Billboard Exclusive: Axl Rose Speaks

[Dot]

Axl denies that a full reunion will ever happen, however, if Duff and Izzy come back on board at some point or for whatever reason, wouldn?t that open the door for the others to talk and agree on something? Yes! I love Chinese Democracy, however I can?t say that I wouldn?t enjoy it like crazy!

[damnthehaters]

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.

Its never too late!  You ever think that getting shit off your chest can be very rewarding and a breath of fresh air?  Its much more healthy than having it build up inside of you!

People want to hear him speak.  And don't you realize that everytime Axl does speak.. it promotes the music?  In my opinion, he needs to speak out for the sake of promoting the album.. but more so for the sake of himself.  He will feel better and gain the respect and understanding of millions of people.  

[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. 

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

No we arent sure as far as I know.  I hope it is a separate game since I own the econo version of the 360 with no hard drive.  But, even if it turns out to be the download variety, I will have to save up and spring for the hard drive and internet/xbox live.  It would not be just for me, as my 3 year old loves to play drums and always asks to play "Axl", so he would also have a heyday.

[themsbreaks]

I don't quite understand all this talk about "Well, the album is doing poorly because it's not being promoted".  

C'mon.  The kids know about GNR.  Anyone at all in tune with music knows that this album exists.  

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

"Sub-par" music often becomes "popular" because record corporations/media empires force it down people's throats (Britney Spears, Linkin Park...damn near everything on the radio...we all know the sitch).  Is that what you people want to see happen with new GNR?

Again, great music always finds a way to "elbow out" all the garbage that it has to compete with.  Great music will catch on regardless of how well it is "marketed".  For the most part "marketing" is about manipulating people into making decisions that that they otherwise would not have made.  Other than "getting the word" out, marketing is evil.  

Everyone between the ages of 25 and 40 knows that this album exists and I suspect most have listened to it.  The word is OUT.  If CD were that wonderful, it would have caught on.  People's musical palates haven't changed.  The fact that all previous GNR albums are STILL selling demonstrates this.

Just my two cents.  I'm sure Jarmo will put this post down the memory hole.  So, maybe I'll probably stop wasting my time composing it.

 

  

[Ali]

I don't quite understand all this talk about "Well, the album is doing poorly because it's not being promoted".  

C'mon.  The kids know about GNR.  Anyone at all in tune with music knows that this album exists.  

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

"Sub-par" music often becomes "popular" because record corporations/media empires force it down people's throats (Britney Spears, Linkin Park...damn near everything on the radio...we all know the sitch).  Is that what you people want to see happen with new GNR?

Again, great music always finds a way to "elbow out" all the garbage that it has to compete with.  Great music will catch on regardless of how well it is "marketed".  For the most part "marketing" is about manipulating people into making decisions that that they otherwise would not have made.  Other than "getting the word" out, marketing is evil.  

Everyone between the ages of 25 and 40 knows that this album exists and I suspect most have listened to it.  The word is OUT.  If CD were that wonderful, it would have caught on.  People's musical palates haven't changed.  The fact that all previous GNR albums are STILL selling demonstrates this.

Just my two cents.  I'm sure Jarmo will put this post down the memory hole.  So, maybe I'll probably stop wasting my time composing it.

 

  

Nope.  I'm sorry, but that is a grossly oversimplified and just flat out incorrect interpretation of why albums sell and why they don't.  By your logic, Nickelback must be one of the greatest bands in the world considering their sales.

Ali

[loretian]

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

And this is what you base your theory on?   That's fine you don't like the album that much, but to many other ears it's unbelievable music. 

[DeN]

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.

nah, the album is just great.

the only reason I see is : most of the people and a lot of old fans don't like the idea that Axl uses the Guns N'Roses name without the old members.

they think that if CD is a flop, the old band will reunite.
even if Axl says it's impossible in this article (on purpose ?) they'll still think that shit.

[GypsySoul]

Axl denies that a full reunion will ever happen, however, if Duff and Izzy come back on board at some point or for whatever reason, wouldn?t that open the door for the others to talk and agree on something? Yes! I love Chinese Democracy, however I can?t say that I wouldn?t enjoy it like crazy!

I think the quote "one of the two of us will die before a reunion" pretty much closes that door. 



Interesting read.  I wonder when this interview was done (since it appears that it was done before the game release date was changed) because maybe the tour plans that Brain mentioned are something that became more solid after this interview??

[D]

On the Nickelback thing, they make the same album over and over and cater to the same fans. U can do that. It may not be the most artistic thing in the world, but formula for success is to find a niche and keep doing it without changing much to alienate the hardcore fanbase. Creed made a killing with the exact same formula.

Also, I can respect a GNR fan for not liking CD. It is possible for someone to not care for it. Even with movie franchises or TV shows, there are some episodes or sequels u, for whatever reason don't connect with.

I say it all the time on here and most don't quiet get what I am saying, but the problem is, GNR aren't really what u would call a "Singles" band. They are more of an album, write what I feel without any real formula or structure.


So in the 21st century where its all about the 99 cent single, GNR have been really effected by that. There are billions of songs in music history that are GREAT songs but not necessarily GREAT singles.


Chinese Democracy fits that bill, something like Estranged from UYI 2 fits that bill.

Also with CD, there aren't an enormous amount of songs the average joe can listen to and unfortunately, there are way more average joe frontrunner music fans than people who can appreciate a little complexity and something not as easy to access.



Rockband 2 is a DL album. They don't make actual seperate "games"

[themsbreaks]

By your logic, Nickelback must be one of the greatest bands in the world considering their sales.

What's that?!

Let's try this again:  Great music will always succeed.  But, just because an album is successful does not necessarily mean it is great.  

[makane]

Nice read overall. Slightly surprised he mentioned Duff though, you never know I guess...

I'd love to see Axl and Slash accidentally go in the same room, they seem to be so bitter that it would probably end up being hilarious  

[duga]

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

Maybe you're more of a Slash guy than a Axl guy. Not trying to start a war here. 

[Sillything]

I don't quite understand all this talk about "Well, the album is doing poorly because it's not being promoted".  

C'mon.  The kids know about GNR.  Anyone at all in tune with music knows that this album exists.  

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

"Sub-par" music often becomes "popular" because record corporations/media empires force it down people's throats (Britney Spears, Linkin Park...damn near everything on the radio...we all know the sitch).  Is that what you people want to see happen with new GNR?

Again, great music always finds a way to "elbow out" all the garbage that it has to compete with.  Great music will catch on regardless of how well it is "marketed".  For the most part "marketing" is about manipulating people into making decisions that that they otherwise would not have made.  Other than "getting the word" out, marketing is evil.  

Everyone between the ages of 25 and 40 knows that this album exists and I suspect most have listened to it.  The word is OUT.  If CD were that wonderful, it would have caught on.  People's musical palates haven't changed.  The fact that all previous GNR albums are STILL selling demonstrates this.

Just my two cents.  I'm sure Jarmo will put this post down the memory hole.  So, maybe I'll probably stop wasting my time composing it.

 

  

Not very good? You must be deaf! Why even go here and drag us down? You dear sir have no taste in music. I can't believe this, "not very good?" Uhuh?

[jarmo]

Also, I can respect a GNR fan for not liking CD. It is possible for someone to not care for it.

Because you're one of those GN'R fans?

If CD were that wonderful, it would have caught on.  

It's 2009. You don't have to buy an actual cd to hear the music.....

So there's people out there listening to it and it won't show up on any sales charts.




/jarmo

[themsbreaks]

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

Maybe you're more of a Slash guy than a Axl guy. Not trying to start a war here. 

I have great respect for both of them.  I just don't like the new album.  It's not trash imo, just not very good is all.

[ShotgunBlues1978]

I don't quite understand all this talk about "Well, the album is doing poorly because it's not being promoted".  

C'mon.  The kids know about GNR.  Anyone at all in tune with music knows that this album exists.  

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

"Sub-par" music often becomes "popular" because record corporations/media empires force it down people's throats (Britney Spears, Linkin Park...damn near everything on the radio...we all know the sitch).  Is that what you people want to see happen with new GNR?

Again, great music always finds a way to "elbow out" all the garbage that it has to compete with.  Great music will catch on regardless of how well it is "marketed".  For the most part "marketing" is about manipulating people into making decisions that that they otherwise would not have made.  Other than "getting the word" out, marketing is evil.  

Everyone between the ages of 25 and 40 knows that this album exists and I suspect most have listened to it.  The word is OUT.  If CD were that wonderful, it would have caught on.  People's musical palates haven't changed.  The fact that all previous GNR albums are STILL selling demonstrates this.

Just my two cents.  I'm sure Jarmo will put this post down the memory hole.  So, maybe I'll probably stop wasting my time composing it.

 

  

You fail to factor in how closeminded and fickle the masses are.  A lot of people dislike Axl because the media and Slash have spoken so negatively about him over the years that they just accept what they hear.  They think that Axl is to blame for the old lineup disintegrating and hold a grudge about him using the GnR name, so they refuse to give the music a chance and made up their mind they would hate the album before it even came out

Then you have the other factors such as marketing and singles and lack of availability.  There are a lot of people in rural areas and middle America that may have to drive several hours to go to a Best Buy so they simply do not buy the album.  There are many others who may have bought the album if it was available at their local record store or at a Wal-Mart or Target who just download the album because they didn't care enough to make a special trip to Best Buy.  The harder you make it to buy a physical copy the more likely an illegal download takes place

Your "logic" is pretty laughable.  The rest of GnR's catalogue is widely available at all outlets that sell music and doesn't carry all the "this is not GNR it's an Axl solo album, Axl is a dick because Slash and the press say so" negativity

[izzbo]

You know, I'm not too suprised that Axl doesn't have that big of a problem w/Duff. He did stick around the longest of the old gunners and I think he was on Axl's side for some things. If you reed the Gilby Clarke interview from 1994 in Kerrang Magazine entitled "War Of The Roses!" (it's in the articles section of HTGH), when asked what was holding up the next GNR record, Gilby says:

Duff and Axl have an idea what the album should be, and the rest of us have another idea.

I know this was a long time ago, but it seems that Axl and Duff were at least on the same playing field and that point.

 -= izZbo =-

[JuicySwoos]

Rockband 2 is a DL album. They don't make actual seperate "games"

They have released "Track Packs" Vol 1 & 2 and "AC/DC Live", which are all stand alone games.  So it is possible to do the same for GNR.

[damnthehaters]

I don't quite understand all this talk about "Well, the album is doing poorly because it's not being promoted".  

C'mon.  The kids know about GNR.  Anyone at all in tune with music knows that this album exists.  

C.D. is not doing well because...news flash...it's not very good.  I'm not a hater.  I'm a huge GNR fan.  But this new album is just not my cup of tea.

Great music will always succeed.  The internet age has made this so.

"Sub-par" music often becomes "popular" because record corporations/media empires force it down people's throats (Britney Spears, Linkin Park...damn near everything on the radio...we all know the sitch).  Is that what you people want to see happen with new GNR?

Again, great music always finds a way to "elbow out" all the garbage that it has to compete with.  Great music will catch on regardless of how well it is "marketed".  For the most part "marketing" is about manipulating people into making decisions that that they otherwise would not have made.  Other than "getting the word" out, marketing is evil.  

Everyone between the ages of 25 and 40 knows that this album exists and I suspect most have listened to it.  The word is OUT.  If CD were that wonderful, it would have caught on.  People's musical palates haven't changed.  The fact that all previous GNR albums are STILL selling demonstrates this.

Just my two cents.  I'm sure Jarmo will put this post down the memory hole.  So, maybe I'll probably stop wasting my time composing it.

 

  

Nope.  I'm sorry, but that is a grossly oversimplified and just flat out incorrect interpretation of why albums sell and why they don't.  By your logic, Nickelback must be one of the greatest bands in the world considering their sales.

Ali

No, because nickelback is one of those bands he's  talking about in which the  record companies and media outlets force down our throats. Nickelback isn't as good as they are made out to be.

There's some truth to what he's saying, but I don't agree with it all.  First of all..there are plenty of great albums out there that never got their due because of a lack of promotion.  So just as there are bands or albums that get too much attention and promotion, there are plenty of bands or albums that don't get their fair shake in terms of promotion.  I think it goes both ways..and think that every album deserves some promotion.  If an album is good, but has no promotion, there's no way it will find its way to the top.  

I also disagree with him about not selling well.  I think some of your expectations are too high.  The album has sold almost 3 million albums worldwide in bad economic times and is behind only a couple rock acts for top selling album of the last few months.  Axl and GNR haven't been around for a very long time and they've gone through lineup changes.  What do you expect?

And the more Axl speaks out and when videos and a tour hit, sales will only rise.      

[H76]

Axl denies that a full reunion will ever happen, however, if Duff and Izzy come back on board at some point or for whatever reason, wouldn?t that open the door for the others to talk and agree on something? Yes! I love Chinese Democracy, however I can?t say that I wouldn?t enjoy it like crazy!

Come on.. it's over and done with..has been for a very long time.