New Dj interview at LegendaryRockInterviews.com (Sep 2014)

[jarmo]

Just the GN'R part:

LRI: Does Guns N? Roses have any recording or touring plans in 2015?

DJ: We are planning on doing quite a bit of touring this coming year. The focus is getting in a studio and putting together what we all feel is the best Guns N? Roses record. Lack of material is not an issue. We have tons of stuff. Axl has two full albums that he has recorded,  he has played me a bunch of songs off of that, are incredible! I can?t wait to get in and kind of dive into those as well. I?ve written tons of songs & demoed up a bunch of stuff. I think it is just a matter of getting in & sifting through the piles of material.


http://www.legendaryrockinterviews.com/2014/09/29/dj-ashba-discusses-new-sixxa-m-album-modern-vintage-guitars-recording-and-playing-live/




/jarmo

[rebelhipi]

I have a feeling that someday they will release something quite extraordinary. Mixed with old chinese era songs and new songs.

How and when? Well see...

[GNR2014]

We are planning on doing quite a bit of touring this coming year.

The focus is getting in a studio and putting together what we all feel is the best Guns N? Roses record.

These sound a bit contradictory to me  

[GnR-NOW]

nothing wrong with more touring and seeing more shows   

[AxlsMainMan]

We are planning on doing quite a bit of touring this coming year.

The focus is getting in a studio and putting together what we all feel is the best Guns N? Roses record.

These sound a bit contradictory to me  

Studios on tour buses exist and recording in various studios while on tour is doable.

[carmiedisco12]

So basically exactly the same thing he has been saying for years now. The fact he is still waiting to dive in means nothing has been added to the masses and masses or already recorded material and he can record all the demo's he wants but unles Axl works on them they amount to stuff all. Sorry to be cynical but c'mon already.

[fozzie10]

No issue at all with them touring i look forward to it but its time to dampen down the "new" record talk,its the same message that has been around for the last couple of years,i know at some point an album will come and i'll,like everyone else will have to wait,but the same message drilled out interview after interview is getting tiring,and yes i know i do have sympathy with the guys as the "journo's"ask the same questions again and again but it is a bit tiring hearing the "record coming" line for the umpteenth time.

[reayj2003]

I thought DJ had already added to the recording process?

[jarmo]

Some say it's the same thing he has said before. I don't know about that.

I do find this kinda interesting though and considering what Axl said earlier this year.... It's not exactly bad news.

Axl has two full albums that he has recorded

/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

We are planning on doing quite a bit of touring this coming year.

The focus is getting in a studio and putting together what we all feel is the best Guns N? Roses record.

These sound a bit contradictory to me  

No doubt.  And if its a one or the other type deal, I think we know which will win out.

But, you still have to see this talk as positive.

[D-GenerationX]

nothing wrong with more touring and seeing more shows   

Why must it be either/or though?

They have hit every part of the world at this point, several times over.  And its not like all those spots wouldn't also be hit after another album comes out.

[D-GenerationX]

So basically exactly the same thing he has been saying for years now. The fact he is still waiting to dive in means nothing has been added to the masses and masses or already recorded material and he can record all the demo's he wants but unles Axl works on them they amount to stuff all. Sorry to be cynical but c'mon already.

Right now, things are sort of in limbo.  We have to take them at their word that they are actually working on this stuff.

That said, 2015 comes around, they hit the road with no new album and go back to the same deflections and non-answers about new material, anyone is well within their rights to roll their eyes and call them out on it.

[D-GenerationX]

Some say it's the same thing he has said before. I don't know about that.

I do find this kinda interesting though and considering what Axl said earlier this year.... It's not exactly bad news.

Depends if there is a payoff.  All this supposed material recorded does no one any good if it never sees the light of day. 

Think of it like any business.  What good is sitting on a bunch of money if you never spend any of it to grow your business?

[jarmo]

Nice analogy. I'll play along with you:
Maybe you don't wanna spend the money unless you know it'll be worth the investment and not just throwing the money away?

Oh no. That's not good business!
You need to spend the money because your customers who bought your previous products (or didn't because it didn't come out on a format they like) demand you to....


See, there's more to the picture than your side...



/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

Nice analogy. I'll play along with you:
Maybe you don't wanna spend the money unless you know it'll be worth the investment and not just throwing the money away?

Then retire.  Its that simple.  Stop pretending you are a viable operation.

If all you are going to do is come up with reasons why you don't ever or should never do anything year after year, just hang 'em up.  Publically embrace the reality that you are just a touring nostalgia band, which is what a lot of folks already think anyway.

Next year is big, real big.  Its a zero sum game.  One group of fans is going to be telling the other group that they told them so.  And the other side is just going to have to eat it.  Its just a question of who fills which role.

[GNR2014]

Next year is big, real big.  Its a zero sum game.  One group of fans is going to be telling the other group that they told them so.  And the other side is just going to have to eat it.  Its just a question of who fills which role.

People have been saying this for 4 years now.
It will be the same thing next year, "if 2016 comes and goes with no new album in sight, it's safe to label this a nostalgia act."

[D-GenerationX]

Next year is big, real big.  Its a zero sum game.  One group of fans is going to be telling the other group that they told them so.  And the other side is just going to have to eat it.  Its just a question of who fills which role.

People have been saying this for 4 years now.
It will be the same thing next year, "if 2016 comes and goes with no new album in sight, it's safe to label this a nostalgia act."

Well, the other side will obviously never concede that point.  I'm not blind to that.

I just feel that with each passing year, the credibility of that position erodes.  The "just be patient, they have a plan, you don't know the trouble he's seen" routine.  That side of things sheds believers every year.

The difference this time around, at least as far as I'm concerned, was Axl's interview.  He sort of went all in.  Which I loved.  That interview was the best thing to happen with GNR in 5 years.

But...it also put him on the hook.  No more excuses, no more benefit of the doubt.

[jarmo]

Then retire.  Its that simple.  Stop pretending you are a viable operation.

So just because in your mind those two are the only two alternatives, it must be that way?

Why don't you just take that advice yourself? Seriously, retire from the message boards until the band grants you your wishes and you got something new to say. Fair enough?
Who are you to give anyone career advice? At the end of the day, you're a fan. That's it!
Well, that's kinda debatable. Most fans don't exactly wish secretly wish their favorite band would cease to exist.

If all you are going to do is come up with reasons why you don't ever or should never do anything year after year, just hang 'em up.  Publically embrace the reality that you are just a touring nostalgia band, which is what a lot of folks already think anyway.

You started the analogy, and once I showed you why it's flawed (surprise!), this is what you come up with?


I think the difference between the point of views are that I personally don't feel owed music, I don't feel like any artists has to release music for my enjoyment just because they could. They do so on their own time. It's that simple. Some fans don't like this. They get annoyed, they get all upset about not getting their music.



So answer this, if Axl does what Axl wants, why is that a problem for you?




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

Then retire.  Its that simple.  Stop pretending you are a viable operation.

So just because in your mind those two are the only two alternatives, it must be that way?

Just approaching it logically.

With each passing year there is no movement on anything new, your only domestic tours are residencies in the same city with setlists containing fewer "new" songs, the argument this is a serious band looking to do new things grows weaker.  Like it, don't like it, learn to love it.

This would all be out the window if they played even one new song.  Both the 2002 and 2006 tours had this and provided hope for the future.  2009-10, 2012, 2014...nada.

Why don't you just take that advice yourself? Seriously, retire from the message boards until the band grants you your wishes and you got something new to say. Fair enough?

Not really.

I talk about what's going on.  Its hardly my fault I'm given so little to work with.  My sig isn't what it is by accident.

This doesn't even get into the fact that I am just a goofball on the internet and not presenting myself as a viable business operation that people should consider legitimate.  Frankly, because I didn't really think that distinction had to be made. 

Yet here we are.

You started the analogy, and once I showed you why it's flawed (surprise!), this is what you come up with?

You don't like mine because it puts what you think about the band in a bad light.  This is not a new development.  So you (try, anyway) to change the subject.

I think the difference between the point of views are that I personally don't feel owed music, I don't feel like any artists has to release music for my enjoyment just because they could. They do so on their own time. It's that simple. Some fans don't like this. They get annoyed, they get all upset about not getting their music.

This would be a biting comment if I ever implied I was felt I was owed something.

I talk about what's in front of me.  Again, not my fault that there's not much there.  Also not my fault I don't feel some sort of supposed guilt in pointing it out.

So answer this, if Axl does what Axl wants, why is that a problem for you?

Nope.  But we call it what it is. 

I see a touring band that plays old GNR songs for Axl to sing live.  This is based on track record.  I'll revise it the very second its not true.  And if that's all there is, that's all there is.  Its his call, not mine, and never have I ever suggested that if we make enough noise about it, he will change course.  Its his show.

What we don't do, is gin up all this fake surprise that people question the validity of this band given his apparent inaction with anything proactive.  As if we can't see where its coming from.  That's nonsense.  Of course we see where its coming from.  But some find it inconvenient to address reality, so we do this dance ad nasuem.

[jarmo]

With each passing year there is no movement on anything new, your only domestic tours are residencies in the same city with setlists containing fewer "new" songs, the argument this is a serious band looking to do new things grows weaker.  Like it, don't like it, learn to love it.

And this is bad because?

This would all be out the window if they played even one new song.  Both the 2002 and 2006 tours had this and provided hope for the future.  2009-10, 2012, 2014...nada.

2008: This song is old, we heard it at Rock In Rio in 2001 already.

Sound familiar? No? See, there's more sides to this than only yours.

I talk about what's going on.  Its hardly my fault I'm given so little to work with.  My sig isn't what it is by accident.

Well, you have a funny way of ignoring certain things that do go on.....

You don't like mine because it puts what you think about the band in a bad light.  This is not a new development.  So you (try, anyway) to change the subject.

I don't like it because it makes no fucking sense and lacks something I value, common sense. Sorry.

Your idea of common sense is: You recorded something you release it when I want it.
My idea of common sense is: You're the artist, you do what you think is right. Integrity is kinda important.

 

I talk about what's in front of me.  Again, not my fault that there's not much there.  Also not my fault I don't feel some sort of supposed guilt in pointing it out.

Don't you ever get tired of feeling this way? It's been the same since, what, 2008? Must be fun!

I see a touring band that plays old GNR songs for Axl to sing live.  This is based on track record.  I'll revise it the very second its not true.  And if that's all there is, that's all there is.  Its his call, not mine, and never have I ever suggested that if we make enough noise about it, he will change course.  Its his show.

And yet..... Most bands release records so they can tour.
Ironic isn't it?

Touring band is not the negative entity you try to make it out to be!
Seriously. Touring means active, touring mean there's interest in seeing the band, there's a demand.

How do you feel about that?

Would it be better to be a band that put out records that people download for free and can't tour because there's no interest? Those bands exist, they're called garage bands.

Certain "fans" kept saying, they can't tour South America again. Nobody's going. What happened? They extended the tour. Yet, that is something bad, It's horrible that there's fans who want to see their favorite band live.

Next time you wanna bring up this "touring band" shit, think back to 1995 or 2003.... or 2005? You pick. "Exciting" times when you didn't have to worry about the band being a "touring band"!




/jarmo