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Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
They like the songs and GNR have been smart enough to tour in places that they haven't been in for a while.
Also, I don't think South America (and maybe Eastern Europe) are as hostile or critical as the US or the UK.
I guess it's one of those things where you tolerate the guy you hate as long as the rest of the production comes through. Think of it as watching a film where an actor or actress you hate is in it, as long as that person doesn't totally ruin the entire film, you're ok with it and willing to sit through it.
- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
I have seen GNR 4 times since 2000. Axl puts on a good show. Does he do lame shit? Sure, but there is only one Axl Rose.
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
But seriously, I do have a question:
How on Earth is this band still selling tickets? And I'm asking that very seriously.
I know "Yahoo Comments" don't make up the general public, but if you look at almost every source on the internet outside of a GN'R forum, it seems every single person on the planet *hates* Axl Rose.
Globally I have no idea but I think you can see the interest is lacking quite a bit in North America. They aren't a legit arena act at this point in NA. the thing is they were so huge in their day and the songs are still regulars on modern rock and classic rock stations that people will always show up for shows. Interst is obviously on the down swing though. They do put on a good show so they will get their hardcore fans returning year after year but even those numbers are dropping.
I think we can all agree that there will always be a market for a Guns show regradless on who's in the band but without a top tier new album their days of being a headlining arena act in NA are done in my opinion. Even with that quality new album I think the general public in NA are pretty much done with a Slashless Guns N' Roses, especially with Slash having the commercial and radio success he has these days. the majority just dont' care about "fake Guns N' Roses"
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
Smoking Guns wrote:They go for the songs, they still hate Axl.
But again, all you see if you go a ton of these sites (Yahoo, Fark, Blabbermouth, YouTube, hell.... even GN'R's own fb page) it seems you just see TONS of people bashing Axl and anyone in the band who didn't play on AFD, Lies or UYI.
Surely 6k-10k per city all over the world aren't paying $80-$120 per ticket to see/hear a bunch of people they supposedly hate, led by a guy they truly despise just because they're playing some songs they love?
The only explanation I can come up with, is there are enough people who don't pay attention to the minute details and don't have a strong negative opinion on Axl. In other words, the % of people who post on message boards or make comments on certain sites is small compared to the concertgoing public.
Because otherwise I'd agree with you. Axl is HATED on the internet. Luckily for him, he doesn't play concerts for people sitting at their computers in Iowa.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
russtcb wrote:Smoking Guns wrote:They go for the songs, they still hate Axl.
But again, all you see if you go a ton of these sites (Yahoo, Fark, Blabbermouth, YouTube, hell.... even GN'R's own fb page) it seems you just see TONS of people bashing Axl and anyone in the band who didn't play on AFD, Lies or UYI.
Surely 6k-10k per city all over the world aren't paying $80-$120 per ticket to see/hear a bunch of people they supposedly hate, led by a guy they truly despise just because they're playing some songs they love?
The only explanation I can come up with, is there are enough people who don't pay attention to the minute details and don't have a strong negative opinion on Axl. In other words, the % of people who post on message boards or make comments on certain sites is small compared to the concertgoing public.
Because otherwise I'd agree with you. Axl is HATED on the internet. Luckily for him, he doesn't play concerts for people sitting at their computers in Iowa.
Agree. For most softcore rock fans (and last time I saw them in 2006 there were a lot teenage girls) it's the band that had SCOM, NR, Don't Cry, Paradise City and a couple of other huuuuge hits. Plus, it has the NAME. Even half of Queen is doing quite well with the name and a Freddie impersonator. Some people are willing to buy the illusion, if they can't buy the real deal for some reasons. Better than nothing and it still can be a really good night.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
For the record I don't hate Axl at all.
Actually, I'm rather thankful to him as his music has changed my life.
I'm just a little frustrated.
I don't have the right to ask for anything I guess, but looking in the window it seems like he's paralysed by issues, psychological, business, and otherwise...and that it's time something was done to help him out of the rut.
He is one of the greatest songwriters in the entire world, and he currently has assembled a truly incredible selection of talent. But yet he remains paralysed...unable to release new music, and live only recreating things from yesteryear.
I have no ill-will toward him at all, but I'm starting to feel it's time something was done to fix this situation...although I have no idea how.
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
I don't have the right to ask for anything I guess, but looking in the window it seems like he's paralysed by issues, psychological, business, and otherwise...and that it's time something was done to help him out of the rut.
He is one of the greatest songwriters in the entire world, and he currently has assembled a truly incredible selection of talent. But yet he remains paralysed...unable to release new music, and live only recreating things from yesteryear.
I have no ill-will toward him at all, but I'm starting to feel it's time something was done to fix this situation...although I have no idea how.
Does he even care?
This never ending tour is confusing - is it to raise funds to keep the brand going, or is it to keep him in the life he's accustomed to, or is he really so demented he's still beating his Chinese Democracy drum??? Or something else, more simple & genuine?
I tend to believe he simply doesn't have the inspiration or anything 'to say' & that, coupled w/his lengthy gestation style of song creation, makes me think progression, newness, isn't even on the agenda let alone a distant goal...
It looks like he's misplaced his creativity. It's looked like that this long time, really. For a long time he's seemed more interested in business conflicts & petty powertrips than making songs that rock.
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
It looks like he's misplaced his creativity. It's looked like that this long time, really. For a long time he's seemed more interested in business conflicts & petty powertrips than making songs that rock.
For a lot of people.... actually everyone to a degree we tend to avoid the things that are the most challenging for us. It's easier and safer for Axl to involve himself in things where he can say "it wasn't my fault" or thinsg he can control "intellectually" rather than creatively ie: lawsuits, business stuff, power & control etc etc. It's probably harder focusing on what brought him to the dance ie: musical talent and song writing ability.
the truth is I really question how talented he is anymore when it comes to creating. Talnet dimishes. It doesn't mean he wasn't incredibly talented it just means I question his creative talent today. To be brutally honest if you gave me 13 million dollars and the next 10-12 years to create an album I'm pretty positive I could come up with something really good. 
I could learn how to play guitar and piano to an adequate degree where I could have other musicians bring my ideas to fruition and I have confidence I could make a decent album with some pretty good lyrics. I mean afterall I have ten years right a nice budget 
That's me a non musician and I know it sounds ridiculous but honestly, if you had Axl's time and funds could you not create something pretty good? So whats' Axl's hold up? He's the extreme talent.
Talent block has got to be an issue. And that could encompase so many things. Lack of inspiration, lack of motivation, lack of drive, lack of confidence, lack of whatever. It just seems ridiculous at this point to be labelling the guy a musical genius in 2012 when in the last 17 years he's prodcued 1 album which in my opinion is medicore. To some it's amazing and still it's one album in 17 years.
Something doesn't add up.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
^ I'm in the process of making my own songs and it's harder than it seems on your own! (Well i'm using session players for stuff I can't do like drums - but it's all up to me in terms of songwriting, arrangement, production choices etc - it's a very similar Chinese Democracy arrangement I guess except I don't have 13 mill lol).
I know many disagree with me on this but I feel his contribution to the CD songs is just as good as his older works. I'm not saying the songs themselves are as a good or the same. But I think if you put Slash/Duff/Izzy/Matt on the CD tracks it would be a UYI quality album - so to me while GNR may or maybe not be as good - Axl Rose's parts are....I think his melodies on Catcher are just as good as on Don't Cry or whatever is what I'm trying to say.
But I think there's talent block in regards to the quantity he's produced. Not that I guess there's any rule about how many songs someone should write a year. But what bothers me is there's all these other songs we know of lying around "Blood in the Water" etc....and yet business and other issues are always in the way.
Just seems like at some point the guy needs some help to get these things done if he wants to do them.
Re: Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs
Smoking Guns wrote:They go for the songs, they still hate Axl.
But again, all you see if you go a ton of these sites (Yahoo, Fark, Blabbermouth, YouTube, hell.... even GN'R's own fb page) it seems you just see TONS of people bashing Axl and anyone in the band who didn't play on AFD, Lies or UYI.
Surely 6k-10k per city all over the world aren't paying $80-$120 per ticket to see/hear a bunch of people they supposedly hate, led by a guy they truly despise just because they're playing some songs they love?
Did you ever read my "Rock's #1 Heel" theory?
I truely believe Axl is one of the greatest heel characters in history. I think there are fans that LOVE to HATE HIM.
But don't forget the word "love". When Axl gets cocky about his "Slash never existed" stuff, it infuriates them no different than Vince McMahon walking around a ring with the WWF title talking about how he kicked Stone Cold's ass, when he clearly cheated to win.
The audience boos, but they love to boo him.
It's an odd human phenomenon. Why people do that to characters. People don't really KNOW Axl. They know the MEDIA CHARACTER of Axl.
BUT because Axl still has actual bonafide talent, AND is one of the last rockstars of his generation, they still can't look away at the trainwreck.
I also think Axl because of it has attracted a certain group of naysayers (see YouTube comments) that think Axl's still got it, and mis-understood. And I still think Chinese Democracy will be the Halloween III of rock music. It might take 20 years, but it'll eventually find it's cult audience that swear it's the best GN'R album other than Appetite, and frankly it's already started. I see the comments everywhere on the internet. Here and there, and they've SLOWLY grown more positive since 2008.
Ultimately because of all of this, Axl has turned into a "cult figure". With a cult following, but a DIEHARD following. Those numbers extend BEYOND the forums and that community. Those people, even in the U.S. might be in the singular thousands in each area, rather than the tens of thousands of years past.
BUT without any future music, eventually Axl is gonna lose heat and be cornered into theater shows, and maybe even smaller. He's got to use that persona, play it up, and keep throwing the cultists something to bite on.
Remember this, and this is crucial to understanding this, the cultists ARE NOT THERE for the old songs. They're there to beat off to anything and everything that's new that Axl's doing. Sure there might be the occasional "DJ > Slash" fan out there, did you hear Ron nail that solo-type of cult fan, but ultimately this cult fans want to talk all about Axl's new stuff being worlds better than the old stuff.
Axl HAS to give them more than 15 tracks plus a live song in over a decade, or they're gonna eventually move on.
The rest of the fans are just stragglers that drop in to get drunk or high and spend their Friday night singing Sweet Child with their friends, or using November Rain to get laid.
At Tampa 2006, two HOT HOT, porn-type lesbians in front of me, couldn't been more than college-aged made out during November Rain in front of me (kinda distracting), and as soon as that song was over, boom they were gone to perform their own personal cover version of Anything Goes, if you know what I mean.
Those types will always be around (maybe not THOSE types), but those that use it as a ploy to get laid, or drunk, or high, and rock out for a night.
