Brain interview (Feb 2015) on the I'd Hit That podcast

[D-GenerationX]

They obviously were a toxic combination.

In a lot of ways, they were a great pair.  Two guys who would have a hell of a time finding other musicians to put up with their respective bullshit would have something of a kinship.

But the vastly different approaches each man had towards ambition and productivity did probably doom this from the start.

Thing I can't figure is why Bucket felt the need to drop out entirely.  Couldn't he have just done his stuff for GNR, and then told Axl to just call him whenever he finally got his shit together?  He could have very easily still done all his solo stuff while Axl dilly dallied, no?

[Gaymo, the Hobbit]

But then you always have management people telling you what to do and what not to do.

[jarmo]

Then do it, add it to your post.

Smart ass.

Yes, I'll take 'Entrapment' for $200, Alex.

You really need to stop pretending you speak behalf of me. Somebody asked me a question and I answered. There's no need for your off topic bullshit posts.

Take your comedy act somewhere else.

I don't get why someone can't see that there are some negative aspects Brain is pointing out and how obviously ridiculous he finds them (and which they are), like the rehearsals for Rio, or the waiting.

It shouldnt be too big of a deal to point out negative stuff about guns. Its not the end of the world.

It's in the eye of the beholder.

Some of the stuff he said were turned into "he was making fun of Axl", and yet I didn't hear that. He was telling what he saw. Like the massage thing for example. It's safe to assume that could be part of Axl's pre show ritual. It wasn't meant to be funny as in how ridiculous it is that Axl's getting a massage.

I guess for some of you this would be ridiculous. I don't know, maybe it doesn't fit the image you have of him. That he actually prepares for the show.

I mean, that rehearsal thing is of course fucking ridiculous, but on the other hand its absolutely funny and just GNR. I dont think anyone in the world would do sth like that, and thats kinda cool

If you put it in its proper context, it's not that ridiculous.

Many times before tours, there will be production rehearsals with the full production in place. Not just the band in a small room learning the songs, but an actual show on the same kind of stage they'll use on tour.

Considering this was before Rock In Rio, which is a festival, you can't do this at the venue itself. Otherwise you could do this the day before the first show on the tour at the venue of the first show.

And knowing what we know about Axl's preferred operating hours, it's not that surprising that it didn't happen during the day.




/jarmo

[Spirit]

Thing I can't figure is why Bucket felt the need to drop out entirely.  Couldn't he have just done his stuff for GNR, and then told Axl to just call him whenever he finally got his shit together?  He could have very easily still done all his solo stuff while Axl dilly dallied, no?

Going by what Brain said, Bucket was flat out scared by the business side of Guns. Lawyers going after him and all.. By his description, seems like he was paranoid at times.

[Gaymo, the Hobbit]

I don't get why someone can't see that there are some negative aspects Brain is pointing out and how obviously ridiculous he finds them (and which they are), like the rehearsals for Rio, or the waiting.

It shouldnt be too big of a deal to point out negative stuff about guns. Its not the end of the world.

It's in the eye of the beholder.

Some of the stuff he said were turned into "he was making fun of Axl", and yet I didn't hear that. He was telling what he saw. Like the massage thing for example. It's safe to assume that could be part of Axl's pre show ritual. It wasn't meant to be funny as in how ridiculous it is that Axl's getting a massage.

I guess for some of you this would be ridiculous. I don't know, maybe it doesn't fit the image you have of him. That he actually prepares for the show.






/jarmo

Well, he is saying it in regard to the shows were they were late, like it would be 2hrs after they were supposed to be on stage, Brain in his room and Axl getting a massage (while people were going crazy).
You could see it as something that Brain couldnt comprehend, that Axl is getting a massage while people are going crazy bc of waiting, or that it was just description of what happened

To me, it sounded like he found it kind of silly

[D-GenerationX]

Well, he is saying it in regard to the shows were they were late, like it would be 2hrs after they were supposed to be on stage, Brain in his room and Axl getting a massage (while people were going crazy).
You could see it as something that Brain couldnt comprehend, that Axl is getting a massage while people are going crazy bc of waiting, or that it was just description of what happened

To me, it sounded like he found it kind of silly

99.7% of the population finds that stuff silly.  The only ones that don't are Axl, and some of his fans that adopt all his opinions and thoughts as their own.

You will also get the faux exasperated "but that's how its always been!" routine.  As if a pattern of bad behavior has any bearing on the behavior's legitimacy.

[Spirit]

Many times before tours, there will be production rehearsals with the full production in place. Not just the band in a small room learning the songs, but an actual show on the same kind of stage they'll use on tour.

They did the same thing before the 2009 tour started if I remember correctly. Didn't Bumble tweet about rehearsing on a "big-ass stage" or something?

A show with that kind of production needs that I think. With all the pyro going on at different times during the songs, that's something they need to have knowledge about.



I guess most of you have watched This Is It with Michael Jackson. That was an even bigger production and it seemed like they had that stage set-up for weeks in rehearsal.

[Gaymo, the Hobbit]

Has anyone counted the amount "you know" and "like"?

[jarmo]

Well, he is saying it in regard to the shows were they were late, like it would be 2hrs after they were supposed to be on stage, Brain in his room and Axl getting a massage (while people were going crazy).
You could see it as something that Brain couldnt comprehend, that Axl is getting a massage while people are going crazy bc of waiting, or that it was just description of what happened

To me, it sounded like he found it kind of silly

Compared to the stories about Axl watching TV instead of being at a show, this isn't close to that.
And some people actually believed that.

Never mind the usual suspects and their usual veiled insults because their free thinking open mind can't comprehend simple things.

They did the same thing before the 2009 tour started if I remember correctly. Didn't Bumble tweet about rehearsing on a "big-ass stage" or something?

A show with that kind of production needs that I think. With all the pyro going on at different times during the songs, that's something they need to have knowledge about.

Put this in perspective again. Do you guys remember that show? Rock In Rio 2001?
It was kinda a big deal for Axl and the band.

Yet it's ridiculous that he wanted to see what the show would look like from the audience's point of view?
It was the return of GN'R and Axl.

Video taping it and watching it on a TV isn't the same thing. Neither is watching computer animations...




/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

They did the same thing before the 2009 tour started if I remember correctly. Didn't Bumble tweet about rehearsing on a "big-ass stage" or something?

A show with that kind of production needs that I think. With all the pyro going on at different times during the songs, that's something they need to have knowledge about.

You sort of have to with a big stage set up.  Get your bearings.

The Rolling Stones play entire practice shows.  I don't mean playing the opening licks of something and then stopping to talk about how it goes.  I mean playing the entire show, for real, start finish.

I have a bootleg of them running through the entire show before their 1989 stadium tour.  Its like the best soundcheck ever.  It plays like an actual 30 song concert.

[Spirit]

Well, he is saying it in regard to the shows were they were late, like it would be 2hrs after they were supposed to be on stage, Brain in his room and Axl getting a massage (while people were going crazy).
You could see it as something that Brain couldnt comprehend, that Axl is getting a massage while people are going crazy bc of waiting, or that it was just description of what happened

To me, it sounded like he found it kind of silly

Brain said so himself. In the beginning he thought that's was kind of cool. As he got older, he would have preferred to start at 9 and be done by midnight. Seemed to me that this tied in with him wanting off the road and not wanting to be exhausted at the end of the show because the time was 2 or 3 am. It wasn't something he couldn't comprehend, but more like a life style he grew out of.

[D-GenerationX]

Brain said so himself. In the beginning he thought that's was kind of cool. As he got older, he would have preferred to start at 9 and be done by midnight. Seemed to me that this tied in with him wanting off the road and not wanting to be exhausted at the end of the show because the time was 2 or 3 am. It wasn't something he couldn't comprehend, but more like a life style he grew out of.

I think that's a good way to put it.

After awhile, its just not as cute anymore.

[jarmo]

You either accept it, or you don't.

I assume most people who start working for GN'R would know the deal.



/jarmo

[Spirit]

Put this in perspective again. Do you guys remember that show? Rock In Rio 2001?
It was kinda a big deal for Axl and the band.

Yet it's ridiculous that he wanted to see what the show would look like from the audience's point of view?
It was the return of GN'R and Axl.

I didn't say it was ridiculous. I said it's normal. (Don't know if that was aimed at me...  )

We know Axl rarely sings in rehearsal anyways, so him watching the rehearsal is not a shocker. The only way I can understand why people are pointing fingers, is that Axl's operating on Axl-time, and therefore had the band play the entire set a 5 am. He could have showed up at 12 when they did the first rehearsal that night, would probably have been less brutal on the crew and the band.

I didn't catch if this was their last rehearsal before leaving for Rio. If it was, I can sort of understand that Axl wanted to have they play the set once, and then have a second, final walk-through before packing their gear.

[Gaymo, the Hobbit]

You either accept it, or you don't.

I assume most people who start working for GN'R would know the deal.



/jarmo

How could Brain know? He never was really into GNR, as he said.

[Spirit]

You either accept it, or you don't.

I assume most people who start working for GN'R would know the deal.



/jarmo

How could Brain know? He never was really into GNR, as he said.

He said in the interview that he knew about the band's attitude and public image, but wasn't into that music scene at the time. GN'R being late has always been public knowledge, hasn't it?

[D-GenerationX]

To a point, yes.

But like every coach that thinks he's finally going to be the one to reach the pain in the ass player despite everyone else's failure at same, eventually, they reach the same point of frustration as all their predecessors.

Everyone leaves this band for the same reasons.  And they all knew the deal going in.  But they all think, this time, it will be different once they get in the mix.  They will change the game where others have failed.

Is there a better example of this in action than Ron?

[Spirit]

Everyone leaves this band for the same reasons.  And they all knew the deal going in.  But they all think, this time, it will be different once they get in the mix.  They will change the game where others have failed.

I don't think that's true.

Izzy left because it all got too big.
Duff because of the business side I guess.
Slash because of a lot of things. Mainly musical differences and maybe personal reasons.
Paul because he wasn't comfortable on the stage.
Bucket.. business is my guess.
Robin quit almost a year after his last tour. My guess is the CD delay.
Ron... well if late-times is his excuse, I must say he picked a strange time to quit as Guns have been improving those more and more for each year.

[Sosso]

Everyone leaves this band for the same reasons.  And they all knew the deal going in.  But they all think, this time, it will be different once they get in the mix.  They will change the game where others have failed.

I don't think that's true.

Izzy left because it all got too big.
Duff because of the business side I guess.
Slash because of a lot of things. Mainly musical differences and maybe personal reasons.
Paul because he wasn't comfortable on the stage.
Bucket.. business is my guess.
Robin quit almost a year after his last tour. My guess is the CD delay.
Ron... well if late-times is his excuse, I must say he picked a strange time to quit as Guns have been improving those more and more for each year.

Wrong. Robin left because he rejoined NIN .

[Spirit]

Everyone leaves this band for the same reasons.  And they all knew the deal going in.  But they all think, this time, it will be different once they get in the mix.  They will change the game where others have failed.

I don't think that's true.

Izzy left because it all got too big.
Duff because of the business side I guess.
Slash because of a lot of things. Mainly musical differences and maybe personal reasons.
Paul because he wasn't comfortable on the stage.
Bucket.. business is my guess.
Robin quit almost a year after his last tour. My guess is the CD delay.
Ron... well if late-times is his excuse, I must say he picked a strange time to quit as Guns have been improving those more and more for each year.

Wrong. He left because he rejoined NIN .

Do you think he would've done that if CD came earlier?