An open letter to the fans from Axl - Discussion

[Danny]

The absolutely best thing Axl could do right now is to release Chinese Democracy on EXACTLY March 6th. ?Not before. ?Not soon after. ?EXACTLY March 6th. ?If he does that, it's going to prove that Merk was the problem the whole time.

[misterID]

Bye Merck 

[dodger girl]

I'm torn about the release date actually, I mean, don't get me wrong, I LOVE to finally have a date, but where I live March equals autumn and the beginning of another scholarship year.. so now that i'm enjoying holidays for 3 months (december, january and february) I don't want them to end, as much as i want to hear CD and I want to be in March already, I don't want my holidays to end so quickly!!

[Verse Chorus Verse]

I'm torn about the release date actually, I mean, don't get me wrong, I LOVE to finally have a date, but where I live March equals autumn and the beginning of another scholarship year.. so now that i'm enjoying holidays for 3 months (december, january and february) I don't want them to end, as much as i want to hear CD and I want to be in March already, I don't want my holidays to end so quickly!!

Don't worry, if March 6th is really the date, it will be a holiday.

[Crowebar]

 

You fucking should be sorry man

I'm not ashamed to say that either and you should (all of you) be ashamed of yourselves IMHO.

[GNRreunioneventually]

THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU AXL THANK YOU GUNS'n'ROSES

heres to a CHINESE DEMOCRACY on march 6th 2007

 

[Ines_rocks!]

You know, this may get deleted, but I do feel that I owe Axl an apology. I have been real hard on the dude but that statement really went beyond of what I thought we were "owed". I don't retract anything I said, by any means, but I'm not going to go on about "he should have done this a long time ago" but I now have a much greater appreciation for what he's gone/going through to get this album out.

I just want to say sorry for assuming he was an arrogant and smug rockstar who didn't give a shit about the fans. The fact that he was not happy about the way the fans have been treated for the same reason that I, and others here, were pissed off about completely changes my opinion.

I?m with you 

[SLCPUNK]

You do not realize a profit until the sale is final?

It is best to remember that it is a tentative date, he made that very clear in his letter. Don?t set yourselves up for disappointment and then point the finger back at Axl and say ?liar? when it does not happen. Take the letter for what it is, and see what happens next, but don?t lie to yourselves about that date.

[hpantazo]

I think something is weird about all of this. I wouldn't be surprised if merk is back with axl and the band by next summer.

[bazgnr]

You do not realize a profit until the sale is final?

It is best to remember that it is a tentative date, he made that very clear in his letter. Don?t set yourselves up for disappointment and then point the finger back at Axl and say ?liar? when it does not happen. Take the letter for what it is, and see what happens next, but don?t lie to yourselves about that date.

Exactly.  I'm extremely grateful for the letter, and am sincerely appreciative for the information it contains.  That said, it still reads as damage control and little more.  Merk made the statement that strongly implied the album would be out this year - as did Axl, I suppose - and it's not going to happen.  All the *tentative* release date does at this point is diffuse the frustration and dissapointment of the fans - myself included - who were expecting mangement and the band to stick to their word and put CD out this year.  It also places the blame on Merck, gives us our "villain," and severes ties on his involvement with the band.  It also prevents the same thing from happening again by not "promising" or "guaranteeing" the March 6th date.

Hey, it's better than nothing at this point.  Here's hoping for the best...

 

[D]

Im not sure Ill go that far. Its not like  Axl hasnt warranted a lot of the negative shit that has came his way. He is making up for it now which is great but a lot of past criticisms he rightly deserved and I think he would even admit to that.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

None of you newbies should be giving him shit. The die hards like him and others have just been fustrated.

[cody6977]

None of you newbies should be giving him shit. The die hards like him and others have just been fustrated.

   cheers to that....I know I'm technically a newbie on this board but I've been obsessed with guns since appetite

[Gnrfan]

Im not sure Ill go that far. Its not like? Axl hasnt warranted a lot of the negative shit that has came his way. He is making up for it now which is great but a lot of past criticisms he rightly deserved and I think he would even admit to that.

Your always gonna get fans who miss the old GNR and that wont change and your always get fans that think Axl has taken the piss but carrying this pressure on his shoulders has not been easy.

He doesn't want to let anyone down.

Has he? Maybe. Not turning up for gigs is out of order.

But if that album is as good as people say it is then i dont care about all this shit beforehand.

I just want the album

[Saikin]

You do not realize a profit until the sale is final?

It is best to remember that it is a tentative date, he made that very clear in his letter. Don?t set yourselves up for disappointment and then point the finger back at Axl and say ?liar? when it does not happen. Take the letter for what it is, and see what happens next, but don?t lie to yourselves about that date.

Exactly, it is only tentative.  But, it's a date, and it's the first one we've ever got.  Which proves to me that CD will be out around March, wether sooner or a little later, it will be around that time.  It's coming, can you feel it? 

[dave-gnfnr2k]

None of you newbies should be giving him shit. The die hards like him and others have just been fustrated.

 ? cheers to that....I know I'm technically a newbie on this board but I've been obsessed with guns since appetite

I have known mister id from the rs.com gnr board days back in 99 or 2000 we were praising the new band back then and rooting for CD to come out back then. The newbies on here have no clue like what this wait has been for most of hte long timers here.

[BenDixon]

I’ve been lurking around this board for years. I have never really felt for shearing my two cents, but this letter is great news. I don’t think the letter is perfect…

but what is anyway? It’s still more than enough. I hoped this message would be something special when I read the headline (I feared the worst) and I was not disappointed.? It gave me the urge to say something. Not to say something major, fancy or even wise, but just to do something to show my gratitude. So thanks Axl. Thanks for the letter and thanks for “helping” me get of my ass to finally post something.

This is just great!

[FairyLace]

Gosh Axl doesnt have to say much to get people loving him again.

Oh well I will put my faith in him again. ?Why fucken not. ?Awesome Ax ?


 

[ben9785]

This might be a bit of a long post, but if you'd just allow me once chance. I guess you could consider this one of many open responses to Axl's letter, from a fan.

I really don't know what to say.
Personally, what an absolute SHITHOLE month it has been for me. The already shit year has ended on the worst possible note. The best girl I ever met in my life left me, my grandfather passed away, i lost friends who moved away or who died, matters with my parents and my extended family have absolutely gone to shit, work is frustrating, generally I've felt really crap. Music is the biggest anchor in my life. People say it's just an album.. well music is what keeps me going, bands I love, new music, little things like that keep me happy and Guns and Roses is a big part of that.

Coming here and seeing this information and the letter.. Has made me feel joy that I haven't felt for the better part of 7 or 8 months. I don't care if you think i'm lame, sad and hopeless or whatever shit like that. This is the best news I've heard all year from anybody about anything.

I was doubting we'd ever get a response. Reading this letter I felt like I was going to cry. I've read it about 10 times now, and every time I read it, I grin like a fucking serial killer and nod my head up and down without end. It is with the most pleasure in my life that I read through every single post on this 29 or so page thread, and it was the best 5 or 10 minutes.

Whether it comes out March 6, or March 16, or March 26, whatever I don't care. I'd like to thank Axl ultimately, for expressing his appreciation and gratitude to us, and taking two or three minutes out of his day to approve the letter and have it sent out to us. I don't mean that in a sarcastic way, that is the absolute truth, because obviously a man of his stature, he has legal people to compose this stuff for him, completely understandable. I'd like to thank him for thinking of us. And thank him for the explanation he's given us, and not only that, but indications of a release date.

Considering aforementioned personal trauma, I don't really care for Christmas, and I particularly don't now, but that message is the best gift i ever got, because like I said, music is the biggest force in my life above anything, and I couldn't give a fuck what you have to say about that. Listening to the various live versions of songs off CD is an uplifting experience no matter how bad I feel; as I say music is a great power, and those songs like "madagascar" and "the blues" are amazing and give me something to aspire to.

I'm really finding it hard to put right words together, but I'd like to thank Axl and GNR for the great music and for their appreciation. And of course, Jarmo and everybody on this forum, this forum's been an ongoing curiosity in my life, and it's something I like to come back to.

GUNS AND ROSES
CHINESE DEMOCRACY
MARCH 2007 (tentative)

I can wait for a release date. Right now, I've never been prouder to be a Guns and Roses fan.
I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Sydney (town hall) wearing my guns and roses chinese democracy world tour 02 shirt, and I've never been more pleased to wear it. And if I had an amp with me (I've got my guitar, going to jam with a mate), you bet your fucking life I'd be on pitt street mall (a main business area in sydney city), I'd be blasting out rough versions of all the new songs, regardless of passers by' disgust at my horrible voice, proud to be singing guns and roses, proud to be singing these songs, and proud to be telling all the disbelievers who have doubted me and laughed at me over the last 5-6 years as to the album's release.

I have absolutely no doubt this album is going to come out.

And to sum it up (because I was never good at words)..

I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT.



Thank you for reading my letter.

Merry Xmas to Axl and all the members of GNR, and everybody here.

Ben

[EFISH]

Nice one Ben!

These few months leading up to CD, and then the months after are going to be a VERY fun ride for us GNR fans!