Myth and counter-myth in GNR's world

[shaxon]

Axl probably never read Roland Barthes' books, nevertheless what Axl has been doing for ten years confirms Barthes' theories about myths and counter-myths... And it also confirms that Axl is a very intelligent guy.

The best weapon against a myth, it is to mythicize it in return, it is to produce an artificial myth... The power of the second myth is based on the fact that the first one looks naive comparatively...

The founding myth in this case is obviously the AFD line-up. Then, the only way for Axl to continue using the GNR name was to create a counter-myth : Chinese Democracy.

I think this helps to understand a couple of things that are going on nowadays : when Chinese Democracy gets released it could be the end of the second myth. It may explain the continual hesitations about the release of CD.

Just my 0,02 $. What are your thoughts ?

[freedom78]

I have no idea what you're talking about.  Sorry.

[polluxlm]

If Axl had been a politician I could believe it. But since he's not this is just another guy fitting his theories to coincendences.

[Gagarin]

Wow.  Roland Barthes.  Wrote great essay about professional wrestling, btw.

Well I think that's been part of it, trying to get what he's got now to overcome what they had before.  It can't be just any old rock album, it has to be really, really, good with a lot of merit (In his eyes).

I dont know if he's that big into myth theory, especially since the PR and hype machine for GNR is non-existant.

[shaxon]

Wow.? Roland Barthes.? Wrote great essay about professional wrestling, btw.

Well I think that's been part of it, trying to get what he's got now to overcome what they had before.? It can't be just any old rock album, it has to be really, really, good with a lot of merit (In his eyes).

I dont know if he's that big into myth theory, especially since the PR and hype machine for GNR is non-existant.

Yes, Barthes wrote something about wrestling. Mythologies is a great read. Everybody should read it.

'Myth' should be understood in the sense of 'legend' in this case. A legend is gone (the Afd line-up) and a new one has been created (Chinese Democracy).

[micfac]

if he is trying to compete with the myth or legend of afd and the old line up thens he onto a loser it will never be accepted as being as good as afd even if it does in fact match up to it. im pretty sure he also aware of that so i think your barking up the wrong tree but its an interesting point nontheless.

[quarky]

I don't think it is competition, but more like keeping at least ONE myth going at anytime.

Look at 20th+ century politics. Firstly it was freedom/fachism (up to www2), then communism, then terrorist...

Neither one was competing, it was more about using a myth to reach an end.

So yes, interesting POV, but I don't think Axl things about it directly, although in a way I am sure it does affect him, after all ChiDem has to live to up AFD and UYI musically and critically or I think he will feel very disappointed. In fact, if he wasn't so *obsessed* with it, I am sure the album would have been out long ago.

[snead hearn]

Axl probably never read Roland Barthes' books, nevertheless what Axl has been doing for ten years confirms Barthes' theories about myths and counter-myths... And it also confirms that Axl is a very intelligent guy.

The best weapon against a myth, it is to mythicize it in return, it is to produce an artificial myth... The power of the second myth is based on the fact that the first one looks naive comparatively...

The founding myth in this case is obviously the AFD line-up. Then, the only way for Axl to continue using the GNR name was to create a counter-myth : Chinese Democracy.

I think this helps to understand a couple of things that are going on nowadays : when Chinese Democracy gets released it could be the end of the second myth. It may explain the continual hesitations about the release of CD.

Just my 0,02 $. What are your thoughts ?

Who would have thought Reverend Jim started posting on this board??

(that's a "Taxi" reference for those of you playing at home)

[SlashRock]

Some people analyse things WAY too much. 

[The Hinge]

And now I will present the Choobacca theory........