Billboard Exclusive: Axl Rose Speaks

[leatherebel]

Going against former band members, record labels, and highly influential media is a losing battle. The best way to deal with them is probably to just ignore them. I understand the desire to sort things out and put some truth out, but frankly it is a little too late for any sorting out that would have any benefitial effect on the band or mend any relationships with the media or the general public perception.

What would help with regards to those entities is to just focus on the music and promote it as much as possible. It is a great album but it is too advanced and maybe needs to be presented and explained extensively in order for most people to appreciate it fully. I'd focus on the music and the future as this is the only thing relevant right now. And interviews are so much greater and effective when having predominantly an element of positivity and friendliness as difficult as this might be to demonstrate in certain nightmare situations.

[Verse Chorus Verse]

I always had a feeling he still didn't mind Duff. Duff only seemed to jump ship because everyone else had.

Great read, too. Hearing his side on the label's massive "fuck you" towards CD was a bit of a relief.

[ereeper]

That quote is so dave2k.  The whackiest whack job of them all in the so-called fan base.

[jarmo]

Good news: Axl at last has given an interview and perhaps will be a reunion with Izzy or Duff in the future.

I could see doing a song or so on the side with Izzy [Stradlin] or having him out [on tour] again. I'm not so comfortable with doing anything having more than one of the alumni. Maybe something with Duff [McKagan], but that's it, and not something I'd have to really get down into, as I'd get left with sorting it out and then blamed on top of it. So, no, not me.

Not sure if I'd call it a "reunion", more like a collaboration.

No tour plan

But he also said: Management and our promoters are really excited with the offers coming in both here and worldwide.

he sometimes talks like everybody's against him.  

Can you blame him?

A lot of shit has been said about him over the years.

Even from people who consider themselves fans.

And no matter what he does, it's never good enough. There's always something else people want from him.




/jarmo

[younggunner]

I think in a nushell I would rather see Axl be more proactive rather that reactive......it kind of goes with what leatherbel is saying. Yea he might be speaking the truth but at this point in time the ship has sailed. People arent interested. Axl missed that boat awhile ago.

That quote is so dave2k.  The whackiest whack job of them all in the so-called fan base.

lol...agreed but I do think he is a tru fan. But you have to go on the extreme, and I do mean extreme left side to find him.

[ppbebe]

it's "it's me against bollocks" and that's a rock n' roll basic.

am reading now.

Good news: Axl at last has given an interview and perhaps will be a reunion with Izzy or Duff in the future.

snother good news: 'on the side'

[SirTed]

I took from reading previous interviews and Dexter chats that Axl was always confused and disapointed in/with Duff. Like there was less direct problems with him, he just couldn't believe that Duff was (paraphrasing)  - so easily manipulated by Slash.

No one else has touched on this though:

Axl mentioned perhaps some Rock Band 2 Chinese Democracy for perhaps Feb 26? Then it looks like whoever edited the article said something about it being in spring...has anyone else heard about this?

[jarmo]

Axl mentioned perhaps some Rock Band 2 Chinese Democracy for perhaps Feb 26? Then it looks like whoever edited the article said something about it being in spring...has anyone else heard about this?

Axl said he thinks it's gonna be in the game in one of those fan site chats last December.


I guess Billboard got recent news on the actual date?

That quote is so dave2k.  The whackiest whack job of them all in the so-called fan base.

Ironically he was banned from here for posting leaks.


I think this part:

"That said, you have those who become emotionally attached to how the leaks sound, which, for better or worse, usually isn't so great to contend with. And it seems that those who often do so and complain publicly, oddly and coincidentally, have a history of basically being detractors as well even if they're somehow considered part of a "fan" base."

can be about many people.

It's like it's a "valid" excuse to bash the album. "Hey, I loooooved the leaks". 

If you hadn't heard the leaks, the album and live versions would be the only ones you could compare. Things would probably be a bit different....



This quote says so much:

The art comes first.

 



/jarmo

[D]

I could definitely see Izzy coming back for a tour and letting Bumble handle the solos if Robin is gone.

That would be pretty awesome.

The problem with Jimmy Iovine and Interscope is, if u aren't a rapper, fucking forget it.

Rap is the new rock and more white kids buy rap than black kids.

So instead of putting their efforts into rock, they can now maximize the demographics by just doing rap.


Music sucks these days and the labels are going broke, because of themselves and their greed and just ignorance.

[Principessa]

That's interesting that you mention the demographics D. I've pasted the About Us section from the Billboard site. Their demographic group is aimed at users in their late teens early 20s. Apparantly, the site also caters for top music executives/people in the biz.

I wonder if Axl's comments about the record label will be heard?


Billboard.com is the consumer-faced internet arm of Billboard magazine, the world's premier music publication. The 4.2 million unique monthly users of Billboard.com are comprised mainly of passionate music fans in their late teens and early 20s. These readers increasingly depend on Billboard for music news, videos, charts and interactive, community-oriented features.

Billboard magazine has served the information needs of the entertainment business since 1894. Today, that means a core focus on the music business, providing charts, data, analysis, profiles, news and trend reporting for aspiring artists, top executives, tour promoters, publishers, radio programmers, lawyers, retailers and others. 

[Buddha_Master]

I cannot fucking wait until the day I can download Chinese Democracy, in its entirety, in RB2. Cannot wait!


... oh, and fuck Slash.

[loretian]

I cannot fucking wait until the day I can download Chinese Democracy, in its entirety, in RB2. Cannot wait!

Me too!  I seriously might just buy RB2 (as opposed to checking it out at a friend's) when it's released.

[SirTed]

I cannot fucking wait until the day I can download Chinese Democracy, in its entirety, in RB2. Cannot wait!

Me too!  I seriously might just buy RB2 (as opposed to checking it out at a friend's) when it's released.

I bought RB2 for Chinese Democracy. I'm not any good at the game, but it's funny...I'll be in the car or just listening to CD somewhere and I'll hear a paticular part of a song and think to myself "It would be SOOOO awesome to play the (insert fake instrument right there)...I can't wait!!!

[Silverchair]

No one knows what it's like to be Axl... and I doubt most could handle it. The guy just wants to put out music he believes in. He's not stupid and naive. He's not some low-rent redneck from the country. The perception of the poor guy is so crappy...

I don't blame him for not wanting to reunite "the old guns". Why would he? Is getting paid a lot of money worth putting up with someone who has dragged your name through the mud for the past decade? No.

Why would he give interviews to all these sources who stab him in the back? Insult him and write to just be controversial?

Who here could put up with half the crap Axl has had to???

People are so easy to point the finger... and yes I'm talking about some of the ingrateful jerks who say they are "fans"... you know who you are. You always find something to bitch about.

Album, videos, tours, merch, interviews, dr. pepper and horse he rode in on!

I back Axl 100%

I'm game for whatever he wants or DOESN'T want to do.

Reading the answers give the clue that he wasn't able to do everything the way he wanted. So it's not uncle Axl's fault like it's always painted. Interscope has focused their attention to hip-hop. Ever since Eminem and 50 Cent... Interscope is no longer about good rock music. They brought us Limp Bizkit for crying out loud.

[ecwfan]

Axl mentioned perhaps some Rock Band 2 Chinese Democracy for perhaps Feb 26? Then it looks like whoever edited the article said something about it being in spring...has anyone else heard about this?

Axl said he thinks it's gonna be in the game in one of those fan site chats last December.


I guess Billboard got recent news on the actual date?

That quote is so dave2k.  The whackiest whack job of them all in the so-called fan base.

Ironically he was banned from here for posting leaks.


I think this part:

"That said, you have those who become emotionally attached to how the leaks sound, which, for better or worse, usually isn't so great to contend with. And it seems that those who often do so and complain publicly, oddly and coincidentally, have a history of basically being detractors as well even if they're somehow considered part of a "fan" base."

can be about many people.

It's like it's a "valid" excuse to bash the album. "Hey, I loooooved the leaks". 

If you hadn't heard the leaks, the album and live versions would be the only ones you could compare. Things would probably be a bit different....



This quote says so much:

The art comes first.

 



/jarmo

                          I actually wanna say ...of all the leaks of the songs over the years... 'Catcher in the Rye" was one I wish Axl left alone. Of the entire album of Chinese Democracy its the only song I wish he had left like the "demo". Where it just fades out ala "Hey Jude" . It had a really good Beatles vibe to it , then when he said half was about John Lennon it seemed to fit the song. 

                              Thats my only knock on it as an album thus far .

[nesto111]

blamming the record company ....please
not everything is as transparent as it seems (both ways)

[JuicySwoos]

Anyone else as excited as me about the prospects of a GNR Rock Band game?  This is the first I have really heard of this from a credible source.  I hope it is mostly consisted of Chin Dem songs. 

[gilee7]

It's clear that Axl's been through an unbelievable amount of shit since the break-up of the original line-up. So many people give him a hard time. They act as if he just sits around at home watching T.V. instead of working on new music. It wasn't Axl's plan to have the album take so long. It wasn't Axl's plan to have it released with little-to-no promotion. For some reason, it seems the people who should want the album to do good, the people involved with the label, don't really give a damn about it--- or don't believe in the music.

Often when bands give an interview after they've just released an album, they talk about what a joy it was to record, how much fun they had in the studio, etc. The only GNR recording that seems to have gone somewhat smoothly was AFD. UYI and CD have been hellacious battles for Axl, which makes me sad. With UYI, the band was beginning to fall apart, Slash was trying to take over the band, everyone wanted to do their own songs and not the others. With CD, Axl's had to deal with numerous lawsuits and legal issues concerning the name of the band, past members, and stuff with the record company. For once, I just want Axl to be able to make an album and have FUN doing it. Not have to deal with any shit, just enjoy making incredible music. Considering all the shit he's had to deal with it, I'm surprised he continues keeping on, instead of just saying, "Fuck it, I'm not dealing with this shit anymore." We should all be very thankful that Axl has enough belief in the vision of Guns N Roses, as well as enough love and respect for his fans, to continue pushing great, innovative music through the barriers that try to prevent it.

The revelation that Axl would be open to a collaboration with Duff is pretty fucking cool. I always loved when Duff and Axl would co-sing a song together, like on "So Fine," for example. I hope if they do a song together, Duff doesn't just play bass, but shares the vocals as well.

[LunsJail]

Anyone else as excited as me about the prospects of a GNR Rock Band game?  This is the first I have really heard of this from a credible source.  I hope it is mostly consisted of Chin Dem songs. 

Are we sure it's a new game or just CD becoming downloadable content for the existing RB2?  Either way...that's fucking killer!!!

[younggunner]

It wasn't Axl's plan to have the album take so long. It wasn't Axl's plan to have it released with little-to-no promotion. For some reason, it seems the people who should want the album to do good, the people involved with the label, don't really give a damn about it--- or don't believe in the music.

While I agree with the majority of your post I do slightly disagree with the whole label thing. Im not saying the label fucked up. They clearly did. But, from their standpoint, cant one turn around and say that they gave Axl all the resources and time int he world to make music from like 97-2004. Axl mentioned that he had been waiting for a marketing plan for the past 5 years. If Im correct, I believe that was around the time when the label shut off all the funds for the band. Isnt it fair to say that Axl knew there wasnt going to be any money for promotions when they already cut off the money for the album?