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Re: 1 year
What killed me about how people reacted to his letter is when he clearly said TENTATIVE March 6th, people were running with that as if that was the concrete release date. That was going on for the months after and when March 6th came and went and people went ape shit when it wasn't something Axl ever said was set in stone, I am sure that is what caused him to not give the updates he promised.
yeah that was why i was trying to get people to not get their hopes up...cuz of the tentaitve and the timeframe i thought it was fairly obvious as to what was gonna happen...i think all of us RoV people were pretty much on the same page as the RoV membership was affected least of the forums when Mar6 came and went
- Intercourse
- Rep: 212
Re: 1 year
James,
Great points. If the album is with the label do you feel he has agreed to try to move on from his current legacy?
Re: 1 year
By deciding to not communicate with the fan base any longer because of the negativity - to me it basically means that he doesn't want to be held accountable for anything that he or the GN'R camp says.
Lets be honest, they are in the business of making $$'s and running a successful business (which is really what Axl has turned GN'R into - a big business). If that means you have to throw out a comment about a tentative release date to generate a buzz again to ensure decent ticket sales and placate a growing backlash, then you do it.
Now plenty of people clearly didn't understand or choose to ignore the word tentative. So when the date passed a whole heap of fans whinged and bitched about it. Personally, I didn't have a problem with them missing the date. However, if he was completely honest about them aiming to hit that March date, then when it was missed you would presume that the actual date would follow shortly. The fact that it didn't and we are now 9 months later suggests that the date wasn't never a possibility.
Unfortunately I think most of the small reactive snippets of communication we have had from them have been marketing ploys to keep the fanbase interested and the business ticking along.
At the same time I really think that the poor guy is in a fucked up position. They have not communicated with fans much at all and have pissed so many of them off, that even now if they started some regular open and honest communication it really may make no difference because so many people are so jaded, they would just continue to pull everything he says apart and whinge and bitch again.
Until he gets this CD monkey off his back I think it's always going to be this way. Problem is, to get it off his back he needs to release the album and have the public vote on it which means right there and then he is being judged - the enigma and mystique of Chinese Democracy is finally over (if it's not already). Depending on how it goes down it's either the real beginning of "the new GN'R" or the death of it. Because of the long running joke that CD has finally become, it can never live up to the hype so he risks a real backlash (if that's possible given the size of the current backlash) when it's released regardless of whether it's the album of the year/decade. (personally I am sure it will be fantastic - but still not worth 15 years or whatever the wait is). So this can't honestly look like an attractive thought to him so you continue to stall and preserve the status quo.
His only other "out" is to get the original lineup involved - and that ain't gonna happen. So he either keeps stringing this thing out even further or releases it and comes back to earth as just another lead singer of regular current band and not the rock god that he once was (or still is or thinks he still is).
- DoubleTalkingJive
- Rep: 74
Re: 1 year
Good Post Aussie!
I really can't believe this can go on much longer. I've said many times that I left the forums in 05 and then returned when Axl came out of his hiding. Now, how much longer until I get there again and I use myself as an example. 2 more years of struggling to talk about this band doesn't look all that great. I am not even talking about CD, I am talking about the entire band in general. For GNR we have to STRUGGLE for conversation about this band if you don't want to talk about the same old shit over and over.
As much as you never know what's going to happen with this band now that GNR is out of hiding, 2 more years of silence like this one, well I can't see the majority of the fanbase holding on.
- bucketfoot
- Rep: 4
Re: 1 year
Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum but been around the GNR community for quite awhile. So hi.
Anyway, concerning the thread, I really feel the way that many in this discussion do, discouraged and confused. I was really on a high when I read Axl's letter in December 2006 because I really felt that he was being genuine and trying to best explain why the album wasn't coming out.
I remember seeing a teaser trailer for Fred Claus, the movie with Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti and at the end it said, "Coming Christmas 2007". Since Old School is a favorite movie of mine, I thought that it could be pretty solid (although I didn't care for the final product) but was bummed that the movie wasn't going to be out for a whole year. Then I remember thinking, 'Oh, atleast Chinese Democracy will be out by then.'
Well, as we all know it didn't. We got some awesome new demos which were awesome but in many ways only added fuel to the flame. I don't understand why the band doesn't post a picture of Axl and Robin together in the studio or someone like Richard talking about his experience on tour. It's really not that difficult.
"But again, without full knowledge of the various dynamics and circumstances involved, these types of comments or commentary are just uninformed, disassociated, generally useless -- and often hindering -- speculation." This statement from the Letter really gave me inspiration to trust Axl and after listenening to the new songs such as Madagascar and Better, the lyrics really resonated with me. 'I won't be told anymore, that I've been brought down in this storm' and 'A broken heart provides the spark for my determination'. Coming off a huge breakup with a girl that was 'quite marriable', I really connected with the new songs and legitimately identified and felt bad for the guy.
Well it's 2008 and here I am much like I was at the end of the 2002 Tour, about to quit listening to GNR and going on the Forums for good. It's easy to point fingers and blame-shift and I'm sure much of the delay is more complex that we can imagine and I personally think no one wants the album out more than Axl. He's been the butt of endless jokes and made into a monster by uninformed journalists. I hardly think he wants that to continue. Even in such a discouraging time I'll defend Axl and the new lineup, they're really brilliant. I just wish that Axl would focus on people like us, sticking it out. I feed off of negative criticism in many facets of my life, but sometimes you have to take a step back and take a view of things.
But in the end, I don't think he's doing it for us. And eventhough I really don't want to continue following the Chinese Democracy saga for many reasons I do. The end of Merck's letter summarizes exactly how I feel:
"I believe in Axl Rose. I promise you Chinese Democracy is worth it and you should keep the faith. I will walk away knowing I have done my best and that next year will see Axl recognized not only as a great singer and rock icon but as one of the greatest artists of all time. "
I just hope that the album comes soon and Axl can really reap the benefits. I really think 2008 will be his last chance.
>Bucketfoot
- DoubleTalkingJive
- Rep: 74
Re: 1 year
Great post Bucketfoot and welcome!
bucketfoot
Today 22:59:26
He's been the butt of endless jokes and made into a monster by uninformed journalists. I hardly think he wants that to continue. Even in such a discouraging time I'll defend Axl and the new lineup, they're really brilliant. I just wish that Axl would focus on people like us, sticking it out. I feed off of negative criticism in many facets of my life, but sometimes you have to take a step back and take a view of things.
My sentiments exactly 
Even if Axl isn't doing any of this for us his fans, I wish he'd do it for himself and for the people that worked hard on this album and give their all on tour.
Re: 1 year
I'm going to throw out a thought that occured to me while reading through a few of these posts...
People bring up how they wish he would be more open with communication and talk to his fanbase way more. I fully dissagree. I'm from the idea that less communication is more. It builds up the anticipation, the excitement, and gets people talking more.
Now no one can use the excuse that 'after Axl released that letter there was tons of talk when before there wasn't that much'. The ONLY reason there was that much talk was because Axl doesn't talk much. If he would give regular updates, there would really be no need for forums, because everyone would know everything that's going on and there'd be no mystery, no speculation, and the hype and excitement on the album would fall.
I think a good example of this is Avenged Sevenfold. They have a myspace page, and regularly update it (a few times weekly). There's really no mystery surrounding them, because any 14 year old on myspace could easily go to their page and read everything there is to know about them. They've released a couple doccumentaries, making of the album, and put themselves out there to their fans. While it is cool that they are willing to do that, it takes away some of the excitement. You don't have to wonder what they're doing, because you pretty much know.
Bottom line- you know when Axl does an interview, or makes some statement, it's something big. If Rolling Stone advertised an 'exclusive Axl Rose interview regarding the release of Chinese Democracy', how many people would run out and buy it the day it comes out? Or try to read it in some form that first day? That right there is the power of holding back from your fan base. Ultimately it works in favor of the artist.
Now i am not by any means justifying the delay of Chinese Democracy. That is a whole clusterfuck that i don't feel like touching right now. I'm just giving my insight as to why he isn't more open with the fanbase.
