs to take steps to mend all the relationships he broke with the fans long ago. ?Like it or not everyone I know still thinks GnR is Axl-Slash-Izzy-Duff. ?
5. Free concerts here or there wouldn't hurt either.

[russtcb]

...in 2002 was that a lot of the people that went to the shows thought the old band was still together...

Do you actually know anyone that was that uninformed?

I sure don't.

[GNR estranged]

...in 2002 was that a lot of the people that went to the shows thought the old band was still together...

Do you actually know anyone that was that uninformed?

I sure don't.

i didnt think it was possible, but a lot of people just hear guns n roses and think its the old line up. i was talking to this girl about inland invasion because she went. when i asked her how guns n roses was, she said they were good but she couldnt believe it was "axl rose and 4 guitar players." a lot of people hear guns and think its gonna be the old line up. the good thing was she was impressed by the new line up (even if she couldnt tell how many guitar players there were.)

[russtcb]

...in 2002 was that a lot of the people that went to the shows thought the old band was still together...

Do you actually know anyone that was that uninformed?

I sure don't.

i didnt think it was possible, but a lot of people just hear guns n roses and think its the old line up. i was talking to this girl about inland invasion because she went. when i asked her how guns n roses was, she said they were good but she couldnt believe it was "axl rose and 4 guitar players." a lot of people hear guns and think its gonna be the old line up. the good thing was she was impressed by the new line up (even if she couldnt tell how many guitar players there were.)

That is off the charts astounding to me. I'm saying I don't believe you, I'm just saying I can't believe so many people can be that stupid/uninformed.

[Mattattack]

I just sold a ticket to somebody on a Pearl Jam web site by posting the Nightrain video from Rock Am.

[GNR estranged]

...in 2002 was that a lot of the people that went to the shows thought the old band was still together...

Do you actually know anyone that was that uninformed?

I sure don't.

i didnt think it was possible, but a lot of people just hear guns n roses and think its the old line up. i was talking to this girl about inland invasion because she went. when i asked her how guns n roses was, she said they were good but she couldnt believe it was "axl rose and 4 guitar players." a lot of people hear guns and think its gonna be the old line up. the good thing was she was impressed by the new line up (even if she couldnt tell how many guitar players there were.)

That is off the charts astounding to me. I'm saying I don't believe you, I'm just saying I can't believe so many people can be that stupid/uninformed.

im with you, i really couldnt believe it when she said it either.

[russtcb]

I just sold a ticket to somebody on a Pearl Jam web site by posting the Nightrain video from Rock Am.

Nicely done!

[burden]

I know tons of people that were uninformed. ?Quite honestly 2002 was a disaster. ?I want GnR to be successful but they have huge negatives to climb. ?Think of it this way, imagine if U2 last released an album in 1991, last played a concert in 1993, and the disappeared for 10 years. ?People would forget after awhile. ?The fan base from that era moves on with their lives. ?Then imagine one day you see U2 playing at MSG 10 years later. ?If youe were a big fan, you would get excited, but a ticket and expect to see the same U2 from 1993 because that was the last image you would have of them. ?Now imagine if when tou went to the concert there was only Bono from the original band, and he was surrounded what looked to be players from the circus. ?Not only that but Bono had braids, was wearing baggy jerseys, looked nothing like he once did, and his voice was not the same. ?It would be a shock.

Axl was once the greatest frontman of his generation and maybe all generations. ?But he has a lot to overcome. ?That's why the best single needs to get dropped. ?Great music will help to heal more than anything.

[russtcb]

I know tons of people that were uninformed. ?Quite honestly 2002 was a disaster. ?I want GnR to be successful but they have huge negatives to climb. ?Think of it this way, imagine if U2 last released an album in 1991, last played a concert in 1993, and the disappeared for 10 years. ?People would forget after awhile. ?The fan base from that era moves on with their lives. ?Then imagine one day you see U2 playing at MSG 10 years later. ?If youe were a big fan, you would get excited, but a ticket and expect to see the same U2 from 1993 because that was the last image you would have of them. ?Now imagine if when tou went to the concert there was only Bono from the original band, and he was surrounded what looked to be players from the circus. ?Not only that but Bono had braids, was wearing baggy jerseys, looked nothing like he once did, and his voice was not the same. ?It would be a shock.

Axl was once the greatest frontman of his generation and maybe all generations. ?But he has a lot to overcome. ?That's why the best single needs to get dropped. ?Great music will help to heal more than anything.

I undestand that, but it wasn't like anyone was trying to hide anything. They had already played alot of dates in Europe, plus the stuff in Vegas here. Then ofcourse there's the thing where they were on national television with the new lineup all before the US tour was even announced. I just can't understand how people didn't know what was coming for their ticket money.

[Robman?]

Well, a feature in guitar world magazine of Ron, Robin, and Richard would be cool. I'd love to see tabs of some of the new stuff from the guys who play them.

[russtcb]

Well, a feature in guitar world magazine of Ron, Robin, and Richard would be cool. I'd love to see tabs of some of the new stuff from the guys who play them.

Me too. My dream is that after the album comes out all 3 guys will be on a GW cover.

[bDinan]

There were a surprising amount of people last time around(2002) who thought they were going to see the original band...

[Jizzo]

there still is a suprising amount of people who think its still the old band

[CAFC Nick]

This is why we need all the promotion! Its not rocket-science 

[Robman?]

And then the Pot Smoking, Rock and Roll, Judjemental, Fuckheads which he refers to here http://youtube.com/watch?v=cfpEy3lHm2o

That are too close mineded to accept the great band that is GNR now

[mdttkk]

in my honest opinion GNR management and the entire crew has done a great job, and most importantly Axl.  just look at alot of the last rock bands of our time in the late 80s, they haev all become washed up nowadays and although they used to sell out stadiums like crazy back in the day, they only play in small venues now.  I think alot of these shows will sell out in north american, if not it will be above 75% full.  I think the team has done an incredible job bringing back GNR into the eye of the public and i cant see it being done any other way.  So far i think the crew has proved to us that they are more than capable of making a huge comeback.  And in response to Jizzo yea there is alot of peopel who think its the old band, the radio station The Bear here in edmonton show Guns N' Roses tour and give a picture of the old school band, so to fans who are just getting into GNR they are gonna think thats the lineup. 

it will be interesting to see if VR tours the same time as GNR, and who will be bigger?  I still think GNR will come out ontop and be one of the top touring bands in the world, but we shall see.  ANyways i didnt say this to turn the thread into a VR vs GNR thread but it is inevitable, VR and GNR will be touring at the same time as each other probly

[xxrosesxx]

I agree. ?Axl is basically behind the eight-ball here. ?What he had going for him in 2002 was that a lot of the people that went to the shows thought the old band was still together. ?And that tour didn't sell well. ?If they want this to go well then they need to do a few things.

1. Put out the best single they have. ?Whatever song they deem #1 out of all 30 in terms of radio play needs to be released. ?Better yet, release that song for free on ITunes. ?The money lost will be made up if that jumpstarts this.
2. Embrace the new players. ?My feeling is they've lost 95% of the 1987-1993 GnR crowd. So accept that loss and promote what you have. ?Maybe if people liked the Replacements they will come because they know that Tommy is in the band, or NIN fans will come because Robin is in the band, etc. ?So far they only showcase Axl which appears like he is hiding the others. ?
3. Publicity - get to Rolling Stone, the guitar magazines, teen magazines, adult magaizines, late-night TV, MTV, VH1, The Tube, etc. ?A live kick-ass performance wouldn't hurt either.
4. Axl needs to explain his side of the GnR story. ?He also needs to take steps to mend all the relationships he broke with the fans long ago. ?Like it or not everyone I know still thinks GnR is Axl-Slash-Izzy-Duff. ?
5. Free concerts here or there wouldn't hurt either.

great post!