Do you think "NITL tour came 14 years latter"

[bolton]

I don't want bashing or some shit like this...This 2016 tour had amazing success and was great but...
Do you guys think that this tour in 2002 would have different clue and would be more sucesufull (maybe the best tour ever)

[kyrie]

Nope, I think it would have been worse.
The parties involved weren't ready, and Axl hadn't finished with CD. I think had they tried this tour earlier, it would have imploded, just like the band did in its original run.

[draguns]

It would have been a disaster back then. They weren't ready to make amends. Axl needed to go through the experience of creating a record by himself with other people involved. Ditto for Slash.  They had to work on themselves as well, which I think they did. This year was the perfect time for them.

[TheBaconman]

It would of prevented us from seeing the greatest line up ever in guns n roses.   With the greatest guitar player ever. Mr buckethead

[Dr. Blutarsky]

They all had to grow as individuals, would not have worked in 02.

[draguns]

It would of prevented us from seeing the greatest line up ever in guns n roses.   With the greatest guitar player ever. Mr buckethead

Ugh. Really? Greatest guitar player??? Not by a long shot. He just didn't fit into GNR. 

[sky dog]

In 2002 Axl was "conflicted" on multiple fronts...image, musical direction....yada yada yada. He wasn't at peace. He seems happy and at peace now. Good for him.

[Johnnyblood]

Given the state of the relationships back then it was not even remotely plausible. But I do think releasing CD back then would have made a difference, and might have been more successful, and that might have PREVENTED the current reunion.

[Mike McKagan]

I'd also argue that there wouldn't have been as much time to build the anticipation for a reunion. In 2002, they'd been broken up less than a decade, and it probably would've felt much more expected. It took nearly 20 years for the sense that it really wasn't going to happen "in this lifetime" to build up, and I think that's why the announcement of the tour this year really caught fire.

Also, as far as tour success goes, GN'R's core demographic was a lot less grown up and financially succussful 14 years ago. I doubt they would've been able to fill stadiums at their 2016 ticket prices back then.

So, long story short, I think a reunion in 2002 would've been awesome, and I'd probably have some very different GN'R music in my iPhone today, but no, I don't think the tour would've been more successful then than now. 

[D-GenerationX]

No, Axl had to see for himself that what he was trying was not going to work.  That had to happen for his own piece of mind.

The fly in the ointment is that this should have taken him WAY less than 14 years to figure out.  In truth, after that doomed 2002 tour, you could already see the writing on the wall.  That tour hemmoraged money due to low ticket sales.  That should have been the reddest of flags that Axl and a bunch of dudes would really never be accepted as Guns N' Roses by the public at large.

People always make the argument, as have I on occasion, that 2006 should have been the year.  But there is no way to know that.  Also think that's sort of conveniently looked upon as some sort of better road not taken since we saw how underwhelming it all wound up being in 2008 and beyond.

I think after the initial CD tour (2009-2010), that was the time to say that you gave it your best shot (theoretically) and it was time to call the other guys back up.   2011-2014 was as going through the motions as it ever got with this band, any incarnation.

So to make a long story short (too late) you could have fired up the NITL tour in 2011 or 2012.

[Voodoochild]

I don't think it would have worked either. But I must say that I read somewhere people who talked to Axl in that infamous pool talk after Rock In Rio 3 in 2001.. They said Axl thought about some songs that could have Slash solos on Chinese Democracy. Not sure which one, not even sure if that's true. But if he was open to work again with Slash back then, maybe it could have worked somehow.

At least there would be a lot less trash talk between them back then.

I see the history of the band much like Star Wars. There is the originals, which people loved it. There's the prequels, wich some people love because it expanded a lot, but lots of people hated. And there is The Force Awakens thats basically the originals all over again with shiny new stuff on top and making lots of money.

It would of prevented us from seeing the greatest line up ever in guns n roses.   With the greatest guitar player ever. Mr buckethead

Ugh. Really? Greatest guitar player??? Not by a long shot. He just didn't fit into GNR. 

That's just trolling, don't fall for that.

People always make the argument, as have I on occasion, that 2006 should have been the year.  But there is no way to know that.  Also think that's sort of conveniently looked upon as some sort of better road not taken since we saw how underwhelming it all wound up being in 2008 and beyond.

I think after the initial CD tour (2009-2010), that was the time to say that you gave it your best shot (theoretically) and it was time to call the other guys back up.   2011-2014 was as going through the motions as it ever got with this band, any incarnation.

So to make a long story short (too late) you could have fired up the NITL tour in 2011 or 2012.

Agree. But in 2006 I think not only the band, but Axl was also willing to fight for it, to really get things done. At least in some moments. Had it been released back then, it would be during the NA tour and it could be benefited with better reception. The new songs were much freshier (and at least half of the album hadn't been leaked) and it could have a more straightfoward mixing by Andy Wallace, a little less layered. And maybe a proper promotion, since Axl was keen to show up on MTV VMA and doing interviews.

[D-GenerationX]

I see the history of the band much like Star Wars. There is the originals, which people loved it. There's the prequels, wich some people love because it expanded a lot, but lots of people hated. And there is The Force Awakens thats basically the originals all over again with shiny new stuff on top and making lots of money.

This is a damn fine analogy.

[Guitar1281]

In 2002 not all parties were at their current level of sobriety. A massive tour may have led them down paths that they are more mature enough to avoid now.

[D-GenerationX]

If Axl had run right back to the old guys, he would have forever been plagued by the unknown.  That maybe he could have done this without them.

He needed to see for himself.  To stick his finger in the wound, so to speak.  To see...hmm, this doesn't really work, does it?

Are you telling me that in a private moment this summer he's not thinking about the sold out stadium he saw in front of him the night before, complemented by the great review of their show in that morning's paper...yet somehow waxes nostalgic for playing a the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, basically ignored?

He wouldn't be human if he didn't think that way.

[Bazfreak]

So to make a long story short (too late) you could have fired up the NITL tour in 2011 or 2012.

Back in 2011 Axls voice would be fucked up and this tour would not be or sound as nice as 2016 is!!
2009 was the year!!

[nick6sic6]

Another title for this tour could be 'The proper use your illusion world tour as it should have been made !"

[WAR41]

As much as I wanted this reunion, in hindsight it worked out exactly as it should have.  Axl needed to do his thing.  Slash needed to get sober.  Duff needed to have a family.  All these things brought us to where we are today.  It gave each of them the perspective and maturity needed to work together again.  Anything earlier and this could have been a disaster. 

[westcoast_junkie]

Word WAR!

[sofine11]

As much as I wanted this reunion, in hindsight it worked out exactly as it should have.  Axl needed to do his thing.  Slash needed to get sober.  Duff needed to have a family.  All these things brought us to where we are today.  It gave each of them the perspective and maturity needed to work together again.  Anything earlier and this could have been a disaster. 

Wow, well said man.  Honestly, yeah it could have happened a few years earlier, sure.  But would it have been any sweeter for the fans and those involved?  I don't really think so. Everything has gone so damn well in 2016, it really seems like the stars have aligned and this was just the right time. 

Now, the big question after the touring wraps up is whether or not they still have any chemistry in the studio. I am inclined to think yes, they certainly will/do, and there's a lot to look forward to yet.

In the end, I'm also glad Axl got to create an album in his (more or less) singular vision with Chinese Democracy, and I think the music world is richer for it existing. But it's time to get back to basics for sure.

[D-GenerationX]

As much as I wanted this reunion, in hindsight it worked out exactly as it should have.  Axl needed to do his thing.  Slash needed to get sober.  Duff needed to have a family.  All these things brought us to where we are today.  It gave each of them the perspective and maturity needed to work together again.  Anything earlier and this could have been a disaster. 

Well said.  Hard to argue with a word of that.

I'm have the Metlife show open in another window right now.  I am still taken aback by how happy they all look.  About a minute ago duting WTTJ, there is Axl and Slash standing, back to back, leaning on each other belting it out. 

Does that happen 10 years ago?  Probably not.  Back then, if they did it, it might have been pretty obvious they were just doing it for a check.  A real sense of "yeah, I'm doing this...but still, fuck that guy."