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Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
Olorin wrote:buzzsaw wrote:Inspiring? Really?
I've always thought they were pretty pessimistic and depressing for the most part (with exceptions certainly), but I'm admittedly not a lyrics guy. Maybe I just don't get Axl, or maybe I've never been downtrodden enough.
Yeah, every day his music and words inspires me keep my head up and not give up when people and life itself is getting me down and the weight of the world is on my back and I just wanna throw myself off a bridge. Theres a strong sense of solidarity I have with GNR's music that no other band has ever came close to, and I often find comfort in Axl's words.
I'm suprised this comes as a shock to you, especially as your reading it on a Guns N'Roses fan forumApparently you've been more downtrodden than I have then. I've never been a GnR fan because of Axl. I'd have loved the band regardless of the singer if the songs had been exactly the same as they were (which they wouldn't have been). My admiration of Axl is in his song structures, not his lyrics.
Axl wrote some beautiful songs that I can relate to, but his lyrics overall are quite negative and depressing. Even a fan should be able to see that. Maybe it's just easier for me to see because I don't idolize the guy.
I'm with Olorin on this... I was ALWAYS a Guns fan because I connected with Axl. Axl spoke to me, the rest of the band was just kinda there, as much as I did love Slash, Izzy & Duff...
But I do agree with you Buzz, I connected with Axl's lyrics, because I was also downtrodden, disadvantaged, depressed, etc.
Other than maybe Axl's lyrics in AFD, which were more aggressive, but still nihilistic, whereas everything from UYI on to CD, was far more reflective and depressing.
Many of Axl's lyrics could be lifted, and turned into grunge songs imo.
In other words - you're both right. 
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
I'm not at all saying he's wrong - I just don't get it. I was careful to never say someone was wrong for feeling the way they feel...I just see it differently, that's all. I can see where people might see it like he does - I think my bad days were probably better than some other people's good days, so I can't relate to a lot of the lyrics. I actually relate much more (or at least I did) to his aggressive and angry lyrics than I ever did the depressing stuff.
I guess I had a pretty good upbringing without a lot of complex issues or I just dealt with them better than others did. I love the lyrics to Breakdown and Coma. I love the lyrics to Estranged. I really liked Don't Damn Me when I was younger. I'm sure I'm missing a song or two in there, but that's really about it lyrically for me. Even TWAT (one of my favorite songs in case you didn't know) is about the music for me, not the lyrics. If I find a song musically good (good instrumentals, nice vocal melody), I will probably like the song regardless of the lyrics.
Axl has put together beautiful song structures and usually very good vocal melodies. THAT is what I love about Axl. You can have all the rest of the Axl stuff. I don't care for it. But he's so good (for the most part) at the stuff I like, that I will always give him a chance - even when I don't like the rest of it.
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
And I do realize that I am in the minority of music listeners. Most people don't really care at all about the music. Maybe that will help understand why I am passionate about the things that I am passionate about. I am listening to the music in a completely different way than most people do. I am hearing different things than most people hear. It's both a blessing and a curse.
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
Buzz - I think the lyrics are inspiring to so many because of the fact that THEY ARE negative and based on real events that people can relate to when they are having real issues or even just having a bad day. that allows people an escape from their problems and any time you feel better about your self you take one step in the right direction. also, knowing the lyrics and music came from someone that went from an abused teenage runaway to an international success can be very inspiring.
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
I obviously feel more strongly about some songs than others, cant say I ever found Paradise City's lyrics inspiring for example.
Its a nice feel good party song mind you, the intro is magical, it takes me right back to my childhood when it topped the charts and when I got struck down with gnrvitis. So it still stirs up some kind of emotion 
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
Olorin wrote:I dont even know the back story
Wow. You're in for an eye opening story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_3
I HIGHLY recommend the documentary called Paradise Lost. One of the best documentaries I've ever watched. It might still be on youtube. If not, rent/download it ASAP.
I'm going to try watching the documentary on youtube now, I'm very squeamish about violence against children though so might not make it through 
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
James Lofton wrote:Olorin wrote:I dont even know the back story
Wow. You're in for an eye opening story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_3
I HIGHLY recommend the documentary called Paradise Lost. One of the best documentaries I've ever watched. It might still be on youtube. If not, rent/download it ASAP.
I'm going to try watching the documentary on youtube now, I'm very squeamish about violence against children though so might not make it through
Watch it anyways. Its mind blowing what happened in all aspects of the case.
I must warn you that they do show autopsy pics of the children and a few of the pics are very graphic. Definitely don't watch it with children around.
Buzz, a lot of people can relate to Axl's lyrics. When I was a teen, he got me through some very tough times. Of course the music is great, but when you are staring over the abyss as a youngster, he can help prevent you from actually falling into it.
As an older man now, I don't identify as much with it and Cornell's lyrics blow me away and I listen to Soundgarden almost every day. If you've never been severely depressed before and never felt the need to identify with lyrics and latch on to songs because of their meaning, consider yourself a very lucky man.
Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
Buzz, a lot of people can relate to Axl's lyrics. When I was a teen, he got me through some very tough times. Of course the music is great, but when you are staring over the abyss as a youngster, he can help prevent you from actually falling into it.
As an older man now, I don't identify as much with it and Cornell's lyrics blow me away and I listen to Soundgarden almost every day. If you've never been severely depressed before and never felt the need to identify with lyrics and latch on to songs because of their meaning, consider yourself a very lucky man.
I've been depressed and gone through some rough times, but probably not at the same level as a lot of people - and I do feel good about that and very fortunate. I think I related to Axl's lyrics more when I was younger as you did and less as I have gotten older.
Now that I've grown up (most of the time), I just don't hear what I heard back then, but the music still moves me as much as it did then. It was always about the music and the melodies for me. The fact that I got a few of Axl's lyrics helped, but I could listen to the instrumentals of those albums and enjoy them just as much if not more than the album versions even back then. I wore out the UYI Japan VHS tape (yes video tape) during the Slash solo section from playing it so much. Maybe I'm the weird one, but I get so much more out of the music than I ever have from the lyrics. Nobody has ever impressed me lyrically. Maybe that's why I don't get bands like Floyd either.
- NY Giants82
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Re: Damien Echols from the West Memphis Three Interview
I am with you on the music too. Its not just the lyrics with me. I can listen to a guitar solo, and man it'll give me chills. I feel music too. If I wasn't a music guy, I wouldn't dig Buckethead either.
But its not just lyrics in general. Axl is special. He is different. His lyrics, and the way he delivers them, he is truly "one in a million".
