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Re: Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy
About the same as what Sean Beaven said. It sucks he couldn't stay with the project. He's a fantastic producer.
I really don't think Josh had any intention of being the long term drummer of GNR. There really seems to have been a real productive period of writing in the beginning and then it just ground to a hault, until Brain and Bucket jumped on board, but it still dragged on at a snails pace. I'd really like to know the insides to that story. From what we've heard it seems that the bulk of material was put together in 97-99? in Axl's guest house/studio where they all worked together at the same time, in the same room (and seems to be looked on as 'the best of times'). But things changed once they hit the studio and no one really worked together at the same time again.
Re: Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy
Nearly 10 years after leaving Guns N' Roses to become a founding member of A Perfect Circle, drummer Josh Freese is still involved in the maelstrom with Axl Rose. And, as Freese tells it, that's a good thing.
During an extensive Spinner Q&A, Rose said that Freese was one of the easiest drummers to work with -- and friendliest. When Spinner spoke to Freese, he took the time to return the compliment. "Everyone always baits me to give them a crazy Axl story," he admits. "I don't really have any. I spent two years in a studio with him [and] I never saw any mood swings. He was never not cool to me. So, I am always quick to defend the guy, even though I know his reality is different than mine. Then again, everyone has a different reality."
Freese auditioned for the Axl-centric Guns in 1997, albeit a little reluctantly. "I was pretty busy at the time, so I didn't really need the job necessarily," he says. "Then I decided that I should go down there because I wanted to meet him. At the time, no one had seen him for a couple of years and there were all these rumors. He had become the Howard Hughes of rock 'n' roll and I wanted to see it. I went down and I liked him. He wasn't the monster that was painted of him."
The two spent the next two years in the studio, working up new songs including the Rose/Freese composition that became the 'Chinese Democracy' title track. "That's a wacky feather in my cap," Freese says with a laugh. "After 10 years I was ready to see [the song] have eight different writers on it, but it didn't get convoluted and f---ed up."
In fact, for all the reports of Rose's endless tweaking, Freese says the song is very close to the original. "I think they made the intro longer," he says. "I'd have 'em cut right into the thing. It's a simple bonehead rock song with a big riff that I'm assuming will be perfect for 'Guitar Hero' one day."
-Spinner-
- mickronson
- Rep: 118
Re: Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy
Ive always agreed tho.. Chinese Democracy (the song) always had too much of a build up, since the song itself never had the balls to back it up.. its a straight out rocker and should have been treated as such
- Loaded Revolver
- Rep: 6
Re: Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy
Smoking Guns wrote:Never bite the hand that feeds you.
Oh, come on...
Is it impossible that he just doesn't have anything bad to say?
Of course not, but then again when he was in GnR it was inherently the Axl Rose Project, and still is, where no one is ever TRULY an equal partner, and they knew that going in and know it now. His situation with GnR and Axl is totally different from that of the original members.
Let's not bullshit anyone here, these interviews are posted as an attempt to discredit what the original band members have said about Axl, and for what it's worth the same is true regarding people posting interviews from the original members to discredit what the newer guys have to say. The truth is they are not the same, they are dealing with Axl on different levels and in different situations, and that goes for Axl's comments about the original members as compared to the newer guys. Certain situations bring out the worst in people, feeling like you have no control over something, or feeling like someone is trying to take control from you or control you, tends to make people act like assholes.
Re: Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy
Let's not bullshit anyone here, these interviews are posted as an attempt to discredit what the original band members have said about Axl
So Axl convinced "Josh Freese" and "Billboard" to do this interview?
Re: Josh Freese on Axl and Chinese Democracy
What do you mean? Everybody has a vested interest in keeping Axl happy seems pretty self explanatory to me.
As for influencing people's decisions, that can be done without ever verbally asking for something. For example: your boss makes your life hell so you will quit. They never ask you to quit, but they certainly influence your decision to do so.
