GN'R @ the 2002 MTV VMAs thread

[cg-gnr4life]

glad to be here   [peace]

[marknroses]

  [love] [ok][ok] [peace] [peace] [beer] [wow] [smoking]

I know its the 1,000,000,000th times that a post is being made about Axl's performance at the MTV VMA's, but this is different.

I just played the first 35 second of my video file of the MTV Medley, in which Axl sings for the first 22 seconds straight ...I dunno if anyone has caught on this or has noted it yet on these message boards, but it is the most amazing 22 seconds of Axl's banshee howl that I personally have ever heard...even better than those 11 seconds of bashee yelling he did back in Rock In Rio 2 before WTTJ:

...the way he straddles up the stage with his head down (at first) [ok]
...the way he plants the mike stand and shifts hands on the mike  [smoking]
...the way he holds on himself on the mike stand [yes]
...the INSANE glare of a reflected stage light on the camera coming from his phat sunglasses as he steadies himself up easily on the mike stand  [wow]
...the way he bobs up and down as opens his mouth completely and lets the vintage Axl vocal sound roll THUNDEROUSLY from his mouth  [beer]...

then at the tail end of this 22 seconds of one of Axl's greatest recorded live vocals, his voice goes DEAD and implodes instead of exploding on the television audience [crying]

We've all discussed the rest of the performance before anyways, I just want some opinions from people who would like to comment on these 22 seconds.
 [peace]
MNR

[SLCPUNK]

I just watched it earlier and honestly I agree. I think the opening is bad ASS! He really draws that howl out in the begining of Jungle.

I will agree this doesn't need to be discussed again though. I just found it funny because I was just watching it like 10 minutes before getting on and I watched that one part maybe five times.

[One in a million]

Best 22 seconds on MTV last year.

[Michelle]

Best 22 seconds on MTV last year.

Haha, yeah, definitely! [ok] [smoking]

I was totally impressed too by the intro to Jungle even though for the rest of the song Axl didn't sound at his best but the beginning was simply amazing! [smoking]

[Conny]

I've heard like 40 different live versions of this song, and this intro was the best of all. It scared the shit outt me, it pumped me up...it had it all.

[Michelle]

Yeah, absolutely true [ok] When I realized that Guns would really take the stage I was so excited and then I heard that intro... as someone else already said: Probably the best 22 seconds on MTV in a fuckin' while! This intro was definitely way better than the major part during the Illusions tour. [yes]

[T.J.]

 [smoking] even before the howl, when the guitar chords kicked in on the start of welcome to the jungle it was brill just hearing it and in some way sounded so much more dominaring and brillant and fucking roses, ok so its not the slash co but it was cool.  [peace]

[molotov cocktail]

it was a kickass screaming introduction that gave me goosebumps and all that good shit. ill admit it wasnt the best performance that could have been given but it was an amazing moment ill never forget [hihi]

something i always wondered was why axl chose to start the song with that scream instead of the famous "YOU KNOW WHERE THE FUCK YOU ARE!!!!!?" nothing gets a gnr crowd more pumped than to hear those words i mean CMON!! its like  [drooling] [nervous] anyways i suppose he didnt use it cause it wouldve killed the moment if MTV dubbed the profanities that axl used. plus saying "you know where you are" just doesnt sound nearly as badass.

[Michelle]

Yeah, the well known "do you know where the FUCK you are?" would have been great, but as you say, maybe not that great on MTV coz it probably would have been like that on TV: "do you know where the - piep - you are?" That just doesn't sound good at all... [peace]

[SINSHINE]

I agree whole-heartedly!!!

Unfortunately I also believe that it was this most incredible scream that sparked Axl's "windedness". I mean how do you recover from a 22 second scream from hell while running around and singing a song whose lyrics have such balls?!  

[T.J.]

maybe not that great on MTV coz it probably would have been like that on TV: "do you know where the - piep - you are?" That just doesn't sound good at all... [peace]

it went out live so they wouldn't be able to bleeb it would they?

[Michelle]

Yeah, sure. But all the repeats would have had the "piep" in it. [peace]

[KillYourIdols]

It would have been bleeped because they run it on a tape delay....for the specific reason to catch profanities.

I mean--they caught Fallon saying the f word. "Guns, n' bleepin roses"

~KYI

[Walapino]

Axl stopped using the You know where the FUCK you are part in the US tour he only said "You know where you are" which sucked! Better just scream like VMA instead of taking the F word and sounding zero bad ass

[cazny]

SO it's not "badass" anymore just because he doesn't curse? Get serious people. Grow up just a tad bit. You don't have to swear or curse to sound badass nor do you have to sound badass. Axl didn't even say a word at the vma and that was badass. That simply blew away EVERYONE in the room!  The reason why he probably only did it that time is because it obviously stole away his breath for the rest of the song (almost).  Also, funny how the topic title is "22 seconds"...did someone really time it?  

[jarmo]

It would have been bleeped because they run it on a tape delay....for the specific reason to catch profanities.

I mean--they caught Fallon saying the f word. "Guns, n' bleepin roses"

~KYI

I seem to remember hearing him say Guns N' Fucking Roses. I watched the live broadcast.



/jarmo

[Dragon]

I remember it so clearly, I was studying in the last minute for an exam.
It was in the middle of the night(sweden) and I had heard rumours on the internet that they might perform on the VMA and yes they did.

I almost had an heart attack from the excitement of seeing them, that also made me give a f**k about the exam. And it made me walk around for a month with a smile on my face, but one thing bottered me. No one I knew had seen the VMA, so that kind of sucked not having anyone to share it with.
But I have to say that those 22 seconds where awsome.

[AxlsPiano]

Know why they started using a delay on live award shows like that?

Slash
Duff
American music awards
 [rofl] [hihi]

[jazjme]

Without a doubt , those 22 secs were entirely engrossing...I was fucking pumped.....I wasnt chatting on the boards and I didnt hear rumors.I was just watching the show and as it went on near the end I saw Fallon in a GNR shirt.....and I was like WTF........the excitement started to build I ran into the bedroom where my BF was and almost screamed "I think GNR are gonna perform!!!!!!!!!".........Fallon kept mentioning a surprise and when at last as he was just about to announce them I freaked the fuck out!........I was a lunatic.....turned my 56 in HDTV up to the max and with surround sound......the words Guns n Fucking Roses came out and Tears of joy fell from my face.......it was indeed a beautiful moment! [ok] [peace] [beer]