Richard Fortus Interview To Be Released Monday

[draguns]

What is this "integrity"? My opinion it's an excuse. You can have integrity and still release music.  

He releases music on his terms, if you can't appreciate that there are plenty of bands that this certainly doesnt apply to, so you might be happier glomming onto them.

Emily, I have seen you chide DX and anyone that may disagree with how Axl does things. Enough already with the BS.  It doesn't make anyone less of a fan if she/he disapproves of how Axl does things. You can ask anyone who has ever known me over the last 28 years that I'm a hardcore Guns N' Roses fan.

The guy has talent that he's wasting. It's sad to see this.  

[D-GenerationX]

Of course they use the word excuse, because to them, it makes no sense to have musical integrity if it means the albums don't come out as soon as they want.

You tell yourself what you want to hear.  It works for you.  Good on ya.

It doesn't meant he rest of us need to switch off our critical thinking and join in the delusion.

[D-GenerationX]

Emily, I have seen you chide DX and anyone that may disagree with how Axl does things. Enough already with the BS.  It doesn't make anyone less of a fan if she/he disapproves of how Axl does things. You can ask anyone who has ever known me over the last 28 years that I'm a hardcore Guns N' Roses fan.

The guy has talent that he's wasting. It's sad to see this.  

That's the real shame here.

So few truly talented rock frontmen, and a guy like him comes along once or twice a generation.

And he's just pissed so much of it away.  Its unfortunate.

[jarmo]

But he is not making any music.

Is that your opinion or are you stating it as a fact?

So you were wrong about the integrity part. Glad we agree on that!

Richard said it starst and stops. We know there is stuff in The Vault. So what? That is something that has been done more than 10 years ago. Now if there is some legal issue with those songs that?s another story. Then we?re talking about a problem that needs to be solved. But at this point there is no indication of such a thing.

How can it be done for ten years if Axl recorded stuff last year (according to Richard's Q&A in Australia last year)?

You tell yourself what you want to hear.  It works for you.  Good on ya.

It doesn't meant he rest of us need to switch off our critical thinking and join in the delusion.

Your critical thinking is what anybody with a keyboard and minimal amount thinking can accomplish.
Doesn't exactly require a lot of actual thinking.





/jarmo

[Ginger King]

The thing that annoys me is the difference in what Richard says and dj says about touring this year ...

They didn't say it at the same time.
Nobody lied.


/jarmo

So then what changed?  How do you go from "quite a bit of touring" in 2015 to "I don't think there's gonna be any touring soon"?

[jarmo]

So then what changed?  How do you go from "quite a bit of touring" in 2015 to "I don't think there's gonna be any touring soon"?

Dj made those comments last September, this interview was done in February 2015.
I'm assuming Richard has info that's more current than Dj's info from last summer?




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

You tell yourself what you want to hear.  It works for you.  Good on ya.

It doesn't meant he rest of us need to switch off our critical thinking and join in the delusion.

Your critical thinking is what anybody with a keyboard and minimal amount thinking can accomplish.
Doesn't exactly require a lot of actual thinking.

It requires asking questions, and you aren't interested.

[Ginger King]

So then what changed?  How do you go from "quite a bit of touring" in 2015 to "I don't think there's gonna be any touring soon"?

Dj made those comments last September, this interview was done in February 2015.
I'm assuming Richard has info that's more current than Dj's info from last summer?


/jarmo

I understand the temporal difference between 5 months ago and last week.  My question is what changed?  Why did it go (arguably) from one extreme to the other?  Label issues?  Integrity?  What else?

[sky dog]

maybe Axl decided to just work on an album.

[mortismurphy]

You have to go back a very very long time, to 1986-1994, to find an Axl releasing something on any sort of consistent basis. Since then, one album in 22 years. It is a blot on Axl's artistic integrity.

Doesn't matter. He didn't release it until he thought it was ready. That's integrity!
You don't like or agree with it? That's fine. But don't question it. 

It just makes it seem like you have a hard time giving him any credit for anything. You'll just turn it into something negative.
Richard gave Axl credit for having integrity and here you are talking about the time instead of what was said.



/jarmo

I suppose it is about how you define 'artistic integrity'. I define it as, not selling out your artistic vision; not compromising your music for, nobody or nothing. Playing your thirty year old hits in Vegas seems a lot like, selling out your artistic vision in my eyes.

[D-GenerationX]

maybe Axl decided to just work on an album.

That is what we have to hope.

[D-GenerationX]

I suppose it is about how you define 'artistic integrity'. I define it as, not selling out your artistic vision; not compromising your music for, nobody or nothing. Playing your thirty year old hits in Vegas seems a lot like, selling out your artistic vision in my eyes.

It seems impossible to believe if you could go back in time to 1999 and ask him what he hoped to accomplish over the next 15 years with Guns N' Roses and have this be his answer.

It seems impossible, because if this was the plan, that's pretty horrifying.

[Ginger King]

You have to go back a very very long time, to 1986-1994, to find an Axl releasing something on any sort of consistent basis. Since then, one album in 22 years. It is a blot on Axl's artistic integrity.

Doesn't matter. He didn't release it until he thought it was ready. That's integrity!
You don't like or agree with it? That's fine. But don't question it. 

It just makes it seem like you have a hard time giving him any credit for anything. You'll just turn it into something negative.
Richard gave Axl credit for having integrity and here you are talking about the time instead of what was said.



/jarmo

I suppose it is about how you define 'artistic integrity'. I define it as, not selling out your artistic vision; not compromising your music for, nobody or nothing. Playing your thirty year old hits in Vegas seems a lot like, selling out your artistic vision in my eyes.

"Artistic integrity" seems to be thrown around here as never having to do anything unless and until all of your demands are met 100%.  A shorter definition of this is until Axl's good and fucking ready.

[D-GenerationX]

"Artistic integrity" seems to be thrown around here as never having to do anything unless and until all of your demands are met 100%.  A shorter definition of this is until Axl's good and fucking ready.

Yep.

And I get the impression that people tend to use the former as opposed to the latter because the latter makes him look difficult.  Can't have that.  Much better to insist its all about artistic integrity.  Because that's noble.  Sitting on your ass and not doing anything isn't.

[jarmo]

It requires asking questions, and you aren't interested.

Why doesn't Axl release albums as often as ______?
Because he's got musical integrity and only releases stuff when he thinks it's ready to be released.
That's an excuse.
No, it's a reason.

Simple.

I understand the temporal difference between 5 months ago and last week.  My question is what changed?  Why did it go (arguably) from one extreme to the other?  Label issues?  Integrity?  What else?

Sometimes plans change. I know some of you don't like that. But they do.

I suppose it is about how you define 'artistic integrity'. I define it as, not selling out your artistic vision; not compromising your music for, nobody or nothing. Playing your thirty year old hits in Vegas seems a lot like, selling out your artistic vision in my eyes.

You're kinda mixing it all up to prove your nonexistent point there I'm afraid.
Playing the songs that most people want to hear in concert, that's kinda normal. Even Neil Young does it, and what did Pink Floyd play once they reunited? The hits!

That has nothing to do with what Richard was talking about.

By the way, having a flying piano because you think there should be a flying piano in Las Vegas even though you know some Internet crusaders will not like it, is also integrity.  

"Artistic integrity" seems to be thrown around here as never having to do anything unless and until all of your demands are met 100%.  A shorter definition of this is until Axl's good and fucking ready.

Yeah, well there's the reason for him not being "ready" when everybody else thinks he should be....




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

Because he's got musical integrity and only releases stuff when he thinks it's ready to be released.
That's an excuse.
No, it's a reason.

Simple.

Its spin.  Its spin embraced by people that dare not offend him and/or feel its their duty to put the best face on everything.

I'm in neither camp.

[mortismurphy]

Neil Young, the hits? Are you kidding Jarmo!! The guy who refused to play Heart of Gold for the best part of 20 years? Young pissed many people off by playing his previously unheard of concept album, entirely. He also banned beer so people would listen properly. That album was Greendale. He has done many such things across his career. You are barking up the wrong tree there.

And this Floyd reunion? Was that that three song set at a charity gig?

Floyd, touring, playing full shows, used to play their entire new album, beginning to end!

[jarmo]

Its spin.  Its spin embraced by people that dare not offend him and/or feel its their duty to put the best face on everything.

Not a spin. You call it that because you don't like it.  


Sorry I'm late! There was a delay on the subway.
That's an excuse! You should be on time!
No, that's the reason I'm late.

Same thing.  

I'm in neither camp.

Forever alone.  

Neil Young, the hits? Are you kidding Jarmo!! The guy who refused to play Heart of Gold for the best part of 20 years? Young pissed many people off by playing his previously unheard of concept album, entirely. He also banned beer so people would listen properly. That album was Greendale. He has done many such things across his career. You are barking up the wrong tree there.

Saw him twice, and there were plenty of hits in his set....
Heart Of Gold too!

And this Floyd reunion? Was that that three song set at a charity gig?

Yeah, they played three hits! Those sell outs!


/jarmo

[mortismurphy]

Its spin.  Its spin embraced by people that dare not offend him and/or feel its their duty to put the best face on everything.

Not a spin. You call it that because you don't like it.  


Sorry I'm late! There was a delay on the subway.
That's an excuse! You should be on time!
No, that's the reason I'm late.

Same thing.  

I'm in neither camp.

Forever alone.  

Neil Young, the hits? Are you kidding Jarmo!! The guy who refused to play Heart of Gold for the best part of 20 years? Young pissed many people off by playing his previously unheard of concept album, entirely. He also banned beer so people would listen properly. That album was Greendale. He has done many such things across his career. You are barking up the wrong tree there.

Saw him twice, and there were plenty of hits in his set....

And this Floyd reunion? Was that that three song set at a charity gig?

Yeah, they played three hits! Those sell outs!


/jarmo

Just what are these 'hits' you are talking about - I am a hardcore Neil Young fan by the way? There is literally not one song in Neil Young's oeuvre which is, undroppable. Heart of Gold? undroppable. RITFW? undroppable?

[D-GenerationX]

Its spin.  Its spin embraced by people that dare not offend him and/or feel its their duty to put the best face on everything.

Not a spin. You call it that because you don't like it.

Its absolutely spin.

Who are the only people that subscribe to that theory?

 - people in his band (thus dependent on staying in his good graces)
 - people that travel the world on his dime (thus dependent on staying in his good graces)
 - fans that have convinced themselves that any question is an act of war (thus wanting to appear to be staying on his good side, because they are convinced that is their duty)

The first two at least make sense.  There is a direct benefit there.  

The third is a bit murkier.  While not as direct a connection, they still feel they best no rock the boat.

I'm not in any of those camps.  I'm just a fan free to say what's what.  He's not going to kick me out of his band.  He's not going to stop paying for my plane tickets.  And I'm fairly certain he doesn't monitor the internet 24/7/365 to see if I've been bad or good, so I better be good for goodness sake.