LA Times: Axl Rose's appetite is for today's Guns N' Roses

[Axlrocks2006]

I completely agree with the last post, I have been a GNR fan since the beginning and for many years wished for a reunion. I went to see Velvet Revolver several times and GNR several times. The truth is I no longer care about a reunion because Axl and the current GNR band is fantastic what a great show they put on!!

[Bridge]

Sorry for the typo.

Which you are still making...   

 Just look to the 1987-88 interview for proof Slash was a late edition.  They put a ad in the paper for a blues guitarist and they weren't quite sure but he kept popping up.  

You really didn't read what I said, did you?!  The FIRST album that Guns N Roses released featured Slash.  The FIRST album credits Slash (and all the original members) with writing and performing on all the songs.  Slash was touring with them by late 1985, and recording all the original songs in 1986.  FACT.

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!

NO ONE CARES WHAT MONTH ANYONE JOINED THE BAND.

The fact is, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and Steven were all there when they were making the original music.  To yack and yack incessantly about who joined the band when is trivial to an extreme degree and nothing more than a fruitless ploy on Axl's part to discredit Slash. 

[Walapino]

Based on the books by them I think its safe to say that "late addition" is a bit exagerated. the original classic lineup played as guns n roses after 4 or 5 shows with the other guys. Duff booked a tour and the drummer and traci didnt make it so they replaced them with Slash and Adler. Those were the only 5 musicians that could be GNR.

[Limulus]

also keep in mind that the first live performance with Slash, Adler and Axl was under the name "Hollywood Rose" on June 16, 1984(!!).
it never was that Slash "accidently" was added to the group for June 06, 1985 (= 1st AFD line-up show). they knew and played with eachother about 1 year before already! pics from there are in Marc Canter's book on page 38-39.

i got the feeling Axl likes the HOF honor, exspecially from the fans, but doesnt really need/want to be there with old Guns, but he also doesnt want to get the bashing if he doesnt attend there. problem, huh?

[Fingers]

Asking Axl why his album and ticket sales are shitty may not be your best route as a journalist. No wonder he's picky about giving interviews 

LOL Couldn't agree more!  "Why do you suck so bad compare to your competition?" is a terrible question for an artist, who clearly doesn't give a f-ck about what others do!

The answers are right there for you though, RHCP and Metallica have a label that promotes them, web sites , etc etc and are a lot more press friendly than GnR. Axl and other band members have said themselves a hundred times that their label does not support them at all and they constantly have managers that just want a reunion for the big pay day. Axl just isnt the guy to whore himself out for publicity. 

I think this tour has been a huge success for the lack of promotion that it had and the same for CD, it sold a lot of copies for having zero promotion. I really think GnR is alive and well.

I just dont understand anyone that would even consider the idea of a reunion. This band live is absolutely incredible.

+ 1 !
[/quote]I agree this is probably the best lineup, but playing well does not necessarily mean everything will work out-a lot of people will te3ll you Eddie Van Halen was playing his best while on tour with Gary Cherene, but the tour didn't sell well, and the album didn't do well-we seen what happened with that.

[IKnowWhereIAM]

I am a little surprised by what this article says, foremost that Axl would only consider getting onstage with Slash (and Duff), but also that he has fired yet another manager - over reunion bullshit.  Something is NOT in context in this article...or I am completely missing something.  He fired Katsis because he (katsis) wanted a reunion and its quick $$$, and in the same interview states he is willing to have a reunion only with Slash and Duff, while affirming his dedication to the current lineup?  The day this came out, google was loaded with headlines about a reunion AGAIN "GnR Reunion Possible Says Axl"...at a time when the current GnR were finally starting to get some real positive press momentum.  Bad play by Axl or newsie trickster manufacturing a story?

[GNR4L]

I am a little surprised by what this article says, foremost that Axl would only consider getting onstage with Slash (and Duff), but also that he has fired yet another manager - over reunion bullshit.  Something is NOT in context in this article...or I am completely missing something.  He fired Katsis because he (katsis) wanted a reunion and its quick $$$, and in the same interview states he is willing to have a reunion only with Slash and Duff, while affirming his dedication to the current lineup?  The day this came out, google was loaded with headlines about a reunion AGAIN "GnR Reunion Possible Says Axl"...at a time when the current GnR were finally starting to get some real positive press momentum.  Bad play by Axl or newsie trickster manufacturing a story?

I think he means Slash and Duff are only ones capable of doing a tour, while the others wouldn't be and that's why it would never work.  Not that he wants to do it.  Then the media takes it and spins it to their liking.

[LunsJail]

I am a little surprised by what this article says, foremost that Axl would only consider getting onstage with Slash (and Duff), but also that he has fired yet another manager - over reunion bullshit.  Something is NOT in context in this article...or I am completely missing something.  He fired Katsis because he (katsis) wanted a reunion and its quick $$$, and in the same interview states he is willing to have a reunion only with Slash and Duff, while affirming his dedication to the current lineup?  The day this came out, google was loaded with headlines about a reunion AGAIN "GnR Reunion Possible Says Axl"...at a time when the current GnR were finally starting to get some real positive press momentum.  Bad play by Axl or newsie trickster manufacturing a story?

I think he means Slash and Duff are only ones capable of doing a tour, while the others wouldn't be and that's why it would never work.  Not that he wants to do it.  Then the media takes it and spins it to their liking.

I've already read articles on other sites with the headline "Axl would consider GNR reunion with Slash and Duff." That isn't what he said at all.

[Lord Stan]

Jesus fuck merry Christmas to all. That reunion will not happen as Beta is now in charge and nobody wants it anyway. When does this discussion end? What needs to be done, I'm ready to help.

[chineseblues]

Man you guys are completely missing what he said. You have to read the entire section about a reunion. He was talking about how the managers wanted to make millions off it and that the only people they needed for that is Duff and Slash because as with the Illusion tour people still came out in droves to see the band without Izzy and Steven.


That's what he is saying. Not that he would rather reunite with this one or that one.

[Bridge]

Man you guys are completely missing what he said. You have to read the entire section about a reunion. He was talking about how the managers wanted to make millions off it and that the only people they needed for that is Duff and Slash because as with the Illusion tour people still came out in droves to see the band without Izzy and Steven.

And you missed what he said yourself.  What Axl was saying was that Izzy and Steven weren't (in his mind) capable of it, hence the statement about touring with them was difficult, and mentioning that the new guys all worked hard.  In other words, he feels the new lineup works in a touring capacity, whilst the original members wouldn't, because Steven and Izzy (in Axl's mind) aren't reliable enough to tour extensively.

also keep in mind that the first live performance with Slash, Adler and Axl was under the name "Hollywood Rose" on June 16, 1984(!!).
it never was that Slash "accidently" was added to the group for June 06, 1985 (= 1st AFD line-up show). they knew and played with eachother about 1 year before already! pics from there are in Marc Canter's book on page 38-39.

Thanks for pointing that out.  I couldn't remember the dates.

[chineseblues]

Man you guys are completely missing what he said. You have to read the entire section about a reunion. He was talking about how the managers wanted to make millions off it and that the only people they needed for that is Duff and Slash because as with the Illusion tour people still came out in droves to see the band without Izzy and Steven.

And you missed what he said yourself.  What Axl was saying was that Izzy and Steven weren't (in his mind) capable of it, hence the statement about touring with them was difficult, and mentioning that the new guys all worked hard.  In other words, he feels the new lineup works in a touring capacity, whilst the original members wouldn't, because Steven and Izzy (in Axl's mind) aren't reliable enough to tour extensively.

Read what he said again, he is not talking about who he would rather tour with like some are saying.

All these managers, they know one thing. They know that they can at least ... sell a reunion tour and get their commission. It?s just a phone call. It?s a half a day?s ... work, or however long they want to keep the bidding war going. They get their commission and they don?t care if it falls on its face.

Because, really, you can get guys from the "Illusion" thing, but the only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash, really. It?s nothing against Izzy and it?s nothing against Steven, or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I?m working with right now, they work really hard and it?s hard work. I?ve toured with the other guys and I?ve also seen what they?ve done since, and I just know the difficulties.

[Bridge]

Read what he said again, he is not talking about who he would rather tour with like some are saying.

I agree, he isn't saying he'd prefer to tour with one over the other, but you still need to read what he said again.... focus on the highlighted parts and you'll understand that he's NOT saying that a reunion would succeed with only Duff and Slash, without Izzy and Steven.

Because, really, you can get guys from the "Illusion" thing, but the only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash, really. It?s nothing against Izzy and it?s nothing against Steven, or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I?m working with right now, they work really hard and it?s hard work. I?ve toured with the other guys and I?ve also seen what they?ve done since, and I just know the difficulties.

What he is saying is that touring is hard work, and he's toured with all of those guys (meaning the original lineup), and he's seen what they've done since (meaning the kind of touring record they have), and Axl feels that the only two that could withstand the touring would be Duff and Slash.

[Buddha_Master]

David and fucking Nigel. Does anything else really need to be said? I just finished watching the
movie... again and I kept thinking about Axl and Slash. The parrellels are hilarious.

[Verasa]

I really hope everyone inducted into the hall of fame will show up. I dont really care if they do a one off performance at the show. In reality, I really hope they dont.  I have been a fan since I was 8 years old and now I'm 31 and I just feel like that that time is over and better left in the past. I will never take away what Steven,Izzy,Duff, Slash and Matt meant to to the older version of Guns and even if Axl thinks Slash didnt do much besides come up with a few key riffs.. In my mind, every Guitar part  Slash ever recorded was as much a key part as every vocal line Axl recorded and the two of them on stage together was something legendary.  But that was then


Axl and this current lineup have worked hard and they are amazing in a live setting. What they can do in a studio as a band in making a record is something I really want to hear. Richard,Ron,Dizzy,DJ,Frank,Chris & Tommy are a much more modernized version and they just kill all the material, theres just so much more going on now with the sound and having 2 guys on keys and 3 guitar players, like Civil War at the LA show was just so bad ass, sounded so much fuller and the guys just attack it. Some people hate the solo spots , but I absolutely love them. It's awesome to see Richard,Ron and DJ show off their skills. I like the fact that they have incorporated  the reest of the band in their solos. It's really a tremendous show from start to finish. I cant say enough good things about this current lineup.

[Halo69]

With New Guns Axl has the freedom to do the kind of material he wants when he wants it, so i wouldn't expect other kind of answer from him at this point

[russtcb]

David and fucking Nigel. Does anything else really need to be said? I just finished watching the
movie... again and I kept thinking about Axl and Slash. The parrellels are hilarious.

I'll raise the practical question at this point; do you think they'll do Stonehenge?

[m_rated96]

Read what he said again, he is not talking about who he would rather tour with like some are saying.

I agree, he isn't saying he'd prefer to tour with one over the other, but you still need to read what he said again.... focus on the highlighted parts and you'll understand that he's NOT saying that a reunion would succeed with only Duff and Slash, without Izzy and Steven.

Because, really, you can get guys from the "Illusion" thing, but the only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash, really. It?s nothing against Izzy and it?s nothing against Steven, or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I?m working with right now, they work really hard and it?s hard work. I?ve toured with the other guys and I?ve also seen what they?ve done since, and I just know the difficulties.

What he is saying is that touring is hard work, and he's toured with all of those guys (meaning the original lineup), and he's seen what they've done since (meaning the kind of touring record they have), and Axl feels that the only two that could withstand the touring would be Duff and Slash.

LoL look its DEFINITELY confusing - but I'm pretty sure he's saying BOTH. Let me deconstruct:

He's saying firstly, EXPLICITLY "The only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash" - that the only way you could have a proper reunion tour is if those two were there. Then he's (implicitly) saying its not JUST because their the most famous, or their all that's needed to pull crowds for a tour  ("its nothing against Izzy or Steven") but the main reason you need Duff n Slash is because he doesn't think Izzy and Steven could handle touring - ("Its hard work...I've seen what they've done since") - ie Izzy doesn't like arenas and can barely handle 10 guns shows, and Steven is a drug freak who has relapsed a billion times.

[DeN]

saying that, do you think guys it was some tests with Izzy on stage, to see if he can handle it?

I think maybe it's the right time for a reunion tour, in fact.
some sort of two shows, one with the old line up (Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, Steven) and another one with the actual guys.

you please every type of fan, you make a large amount of money and you close the old line up reunion shit thing with the Rock N'Roll Hall of Fame.


and after that, the goddam new album!

[wight gunner]

It really needs Duff and in particular Slash to say that they wouldn't do a show for all the money in the world, not Axl to squash this fantasy that some people have. Or at best, to play one song as their final swansong, at the HOF, " For all you mother fuckers who can't accept we've all moved on to where the grass is green and the girls are pretty. We've decided to close this rumour for good, so for the last time ever here's DDM...."