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Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
What Azoff wanted, the rocker says, was the reunion of Guns N' Roses.
So Axl admits this isn't Guns N' Roses
I am not going to buy the fact that it's all Azoff's fault that the album wasn't promoted and effectively a debacle when it was released. Did Axl bank the cheque that he got from Best Buy? Did Axl let funds from Best Buy go to Universal to clear his accumulated debts there? If so then he is just as much complicit in this whole fucked up deal.
Just because he wasn't business savvy enough or didn't have the right people around him advising him on whether the deal he signed with Azoff was adequate and did everything he wanted (included touring and promo) - too bad. If you get in the water with a shark expect to lose a few fingers.
If stuff about promo and tours was in the contract then great, I am sure Axl will win that one in court. But if it wasn't - tough luck.
As for the bigger picture of Azoff owning the "trifecta" of Artist Management, Concert Touring & Promo and Ticket Sales. I agree with Axl's position and if he can get this whole merger thing reviewed great. But I remind him that Azoff was only going to get the Quinella for these things it was Axl who handed him the Trifecta by appointing him as manager. If he thought that there was going to be a conflict of interest why get into bed with him?
I have no doubt that Axl's BB check went to Uni. It's been known for years that artists get the "left overs" of album profits after it's cycled through all of the appropriate channels. With Axl's debt, the BB check most likely was what we all thought it was - breaking even.
Axl claimed back in early 2009 that Uni in the U.S. was non-existant, and seemed disinterested in promoting GN'R at all. Yet, Axl went out of his way to thank and point out the hard work that was put in by Uni internationally to promote the record.
If Azoff was using his pull within UMG to bury CD, and intentionally keeping them from talking with Axl... it's not that far-fetched.
If I remember correctly Axl said that Uni never really approached them with any kind of a promotional plan at all.
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
I mean seriously, what would Axl have to do to have some of u on here get his back? I think its ridiculous.
Do u know why the shit in the top 10 on Billboard is in the Top 10 on billboard? It isn't cause its the "Best" its because it has the artists with the most push behind them.
Well surely if Axl signed a contract that stipulated marketing and promo obligations of the label then presumably it would have happened. If not then Axl can easily win in court for breach of contract. My guess it was probably ambiguous or not in writing and so Azoff has now turned around and shafted him.
I mean seriously something like promo for example (what it will involve and who is going to pay for it) SHOULD have been addressed in writing since it was always going to be a conentious issue given how much money the label had already poured into the project. I always thought he would be pushing shit up hill to get them to do anything else to help him (promo or otherwise) as I am sure he probably didn't have any goodwill left with the label.
I support Axl, but if he fucked up with his business decision then that's sad for him and the album but there is nobody else to blame but himself for that. We all know "Azoff is the reunion" king so what else did he expect when he hired him? Here was my assessment of the situation 2 years ago when Azoff was apppointed:
I believe Azoff still acts on behalf of Weiland (or at least someone in his stable works with Weiland). Now Weailand has been conveniently steered down the STP track which clears the decks for VR to slowly die one way or another.
Next object for Azoff is to get CD out of the way - i.e. most likely releasing it.
Now for the conspiracy theory bit, it may be in the best intersts of Azoff if CD doesn't sell too well. Get the monkey off the back by getting it out, but then if it doesn't sell too well.....
Enter the reunion into the equation and the mega $$'s - not just for the band but for the management.
If I could see that happening from the sidelines why couldn't Axl?
Regarding his fight to take on Azoff/Live Nation etc - I fully support Axl. That's a big battle to take on and I hope he is joined by numerous other artists and relevant parties because I think that sort of monopoly needs to be stopped.
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
I have no doubt that Axl's BB check went to Uni. It's been known for years that artists get the "left overs" of album profits after it's cycled through all of the appropriate channels. With Axl's debt, the BB check most likely was what we all thought it was - breaking even.
Of the $14/15M (whatever the figure for the Best Buy deal was) Azoff got paid $2M, Axl got $1M and Uni took the rest.
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
I honestly believe Axl on this 100 percent. No way he releases this album and sits in his fucking house for a year. If that were the case, he never would've released it in the the first place. I think he was promised certain things and those things were not delivered.
why would a manager with Azoff's track record want to manage this version of GNR if he wasn't looking forward to the golden egg down the road.
I can almost guarantee those GNR will reunite for those European gigs was a feeler put out by Azoff to see the interest and money in it.
sadly, this lawsuit could cost Axl so much money, he may have to end up doing a reunion tour. Axl is rich, Irving is Wealthy big difference.
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
-D- wrote:I mean seriously, what would Axl have to do to have some of u on here get his back? I think its ridiculous.
Do u know why the shit in the top 10 on Billboard is in the Top 10 on billboard? It isn't cause its the "Best" its because it has the artists with the most push behind them.
Well surely if Axl signed a contract that stipulated marketing and promo obligations of the label then presumably it would have happened. If not then Axl can easily win in court for breach of contract. My guess it was probably ambiguous or not in writing and so Azoff has now turned around and shafted him.
I mean seriously something like promo for example (what it will involve and who is going to pay for it) SHOULD have been addressed in writing since it was always going to be a conentious issue given how much money the label had already poured into the project. I always thought he would be pushing shit up hill to get them to do anything else to help him (promo or otherwise) as I am sure he probably didn't have any goodwill left with the label.
I support Axl, but if he fucked up with his business decision then that's sad for him and the album but there is nobody else to blame but himself for that. We all know "Azoff is the reunion" king so what else did he expect when he hired him? Here was my assessment of the situation 2 years ago when Azoff was apppointed:
I believe Azoff still acts on behalf of Weiland (or at least someone in his stable works with Weiland). Now Weailand has been conveniently steered down the STP track which clears the decks for VR to slowly die one way or another.
Next object for Azoff is to get CD out of the way - i.e. most likely releasing it.
Now for the conspiracy theory bit, it may be in the best intersts of Azoff if CD doesn't sell too well. Get the monkey off the back by getting it out, but then if it doesn't sell too well.....
Enter the reunion into the equation and the mega $$'s - not just for the band but for the management.
If I could see that happening from the sidelines why couldn't Axl?
Regarding his fight to take on Azoff/Live Nation etc - I fully support Axl. That's a big battle to take on and I hope he is joined by numerous other artists and relevant parties because I think that sort of monopoly needs to be stopped.
Maybe Axl told Irving up front there would be no reunion ever and Irving kinda did the head nod, yeah yeah i know, i know fully expecting that he could change Axl's mind overtime.
If CD is promoted and pushed and is successful, our chances of a GNR reunion go away. If it flops, fails etc a reunion is that much more likely.
I think its valid.
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
That lawsuit makes for some interesting reading. Gives us a blow by blow transcript of events over the last 2 years according to Axl.
I agree with his assertion that Azoff set him and CD up for failure trying to force a reunion. That was ALWAYS going to be his agenda.
We all knew why Azoff was onboard and what his likely motives where, except it seems for Axl - until now. BUT good luck proving it.
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
Not to just be a fanboy but I tend to agree with Axl on most of this, reading much of it puts the pieces of the jigsaw together and now the whole quagmire of the last few years makes a lot more sense.
I've never, ever, been able to comprehend how such an error filled booklet could make it into to production, I thought it was a complete and lack of care and concern by the record company which was pretty bewildering. But if it was intentional?
What about all the US copies of the vinyl editions that apparently had been opened and thrown around like frisbees before being put on the shop shelves?
Axl also said there was a version of a song that got swapped around at the last moment after the wrong version almost made it to press, I wonder if that was more sabotage...
Anyway, we now know what the "bizness" was
Re: Axl fires back at Irv with lawsuit
I can't believe I actually read through all of that.... 
Like someone above said, I would consider myself an Axl Rose fanboy. And after reading throught that legal document. I'm prolly more behind Axl than ever.
Call it what you want, but the story you can pull from it pretty much explains the events since early 2008.
I can understand why Axl said in Asia that the past year had been the worst year of his life.
Hopefully this legal issue does not mess up the upcoming gigs.... 
