New Dj interview at LegendaryRockInterviews.com (Sep 2014)

[D-GenerationX]

Your view of Las Vegas is as dated as the Monkees.

Some of the most amazing shows you can see on stage reside in Las Vegas.
I suggest you check out some of those Cirque de Soleil shows next time you're in Las Vegas before you say it's not creative.

The whole idea of the residency is to put on a show you can't take on the road. Creativity like making the piano fly might not work elsewhere.... Ironic isn't it.

I agree, but just don't make that all you do.  A Vegas residency is fine as a lark, but its the only 2 tours they have done of their home country in years.  That's what he's talking about.

I do have to chuckle at you suddenly being Las Vegas' greatest champion.  If this band set up a residency in Branson, Missouri (Las Vegas, if it was run by Ned Flanders) you'd be talking up how amazing that town was.

[jarmo]

A proper nationwide tour, which has not been done since 2011.

You don't consider nationwide more intimate shows in early 2012 as a proper tour? It was 15 shows after all.

2012 was a short residency in one city.

See above. Your memory is letting you down. You forgot the Up Close And Personal shows in February-March.

In terms of what sort of venues they can fill nationwide, well, that's the point we see who is right, you or me.  Because we can't both be.

As far as I can recall, I never said where they can or can't tour. Anything's possible.

I do have to chuckle at you suddenly being Las Vegas' greatest champion.  If this band set up a residency in Branson, Missouri (Las Vegas, if it was run by Ned Flanders) you'd be talking up how amazing that town was.

You can chuckle all you want at your own misguided guesses. I'm not a champion of Las Vegas. I prefer many other cities to it.

I'm not gonna bash the concept of a residency there based on how fake the city is. The residencies were great. The shows I saw there were great, I had some great meals there.
Just sticking to what I saw and experienced instead of bashing it based on what the cool people think.

I had great times in Las Vegas.



/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

A proper nationwide tour, which has not been done since 2011.

You don't consider nationwide more intimate shows in early 2012 as a proper tour? It was 15 shows after all.

No.

I also consider "more intimate" to be your basic realtor speak.  Like when they describe a house as "cozy", it means small.  A house that with "a lot of character", is old.

In the touring world, "more intimate" means that's really the only amount of tickets you feel you can move.  No one in the history of the business has elected to play smaller places out of the goodness of their hearts.

2012 was a short residency in one city.

See above. Your memory is letting you down. You forgot the Up Close And Personal shows in February-March.

Already covered.

In terms of what sort of venues they can fill nationwide, well, that's the point we see who is right, you or me.  Because we can't both be.

As far as I can recall, I never said where they can or can't tour. Anything's possible.

But you have disputed, and disputed with extreme prejudice I might add, any sort of talk they have trouble moving tickets.

Because, why...this is still Guns N' Roses, after all.  All is right with the world.

As I said, we can't both be right.  They are either playing bigger places again, or still struggling to fill smaller ones.  One or the other.

I'm not gonna bash the concept of a residency there based on how fake the city is. The residencies were great. The shows I saw there were great, I had some great meals there.
Just sticking to what I saw and experienced instead of bashing it based on what the cool people think.

I go to Las Vegas every year.  It's a fun town.  If one of the residencies match up with when I was there, I would have gone.  I imagine I'd have had a good time.

But does my fun 3 hours translate to all being right as rain when it comes to my favorite band?  No, it just means I had a fun 3 hours.  A disconnect between you and I is your apparent complete lack of being able to separate one person's individual experience from the bigger picture of the band's operation overall.

[jarmo]

No.

So if 15 shows across the country, on both coasts and in place sin between isn't a tour. What is? It's not really a residency because there was no flying piano to shake your fist at...

Or is it just because you forgot about it and you can't admit to being wrong?

But you have disputed, and disputed with extreme prejudice I might add, any sort of talk they have trouble moving tickets.

Because one answer doesn't cover the whole world. Or country. You might keep going on and on about your home town, but what happens there might not be the case in some other town. Or vice versa.

For example, I think a summer tour is when it's easier to get people to leave their houses. Compared to say a January tour....

I go to Las Vegas every year.  It's a fun town.  If one of the residencies match up with when I was there, I would have gone.  I imagine I'd have had a good time.

But does my fun 3 hours translate to all being right as rain when it comes to my favorite band?  No, it just means I had a fun 3 hours.  A disconnect between you and I is your apparent complete lack of being able to separate one person's individual experience from the bigger picture of the band's operation overall.

What the fuck are you talking about?

You attack me for "championing Las Vegas" when in reality I was just pointing out the misguided view that Las Vegas is what it used to be.

Considering I was there, both times, and you were not. It's kinda funny having you telling me how it was or what it did for the band.
I didn't see, meet or talk to a lot of unhappy fans such as the earlier poster who still holds a grudge over the poor flying piano while I was there. Come to think of it, I don't recall one unhappy fan.

Everybody was there having a great time. But, once again, that's a bad thing... For the band.

I think the biggest disconnect between us is that you have a hard time seeing good things, or maybe the fact that you weren't here, or there. But you think you know how it was....

If you wanna bash me for championing something, then make it the right for bands to have some fun. Including flying pianos. Or pianos that rise from the stage.




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

No.

So if 15 shows across the country, on both coasts and in place sin between isn't a tour. What is? It's not really a residency because there was no flying piano to shake your fist at...

Or is it just because you forgot about it and you can't admit to being wrong?

You got the wrong guy, ace.

Not only have I not had a problem with the Vegas show structure, I also commented that's what makes it Vegas.  Its all spectacle.  I even channeled my inner Jarmo and made a comparison to the old band, by pointing out they had inflatable monsters as part of their stage show , for god's sake.

I think your quarrel is with other folks on that one.

But you have disputed, and disputed with extreme prejudice I might add, any sort of talk they have trouble moving tickets.

Because one answer doesn't cover the whole world. Or country. You might keep going on and on about your home town, but what happens there might not be the case in some other town. Or vice versa.

I'm talking all over. 

The stats from the South American tour this past year showed a lot of empty seats.  And SA is where they are supposed to have it made in the shade.

Where they play and how many seats they move is an indication of their drawing power.

I go to Las Vegas every year.  It's a fun town.  If one of the residencies match up with when I was there, I would have gone.  I imagine I'd have had a good time.

But does my fun 3 hours translate to all being right as rain when it comes to my favorite band?  No, it just means I had a fun 3 hours.  A disconnect between you and I is your apparent complete lack of being able to separate one person's individual experience from the bigger picture of the band's operation overall.

What the fuck are you talking about?

I'm talking about whenever anything is brought up about the setlist, the venues, ticket sales...you come back with the tired "sure seemed like the people there had fun".

One has nothing to do with the other.

Considering I was there, both times, and you were not. It's kinda funny having you telling me how it was or what it did for the band.

Yeah, we know you're on the inside, Jarmo.  And we're all real impressed by that, let me tell you.

That's you waving a laminated pass in somebody's face and trying to bigtime them into silence.  Maybe that works on some.  It doesn't with me.

[jarmo]

You got the wrong guy, ace.

Unfortunately I don't.

This has nothing to do with Las Vegas. I've tried to explain it, but you just ignore it for some reason. So here we go again:

You made this claim:

2012 was a short residency in one city.

A proper nationwide tour, which has not been done since 2011.

You don't consider nationwide more intimate shows in early 2012 as a proper tour? It was 15 shows after all.

No.

So, the question STILL remains: What makes a tour?
Why is this not a tour:

February 10th, 2012 - New York, NY @ Roseland Ballroom
February 12th, 2012 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
February 15th, 2012 - New York, NY @ The Ritz (Webster Hall)
February 16th, 2012 - New York, NY @ Hiro Ballroom
February 19th, 2012 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
February 21st, 2012 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
February 23rd, 2012 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore 
February 24th, 2012 - Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
February 27th, 2012 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Electric Factory
March 1st, 2012 - Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
March 3rd, 2012 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues Orlando
March 5th, 2012 - Miami Beach, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
March 9th, 2012 - Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
March 11th, 2012 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
March 12th, 2012 - West Hollywood, CA @ House Of Blues West Hollywood


One, two... I see more than once city there. Can you? How is that a residency in one city? It's a residency in multiple cities but not a tour?

Not only have I not had a problem with the Vegas show structure, I also commented that's what makes it Vegas.  Its all spectacle.  I even channeled my inner Jarmo and made a comparison to the old band, by pointing out they had inflatable monsters as part of their stage show , for god's sake.

And yet, we're not talking about Vegas...
As I said, your memory might not be what it once was. You forgot to acknowledge the shows listed above. Why? And why isn't that a tour?

The stats from the South American tour this past year showed a lot of empty seats.  And SA is where they are supposed to have it made in the shade.

If it was that simple. Did the stats also show the number of shows compared to say other previous tours?

I'm talking about whenever anything is brought up about the setlist, the venues, ticket sales...you come back with the tired "sure seemed like the people there had fun".

No, no. You started going after me for "championing Las Vegas". Which is just moronic.
I pointed out that the poster, not you, had the wrong idea about Las Vegas. Yes, talking from my own experiences there. This had nothing to do with you or your two cents on the subject.

That's you waving a laminated pass in somebody's face and trying to bigtime them into silence.  Maybe that works on some.  It doesn't with me.

No. Not even close. That's me telling you what I experienced by being there. Instead of having people on the Internet tell me what it was.



Now, go back and focus on the things you got wrong, address them and admit you were wrong. I recall you telling me you'd be the first to admit you were wrong. Yet I must've missed all those posts where you did....

A hint: 2012 had more shows in the USA than just the Appetite For Democracy ones in Las Vegas. Oh, and that's not including the Bridge Benefit. Just helping you out since you can't seem to place the shows I'm talking about. They're all listed above too for reference. 



/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

Yes, I will admit I didn't realize the small club tour done out of the goodness of their hearts was quite that many cities.  I was wrong about that, and you would have to consider that a tour.

If hell freezes over and they release an album to tour behind, it would be my hope they can do a little better than playing venues of the size they were playing in 1987 on the way up.  I would find it disheartening if that's all they could fill.

[jarmo]

Yes, I will admit I didn't realize the small club tour done out of the goodness of their hearts was quite that many cities.  I was wrong about that, and you would have to consider that a tour.

Great!
Thanks.

If hell freezes over and they release an album to tour behind, it would be my hope they can do a little better than playing venues of the size they were playing in 1987 on the way up. 

Well they could've played the Madison Square Garden in 2006, but chose to start with multiple night at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Then went back to MSG later...
You can do both.

I would find it disheartening if that's all they could fill.

Interesting choice of words considering the vibe you put out. A lot of "no, no, no" and then you'd be disheartened when that happens?

I've said it before, I'll say it again. One of the reasons I don't get certain other fan sites is that if you're an outsider, and you looked at one of those sites, you'd get the idea that not even the fans of the band like the band. I know not all fans are like that. That's why this place still exists.

The point is, when fans don't think a band can sell a certain amount of tickets, I don't think that kind of negativity is helping anybody. But then those same fans are upset if the band doesn't tour in their area on the next tour, or make other decisions based on it that affects them.

The same goes for the "it's not GN'R" brigade. Some fans are promoting that idea, and then feel let down when things don't go as well as they had hoped? You can't have the cake and eat it too....

For example: Fan A wishes the band to be huge, to play multiple sold out shows in huge venues and release successful albums. But while (s)he waits for that to happen, (s)he spends their time telling anyone who'll listen how this band sucks and how the music isn't that good. Is that how (s)he will get what (s)he wishes for?


I remember quite some time ago, there was this idea of street teams to promote GN'R. Some fans laughed at the idea. But the core idea of it, still rings true. If you love something, you're likely to tell others about it. You tell others how amazing a show was or something. Others might, or might not, want to check it out. Imagine you do the opposite....


/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

I would find it disheartening if that's all they could fill.

Interesting choice of words considering the vibe you put out. A lot of "no, no, no" and then you'd be disheartened when that happens?

I absolutely would.  I think any fan would.

This was one of the biggest rock bands of our lifetime.  If they put out a new album and did a nationwide tour to support it, but all they could fill in major cites (many of whom have not seen them in a bit) is some small venue the size of the spots they were playing coming up 20 years ago...yeah, that's a bummer, in my view.

Your street team proposal is interesting, but I'm not sure how it would work.  You'd have to see what the band did. 

For instance, let's say you did this for the last album.  What would you direct people towards?  There was no song on the radio.  No video to see on Youtube.  And not even any tour dates to tell them about.  In fact, the album came out in November of 2008 and other than a one off date in August 2010, they played no shows stateside until October 2011.

So if the street team goes to work in the summer of 2011 for those shows, what have you sent them into battle with? 

[kaasupoltin]

But it's still weird how some people seem to think that a band let them down because the band did something they didn't want the band to do. Then they seem to have this right to give some sort of directions like "they should have done this and this and that and I would still like them". You think the band cares?

...

But, when you look at something that either didn't work or is not working, its no crime to say that another approach might have been better.  That is not a demand.  That is not a threat to revoke your support.  Its an observation.

Axl running off into hiding for over a year after an album he spent 10 years on was a bad development.  Suggesting a different way he might have gone with that is not anyone saying they have all the answers and they can't believe Axl didn't ring them up and ask them.

That is true and I'm not denying it, I was just pointing out how some of the so called fans like to think they actually know better and go on with it for years. Complaining about a decision the band made or an album they released that one didn't like. I think it's a huge waste of time, and you don't have to like everything. Some only like the older GN'R stuff and there's nothing wrong with that, like there's nothing wrong in liking only the later stuff.. but complaining about the stuff you don't like and trying to tell everyone how the band used to suck or sucks now over and over again is just pathetic. There's nothing wrong with a mature discussion though. But just go to mygnr and you get what I mean

[ice cream sand pig]

Yeah, I like the way Jarmo runs this place. MYGNR blows my mind. There are a couple major trolls on there, all of whom hate Axl, and they basically run the forums because they post so much. They might as well live on the forum but they hate the band. Every time someone posts something positive about the new band they team up on them and take over the thread. They don't even try to make sense the way DX does. They just post things like "CD sucks, no new material will ever come out, Axl is fat, Axl fans are crazy, etc..." What a fucked up fan forum. I don't get it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not just trying to talk shit about the other forum, but in contrast I am very grateful that Jarmo runs this place the way he does.

[jarmo]

I would find it disheartening if that's all they could fill.

Interesting choice of words considering the vibe you put out. A lot of "no, no, no" and then you'd be disheartened when that happens?

I absolutely would.  I think any fan would.

You don't think there are the "I told you so" crowd? We see them before every tour saying no one will go, Axl won't show up and so on...
Do you think these fans want the band to succeed?

Your street team proposal is interesting, but I'm not sure how it would work.  You'd have to see what the band did. 

It wasn't a proposal, it was just something that happened in the past. I just remembered it being laughed at by some back then.

For instance, let's say you did this for the last album.  What would you direct people towards?  There was no song on the radio.  No video to see on Youtube.  And not even any tour dates to tell them about.  In fact, the album came out in November of 2008 and other than a one off date in August 2010, they played no shows stateside until October 2011.

So if the street team goes to work in the summer of 2011 for those shows, what have you sent them into battle with? 

We've seen all kinds of campaigns over the years. Everything from "Make song X the UK Christmas #1" to "GN'R come back to Brazil"...




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

Yeah, I like the way Jarmo runs this place. MYGNR blows my mind. There are a couple major trolls on there, all of whom hate Axl, and they basically run the forums because they post so much. They might as well live on the forum but they hate the band. Every time someone posts something positive about the new band they team up on them and take over the thread. They don't even try to make sense the way DX does. They just post things like "CD sucks, no new material will ever come out, Axl is fat, Axl fans are crazy, etc..." What a fucked up fan forum. I don't get it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not just trying to talk shit about the other forum, but in contrast I am very grateful that Jarmo runs this place the way he does.

On the other sites, the picture you get of Jarmo is that he crushes all dissent and censors you at all times.

Well...I'm living proof that ain't the case, am I not?  I don't think Jarmo would piss on me if I was on fucking fire, but you can't say he doesn't let me speak my mind.

Jarmo's approach keeps out the "Axl is fat" and "without Slash, it doesn't matter" types.  And really, speaking as someone that does post at MYGNR, its impossible to have any serious conversation.  I go there to goof off and have some laughs.

[D-GenerationX]

I would find it disheartening if that's all they could fill.

Interesting choice of words considering the vibe you put out. A lot of "no, no, no" and then you'd be disheartened when that happens?

I absolutely would.  I think any fan would.

You don't think there are the "I told you so" crowd? We see them before every tour saying no one will go, Axl won't show up and so on...
Do you think these fans want the band to succeed?

No, but I'm not including them either. 

I don't even consider them part of the equation when I have these discussions.  To be honest, I don't get why you do either.  Like people that write mean things on their FB page.  Or make jokes about Axl being fat.  You've lost those people.  Who cares what they say, because they don't matter.

I'm talking any fan of the band still interested in what they are doing.

You want to see them succeed.  You want to see them flourish.  What you don't want to see is a world where so few even give a damn.

[jarmo]

I don't care, but I'm puzzled by their existence. To me it seems like a waste of energy and time.

I know there's people who consider themselves fans, they say they want the band to succeed and whatnot, but they're always the first ones to post the "Axl won't show up" shit and like vultures wait for some negativity to latch on to. I just don't get it.

There's no way GN'R can ever do something that will make everybody happy. And those so called fans are the last ones who should expect that to happen. 




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

I know there's people who consider themselves fans, they say they want the band to succeed and whatnot, but they're always the first ones to post the "Axl won't show up" shit and like vultures wait for some negativity to latch on to. I just don't get it.

Yeah, but sometimes those are just jokes.  Why get so bent out of shape?

When I finally got to see them back in 2011 in Camden, the lobby there was jam packed.  We were all drinking and waiting for the show to start.  And EVERYBODY was making those sorts of jokes.  And we all laughed and had a good time with it.

Why do I feel if you were in earshot, you'd be there with a lecture?  Or, at the least, a disapproving look?

[jarmo]

I laugh at those people. Don't worry.
Do they admit they were ever wrong? Nah. Just act like nothing happened and move on to the next "joke".

Can't take that shit or them seriously.



/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

I laugh at those people. Don't worry.
Do they admit they were ever wrong? Nah. Just act like nothing happened and move on to the next "joke".

Can't take that shit or them seriously.

Yeah, you really need to lighten the hell up there, guy.  My lord.

They are JOKES, for christ's sake.  You act like were are drawing a cartoon of Mohammed here.

Unless you figured there were thousands of "non-fans" in that lobby with me.  Presumably saying one nice thing, all so then they could go back to being negative, right?

[ice cream sand pig]

incredible criticizer
disassemble the sympathizer
motivate and inspire
all the fans to retire

[mortismurphy]

When I was waiting for Axl to show up in 2012, and there was a lot of people in the lobby to kill the time, everybody, in my ear-shot, was making jokes about, ''whether or not he was going to show'', or, ''whether he will have a temper tantrum on stage''. I even remember the guy selling the t-shirts saying, ''well, it has never been the same since Slash left, has it?''. I think I understand you now, and things here. It is essentially one big sense-of-humour fail.