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

[faldor]

My point is if we don't know for sure if they've talked or not, or if the frequency of communication has changed, what are you basing that vibe off? Honestly, I'm curious. Was there a comment by Duff in an interview that I missed.

I understand why one may think there may be some awkwardness there after the HOF ceremony.

Ali

No direct comments from Duff that I can think of.  Just basing off what he said at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.  He never really referenced Axl by name.  At least not that I remember.  It just seemed to me that Duff, among others, was upset with how things unfolded in that arena.  That's all really.  I'm sure he'll get over it, if he even had a problem with it in the first place.  Again, total speculation on my part.

And for the record, I don't think Axl has any problem with Duff and I have no problem with what he said, and I'm sure Duff wouldn't think it's a big deal either.  Lots of stuff was said and done back in the early 90's that I'm sure they all regret, or forget.

[J.Hanover]

I just don't understand why people have to dissect and try and read between the lines on every interview Axl or any of the OG line up. Just take it for what it is, he's answering a question to the best of his knowledge. He's not beating around the bush, just straight up answers. You can tell there's not any hate in it by his answers. He talks of the past just as it is, the past. He talks about the present and future as they in the sense. Just enjoy ans comment on what you like or dislike but this whole trying to read between the lines or get in his head and just plain lame.

[slashsbaconpit]

I'm tired of the reunion crap. I like Bumblefoot, and Tommy, and DJ and the rest. Let them do their thing!

[spgunner]

I liked the Kimmel interview better. The one where he didn't bash former band members. 

But it is ok when he is bashed by former band members right? All he did was to answer one question and I am glad he did.

If Axl doesn't speak, people complain he doesn't give interviews. If he speaks, people start reading in between the lines to find one million hidden messages n' meanings n' they also complain. I can't understand why some people act like this. Anyway I wish he talks more n' more over the next months / years so people in general will finally realize more about the truth of many facts that were manipulated by many negative people (almost all former members included). The coolest thing of the Kimmel interview is that the viewers in general aren't rock n' roll / heavy metal fans but regular people - it's good to spread this image of Axl. It's the Axl many of us fans already met n' know how cool he is, but most people still think otherwise. Hopefully the future will change the way the world sees Axl. And he deserves that !

[JAEBALL]

It is a huge double standard....in all ways

its true... people complain he doesnt speak... then people complain about what he said...

but the same goes when people here complain about refereincing the past with Guns N Roses...

but when Axl Rose references the past all the time when he does speak... what do you expect ?

its ok for Axl to speak negatively about the old guys...but if one of them does it about him... its well they are wrong ha , and vice versa

its quite comical

im an Axl Rose fan... the singer..and thats that... cant wait for next week and my trip to Vegas... thats all it should be...

[DeN]

short but great interview, straight questions, straight answers, I hope we'll have
more soon, it's always nice to have Axl's side of the story.

I was shocked by Slash/Duff/Stephanie comments about Axl's abilities, really.
and I'm a long time Guns N'Roses fan.

[Fingers]

So Slash is to blame for his songwriting block now? And in the Edddie Trunk interview, Slash was to blame for him going on late? He's been out of the band 16 years, I mean, come on already-I like Axl but it the record company's fault, Slash, now Duff, Stephanie Seymore..

[m_rated96]

I liked the Kimmel interview better. The one where he didn't bash former band members. 

But it is ok when he is bashed by former band members right? All he did was to answer one question and I am glad he did.

i am glad he did too, but to be fair beta - former band members haven't bashed him in a very long time, they've been nothing but complimentary. and its not ok when they bash

[wight gunner]

So Slash is to blame for his songwriting block now? And in the Edddie Trunk interview, Slash was to blame for him going on late? He's been out of the band 16 years, I mean, come on already-I like Axl but it the record company's fault, Slash, now Duff, Stephanie Seymore..

Its a confidence thing, you only have to look at a sportsman in a team game, some need a bashing to get going, others need an arm around them and words of encouragement, Axl's the latter.   

[DeN]

Slash & Co bashed Axl for 15 fucking years and now it's a problem because Axl talks freely too?

It's not a question of "at the moment they don't bash Axl" it's a question of balance and truth.

[JAEBALL]

he said... she said... thats all this is... it will go on forever ... they are all famous based on waht they did together...adn people will always ask them about it (which is why its comical when people are critical of them of asnwering the questions)

but at least Duff has openly admitted his fault in it all and his place and even Slash has even admitted a lot of the negativity is probably his fault ( im not defending Slash, he has repeatedly shown he is a fraud)

but that cant be said for Axl ... with him... nothing is ever his fault or a result of his own actions...

im sorry its too easy to blame them and his ex girlfriend of 16 years  for him not being able to write lyrics ... im sure he might think that... im not saying hes making it up.... but its like...really ?

[Mysteron]

I really like this interview. It wass incredibly honest, and very human. In many regards, it was a good second interview to do after the Kimmel interview, because you get to see two different sides of Axl.

As for the Duff question, I see no malice in what Axl is saying, he is merely reporting what happened at the time, and what effect it had on him. It is amazing to think, really, how much influence those around us can have on our lives and how, very often, you never see this until years later.

[Estranged85]

he said... she said... thats all this is... it will go on forever ... they are all famous based on waht they did together...adn people will always ask them about it (which is why its comical when people are critical of them of asnwering the questions)

but at least Duff has openly admitted his fault in it all and his place and even Slash has even admitted a lot of the negativity is probably his fault ( im not defending Slash, he has repeatedly shown he is a fraud)

but that cant be said for Axl ... with him... nothing is ever his fault or a result of his own actions...

im sorry its too easy to blame them and his ex girlfriend of 16 years  for him not being able to write lyrics ... im sure he might think that... im not saying hes making it up.... but its like...really ?

Yes, Duff has owned up to his part in the break up and kudos to him for that, but when did Slash ever admit to being wrong or making mistakes? I have never ever read a quote from him or heard him say he was to blame for what went wrong just as much as Axl (in Slash's opinion) was. If there is a quote out there with him saying that please show it to me because I would love to read it. The only thing I've ever seen him do is point the finger at Axl just like he also did with Scott Weiland.

[JAEBALL]

i couldnt show you a quote... i just remember Slash admitting in an interview that a lot of the friction and negativity between the two was in part his fault... i also remember him saying when VR started he was still bitter in his responses to interviews which didnt help in any chance of reconciliation

i might be completely wrong... but i dont think so



as always Duff comes off looking like a true class act compared to the other two in my opinion anyway .. so i guess i wish he hadnt brought him up again... ha

but back to Axl's words... i believe the friction between all of them certainly didnt help his creative process.... i think we all work better when we are stress free...regardless of what we do

i just find it troubling that they call him stupid and a loser (its hard to picture that)...and that this is where we are...

but as a fan... i can only hope he talks more and more... fun to have the insight (no matter what it is) about what he thinks

[Bridge]

Nice interview.Honest and the truth no matter what,as always from Axl.
Telling the truth don't necessarily mean talking shit about former band mates.Plus, what the hell do we think we know ?

Exactly, we don't know.  You just have an entire thread here of people assuming that everything Axl says is always the truth.  The real "truth" is that there is no "truth" when it comes to people's perspective.  It's exactly that: Axl's perspective, which may be sullied with rhetoric, hyberbole, or exaggerated aspects that he uses just to make his point.  Yeah, it may be "true" in his mind which means he may not be technically "lying" but that doesn't make it according-to-Hoyle, proveable scientific fact.

but that cant be said for Axl ... with him... nothing is ever his fault or a result of his own actions...

im sorry its too easy to blame them and his ex girlfriend of 16 years  for him not being able to write lyrics ... im sure he might think that... im not saying hes making it up.... but its like...really ?

Indeed.

I find it amazing that, for a guy who continuously tells people not to ask him about Slash or the original lineup, Axl keeps bringing them up.  Slash and Duff have been gone from Guns N Roses for 15-16 years, yet somehow it's currently relevant for Axl to discuss writer's block at their hands that allegedly occurred 20 years ago.  As for Stephanie Seymour, ha!  All I will say is that I've read her sworn deposition on how Axl treated her and it was a whole lot worse than writer's block she allegedly gave him.  But I would undoubtedly get banned if I went into those stories here, because I've certainly come to learn that "honesty" -- by any definition -- is only appreciated around here when Axl is the one talking.

No direct comments from Duff that I can think of.  Just basing off what he said at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.  He never really referenced Axl by name.  At least not that I remember. 

Nobody referenced Axl by name at the Hall of Fame - which is what Axl clearly stated he wished for.  It;s just as easy (for me anyway) to assume that they were just respecting Axl's wishes.  None of the band members mentioned Izzy's name either.  As for Duff's comment "I don't know if it matters who's here, because it's about the music that band created." could easily be taken as a way to just dismiss all the media and fan hype surrounding who might be attending, as opposed to speculating that Duff was somehow taking a subtle jab at Axl.

[strictlyaxlsgrrl1976]

Hi all, new here, so I'm gonna do my best to take a stab at this the best I can.  So the issue about writers block, and as I refer to them, The Three Musketeers....ok so, I think with someone like Axl, who tends (I believe) to hold on to things that bother him until they fester and rot, I think it is TOTALLY possible this was left inside and when asked about CD he just said 'you know what, this was goin on'. Remember too that Axl's a real sensitive guy, for X or Y reason and when provoked by people he cared for and who supposedly care for him....it hits twice as hard. Songwriting and music are his livelihood and what he DOES. When someone tells you that you suck at it and you're not real stable....what do you think is gonna happen? So I buy it. Btw, in case my poster name doesn't make it crystal clear, I am NOT Team Stephanie, I am #TEAMAXL. Just saying.

Hope this was clear and you understand I'm not trying to give Axl a pass, I'm showing empathy for him, which is quite different. 

[CBGNR]

So the old Sixx Sense gang brought up this interview last night and of coarse focused on only the Slash,Duff Stephanie comment.So basically went like this,now some of the comments were made by the cohosts but its scripted so they know what there going to say before they do for the most part.Nikki likes AXL but should let go of the junk,and try and reunite oldgnr even if the old guys don't want to  .The cohost said basically Axl is always blaming eveyone else and can't take responsibility for anything ,that's referring to the writers block thing,and called for a oldgnr reunion.They made fun of the fact that Stephanie would be the cause of writers block and called it strange.Again made mention of the residency like no one knows about it,again with a condecending feel,and said they hope AXL enjoys his stay in vegas and then had a little chuckel.Typical bullshit.Sorry if I seem like the sixx sense reporter,but its shows like this that most people hear gnr related news and its to bad they have to be such idiots for the most part.

[Estranged85]

I've never heard Nikki say anything positive about Axl on his show. I also think him always saying a reunion should happen is disrespectful towards DJ who Nikki claims is one of his best friends.

[CBGNR]

I've never heard Nikki say anything positive about Axl on his show. I also think him always saying a reunion should happen is disrespectful towards DJ who Nikki claims is one of his best friends.

Yeah he does sorta say things that are a tiny bit positive once in a while but its tounge and cheek and usually followed by nonsense.It is def disrespectful towards Ashba,they can have an opinion and thats fine,but they support other artists regularly without all the gossip.

[Estranged85]

I've never heard Nikki say anything positive about Axl on his show. I also think him always saying a reunion should happen is disrespectful towards DJ who Nikki claims is one of his best friends.

Yeah he does sorta say things that are a tiny bit positive once in a while but its tounge and cheek and usually followed by nonsense.It is def disrespectful towards Ashba,they can have an opinion and thats fine,but they support other artists regularly without all the gossip.

I've always thought Nikki is jealous of Axl because Axl is more succesful than he is. He can say whatever he wants about it not being "real" GN'R but they still sell more tickets and headline bigger festivals (Rock In Rio) than M?tley Cr?e could ever dream of. Just my theory though.