Gilby talks about Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose, Slash and Chinese Democracy

[Ali]

You would take "shotgun blues" over "14 years" (great izzy tune) and "pretty tied up" (a song guns thought was good enough to play live very often)? 

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090706153425AAwBqYQ

http://www.newgnr.com/forum/index.php?topic=43317.0

http://www.last.fm/group/Guns+N%27+Roses/forum/193/_/113503

Three threads from three sites....  Everyone for the most part thinks My World blows hard.. Then lots of arguing over what is worse among the others.  Shotgun Blues gets plenty of mentions...

Yes, I would on both counts.

Thanks for proving my point, too. "For the most part" and "plenty of mentions" shows your opinion is hardly "universal".

Ali

[Ali]

I always liked Shotgun Blues...thought it captured some of their raw energy, and is fast paced.  I would put it above "So Fine". 

Agreed.  I will take "Shotgun Blue" over "So Fine" any day of the week.

Ali

[Smoking Guns]

So Fine has a beautiful guitar solo and Axl's voice sounds awesome on the album.  Also I really like Duff's vocals on it.  And the band liked it enough to play live.  To me, that says a lot. 

[Bodhi]

well no, they had a rift after New Jersey album and the band came close to breaking up.

Yeah but they were never a band in the sense that GNR or other groups  were bands.  Bon Jovi was a corporation from the day Jon got the deal for "Runaway."  He pieced that band together just to make that record, it wasnt like the were a touring band living the daily grind most bands do when they start out.  That is what makes the Bon Jovi thing unique.  They never "made it" together, Jon made it and invited them to the party.

Of course everyone is going to get an ego and there are going to be problems, but really those guys have a sweet set up, i think it finally dawned on them after it was clear Jon didn't really need them.  Considering the success that band has had and longevity, it is amazing there haven't been more problems.

[Bodhi]

I always liked Shotgun Blues...thought it captured some of their raw energy, and is fast paced.  I would put it above "So Fine". 

Agreed.  I will take "Shotgun Blue" over "So Fine" any day of the week.

Ali

For the record, I love Shotgun Blues and Garden of Eden.   "The Garden" is the only song I really skip on the Illusions. 

[Smoking Guns]

I always liked Shotgun Blues...thought it captured some of their raw energy, and is fast paced.  I would put it above "So Fine". 

Agreed.  I will take "Shotgun Blue" over "So Fine" any day of the week.

Ali

For the record, I love Shotgun Blues and Garden of Eden.   "The Garden" is the only song I really skip on the Illusions. 

I love the Garden... I used to not like "Garden of Eden", but that is a grower, nice guitar playing and Axl vocals are spot on..

[faldor]

"Shotgun Blues" and probably "My World" are two Rose songs that should have been on the cutting floor and weren't..  Go figure.

Wait a minute, that statement goes against what's being argued here.  People (Limulus and Stoned in LA) are saying that Axl doesn't let the NEW members contribute enough, like the old days.  He has final say and that's that.  Now you're referencing two songs from the old era that you don't like.  Now if the theory holds true that the entire band had their voices heard back then, these songs shouldn't have made it off the cutting floor, as you so aptly put it.  So either Axl's had control since back in the day or the process hasn't changed all that much over the years and the band STILL contributes plenty.  Sure Axl gets his songs in there.  Just like Slash, Duff, Izzy, Robin, Bucket, Brain, Dizzy, Paul got theirs too.

[faldor]

So Fine has a beautiful guitar solo and Axl's voice sounds awesome on the album.  Also I really like Duff's vocals on it.  And the band liked it enough to play live.  To me, that says a lot. 

That doesn't say much to me.  It's safe to say that "There Was A Time" is one of the most highly regarded songs off of CD by the fans, yet it's hardly played live.  "Breakdown" is one of my favorite GNR songs ever and it was only played live twice.  "Don't Damn Me" was never played live.  So just because "Shotgun Blues" was never played live, doesn't necessarily mean the band hated the song or that the song sucks.

[AxlReznor]

Except the only person from the band who's said anything negative about 'My World' is Izzy. Duff has even referred to it as one of his favourite songs. So if it was down to popular vote between - I assume - Axl, Slash, Izzy and Duff, Izzy would have been beaten 3-1... therefore, its place on the record is justified.
Also, no one in the band has ever said anything bad about 'Shotgun Blues', so I'd guess they were in unanimous agreement to put that on the record (as they should have... it's not a masterpiece, by any means, but it's not bad).

I can not stand 'So Fine' on record, myself. One of the worst tracks GN'R ever put out... however, it sounds really good live.

[Smoking Guns]

Except the only person from the band who's said anything negative about 'My World' is Izzy. Duff has even referred to it as one of his favourite songs. So if it was down to popular vote between - I assume - Axl, Slash, Izzy and Duff, Izzy would have been beaten 3-1... therefore, its place on the record is justified.
Also, no one in the band has ever said anything bad about 'Shotgun Blues', so I'd guess they were in unanimous agreement to put that on the record (as they should have... it's not a masterpiece, by any means, but it's not bad).

I can not stand 'So Fine' on record, myself. One of the worst tracks GN'R ever put out... however, it sounds really good live.

Shotgun Blues made the album for one reason only... Axl plays rhythm guitar on it...

[Halo69]

I appreciate you posting this interview and I mean no offense, but you asked some really leading questions, injecting your opinions and some conjecture instead of just asking for his opinion flat-out.

Also, Gilby is flat-out wrong about Axl not letting the new band contribute to the writing.  Look at the CD credits.

Ali

He didn't offer any opinions, he stated facts, therefore your evaluation is misleading!
CD credits don't prove anything as you will never have a way to confirm that that is true, but i do agree that the band contributed as well, as Axl himself stated it on a one time interview

[LongGoneDay]

I believe Gilby is referring to the band dynamic, where everyone contributes that existed at one point with early GN'R, but had eroded away by the end of the UYI tour.
We have heard from multiple ex members that Axl's willingness for more creative control was a major reason for the split. That's obviously just one of the many reasons for it, and they all have blood on their hands, but sounds like it started to feel like less of a band, making it easier to walk away.
Maybe Gilby still doesn't feel that dynamic exists with the current lineup, but I got the feeling he was more or less speaking of what he knows through his experience.

The Chinese Democracy era lineup clearly put their stamp on the record, so they do seem to function as a band.
I think Gilby's problem was that Axl brought in new musicians whom were willing to go in a musical direction that the ex members were not.
That would speak more to the trust issues.

I respect what Gilby did during his time with GN'R, but he was really a band aid on a gaping wound at that point.


I love every song on the Illusions, except for My World, which is so brutally awful it's funny.

[faldor]

I believe Gilby is referring to the band dynamic, where everyone contributes that existed at one point with early GN'R, but had eroded away by the end of the UYI tour.
We have heard from multiple ex members that Axl's willingness for more creative control was a major reason for the split. That's obviously just one of the many reasons for it, and they all have blood on their hands, but sounds like it started to feel like less of a band, making it easier to walk away.
Maybe Gilby still doesn't feel that dynamic exists with the current lineup, but I got the feeling he was more or less speaking of what he knows through his experience.

The Chinese Democracy era lineup clearly put their stamp on the record, so they do seem to function as a band.
I think Gilby's problem was that Axl brought in new musicians whom were willing to go in a musical direction that the ex members were not.
That would speak more to the trust issues.

I respect what Gilby did during his time with GN'R, but he was really a band aid on a gaping wound at that point.


I love every song on the Illusions, except for My World, which is so brutally awful it's funny.

I agree with you.  That's why I said it sounds to me like sour grapes coming from Gilby, and as you, and many others have stated, he doesn't really know much of anything about the state of the band in the present day.  He can make assumptions, but that's all they are.

[Ali]

Except the only person from the band who's said anything negative about 'My World' is Izzy. Duff has even referred to it as one of his favourite songs. So if it was down to popular vote between - I assume - Axl, Slash, Izzy and Duff, Izzy would have been beaten 3-1... therefore, its place on the record is justified.
Also, no one in the band has ever said anything bad about 'Shotgun Blues', so I'd guess they were in unanimous agreement to put that on the record (as they should have... it's not a masterpiece, by any means, but it's not bad).

I can not stand 'So Fine' on record, myself. One of the worst tracks GN'R ever put out... however, it sounds really good live.

Shotgun Blues made the album for one reason only... Axl plays rhythm guitar on it...

Really?  And you know this how?  What about the songs Axl doesn't do the bulk of the lead vocals on, like "So Fine", "14 Years" and "Dust N' Bones"?  Why did those make the record?  Please enlighten us.

Ali

[estebanf]

Oh, come on, Gilby clearly knows nothing about how Guns N' Roses works as a band, how much talented their musicians are. These are just assumptions of a resentful man.

He is underestimating people like Tommy, Dizzy and Chris, people who have done for Guns WAAAAAAAAAAAY more than he has. What is Gilby's role in GNR history? He was merely a live guitarist. He has no right at all to underestimate any other GNR member,

Gilby Clarke is exactly the same than Steven Adler, but with slightly more class...

[LongGoneDay]

Oh, come on, Gilby clearly knows nothing about how Guns N' Roses works as a band, how much talented their musicians are. These are just assumptions of a resentful man.

He is underestimating people like Tommy, Dizzy and Chris, people who have done for Guns WAAAAAAAAAAAY more than he has. What is Gilby's role in GNR history? He was merely a live guitarist. He has no right at all to underestimate any other GNR member,

Gilby Clarke is exactly the same than Steven Adler, but with slightly more class...

You interpreted that totally different than how I read it. Doesn't sound like he's disparaging the current members at all. If anything, he's sticking up for them, wishing them more creative influence. Nothing he says sounds very offensive to my ears, with only Axl maybe taking exception to the GN'R moniker comment, but that's Gilby calling it as he sees it, and he has that right. He sounds like he genuinely enjoyed his time with the band. Doesn't sound like his firing is keeping him up at night.

Steven Adler was a HUGE part of GN'Rs early success, no matter how many people would love to convince themselves otherwise.

[HBK]

Oh, come on, Gilby clearly knows nothing about how Guns N' Roses works as a band, how much talented their musicians are. These are just assumptions of a resentful man.

He is underestimating people like Tommy, Dizzy and Chris, people who have done for Guns WAAAAAAAAAAAY more than he has. What is Gilby's role in GNR history? He was merely a live guitarist. He has no right at all to underestimate any other GNR member,

Gilby Clarke is exactly the same than Steven Adler, but with slightly more class...

You interpreted that totally different than how I read it. Doesn't sound like he's disparaging the current members at all. If anything, he's sticking up for them, wishing them more creative influence. Nothing he says sounds very offensive to my ears, with only Axl maybe taking exception to the GN'R moniker comment, but that's Gilby calling it as he sees it, and he has that right. He sounds like he genuinely enjoyed his time with the band. Doesn't sound like his firing is keeping him up at night.

Steven Adler was a HUGE part of GN'Rs early success, no matter how many people would love to convince themselves otherwise.

Also Possibly Destruction

 

[LongGoneDay]

Oh, come on, Gilby clearly knows nothing about how Guns N' Roses works as a band, how much talented their musicians are. These are just assumptions of a resentful man.

He is underestimating people like Tommy, Dizzy and Chris, people who have done for Guns WAAAAAAAAAAAY more than he has. What is Gilby's role in GNR history? He was merely a live guitarist. He has no right at all to underestimate any other GNR member,

Gilby Clarke is exactly the same than Steven Adler, but with slightly more class...

You interpreted that totally different than how I read it. Doesn't sound like he's disparaging the current members at all. If anything, he's sticking up for them, wishing them more creative influence. Nothing he says sounds very offensive to my ears, with only Axl maybe taking exception to the GN'R moniker comment, but that's Gilby calling it as he sees it, and he has that right. He sounds like he genuinely enjoyed his time with the band. Doesn't sound like his firing is keeping him up at night.

Steven Adler was a HUGE part of GN'Rs early success, no matter how many people would love to convince themselves otherwise.

Also Possibly Destruction

 

No argument here!

[estebanf]

Oh, come on, Gilby clearly knows nothing about how Guns N' Roses works as a band, how much talented their musicians are. These are just assumptions of a resentful man.

He is underestimating people like Tommy, Dizzy and Chris, people who have done for Guns WAAAAAAAAAAAY more than he has. What is Gilby's role in GNR history? He was merely a live guitarist. He has no right at all to underestimate any other GNR member,

Gilby Clarke is exactly the same than Steven Adler, but with slightly more class...

You interpreted that totally different than how I read it. Doesn't sound like he's disparaging the current members at all. If anything, he's sticking up for them, wishing them more creative influence. Nothing he says sounds very offensive to my ears, with only Axl maybe taking exception to the GN'R moniker comment, but that's Gilby calling it as he sees it, and he has that right. He sounds like he genuinely enjoyed his time with the band. Doesn't sound like his firing is keeping him up at night.

Steven Adler was a HUGE part of GN'Rs early success, no matter how many people would love to convince themselves otherwise.

To my eyes, he was in the right moment with the right people in the right place. Guns would have never been the monster it is now without Axl and/or Izzy, and that's for sure. But I don't think things would be now much more different if someone else filled Adler's shoes back in 1985...

[Ali]

Oh, come on, Gilby clearly knows nothing about how Guns N' Roses works as a band, how much talented their musicians are. These are just assumptions of a resentful man.

He is underestimating people like Tommy, Dizzy and Chris, people who have done for Guns WAAAAAAAAAAAY more than he has. What is Gilby's role in GNR history? He was merely a live guitarist. He has no right at all to underestimate any other GNR member,

Gilby Clarke is exactly the same than Steven Adler, but with slightly more class...

You interpreted that totally different than how I read it. Doesn't sound like he's disparaging the current members at all. If anything, he's sticking up for them, wishing them more creative influence. Nothing he says sounds very offensive to my ears, with only Axl maybe taking exception to the GN'R moniker comment, but that's Gilby calling it as he sees it, and he has that right. He sounds like he genuinely enjoyed his time with the band. Doesn't sound like his firing is keeping him up at night.

Steven Adler was a HUGE part of GN'Rs early success, no matter how many people would love to convince themselves otherwise.

As for the above bolded/italicized portion, we know the band writes together.  Also, I'll point out this comment from 2008 from Axl:  "The songs were chosen by everyone involved. I didn?t want to do This I love in anyway shape or form and Robin and Caram insisted gaining Tommy?s and the others support."

Honestly, what the hell else is there as far as creative influence?  They write the songs and help choose them.  What else is there really?

Ali