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Re: One In A Million
Indulge me, I am bored.
was thinking of this today while at work and was wondering two things:
1. Why would the label release this song? Seems like they would do everything in their power to dissuade Axl seeing as GNR were becoming biggest band in the world.
2. How has Axl avoided the fallout from that when it would've ended most people's careers.. Look at Kramer *Michael Richards* for instance.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: One In A Million
I think it's cos of the rock image.
Rock is all about anger, rebellion, danger, being bad ass.
So like you want to be a reporter on TV and you're accused of raping your wife and smashing up your house you're fucked, if you're the lead singer of a band it just futhers your image as dangerous or a troubled artist....
There was a lot of fall out at the time, a lot of people accused him of being racist and homophobic and the rest...but the controversy also fuelled the "dangerous band" vibe....
It's surprising people like MTV didn't refuse to play their songs as pay-back in the way that I'm guessing NBC won't give michael richards a show now....but I guess at the end of the day it's cos being funny is supposed to be fun and something that's family - being a rockstar is supposed to be about being over the top...and if you act like a dick it just adds to your image....
As for the label they walk a line. If a song if banned and controversial it adds to sales. If it's too far then they damage their rep. Hard game to play.
The bit I find most curious about it is that Slash is half black......he's said he "was never comfortable " with it....but damn....
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: One In A Million
Also I'm not sure he did entirely avoid the fallout.
I'd guess there's a percentage of people who walked from GNR after that.
I know as a GNR fan when i tell people I like GNR it's sometimes mentioned to me...along with the late starts and so on.
I think if the old band had stayed together, and if Axl's songs were less controversial and headfucky - they'd have become a u2 or jovi type act that more girls are into. But with Axl's dangerous rep....tends to alienate people.
Re: One In A Million
I think Guns N' Roses were just too damn popular at the time. I also think as lame as the lyrics are Axl did manage to explain them even if his explanation was ridiculous. becaue it doesn't justify the lyrics. Thing is you had the biggest rock band on the planet with arguably the best frontman and guitarist of all time in the same band. A few lyrics weren't gonna derail them.
the sad part about all of it I think is that OIAM is one of their very best songs and in my opinion one of Slash's best solos and it IS Axl's best vocal performance. had Axl pulled his head out of his ass and wrote some proper lyrics the song coudl've beena big hit on radio and would likely be a classic rock main stay today. he didn't even need to chaneg the message of the song all he had to do was word it better. Still one of their best songs too bad it borders on hate speech
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: One In A Million
What's interesting is maybe the media is more tolerant of non-pc views from musicians than other entertainers.
Eminem raps about murder, rape, bashing gays, killing people, etc etc - and it's just seen as an artistic statement and he earns hundreds of millions of dollars.
Justin Bieber lets his teenage fanbase name his cock....
Don't think you can get away with shit like that if you're a tv host or a movie actor or something.
Re: One In A Million
I think Guns N' Roses were just too damn popular at the time. I also think as lame as the lyrics are Axl did manage to explain them even if his explanation was ridiculous. becaue it doesn't justify the lyrics. Thing is you had the biggest rock band on the planet with arguably the best frontman and guitarist of all time in the same band. A few lyrics weren't gonna derail them.
the sad part about all of it I think is that OIAM is one of their very best songs and in my opinion one of Slash's best solos and it IS Axl's best vocal performance. had Axl pulled his head out of his ass and wrote some proper lyrics the song coudl've beena big hit on radio and would likely be a classic rock main stay today. he didn't even need to chaneg the message of the song all he had to do was word it better. Still one of their best songs too bad it borders on hate speech
I love everything about the song but you make a very good point. There was no need to go that far and it is suprising that David Geffen (a gay man I believe) would let that out.
Yes, he should have taken the time to come up with a different way of expressing his point. Good Post Macphisto.
Re: One In A Million
Simply put the rock n roll demographic at the time consisted of a lot of Ted Nugent type rednecks. That stopped being the case in the 90s.
I don't really think it was written to garner public attention. I don't think Axl could be considered a racist for it. The song was a narrative piece following a character who WAS a racist. To say that Axl is a racist for writing 1 in a million is like saying John Grisham is racist for writing the racist characters in "A Time to Kill".
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: One In A Million
2. How has Axl avoided the fallout from that when it would've ended most people's careers.. Look at Kramer *Michael Richards* for instance.
Political correctness wasn't as big of a deal in 1988 as it is today, so the comparison is kinda apples to oranges.
but I guess at the end of the day it's cos being funny is supposed to be fun and something that's family
I'm sorry, but this point is really not true. Greatest comedians ever are Richard Pryor and George Carlin. Those guys were very vulgar, but also told the truth on serious issues that only adults can really understand. They weren't directing their comedy or their philosophical ideas at little kids. And there are countless other comedians out there with similar performance styles (vulgar, over the top, not directed at kids, etc.).
