DJ Ashba: Unrecorded Axl's Songs Could 'Blow People's Minds'

[FunkyMonkey]

DJ Ashba: Unrecorded Axl's Songs Could 'Blow People's Minds'

05/20/2011

Is it a totally different experience working with GNR as opposed to working with Sixx: A.M.?

Dj Ashba: They?re very much completely two totally different beasts. I know Axl tends to get a bad rap because people believe what the media force feeds them and they believe what they wanna believe. ?Cause I think when anybody gets that big, it?s the media?s job, they feel, if we don?t tear ?em down then we?re not doing our jobs. The media loves to build people up just to tear ?em down. I?ll never get that because if you actually sit down and get to know Axl, he is very intelligent, very talented, and probably one of the funniest guys I?ve ever met in my life. He?s constantly cracking jokes left and right; he?s really just a good-hearted person.

Nobody could have survived all of these years without a lot of talent.

He?s like anybody else; the thing I like about Axl is he?s the real deal. He gives you the option?you can either be his friend or fuck him over. So I think he?s like anybody only he doesn?t pussyfoot around the subject. If you do him wrong, he?s gonna call you out on it. But he gives everybody the opportunity to be cool; he treats you like you treat him. He?s just a cool fuckin? guy and I can?t really say enough nice things about him. He?s got more talent in his pinkie than most people out there. It?s sickening to sit there and watch this guy play piano in his hotel room and he?s singing shit equally as great as ?November Rain? that has never been recorded. I just sit there with my mouth open and I?m like, ?Holy fuck.? He?s like, ?This is just stuff I?m tinkering around on? and I?m like, ?Dude, you gotta get this out to the public. This is sick.? So he has a lot of great songs up his sleeve that I pray to god the world could hear one day ?cause it?s gonna blow people?s minds.

Do you bring a different guitar personality to the Guns songs than you do to the Sixx: A.M. songs?

Yeah; I approach ?em both completely different. Obviously I grew up a fan of Guns N? Roses and I respect what they?ve done for the world of music. I always look at it like, ?Listen, I?m joining something that has been around for many, many years that is already huge? and is one of the biggest bands in the world. I?m stepping in the shoes of legendary guitar player so it?s like separating yourself from the song as a producer. I could come into this and go, ?You know what? I wanna play my own solos and do my own thing in ?Sweet Child ?O Mine.? But me as a fan, if I were to show up and see some new guy on stage, what would I really want to hear? Well you?d want to hear somebody staying as true to what you grew up listening to. So for me with all the songs that have already been recorded, of course I?m bringing my own flair and style to ?em but I?m trying to do ?em justice by staying as true to these songs as I possibly can. Because I just feel like they deserve that; they?re so classic that you can?t really vary off of them too much because at that point it becomes over-playing and showing off.

You were a fan of Guns back in the day?

Guns have been a big influence on my life. It?s easy for me to fall into that because it?s part of my style too so it?s very natural for me to play similar to the stuff Slash plays. He has a very blues-based thing and I grew up heavily on that. It isn?t like I?m playing some foreign style that I?m not used to.

You were playing that bluesy type of guitar in Beautiful Creatures.

Yeah, if you pick up the Beautiful Creatures record you?ll hear more of that side of my playing; more of that Guns ?N Roses style of playing. If you listen to the song ?New Orleans? it?s very kind of a Guns sound. The stuff I?m excited about is the new stuff and try to stay true to the sound of Guns and bringing in a lot more of my influence into it.

Did you enjoy working on the Beautiful Creatures record?

Absolutely. Sean [Beavan; producer] was amazing. Beautiful Creatures to this day, I don?t think it got its fair shot. Whether it was ahead of its time or whatever it was, to this day it?s another record that I?ll always be proud of. I think there are some amazing songs on there and I think it?s just a great rock and roll record and we really showcased the guitars on that album. It did well but I really believe in my heart it should have done a lot better.

You?re also involved in a number of business ventures including Ashba Media and Ashbaland Studios.

I don?t look at myself as a rock star; I look at myself as a businessman and an entrepreneur. I love to create and I?m very artistic. I have a great clothing line called Ashba Swag; I?m bringing my stage clothing to the fans. Ashba Media is a graphic design agency and we?re creating a lot of cool products. We have the Demented Collection of guitars and we?re working on a signature Les Paul. We have the Ashba Tuner on iTunes, which is a professional guitar tuner. And of course Ashbaland Studios is where I create all the music: produce, write and I?m starting to get into scoring. I?m signing on to do a really cool horror movie and it?s just a lot of fun. I love creating.

Do you think that Nikki is more fulfilled in Sixx:A.M. than he is in Motley Crue?

I think he has a love for both; I think it?s two completely different animals. Obviously he grew up with Motley and they grew up as kids and they?re best friends. I think Sixx:A.M. is fresh and it?s new and it?s fun and exciting and it allows him?just like me?to be artistically free. It?s hard to find a project that actually does well in this world that people accept when you?re being this artsy with it. So I think, yeah, we?re all getting huge pleasure out of being able to really be just free and true to our art. I think Nikki is able to do things in Motley that obviously Sixx:A.M. would never do. So I think it?s just two totally different things and thank god they?re both very successful. And the same with Guns; I get to do stuff in Guns N? Roses that I would never be able to get away with in Sixx:A.M. and vice versa. It?s a great headspace to go from the Sixx:A.M. world to jumping out on tour and writing Guns N? Roses songs. It?s awesome as an artist to be able to change it up and switch gears and go, ?OK, now we?re in Guns N? Roses land and let?s focus in on really kickass, sleazy, dirty rock and roll.? I just love it.

Full interview here: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/dj_ashba_unrecorded_axls_songs_could_blow_peoples_minds.html

[axlrosegnr]

DJ is exactly what Guns needed.

[FunkyMonkey]

It?s sickening to sit there and watch this guy play piano in his hotel room and he?s singing shit equally as great as ?November Rain? that has never been recorded.

Oh come on...that's not fair.

I really hope we get to hear some of this one day.

[Annie]

I for one, am ready to have my mind be blown!

[willow]

DJ is exactly what Guns needed.

I loved Robin but I totally agree with you! This is the line up!!!

[draguns]

I am VERY glad that DJ is part of GNR!!! He has the Guns mentality and brings about the same attitude. Axl did well picking him. I really can't wait to see DJ live and in person along with studio tracks.

[estebanf]

Do you bring a different guitar personality to the Guns songs than you do to the Sixx: A.M. songs?

Yeah; I approach ?em both completely different. Obviously I grew up a fan of Guns N? Roses and I respect what they?ve done for the world of music. I always look at it like, ?Listen, I?m joining something that has been around for many, many years that is already huge? and is one of the biggest bands in the world. I?m stepping in the shoes of legendary guitar player so it?s like separating yourself from the song as a producer. I could come into this and go, ?You know what? I wanna play my own solos and do my own thing in ?Sweet Child ?O Mine.? But me as a fan, if I were to show up and see some new guy on stage, what would I really want to hear? Well you?d want to hear somebody staying as true to what you grew up listening to. So for me with all the songs that have already been recorded, of course I?m bringing my own flair and style to ?em but I?m trying to do ?em justice by staying as true to these songs as I possibly can. Because I just feel like they deserve that; they?re so classic that you can?t really vary off of them too much because at that point it becomes over-playing and showing off.

I know this is just a matter of tastes and opinions, but this is the exact reason why I cant fully dig DJ and why I miss Robin so much.

[gnrjanus]

So we are getting like 10 the same interviews this week?

[jarmo]

So we are getting like 10 the same interviews this week?

If it's not too quiet, it's too noisy...




/jarmo

[willow]

So we are getting like 10 the same interviews this week?

If it's not too quiet, it's too noisy...




/jarmo

LOL You can't ever please them.

[Z?phyr]

After being a fan for over 20 years (24 i think) this is the best line up IMHO, it's like the past 10 or so years needed to happen to finally come to this line up & be complete, I really hope this is the one to stay. (no offense to any previous members) Then the past 5 years have also been awesome to see Ron, Frank & Dj grow in there roles as a Gunner ! Meeting them last year on tour has only made my respect for them grow stronger, especially for Axl, in the end that's all they need I believe, our Respect for who they are and what they do !

Hope I'm not moaning to much, just had to get this of my chest... 

[One.In.A.Million]

So we are getting like 10 the same interviews this week?

If it's not too quiet, it's too noisy...



/jarmo

LOL You can't ever please them.

I don't think it's that to be honest, I think people would rather be hearing this kind of stuff from people like Axl, Dizzy or Chris. Simply because they are GN'R veterans, and this kind of comment coming from them would hold more salt.

We all know that Axl must have amazing material in the vaults, but being told by someone who's been in the band for 2 years is not very exciting. I know it's not just me, but you can't really deny that alot of DJ's recent interviews have contained alot of "loose" information.

Which basically means it can't be confirmed, or that it's just a wishful comment, or even hoping. 

[jarmo]

WTF are you talking about? "It's not very exciting"?

How can it not be?

A band member says Axl has some amazing material that he's been tinkering with.



What can't be confirmed? That Axl has played songs for Dj in a hotel room on a piano? That Dj thinks Axl is pretty fucking talented? Or that Axl has a bad reputation in the media? Or that Axl could write amazing songs?



I understand about not getting your hopes up and expecting a new album with these songs within a few weeks, but some of the "negativity" from some of you is a bit puzzling.

You're constantly in these threads trying to kill any sign of positivity. Dj says something nice and you're there to remind people it doesn't mean anything.

We get it. It doesn't matter to you.







/jarmo

[horsey]

So we are getting like 10 the same interviews this week?

If it's not too quiet, it's too noisy...




/jarmo

yep

[One.In.A.Million]

WTF are you talking about? "It's not very exciting"?

How can it not be?

A band member says Axl has some amazing material that he's been tinkering with.



What can't be confirmed? That Axl has played songs for Dj in a hotel room on a piano? That Dj thinks Axl is pretty fucking talented? Or that Axl has a bad reputation in the media? Or that Axl could write amazing songs?



I understand about not getting your hopes up and expecting a new album with these songs within a few weeks, but some of the "negativity" from some of you is a bit puzzling.

You're constantly in these threads trying to kill any sign of positivity. Dj says something nice and you're there to remind people it doesn't mean anything.

We get it. It doesn't matter to you.







/jarmo

What's wrong with urging people who are new to the boards who maybe don't know what the fans went through with Chinese Democracy. To stay level headed and to not take every word a new bandmember says like it's set in stone.

I started out in 2004 believing every positive comment and article about CD being released, and also concerts being announced etc. And I've come to realise, like alot of people around here, that you can't really get excited from a bandmembers comments, because we all know that it's subject to change in a minutes notice.

I don't see everything that comes from the GN'R camp in rose tinted spectacles, and that it's definitely going to happen. You can be a fan of the band, and remain level headed, and with GN'R, I'm afraid you have to be.  

[jarmo]

What's wrong with urging people who are new to the boards who maybe don't know what the fans went through with Chinese Democracy. To stay level headed and to not take every word a new bandmember says like it's set in stone.

What's the problem with what he said?

Explain it to me.


What's the problem with Dj saying Axl is talented and has written some great songs that he played for Dj on piano in a hotel room?

What's the problem? You think he's lying? It didn't happen?



Why do you need to remind people it's not important? He didn't say anything about release dates or when he think it will be recorded/released. All that shit comes from others.

The headline even says UNRECORDED.....

If Dj said "Axl ordered me a great burger" would you object to that too? Saying it doesn't mean an album is coming out soon? 

I started out in 2004 believing every positive comment and lead about CD being released, and also concerts being announced etc. And I've come to realise, like alot of people around here, that you can't really get excited from a bandmembers comments, because we all know that it's subject to change in a minutes notice.

Good for you. You have seven years of experience.

Some have more, some have less. Big deal.

I first heard the name Chinese Democracy mentioned in 1999. Hearing a band member say he hoped the album would be out in year X didn't really fuck up my life in any way.

On the contrary, it was nice to hear them talk about it when things were quiet.



In this particular case, it's nice to hear something positive. It's nice to see that Dj is excited about what might lie ahead. That to me is great news.


Everybody knows it's not simple as to just record these songs on a computer and then release them... You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out.

I don't see everything that comes from the GN'R camp in rose tinted spectacles, and that it's definitely going to happen. You can be a fan of the band, and remain level headed, and with GN'R, I'm afraid you have to be. 

I'm just pointing out the obvious. He didn't say anything earth shattering. Yet, you feel like it's your duty as "the level headed" fan to point out that it means absolutely nothing.

Maybe to some it means something, maybe it doesn't.

Relax.




/jarmo

[One.In.A.Million]

That's fine jarmo, but you don't have to look far to see thousands of fans who feel the same as I do...

And it's not about being a supportive fan, or being negative. It's about people forming their own opinions based on their own personal experiences with observing GN'R news, or interviews.

You are always positive aren't you jarmo  , but that's you as an individual. And I respect you for doing that, but not everyone is going to have the same view as you.

And I'm not going to carry on because your just going to point out that this is your website and all..... which is right, but that doesn't stop people from having different opinions from yourself. 

[jarmo]

I'm not seeking approval of others.

I react to something I don't agree with. In this case you whining when I can't see a reason why you have to. I mean, other than maybe you see it as your "duty" or you're just that kind of a person... I don't know.

And it's not about being a supportive fan, or being negative. It's about people forming their own opinions based on their own personal experiences with observing GN'R news, or interviews.

You don't think I have this kind of experience?

You are always positive aren't you jarmo  , but that's you as an individual. And I respect you for doing that, but not everyone is going to have the same view as you.

Of course everybody doesn't have the same opinion.

I understand being cautious. I understand being careful. I understand the whole "don't get your hopes up" thing.


It's just that in this particular case I don't understand you.

You just didn't answer my question on why exactly what Dj said is so bad.


He didn't say he was writing songs for GN'R every day, he didn't say he hopes the new album will be out this year... He praised Axl's song writing skills, and you're objecting?

And I'm not going to carry on because your just going to point out that this is your website and all..... which is right, but that doesn't stop people from having different opinions from yourself. 

That's not an issue.

The issue is that you saw a comment by Dj, jumped in to remind everybody how it means nothing and it's not important.

When I asked you why, you failed to explain.


Remember when I joked that you seem to have an issue with Dj?

Suddenly you just reminded me of that again.





/jarmo

[FunkyMonkey]

We all know that Axl must have amazing material in the vaults, but being told by someone who's been in the band for 2 years is not very exciting. I know it's not just me, but you can't really deny that alot of DJ's recent interviews have contained alot of "loose" information.

I think you have to keep in mind these are interviews, not press releases, they're not "announcing" something.  The information may be "loose" because it's in conversation, an opinion.

And I don't care if it comes from the bellhop -- if someone hears Axl "singing shit equally as great as November Rain? in a hotel room, as long as it's credible...that's exciting.

[D]

DJ is definitely the perfect fit for GNR cause u know he genuinely loves GNR. I can't say everyone who has been in he band were a "TRUE" fan of it, so seeing DJ's respect and passion for the old is great.

Axl im sure has many great songs.. i just hope he releases them one day


Im sure everything DJ said about Axl is true, but I always keep shit real on here, so i gotta say this: DJ has never "recorded" with Axl. so he can't really comment to what that is like until he does. now does Axl get a bad rap that may not be 100 percent true? Sure

but i don't think every single person is making shit up. I would say in the studio,under pressure/stress, he can have his moments of not being easy.