Richard Fortus Talks To GnrDaily.com

[MJ23]

If Richard would have answered any GnR related questions there would have been the same stuff here. People would complain about the answers, some would try to analyze the answers.
Now he has chosen not to answer (and that's something I can fully understand) and again people are complaining.

The only thing I would have made different than the great guys on gnrdaily is the following:
Knowing how the fanbase is sometimes, I would have dropped out those questions where he answered "No Comment" before posting the Q&A on the page.
That could have been the only way of avoiding these sometimes stupid reactions.
And that's why I understand that some of the GnR guys maybe feel uncomfortable with answering any fan-Q&A's at all.

[Ali]

Big Pat - Besides Frank, do you hang out with any other members of GN'R?

Richard Fortus - Frank and I don't get to hang out that much anymore since he lives in NJ and I live in LA most of the time now. Robin lives right up the street from me and we hang out pretty often. I also hang out with Tommy and Dizzy quite a bit. Axl lives out in Malibu, so i don't see him that often.

Sounds good to me

I know others have pointed that out, but good call on that one.

I think it just goes to show you that it all depends on what you want to focus on.  You can look at the not answering the Robin question as a bad sign, or you can look at it as Richard being smart enough to know he's being baited into answering questions that he should not be answering.  You can overlook the portion of the last question saying "members of GN'R" and "Robin", or you can see it as that being an indirect way of saying Robin is a member of GN'R.

All depends on your mindset and what you want to see in his answers.

Ali

[Mysteron]

What part of those questions had anything to do with GNR, or the bands current status, besides the solo played at a concert?
 
Try thinking about that and you'll have your answer.

The Dr Pepper question was one, I thought.

Richard has been punk'd in the past wrt interviews, and I think he has done the right thing here. He has shown respect to the interviewer, but also to GN'R.

I know people rattle on about the 'no comment' attitude of the GN'R folk, but it is purely down to respect. Thankfully there is still some left in the world.

[BKinNYC]

Nothin' like a "band" member going on a site called gnrdaily.com, and then choosing not to answer any questions about Gn'R.  

Then again, nothing surprises me anymore.  Because, you know, before Richard Fortus played with Axl, there was so much interest in his career.  I'm really interested in the obscure bands he's playing with.  

Guys - you can just tell, these bandmembers are so tight.  

[Mysteron]

Big Pat - Besides Frank, do you hang out with any other members of GN'R?

Richard Fortus - Frank and I don't get to hang out that much anymore since he lives in NJ and I live in LA most of the time now. Robin lives right up the street from me and we hang out pretty often. I also hang out with Tommy and Dizzy quite a bit. Axl lives out in Malibu, so i don't see him that often.

Sounds good to me

I know others have pointed that out, but good call on that one.

I think it just goes to show you that it all depends on what you want to focus on.  You can look at the not answering the Robin question as a bad sign, or you can look at it as Richard being smart enough to know he's being baited into answering questions that he should not be answering.  You can overlook the portion of the last question saying "members of GN'R" and "Robin", or you can see it as that being an indirect way of saying Robin is a member of GN'R.

All depends on your mindset and what you want to see in his answers.

Ali

Rationale and reason. 

I hope they pipe whatever you drink to everywhere else. 

[MJ23]

Nothin' like a "band" member going on a site called gnrdaily.com, and then choosing not to answer any questions about Gn'R.   

Then again, nothing surprises me anymore.  Because, you know, before Richard Fortus played with Axl, there was so much interest in his career.  I'm really interested in the obscure bands he's playing with.   

Guys - you can just tell, these bandmembers are so tight.   

On the other hand a lot of GnR fans are interested in what the band members are doing. And this includes their time outside the band too, for example when they are supporting other bands on stage.

[Ali]

Big Pat - Besides Frank, do you hang out with any other members of GN'R?

Richard Fortus - Frank and I don't get to hang out that much anymore since he lives in NJ and I live in LA most of the time now. Robin lives right up the street from me and we hang out pretty often. I also hang out with Tommy and Dizzy quite a bit. Axl lives out in Malibu, so i don't see him that often.

Sounds good to me

I know others have pointed that out, but good call on that one.

I think it just goes to show you that it all depends on what you want to focus on.  You can look at the not answering the Robin question as a bad sign, or you can look at it as Richard being smart enough to know he's being baited into answering questions that he should not be answering.  You can overlook the portion of the last question saying "members of GN'R" and "Robin", or you can see it as that being an indirect way of saying Robin is a member of GN'R.

All depends on your mindset and what you want to see in his answers.

Ali

Rationale and reason. 

I hope they pipe whatever you drink to everywhere else. 

Thanks Mysteron.

In the absence of definitive knowledge, people tend to read into things as they choose to, based on whatever pre-existing opinion or feeling on a situation.  That doesn't make a person's interpretation correct, it just makes it their interpretation.

Ali

[Jim Bob]

some people just choose to overanalyzie, come to the worst conclusion/assumption, and see only the negative.   i couldnt' be a fan of a band if that was my attitude.  it would be too depressing.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Am I overanalyzing when I notice that when asked about hanging out with members of GNR he doesn't mention Brain?

Is it safe to assume Brain will kind of be like Buckethead (material on the album but not a touring member)?

btw, I'm a huge fan of the band...but like others, when I don't know who's actually in the band at any given time, it makes it difficult to talk with folks outside of the GNR core fan base world without getting a good giggle.  I live and breathe GNR...it takes a unique person to do so...at least that's how I see things.  God I hope this is the year...even though I admit, I'm not going anywhere if it isn't 2008.   

btw 2, it's a nice interview.  Richard is not only a very skilled guitarist, he seems like a nice guy too. 

[jmrgnr]

GNR is not a band its a collaboration of musicians hired by Axl. Stop confusing the name GNR with it meaning a band. Just cause you flip burgers at McDs. doesn't mean you are aware of the ins and outs of the corporate plans. Richard and everyone else ever associated with the project 'CD' are employees just flipping burgers.

Chinese Democracy starts now! GNR democracy starts...hmmm never!

[BKinNYC]

Nothin' like a "band" member going on a site called gnrdaily.com, and then choosing not to answer any questions about Gn'R.   

Then again, nothing surprises me anymore.  Because, you know, before Richard Fortus played with Axl, there was so much interest in his career.  I'm really interested in the obscure bands he's playing with.   

Guys - you can just tell, these bandmembers are so tight.   

On the other hand a lot of GnR fans are interested in what the band members are doing. And this includes their time outside the band too, for example when they are supporting other bands on stage.

I'm trying to remember the last time we got any good info about their time inside the band.   Like someone said earlier - can we please stop ignoring the elephant in the room?  These discussions always happen on this board because no one gives us any information.  

And for those who are going to say "what info would you like to hear, if there isn't any?" - SAVE YOUR BREATH.   "No comment" is a hell of a lot different than "Well, we were in the studio for a long time, but things are looking better everyday."  I mean really - just a vague comment would be better than none at all.

[Jim Bob]

Am I overanalyzing when I notice that when asked about hanging out with members of GNR he doesn't mention Brain?

he didn't mention Ron or Chris either.    So, probably.

GNR is not a band its a collaboration of musicians hired by Axl. Stop confusing the name GNR with it meaning a band. Just cause you flip burgers at McDs. doesn't mean you are aware of the ins and outs of the corporate plans. Richard and everyone else ever associated with the project 'CD' are employees just flipping burgers.

Chinese Democracy starts now! GNR democracy starts...hmmm never!

to compare the guys in the band to guys flipping hamburgers is just ignorant.

[MJ23]

@Axl4Prez2004: I think he didn't mention Chris either, but still he is a band member, let's not try to analyze every word.

@jmrgnr: Sorry to inform you the current line-up is Guns n' Roses. According to your analogy I could say the following:
Just because you are able to post on a forum doesn't mean that your posting makes sense.

[jmrgnr]

@Axl4Prez2004: I think he didn't mention Chris either, but still he is a band member, let's not try to analyze every word.

@jmrgnr: Sorry to inform you the current line-up is Guns n' Roses. According to your analogy I could say the following:
Just because you are able to post on a forum doesn't mean that your posting makes sense.

Can you confidently name what the current line up is? There is no firm line up advertised. GNR is whatever it is at a time a particular song is completed. It may or may not include any one of several musicians. Is Frank the drummer of the band or is it Brian or is it Josh Freese? Who is the guitarists on anyone song...Is it Robin and Bucket and Paul TObias or is it Richard and Robin and Bucket or is it Robin, Richard and Bumble..Maybe Dave Navaro....or on and on it goes. We don't even know the status of Robin anymore. So what is the band? What is the solidified line up. In my mind it is whatever it is at anyone time Axl says a song is finished and he can use anyone group of people at the very time the song is completed.

OMG was a GNR released song yet the members in that song are very different than is right now....I suspect the album credits will be quite similiar. There maybe some constatnts in mosts songs but it will vary from song to song. So until you have a confirmed line up and can some how prove that it was a band experience putting the album together I believe my analogy makes total sense.

[jarmo]

It's such a big deal to people even though you can't say how it affects anything.

Possible scenarios it affects:

2008
2009?
2010?
Album
Tours
Band dynamics
Song writing
Releases
PR campaigns
Hype
Media
Fanbase

You said it: Possible

You worry about things you really know nothing about.

#1. We don't know if we left
#2. Why do you think only bad things would come from an eventual change?




Like I said before, been there, done that!

Izzy playing on the UYI albums and Gilby appearing on the tour and videos didn't stop GN'R from going from huge to ?berhuge!




/jarmo

[Atillla]

GNR is not a band its a collaboration of musicians hired by Axl. Stop confusing the name GNR with it meaning a band. Just cause you flip burgers at McDs. doesn't mean you are aware of the ins and outs of the corporate plans. Richard and everyone else ever associated with the project 'CD' are employees just flipping burgers.

Chinese Democracy starts now! GNR democracy starts...hmmm never!

Talk about Dead Horse material, right there. Get over it  

[HBK]

GNR is not a band its a collaboration of musicians hired by Axl. Stop confusing the name GNR with it meaning a band. Just cause you flip burgers at McDs. doesn't mean you are aware of the ins and outs of the corporate plans. Richard and everyone else ever associated with the project 'CD' are employees just flipping burgers.

Chinese Democracy starts now! GNR democracy starts...hmmm never!

You Is Drink ?

 

HBK *

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Thanks for posting

People sometimes expect too much, and I can understand why Richard is hesitant to answer certain questions and it has nothing to do with him being afraid to answer.  It has to do with the scrutiny and speculation that any GnR related comment that anyone in the band makes.  Anything they say is immediately posted all over the net and often takes on a life of its own.  Look at the way unsubstantiated rumors that gain life on message boards have been reported by news sources.  And as people have said before, some fans have posted private e-mails from Richard, Ron and others on the boards as well.  They have probably figured that it's better not to comment on certain questions due to the way that things will be misconstrued, dissected, and overanalyzed

[jazjme]

Makes no sense for him to comment on GNR things, I remember when he was kind enough to interview for me and gnrsource... and he was gracious to answer and every one jumped on him about a Pitman thing. Had I known that was goin to cause all the BS it did I would have omitted that from posting in hindsight..

Personally I like to know info about each members and there doings.. I leave it up to GNR management and Axl, to make the meaning full statements as far as the band itself and status of.

[Death Cube K]

You worry about things you really know nothing about.

Because they're not telling us. Guitar players suddenly touring with big name bands for a year or so have an impact. Go around to any other bands forum and ask what would happen there if the guitar player announced playing with a top name band for the whole of 2008. And if the management didn't comment on it then what would the discussions be?

It's a natural development.

I know nothing about GNR inner workings and neither does 98% of the members here. That's why it's called a forum. If people had to shut up because they didn't know anything you would be looking at a dead forum.