New Dj interview at LegendaryRockInterviews.com (Sep 2014)

[D-GenerationX]

Ever think that just maybe you don't know the entire story? I disagree with your conclusion (s). When the label reniged on agreements that were in place but  for one reason or another not implemented, why cooperate with them?

Because you are only hurting yourself.  

This project, and the GNR brand as a whole, suffered due to this little temper tantrum.  You really think people at the label were staying up nights over Axl's refusal to do anything?  It was shoulder shrug city.   He wants to just be mad, fine, the hell with him.  Shit, that's just more money they don't have to spend.  No skin off their nose.

Just because you don't have all the details does not make it a "tin foil hat" case, nice try at a passive agressive jab though, are you not capable of posting without troll tricks or similar attempts at trying to appear clever? Honest question.

I used the term because you checked every box on the list.  Was there one you missed?

1) It was an inside job.  Hallmark of any conspiracy theory.  To explain an unfortunate event (in this case, the leaks) it can never be random chance, such as someone in the mixing process got some sticky fingers.  No, its more fantastic.  There is a mole on the inside pulling the strings and orchestrating events.

2) Selective conclusions.  The villain in your piece (in this case, Azoff) is guilty of one thing, so he is there fore guilty of everything bad that happened.  Because he pushed a for a reunion, he is also responsible for the leaks getting out.  There is no connection there, except in your head.  But its a nice story.

3) Cannot be proven or disproven.  This is the holy grail of all conspiracy theories.  Its the mission statement.  You can't prove what you say, but I can't disprove it.  Convenient.  Of course, I can't prove a negative because no one can, but no matter.  These theories hinge on the general mindset of "hey, it could have happened, you never know".

You hit the conspiracy trifecta with this little theory of yours.

Still has not answered the questions of why the monumental promotions promised amounted to a cardboard tower in Best Buy or what became of the alternate covers.

That's all out the window when Axl storms off in a huff.  Anyone suggesting they throw huge money behind something that didn't sell to begin with, oh...and you have the added bonus of the artist himself wanting nothing to do with you, that person would be fired.

[D-GenerationX]

I have to agree, but with a caveat.  I don't want anything other than the album as it was envisioned by Axl and the band.  But, I would hate to see a non-artistic, business reason prevent the release of an artistically realized vision.

To what point though?  To the point it never comes out?

Is there a jump off point for you?

No, I can't say there is.

I don't see how that would benefit me as a fan to hear something compromised.

I doubted that once, but when I heard the final, released version of the Chinese Democracy songs, any doubt I had as to what would be better was erased.

Honest.  I can respect your stance even if I do not share it.

[D-GenerationX]

Sense of humour fail!

I think you buy into Axl's, ''everybody is 'Out Ta Get Me''', conspiracy theory melodramatics.

Not much joking around here, huh?

Rock bands are SERIOUS BUSINESS.  They should be discussed by serious people in serious terms.

[JAEBALL]

I think anybody who says they would rather not have another album if it meant Axl compromising a little bit on any aspect of the package are bat shit crazy...

 

You don't get extra credit in Axl's grade book...

That does't mean it isn't noble of him to feel that way about his shit...but come on...

Not the package. The music itself.

Ali

Fair enough. I don't agree completely...but fair enough.

 

[D-GenerationX]

I think anybody who says they would rather not have another album if it meant Axl compromising a little bit on any aspect of the package are bat shit crazy...

 

You don't get extra credit in Axl's grade book...

That does't mean it isn't noble of him to feel that way about his shit...but come on...

Yeah, agreed.  Which is why I asked Gypsy Soul what the payoff was for him.  What's he getting out of the pride of following a guy dug in to the point of total career paralysis?

I was just trying to picture this scenario :

Gypsy Soul's buddy : "Hey, what's up with GNR?  They putting out another album, or what?"

Gypsy Soul : "Well, the label messed up the booklet the last time.  So he's kind of sour on them.  Stopped talking to them, really."

Gypsy Soul's buddy : "But...wait.  If he does that, how does he hope to get anything else released?"

Gypsy Soul : "Don't know.  But its not for me to say.  All I know is that he is taking a principled stand and if it means he never releases anything else, I applaud him for it."

Gypsy Soul's buddy : "Seems a little extreme to me."

Gypsy Soul : "Well, you obviously didn't see this booklet.  It was a complete travesty of justice."

That's not a bit over the top?

[JAEBALL]

ha.... I don't know gypsy Soul from a whole in the wall...or any other poster...

but even if they take that stance on here... I doubt any fan with no personal relationship with Axl could really take that extreme of a stance....

[LongGoneDay]

Granted I?m no expert, but I think it?s fairly safe to say if you find yourself taking 15 years to finish a record, you're doing it wrong.
Unapproved booklets are a real bummer, but think they fall considerably low on the priority list of how not to make a record.

[D-GenerationX]

ha.... I don't know gypsy Soul from a whole in the wall...or any other poster...

but even if they take that stance on here... I doubt any fan with no personal relationship with Axl could really take that extreme of a stance....

Yeah, I was just using him as an example because he was the one I originally asked what he was getting out of this.

But he could be anyone.  Anyone who is somehow getting all this pride and enjoyment out of Axl not budging.

Saying he shouldn't have to budge is one thing.  Saying it makes you happy and you, personally, are better off for it is quizzical to me.

[D-GenerationX]

Granted I?m no expert, but I think it?s fairly safe to say if you find yourself taking 15 years to finish a record, you're doing it wrong.
Unapproved booklets are a real bummer, but think they fall considerably low on the priority list of how not to make a record.

I'm right with you.

[GeorgeSteele]

ha.... I don't know gypsy Soul from a whole in the wall...or any other poster...

but even if they take that stance on here... I doubt any fan with no personal relationship with Axl could really take that extreme of a stance....

I don't think that wanting to honor an artist's wishes to control what he/she creates requires a personal relationship.  To me, that's just a simple matter of respect that any person deserves.

[Ali]

I think anybody who says they would rather not have another album if it meant Axl compromising a little bit on any aspect of the package are bat shit crazy...

 

You don't get extra credit in Axl's grade book...

That does't mean it isn't noble of him to feel that way about his shit...but come on...

Not the package. The music itself.

Ali

Fair enough. I don't agree completely...but fair enough.

 

I understand that the liner notes and artwork may be important to the artist himself, but it's not as important to me.

But, the music itself should be as the artists wants it.  Like I said, the final versions of the CD songs were so superior in terms of mix, quality, etc. that I any doubt I had as to Axl knowing what is best version of a song for release was erased.

Ali

[D-GenerationX]

ha.... I don't know gypsy Soul from a whole in the wall...or any other poster...

but even if they take that stance on here... I doubt any fan with no personal relationship with Axl could really take that extreme of a stance....

I don't think that wanting to honor an artist's wishes to control what he/she creates requires a personal relationship.  To me, that's just a simple matter of respect that any person deserves.

But you reach a point of diminishing returns.

At some point, just sitting on the sidelines being mad starts to lose whatever stickin' it to the man value it ever had.  At some point, if you are truly interested in getting something done, you start to look at ways to make it work.

Unfortunately, with our man, its that "truly interested in getting something done" is the part you don't really know.

[D-GenerationX]

I understand that the liner notes and artwork may be important to the artist himself, but it's not as important to me.

But, the music itself should be as the artists wants it.  Like I said, the final versions of the CD songs were so superior in terms of mix, quality, etc. that I any doubt I had as to Axl knowing what is best version of a song for release was erased.

We might be mixing and matching at this point.

The fucked up booklet was why Axl decided he'd rather be pissed and not do any promotion.  To which the label's reaction was, oh well then.

I don't know any of us are under the impression the label is telling him to change guitar solos or lyrics.  Or that he should entertain that sort of feedback.  Of course not.

The conversation is usually about how Axl tinkers and tinkers and tinkers, when really, at some point...that shit is as done as its ever going to be.  We waited over 2 full years for some glug-glug water sounds on 'Prostitute', for example.  We heard the leak, we heard the finished product on the album.  That was worth 2 years?

[GeorgeSteele]

ha.... I don't know gypsy Soul from a whole in the wall...or any other poster...

but even if they take that stance on here... I doubt any fan with no personal relationship with Axl could really take that extreme of a stance....

I don't think that wanting to honor an artist's wishes to control what he/she creates requires a personal relationship.  To me, that's just a simple matter of respect that any person deserves.

But you reach a point of diminishing returns.

At some point, just sitting on the sidelines being mad starts to lose whatever stickin' it to the man value it ever had.  At some point, if you are truly interested in getting something done, you start to look at ways to make it work.

Unfortunately, with our man, its that "truly interested in getting something done" is the part you don't really know.

If the value is based on what someone gets out of 'sticking in to the man', it's not a question of diminishing returns, there's no return on that to begin with.  We're talking about wanting a creation you envisioned to end up how you envisioned it, that's all.  

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

I would venture to guess that there is much much more to the story than just the booklet error that caused Axl's grevience with the label and refusal to properly promote.  Didn't he comment that he expected more promotion?  So he may have felt the label should have spent a lot more than they did, and since he wasn't getting what he wanted, he wasn't going to support their limited efforts.  Axl often has no problem cutting his nose to spite his face when he feels strongly about something.  Unfortunately, despite his strong willed personality, when these things happen they have a big affect on him.  He said as much if I recall in the TMS interview.  

[jarmo]

I would venture to guess that there is much much more to the story than just the booklet error that caused Axl's grevience with the label and refusal to properly promote.  Didn't he comment that he expected more promotion?  So he may have felt the label should have spent a lot more than they did, and since he wasn't getting what he wanted, he wasn't going to support their limited efforts.  Axl often has no problem cutting his nose to spite his face when he feels strongly about something.  Unfortunately, despite his strong willed personality, when these things happen they have a big affect on him.  He said as much if I recall in the TMS interview.  

Not trying to sound like an asshole, but we all should know better than to trust people who are trying to generalize and ridicule Axl and the band at any chance they get.
Of course there was more to the picture than the booklet.

As you said, Axl himself has talked about the issues.

Here's some stuff:
The Billboard Q&A: Axl Rose
Billboard February 14, 2009 issue

Exclusive: Axl Rose on GNR, truce and writer's block

USA Today

 





/jarmo

[GNR2014]

I would venture to guess that there is much much more to the story than just the booklet error that caused Axl's grevience with the label and refusal to properly promote.  Didn't he comment that he expected more promotion?  So he may have felt the label should have spent a lot more than they did, and since he wasn't getting what he wanted, he wasn't going to support their limited efforts.  Axl often has no problem cutting his nose to spite his face when he feels strongly about something.  Unfortunately, despite his strong willed personality, when these things happen they have a big affect on him.  He said as much if I recall in the TMS interview.  

Don't you think there are hundreds of other bands and artists who also feel their label should have promoted their latest album more?

[D-GenerationX]

I would venture to guess that there is much much more to the story than just the booklet error that caused Axl's grevience with the label and refusal to properly promote.  Didn't he comment that he expected more promotion?  So he may have felt the label should have spent a lot more than they did, and since he wasn't getting what he wanted, he wasn't going to support their limited efforts.  Axl often has no problem cutting his nose to spite his face when he feels strongly about something.  Unfortunately, despite his strong willed personality, when these things happen they have a big affect on him.  He said as much if I recall in the TMS interview.  

Don't you think there are hundreds of other bands and artists who also feel their label should have promoted their latest album more?

I sure would, yes. 

But look how many arguments around here are based on the premise that its different for this particular guy and his particular band.  He's the walking, talking, exception to the rules of the universe.

[mortismurphy]

That interview, jesus. Woe is me.

[D-GenerationX]

That interview, jesus. Woe is me.

Yeah, but he's been "woe is me" for 20 plus years.  I'm used to that part.