Top Bad GNR Decisions over the years....

[drpoon]

I have been a huge GNR fan since Appetite came out when I was in High School.  However, I have been witness to some bizarre behavior and strange decisions over the years.

In my opinion GNR could have been in legendary status, up there with Led Zeppelin and the Stones.  Instead their legacy is somewhere below Aerosmith in the eyes of most rock historians.  Personally they are my favorite, but there have been many, many strange decisions that have hurt GNR over the years.  Here are a few:

-Releasing "Civil War" on a charity album a year before the Illusions came out. 

I swear to God, this song was out on the album "Nobody's Child", which was a benefit album for Lithuanian orphans or something.  It was nice and all, but the song never got what it deserved.  It was played on some radio stations, but it should have been at least a single (it was never released as one) and had it been a debut on the album, I think it would have been huge.  This song never really got its just praise from the general public and it was due to the bizarre decision to throw it on a compilation album where most artists put B side quality songs.

-Releasing 2 Albums at the same time

I love the Use Your Illusions, but this was simply too much music for the public to absorb at once.  Also, there were a lot of songs that could be described as "filler".  Was "My World" really necessary?  Did we really need two versions of "Don't Cry" on the album?  If they had released one 12 song album it would probably go down in history with Appetitte.  Instead all of the perceived "filler" watered down the album in the eyes of historians.

Also, the public can't handle that many good songs at one time.  There was simply too much music and good songs didn't get their due.  It would have been a better move to release one, wait a year or two, and release the leftovers as a follow up.

-Choosing Garden of Eden and the Garden as singles

I never understood this.  Of all of the great songs on these albums, why these?  I think these songs lost some momentum for GNR, as Dead Horse and Estranged followed, but GNR kind of lost people with the Garden and Garden of Eden.  What about "Pretty Tied Up"?  That would have been and extremely radio friendly song.  Civil War could have been a huge single and video in my opinion.

-Axl and his weird Dolphin kick

The Estranged video was a little bizarre.  It went from "bizarre" to "fucking gay" when Axl was mugging for the camera with a Dolphin at the end, wearing his "Axl" high tops, with the script "There's a lot goin' on" across the bottom.  Was he marketing himself to small children or something?  This is something I would expect to see if Axl were doing a spot on Sesame Street or something.


-Too many covers

GNR had so much great original material.  Why cheapen yourselves with so many covers?  Knockin' on Heavens Door and Live and Let Die were one thing, but throwing in the Spaghetti Incident and Sympathy for the Devil was just too much.  What are you  Rod Stewart or something?  Why not put out a new song?

-The Spaghetti Incident

I'll cite it again.  I love the album.  I enjoyed it.  It was simply too much however, and for a band with the expectations of GNR it was an extreme let down to the general public.  All in all a pretty strange decision.

-Axl's British accent on "Ain't it Fun"

WTF?  He sounded GREAT live when he sang this.  Why does he have to ruin it with the gay-ass, unrealistic sounding British accent.  Again, bizarre decision.

-Giving the song "Crash Diet" to some shitty band called Asphalt Ballet

What a goddam waste.  This was a kick ass song that reminded me of Metallica's "Fade to Black" and the only GNR version of it is a terrible quality demo.  They then give it to this horrible band called "Asphalt Ballet" that butchers it.  Even Axl's backup vocals are barely audible on the song.  I'll say it again, what a fucking waste.

-The "Oh My God" release on the End of Days Album

What a fucking dissapointment.  This is one of the few times where I would say that Axl didn't wait long enough to release something.  Rock stations really wanted this song to be good.  Everyone was all over it, and then as soon as it got radio play it bombed.  I had to call WYSP in Philadelphia to get a played, and I remember the DJ saying that "it really sucks."  He was right.  Axl lost a lot of credibility by releasing this, and it fueled the "he sucks without Slash" fire.

-The 2002 MTV Music Awards appearance

I was pumped as all hell when Axl came out.  This could have been awesome.  The fucking medley is what ruined it.  He should have sang 1 new song.  The Blues would have been awesome.  Just Madagascar would have been awesome.  Instead he overextended himself and his vocals, and he was immediately picked on the next day by critics and the public.  I remember I saw a woman at work and she said "he sounded terrible," which was the general consensus of most non-GnR groupies.  Even I had to begrudingly admit that he sounded like shit, even though I had told everyone how awesome he was live when I saw him in Vegas at the HOB and the Joint.

-The Cancelled Tour in Philly

I was there.  The stadium was sold out.  There were shitloads of young people there who wanted to adopt GNR.  Then Axl just didn't show.  No explanation, no nothing.  On the heels of a performance that was hailed by critics at Madison Garden, and GNR fucked it up.  GNR was thought of as a joke yet again.

-No album to support the tour (2002 and 2006)

In the history of time, have you ever heard of a band that toured, played some of their new songs, and didn't have an album?  Seriously, I haven't heard anything like it.

-Leaking Music

Hey, I love that they leaked IRS, Better, TWAT and Catcher in the Rye.  The problem is that by leaking it, they lost a ton of excitement for these songs.  If IRS was announced as a single tomorrow, just the hardcore GNR fans alone would have given it a lot of momentum.  Instead it has been out there for 10 months and the momentum for a great song has died.

Hell, even if it was released as a single without the album, or on a movie soundtrack or SOMETHING, it would have created some buzz.  Another wasted opportunity

No album in 2006-

This is ridiculous.  After band members flat out saying it would be out this year, yet again, it isn't coming out.  How many chances can you miss before it gets ridiculous?  Half of the songs probably aren't even relavant.  China might actually be a Democracy by the time it is out and the joke will be lost.  There has been a children's movie called "Madagascar" that now ruins the title of the song written years before but not released.


That's my list of bizarre GNR decisions over the years.  They make great music, so they have succeeded in spite of these things, but damn, it is almost like they are trying to do things wrong and alienate fans.

[Verse Chorus Verse]

Good list. I pretty much agree with the whole thing.

[drpoon]

I forgot to add the dreadlock look.  His hair looked like it was weaved out of some foreign material.  What's wrong witht he old school bandana and long hair?  I think he has gone back to it, but the dreads with the little things in the end looked G-A-Y.

[Duffio]

Dead Horse.

[Jim]

Good list, good read. Maybe I'm special at reading at this time of day, but did you say no new song at the VMA's? Now I'm no memory man, but I'm pretty sure that they played Madagascar, dude........

What the hell, I'm not pretty sure, I'm certain.

You can take that to the bank and, err, smoke it.

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Are you fucking kidding me? Sorry, but I had to stop reading when you mentioned why it was a bad idea to release 2 Illusion albums. It was one of the most brilliant moves in rock history! Do we really need a "lets bitch about Axl" thread?

[Saul]

Good list, good read. Maybe I'm special at reading at this time of day, but did you say no new song at the VMA's? Now I'm no memory man, but I'm pretty sure that they played Madagascar, dude........

What the hell, I'm not pretty sure, I'm certain.

You can take that to the bank and, err, smoke it.

I *think* he means 1 full new song instead of the medley.

[Bang Bang]

Good list.  I agree with mostly everything except for GNR's legacy.  The legacy is intact and time will tell what a brilliant band GNR was.  Remember, the fire that burns twice as bright, burns twice as fast, and GNR has burned so brightly....

[Voodoochild]

- British accent on Ain't It Fun?

- Did they leaked the songs?
 

[snead hearn]

Well.....I won't talk about all of your list, you're entitled to that. Okay, ?a few yes, some definitely not.

What I will say is that your comparison to Zep, Stones, Aerosmith. POINT BLANK: The Stones and Aerosmith have been around TOO GODDAMN LONG. As there have been high pristine quality to both acts, both acts have not released good albums for almost 20 fookin' years!! 1978 (Some Girls) 1976 (Rocks). Yes, there have been some choice songs between both bands since then. But as solid as the entire Guns history? Think again.

And Zeppelin, as good as they are, are just overrated dinosaurs.

Granted, each of those bands are huge influences on GNR. But I'm sick to death of people naming these has-beens already. OK, we get it, the Beatles, the Stones, Zep, Aerosmith, yadda yadda yadda. Everyone knows about them, loud and clear. What about all the other bands since then? That don't get half the recognition? That were just as big, if not bigger, influences on GNR, or people like me?

Maybe it's just me, and that I think GNR (the entire old and new history) has more quality, warts and all, then the entire qunatity of each band you mentioned. You want your rawk safe and predictable? Be my guest.

[BillBailey]

Good list. And yes they did play a portion of Madagascar at the VMA's but only a small portion. Along with the dreads I would have also listed the football and various sports jerseys that made Axl look like a pitched tent. In regards to the no album with the tours and such.....has Axl and company really ever done anything like anyone else? I guess thats part of what makes GNR so cool. They follow no rules. Never have, never will.

[snead hearn]

Sorry-have to do this-100th POST!

YES!!!!

 

[drpoon]

To the guy who said that releasing 2 albums for the Illusions was a good idea:

I am not being a dick, but how old were you when they were released.  I am saying this because it was just a lot for non-hardcore fans to absorb, and critics perceived it as filler.  I don't think rock historians see it as "brilliant."  In fact, I have heard many describe them as "bloated."

Obviously I, you, and most on this board would like it if they released a 10 CD set of new songs.  It wouldn't be a smart move however.

If they had released one, kick ass UYI album, it would have gone down in the top albums ever.  Instead it is seen as overblown.

As for the "Ain't it Fun" British Accent, yes, Axl absolutely sings with one, and it is lame.


And I meant that he should have sang 1 new song at the VMA's.  Britney Spears and pop stars sing "medleys."  They should have sung just Madagascar or the Blues.  Mixing the songs up with part of Madagascar was lame.

[Niko]

WTF is this?


if you think guns n roses got this ammount of bad points or desicions, why do you like them? ?

just start your own band and manage it your way..

[freedom78]

Of course, we disagree with some...here are my bones to pick:

-I quite like Oh My God...though I'm aware that some people don't

-Two Illusion albums was incredible...it showed how prolific the band is

-The covers were rarely of major "hits," but were, instead, tributes to the bands inspirations. 

-My main complaint is that this seems to be a "bitch about the CD delay" thread disguised as a "biggest blunders" thread.  Your last six blunders are about new material or new material based tours.

[bigbri]

To the guy who said that releasing 2 albums for the Illusions was a good idea:

I am not being a dick, but how old were you when they were released.? I am saying this because it was just a lot for non-hardcore fans to absorb, and critics perceived it as filler.? I don't think rock historians see it as "brilliant."? In fact, I have heard many describe them as "bloated."

Obviously I, you, and most on this board would like it if they released a 10 CD set of new songs.? It wouldn't be a smart move however.

If they had released one, kick ass UYI album, it would have gone down in the top albums ever.? Instead it is seen as overblown.

As for the "Ain't it Fun" British Accent, yes, Axl absolutely sings with one, and it is lame.


And I meant that he should have sang 1 new song at the VMA's.? Britney Spears and pop stars sing "medleys."? They should have sung just Madagascar or the Blues.? Mixing the songs up with part of Madagascar was lame.

The British accent is on "Down on the Farm."

[TheRaven]

To the guy who said that releasing 2 albums for the Illusions was a good idea:

I am not being a dick, but how old were you when they were released.? I am saying this because it was just a lot for non-hardcore fans to absorb, and critics perceived it as filler.? I don't think rock historians see it as "brilliant."? In fact, I have heard many describe them as "bloated."

Obviously I, you, and most on this board would like it if they released a 10 CD set of new songs.? It wouldn't be a smart move however.

If they had released one, kick ass UYI album, it would have gone down in the top albums ever.? Instead it is seen as overblown.

As for the "Ain't it Fun" British Accent, yes, Axl absolutely sings with one, and it is lame.


And I meant that he should have sang 1 new song at the VMA's.? Britney Spears and pop stars sing "medleys."? They should have sung just Madagascar or the Blues.? Mixing the songs up with part of Madagascar was lame.

The British accent is on "Down on the Farm."

Yep, and I actually like the British accent on that song. I think it made it stand out a bit more and made it more interesting, but to each their own.

Raven

[Bang Bang]

WTF is this?


if you think guns n roses got this ammount of bad points or desicions, why do you like them? ?

just start your own band and manage it your way..

No, no, no. ? ?Au contraire mon frere. ?It's the blunders that are part of what makes this band so great. ?You never know when the nightrain is going to derail and you have to hang on for dear life. ?This is not about bitching about the mistakes. ?It's to celebrate them. ?I love the mistakes. ?Except for the following one.

Axl wearing those skimpy skin tight ball crunching shorts during the UYI tour. ? ?I can't look.

[polluxlm]

Every band makes bad decisions, and some bands make what we call really bad decisions. Old GNR only had one really bad one and that was breaking up. Axl on the other hand, well, where shall we begin?

[Bang Bang]

To the guy who said that releasing 2 albums for the Illusions was a good idea:

I am not being a dick, but how old were you when they were released.? I am saying this because it was just a lot for non-hardcore fans to absorb, and critics perceived it as filler.? I don't think rock historians see it as "brilliant."? In fact, I have heard many describe them as "bloated."

Obviously I, you, and most on this board would like it if they released a 10 CD set of new songs.? It wouldn't be a smart move however.

If they had released one, kick ass UYI album, it would have gone down in the top albums ever.? Instead it is seen as overblown.

As for the "Ain't it Fun" British Accent, yes, Axl absolutely sings with one, and it is lame.


And I meant that he should have sang 1 new song at the VMA's.? Britney Spears and pop stars sing "medleys."? They should have sung just Madagascar or the Blues.? Mixing the songs up with part of Madagascar was lame.

The British accent is on "Down on the Farm."

Yep, and I actually like the British accent on that song. I think it made it stand out a bit more and made it more interesting, but to each their own.

Raven

100% ?The accent makes the song. ?Best song on the record.