New Dj interview at LegendaryRockInterviews.com (Sep 2014)

[jarmo]

Coca Cola sold in the USA is Coca Cola. Still if you get it in other places such as Europe, it's Coca Cola with one difference. Ours has sugar in it, not that high fructose corn syrup.
Should I go on and on about how your Coke isn't really Coca Cola?

You might think I'm entitled to my opinion, but probably think "whatever" and move on.

That's how I see the name discussion. You can have an opinion, doesn't make your opinion right. Your opinion is based on emotions.





/jarmo

[LongGoneDay]

Everything Ali is saying is correct.
Axl owns the name, it?s undeniable.

If he decides to throw it on ebay tomorrow, and Obama places the winning bid, then sells it to Hulk Hogan on craigslist, who in turn hires the three amigos and wally the green monster to round out the lineup, it would undeniably be Guns N? Roses.

Still, the name is most commonly associated with the classic lineup.
Nothing this current, or any future incarnation does will ever change that.

[D-GenerationX]

That's how I see the name discussion. You can have an opinion, doesn't make your opinion right. Your opinion is based on emotions.

Oh, very true.

But there are some real world facts we can point to in terms of ticket demand, or lack thereof.  That's not opinion or emotion, but hard numbers.

In the bigger picture sense (but admittedly less definable) you have a measurable lack of interest in the public consciousness.

Do a poll on Guns N' Roses circa 2014, and here are your top 2 answers :

- Didn't they break up?
- I think Axl still tours with a bunch of dudes, but I couldn't tell you anything about them.

Regardless of which answer you think gets the most votes (I'd probably go with the second one) neither are a ringing endorsement of a marketing or sales success story.

[D-GenerationX]

Everything Ali is saying is correct.
Axl owns the name, it?s undeniable.

If he decides to throw it on ebay tomorrow, and Obama places the winning bid, then sells it to Hulk Hogan on craigslist, who in turn hires the three amigos and wally the green monster to round out the lineup, it would undeniably be Guns N? Roses.

Still, the name is most commonly associated with the classic lineup.
Nothing this current, or any future incarnation does will ever change that.

Correctamundo.

Why you can't say that, but still like the current band just fine, I'll never know.  Forget swimming upstream, its like trying to defy gravity.

[jarmo]

But there are some real world facts we can point to in terms of ticket demand, or lack thereof.  That's not opinion or emotion, but hard numbers.

You have hard facts that this is because of the fact that people don't consider it GN'R?

I never saw such facts anywhere. It's just speculation.


I would like to speculate as well.
I think GN'R fans got older and more convenient.
If a concert doesn't fit their schedule, they don't attend. It was different when you were a teenager.... Don't have any facts or numbers for this but since we are speculating.....




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

But there are some real world facts we can point to in terms of ticket demand, or lack thereof.  That's not opinion or emotion, but hard numbers.

You have hard facts that this is because of the fact that people don't consider it GN'R?

Well...yeah.

If the "Guns N' Roses" comes to my town as is, they are in a 3,000 seat place they don't fill.

If the "Guns N' Roses" that 99% of the world recognizes comes, they are at a 20,000 arena, sold out.  Perhaps even 2 nights in bigger cities.

I don't see how you could spin that as meaningless.  You are talking a ticket disparity of 17,000 at best, perhaps 37,000 at worst.  And multiply that by every major city.  And since the name is the same, the obvious difference is personnel.

I would like to speculate as well.
I think GN'R fans got older and more convenient.
If a concert doesn't fit their schedule, they don't attend. It was different when you were a teenager.... Don't have any facts or numbers for this but since we are speculating.....

I think this is pretty pie in the sky, all due respect.  All sorts of concerts happen every day of the week in major cities, and people fill the buildings. 

It all comes down to the product you are selling.  I just saw Motley Crue back in August.  No album in 6 years, and really, haven't had a relevant hit in what...20 years?  25?  Place was packed, building and lawn.  Does the Motley Crue with John Corabi as the singer do that?  Nope.

[D-GenerationX]

Know what's weird?

Posting so heavily at this place has totally altered my GNR listening habits.  I mostly listened to UYI tour bootlegs probably more than anything else.

But the past 3-4 months, its been all newer stuff.  Not as many good recent concerts to listen to, but that 12.19.09 Tokyo show is just awesome.  And I've been listening to 'Chinese Democracy' a lot more too.  And not just the few songs I always listend to (There Was A Time, I.R.S) but even tunes like 'Shackler's Revenge' and 'Scraped'.

The ultimate had to be last week when after checking out a 'Silkworms' thread on MYGNR, I tracked down Evader's remix off Youtube and ripped it.  This was a song I considered not only perhaps the worst GNR song of alltime, I considered it a tuneless mess.  But now, I'm digging it.

I credit you guys.

[ice cream sand pig]

Know what's weird?

Posting so heavily at this place has totally altered my GNR listening habits.  I mostly listened to UYI tour bootlegs probably more than anything else.

But the past 3-4 months, its been all newer stuff.  Not as many good recent concerts to listen to, but that 12.19.09 Tokyo show is just awesome.  And I've been listening to 'Chinese Democracy' a lot more too.  And not just the few songs I always listend to (There Was A Time, I.R.S) but even tunes like 'Shackler's Revenge' and 'Scraped'.

The ultimate had to be last week when after checking out a 'Silkworms' thread on MYGNR, I tracked down Evader's remix off Youtube and ripped it.  This was a song I considered not only perhaps the worst GNR song of alltime, I considered it a tuneless mess.  But now, I'm digging it.

I credit you guys.

CD is the shit man! I recently had to write a speech on my favorite person from the media for my Japanese class (can you guess who I wrote it on?). Remembering it is a real bitch but first thing this morning I woke up, packed a bowl, took my laptop outside with me and rocked CD as inspiration. CD just never fails for me, I can listen to it any time I feel like listening to music and it's always the safest bet. I love how it reminds me of a movie, like a play of forces that interact with each other and tell a story. I can feel so much of the human struggle in the album, complete with sufferings and rejoicings. The range of emotion on the album is insane, the scope is so huge. Just listen to Axl at the beginning of the Blues. He sounds so downtrodden and pathetic. That was such a new style for him to sing in. Then when he rips out of it into his powerful voice it's kind of like he just played a trick on you. Prostitute sounds like the epilogue of the whole experience, like Axl is looking back on the whole tumultuous journey of CD with us.

I know what you mean about the more obscure songs growing on you too. I still won't go out of my way to hear silkworms though. The lyrics and the down on the farm voice are what I don't like about it. But last night I watched that live video of RIR 2001 or 2002, forget which one, and realized that it really is an amazing feat for the band to pull that crazy shit off.

[D-GenerationX]

I know what you mean about the more obscure songs growing on you too. I still won't go out of my way to hear silkworms though. The lyrics and the down on the farm voice are what I don't like about it. But last night I watched that live video of RIR 2001 or 2002, forget which one, and realized that it really is an amazing feat for the band to pull that crazy shit off.

I played the absolute shit out of the RIR III bootleg.  So I was actaully pretty burned out on 'Madagascar', 'Chinese Democracy' and 'Street Of Dreams' before the album came out.

I also played the shit out of 'I.R.S.' and 'There Was A Time' when I got them, but those are still my 2 favorite songs on the album.

As I listen to the other tracks these past few months, I'm really more impressed with the music than I was initially.  Some of that guitar work is really solid.

I've even been listening to 'Rhiad' lately.  That's how far I've come.  I pretty much HATED that song for 12 years.

[mortismurphy]

It's not a matter of belief.  It would be Guns N' Roses regardless of what I thought.  What I or anyone else thought would not change the name on the concert tickets or the albums/Blu-rays.  The more pertinent question, IMO, is would you like it?

Ali

You are failing to draw a distinction between de jure ownership and de facto legitimacy.

[ice cream sand pig]

The only songs I heard a lot before the album came out were better, catcher, and TWAT. The rest I didn't hear until the myspace stream. I played the shit out of those three songs before I got the album though. When I say Rhiad is the weakest leak on the album, I guess I mean in terms of potential as a single. I like the song though and like the place it holds on cd when looking at CD as a whole. That's how I've always seen the album, as kind of a concept album meant to be heard in it's entirety.  

My favorite line in Rhiad is the chorus. "All my salvation + frustration caught in the lies no one had wove as well, somewhere in time where only I can tell". For me this relates to psychological time. We have this concept of "I" that we play a certain role in creating. It all happens automatically though so it's not really something we do, it's just something that rolls along on the mechanical conveyor belt of psychological time. Our salvation and frustration is caught in this lie of the self that no one really created (no one had wove as well). The only one that can solve the mystery of the self for you is you, hence the "somewhere in time (psychological time), where only I can tell" part.

There seems to be elements of Axl struggling with inner psychological conflict as well as an exterior power struggle in the song.

[GypsySoul]

Still, the name is most commonly associated with the classic lineup.
Nothing this current, or any future incarnation does will ever change that.

If anyone were to buy into your "logic" then one would also have to believe that Guns N' Roses in the public's eye ceased to exist and/or evolve and/or prosper after July 11, 1990.

I think we can all agree that on July 12, 1990 and beyond, they have in fact been able to successfully reincarnate Guns N' Roses many many times over.

[EmilyGNR]

The only songs I heard a lot before the album came out were better, catcher, and TWAT. The rest I didn't hear until the myspace stream. I played the shit out of those three songs before I got the album though. When I say Rhiad is the weakest leak on the album, I guess I mean in terms of potential as a single. I like the song though and like the place it holds on cd when looking at CD as a whole. That's how I've always seen the album, as kind of a concept album meant to be heard in it's entirety.  

My favorite line in Rhiad is the chorus. "All my salvation + frustration caught in the lies no one had wove as well, somewhere in time where only I can tell". For me this relates to psychological time. We have this concept of "I" that we play a certain role in creating. It all happens automatically though so it's not really something we do, it's just something that rolls along on the mechanical conveyor belt of psychological time. Our salvation and frustration is caught in this lie of the self that no one really created (no one had wove as well). The only one that can solve the mystery of the self for you is you, hence the "somewhere in time (psychological time), where only I can tell" part.

There seems to be elements of Axl struggling with inner psychological conflict as well as an exterior power struggle in the song.

Very interesting insight and observations Rudy. I really enjoy your posts.

My favorites off CD are Prostitute and Sorry, I was very sorry when they stopped doing Sorry live, I love the venemous quality of that song.

Hearing TWAT live in Vegas this year was very special as well, great performance of that song. 

It isn't a big leap for me to see CD as the evolution and natural progression of the Illusion Albums, It is definitely a GNR album in every sense of the word. It may not be a feel good, party album like Appetite, but the depth and complexity of the songs is staggering.

[D-GenerationX]

The only songs I heard a lot before the album came out were better, catcher, and TWAT. The rest I didn't hear until the myspace stream. I played the shit out of those three songs before I got the album though.

I was so dedicated to get anything I could get my hands on.

Do you remember that 30-35 second clip of 'I.R.S.' that comes out like 2003 or 2004?  It was just horrible, horrible quality.

And I played that thing on a loop for months.

[EmilyGNR]

I also think VR would have been called Guns N Roses... and they would have been ridiculed for it just the same as GNR is now ...

I think they'd have faced some of the same talk.  Stuff like how it isn't really Guns N' Roses and bring back Axl.

But, I think it was be a bit more muted than what Axl faces.  Simply because VR was at least a competently run operation that functioned more like a band.  They'd never truly escape reunion talk, but I don't think it would be as brutal.

And, elephant in the room, they'd also have Axl's rep in their favor.  One of the biggest things Axl has working against him is his rep for being difficult on a good day and impossible on a bad one.  So when people see GNR these days, the most common thing you hear is how Axl kicked them all out because he's crazy.

Well, flip that on its head.  Couldn't a Slash/Duff Axl-less version of GNR use some of that as cover?  Yeah, they've sorry he's not here anymore either, but...you know, he's crazy.

Did you see Plant reportedly turned down 300 million for 35 LZ dates?

You think Axl would say no that kind of coin? lol

According to a few sites that story was untrue.

"Robert Plant has dismissed as untrue the story that he nixed a potential $800 million tour contract for a LED ZEPPELIN reunion trek.
A spokesperson for Plant issued a one-word statement from Plant regarding the story, and presumably the offer, deeming it "rubbish."

I think it is silly to assume GNR has not already been offered quite a pile of pocket change to reunite.

[ice cream sand pig]

I never heard the thirty second loop. I wasn't actually in "the loop" yet at that time. I heard GNR a lot when I was a kid. I was born a month within the time that Appetite came out and heard it, illusions, and lies very often during my earlier years, up to about the age of seven. Then my dad became obsessed with rap (I hate rap) and I stopped hearing it. I remember seeing them on the VMA's performing madagascar live and being confused about the way Axl looked and about Buckethead. My dad had a kind of "what the fuck is this?" attitude about it. Other than hearing PC on the radio every now and then, I didn't really think about them much.

One day when I was about 16 I was at the record store and saw a copy of the lies album on a cassette tape for around a dollar. I took it home and one in a million blew my ass away. I just got finished living in Norwalk CA where I was surrounded by hip hop but not able to relate to hip hop culture at all. Guns was my new safe heaven. A while later I got an ipod, threw everything GNR did on there and listened to it obsessively for a long time. It was the drinking music of choice for me and my friends. Never really thought to look up what the band was doing more recently.

When I finally looked into it I was really disappointed, but that was mostly based off of the unfamiliar images of the band I saw and the negative articles I read. How the fuck could they do this to my comfort zone!? It wasn't until I heard the leak of TWAT that I realized something great could be in the works. I really dug it and started to obsess about a new GNR album because I couldn't relate to anything that was popular at the time. I thought of Axl as this villain that ruined GNR and was keeping all of his great songs to himself just to be a dick... it's really funny to me looking back at it.

[HBK]

I never heard the thirty second loop. I wasn't actually in "the loop" yet at that time. I heard GNR a lot when I was a kid. I was born a month within the time that Appetite came out and heard it, illusions, and lies very often during my earlier years, up to about the age of seven. Then my dad became obsessed with rap (I hate rap) and I stopped hearing it. I remember seeing them on the VMA's performing madagascar live and being confused about the way Axl looked and about Buckethead. My dad had a kind of "what the fuck is this?" attitude about it. Other than hearing PC on the radio every now and then, I didn't really think about them much.

One day when I was about 16 I was at the record store and saw a copy of the lies album on a cassette tape for around a dollar. I took it home and one in a million blew my ass away. I just got finished living in Norwalk CA where I was surrounded by hip hop but not able to relate to hip hop culture at all. Guns was my new safe heaven. A while later I got an ipod, threw everything GNR did on there and listened to it obsessively for a long time. It was the drinking music of choice for me and my friends. Never really thought to look up what the band was doing more recently.

When I finally looked into it I was really disappointed, but that was mostly based off of the unfamiliar images of the band I saw and the negative articles I read. How the fuck could they do this to my comfort zone!? It wasn't until I heard the leak of TWAT that I realized something great could be in the works. I really dug it and started to obsess about a new GNR album because I couldn't relate to anything that was popular at the time. I thought of Axl as this villain that ruined GNR and was keeping all of his great songs to himself just to be a dick... it's really funny to me looking back at it.

Good History, Welcome To GNR Future

 

[ice cream sand pig]

HBK!? I've been reading your posts for years. Sure was trippy to get on here and start talking with everyone. It's like all of a sudden I can interact with the characters on my favorite TV show. Honored to be here with you

To this day I know that if a CD says GNR on it, I can pop that fucker in and have a great time. Can't wait to get the next one.

[jazjme]

The only songs I heard a lot before the album came out were better, catcher, and TWAT. The rest I didn't hear until the myspace stream. I played the shit out of those three songs before I got the album though.

I was so dedicated to get anything I could get my hands on.

Do you remember that 30-35 second clip of 'I.R.S.' that comes out like 2003 or 2004?  It was just horrible, horrible quality.

And I played that thing on a loop for months.

I remember when I went to Crash Mansion to see Richard Fortus  then and asked him about IRS, to see if it was real..and he said yes.

[AxlsMainMan]

The only songs I heard a lot before the album came out were better, catcher, and TWAT. The rest I didn't hear until the myspace stream. I played the shit out of those three songs before I got the album though.

I was so dedicated to get anything I could get my hands on.

Do you remember that 30-35 second clip of 'I.R.S.' that comes out like 2003 or 2004?  It was just horrible, horrible quality.

And I played that thing on a loop for months.

The one Mike Piazza leaked