DJ Ashba: Axl Has 'Three Albums Up His Sleeve'; Two Part Audio Interview

[jarmo]

You're not more realistic than everybody else. Pleeeeease!

You just come across as yet another person who has to bring others down all the time.

A GN'R member says something positive, and it has to be shot down, dissected and pointed out how it can't be true.

Some like to go for the "it's ass kissing" routine, while others just like to repeat the "it can't be true because only he said it" line.


You're not being realistic about what has happened because you don't know what has happened.

The fact is, you were basically telling everybody not to pay any attention to Dj because Ron had said something else. Something that didn't contradict Dj's statements at all. But you just had to be there to put it down. Even though you have no clue about what Dj meant.

Now that he clarified his songwriting comments, here you are again. Trying to put yourself on some kind of pedestal where you think you're "more realistic" than those who are happy that Dj has decided to share his excitement.

What's more realistic about you? Nothing.

You know why? Because we can read and listen too. Just like you.


Nowhere did Dj mention the band releasing a new album very soon.

So his statements does nothing in regards to most of us thinking the next album is already being transported to our record stores.

People aren't stupid just because they think it's nice to see a band member be excited and amazed by what he has heard.



You want realism? How about the fact that most band members, including Ron, has mentioned the fact that there is material that didn't make it onto Chinese Democracy.




/jarmo

[faldor]

chance is there that his words came through excitement, sure. but would people in such a (big) band openly say they dont like the songs and that their boss has some issues they dont agree with when they're on the payroll and have that huge GN'R name as career pusher? do people openly talk bad about their bosses in real life in a way that the boss (later) can read/hear their exact words? think twice, as a result you cant deny that possibilty aswell. we've had this before with all the hired band members over the years...they've learned that anything coming to critism (negative and positive) isnt really allowed to say, gets deleted etc. so they rarely touch those subjects - if at all.

read the 2 lines from my last post again and you cant deny that there is ground for that.

anyway, fans would like to hear those "outstanding songs" at some point to make up their own opinions. lets hope for some release in the near/middle future, peace out.

I think if DJ really didn't like or care for the material that Axl is working on he would have chosen a different approach in the interview. He would never openly said it was bad, I agree with you there. But, he would probably have given a more neutral response, emotion-free. Something like "Axl's working on new material", no info on whether it's good or bad.

Hearing the interview, it sounds like he's genuinely impressed by what he has heard.

For me it seems that DJ is the only one in the band right now who is talking about the new album. Considering that, I do not understand how what he is saying would be a lie. I don't understand why he would bring up something like that that other band members don't talk about just to lie about it ?

And why don't the other bandmembers talk about this kind of stuff, do you really need to think about it...

People like to bash people like me, who are realistic about what has happened, and what is likely to happen. I don't see DJ's comments through rose tinted spectacles, I see them and then make an assumption on how things are likely to turn out.

Just don't start bitching about the press, when they start quoting all of DJ's interviews in a years time, when the album still hasn't appeared. DJ's comments give people false hope, and even if they are not lies, they give the press ammunition to bash GN'R when things don't go to "plan".

And that is exactly the reason why Ron, Richard and Tommy don't go into things as much as DJ does. Because they know what might happen if things don't go to plan.....

Like it or not, that is the truth and I'm not going to censor it, just because realistic talk is not popular here. 

See, here's the problem though.  What exactly is so bad with what DJ said?  What exactly is he promising?  What will people look back and say, "see, he was lying."  He is just stating that he's come up with some songs and sent them to Axl, they're "focusing" on a new album and he "promises" that it won't take 15 years to come out.  So from all that, I guess if we get to the year 2024 and we have no new album then we can look back and call DJ a liar.  But as for right now, it seems to me like you're reaching for reasons to discount and dislike DJ.

[Limulus]

you cant know for sure if its his real opinion.

And you for sure don't know that he's just kissing ass.

Do you? 

chance is there that his words came through excitement, sure. but would people in such a (big) band openly say they dont like the songs and that their boss has some issues they dont agree with when they're on the payroll and have that huge GN'R name as career pusher? do people openly talk bad about their bosses in real life in a way that the boss (later) can read/hear their exact words? think twice, as a result you cant deny that possibilty aswell. we've had this before with all the hired band members over the years...they've learned that anything coming to critism (negative and positive) isnt really allowed to say, gets deleted etc. so they rarely touch those subjects - if at all.

read the 2 lines from my last post again and you cant deny that there is ground for that.

You seem to think it's the best way to solve a disagreement, is by airing it in public in an interview.
And you think that because they're not doing that, they're not allowed to. Funny.

no, they dont dare to do so for a few reasons, basically because its simply not wanted by the GN'R camp, f.e. thats why Del James fan bashing got deleted, Bumble had to slow down his GN'R talking a few years back, thats why this board has some censorship etc.  the newer band members had to learn that, Bumble now also is on a position where he mostly only talks "his" view. DJ seems to be not that experienced in that (yet), thats why there was the new album talking by DJ (a while back) which Bumble talked down quick after. Funny indeed!

It's like you create all these ideas in your head to match your theories.
Do you have a clear picture in your head of how it must be to be a GN'R member based on assumptions such as this one?

you cant deny the possibility, Jarmo! there are people not falling into the category "a fan likes everything a band does", you should have learned that already.

Where you took positive comments by Dj to literally meaning that he's not telling the truth and he's just kissing ass. Because in your picture, he can't be excited, amazed and feeling all those kinds of emotions because he doesn't own part of the GN'R name!

as usual you're again in twisting mood, i've never said that in the way you've described. i've also never directly said he does kiss ass, just that it was a weird one to mention when talking super-positive (as quoted some above). read some other sites and you'll see what is being made out of it.

and now lets concentrate on the positive things.....sooo many new outstanding songs we hopefully will be able to hear in our lifetime!

[jarmo]

Your whole "they don't dare" bullshit makes no sense.

That's YOUR idea of how it must be based on your theories.

You keep repeating as it's the truth when in reality you have no idea.


Maybe people are more careful in interviews because they know somebody like you will come around to analyze and dissect every word? And make everything mean whatever fits their agenda of the day.

If somebody says something even remotely good, it's ass kissing. If somebody says "I would love to play that song live", it must mean the band is fighting.


You didn't even seem to understand the whole concept of not airing disagreements or personal things in public. Not everything on your mind needs to be publicly announced.

To you, that makes no sense, it's all about "not daring".



Didn't Bumblefoot only say that they hadn't gotten together as a band to write/record? His statement didn't contradict Dj. At all.

Both are telling the truth.




/jarmo

[Limulus]

Your whole "they don't dare" bullshit makes no sense. That's YOUR idea of how it must be based on your theories. You keep repeating as it's the truth when in reality you have no idea.

it indeed makes sense, see the "boss-argument" above, its not my idea.

Maybe people are more careful in interviews because they know somebody like you will come around to analyze and dissect every word? And make everything mean whatever fits their agenda of the day. If somebody says something even remotely good, it's ass kissing. If somebody says "I would love to play that song live", it must mean the band is fighting.

with GN'R they should have known for longer, huh? the press in the early 90s was even much more fucked in stuff like this.

You didn't even seem to understand the whole concept of not airing disagreements or personal things in public. Not everything on your mind needs to be publicly announced. To you, that makes no sense, it's all about "not daring".

off course there is internal stuff not being wanted (by the gnr camp) to be known by the public, like if there was personal trouble with Beta 2 years ago it doesnt have to go public. understandable, but band members simply avoid to give out ANYthing critical when it comes to their boss or GN'R. and the reason for it surely aint "its all top-notch".

Didn't Bumblefoot only say that they hadn't gotten together as a band to write/record? His statement didn't contradict Dj. At all.
Both are telling the truth.

/jarmo

i've meant this:
November 09, 2010:
"During an interview with the Artisan News Service on the "black carpet" of this past Thursday night's (November 4) party to promote the release of the new video game "Call Of Duty: Black Ops" in Hangar Eight at Santa Monica Airport, California, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist D.J. Ashba said that fans won't have to wait long for the band's next studio album. "We're talking about that right now," he said. "We've been throwing around a bunch of ideas and it should be good, man. We've got a lot of good stuff on the plate coming out."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-mEhzdEunk&feature=player_embedded

[by the way he also talks about US tour 02/2011 in there]

and Bumbles fast reply:
November 11, 2010:
when Bumble re-directed it writing on his Facebook page: "We've yet to get in a room and write as a band." He adds, "I know D.J. mentioned something about a new album, but don't want y'all expecting anything soon. Other than old unreleased ['Chinese Democracy'] songs, songs need to be written, jammed, recorded, tweaked, re-worked, re-recorded, mixed, re-mixed, mastered, re-mastered, art, new art, label approval, a game plan from the label that Axl [Rose, lead singer] approves.... not as simple when it's on such a big scale... Just don't want ya getting frustrated if a GN'R album doesn't happen quick..."

[Ali]

Limulus, I think you need to read DJ and Ron't comments more clearly.  DJ said they are "talking" about a new album, and "throwing around ideas".  Bumblefoot didn't refute that at all.  He just said please don't expect a new album very soon because it is a lengthy process to make an album.  DJ never said an album is coming out soon, though.  So, no contradiction.

Ali

[Limulus]

hey, i did! that was what i've said:
"[...]DJ seems to be not that experienced in that (yet), thats why there was the new album talking by DJ (a while back) which Bumble talked down quick after."

Bumble replied on that DJ talking exact 2 days later and more directly so it cant be misunderstood that easy.
this was just one other example that DJ might not have picked the best words to describe some situation.

[jarmo]

it indeed makes sense, see the "boss-argument" above, its not my idea.

Come on!

Your whole idea is absurd.

You don't have to air disagreements in public. There's other ways of doing that.

Everybody seems to know that except you.

If you disagree with somebody, you tell him/her. You don't need to make a public announcement about it.

Or maybe you don't dare because you're not talking about it to the media?

That's fucking absurd!

with GN'R they should have known for longer, huh? the press in the early 90s was even much more fucked in stuff like this.

You can't compare the pre-Internet times to now.

Don't be silly.

Anything said today will spread around the globe in hours.

And then talked about.


It wasn't really like that 20 years ago when you read something in the newspaper/magazine and talked to your friends about it.

off course there is internal stuff not being wanted (by the gnr camp) to be known by the public, like if there was personal trouble with Beta 2 years ago it doesnt have to go public. understandable, but band members simply avoid to give out ANYthing critical when it comes to their boss or GN'R. and the reason for it surely aint "its all top-notch".

Wow, you seem to think this is something GN'R specific.

It's not.

i've meant this:
November 09, 2010:
"During an interview with the Artisan News Service on the "black carpet" of this past Thursday night's (November 4) party to promote the release of the new video game "Call Of Duty: Black Ops" in Hangar Eight at Santa Monica Airport, California, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist D.J. Ashba said that fans won't have to wait long for the band's next studio album. "We're talking about that right now," he said. "We've been throwing around a bunch of ideas and it should be good, man. We've got a lot of good stuff on the plate coming out."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-mEhzdEunk&feature=player_embedded

[by the way he also talks about US tour 02/2011 in there]

and Bumbles fast reply:
November 11, 2010:
when Bumble re-directed it writing on his Facebook page: "We've yet to get in a room and write as a band." He adds, "I know D.J. mentioned something about a new album, but don't want y'all expecting anything soon. Other than old unreleased ['Chinese Democracy'] songs, songs need to be written, jammed, recorded, tweaked, re-worked, re-recorded, mixed, re-mixed, mastered, re-mastered, art, new art, label approval, a game plan from the label that Axl [Rose, lead singer] approves.... not as simple when it's on such a big scale... Just don't want ya getting frustrated if a GN'R album doesn't happen quick..."

So? Ron didn't contradict anything Dj said.

Yeah, Dj mentioned a planned tour that didn't go according to plan.



When members don't talk, it's because they "don't dare". When they talk, they are kissing ass and lying.

And you wonder why people might choose to stay silent...




/jarmo

[sofine11]

You want realism? How about the fact that most band members, including Ron, has mentioned the fact that there is material that didn't make it onto Chinese Democracy.

I wonder if Axl still plans to put those out, though.  He seemed optimistic about it during his fan chats, but we've heard nothing about it since.  While DJ's comments are positive, he doesn't mention any plans to put the rest of the 'CD Era' tracks.  God, I hope Axl still plans to put them out soon.

[Limulus]

- it aint absurd, it happens a lot in the real world!
- gnr & press: i've mentioned that because that band always had their problem with press, internet or not, people must know that, exspecially when being a band member.
- nah, never said or thought that but we're talking on a gnr board here so i concentrated on gnr [],  weak reply from you on this.
- twist, twist, twist, generalize....so what. it comes down to DJ choosing some "weird" words in interviews here and there, thats was the main point.

[pilferk]

Thats one part that never really added up when people would talk about axl being difficult to work with etc..

I SUSPECT those reports come about because Axl is VERY demanding.  I think he expects a LOT from the people he works with...and that can be tough on people, sometimes.  I think Axl expects a lot out of himself, and holds the people he's working with up to the same standards...and expects the same level of commitment, work ethic, etc out of them.

I don't KNOW any of that, obviously, because I don't know Axl.  But from reading the reports over the years and from "inferring" (rightly or wrongly) from some of the between the lines shit that has gone down, that's what I get out of it.

Axl's one of the last, true "artists" in rock and roll.  He's not obsessed with commercial success, it seems...and DJ sorta talks about that, too.  Not to be too cliched, but "its about the art", and if you're not aiding the artistic process, or if you're impeding creativity, or if you're not willing to WORK...he's going to be tough on you.  It also seems like he's tough on you when he thinks he can get more out of you.  And, finally, I don't think Axl suffers fools all that well.

[pilferk]

you're in twisting mood, i'll try again:
its "weird" to talk about not doing asskissing but then kinda doing it - when also being on Axl's payroll and having the huge GN'R name as career pusher.

I think the point DJ was making was that he wasn't saying it to kiss ass.  He was saying it because he thinks it's true.  And he was qualifiying the remarks for exactly the reason you misinterpret them, above:  Because he knew he would be seen as a hired gun trying to kiss Axl's ass.  So DJ took some time to squash that line of reasoning.

[pilferk]

I mis-read your post jarmo, I thought you said "which most people here seem to ignore". I thought you was complaining about the thread not getting much attention again, but you was in fact saying that in regards to the people not on boards and are casually fans... so I got that one wrong, yes. 

But....... 

In regards to the current discussion, I just want to state that I find it somewhat confusing having DJ say that he's working on loads of songs and passing them on to Axl. Don't get me wrong all of the things he said about Axl was spot on, and it's nice to hear those things.

But we have been told by Ron that the current band has yet to go into the studio together, and that the next album will probably be alot of CD type of songs recorded majoritily by the CD era members. So what is DJ doing?, is he recording overdubs and seeing if Axl likes them like Ron did in 2006-08. Is he been given the green light by Axl to try to create 1 or 2 more songs to put on the album?.

I don't know what to think?, and before anyone tries to be a smartass and says "the whole band don't have to be in the same room to record". I think Ron meant by that former comment, is that the progress in regards to the current line-up contributing to the next album is minimal at best...

I just get a sense that Ron has a very different view of what's happening in regards to CD2 than what DJ has. Or Ron just might be being cautious and not giving any false hope to the fans, in regards to saying comments like DJ's. 

There is a difference between WRITING music and RECORDING music.

DJ can write tons of music and send it off to Axl.  It doesn't mean that it's being RECORDED by the band.

And I don't mean Axl is vetoing it all, either...or that DJ is bugging Axl with snippets every 3 days like some lunatic.

But part of the creative process CAN be accomplished apart.  Back in "old GnR", you had every band member coming to the table with "their own stuff" and then the band throwing it into the mixer and making it "GnR".

My impression is that THAT is what DJ is talking about. 

[sofine11]

Hmm, CD has been removed from BestBuy.com.  If this isn't a glitch, and it very well could be, maybe they're making room for something else.  Maybe a rerelease with some bonus tracks??

[LunsJail]

Hmm, CD has been removed from BestBuy.com.  If this isn't a glitch, and it very well could be, maybe they're making room for something else.  Maybe a rerelease with some bonus tracks??

Or maybe they sold all of them. At $1.99, they seemed pretty eager to get these out of the warehouse.

[jarmo]

you're in twisting mood, i'll try again:
its "weird" to talk about not doing asskissing but then kinda doing it - when also being on Axl's payroll and having the huge GN'R name as career pusher.

I think the point DJ was making was that he wasn't saying it to kiss ass.  He was saying it because he thinks it's true.  And he was qualifiying the remarks for exactly the reason you misinterpret them, above:  Because he knew he would be seen as a hired gun trying to kiss Axl's ass.  So DJ took some time to squash that line of reasoning.

Exactly. That's what I've been trying to tell him.

He knew somebody would say "oh, he's just kissing Axl's ass" because he said something nice.

But that's not enough, he just doesn't realize how absurd his way of thinking is. Positive comments by a band member are labeled "weird", but the idea that they don't air their disagreements in public must be based on fear.

It's based on common sense. If you disagree with your band mates, you can talk to them about it instead of talking to the press.

This doesn't make any sense to some.

Even though it's common practice to most bands. You don't see Metallica band members talk shit about each other in the press.

Unless they're making a movie out of it....




/jarmo

[sofine11]

Hmm, CD has been removed from BestBuy.com.  If this isn't a glitch, and it very well could be, maybe they're making room for something else.  Maybe a rerelease with some bonus tracks??

Or maybe they sold all of them. At $1.99, they seemed pretty eager to get these out of the warehouse.

But why would they want to clear them out, if they weren't trying to make room for something else?  Has it been confirmed that the Best Buy deal ensured them first dibs on the follow up to Chinese Democracy, or is that just fan-fiction?


Would make sense to clear CD as much as possible from the shelves to make room for something else...

[Limulus]

you're in twisting mood, i'll try again:
its "weird" to talk about not doing asskissing but then kinda doing it - when also being on Axl's payroll and having the huge GN'R name as career pusher.

I think the point DJ was making was that he wasn't saying it to kiss ass.  He was saying it because he thinks it's true.  And he was qualifiying the remarks for exactly the reason you misinterpret them, above:  Because he knew he would be seen as a hired gun trying to kiss Axl's ass.  So DJ took some time to squash that line of reasoning.

i'd agree that he tried to do so but just used not a good method, way or words. read the interview again and all these ultra-positive things in a combination with "not ass-kissing" sounds some outta line, and thats what i called "weird".
also he simply IS a hired gun, he IS on Axl's payroll, the GN'R name is a huge career pusher. these are facts and not misinterpretations.

[LunsJail]

Hmm, CD has been removed from BestBuy.com.  If this isn't a glitch, and it very well could be, maybe they're making room for something else.  Maybe a rerelease with some bonus tracks??

Or maybe they sold all of them. At $1.99, they seemed pretty eager to get these out of the warehouse.

But why would they want to clear them out, if they weren't trying to make room for something else?  Has it been confirmed that the Best Buy deal ensured them first dibs on the follow up to Chinese Democracy, or is that just fan-fiction?


Would make sense to clear CD as much as possible from the shelves to make room for something else...

They're trying to make room for Ipods, TV's, computers or anything besides albums that get released and nobody bothers to promote.

[Ali]

Hmm, CD has been removed from BestBuy.com.  If this isn't a glitch, and it very well could be, maybe they're making room for something else.  Maybe a rerelease with some bonus tracks??

Or maybe they sold all of them. At $1.99, they seemed pretty eager to get these out of the warehouse.

But why would they want to clear them out, if they weren't trying to make room for something else?  Has it been confirmed that the Best Buy deal ensured them first dibs on the follow up to Chinese Democracy, or is that just fan-fiction?


Would make sense to clear CD as much as possible from the shelves to make room for something else...

They're trying to make room for Ipods, TV's, computers or anything besides albums that get released and nobody bothers to promote.

The problem I have with what you're saying is that it makes more sense for a physical store with limited floor and shelf space.  Not for their online outlet, which likely has a huge stock of many, many items.

Ali