Tommy Stinson On CD 'Axl Was Really Trying To Do Something That No One Had Done'

[FunkyMonkey]

Tommy Stinson is in West Chester, Pa., on Saturday to promote his excellent new solo album

Aug. 11, 2011

Last week's chat mainly kept to the subject of Stinson's excellent forthcoming solo album, "One Man Mutiny," and his tour that will bring him to West Chester, Pa.'s The Note on Saturday.

But fans will want to know: Did that little note mean that he and Paul Westerberg have discussed putting together a band, and maybe even one that includes drummer Chris Mars and guitarist Slim Dunlap? Stinson wouldn't give in.

But he also didn't swat the whole thing away, either.

So what's standing in the way? Contrary to rumors that have been circulating since Stinson joined Guns 'N' Roses to record the odyssey that was "Chinese Democracy," it's got nothing to do with Axl Rose.

"I never signed anything with Guns 'N' Roses that prevented me from doing anything with Paul," he said. "I don't know where that came from. The only one preventing me from doing that really is Paul."

The new album features contributions from Gersh, who played drums with Stinson in Perfect, and Dizzy Reed, the keyboard player for Guns 'N' Roses. And speaking of GNR, Stinson recently returned from another massive tour with them in Europe, a jaunt stacked with shows featuring fireworks, canyon-wide stages, a forrest of towering amps and a supersized lineup boasting a three-guitar attack.

"It's a little over the top, yeah. Big rock fun. It's a lot of work. It's a monster to get going. It's not an easy gig, I'll tell you that."

When Stinson joined up with Axl in 1996, it was a complete head-scratcher for long-time Replacements fans.

"I never really was thinking that's where I'd want to go necessarily. It was almost sort of like the best thing for me at that time. I really just wanted to play bass for someone for awhile and take the stress of being a lead guy off myself, and also it seemed like about the most punk rock thing I could get involved with at the time. Axl was really trying to do something that no one had done or made a success out of before.

"Not that 'Chinese Democracy' was necessarily a huge success, but I think in a lot of ways it was, because it came out and, you know, people bought it."

Full interview here: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110812/ENTERTAINMENT0201/108120301/Tommy-Stinson-Replacements-reunion-always-sitting-there-?odyssey=mod

[Stoned_In_L.A.]

"Not that 'Chinese Democracy' was necessarily a huge success, but I think in a lot of ways it was, because it came out and, you know, people bought it."

I found Tommy's last comment pretty interesting.

In a way, he acts almost surprised that the album came out and that anyone actually bought it.

A while back, I remember Axl saying that he didn't doubt that the album would come out; only if it would be released in its finished form.

If Axl didn't doubt the album's eventual release, why would Tommy? Furthermore, why is he surprised that anyone bought it?

That almost seems like he questioned the quality of the material.

[wight gunner]

"Not that 'Chinese Democracy' was necessarily a huge success, but I think in a lot of ways it was, because it came out and, you know, people bought it."

I found Tommy's last comment pretty interesting.

In a way, he acts almost surprised that the album came out and that anyone actually bought it.

A while back, I remember Axl saying that he didn't doubt that the album would come out; only if it would be released in its finished form.

If Axl didn't doubt the album's eventual release, why would Tommy? Furthermore, why is he surprised that anyone bought it?

That almost seems like he questioned the quality of the material.

Sounds like to me that he was surprised anybody "BOUGHT" it, after-all  P2P is the common factor in the demise of record sales now days. It's common knowledge that the artists make money from live shows these days. Yet another negative post from you, give us a break eh...

[jarmo]

Hahaha.

There you go again.


It's s success because it came out. It wasn't necessarily the easiest process for anyone involved. But it was released.

Nowhere does he say he doubted it would come out, he only says it's a success since it did.


Why would somebody be surprised an album sells? Because music sales aren't what they used to be?





/jarmo

[sky dog]

When did BBA come back to HTGTH?

[westcoast_junkie]

"Not that 'Chinese Democracy' was necessarily a huge success, but I think in a lot of ways it was, because it came out and, you know, people bought it."

I found Tommy's last comment pretty interesting.

In a way, he acts almost surprised that the album came out and that anyone actually bought it.

A while back, I remember Axl saying that he didn't doubt that the album would come out; only if it would be released in its finished form.

If Axl didn't doubt the album's eventual release, why would Tommy? Furthermore, why is he surprised that anyone bought it?

That almost seems like he questioned the quality of the material.

How do u read he was surprised that anyone bought it? He say he think CD was a success in many ways, because people bought it.....

Where does Tommy say he doubted CD would come out? He says it's a success, because it came out. A lot of difficult barriers along the way u know....

Actully, I'm quit surprised to find u here at the forum Stoned in LA...They didn't have internet "back in the day", huh?

[russtcb]

Jesus lord. Why does every thread get to be hi-jacked by the same detractors?

Yes, we can all read what Tommy said. He said it was a success in that it came out and people bought it.

How is there something negative to create there??

[HBK]

"Not that 'Chinese Democracy' was necessarily a huge success, but I think in a lot of ways it was, because it came out and, you know, people bought it."

I found Tommy's last comment pretty interesting.

In a way, he acts almost surprised that the album came out and that anyone actually bought it.

A while back, I remember Axl saying that he didn't doubt that the album would come out; only if it would be released in its finished form.

If Axl didn't doubt the album's eventual release, why would Tommy? Furthermore, why is he surprised that anyone bought it?

That almost seems like he questioned the quality of the material.

OMG

DOCTOR... DANGER PLEASE !!!

[jarmo]

If you have an agenda, you can find negativity in anything.

This character is excellent proof of that.


I'm sure people like him are idolized by the kids on some "fan" sites. Where it's "cool" to be "objective" and voice your displeasure with the band (whine, whine, whine).

I guess it must be important to be popular among people you'll probably never meet.  






/jarmo

[Ali]

"Not that 'Chinese Democracy' was necessarily a huge success, but I think in a lot of ways it was, because it came out and, you know, people bought it."

I found Tommy's last comment pretty interesting.

In a way, he acts almost surprised that the album came out and that anyone actually bought it.

A while back, I remember Axl saying that he didn't doubt that the album would come out; only if it would be released in its finished form.

If Axl didn't doubt the album's eventual release, why would Tommy? Furthermore, why is he surprised that anyone bought it?

That almost seems like he questioned the quality of the material.

What the fuck?  Where do you get any questions about the quality of the material?  Talk about making something up out of thin air. 

Maybe GN'R considered it a success to get the album out because of the all the obstacles in the path to getting it out?  And who the hell knows what he meant by the "bought it" comment.  Maybe he's happy the album sold what he did.  Maybe he's just being facetious.  Or, maybe he's happy people bought it considering all the leaks.  None of that says anything about the album's material. 

Ali

[russtcb]

If you have an agenda, you can find negativity in anything.

This character is excellent proof of that.


I'm sure people like him are idolized by the kids on some "fan" sites. Where it's "cool" to be "objective" and voice your displeasure with the band (whine, whine, whine).

I guess it must be important to be popular among people you'll probably never meet.  






/jarmo

Don't get me wrong, I've done my fair share of bitching about this or that concerning GNR and I do it elsewhere as I know it isn't welcomed here. But I feel there's a difference between having a negative opinion every so often and voicing it as opposed to just making stuff up or trying to find something negative in every little bit of news. I just do not get that.

[jarmo]

Of course there's a difference.

I know we all would love it if GN'R released new albums ever year, live DVDs, remixes and played four hour shows every day.

But whining about it isn't gonna make it happen.


You can be let down if GN'R doesn't have a show in your country, but what does it help to ridicule the countries where they are playing or ridiculing those who are excited about upcoming shows?


It's just obvious that there are some unhappy fans out there who will never be happy.

It seems like being happy is something scary.




/jarmo

[Limulus]

releasing live shows seems to be something scary 

[DeN]

the fact is Guns N'Roses is not the most generous band on earth.

but when they give something to you, it is a blast.

[cineater]

Love Tommy's sense of humor.  

[HBK]

If you have an agenda, you can find negativity in anything.

This character is excellent proof of that.


I'm sure people like him are idolized by the kids on some "fan" sites. Where it's "cool" to be "objective" and voice your displeasure with the band (whine, whine, whine).

I guess it must be important to be popular among people you'll probably never meet.  






/jarmo

This Guy Is Typical HATER Of Forum Latinoamerican, NOT Believe The HIT Actually Of GUNS N' ROSES...

Is Pro.ExMember, In My Opinion Is:

THE ONLY ONE LOSER

[faldor]

Axl said something very similar to Tommy in his chats, so they're on the same page.  There's NO reason to read any negativity into what Tommy said here.  Absolutely none.  But some will scratch and claw for anything they can, to put some sort of negative twist on things.

Anyway, here's what Axl said soon after the album was released.  There may have even been more to it, than this, but this is all I could come up with.

The record Chinese u may have is nothing short of a miracle in almost each and every way that either it or I exist imo under the bizarre and ugly conditions of the last over 15yrs.

[HBK]

Axl said something very similar to Tommy in his chats, so they're on the same page.  There's NO reason to read any negativity into what Tommy said here.  Absolutely none.  But some will scratch and claw for anything they can, to put some sort of negative twist on things.

Anyway, here's what Axl said soon after the album was released.  There may have even been more to it, than this, but this is all I could come up with.

The record Chinese u may have is nothing short of a miracle in almost each and every way that either it or I exist imo under the bizarre and ugly conditions of the last over 15yrs.

Exact, Much Obstacle... but haters do not understand

 

[russtcb]

Axl said something very similar to Tommy in his chats, so they're on the same page.  There's NO reason to read any negativity into what Tommy said here.  Absolutely none.  But some will scratch and claw for anything they can, to put some sort of negative twist on things.

Anyway, here's what Axl said soon after the album was released.  There may have even been more to it, than this, but this is all I could come up with.

The record Chinese u may have is nothing short of a miracle in almost each and every way that either it or I exist imo under the bizarre and ugly conditions of the last over 15yrs.

Good call faldor, I remember that stuff too.

All I take out of stuff like this is that these guys (like everyone involved in the actual creative end of Chinese) probably have some amazing perspective on what actually happened. I don't think Tommy "doubts the material" for even a second as he never said anything like that at all. I just think that when the subject comes up, the dude's head probably fills with any number of crazy things that happened down the line and he thinks "Man, it's a miracle that thing got released!"

We've all seen some very educated people on the history of GNR and Chinese specifically but I think even the most educated, accurate (REAL) insider probably has nothing on the tales people like Tommy could tell. I can't even imagine how much went on behind the scenes at the label and how many people tried to get a hand in Chinese. And of course everyone at the label had the old excuse of "It's Axl's fault" to throw out there whenever their own plans didn't come to fruition.

[sky dog]

"What I know is it's the record that was able to get through the red tape and get itself out there while helping friends, loved ones and myself along the way."

from the chats as well...