Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame! Now it's official.

[HBK]

Duff has written an article in ESPN about it:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/thelife/music/news/story?id=7799013

Duff Talks Guns N?Roses At The RNRHOF - ESPN

Some of you may know that my band Guns N' Roses will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this weekend in Cleveland. My editor has been hoping that somehow I could write about what this whole thing is like from the "inside."

Truthfully, it has been hard for me to find a good place from which to start and write such an article, head-space wise.

We are not a band anymore, and haven't been for some time. We are all still alive and well, but there has been some muddy water that has gone underneath the bridge. But water, muddy or otherwise, does indeed flow past and forever away, and I have nothing but the best of memories and highest level of love and admiration and feelings of brotherhood with all of those dudes. Seriously.

I was sent a sort of open letter addressed to us guys in GNR from a fella named Chris Gehert on behalf of "Worldwide Guns N' Roses Fans," and it sort of stopped me short. I will run it now in its entirety:

"Dear Guns N' Roses,

On Saturday April 14th 2012 you will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This gave a great hope to every GNR fan on the planet for a one time reunion show. Our one and only chance to see the original lineup on stage together again, if only for five minutes. Something we've been told for years would never happen. Rumors swirled, the band denied, and the fans prayed. It will always be okay because you never promised us anything.

With less than 2 weeks before the induction, the fans are watching as our reunion hopes start to disappear like Marty McFly's family in a polaroid picture. Each day it seems like there is some new story about how there has been no communication, nobody knows what is required of them, nobody's talking, and nobody really seems to care.

We care.

It would be easy for you to just show up, accept the induction, spend a few awkward minutes together at a podium and not talk again until somebody's funeral. But this time we need more.

We are not trying to be selfish, God knows you have given us plenty of legendary songs, spectacular shows, and classic rock moments. You are sincerely the best rock band in the history of the world. All of your solo efforts and reincarnations of the group are awesome too.

Your music has inspired billions of people. Each one of you is still a fan inside. You loved Elton John, Aerosmith, Queen, Kiss, The Misfits, ELO and more. Please remember how great it feels to see your favorite band play.

We beg you to pick up the phone, grab your instruments, drag Izzy to Cleveland and play together.

You can make music history. Please do it. Give us one more memory. We deserve it.

We will continue to support you no matter what, but at the end of each concert Axl tells the crowd to "Not take ... from anyone." And that means ANYONE!

Sincerely,

Worldwide Guns N' Roses Fans."

And to this point: The one reason that I am going to Cleveland this weekend is not to savor in some polite accolade or because an award show is that important to me. I am going because I have realized how important this is all to those many, many fans that supported us and believed in us, and showed up for us in droves.

Music is not like sports, and hence, a Hall of Fame in music is almost a false pedestal to sit upon. There are no statistics in music and art. No band or artist is "better" than another. Music comes from a primal place. Thin air. Dreams. And a lot of really hard damn work.

No one worked harder than us back then, and we were very fortunate to have met each other in those dirty back alleys of Hollywood sometime in 1984. We meshed and wrote, created thunder and beauty, and parlayed our real-life experience into an album that somehow related to a whole angsty world that felt just like us right then and there. It was a brilliant time.

I, too, now hope that we can just play a couple of songs there, and just sort of throw the microphone down on the stage and walk off. The rock-and-roll world would be set ablaze once again ... and we could make a bunch of fans happy and sated to some degree.

But alas, I am only responsible for me, and can only speak for me. I have forgiven and forgotten. I have grown up and manned up. Part of me growing has been to realize I am powerless over others.

This whole deal, I hope, goes off without a hitch. I do hope we can achieve some grace in our acceptance. And I hope this grace, is enough, in the end, for the best rock and roll fans in the world. The Guns N' (f---ing) Roses fans.

-- Duff

[GNR4L]

Duff has written an article in ESPN about it:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/thelife/music/news/story?id=7799013

Guns N' Roses: Appetite for induction

Some of you may know that my band Guns N' Roses will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this weekend in Cleveland. My editor has been hoping that somehow I could write about what this whole thing is like from the "inside."

Truthfully, it has been hard for me to find a good place from which to start and write such an article, head-space wise.

We are not a band anymore, and haven't been for some time. We are all still alive and well, but there has been some muddy water that has gone underneath the bridge. But water, muddy or otherwise, does indeed flow past and forever away, and I have nothing but the best of memories and highest level of love and admiration and feelings of brotherhood with all of those dudes. Seriously.

I was sent a sort of open letter addressed to us guys in GNR from a fella named Chris Gehert on behalf of "Worldwide Guns N' Roses Fans," and it sort of stopped me short. I will run it now in its entirety:

"Dear Guns N' Roses,

On Saturday April 14th 2012 you will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This gave a great hope to every GNR fan on the planet for a one time reunion show. Our one and only chance to see the original lineup on stage together again, if only for five minutes. Something we've been told for years would never happen. Rumors swirled, the band denied, and the fans prayed. It will always be okay because you never promised us anything.

With less than 2 weeks before the induction, the fans are watching as our reunion hopes start to disappear like Marty McFly's family in a polaroid picture. Each day it seems like there is some new story about how there has been no communication, nobody knows what is required of them, nobody's talking, and nobody really seems to care.

We care.

It would be easy for you to just show up, accept the induction, spend a few awkward minutes together at a podium and not talk again until somebody's funeral. But this time we need more.

We are not trying to be selfish, God knows you have given us plenty of legendary songs, spectacular shows, and classic rock moments. You are sincerely the best rock band in the history of the world. All of your solo efforts and reincarnations of the group are awesome too.

Your music has inspired billions of people. Each one of you is still a fan inside. You loved Elton John, Aerosmith, Queen, Kiss, The Misfits, ELO and more. Please remember how great it feels to see your favorite band play.

We beg you to pick up the phone, grab your instruments, drag Izzy to Cleveland and play together.

You can make music history. Please do it. Give us one more memory. We deserve it.

We will continue to support you no matter what, but at the end of each concert Axl tells the crowd to "Not take ... from anyone." And that means ANYONE!

Sincerely,

Worldwide Guns N' Roses Fans."

And to this point: The one reason that I am going to Cleveland this weekend is not to savor in some polite accolade or because an award show is that important to me. I am going because I have realized how important this is all to those many, many fans that supported us and believed in us, and showed up for us in droves.

Music is not like sports, and hence, a Hall of Fame in music is almost a false pedestal to sit upon. There are no statistics in music and art. No band or artist is "better" than another. Music comes from a primal place. Thin air. Dreams. And a lot of really hard damn work.

No one worked harder than us back then, and we were very fortunate to have met each other in those dirty back alleys of Hollywood sometime in 1984. We meshed and wrote, created thunder and beauty, and parlayed our real-life experience into an album that somehow related to a whole angsty world that felt just like us right then and there. It was a brilliant time.

I, too, now hope that we can just play a couple of songs there, and just sort of throw the microphone down on the stage and walk off. The rock-and-roll world would be set ablaze once again ... and we could make a bunch of fans happy and sated to some degree.

But alas, I am only responsible for me, and can only speak for me. I have forgiven and forgotten. I have grown up and manned up. Part of me growing has been to realize I am powerless over others.

This whole deal, I hope, goes off without a hitch. I do hope we can achieve some grace in our acceptance. And I hope this grace, is enough, in the end, for the best rock and roll fans in the world. The Guns N' (f---ing) Roses fans.

-- Duff

This guy doesn't speak for this Guns N' Roses Fan.  I would like to see everyone together on stage,  but performance wise...  there is no need since,  it would open more flood gates for a reunion.

[Jeramy]

"drag Izzy to Clevland" 

nicely worded response by duff tho...

the middle part sounds like acceptance speech material

[HBK]

This guy doesn't speak for this Guns N' Roses Fan.  I would like to see everyone together on stage,  but performance wise...  there is no need since,  it would open more flood gates for a reunion.
[/quote]

Exactly...

Guy Insane/Obsesive

 

[reayj2003]

I can't understand why anyone would not want them to play...It makes no difference to the current band! Even members of the current band want them to play! No sleep till Cleveland..

[Birk]

Tickets on StubHun dipped to $200 + fees/ticket.  I think people are starting to come back to reality. 

Wow they sure did, but those are the back seats, well worth $300 i paid $500 for Section 54 Row C like 2 months ago, not on stubhub though.  Im glad they went down for people, the problem is, ALL hotels are booked for sure if you decide last minute to go.

I just got a hotel room last week.  There were still available rooms.  Not sure about now though.

Really? How many miles from the HALL?  And what did you pay?

[faldor]

Tickets on StubHun dipped to $200 + fees/ticket.  I think people are starting to come back to reality. 

Wow they sure did, but those are the back seats, well worth $300 i paid $500 for Section 54 Row C like 2 months ago, not on stubhub though.  Im glad they went down for people, the problem is, ALL hotels are booked for sure if you decide last minute to go.

I just got a hotel room last week.  There were still available rooms.  Not sure about now though.

Really? How many miles from the HALL?  And what did you pay?

it's close, within a mile I believe and it was just over $100 with taxes and fees.

[AxlReznor]

I can't understand why anyone would not want them to play...It makes no difference to the current band! Even members of the current band want them to play! No sleep till Cleveland..

Because they believe that living for the present and respecting the past are two seperate things.

It bothers me that someone would send a message to the guys supposedly on behalf of all Guns N' Roses fans (without actually consulting 99.999% of them, obviously) demanding a performance. That's just selfish. If they all happen to feel like it and it happens, then it wouldn't be entirely unwelcome for that night. But trying to force them into it would suck.

[new gnr fan]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

[WAR41]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

[new gnr fan]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

Maybe a reunion with the Afd-Line Up, maybe a reunion with the UYI-Line UP, reunion is reunion. It would be also a GN'R reunion for me, when the 2002 Line-Up would be playing again together.

[AxlReznor]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the recognition was only about those five, then they wouldn't have included Matt and Dizzy. It's for the people who recorded everything from Appetite to the Illusions.

[Fingers]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the recognition was only about those five, then they wouldn't have included Matt and Dizzy. It's for the people who recorded everything from Appetite to the Illusions.

Off topic for me, but the 2002 days were the best for the new lineup-the MTV awards.

[new gnr fan]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the recognition was only about those five, then they wouldn't have included Matt and Dizzy. It's for the people who recorded everything from Appetite to the Illusions.

Maybe Gilby is inducted because of "TSI"? Just a thought...

[Fingers]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the recognition was only about those five, then they wouldn't have included Matt and Dizzy. It's for the people who recorded everything from Appetite to the Illusions.

Maybe Gilby is inducted because of "TSI"? Just a thought...

I like Gilby a lot, but for TSI all they did was erase Izzy's parts and Gilby went in and did them-he was so visible because of the UYI tours, and the videos.

[AxlReznor]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the recognition was only about those five, then they wouldn't have included Matt and Dizzy. It's for the people who recorded everything from Appetite to the Illusions.

Maybe Gilby is inducted because of "TSI"? Just a thought...

Gilby isn't being inducted, so nope... TSI isn't being included. Nor should it, as they never actually wrote any of the songs on that record.

[Fingers]

It was neat when Gilby put out his solo album and tour in 1994, because there was nothing going on with GNR or Slash, for that matter-this was pre-internet-I was basically waiting for Metal Edge magazine to come out every month to get any info-GNR had run its course on MTV, so they had no info at all about what was going on-I remember hoping they would play Woodstock that year.

[new gnr fan]

I love the present, and i respect the past, but for me GN'R was always GN'R.  But i think, a reunion gig is impossible, unless Axl says something else. There is no reunion without Axl, and this is good.

As far as I'm concerned its not a reunion without any of the original 5.  I wouldn't consider it a reunion if Izzy wasn't there and Gilby filled in.  I wouldn't even consider it a true reunion if Sorum filled in for Adler for all songs.  I know Dizzy and Matt are being inducted too, but I always felt like this recognition was all about the Appetite 5. 

As far as I'm concerned, if the recognition was only about those five, then they wouldn't have included Matt and Dizzy. It's for the people who recorded everything from Appetite to the Illusions.

Maybe Gilby is inducted because of "TSI"? Just a thought...

I like Gilby a lot, but for TSI all they did was erase Izzy's parts and Gilby went in and did them-he was so visible because of the UYI tours, and the videos.

Yes, sorry for the mistake. Is it true, that some covers were planned as parts of UYI, if this album would have had four cds?

[LongGoneDay]

It was neat when Gilby put out his solo album and tour in 1994, because there was nothing going on with GNR or Slash, for that matter-this was pre-internet-I was basically waiting for Metal Edge magazine to come out every month to get any info-GNR had run its course on MTV, so they had no info at all about what was going on-I remember hoping they would play Woodstock that year.

Off topic, but I remember a sample CD with Gilby came with a sega genesis game a million years ago.
I want to say it was Cure me or kill me, and the game was Jammit. Does anyone remember this?

The cover of Dead Flowers is pretty great on Gilby's first record. He did a good job filling in, but Izzy left some big ass shoes to fill, and I totally understand why Gilby was not inducted.

[Fingers]

It was neat when Gilby put out his solo album and tour in 1994, because there was nothing going on with GNR or Slash, for that matter-this was pre-internet-I was basically waiting for Metal Edge magazine to come out every month to get any info-GNR had run its course on MTV, so they had no info at all about what was going on-I remember hoping they would play Woodstock that year.

Off topic, but I remember a sample CD with Gilby came with a sega genesis game a million years ago.
I want to say it was Cure me or kill me, and the game was Jammit. Does anyone remember this?

The cover of Dead Flowers is pretty great on Gilby's first record. He did a good job filling in, but Izzy left some big ass shoes to fill, and I totally understand why Gilby was not inducted.

I don't remember the game, I do remember through his fan club getting a promo video (on vhs!)-I think it had 3 or 4 videos on it, Cure Me, and just shots of Gilby on the street-on kind of the same note, I got Gilby to sign my Pawnshop Guitars tape at the site where they were building the Rock Hall-he was doing an interview for a radio station-then the next night, he went onstage to perform one or 2 songs (not sure) with Motley Crue (John Corabi).