LA Times: Axl Rose's appetite is for today's Guns N' Roses

[Perfect Criminal]

Here's my concern.  Axl and Beta clash (just like Axl has with every manager) and it destroys their relationship.  He ends up firing her and killing the one constant good thing in his life.  That would mark the end of GNR.  Hiring a close friend is never NEVER a good idea.

PC

[sofine11]

My only concern with Beta at the helm is whether it will impact the band putting out new music in 2012.  Irving Azoff was able to get Chinese Democracy out, but he's Irving Azoff.  What type of negotiating will Beta be able to do with the label(s) to get new music to the fans sooner than later?

The still jury's out....

[LunsJail]

Here's my concern.  Axl and Beta clash (just like Axl has with every manager) and it destroys their relationship.  He ends up firing her and killing the one constant good thing in his life.  That would mark the end of GNR.  Hiring a close friend is never NEVER a good idea.

PC

What will they clash about? She'll do everything he tells her without question.

My only concern with Beta at the helm is whether it will impact the band putting out new music in 2012.  Irving Azoff was able to get Chinese Democracy out, but he's Irving Azoff.  What type of negotiating will Beta be able to do with the label(s) to get new music to the fans sooner than later?

The still jury's out....

I agree. And I'd bet just about any amount of money there won't be new music in 2012.

[sofine11]

Here's my concern.  Axl and Beta clash (just like Axl has with every manager) and it destroys their relationship.  He ends up firing her and killing the one constant good thing in his life.  That would mark the end of GNR.  Hiring a close friend is never NEVER a good idea.

PC

What will they clash about? She'll do everything he tells her without question.

My only concern with Beta at the helm is whether it will impact the band putting out new music in 2012.  Irving Azoff was able to get Chinese Democracy out, but he's Irving Azoff.  What type of negotiating will Beta be able to do with the label(s) to get new music to the fans sooner than later?

The still jury's out....

I agree. And I'd bet just about any amount of money there won't be new music in 2012.

As far as a new, as in newly recorded album, you could safely bet any amount of money that it ain't happening in 2012.  However, if Axl decides he wants to put out the rest of the CD Era tracks (The General, Atlas, Soul Monster, etc.) he could conceivably put that out as soon as he straightens out his issues with the label, whatever they may be.

[AdZ]

Here's my concern.  Axl and Beta clash (just like Axl has with every manager) and it destroys their relationship.  He ends up firing her and killing the one constant good thing in his life.  That would mark the end of GNR.  Hiring a close friend is never NEVER a good idea.

PC

What will they clash about? She'll do everything he tells her without question.

I didn't realise you knew Beta.

Oh wait.

[Fingers]

Hey-in the end, it's his band, he gan go with whom he chooses, but someday, the game of blaming Slash, Steven, the label, managers, execs., in interviews for all of his problems is going to get old-Slash has been out of the band for over 15 years.

[cineater]

So I really don't want to spoil it for everybody else ? or take the beating.

That's the spirit Axl, so he's going to call Slash and work out it? 

As far as I'm concerned, it's all of them or I'm going to be disappointed.  Those two in particular and they better not try to fake it because we're going to see right through that.  Not expecting them to be partners but mutual respect for each other, two guys that made it through a very tough time and produced a winner.  They're in a very elite class.

Or you know I'm willing to administer the beating. 

[Trist805]

Man, Axl really hates Steven.   Guy would love to just erase him from GNR history if he could.   Sad thing is Duff and Slash will pretty much bow down to whatever Axl wants...and would throw Steven under real quick.   

I personally think Axl should give Steven 50,000 or something just to not play

[Ali]

And it's about time to come off the Slash stuff. When Axl asks the journalist not to mention Slash's name and then bash his contributions to GNR with no prompting? You just start to look like an asshole.

Exactly, and a bitter, insecure one at that.  If Axl were secure in his current lineup and the current state of GNR, why the need to even mention Slash at all?  Especially when you've told others not to ask about him?

My fear is that she won't push him to do anything. And people on here will spend most of 2012 bitching about how there's no news, no signs of a new album, etc.

Yeah, the problem is, she's been involved so personally with him for so long, she may be afraid to say "no" to Axl (as so many people have who've worked for him).  Then again, she may be the one person who Axl tolerates saying "no" to him, so it's a crapshoot.

Interesting. Was it bitter and insecure for Slash to mention Axl like he did for so many years?

Ali

[Ali]

I don't think he's saying he's interested in touring with Slash and Duff. Those 2 and the current lineup wouldn't really be a reunion. And if that's the case, what's the point?

It'd be close enough for most people.  Most of your average rock fans equate Axl + Slash = Guns N' Roses.  Duff being in the mix too would only make it that much sweeter.  The highly successful Illusion tour showed that most people feel that way since Izzy & Steven weren't in the mix, and very few seemed to mind.   But my guess is that Axl was just thinking out loud about what members would be necessary for a hypothetical reunion tour.

I think the 'Axl+Slash = GNR' mentality was what Axl was railing against when he made the 'just a few riffs' comment.  That may have been going overboard on his part, but let's face it, it wasn't exactly Jagger/Richards either.  

Right, and all you have to do is look on the Illusion sleeve to see that Izzy was much more of a writing partner to Axl than Slash.  Unfortunately, mass public perception begs to differ.  The fact that Slash was by all means the lead guitar, and that Izzy was much less of a dynamic figure live and was missing missing for the majority of the Illusion tour when GNR was the biggest band in the world, didn't exactly help.

So while Axl may view Slash's input to be minimal, only complimenting his and Izzy's work, the whole world remembers that badass dude with the top hat standing on top of the piano in November Rain or plugging into the Marshall amp and riffing at the beginning of SCOM.  Hard images to shake, just because of a personal fallout.

Agreed. I think Axl and Izzy's partnership was the cornerstone of GN'R.

Also, I think people are looking at what Axl said about Slash in global terms when my impression was that Axl was specially speaking of AFD. I think that record was defined musically more by Izzy, with Axl adding lyrics and melodies, along with key riffs and, of course, solos by Slash.

Ali

[Bodhi]

Here's my concern.  Axl and Beta clash (just like Axl has with every manager) and it destroys their relationship.  He ends up firing her and killing the one constant good thing in his life.  That would mark the end of GNR.  Hiring a close friend is never NEVER a good idea.

PC

What will they clash about? She'll do everything he tells her without question.

I didn't realise you knew Beta.

Oh wait.

As far as Beta being GNR's manager, where exactly is the downside?  Axl has someone who he obviously trusts in a powerful position to help deal with the parasites that exist in the music business.  Sounds like a good plan to me, and is something I would do if I were in a powerful position like Axl.

on a side note, can anyone explain to me why the fuck Guns N Roses are still dealing with major labels?  Its almost 2012!  A band as powerful as GN'R could go the independent route so easily, and have complete control over EVERYTHING they do without answering to anyone.

Tom Delonge from Blink182/Angels and Airwaves fought to get Angels taken off of Geffen and created this website called modlife.com to distribute music, and has completely rewritten the business model for a professional band as far as how they release music, videos, albums, pay per views etc...it would be great if GNR would do something like this>>>   http://modlife.com/angelsandairwaves   THAT is what a music website should look like!

[Fingers]

And it's about time to come off the Slash stuff. When Axl asks the journalist not to mention Slash's name and then bash his contributions to GNR with no prompting? You just start to look like an asshole.

Exactly, and a bitter, insecure one at that.  If Axl were secure in his current lineup and the current state of GNR, why the need to even mention Slash at all?  Especially when you've told others not to ask about him?

My fear is that she won't push him to do anything. And people on here will spend most of 2012 bitching about how there's no news, no signs of a new album, etc.

Yeah, the problem is, she's been involved so personally with him for so long, she may be afraid to say "no" to Axl (as so many people have who've worked for him).  Then again, she may be the one person who Axl tolerates saying "no" to him, so it's a crapshoot.

Interesting. Was it bitter and insecure for Slash to mention Axl like he did for so many years?

Ali

Both sound bitter and insecure, sure

[Ali]

And it's about time to come off the Slash stuff. When Axl asks the journalist not to mention Slash's name and then bash his contributions to GNR with no prompting? You just start to look like an asshole.

Exactly, and a bitter, insecure one at that.  If Axl were secure in his current lineup and the current state of GNR, why the need to even mention Slash at all?  Especially when you've told others not to ask about him?

My fear is that she won't push him to do anything. And people on here will spend most of 2012 bitching about how there's no news, no signs of a new album, etc.

Yeah, the problem is, she's been involved so personally with him for so long, she may be afraid to say "no" to Axl (as so many people have who've worked for him).  Then again, she may be the one person who Axl tolerates saying "no" to him, so it's a crapshoot.

Interesting. Was it bitter and insecure for Slash to mention Axl like he did for so many years?

Ali

Both sound bitter and insecure, sure

Fair enough.

Ali

[D]

Couldn't be any worse than Merck.

Give her a chance.

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

To all the people who seem to think that that Beta, Fernando and Vanessa aren't equipped for this job;

Haven't you stopped to ponder that maybe being in the business for 20 years, being around GN'R for 20 years and knowing the entire history, each member of the band, and more to the point having from all this time and energy spent a great understanding of the industry, would make them the perfect people for the job?

Surely much better than a bunch of people pushing for some sort of cash grab awful reunion.

I agree, and I think the difference between now and other periods in which Beta was "acting" manager is that Axl has tons of confidence in the current lineup and seems to be in a frame of mind to push this band into new territory.  Axl's got his swag back and thats all I need.

[Axl4Prez2004]

I hope it works out well...business can be brutal. 
Families can be strained. 
They have been through some tough shit over the last decade and a half, so I am optimistic they can weather future storms together.

 

Just an idea here:  My 1st action as GNR's manager would be to lock the band behind closed doors.  Nobody's comin' out until we've got a new record!   
...because everyone knows Axl responds well to power-plays.  NOT!   

[Buddha_Master]

Just release another album next year Axl and fuck these clowns. Shut them right the fuck up!

[Bridge]

What will they clash about?  Beta will do everything he tells her without question.

But that could be the problem.  A manager is supposed to challenge the artist too, not just be a "yes" person.

Interesting. Was it bitter and insecure for Slash to mention Axl like he did for so many years?

Bitter, definitely.  Slash himself has admitted several times that his post-GNR negativity towards Axl was brought on by pent-up bitterness that ate him up.  However, he was generally being asked his opinion on Axl (as opposed to bringing him up for no reason), and he'd been pretty quiet from 1996-2001 about Axl, so it had been building for five years within him.  I don't think insecurity really had anything to do with it.

When AXL made the recent comments about Slash, you're talking about a guy who left Guns N Roses 15 years ago.  Axl has since recorded and toured with lineups that he claims make him happy, which is cool.  So why the need to bring Slash up at all?  Especially when NOBODY asked about Slash.  In fact, Axl always makes it a point that he is NOT to be asked about Slash, but then brought him up anyway and spoke a good bit about him.

My thoughts are that -- regardless of who joins his "Guns N Roses" lineup -- Axl realizes that the specter of Slash will haunt him forever and a day.  Since Axl doesn't care for Slash, that must really eat him up, so he says these sorts of things to attempt to minimize Slash's contributions to Guns N Roses.

Maybe 4 or 5 people on this particular website will be duped into believing that Slash had little to do with the musicianship and success of Guns N Roses, but the millions who supported the band from 1987-1993 remember differently.

I will again state that if Axl were truly secure in his current lineup and their place in Guns N Roses, he wouldn't need to tear down any former member of the band, or even think of them.  He would just acknowledge their place in GNR history and continue on with his new band.  Slash, Steven, Duff, and Izzy have all been critical of Axl's demeanor in various ways, but they've never discredited Axl in terms of GNR's musical success.  Why can't he do the same for them, rather than foolishly trying to revise history?

Slash and Axl haven't spoken or been in a band together for 15 years, so what is Axl gaining by slandering him at this point?  Slash hasn't spoken negatively about Axl in years, so it's not like Axl has anything to retaliate over.

Agreed. I think Axl and Izzy's partnership was the cornerstone of GN'R.

Also, I think people are looking at what Axl said about Slash in global terms when my impression was that Axl was specially speaking of AFD. I think that record was defined musically more by Izzy, with Axl adding lyrics and melodies, along with key riffs and, of course, solos by Slash.

I don't necessarily disagree, but Steven's rhythm contributions cannot be denied.  People don't typically credit drummers in any band, but Slash and Izzy have both made it a point to say that Steven deserves a huge amount of credit for the spark and the (to use Izzy's words) push-and-pull that gave those songs their feel, and they're 100% correct.  Steven's drumming is incredibly rhythmic and drives the record forward.  At the end of the day, it was all about chemistry between five guys.  Songwriting credits don't mean everything.  The fusions of styles and ideas are equally important, and the five original members just had it.

[GypsySoul]

The problem with "paper" interviews is that you can't hear the inflection in his voice.

Any of you consider he was 'joking' about the riff stuff?

Just like on that trunk interview when he was talking about Frank wanting the band to play certain songs and Axl replied something to the affect of "Nobody asked you!"  You could see/hear he was obviously joking but put that same quote on paper and the haters could easily turn that into the whole dictator shit and that the guys have zero input.

[wight gunner]

As duff starts his book, he's writing from his truth, others might not see the same story in the same way. Slash, Axl and all the others will see and say things as they saw it, but the key here is that its Axl's band and regardless of what other people say. What happens in future is gonna come from the Axl camp, who else is on that ride will be decided on what the final product needs to be, and by those who can do it, and Axl says he's happy with the way things are, and knows they are capable of the next project, they all have that work ethic.

On HOF, I've concluded that Axl will share the stage, but not play, saying that was then, we've all moved on and thx for the award, bringing closure, and an anti-climax for the demander's expecting a reunion/live show.