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Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
I think the record label put more effort into it than Axl did.
Think about how most albums are "supported". The artist makes public appearances/prformances/etc.
Unless it's someone you really give a shit about, how much do you ever even notice the label.
It doesn't seem like it was so much the label that dropped the ball to me.
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
Buzz: the music wasn't any good.
Axlin 08: Slash wasn't on the record.
Madagas: I have no idea, but something tells me that they were simply over the saga and as soon as the ink dried on the Best Buy deal, they were DONE with anyhting to do with this one album. It was a windfall payday for them and cleaned the slates with the Gnr brand.
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
They did support the album in my mind. They gave him 13 million dollars and close to 10yrs of patience because he was Axl Rose. They sent different producers and whatnot when there were problems with the album. Jimmy Iovine checked in on them periodically during the making of the album. I'm pretty sure the label had something to do with the buzz around 2000 when there were several articles about GNR returning and relesing CD.
It just sounds like another excuse from Axl to deflect blame from the bad sales.
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
Did the label feel there were no "hits" and maybe pressured Axl so much to come up with one that it caused a stalemate?
I feel the label took the best buy money and RAN and fell on their knees and thanked God they got a profit. so maybe they didn't want to throw those profits back into the record
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
I can say that in Australia promotion for this album was basicly zero, and was in stark contrast to albums of similar artists that have advance posters in stores etc....
While I don't deny the bands complicity to the problem in failng to do interviews and other traditional promo, there is no doubt in my mind that the corporate end of the game was also mismanaged.
I'm not sure why. My guess would just be that its accidental and a comedy of errors. The record labels and so forth have been in a lot of upheaval for years. Might have just come down to the 'case' being handled by the wrong executive/staff team at the wrong time in the wrong company who didn't pay it enough attention, and when coupled with the other unsual stuff about GNR it just made a mess.
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
why didn't axl support chinese democracy? look, when it came to advanced promotion of the album months in advance..axl took his ball and went home. why? axl sat on it. he thought the album would debut #1 selling millions just like the illusions did. he was wrong. the wrong single was picked. a music video wasn't ready. no magazine covers. no TV interviews. no award show performances. no talk shows. nothing. axl let chinese democracy whistle past the grave. was and is axl's fault. he dropped the ball on promotion. axl dropped the ball. promotion's on him. it's his responsibility. he failed the fans. axl failed chinese democracy promotion for it to be a monster commercial success
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
It's quite clear there's a bit of a rift between Axl and the record company, and apparently it has gotten to the point where neither was willing to budge to help the other. We haven't actually heard anything like that from Universal, but we know Axl's not happy with them. So I don't think it's a stretch to assume they feel the same. Both sides got their money, so in that respect it was a HUGE success considering the time, effort, and cash that went into the project. So as many others have said, why push it any further. Wipe your hands clean and move on. I just don't think any of this bodes well for the future.
And I know Axl can be a bit difficult, to put it nicely, but a lot of artists have problems with their record companies. Some give in and get taken advantage of. I'm guessing Axl is not that type. Unfortunately for him, he's no longer in position (if he even ever was) to have an advantage over Universal. So I don't see a way out. They're stuck with each other for now. They'll have to figure out the best way to deal with it.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
^ Good Post Faldor.
I think it's probably something like that, I would guess each sees the other as overly difficult and not understanding the other parties job/role in the process, and it got to the point where both of them got paid, and it was easier for everyone to just do their own thing.
Despite that...i would have thought the record company would do more with posters and so forth even just to boost their own numbers internationally...like here where best buy doesn't exist. So it's wierd. I'd also have expected Axl to be a bit more public, not to make money or whatever but just because of his obvious pride in his work. I think there must be tons of people who would have liked some of this music but just outright won't ever stumble into it and that's a shame.
Although I really liked the online chats. I hope things like that happen again in the future. Especially if a tour kicks off.
Re: Why didn't the label support Chinese Democracy?
Yeah, well from what Axl has said he would like to get out there, tour the album, and give it a proper push, promotion, etc. He's said all of that over the years. I'd ask "what's the delay?" but then again, what were the last 10 years? Things obviously don't move at a brisk pace in the land of GNR. At this point I'm not sure it really matters if all those things take place by the end of the year or by the end of the next decade. The album has lost any steam that it ever had so it's not like the wait is hurting anything right now. The chance to strike when the iron was hot has long passed. I just hope they have one heckuva revitilazition plan ready when the time comes.
