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Re: What did you expect?
No. What I'm saying is there would have been even less interest in an Axl Rose solo album than there was in a new GnR album (if you can imagine that being possible). Thus, we have a new GnR album. They are diehard GnR fans that were either willing to give Axl's solo effort a try or that are going to buy anything under the name GnR regardless of what is on it.
The old joke was that Axl could fart into a mic and sell a million copies the first week...where does that put CD?
I'm not sure I completely agree with that notion either. Even in reference to your joke, I didn't go to those lengths exactly but I used to joke that if Axl put out an album of him whistling (he's a damn good whistler) I'd buy it. I've loved Guns N' Roses since the early 90's, they were my favorite band by far. I'd put myself in the "die hard" category I guess so I'll assume others have similar passions for the band. I didn't get into Slash's Snakepit or Gilby, Izzy, Duff, or anyone else's solo projects. But I welcomed Velvet Revolver with open arms for both their albums. And like it or not, Axl Rose is the VOICE of Guns N' Roses (although not promotion wise as we can painfully see). If it was the Axl Rose Band I certainly would've bought it, whistling and all. The label Guns N' Roses didn't have any factor, just as the label Velvet Revolver didn't have any factor. I would think all die hard fans would feel the same, although maybe I'm assuming too much. I think where the "this only sold as much as it did/will is because of the GNR brand name" comes into play is when the non diehards buy it, which both you and I concluded hasn't happened yet. Will it? We'll have to wait and see.
Re: What did you expect?
buzzsaw wrote:No. What I'm saying is there would have been even less interest in an Axl Rose solo album than there was in a new GnR album (if you can imagine that being possible). Thus, we have a new GnR album. They are diehard GnR fans that were either willing to give Axl's solo effort a try or that are going to buy anything under the name GnR regardless of what is on it.
The old joke was that Axl could fart into a mic and sell a million copies the first week...where does that put CD?
I'm not sure I completely agree with that notion either. Even in reference to your joke, I didn't go to those lengths exactly but I used to joke that if Axl put out an album of him whistling (he's a damn good whistler) I'd buy it. I've loved Guns N' Roses since the early 90's, they were my favorite band by far. I'd put myself in the "die hard" category I guess so I'll assume others have similar passions for the band. I didn't get into Slash's Snakepit or Gilby, Izzy, Duff, or anyone else's solo projects. But I welcomed Velvet Revolver with open arms for both their albums. And like it or not, Axl Rose is the VOICE of Guns N' Roses (although not promotion wise as we can painfully see). If it was the Axl Rose Band I certainly would've bought it, whistling and all. The label Guns N' Roses didn't have any factor, just as the label Velvet Revolver didn't have any factor. I would think all die hard fans would feel the same, although maybe I'm assuming too much. I think where the "this only sold as much as it did/will is because of the GNR brand name" comes into play is when the non diehards buy it, which both you and I concluded hasn't happened yet. Will it? We'll have to wait and see.
So you fall into the part I bolded. You were going to buy it regardless. How are you agreeing and disagreeing with me at the same time? Yes, YOU would have bought an Axl Rose solo album. Not everybody would have, nor would they have felt obligated to buy it as some people seem to have felt obligated to buy CD. Are you really saying that keeping the name Guns N' Roses didn't help the sales of the album? Please tell me that's not what you're saying.
Re: What did you expect?
the majority of people caught up in the politics of the gnr brand name are the die hards fans
and since the album was not promoted to anyone else we can estimate they are the ones that bought the album. give or take a few, obviously.
had the album been available at wal mart, i think a lot more fairweather fans that have been out of the loop may have bought the album when they saw the words 'GUNS N ROSES on the stand.
but that is not the case and so the name didn't really matter. had it been called the axl rose project, we all would have still known about it.
if a more mainstream single comes out and catches on with the younger people, that had never even heard of gnr, it won't matter because to them cause it will be the only gnr they know but the fairweather fans then exist in more relevant numbers and it becomes more debatable on what they think about it about it all and if it ffected their decision. personally, i don't think the fairweather fans are the ones that care about the poilitics of gnr brand name.
- MrWonderful
- Rep: 2
Re: What did you expect?
if a more mainstream single comes out and catches on with the younger people, that had never even heard of gnr, it won't matter because to them cause it will be the only gnr they know but the fairweather fans then exist in more relevant numbers and it becomes more debatable on what they think about it about it all and if it ffected their decision. personally, i don't think the fairweather fans are the ones that care about the poilitics of gnr brand name.
That mainstream single will definitely be Street of Dreams. If this song gets radio time it will be a huge hit.
What did I expect?
I didn't know what to expect, but Im not much of a diehard (I had never even heard a leaked or live version of any of these songs). I was hoping for something in the area of Lost Dogs (Pearl Jam)----A good album---That spanned a decade+ of style changes and at least had a few good songs that probably didn't fit together too well.
CD turned out to much better than I had hoped. The album actually would have been nearly perfect IMOP if they left off the 1st two songs---which really don't go along with the vibe of the album (though they are pretty decent). Every other song seems deeply personal----a real window to the inner and outer turmoil that has been consuming Axl all these years.
If Axl would go on Howard Stern (or other big media outlet) and talk about some of the real stories that inspired the music of CD, the sales and interest would definitely shoot up.
This isn't really an album that jumps out at you, but it has really grown on me the more Ive listened. I can't get enough right now. ---As a point of reference---I bought Contraband when it came out, and though I tried, the songs never really grew on me (even though I did like listening to Slash play...the songs seemed to lack that deeper inspiration ---this is different.
Re: What did you expect?
Great post Mr. Wonderful(Paul Orndoorf?). Cool to see a 'non die hard' offer their perspective.
I do agree that the album itself as a whole is its main selling point. I mentioned this weeks ago, but its like Led Zeppelin II(or maybe III) where the entire album has to be digested instead of being able to just cherry pick singles from it as the album's representation.
However, we live in an era propelled by catchy singles. So in that aspect, they have to grab a few songs and hope one sticks. Its an album without any guaranteed singles though.
Its an album that exists in the wrong time.
Re: What did you expect?
I truely believe that had the old band recorded on this album, and it been promoted with Slash & Duff doing interviews...
People would be calling it the greatest GN'R album ever, and it would've went instant-platinum in the first week... or at least Death Magnetic numbers.
Alot of people just flat out HATE Axl and refuse to buy CD or give it a chance artistically. It's sad.
If The World, TWAT, Catcher, Sorry, Maddy, This I Love & Prostitute are among some of the best ever recorded under the name - GUNS N' ROSES.
