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

[FunkyMonkey]

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.

Yeah, when I spoke to the guy at Best Buy that's what he said.  To pull it online, and just sell it in the stores -- it's usually the other way around.

He also said they just had three copies in the store, but a couple thousand in the warehouse.

Something is screwy.

[Scabbie]

Ok, so Axl has 3 albums up his sleeve and hopefully enough songs that are ready to go for a new album

So what obstacles stand in the way of a new release? with the legal case out of the way the band can now tour and promote their music in the US, I'd imagine this was one factor.

Whatever the case I hope Axl doesn't wait for too long. Nothing seems to be happening at the moment. a 6 month tour followed by another rest, re-recording (if appropriate) and planning for a release could take a year and a half in which case Chinese would almost be 5 years old. I really hoped we'd have gotten some official new music before then.in some ways as much as I prefer albums the strategy of releasing single or few tracks at a time would be equally as exciting and do a way with the long waits. The band could continue to tour and record afresh with dj, perhaps even inter dispersing 'new new' tracks with the older ones from the cd sessions.

[richwoman]

^^How come everyone always assumes it`s down to Axl? i don`t think his record company seem overly helpful if anyone read what Tommy had to say about chinese democracy there was an awful lot of interfering and that`s what caused the delay, perhaps we as fans should be putting pressure on his record company to be more intrested in a new album!   

[pilferk]

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.

Maybe it's a language barrier.

I read it, and it makes perfect sense.  It's a pretty common "preface" to comments when you know there is someone, out there, who is going to argue bias/ass-kissing.  And I don't see anything all that unusual with the phrasing.

I mean, it's not marketing speak scripted by some PR schlub.....it's off the cuff.  But I don't see anything "weird" or unusual about it. 

As for his status in the band, or his status/relationship with Axl...I'm not sure I see the relevance.  Everyone, everywhere is on someone's payroll.  I say nice things about the place I work all the time...not because I'm trying to curry favor, but because I genuinely like where I work, and the work that we do. 

If you're saying you should question everyone's motives for saying anything...that's a pretty cynical viewpoint to adopt....especially when the person you're questioning has never, really, given you any reason to adopt it.

[pilferk]

Ok, so Axl has 3 albums up his sleeve and hopefully enough songs that are ready to go for a new album

So what obstacles stand in the way of a new release? with the legal case out of the way the band can now tour and promote their music in the US, I'd imagine this was one factor.

Whatever the case I hope Axl doesn't wait for too long. Nothing seems to be happening at the moment. a 6 month tour followed by another rest, re-recording (if appropriate) and planning for a release could take a year and a half in which case Chinese would almost be 5 years old. I really hoped we'd have gotten some official new music before then.in some ways as much as I prefer albums the strategy of releasing single or few tracks at a time would be equally as exciting and do a way with the long waits. The band could continue to tour and record afresh with dj, perhaps even inter dispersing 'new new' tracks with the older ones from the cd sessions.

You may want to re-read DJ's interview.  It's the misinterpretation you're making, above, that tends to lead to "trouble".

Having material isn't the same as having FINISHED material.  It could be song fragments, music and no lyrics, lyrics but no music or hundreds of combinations, therein.  I don't think it's accurate to say he has 3 albums "up his sleeve" (like he could pull them out like magician pulls out cards).  And I think if he had enough material "ready to go" for another album....we'd be seeing it.   The crux here is the definition of "ready to go", I guess.  When it comes to GnR material, it's the bands (with, I'd guess, final approval being up to Axl) definition that counts.

And there are TONS of obstacles, even beyond recording and finalizing material (see Ron's post, quoted earlier in this thread) that get in the way of an album release.  It's not nearly as simple as running into a studio for a week, recording a bunch of songs, and turning the stuff over to be replicated.  Not by half.

Once again, I don't think "soon" is the word.  Eventually.

[Limulus]

pilferk, thats your thoughts on this, fine, but i just disagree and stand by my word with labeling this interview as "weird" with arguments already given above.
the boss-thing/status in the band is mentioned because it got way different since old Guns-split and there surely is ground in this. and hey, you never criticize your boss? 

[jarmo]

Yeah, it's probably weird for people who have a pretty different view of the world.

Dj says something because he knows how it will look to certain people, above poster for example, and then that phrase is also used against him!

Amazing!


If Dj hadn't said that, I'm sure somebody, maybe Limulus, would be here saying "he's just kissing ass".

Now that Dj said "I'm not kissing ass", he's here to say "weird that he says he's not kissing ass, because it's what he's doing".


Can't win.




/jarmo

[pilferk]

pilferk, thats your thoughts on this, fine, but i just disagree and stand by my word with labeling this interview as "weird" with arguments already given above.
the boss-thing/status in the band is mentioned because it got way different since old Guns-split and there surely is ground in this. and hey, you never criticize your boss? 

I know you have, but read any of 100 interviews with varying software developers, band members, and other professionals from dozens of occupations/companies/walks of life.....you'll find similar comments about "not kissing ass" (though they may be phrased slightly differently depending on the profession represented and the forum/media they're presented in).  Again, maybe it's a language barrier...I don't know.  But "weird" would imply out of the ordinary...and it's not.

Different since old guns?  Did I miss a Slash interview where he said something like all the material he'd heard so far sucked?  Or an interview with Duff (before the breakup) where he said Axl was a shit songwriter?  I don't see much difference, other than the current band members are a little less rough around the edges (andmaybe  only a little) than those guys were back in the AFD days.  But then, things have changed a LOT in the music industry and in "rock culture" in 20+ years since AFD was released.

If I have an issue with my boss, I tend to either talk to them, personally, about it (if it's serious) or talk to my friends/family about it (if it's just venting or something trivial).

I wouldn't talk to strangers about it...not because I fear "repercussions" but because a) it wouldn't be professional, b) nobody would care, and c) that's not the way I was taught to handle those kinds of things.  If I disagree with the direction we're going, I talk to my/our leadership.  I don't air the dirty laundry (if there is any) in public.  And, if I'm making public statements about something....I just avoid the points of disagreement in those statements. I don't bring up the topic, or I answer without airing my grievance.   There's really no need NOT to.  Because in "the real world", public statements aren't the right forum for that.

By the same token, though, just because I didn't air the dirty laundry doesn't mean there IS dirty laundry to air, either.  Could just be I'm happy with the direction we're going...and I specifically say I am, then likely I am.  I'm not going to lie.  THAT would be professionally detrimental and bring on repurcussions.

[jarmo]

You pretty much said what I've been trying to explain...

What he claims is weird is nothing GN'R specific... Or even specific to this moment in time compared to the past.





/jarmo

[Scabbie]

You may want to re-read DJ's interview.  It's the misinterpretation you're making, above, that tends to lead to "trouble".

Having material isn't the same as having FINISHED material.  It could be song fragments, music and no lyrics, lyrics but no music or hundreds of combinations, therein.  I don't think it's accurate to say he has 3 albums "up his sleeve" (like he could pull them out like magician pulls out cards).  And I think if he had enough material "ready to go" for another album....we'd be seeing it.   The crux here is the definition of "ready to go", I guess.  When it comes to GnR material, it's the bands (with, I'd guess, final approval being up to Axl) definition that counts.

And there are TONS of obstacles, even beyond recording and finalizing material (see Ron's post, quoted earlier in this thread) that get in the way of an album release.  It's not nearly as simple as running into a studio for a week, recording a bunch of songs, and turning the stuff over to be replicated.  Not by half.

Once again, I don't think "soon" is the word.  Eventually.

Well the thread title clearly says 'three albums up his sleeve'. Correct me if I'm wrong but at the time of the release it was widely known that there was a bunch more tracks ready for release (I think it was 26 of 32 or something) so I'm quite happy to believe there's quite a lot of songs ready. I believe dj.

As I said though, I just hope they can come up with some good shit soon, previously recorded, rerecorded or new i don't really care.if it's as long and arduous as you make out we'll all be grey haired by the time they release anything new!

[Limulus]

pilferk, that was a good reply from a "defender's perspective", thanks!
i do understand your point of view but still do see it different. short in time right now, but yeah, there indeed might be some misunderstanding with the word "weird", it reaches from a little abnormal to extrem abnormal in definition (english-german). but i have to reply on this more later, gotta run.

[sofine11]

I think as fans it's so maddening to know that, based upon the tracks that have already been recorded from the CD sessions, that a new album could be announced at any time....But the fact that we have no reason to excpect that announcement soon, however, is somewhat sad. 

I hope we get pleasantly surprised in 2011.

[GypsySoul]

^^How come everyone always assumes it`s down to Axl?  

You make that sound like a bad thing!!!  don't you think he should have the final say on what flies and what doesn't?

[D]

Axl has final say on everything. this is a band but still, in every band, there is a leader/main guy that makes the major decisions. that doesn't make someone any less of a band. only one person can steer the wheel of a car.

[pilferk]

Well the thread title clearly says 'three albums up his sleeve'. Correct me if I'm wrong but at the time of the release it was widely known that there was a bunch more tracks ready for release (I think it was 26 of 32 or something) so I'm quite happy to believe there's quite a lot of songs ready. I believe dj.

Well, DJ didn't title the thread.

And it's not about believing DJ.  It's about parsing what he actually said, and not jumping to conclusions.

Nowhere does DJ say Axl has 3 albums of finished material ready to go.  He doesn't quantify or differentiate the TYPES of material that my, or may not, be there.

I'm sure there are SOME other finished tracks (left over from CD), that may or may not be used in the future.  That's true of most albums, I think.  But I don't think you can assume that it's 3 albums worth.

Likely there is some amount of finished material that could be considered for release, some "almost finished", some "partly finished"...you get the picture.

As I said though, I just hope they can come up with some good shit soon, previously recorded, rerecorded or new i don't really care.if it's as long and arduous as you make out we'll all be grey haired by the time they release anything new!

"Long and arduous"? Depends on the album.  It can be.  But it can be relatively quick and easy.  And neither seems to be a reflection of the material (long = good, short = shitty).  That wasn't the point, though.  The point was:  There's a LOT Of shit that goes into an album release.  Obviously the music is the most important (to us...it's become apparent the labels don't think so), but it's not the ONLY piece.  We just all need to keep that in mind, too.

[jarmo]

Just like anything written or spoken, people choose to interpret what they read/hear in their own way.

Something said in a informing way becomes a promise or a guarantee.

Dj saying he has heard Axl play amazing songs on a piano and he wishes the world gets to hear them suddenly means the songs are ready to be released and Dj has promised three new GN'R albums.


Yeah, I'm exaggerating, but that seems to be the way some people work.

Then you have the opposite where anything said is labeled lies or ass kissing.

"Well he can't be writing songs for GN'R because the other guys aren't there"....

One thing doesn't make another thing impossible.



Why not just take it for what it is without all the added bullshit?

Dj's written songs that he has presented to Axl and he's excited about the stuff he's heard Axl play for him.

It doesn't mean you have to start your "waiting for a new GN'R album" clocks.



In my opinion, this is great news. It's not necessarily big news for most of us who have read/listened to GN'R interviews, but it's always very nice when the band is excited about the future.




/jarmo

[FunkyMonkey]

Well the thread title clearly says 'three albums up his sleeve'.

Well, DJ didn't title the thread.

No, but I took it from what he said.  The exact quote:

He definitely put together an amazing band and he has, like, three albums' worth of shit up his sleeve that's just gonna floor people.

Nowhere does DJ say Axl has 3 albums of finished material ready to go. 

Exactly.  But he sure is excited about what he's heard.

I've worked with a lot of talented people, but this guy, I'm telling you, he has songs up his sleeve that I've sat down at the piano with him, and literally, my jaw hits the piano bench. He has a lot of songs up his sleeve. The guy is just fucking incredible. The songs that he has that no one's heard? I pray to God one day people get to hear what he has up his sleeve, because me being a fan for one, but the shit is just awesome.

[Scabbie]

I'd also like to add that I also said 'hopefully enough songs that are ready to go for another album'. Not 'three albums worth of songs that are ready to go'.

And yes, sorry my clock is ticking for another album. It started right after cd was released! what's wrong with being excited?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not losing sleep over it. music aint that important in the grand scheme of things, but sometimes it just feels that there's a load of talent but this isn't matched by output. Dj can talk about all this amazing shit out there, but that doesn't mean anything until we get to hear it. But like I said I believe there is a lot finished or nearly finished.

Anyway, back to my question, why not release some of the songs as singles? Ok, maybe the commercial model doesn't stack up in the traditional sense but times have moved on, the money is in the touring. Get some stuff out there, keep touring and creating as a new band. Mix old cd songs with new. include a guest artist from time to time. To compare it to the industry I work in, large software releases with long development cycles is the old model, 'agile' is the new way.

[jarmo]

Anyway, back to my question, why not release some of the songs as singles? Ok, maybe the commercial model doesn't stack up in the traditional sense but times have moved on, the money is in the touring. Get some stuff out there, keep touring and creating as a new band. Mix old cd songs with new. include a guest artist from time to time. To compare it to the industry I work in, large software releases with long development cycles is the old model, 'agile' is the new way.

I'm sure we could come up with all kinds of ways how you could release music and make it available to the fans.

But, you have to remember how things work.

GN'R isn't some little indie band. They're signed to a major record company.

That company is interested in one thing basically. Profits.


It's not always only about the band. There's more people involved.




/jarmo

[pilferk]

Well the thread title clearly says 'three albums up his sleeve'.

Well, DJ didn't title the thread.

No, but I took it from what he said.  The exact quote:

He definitely put together an amazing band and he has, like, three albums' worth of shit up his sleeve that's just gonna floor people.

Nowhere does DJ say Axl has 3 albums of finished material ready to go. 

Exactly.  But he sure is excited about what he's heard.

I've worked with a lot of talented people, but this guy, I'm telling you, he has songs up his sleeve that I've sat down at the piano with him, and literally, my jaw hits the piano bench. He has a lot of songs up his sleeve. The guy is just fucking incredible. The songs that he has that no one's heard? I pray to God one day people get to hear what he has up his sleeve, because me being a fan for one, but the shit is just awesome.

I'm not taking issue with the title...just the way it's being interpreted.

DJ used the phrase, for sure.  But "up his sleeve" and "completely finished and ready to go" (which seems to be the interpretation some posters are coming to) are different.

"Three albums up his sleeve" needs to be taken IN CONTEXT (in other words, if people read the whole interview and not just the thread title), that's the only issue.