Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy

[jarmo]

Nearly 10 years after leaving Guns N' Roses to become a founding member of A Perfect Circle, drummer Josh Freese is still involved in the maelstrom with Axl Rose. And, as Freese tells it, that's a good thing.

During an extensive Spinner Q&A, Rose said that Freese was one of the easiest drummers to work with -- and friendliest. When Spinner spoke to Freese, he took the time to return the compliment. "Everyone always baits me to give them a crazy Axl story," he admits. "I don't really have any. I spent two years in a studio with him [and] I never saw any mood swings. He was never not cool to me. So, I am always quick to defend the guy, even though I know his reality is different than mine. Then again, everyone has a different reality."

Freese auditioned for the Axl-centric Guns in 1997, albeit a little reluctantly. "I was pretty busy at the time, so I didn't really need the job necessarily," he says. "Then I decided that I should go down there because I wanted to meet him. At the time, no one had seen him for a couple of years and there were all these rumors. He had become the Howard Hughes of rock 'n' roll and I wanted to see it. I went down and I liked him. He wasn't the monster that was painted of him."

The two spent the next two years in the studio, working up new songs including the Rose/Freese composition that became the 'Chinese Democracy' title track. "That's a wacky feather in my cap," Freese says with a laugh. "After 10 years I was ready to see [the song] have eight different writers on it, but it didn't get convoluted and f---ed up."

In fact, for all the reports of Rose's endless tweaking, Freese says the song is very close to the original. "I think they made the intro longer," he says. "I'd have 'em cut right into the thing. It's a simple bonehead rock song with a big riff that I'm assuming will be perfect for 'Guitar Hero' one day."

http://www.spinner.com/2009/03/27/guns-n-roses-drummer-defends-axl-rose/




/jarmo

[axlrosegnr]

Haha, wow your quick. I got the google alert on this like 60 seconds ago.

But anyways, I think everyone needs to read this. From a point of view of a "new" member who is no longer with the band. But no matter what some people read, they will always think Axl is the devil.

[Giant_Robot]

Freese is a awesome drummer.... and nice to hear someone sticking up for Axl in public !

[wells]

cool read ... thanx for sharing !!






-velimir

[Naltav]

That was a good read!

Thanx for posting.... 

Love his playing on Mer de Noms! I remember it was cool seeing them thank Axl in the booklet of that album.
I might be wrong, but I understood that was due too Axl letting them (Josh Freese and Billy Howerdel) bring some of the stuff from the GN'R-sessions on to A Perfect Circle. 

*just put the CD in my stereo, had been a while. Holy shit, Maynard is one talented singer!*   

EDIT: Hey, Chris Pitman is also thanked in the booklet! Never noticed that before....   

[AxlsMainMan]

*just put the CD in my stereo, had been a while. Holy shit, Maynard is one talented singer!*   

Yeah, 3 Libras and Bre?a are maybe Maynard's best vocal performances ever.

Thanks for posting this article Jarmo.

[ppbebe]

nice to hear no exaggeration but honest words like his.

Cd is the song got me into this band. thank you mr freese.

[slashsbaconpit]

But anyways, I think everyone needs to read this. From a point of view of a "new" member who is no longer with the band. But no matter what some people read, they will always think Axl is the devil.

That's what always gets me. Just because Axl has a temper from time to time, people make him out to be totally nuts. I think he's just truly one of those people who gets to a certain point of success and decides they can do what they want when they want. He's not worried about selling records or making millions, just making the best music he can. While the incubation period is excruciating for fans, at least he's not dumping a crappy album that sounds just like every other album he's made on the market every 14 months.

Anyway, I'm glad that Freeze is cool with Axl. I always wondered if there was some kinda of falling out there or something, but apparently not. Thanks for posting this to whoever posted it!

[Jim Bob]

Anyway, I'm glad that Freeze is cool with Axl. I always wondered if there was some kinda of falling out there or something, but apparently not. Thanks for posting this to whoever posted it!

Josh Freese is everyone's drummer 

Nice of him to say cool things about Axl.

[DeN]

that's nice to read some honest comments about Axl.
and Josh is one of the best drummer of his generation, that means something.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Fucking awesome!  Axl gets a raw deal in the mainstream media.  It's nice seeing the truth get out there. 

[RebelRose89]

cool news, Freese is a hell-ov-a drummer & it makes it that much better having him tell t like it is.

[draguns]

Cool interview!

[ben9785]

Thanks for posting. Josh is a great drummer, and very down to earth character. Great song he wrote as well.

I'm interested to see more of that interview sometime.

[GNRFAN20]

Josh is a very popular drummer in the music world. Has worked with a lot of artists and knows what he is talking about.

[Fingers]

Funny enough, he is also the drummer on Slash's solo album-sounds like a nice guy

[CheapJon]

coolio, nice read, thanks for posting

[Albert S Miller]

Good to see another great article this morning, it was also nice to hear the positive side of things. Thumbs up.

[alejoyp]

Love his playing on Mer de Noms! I remember it was cool seeing them thank Axl in the booklet of that album.
I might be wrong, but I understood that was due too Axl letting them (Josh Freese and Billy Howerdel) bring some of the stuff from the GN'R-sessions on to A Perfect Circle. 

You got that right.

Love his playin' n' his groove, one of the best drummers in the world IMO (at least talkin' 'bout rock drummers) n' the best drummer in Gn'R history, remember that he worked hard for Gn'R n' CD in the most difficult times. Good to read him talkin' well 'bout Axl (he also referred to Axl in good terms in older interviews)

[horsey]

cool i wanted to read this but just got the chance.im very impresssed about the truth of axl.more people shouldn't judge him lesson they know for sure.and the truth is what people need to hear more often about axl.ive joked about his temper from times but really i think axl has mellowed and it's great.thanks for the interview '