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Re: Duff Book
This shit kind of reminds me of that Facebook movie "The Social Network" where the one dude Eduardo i think his name was, got tricked into signing his shares over cause he thought he was getting advice from his lawyers. In all actuality though, Axl did have the name already, so he prob should've retained it if he wanted it.
- Intercourse
- Rep: 212
Re: Duff Book
Its sad to think that when Duff and Slash got those papers presented to them that they couldn't have strolled up to Axl's dressing room and said
"we need to talk old friend, this shit is waaay out of control".
Axl had obviously cocooned himself away from the rest of them to such an extent that it didn't even strike them to do that even when such a momentous decision was placed in front of them.
That shit is FUCKED. UP.
What you are looking at here were three people who were no more than boys really who just came off the streets five years before and now found themselves top executives in a global corporation. If that's not pressure enough, their health was failing and they were sourrounded by ugly, cynical & seasoned business veterans & hangers on who would sell their mother's eyes to get a sniff of the GNR $.
All men are telling the truth because this whole thing was so big and so complex and so overwhelming piling in on top of them while they were out of it and exhausted, I bet nobody in the band really knew what happened. Only the lawyers, managers and hangers on who make a career of fleecing people do.
Re: Duff Book
That's why I think Axl's provision story in the 1990 contract renegotiation makes the most sense.
I think these guys were fucking PUPPIES man. They had no clue what they were by 1990, and had no clue what they'd be over the next few years at that point.
They were still "just a band". They weren't nothing but a bunch of gutter rats who put together a duct-taped band through friends of friends. They weren't SHIT in 1986/87. Even after AFD dropped it wasn't a runaway success.
But by 1990, within the span of 2, 2-1/2 years or so they were rocketed to being buddies with their idols, being hated by the world media, and being raped by lawyers wet dreaming to the payday OF them being 'the next' Stones, Zeppelin, or Queen.
I think all of these guys were slap-shoted into this, and I think most of the sharks primarily focused on Axl. Why Axl and not the rest? Because it makes common sense. He's the frontman. He's the face of the band. They probably would've went after Slash, if it weren't for his reputation and image of being a chronic drunk/junkie.
I'm sure Axl had advisors (whoever they were comprised of at the time) telling him, "hey Axl, don't you think Slash and Duff and Izzy and Steven are reckless? I mean look at all of them, they're junkies or drunks or both! They could die at any moment! You've gotta think of your future. 'Cause you are Guns N' Roses, you've gotta think about how Guns N' Roses will go on. Your financial options and protecting yourself! It doesn't mean you're not their friend, you're looking out for their well-being too!"
I really believe that's what happened. I don't think Axl was some master asshole. Axl's own words probably held true too, he probably felt some entitlement to the name brand GN'R, because he helped develop it either by himself or with Tracii Guns (who was LONG gone at that point).
I think he threw the provision in there and the guys just went with it. No hiding, it was right there.
Problem is -- I don't think they had a fucking clue what it meant. They were so fresh, so new at it, they had no clue what any of it meant, especially buzzed on booze, or drowsy-eyed from junk. The LAST thing on their mind was business or understanding all of it.
By the time they did, it was like WHAT THE FUCK! Did I just do THAT?
Even Slash himself said he willingly went with it, and claimed "what's a band without the players?" He didn't think Axl could do absolutely anything with it anyways.
I think it was a "dust settles" situation. I think with all the shit going on... contract renegotiation, new album production, setting up their FIRST headline world tour, MTV premiere videos, mansions, the lifestyle, and on top of all of that -- full blown addictions -- it took AWHILE for them to even realize what the business aspect was, and what exactly they all had signed.
Axl on the other hand was dealing with GN'R business constantly. Getting advisors, having people consult, making the ship run in the worst way possible (even then), and the biggest thing delegated to Slash & Duff was hire a new drummer and bring in the horns and backup singers.
My guess is the way this all ties in is that Goldstein probably was giving them some sort of additional document dealing with it, and that was the moment that it hit them. But probably not the origin. Goldstein was LEGENDARY for delivering half-baked answers between parties to skew and create his direction for the future.
Re: Duff Book
contract was renegotiated in 1992.....
The relationship between Guns N' Roses and UMG's Geffen Records division dates back to 1986, when Geffen's corporate predecessor, The David Geffen Company, entered into a recording agreement with five individuals, Steven Adler, Izzy Stradlin, Michael Duff McKagan, Saul Hudson and W. Axl Rose, who were professionally known as Guns N' Roses. In 1992, Geffen's corporate predecessor entered into a new recording agreement with Messrs. Hudson, McKagan and Rose dated September 1, 1992 (hereinafter the Recording Agreement). Prior to the signing of the 1992 Recording Agreement, Adler and Stradlin had left the band (although they still retained a royalty interest in master recordings created under the original 1986 agreement during their tenure in the band.)
Re: Duff Book
while i'm here i've got a little off topic complaint to make - Duff's playing Belfast nxt month & is charging £22 for a ticket. fucking suck my balls.
Re: Duff Book
That's almost 1/2 price what I paid to go see Velvet Revolver and Megadeth several years ago.
£22??? Comeon John, what would you expect it's live music from someone who isn't a gypsy on the street.
- Intercourse
- Rep: 212
Re: Duff Book
that would buy me five beers in Dublin..cheap to see the Duffmeister.
