Rolling Stone cover inevitable?

[miss bomb]

I hope it will be the whole band, especially Robin given that he seems to have the most input with Axl along with Tommy.

The fact the new website has Axl's face on thr front is worrying in this respect.

i thought that too. wouldve been cool to see maybe some kind of slide show (not some tacky myspaz one but a propper one). and of course, studio shots. but all within time i guess.

merck's keen to get the guitarists on some magazines...that i know. but no one knows them in the uk, they need some DAMN good promotion.

as for a kerrang cover - as much as i strongly dislike kerrang, its a big magazine, and would educate a lot of people out there. plus id love to see them kiss axl's arse, which they would.

[AxlReznor]

I think a Metal Hammer cover is more likely.

[Red1]

Put it this way....

AXL can get a cover on any music mag he wants.  GNR cannot.  FACT!

GNR will not be on the cover of Metal Hammer.  GNR wil not be on the cover of Kerrang.  Etc Etc Etc

And as for the person who suggested NME.... are you for real?  NME can't wait to make a mockery of this band - despite how good or bad the album turns out to be, and NME readers are so low on the target demographic/lifestyle putch of GNR that they wont give a shit if NME like em or not.

Metal Hammer, Kerrang & Classic Rock are the only european mags worth doing, but GNR need some serious promo and a CD date before any covers would happen. 

AXL is still the star!  - maybe not to us die-hards, but to the rest of the world the other members are still nobody's.

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

Doing a Rolling Stone cover and feature story is critical.  While some may not like the mag, it is still considered the most mainstream music mag and will get the most exposure.  There are so many questions I want answered.  Hopefully it happens, they ask good questions, and its lengthy.  I can see them doing smaller features introducing each bandmate.

[Red1]

I can see them doing smaller features introducing each bandmate.

Only if the magazines want them.

[WAR41]

I love how you people assume Axl can just snap his fingers and end up on the cover of Rolling Stone.  I am by no means saying that it cannot happen.  I certainly think it could.

[Naupis]

If he ends up on the cover at any point it will be Axl and Axl alone, as in the grand scheme of things he would be the only reason Rolling Stone would be interested in this project anyway.

It would be good promo for the band, but in a way such a thing would just further drive home the perception that it is Axl and a backing band. I see this type of thing as the likely scenario in alot of promo actually if and when this ever starts taking off.

[MikeD]

I'm not sure if this will happen. If Axl tries to put restrictions on the interview, like saying the reporter can't ask certain questions, then RS isn't going to go along. They just won't do it. The magazine's reviewers may, often times, be bullshit, and their commentaries/editorials can be sketchy, but their real reporters and the people who do real interviews don't fuck around. They're real jounalists and they're not going to bow down. If Axl comes in with demands, they won't do the story. Plain and simple. It's over.

Also, someone made a comment that RS needs Axl as much as Axl needs RS. That's absurb. RS isn't going to sell any more copies with Axl on the cover than it normally would. Now put one of those skanks like Britney, Christina, etc on the cover and you have a whole 'nother ballgame. Just my thoughts.

[COMAMOTIVE]

I'm not sure if this will happen. If Axl tries to put restrictions on the interview, like saying the reporter can't ask certain questions, then RS isn't going to go along. They just won't do it. The magazine's reviewers may, often times, be bullshit, and their commentaries/editorials can be sketchy, but their real reporters and the people who do real interviews don't fuck around. They're real jounalists and they're not going to bow down. If Axl comes in with demands, they won't do the story. Plain and simple. It's over.

Also, someone made a comment that RS needs Axl as much as Axl needs RS. That's absurb. RS isn't going to sell any more copies with Axl on the cover than it normally would. Now put one of those skanks like Britney, Christina, etc on the cover and you have a whole 'nother ballgame. Just my thoughts.

Are you mad? RS is the biggest music publication in history - This is going to be one of the most coveted feature articles in a long time -The competitive balance in the industry will make RS move fast and hard to get Axl's story -and make no mistake - if the only Axl story they're gonna get involves "Axl's rules" they will cave in to secure the interview

[Naupis]

Are you mad? RS is the biggest music publication in history - This is going to be one of the most coveted feature articles in a long time -The competitive balance in the industry will make RS move fast and hard to get Axl's story -and make no mistake - if the only Axl story they're gonna get involves "Axl's rules" they will cave in to secure the interview

Axl needs the RS exposure more than they need his rules. They will throw his mug on the magazine and tar and feather him if he tries to screen the questions they were to ask him.

Axl is going to be between a rock and a hard place for the new album cycle. If he thinks he is going to pre-screen all media interviews and people are still going to have an interest in him he will be sadly mistaken. Media outlets aren't going to waste their time on him if they can't ask about the old band and the break-up, as that is the juicy stuff people want to hear. He isn't going to want to talk about it all the time I suspect, but not doing so is going to tremendously dry up alot of his media opportunities.

[MR.BROWNSTONE]

That would be cool if the whole band was on the cover. Yeah I can see Axl and Guns N' Roses being in RS once the cd is out.  Just another way to let more poeple know about a great band.

[asianstyles]

When I saw the subject of this thread, I thought that you meant that it was inevitable that GNR was going to cover a Rolling Stones song. I was like, wasn't Sympathy for the Devil enough.

Then when I opened the thread, I realized that I was an idiot...

[MikeD]

Are you mad? RS is the biggest music publication in history - This is going to be one of the most coveted feature articles in a long time -The competitive balance in the industry will make RS move fast and hard to get Axl's story -and make no mistake - if the only Axl story they're gonna get involves "Axl's rules" they will cave in to secure the interview

No, I'm not mad. And I'm not on the same page with you about the competitive balance, especially since it was RS that broke the intial story back in late Jan/early Feb when their reporter securred a brief interview with Axl during the party. Remember, everyone else was attributing the info to that lone story.

Would it be a coveted feature to get an interview with Axl. Maybe, I don't know. I'd buy, everyone here would buy it, but who knows how big this return will be and whether the genearl public cares enough to buy it just for that feature (the public's general interest, though, really is a whole 'nother debate and we'll start to learn once the sales figures fo CD come in).

Still, RS will absolutely NOT cave in to play by Axl's rules. If they want the story, they'll get the story whether he particpates or not. Look at that Monster piece the NY Times did detailing the $13 million spent on CD.

With that said, I don't know if it will happen. In the past, Axl has opened up to RS. He's also insulted them. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't give an interivew nor would I be surprised if he did. (I hope he does, though.)

[COMAMOTIVE]

Are you mad? RS is the biggest music publication in history - This is going to be one of the most coveted feature articles in a long time -The competitive balance in the industry will make RS move fast and hard to get Axl's story -and make no mistake - if the only Axl story they're gonna get involves "Axl's rules" they will cave in to secure the interview

No, I'm not mad. And I'm not on the same page with you about the competitive balance, especially since it was RS that broke the intial story back in late Jan/early Feb when their reporter securred a brief interview with Axl during the party. Remember, everyone else was attributing the info to that lone story.

Would it be a coveted feature to get an interview with Axl. Maybe, I don't know. I'd buy, everyone here would buy it, but who knows how big this return will be and whether the genearl public cares enough to buy it just for that feature (the public's general interest, though, really is a whole 'nother debate and we'll start to learn once the sales figures fo CD come in).

Still, RS will absolutely NOT cave in to play by Axl's rules. If they want the story, they'll get the story whether he particpates or not. Look at that Monster piece the NY Times did detailing the $13 million spent on CD.

With that said, I don't know if it will happen. In the past, Axl has opened up to RS. He's also insulted them. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't give an interivew nor would I be surprised if he did. (I hope he does, though.)

I guess only time will tell huh?  I'm of the opinion that this guy is a story to be had and RS will do what they must to get it -  The last time he was on the cover, they
were asking a lot about Izzy leaving and I think that hurt him more than seperating with Slash , so we'll see.  You are definitely right about saying everyone on this site will buy it regardless of how watered-down the questions - Can you imagine the topics that could come up in an open interview?

Slash
Velvet Rev
Weiland's comments
15 years on the album
the end of the 2002 tour
Buckethead
Paul Huge
Seymour
etc.

It could be a damn auto-biography by the time it'd be done

[miss bomb]

Put it this way....

AXL can get a cover on any music mag he wants.? GNR cannot.? FACT!

GNR will not be on the cover of Metal Hammer.? GNR wil not be on the cover of Kerrang.? Etc Etc Etc

And as for the person who suggested NME.... are you for real?? NME can't wait to make a mockery of this band - despite how good or bad the album turns out to be, and NME readers are so low on the target demographic/lifestyle putch of GNR that they wont give a shit if NME like em or not.

Metal Hammer, Kerrang & Classic Rock are the only european mags worth doing, but GNR need some serious promo and a CD date before any covers would happen.?

AXL is still the star!? - maybe not to us die-hards, but to the rest of the world the other members are still nobody's.

take this is FACT people, its the sad truth.

[sic.]

100% for sure, RS and Guns/Axl have had a long and good relationship.? When the album is announced/out and they are in the middle of the tour, there will be an article about them, likely an extensive one.

I believe this article back in 2000 soured the Axl/RS relationship for a good while. Can't remember the source, but I recall reading that Axl offered RS an exclusive 10,000 word essay instead, detailing the original lineups breakup with his own words. RS didn't budge, Axl withdrew his offer. Also, didn't the intro cartoon played in HOB and RIR back in 2001 have Axl practically wipe his ass on a mag called 'Rolling Drone'?

Then again, an RS reporter met Axl at the Korn party, and Axl had no problems in conversing with him. Their website had a big banner on the news saying only 'Axl Speaks'. Also, RS commented the leaks in March, with very positive remarks.

So I think RS is again back in the cards. BTW, a contributing editor for RS is one Kurt Loder, who might get the gig unless he'd do his interview for MTV.

[codenameninja]

I'm wondering if the band will ever bother to do a studio shoot. So far they appear happy enough using photo's taken at gigs.

[AxlReznor]

There's no reason why the whole band can't be on the cover... there are plenty of other bands where the frontman is the star, and the only one people are really interested in but they get the whole band on the cover.  Even if it is only Axl on the cover, though... it'll have to be a full band interview - or even just include a proper photoshoot with the full band.

[liesin]

the whole band should definetly be on the cover, however I totally lost my faith in Rolling stone magazine, Id prefer guitar world

[snooze72]

merck's keen to get the guitarists on some magazines...that i know. but no one knows them in the uk, they need some DAMN good promotion.

I believe this, although not sure how much time Merck has to be detailing this stuff, where are the publicists?? I assume they're waiting for the label to kick in, and the label is waiting for the release, but mags need months of lead time.? ?I'm sure the reps are keeping the mags hanging re: an Axl interview, so getting the guitarists out there will be a good start..

This is going to be one of the most coveted feature articles in a long time...? ?the only Axl story they're gonna get involves "Axl's rules" they will cave in to secure the interview

The demand for Axl/GNR stories most certainly isn't what it was even a few years ago, as evidenced by the story in GQ not even rating a cover mention. ? Stuff like that really lowers his stature.

RS may give him cover exposure if he coughs up a revealing interview.? They probably won't worry about any 'rules' because with all the tap dancing his publicists do about 'not asking certain questions', Axl doesn't seem to pay much attention.? If he's in the right mood and he feels like talking, he'll talk about that stuff anyway.? (IE: He was never asked about being abused as a kid, he volunteered all that info).

I believe this article back in 2000 soured the Axl/RS relationship for a good while.? Can't remember the source, but I recall reading that Axl offered RS an exclusive 10,000 word essay instead, detailing the original lineups breakup with his own words. RS didn't budge, Axl withdrew his offer. Also, didn't the intro cartoon played in HOB and RIR back in 2001 have Axl practically wipe his ass on a mag called 'Rolling Drone'?

Then again, an RS reporter met Axl at the Korn party, and Axl had no problems in conversing with him. Their website had a big banner on the news saying only 'Axl Speaks'. Also, RS commented the leaks in March, with very positive remarks.

So I think RS is again back in the cards. BTW, a contributing editor for RS is one Kurt Loder, who might get the gig unless he'd do his interview for MTV.

The source I think was the article itself describing the negotiations.? When mags in the past have started working on Axl stories, his reps have always promised the press 'exclusive official interviews' if they kill the unauthorized story and go with an authorized one when the CD is ready.? Obviously after 10 years of this, nobody waits.? ?Rolling Stone were offered the essay, which was viewed as yet another stall tactic.? They did wait, though, at least for awhile, and I do believe it was Axl that withdrew and RS went ahead with the original story.

The Korn party could have been a freelancer who got lucky and sold the story to RS, I'm not sure.? The writer certainly wasn't there expecting an Axl story, and neither was the mag.? The big thing with that was that it was exclusive, Axl wasn't talking to any reporters, so the value was way up there.?

Meanwhile, the most important thing to keep in mind with GQ, RS, Spin, MTV, NME, GQ and the works, is that they respond to the demand.? They gage it on the volume of requests they get, general 'non-fanboard' chat, and a sense of 'the buzz', which unfortunately (and surprisingly to me) seems to be very very low key.? ?Hardly anybody I talk to knows they're touring, the excitement level is hovering around zero.

If people want to see stories in the mags, than start dropping emails, letters and whatever to those mags and ask to see some coverage.?? Believe me, the editors and writers aren't going to come here to check out the buzz, the buzz has to come to them.?

Of course all that will change with a hit single, but hey, it was word of mouth that got them off the ground in the first place.