THE BIG issue for Gn'R to overcome

[Bono]

O.k. so from my experince on these forums over the last 4 years this isn't gonna  be somthing of a shock. The perception that this isn't truely Guns N' Roses is a commonly shared opinion here and at other Gn'R forums. For the most part though fans who have this opinion realies it is what it is and have accepted this band as "Guns N' Roses" despite their feelings over the use of the name. A big issue facing Guns N' Roses though is not convincing people like us but convincing the general public that this is Guns N' Roses.  In the eyes of the public and most media, this is Axl Rose and some musicians. Just now I was watching The Loop Weekend on Much More Music and they were talking about the band coming to Canada. They refered to Guns N' Roses as Axl Rose and some semi-familiar musicians.  That seems to be the perception of most media outlets. Be it radio or music tv or muisc publications. In my mind that's a major problem facing this band and somthing they need to fix if they want to be taken seriously. They can't be known as Axl Rose and the new guys. I have a few ideas of how they could go about changing this perception and I'll list them but I also want to hear what you guys thik they should do.

1. Axl needs to do a major interview with a major magazine and explain the whole thing. Tell in his words why this is Guns N' Roses and he needs to do it without coming across like he's laying any blame on the old members. I'm not saying he needs to accept the blame but he definately can't lay the blame. It will only alienate some long time fans and possibly turn of the casual fan who still holds onto the idea that Gn'R without Slash is the "Axl Rose solo project"

2. You can't be spotlighting Axl in such a huge way. Yes he's the main ingrediant here but you need to get the new guys face time. Everyone with half an interest knows Axl's the singer. Any type of planned photo shoot needs to be of the band  and not just Axl. For the immediate future Axl should not be in any picture alone. The new members need to be up front. I know that's tough considering Axl's the frontman but it needs to happen. So if Axl does an inteview in Rolling Stone the only picture of him should be on the cover along with the band or at least part of the band. The pictures on the inside need to be of the band and no Axl pictuers inside the pages of the interview.

3. Pictures again. If there are any pictures on the inside sleave of the new album there needs to be an over abundance of band pictures. Robin, Richard, and Ron need to be spotlighted in a huge way. These are the guys taking over from Slash in the eyes of the public. Let the public get to know them.

4. The official site needs to be freshend up right away befroe the album comes out. The big picture of Axl needs to come down. the site already looks like the Axl Rose solo project. It should be a picture of the entire band. Or at least Axl with Robin or Tommy,  or Richard or Ron. Also there needs to be a link that's easy to see and user freindly that can take you to all the bios of the members acommpanied with a picture of  each guy. Stuff like this needs to be in place before the album coms out. In my opinion

5. In the future if Axl does any type of appearance on talk shows or award shows he can't be coming out to old Gn'R music. The new music needs to be heard while people are seeing Axl so that there's an association with Guns and the new songs being built.

6. This wasn't my idea. Someone on this site mentioned it a few days ago and I agree 100%. Richard, Robin, and Ron should do  an interview in Guitar World or somthing. They should have all three guys on the cover.  This could easily happen. Gn'R managment just needs to push it. This would be huge in my opinion.  The guys would be free to speak their mind in an interview and nothig but good could come from it.

All this seems pretty simply and minor I know but in my opinion it would go along way in changing the perception that this isn't Guns N' Roses. What'ya guys thnk?

[dave-gnfnr2k]

Tons of bands still call their band the same name and only have the lead singer left but their fans dont seem to care. The cure do it, so does weezer. I think if axl relesed an album in 2002 and in 2004 was releasing the? follow up and now finally in 2006 the 3rd album he had planned, those issues you listed would not be an issue anymore.? No one said this is not gnr when izzy and steven left. People will accept this to be gnr when they release a kick ass album

[estebanf]

Axl needs to put out the album and that will solve everything. The music will talk for itself.

[damnthehaters]

I agree that these ideas would help the cause.  But honestly, the music will do the talking (as mentioned above).  More and more people will accept this new band when good music is heard.

[Chief]

great ideas man, i hope the take some of these to heart. the 'new' guys definitely need a lot more exposure.  i'm glad there is a little article on there at least about them but we need photos, bio and more on the new site asap i think!

[Bono]

Tons of bands still call their band the same name and only have the lead singer left but their fans dont seem to care. The cure do it, so does weezer. I think if axl relesed an album in 2002 and in 2004 was releasing the? follow up, those issues you listed would not be an issue anymore.? No one said this is not gnr when izzy and steven left. People will accept this to be gnr when they release a kick ass album

the Cure is not at all the same thing. It's always been Robert Smith pretty much. It's commonly known that the Cure has always been his vision and if you didn't like it you could go do somthing else. ?Weezer never gained the fame of Gn'R. They never gained the fame of Slash even so in essence they never had a legend leave the band. What Axl is doing is what it would be like if Mick Jager, or Bono, or Steven Tyler went off and made a new band and called it the same name. THAT would be a major issue with alot of people. The controversy is simply a ?testement to the love people have for Guns N' Roses. In my opinion it is a big issue right now. the band isn't taken seriously. We take it seriously yes but there are far more people out there who are still saying "Is Slash in the band? No? then it's not Guns N' Roses" ?

Axl needs to put out the album and that will solve everything. The music will talk for itself.

?
C'mon people. Why is everyone in such denial. It's o.k. so admit this is an issue right now. People also thought the shows were gonna sell out like hot cakes but they haven't. There is a huge amount of people out there who don't like the idea of this being Guns N' Roses. I dont' want this thread to become a debate on the name issue but it has alot to do with it. people percieve this band as fake and there are ways to change that perecption. If anyone thinks releasing the album is all that needs to be done than you are simply kidding yourself.

[user FKA webmoster]

Tons of bands still call their band the same name and only have the lead singer left but their fans dont seem to care. The cure do it, so does weezer. I think if axl relesed an album in 2002 and in 2004 was releasing the? follow up and now finally in 2006 the 3rd album he had planned, those issues you listed would not be an issue anymore.? No one said this is not gnr when izzy and steven left. People will accept this to be gnr when they release a kick ass album

that is 100% INCORRECT, fyi. Rivers Cuomo, Pat Wilson, and Brian Bell have been with the band the entire time for every ablum from 1994 until present day. The only position that has changed over time was the bassist, from Matt Sharp, to Mikey Welsh, and now they have Scott Schriner

Just for future reference, not to bash you or anything, but double check your facts before you post

[dave-gnfnr2k]

Bono no one on this board thought the shows were goingn to sell like hot cakes without an album or single. Everyone said they need to release single BEFORE the tour if they want good sales.

[Axl_GNR]

Axl needs to put out the album and that will solve everything. The music will talk for itself.

I agree, the BIGGEST issue for GNR to overcome is releasing Chinese Democracy finally. 

[damnthehaters]

Tons of bands still call their band the same name and only have the lead singer left but their fans dont seem to care. The cure do it, so does weezer. I think if axl relesed an album in 2002 and in 2004 was releasing the? follow up, those issues you listed would not be an issue anymore.? No one said this is not gnr when izzy and steven left. People will accept this to be gnr when they release a kick ass album

the Cure is not at all the same thing. It's always been Robert Smith pretty much. It's commonly known that the Cure has always been his vision and if you didn't like it you could go do somthing else. ?Weezer never gained the fame of Gn'R. They never gained the fame of Slash even so in essence they never had a legend leave the band. What Axl is doing is what it would be like if Mick Jager, or Bono, or Steven Tyler went off and made a new band and called it the same name. THAT would be a major issue with alot of people. The controversy is simply a ?testement to the love people have for Guns N' Roses. In my opinion it is a big issue right now. the band isn't taken seriously. We take it seriously yes but there are far more people out there who are still saying "Is Slash in the band? No? then it's not Guns N' Roses" ?

Axl needs to put out the album and that will solve everything. The music will talk for itself.

?
C'mon people. Why is everyone in such denial. It's o.k. so admit this is an issue right now. People also thought the shows were gonna sell out like hot cakes but they haven't. There is a huge amount of people out there who don't like the idea of this being Guns N' Roses. I dont' want this thread to become a debate on the name issue but it has alot to do with it. people percieve this band as fake and there are ways to change that perecption. If anyone thinks releasing the album is all that needs to be done than you are simply kidding yourself.

So your telling me that if Axl puts out an awesome album that sells millions. ?People still wont accept the new GNR? ?I think your crazy and fooling yourself! ?Yeah, some people still wont (the hardcore Slash fans), but there will be new fans that take there place. ? ?

[Bono]

I agree that these ideas would help the cause.? But honestly, the music will do the talking (as mentioned above).? More and more people will accept this new band when good music is heard.

See saying "the album will speak for itself" is based on the assumption that the songs are gonna actually fit on radio format. That the songs will be a hit, that MTV will throw the band's videos into heavy rotation. Why assume this? Why not take matters into their own hands and push the band rather than simply sitting back and expecting the perception to change? It forward progress to prmote the the fact that this is Guns N' Roses rather than let people wonder who's still in the band and who's not. Doing so is only hiding behind the legacy the old band left.

[damnthehaters]

Bono no one on this board thought the shows were goingn to sell like hot cakes without an album or single. Everyone said they need to release single BEFORE the tour if they want good sales.

Exactly! 

[damnthehaters]

I agree that these ideas would help the cause.? But honestly, the music will do the talking (as mentioned above).? More and more people will accept this new band when good music is heard.

See saying "the album will speak for itself" is based on the assumption that the songs are gonna actually fit on radio format. That the songs will be a hit, that MTV will throw the band's videos into heavy rotation. Why assume this? Why not take matters into their own hands and push the band rather than simply sitting back and expecting the perception to change? It forward progress to prmote the the fact that this is Guns N' Roses rather than let people wonder who's still in the band and who's not. Doing so is only hiding behind the legacy the old band left.

Well I wouldn't get to riled up.  There just starting to promote.  Maybe they will do some things like this.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

They need a single out atleast 2 weeks before the first show to get the shows sold out.

[Naupis]

Naturally the biggest issue is going to be the name.

I think alot of people on this board down play just how iconic the Axl/Slash pairing really is/was in the general public. By not releasing anything for 15 years now, that image has just been allowed to burn in even deeper as the older material has seen a resurgence. Alx/Slash have been put on that pedestal with Page/Plant, Tyler/Perry, Keith/Mick, Bono/Edge, Gilmour/Waters, Jon/Richie, I mean some of the absolute biggest names in rock n' roll the past 40 years. A new album isn't going to make people just forget and move on. Short of one of them dying, there will always be a clamoring for a reunion by the general music public. Steven Tyler's failed attempt at Aerosmith without Joe Perry is a testament to this.

The key to getting this project over with the general public is going to be finding a way to deal with the issue of the break up without alienating the fans. As long as he is diplomatic and chalks it up to a difference of opinion without assigning blame I think he has a shot at it, but he is going to have to be much more conciliatory than he has been in the past about the subject. Also, he is going to have to mentally prepare himself that people are going to ask him about it ad nauseum, and that he is going to have to just answer the question and move on without having a fit. Trying to win a popular opinion battle takes alot of ass kissing, and while that is something he has never been good at he had better pucker up among the media because no amount of good music is going to do it for him.

The best way to look at the issue is as being a war for the hearts and minds of the GNR fanbase. No amount of brute force or good music is going to win the war, it is going to take a coordinated PR campaign to paint Axl and the new guys in the best light possible to convince people to give them a chance.

[Ax]

When the album is released it will solve a lot of this problem. The reason is that then the band will actually play a majority of their own songs during the live show and not just be playing songs written by the old guys.

Only when the band stops playing songs that make people remember what it was like to have Slash in the band, will people stop thinking about what it was like when Slash was in the band. I mean, whenever I hear the new guys play November Rain or Sweet Child, I just think of what it would be like to hear Slash playing it again, but when the band plays Better that is not something that goes through my mind.

[damnthehaters]

We've made our points.....lock!

[jimmythegent]

mmm... i really do think at this stage, the only way to successfully promote this band is by promoting Axl.

If CD is a major hit, then we can start to get the other guys out there, but even then, its going to be a hard/impossible sell getting people to forget the old guys (esp. Slash of course)

GNR were bigger than Weezer and the Cure combined and they werent a 'faceless' type band like many of todays band. They were all stars especially Slash and Axl who were mega stars. Slash had his own Rolling Stone cover - when has that ever happened to a guitar player in a band??

Axl is the keyin the forseeable future -  the only way to tangilbly (and its a big stretch) market this as Guns N' Roses in any way, shape or form is to have the main focus on Axl. We on the forums are in the know, but remember, the majority of casual or older fans think they either broke up or Slash is still there

[Bono]

Naturally the biggest issue is going to be the name.

I think alot of people on this board down play just how iconic the Axl/Slash pairing really is/was in the general public. By not releasing anything for 15 years now, that image has just been allowed to burn in even deeper as the older material has seen a resurgence. Alx/Slash have been put on that pedestal with Page/Plant, Tyler/Perry, Keith/Mick, Bono/Edge, Gilmour/Waters, Jon/Richie, I mean some of the absolute biggest names in rock n' roll the past 40 years. A new album isn't going to make people just forget and move on. Short of one of them dying, there will always be a clamoring for a reunion by the general music public. Steven Tyler's failed attempt at Aerosmith without Joe Perry is a testament to this.

The key to getting this project over with the general public is going to be finding a way to deal with the issue of the break up without alienating the fans. As long as he is diplomatic and chalks it up to a difference of opinion without assigning blame I think he has a shot at it, but he is going to have to be much more conciliatory than he has been in the past about the subject. Also, he is going to have to mentally prepare himself that people are going to ask him about it ad nauseum, and that he is going to have to just answer the question and move on without having a fit. Trying to win a popular opinion battle takes alot of ass kissing, and while that is something he has never been good at he had better pucker up among the media because no amount of good music is going to do it for him.

The best way to look at the issue is as being a war for the hearts and minds of the GNR fanbase. No amount of brute force or good music is going to win the war, it is going to take a coordinated PR campaign to paint Axl and the new guys in the best light possible to convince people to give them a chance.

I agree with everythig you said. Axl can't be dodging the question if and when it comes up in interviews. Assuming he's gonna do a ?few. He just has to answer it and not come off as if he's annoyed by it. People want to know and it's only natural and to be expected. ?You're also right about the Axl/Slash pairing. They are no doubt up there with the other duos you mentioned. That's a tough thing to over come and it's not gonna be solved by simply putting out the album. An album is no doubt gonna help. ?It can't not help but with the way the music industry is today no matter how good Chinese Democracy is it's not gonna have the mainstay on the charts ?the way albums could have 15 or even 10 years ago. The singles will run thier course for ?a year the album will chart and hopefull stay for 6-8 months in the top 40(that might be a stretch) but after that than what? ?the problem is this Gn'R has no definitive number one guy on lead guitar so it's gonna be hard for fans , mostly casual fans to get passed that. Alot of the people that go to these shows will watch the new guys for a bit and then likley focus on Axl for the rest of the show once they realies or it simply sinks in that Slash isn't gonna come out

We've made our points.....lock!

yeah right. Only a fan in denial that this is an issue would say lock the thread now.

[Bono]

mmm... i really do think at this stage, the only way to successfully promote this band is by promoting Axl.

If CD is a major hit, then we can start to get the other guys out there, but even then, its going to be a hard/impossible sell getting people to forget the old guys (esp. Slash of course)

GNR were bigger than Weezer and the Cure combined and they werent a 'faceless' type band like many of todays band. They were all stars especially Slash and Axl who were mega stars. Slash had his own Rolling Stone cover - when has that ever happened to a guitar player in a band??

Axl is the keyin the forseeable future -? the only way to tangilbly (and its a big stretch) market this as Guns N' Roses in any way, shape or form is to have the main focus on Axl. We on the forums are in the know, but remember, the majority of casual or older fans think they either broke up or Slash is still there

See and to me going about it that way is misleadinga nd in a way it shows a lack of confidence. i understadn that Axl needs to be the focus but there really needs to start being a bigger push and a bigger emphaisi on the fact that this is a ew band. Otherwise liek I said their simply riding the old bands legacy.  It's a tricky thing to go about doing I realies that but it needs to start somewhere.  It'd be really great if some of the things I mentioned in the original post could take place before the tour starts. That way the casual fan would know who they are watching on stage. As it stand now most people won't know.  To be honest the people I'm going with are excited to see them(Axl) yet they have no idea who's in the band(To anyone who couldn't go I'm sorry I'm bringing people who aren't diehards ). So they aren't gonna know or likely care who they're watching on stage. To them it's just gonna be Axl and the "replacements". Well one Replacement I guess