Q&A with Frank Ferrar at Whole Lotta Love / August 14th

[Alpachiris]

Below are some edited parts of the Question and Answer session with Frank Ferrar, Guns and Roses current drummer at Whole Lotta Love on August 14, 2015 in East Brunswick, Melbourne.

The first questions during his Q&A involved what his first gig was (Kiss at Madison Square Gardens in the 70s), who his favourite band is (The Deftones) and what it was like being the second drummer in Tool (awesome), and how he got the gig in Guns (Brain was having a kid during a European tour so Tommy Stinson gave him a call to fill in and he stayed). But everyone wanted the dirt, so this is the current state of  Guns and Roses:

Q. Whose drum parts do you enjoy playing the most?

Ferrar: Adler and Sorum are iconic, I try to play somewhere between the punk rock of Adler and the professionalism of Sorum. Those guys really left their mark on Guns.

Q. Axl said last year that Guns and Roses have a sequel to Chinese Democracy and a remix of Chinese Democracy that were meant to come out this year.

Ferrar:  Axl hasn't told me that. There is something coming sooner than later, that is all I can say.

Q.Who will fill in lead guitarists DJ Ashba and Bumblefoots positions (they recently left the band):

Ferrar: That also will be announced sooner rather than later. (Someone shouts "Is it Buckethead?") laughs. I actually will be playing guitar. There will be GNR news very soon.

Q. What is your favourite Guns and Roses track to play live?
Ferrar: You Could be Mine. I like the more funky and grimy stuff like Brownstone, Rocket Queen and Jungle but You Could be Mine is the most fun to play.

Q. What's Axl like to work for?

Ferrar: He's great, he treated me like a band member from day one. He just wants to hear that 2/4 groove so he can move his ass. He's not a regular dude, super private, focused and wants everything to be really really good every night. He has tremendous trust in the band, we have insight into what he wants. I think I'm in the band because I have that sensitivity toward what Axl needs.

Q. How do you write new material with Guns?

A. People submit different things, usually by internet because everyone is spread out. Technology is such you don't have to be in the room.  Axl writes all the big piano ballads.

Q.  Izzy and Axl were rumoured to be writing again. Is any of this on the new album?

Ferrar: This is the gods honest truth I don't know anything about that.

Q. What's your take on the Axl Slash feud?

Ferrar: I don't know exactly what went down between those two but I haven't met Slash, he hasn't been around and he's not really welcome in the camp since I've been around.

Q. Why didn't Axl attend the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame?

Ferrar: Axl wanted the whole history of the band to be represented. He feels Guns and Roses is still alive and still has current members. That stuff is beyond me on a personal level, I'm just happy to play music for a living.

Q. Why did Chinese Democracy take so long to come out?

Ferrar: Axl is a perfectionist so it came out when it was ready to come out.

Your views on the current Guns and Roses?

Everybody's family changes along the way, people get divorced, bands are like families and things change. I love the original Guns and Roses but be happy that Axl is still creating music and still pushing forward and trying to reinvent himself and I just wish people would have more of an open mind on that. Everything is still kinda the same but different, just like everything in the world. The band is a living breathing organism.

 

LINK
http://www.soundreliance.com/post/the-current-state-of-guns-and-roses-qa-with-gnr-drummer-frank-ferrar-7543457

[Ginger King]

We've gone from soon to very soon!  Chances we hear something this year are looking good.

[Alpachiris]

I hope is not a fake interview 

[HBK]

Frank Ferrer did a Q&A with some fans before his show in Australia. Thanks to ThinkAboutYour for the recap!

1. GNR is still active
2. Tommy told him to learn Appetite and then 2 weeks later he rehearsed with the band
3. Axl wants shows to be at a very good standard each night
4. The wildest thing he saw backstage - nude chicks in Spa - nude girl with body paint
5. Chinese Democracy came out when Axl thought it was ready.

Read more HERE ==>

http://gunsnroses.com/forum/main/3152643

[The Wight Gunner]

Q.  Izzy and Axl were rumoured to be writing again. Is any of this on the new album?

Ferrar: This is the gods honest truth I don't know anything about that.


I think that was the interviewer getting confused with Izzy writing with Duff

[HBK]

Q.  Izzy and Axl were rumoured to be writing again. Is any of this on the new album?

Ferrar: This is the gods honest truth I don't know anything about that.


I think that was the interviewer getting confused with Izzy writing with Duff

This Rumor From Tour 2006

[D-GenerationX]

Everybody's family changes along the way, people get divorced, bands are like families and things change. I love the original Guns and Roses but be happy that Axl is still creating music and still pushing forward and trying to reinvent himself and I just wish people would have more of an open mind on that. Everything is still kinda the same but different, just like everything in the world. The band is a living breathing organism.

I both love and hate this answer.

Love the parts about being glad Axl is still out there in some capacity.  I totally agree and always have.  Axl holed up in seclusion and never heard from again is the worst possible outcome. 

Hate the parts about how he is still creating music and pushing forward.  Not that I hate those concepts as concepts.  As concepts, they are right on.  But hate how he's talking like that is what Axl has actually been doing.

[HBK]

More From Frank:

http://tunein.com/topic/?TopicId=100371094

[sofine11]

We've gone from soon to very soon!  Chances we hear something this year are looking good.

Man, if we can get an official announcement of the next album this year, I'd be thrilled with that alone.  Of course the endgame is hearing the music, but an announcement would at least show real intent to get it out, which is something we've yet to see.

Then again, if the album simply landed on itunes one day, I think I'd be pretty okay with that too. 

[D-GenerationX]

We've gone from soon to very soon!  Chances we hear something this year are looking good.

Man, if we can get an official announcement of the next album this year, I'd be thrilled with that alone.  Of course the endgame is hearing the music, but an announcement would at least show real intent to get it out, which is something we've yet to see.

Then again, if the album simply landed on itunes one day, I think I'd be pretty okay with that too. 

Dr. Dre was able to get it all done quickly and under wraps.

He announced the album a week before it dropped, and there it was.  No one even knew he was working on it.

So it can be done.  If you really want to get it done.

[Ow-So7411501]

We've gone from soon to very soon!  Chances we hear something this year are looking good.

Man, if we can get an official announcement of the next album this year, I'd be thrilled with that alone.  Of course the endgame is hearing the music, but an announcement would at least show real intent to get it out, which is something we've yet to see.

Then again, if the album simply landed on itunes one day, I think I'd be pretty okay with that too. 

Dr. Dre was able to get it all done quickly and under wraps.

He announced the album a week before it dropped, and there it was.  No one even knew he was working on it.

So it can be done.  If you really want to get it done.

Big if though. Also Dr. Dre has a vested interest in releasing it through ITunes.

[HBK]

I Have Much Patience

 

[EmilyGNR]

Everybody's family changes along the way, people get divorced, bands are like families and things change. I love the original Guns and Roses but be happy that Axl is still creating music and still pushing forward and trying to reinvent himself and I just wish people would have more of an open mind on that. Everything is still kinda the same but different, just like everything in the world. The band is a living breathing organism.

I both love and hate this answer.

Love the parts about being glad Axl is still out there in some capacity.  I totally agree and always have.  Axl holed up in seclusion and never heard from again is the worst possible outcome. 

Hate the parts about how he is still creating music and pushing forward.  Not that I hate those concepts as concepts.  As concepts, they are right on.  But hate how he's talking like that is what Axl has actually been doing.

How do you know it's not what he's been doing?

[Ginger King]

We've gone from soon to very soon!  Chances we hear something this year are looking good.

Man, if we can get an official announcement of the next album this year, I'd be thrilled with that alone.  Of course the endgame is hearing the music, but an announcement would at least show real intent to get it out, which is something we've yet to see.

Then again, if the album simply landed on itunes one day, I think I'd be pretty okay with that too. 

So it can be done.  If you really want to get it done.

Exactly.

[D-GenerationX]

How do you know it's not what he's been doing?

Because he's released one 14 song album in the past 15 years.

Because he's doing residencies built around 25 year old albums and playing fewer and fewer "new" songs with each successive tour leg since the album came out.

So, I guess my answer would be "because I pay even just the bare minimum of attention".

It would be swell if he was creating music and pushing into new areas, if it were true.  But, much like DJ's laughable claims about setlist variety, you can't lie to me straightfaced and expect I'm going to just accept it as fact.

[JAEBALL]

One of my biggest pet peeves is the "it's labels fault theory"..

I'm glad Frank along with Del have now both stated that CD came out when Axl was ready to release it.

Frank seems like a great guy... this interview along with most GNR band member interviews are all the same... they say basically nothing!

I really can't wait so see what kind of lineup they run out there next time...  Should be at least real good for the chatter here no matter who fills in!

[ice cream sand pig]

Sounds very positive. If people don't believe it or agree with it or whatever, then good for them. I wont debate anyone over it, I'm not very good at that anyway, but for me, this was very exciting to read and I'm looking forward to this all panning out more than ever! So happy Axl still wants to do this. Thank you so much for the interview!

[Ginger King]

How do you know it's not what he's been doing?

Because he's released one 14 song album in the past 15 years.

Because he's doing residencies built around 25 year old albums and playing fewer and fewer "new" songs with each successive tour leg since the album came out.

So, I guess my answer would be "because I pay even just the bare minimum of attention".

It would be swell if he was creating music and pushing into new areas, if it were true.  But, much like DJ's laughable claims about setlist variety, you can't lie to me straightfaced and expect I'm going to just accept it as fact.

So, once again, you don?t have any facts?just your well-reasoned, rational, uneducated and negative opinion.

[sofine11]

We've gone from soon to very soon!  Chances we hear something this year are looking good.

Man, if we can get an official announcement of the next album this year, I'd be thrilled with that alone.  Of course the endgame is hearing the music, but an announcement would at least show real intent to get it out, which is something we've yet to see.

Then again, if the album simply landed on itunes one day, I think I'd be pretty okay with that too. 

Dr. Dre was able to get it all done quickly and under wraps.

He announced the album a week before it dropped, and there it was.  No one even knew he was working on it.

So it can be done.  If you really want to get it done.

Ya know, I really hope that's the case.  I'm hoping that whatever Chris & Axl were doing in the studio was not simply a one off, and that real work is being doing behind the scenes (possibly with Caram) to see that the rest of the music reaches the fans, to quote Frank, "sooner than later".

[HBK]

I Believe:

- New Music
- New World Tour
- New(s) Guitar(s)

Excelent & Brillant Good News, Only 4 Months For End 2015

" Sooner Than Later"