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Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
4 years would drive people insane.
If this is is his timeline for an album with the current band then he needs to release some of the CD material to bridge the gap.
However if they can't even release a live DVD then what chance do we have of new music?!
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
In 2008, who would of thought that 5 years later there wouldn't be any concrete hint of another album...kinda sad if you ask me. CD has a million reasons why it took so long to release. The pace of this "next album" is unacceptable in my opinion and making excuses doesn't work like it did with Chinese Democracy.
In 5 years waiting for a new album we have:
- No validated leaks
- No concrete evidence of GN'R all in the studio
- Bumblefoot has been honest and said that they haven't done much in terms of new material
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
I hear you guys...and I don't mean to say this disrespectfully to Axl...but I think it's just the nature of Axl's life and the way things are that the kinds of delays that caused the CD delay will repeat even if those exact problems are fixed...for exampe:
* Axl will always have a personality where he needs to be satisfied the songs are right to be happy.
* Axl will always have a personality that lends itself to extremes of confidence/doubt and happiness/sadness
* There will always be people in the industry who double-talk or are trying to exploit Axl in some way.
* Axl will continue to have a wall of handlers which can compound miscommunication issues.
* There will always be pressure to reunite or to keep releases stylistically similar to past achievements.
* As he gets older the media will focus more on the past not the future of his music/ability.
* As he gets older the personal life costs of being in a band are harder - it's more tiring to travel/work - health concerns etc
* When your timelines are slow, and your band mates lack the final creative say, or profit participation then there's always going to be an occasional reshuffle of the lineup that will cause further delays.
Those are the types of things I think caused the lag last time, and I don't see any of them going away, and I think some of them may even get harder.
I love and respect Axl's work and what he's done in life despite those challenges, I'm just sayin, other than that he already has a few songs semi-recorded, I don't see the road to CD2 as much easier than CD1.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
I feel like if the media and agents didn't push so hard for a reunion that it probably would have happened by now. You don't go to the the deer, you let the deer come to you.
I'm sure it doesn't help...none of Axl's history screams: "I like to be told what to do" to me 
Then again I think the broader issue is this:
The old band had two fundamental problems that interfered with smooth business. The first is that most of them were junkies. The second is that whatever genius gives Axl the ability to write those songs also seems to give him a darker side. I won't list those character traits as we all know what they are and he's demonised for them enough. But I think he's not entirely able to control that he's going to get upset at times and things like delays and late starts and stuff are just going to happen sometimes. It's therefore entirely necessary for him to be in control of the band. Otherwise he's going to be held accountable to equals for stuff he can't control. Only solution is to make him in charge, then if shit goes south it's only his problem. So he'll never give up control. But what kind of real reunion will happen while he has that control? Maybe the others would do occasional shows or something - but I don't think they can live with a full time situation where they have no control over their own lives. Slash doing his solo thing over VR shows just how much easier he finds it to be the one that calls the shots. And I'm sure we'd all be the same. Less compromising. Less trouble. Not to mention - I think the stress of being accountable for everything actually makes some of Axl's tendencies all the worse..I think GNR was more functional in the day because it wasn't up to Axl to have to decide everything...he could do the stuff he does best..write...sing....kickass....and he wasn't the guy having to do business deals alone or having to oversee guitar parts and so on. So IMO the problems of the band could not be fixed without reverting back to an AFD era power structure of equals - 5 guys aginst the world - and that's something that's just NEVER going to happen.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
What I'd like to see happen would be creative reunion on their own terms.
You know like next Slash solo album - Axl sings 1 song as a guest singer - just cos there's a song that works for him.
Or like when GNR put out a new record - Slash plays a guest solo on one song - just because there's a song that really could use his style.
They don't have to live together, tour together, rely on each other, hang out constantly...just a few emails and some digital file swapping...and they could have the best of each other....while still doing their own things...Slash playing with myles nightly...and Axl writing stuff with pitman or whatever.
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
What I'd like to see happen would be creative reunion on their own terms.
You know like next Slash solo album - Axl sings 1 song as a guest singer - just cos there's a song that works for him.
Or like when GNR put out a new record - Slash plays a guest solo on one song - just because there's a song that really could use his style.
They don't have to live together, tour together, rely on each other, hang out constantly...just a few emails and some digital file swapping...and they could have the best of each other....while still doing their own things...Slash playing with myles nightly...and Axl writing stuff with pitman or whatever.
At this point id be totally happy with that. Problem is Axl seems to have next to zero interest in collaborating with Slash, and Slash doesn't want to put the effort in making things right
- Son of a Gun
- Rep: -3
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
Bro-mero wrote:I feel like if the media and agents didn't push so hard for a reunion that it probably would have happened by now. You don't go to the the deer, you let the deer come to you.
I'm sure it doesn't help...none of Axl's history screams: "I like to be told what to do" to me
Then again I think the broader issue is this:
The old band had two fundamental problems that interfered with smooth business. The first is that most of them were junkies. The second is that whatever genius gives Axl the ability to write those songs also seems to give him a darker side. I won't list those character traits as we all know what they are and he's demonised for them enough. But I think he's not entirely able to control that he's going to get upset at times and things like delays and late starts and stuff are just going to happen sometimes. It's therefore entirely necessary for him to be in control of the band. Otherwise he's going to be held accountable to equals for stuff he can't control. Only solution is to make him in charge, then if shit goes south it's only his problem. So he'll never give up control. But what kind of real reunion will happen while he has that control? Maybe the others would do occasional shows or something - but I don't think they can live with a full time situation where they have no control over their own lives. Slash doing his solo thing over VR shows just how much easier he finds it to be the one that calls the shots. And I'm sure we'd all be the same. Less compromising. Less trouble. Not to mention - I think the stress of being accountable for everything actually makes some of Axl's tendencies all the worse..I think GNR was more functional in the day because it wasn't up to Axl to have to decide everything...he could do the stuff he does best..write...sing....kickass....and he wasn't the guy having to do business deals alone or having to oversee guitar parts and so on. So IMO the problems of the band could not be fixed without reverting back to an AFD era power structure of equals - 5 guys aginst the world - and that's something that's just NEVER going to happen.
I`ve been saying this for a while both of them are in situations they always craved for, both of them call final shots. Well, Axl always did even in the old days but back then, he was a leader amongst equals and whether he liked or not, he had to respect Slash & Co. Now he does n`t have equal bandmates and he is in full charge of everything that`s what he wanted and finally got it. Same goes to Slash, he`s a leader of Conspirators and does n`t wanna be Axl`s right hand man. Perfect scenario for both of them.
- Intercourse
- Rep: 212
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
I am more concerned for GNR now than I ever was.
On ths surface life seems grand; Axl is beaming like fucking Garfield when he's out, his hangers on are bedded comfortably into his life fully and he's ok with that, he seems to like his band as people and he shows up for all of his concerts.
YET
He looks fucking terrible, he has every appearance of a man boozing heavily, he's dialling in a lot of his carbon copy live performances but doesn't seem troubled by that.
And...what's the fucking story with the tunes????
What I don't understand is why, as an artist he doesn't have a huge desire to get songs like "The General" out there. Those that have heard these songs say they are great so... what's the problem?
If you don't want to write and release music and you are obviously coasting though the whole live thing, never seeming to be interested in even looking at the fun and excitment of playing deep cuts that you wrote for your fans.., it begs the question..why are you here? Is it JUST for the money?
What I would love to know is just what exactly Axl's sense of himself and GNR as two important pieces of entertainment history is...
Axl fans always bagged on Slash because Axl said he "didn't want to work that hard"... I think time has proven that Slash always worked hard, he just didn't want to spend years chasing the phantom of the perfect album with Axl. I think both men have come out of this with less as a result but I cannot blame Slash for not wanting to be a part of today's set up. Imagine being Slash in today's GNR...taking orders off a cleaner and her arrogant son?...PFFT..
Re: U2 Producer tells Axl story
What I don't understand is why, as an artist he doesn't have a huge desire to get songs like "The General" out there. Those that have heard these songs say they are great so... what's the problem?
My guess? Medication.
Imagine if he finally submitted to pills strong enough to take the edge of out his wrath. He'd feel complacent on his surroundings, his career as of late, his figure. Alcohol would still be effective enough to keep him in a daze, so he'd drink wantonly. He could gear up and do a by-the-numbers show after another, setlists and whatnot firmly rooted in his comfort zone.
The downside would be the loss of ambition, of initiative. There'd be no inner urge for him to do much anything with the music, no matter how much greatness would be stored away on the tapes. I can imagine him having been badly burned with the CD reception on all fronts, on how Azoff played a game on him and how indifferent the record label was. Too much reality. Easier to stay with the programme and soldier on as a nostalgia act.
I have no idea whether that there is what happened, but he's certainly not the person he was some years ago. He could still be jolted back to life, I think, but it would require a lot of heavy lifting on his part, which he has spent a long time running away from anyway. Not working with Slash ever again is one thing, but they could've settled their affairs on a personal level years back, in private, and I have no doubt that relief would've contributed greatly to the inner peace he's been so eager to find.
Unfortunately, it appears this is not to be. Pity.
