Axl interview with Icelandic newspaper

[Sillything]

Maybe Axl will take the road of his idol Billy Joel and has decided to just stop creating. Not even releasing the material he has.

[D-GenerationX]

I think maybe he was traumatised with how CHidem was released. Basically creating music with the label saying its not good enough, just to release it and have fans say the same thing. What is ironic is that if the label had given them freedom, the music itself would've been free and thus more successful. 

So of course now, maybe they are still tied to the label (who knows) and going through that again is just to much pain to even start thinking about it.

They should create music at home and personal recording studios anyway though. Just for fun, without having the pressure to release anything.
Maybe Axl's thinking about the big picture though and that's why he can't start, he should just make baby steps, enjoy creating one day at a time. In no time you'll have a lot. BUt if you think about the big picture, you'll never get anything done.

I think this nails it.

But now, let's make you Slash.  Or Duff.  When they want to record and create, they just get on with it.  So they can do that with other people, or they can sit on their hands and hope the spirit someday moves Axl.

To me, the fact Slash got right back with Myles tells me that he doesn't see too much change from Axl on this front.  I think he appreciates Axl's more professional attitude at the shows, and his seemingly more pleasant demeanor in general.  But I think it didn't take Slash too long to give Axl a quick once over and come to the conclusion that's he still the same tortured soul.  Only now, carrying around even more baggage then the last time Slash tried this with him in 1995.

[jarmo]

You've been on the Not in This Lifetime tour since April 2016 and you the response has been great, both from your fans and the industry. Have you considered following this through by bringing out some new stuff in the near future?
"Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."


That sounds way different than "No, I have zero interest in ever working on anything new".

He's just stating the obvious for people who didn't think of it. They're on tour. They were on tour when the interview was done. That's the focus.





/jarmo

[Walapino]

You've been on the Not in This Lifetime tour since April 2016 and you the response has been great, both from your fans and the industry. Have you considered following this through by bringing out some new stuff in the near future?
"Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."


That sounds way different than "No, I have zero interest in ever working on anything new".

He's just stating the obvious for people who didn't think of it. They're on tour. They were on tour when the interview was done. That's the focus.





/jarmo

I see it as a posiive reply really, Slash is promoting a new record now. Axl wont go saying a new GNR album is on the way it would be counter productive for Slash too.
Im pretty sure they have discussed this and already made plans for it, they will probably wait for the right momento to announce whatever is next, probably sometime next year. This is just pure speculation obviously

[Executioner]

You've been on the Not in This Lifetime tour since April 2016 and you the response has been great, both from your fans and the industry. Have you considered following this through by bringing out some new stuff in the near future?
"Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."


That sounds way different than "No, I have zero interest in ever working on anything new".

He's just stating the obvious for people who didn't think of it. They're on tour. They were on tour when the interview was done. That's the focus.
Yeah but that was the last gig of the current leg of the tour and 2 year's into the reunion surely the guy knows what lies ahead and future plans are if any,the fact that Slash announces a new album and tour with his side project( which BTW i find bizzare and a red rag to a bull as it led to him and Axl falling out in the 90s)  during the GnR tour is a real statement of intent that nothing is or will happen regarding new GnR music.




/jarmo

[Johnnyblood]

I’m not sure why anyone would expect new material. The tour wasn’t a special favor to fans, it was a lucrative business venture. An album certainly wouldn’t be bring in vast amounts of money and almost certainly would be several notches below AFD and UYI in quality. It doesn’t seem like they collectively want the toil of creating new material. It’s not like 1986 and they’re all hungry and living together in some West Hollywood rathole. What’s really in it for them? Unless they wanted to, which they don’t. This isn’t a complicated puzzle.

[draguns]

I think maybe he was traumatised with how CHidem was released. Basically creating music with the label saying its not good enough, just to release it and have fans say the same thing. What is ironic is that if the label had given them freedom, the music itself would've been free and thus more successful. 

So of course now, maybe they are still tied to the label (who knows) and going through that again is just to much pain to even start thinking about it.

They should create music at home and personal recording studios anyway though. Just for fun, without having the pressure to release anything.
Maybe Axl's thinking about the big picture though and that's why he can't start, he should just make baby steps, enjoy creating one day at a time. In no time you'll have a lot. BUt if you think about the big picture, you'll never get anything done.

I think this nails it.

But now, let's make you Slash.  Or Duff.  When they want to record and create, they just get on with it.  So they can do that with other people, or they can sit on their hands and hope the spirit someday moves Axl.

To me, the fact Slash got right back with Myles tells me that he doesn't see too much change from Axl on this front.  I think he appreciates Axl's more professional attitude at the shows, and his seemingly more pleasant demeanor in general.  But I think it didn't take Slash too long to give Axl a quick once over and come to the conclusion that's he still the same tortured soul.  Only now, carrying around even more baggage then the last time Slash tried this with him in 1995.

I think you are reading too much into this. As another poster pointed out, Slash has a record and tour coming out soon. This was planned before the reunion.  In fact, I'll be going to the Wellmont in Montclair, NJ to support Slash.  I don't think it would be wise for Axl to talk about new music at this time considering one of the factors that broke them up was getting their stories twisted in the media. Additionally,  they just did a 2.5 year tour that is going down as one of the most successful in rock history.

After Soundgarden reunited, it took them a couple of years to release an album. Give it time!

[cineater]

This question, will GNR put out new music, got a lot of press.  Seems to of major interest.

[Conan]

You've been on the Not in This Lifetime tour since April 2016 and you the response has been great, both from your fans and the industry. Have you considered following this through by bringing out some new stuff in the near future?
"Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."


That sounds way different than "No, I have zero interest in ever working on anything new".

He's just stating the obvious for people who didn't think of it. They're on tour. They were on tour when the interview was done. That's the focus.

/jarmo

The tour has been the focus, that is correct. Touring has been the only focus since 2008... They even released a Blu-Ray (somewhat grudgingly perhaps) showing them touring.

They haven’t focussed on new music as GNR, and there are no signs or evidence that they ever will.

Glad the man put that one to bed.

[jarmo]

That's just your take on what he said. Doesn't mean it's the truth.




/jarmo

[allwaystired]

I think should any recording occur - we'll hear about it. We heard about the AC/DC rehearsals, and those were totally unexpected. If they're in the same studio somewhere, it'll leak out, one way or the other.

Regardless of how we choose to interpret Axl's words though, we're a long long way off hearing anything. Playing live is very different to trying to undertake a creative and collaborative process - which sometimes takes years and years even for bands who don't have the acrimonious past history of GNR. The process takes a lot of give and take, a lot of patience, all that sort of thing - not to mention whether the material would be deemed by all parties to be good enough to officially release.

The notion that some had that the band were just going to 'knock out' a new single is crazy. I even heard people say "oh they've been writing and recording on the road" at one point as if it was fact. Absolutely ludicrous.

Personally I feel that, sadly, too much has gone on in the past to make new material very likely at all. I hope that's not the case of course, and time will of course tell.  I also don't feel that it's 'laziness' or 'not caring' or anything like that, but something a lot deeper and more complicated, that'll take time to work itself out.

[D-GenerationX]

You've been on the Not in This Lifetime tour since April 2016 and you the response has been great, both from your fans and the industry. Have you considered following this through by bringing out some new stuff in the near future?
"Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."


That sounds way different than "No, I have zero interest in ever working on anything new".

He's just stating the obvious for people who didn't think of it. They're on tour. They were on tour when the interview was done. That's the focus.





/jarmo

Sounds like they are going to start looking very seriously at what they are doing in that regard.

That's a relief.

[Lord Stan]

You've been on the Not in This Lifetime tour since April 2016 and you the response has been great, both from your fans and the industry. Have you considered following this through by bringing out some new stuff in the near future?
"Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."


That sounds way different than "No, I have zero interest in ever working on anything new".

He's just stating the obvious for people who didn't think of it. They're on tour. They were on tour when the interview was done. That's the focus.





/jarmo

Sounds like they are going to start looking very seriously at what they are doing in that regard.

That's a relief.

Yeah... Until in around January European Summer 2019 is announced

[westcoast_junkie]

European Summer Tour would be great 

[sofine11]

"We're concentrating on the tour..."

Makes you wonder what the hell he does during the giant breaks in between tour legs.  Certainly not thinking about putting out music, obviously...

[draguns]

"We're concentrating on the tour..."

Makes you wonder what the hell he does during the giant breaks in between tour legs.  Certainly not thinking about putting out music, obviously...

What do you do when you are not working? Do you think about work or relax? Being it's a Friday night work is the furtherest thing on my mind.  Touring for 2.5 years is a lot of work. For us it's entertainment and a way to get away from the daily grind or other situations that may go on in someone's life. For them, this is work. I'm sure they enjoy it, but it's still work.

[Lord Stan]

"We're concentrating on the tour..."

Makes you wonder what the hell he does during the giant breaks in between tour legs.  Certainly not thinking about putting out music, obviously...

What do you do when you are not working? Do you think about work or relax? Being it's a Friday night work is the furtherest thing on my mind.  Touring for 2.5 years is a lot of work. For us it's entertainment and a way to get away from the daily grind or other situations that may go on in someone's life. For them, this is work. I'm sure they enjoy it, but it's still work.

My thoughts exactly.  I went on a tour including many gigs plus the World Cup as well. Now I'm just happy to be back in the daily grind. Friday night and a few beers after an easy week at work. For a travelling fan it is hard work to do 2.5 weeks and some do the same but years.

When you finally get home and get to do whatever that is you do, surely you don't think about creating new music or work today. You just want to relax and do nothing. There must be tons of episodes to watch on Netflix for instance.

Also, home is home no matter if you get to stay in some fancy hotels. It's still foreign lands.

Surely, the man has a plan but he has earned his rest now

Has anyone asked Jarmo how he is after a long tour.

[Conan]

That's just your take on what he said. Doesn't mean it's the truth.


/jarmo

Yeah I’m not sure what universe we are in, where a direct quote from someone else, works out to be ‘my take’ on the matter...

Then you can add the complete lack of new material since 2008 as further evidence if you like, given even Axl’s word is apparently not good enough any more...

[jarmo]

Yeah I’m not sure what universe we are in, where a direct quote from someone else, works out to be ‘my take’ on the matter...

Then you can add the complete lack of new material since 2008 as further evidence if you like, given even Axl’s word is apparently not good enough any more...

You mean lack of released material?

The direct quote does not imply the assumptions you made. That's reality.

Here's the quote again: "Right now our focus is on touring and the shows but everyone seems to be getting along so you never know."

There's a but in there that you seemed to ignore.


Also, he knows better than to "promise" anything. Remember that time he said "this isn't a promise"?




/jarmo

[DeN]

Guns N'Roses, Focusing on Touring Since 2008