New Dj interview at LegendaryRockInterviews.com (Sep 2014)

[Ali]

Wow, talk about falling back on a dead horse.  Has it really come back to debating whether this is Guns N' Roses?  Obviously technically its GN'R.  Thats not debatable.  But if you look at it from the perspective that GN'R was made up of a certain group of musicans, a musical style or even a certain spirit/vibe that the original Guns had, than clearly one could equate GN'R with something that was, but will never be again.  It is subjective to each individual how they feel the lineup changes, musical style changes and just plain old growning up impacts what they think is GN'R.  Even Axl refers to "old guns" and "new guns", so of course there are distinct eras.  So, is it GN'R, yes.  Is it the same as it once was, no of course not.  But a thread runs through it all, and thats Axl, he owns the name, and he continues to play the classic material, so in all fairness its Guns N' Roses, just evolved in a number of ways from what that once meant.

I think this is my favorite part of this post, "So, is it GN'R, yes.  Is it the same as it once was, no of course not. "

That is a very, very fair and realistic assessment.

Ali

[Ali]

But it?s really Gun n Roses in name only. 

Only?  That's the name of the band.  What else is it supposed to be? 

I think Ali said it best earlier today, people just use the "this isn't GNR" line as synonymous with the sentiment that this lineup doesn't rate with earlier versions of the band.  That's a matter of opinion, but the name of the band is not. 

Precisely!  That's a very succinct way of putting what I was saying.

Ali

[D-GenerationX]

Ron Thal is perhaps going to leave this band after 8 years without working on one song.

The next guy can be slotted right in and not miss a beat.  Because he won't be on any songs either.

But, hey...Izzy left a tour that time, so....yeah. 

You are always saying that he is leaving the but you don't have any proof for it.

I'm not saying it now.  Believe I said "perhaps".

But suppose that is how it goes.  To say that's not odd is pretty silly.  Ditto trying to compare it to these other bands, where nothing like that remotely happens.

I'm not even saying I don't roll with the move.  I'm desensitized and used to it by now.  Ron stays, Ron goes...what really changes?

But I'm not going to sit here and put on this phony surprise that people think that's a bit off.  Because of course its a bit off

[D-GenerationX]

But No I didn't want the tour to stop ... And the band was doomed once he walked away

Going forward, creatively, I think it would have been hard.

The Axl and Izzy dynamic seemed to be responsible for more stuff than Axl and Slash.  Who knows if an Axl and Slash with no Izzy even works. 

'Coma' and 'Locomotive' are two of my favorite GNR tunes.  But its 2 tunes out of the 50 or so the band did that are credited solely to the two men.

[ice cream sand pig]

Jaeball... The part of my post that was referring to you wasn't related to the comments Jarmo made...

I was just pointing out how I thought that the current lineup of GNR was more than an Axl rose solo project...

Axl said that if he was to make a solo project, it would be an instrumental movie sound track kind of thing...

 I also pointed out how certain songs on CD nailed the GNR sound pretty dead on...  I wasn't demanding you to respond ASAP or anything like that...

Sorry if I came across that way! (PS I'm a big fan of your posting style! It's very unique!)

Ginger King, you won't get any of that "you aren't real fans" stuff from me. Anyone here talking about the band as often as we are, hell, they must be a pretty big fan. It's just you seem pretty frustrated with certain things and I really want to understand where you are coming from. So I guess we are assuming the songs are done. Is that what's been said by the band? If that's the case, I guess any other number of issues could be holding the next album back from being released. Those matters could be in the band's control, and then again they may not be. To be honest with you I have no idea. I feel like sometimes people assume the worst with this band or refuse to give them any kind of benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they are doing their best to get everything done in a way that lives up to the standard they have in place for themselves. I'm glad to hear you are a fan of CD though!

[Ginger King]

Ginger King, you won't get any of that "you aren't real fans" stuff from me. Anyone here talking about the band as often as we are, hell, they must be a pretty big fan. It's just you seem pretty frustrated with certain things and I really want to understand where you are coming from. So I guess we are assuming the songs are done. Is that what's been said by the band? If that's the case, I guess any other number of issues could be holding the next album back from being released. Those matters could be in the band's control, and then again they may not be. To be honest with you I have no idea. I feel like sometimes people assume the worst with this band or refuse to give them any kind of benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they are doing their best to get everything done in a way that lives up to the standard they have in place for themselves. I'm glad to hear you are a fan of CD though!

It was Axl himself who said the songs are done.  Sure, it's possible the record company is delaying the release, obviously we don't know why they are not released.  But as possible as record company apathy could be, isn't also possible that the band's not doing everything it can to release it?  I still believe that if Axl really wanted this material out, he'd find a way to get it out.  I think it is that simple.  But that might involve some form of (gasp!) compromise between him and the label. 

And, to be clear, I am many things.  Frustrated because Guns n Roses isn't releasing new music is not one of them.

[mortismurphy]

the notion that Axl is some sort of 'artist' now can not be sustained. At the end of the day this guy plays Vegas with a revolving piano!

[JAEBALL]

Jaeball... The part of my post that was referring to you wasn't related to the comments Jarmo made...

I was just pointing out how I thought that the current lineup of GNR was more than an Axl rose solo project...

Axl said that if he was to make a solo project, it would be an instrumental movie sound track kind of thing...

 I also pointed out how certain songs on CD nailed the GNR sound pretty dead on...  I wasn't demanding you to respond ASAP or anything like that...

Sorry if I came across that way! (PS I'm a big fan of your posting style! It's very unique!)

Ginger King, you won't get any of that "you aren't real fans" stuff from me. Anyone here talking about the band as often as we are, hell, they must be a pretty big fan. It's just you seem pretty frustrated with certain things and I really want to understand where you are coming from. So I guess we are assuming the songs are done. Is that what's been said by the band? If that's the case, I guess any other number of issues could be holding the next album back from being released. Those matters could be in the band's control, and then again they may not be. To be honest with you I have no idea. I feel like sometimes people assume the worst with this band or refuse to give them any kind of benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they are doing their best to get everything done in a way that lives up to the standard they have in place for themselves. I'm glad to hear you are a fan of CD though!

Ha thanks Rudy

I know Axl stated a solo project would have been more instrumental .. But to me Axl made Gnr a solo project the moment he withdrew from the partnership and required people to sign contracts to be in the band ..

Do I respect Axl for being a bad mother fucker ? Hell yea.. He took the bull by the horn

But if he thought that was the right play to continue on with Slash and Duff .. Then he got lousy advice...

[JAEBALL]

And if a new record doesn't feature the guys in the band who have been here for a bunch of years now... Then it really beefens up the argument that it is the Axl Rose solo show ... No?

And I prefer robin bucket and brain to what we have now ... So I won't cry about it .. Just making a point

[ice cream sand pig]

Well they're trying to get it out right? At least they say they are. Hell, I got no reason not to believe 'em. I would imagine that these things don't happen overnight when your situation is as complicated as GNR's.

If DJ and Ron aren't featured heavily on the album I will be very surprised.

mortis murphy, I'm sorry you feel that way. I personally don't hold it against him. If I had the chance, I too would ride on a revolving piano in Vegas while strippers danced provocatively to my musical performance. And I would wear a yellow raincoat too, because you know every girl at that concert was as wet as a water fountain. It must have been like hurricane Katrina in there. 

[HBK]

And if a new record doesn't feature the guys in the band who have been here for a bunch of years now... Then it really beefens up the argument that it is the Axl Rose solo show ... No?

And I prefer robin bucket and brain to what we have now ... So I won't cry about it .. Just making a point

Idem GNR Is The Future

 

[JAEBALL]

And if a new record doesn't feature the guys in the band who have been here for a bunch of years now... Then it really beefens up the argument that it is the Axl Rose solo show ... No?

And I prefer robin bucket and brain to what we have now ... So I won't cry about it .. Just making a point

Idem GNR Is The Future

 

I apologize .. I have no clue what you are trying to say 

[EmilyGNR]

the notion that Axl is some sort of 'artist' now can not be sustained. At the end of the day this guy plays Vegas with a revolving piano!

Not to be rude but that is complete and utter horseshit. You are simply looking for reasons to discredit, complain about and unfairly critique GNR. Your post history shows this bias.

Both residencies were very successful, I attended both of them so I'm speaking from a first person experience.
You may not personally have liked the Vegas gigs but you don't get to determine who is an artist and who isn't by your tunnel-vision criteria.

Laughable

[EmilyGNR]

Ginger King, you won't get any of that "you aren't real fans" stuff from me. Anyone here talking about the band as often as we are, hell, they must be a pretty big fan. It's just you seem pretty frustrated with certain things and I really want to understand where you are coming from. So I guess we are assuming the songs are done. Is that what's been said by the band? If that's the case, I guess any other number of issues could be holding the next album back from being released. Those matters could be in the band's control, and then again they may not be. To be honest with you I have no idea. I feel like sometimes people assume the worst with this band or refuse to give them any kind of benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they are doing their best to get everything done in a way that lives up to the standard they have in place for themselves. I'm glad to hear you are a fan of CD though!

It was Axl himself who said the songs are done.  Sure, it's possible the record company is delaying the release, obviously we don't know why they are not released.  But as possible as record company apathy could be, isn't also possible that the band's not doing everything it can to release it?  I still believe that if Axl really wanted this material out, he'd find a way to get it out.  I think it is that simple.  But that might involve some form of (gasp!) compromise between him and the label. 

And, to be clear, I am many things.  Frustrated because Guns n Roses isn't releasing new music is not one of them.

He said the RECORDING was done, albums also have to be mixed, mastered, and an entire plethora of other tasks before they can be released. Considering the last album release, I can definitely see taking extra time to see that everything is done right.

[Ginger King]

Ginger King, you won't get any of that "you aren't real fans" stuff from me. Anyone here talking about the band as often as we are, hell, they must be a pretty big fan. It's just you seem pretty frustrated with certain things and I really want to understand where you are coming from. So I guess we are assuming the songs are done. Is that what's been said by the band? If that's the case, I guess any other number of issues could be holding the next album back from being released. Those matters could be in the band's control, and then again they may not be. To be honest with you I have no idea. I feel like sometimes people assume the worst with this band or refuse to give them any kind of benefit of the doubt. I'm sure they are doing their best to get everything done in a way that lives up to the standard they have in place for themselves. I'm glad to hear you are a fan of CD though!

It was Axl himself who said the songs are done.  Sure, it's possible the record company is delaying the release, obviously we don't know why they are not released.  But as possible as record company apathy could be, isn't also possible that the band's not doing everything it can to release it?  I still believe that if Axl really wanted this material out, he'd find a way to get it out.  I think it is that simple.  But that might involve some form of (gasp!) compromise between him and the label. 

And, to be clear, I am many things.  Frustrated because Guns n Roses isn't releasing new music is not one of them.

He said the RECORDING was done, albums also have to be mixed, mastered, and an entire plethora of other tasks before they can be released. Considering the last album release, I can definitely see taking extra time to see that everything is done right.

It?s amazing the levels you will go to defend the continued delay.  Only in GnR land does the second half of CD being ?already recorded? mean it?s not done.  That?s a good one.

These songs have been recorded for how long?5?10?15 years, what else is left to do?  Lay vocals?  Re-master and re-layer guitar solos?  Didn?t we go down that road before with little to no results?  As an artist, aren?t you supposed to learn from the past, or else you risk repeating past mistakes?  Before you blow a lid and exclaim Axl's never made a mistake, I believe he's admitted to making some.

What?s laughable is the extent people will go to defend Axl?s artistic songwriting process.  He?s not tinkering with the magic potion to cure a fatal disease.  He?s singing a song.  Why do the basic laws of making an album (and reason) cease to exist when it comes to this band?

[JAEBALL]

Well they're trying to get it out right? At least they say they are. Hell, I got no reason not to believe 'em. I would imagine that these things don't happen overnight when your situation is as complicated as GNR's.

If DJ and Ron aren't featured heavily on the album I will be very surprised.

mortis murphy, I'm sorry you feel that way. I personally don't hold it against him. If I had the chance, I too would ride on a revolving piano in Vegas while strippers danced provocatively to my musical performance. And I would wear a yellow raincoat too, because you know every girl at that concert was as wet as a water fountain. It must have been like hurricane Katrina in there. 

I think the stigma of being a Vegas act is not the same as it once was..... BIG time stars such as JLO, Kanye, Britney Spears are getting and being offered huge money to do residencies now.

Plus... I go out to Vegas often... I love it there... so I certainly don't mind.

[D-GenerationX]

He said the RECORDING was done, albums also have to be mixed, mastered, and an entire plethora of other tasks before they can be released. Considering the last album release, I can definitely see taking extra time to see that everything is done right.

And so long as you never get started on those parts of the process, you will always have that out.

Axl is no different than a kid that won't clean his room.  You can put it off and put it off, but you will always be that far away because you can't make any headway as long as you dither.

[GNR2014]

According to Tom Zutaut, these songs were "done" in 1999.
I think the people defending Axl's reluctance to release anything new are being disingenuous at best.

We all know why Axl has only released 15 original songs in over 23 years.

The currrent stable lineup has been together for 5 years and has played over 200+ shows all over the world, but they can't release a single new song?

This isn't about Slash, or the evil record company, or Axl's integrity as an artist.

The defenders are putting on a show for you. They know it, too.

[HBK]

Old History... uufffff

 

[D-GenerationX]

What?s laughable is the extent people will go to defend Axl?s artistic songwriting process.  He?s not tinkering with the magic potion to cure a fatal disease.  He?s singing a song.  Why do the basic laws of making an album (and reason) cease to exist when it comes to this band?

Yeah, we never ask those questions.

I often phrase it like this.  Suppose this was not your favorite band.  Would people make these same excuses for someone else and resort to such rationalizations?

Take all the factors that come along with this band and this supposed tortured process.  Now transfer that all over to some other band.  If one of their superfans was telling you all this same stuff, would you not just roll your eyes?  Would you not say to another mutual friend you couldn't believe the deep denial that guy was in?

Where is the line between what you would consider valid argument for any band out there, versus how much a curve you grade all this on because GNR is your favorite band?