China Exchange: 60 Minutes with Axl Rose [June 14 - official video available]

[jarmo]

I think that one of the main reasons Axl got/gets a lot of shit in the press is because he has always treated them disrespectfully.  And then he used to get bashed because of it, used to get angrier and treated them with even more disrespect. In other words, it's a vicious cycle.

Which one do you thing happened first?

Like he mentioned in the Q&A, the English press used to write that he likes to kill dogs. Just for the sake of having a shocking story....
Not saying all of the media is like that, but sensationalism surely seems to be the fuel for many.



/jarmo

[ice cream sand pig]

back to new music, if Axl said this, then it is pretty apparent he isn't giving up control....at all.

"I do want to put out more music with Guns N? Roses, and I don?t know if that has to do with Slash or not. ? If he wants to play on something, that would be great."

I think that, at some point, they'll have to find their way as a band if they want this to work long term.
It can't be only recording and reworking Axl's material. I'm sure everyone else could contribute with great stuff. But it seems to me that he is walking on thin ice, because they still don't have any plans and he doesn't know if Slash and Duff want to do it...

I don't see an album with Slash or Duff on it if it's only Axl's material. I don't think Axl would be doin right if he really hopes that. Slash and Duff deserve the same credit as Axl in Guns n' Roses.   

That being said, i think they will find a way to work on songs from all of them and that the new Guns album will have some Axl's, Duff's and Slash's material. And maybe a song or some riffs from Richard as well

how did you get that from "I do want to put out more music with Guns N? Roses, and I don?t know if that has to do with Slash or not. ? If he wants to play on something, that would be great."

doesn't it imply basically the opposite?

 as for "doin' right"... well, I won't touch that part. don't agree with your opinion, but it has a lot to do with an age old debate that has been done to death, so i'll just agree to disagree.

[raindog]

In all honesty it doesn't sound like new Guns music is on the horizon any more than it did 5 years ago or when Axl was 'looking very seriously at what he was doing in that regard' - but who really thought it was? The current tour is about Axl, Slash and Duff together playing the hits.

I can see a new album with Angus before I can see new Guns material.

[jarmo]

In all honesty it doesn't sound like new Guns music is on the horizon any more than it did 5 years ago or when Axl was 'looking very seriously at what he was doing in that regard'

Five years? That comment is from an interview done in April 2014.
Two years is still two years, even if it would feel like five.

Sorry! 




/jarmo

[Princess Leia]

In all honesty it doesn't sound like new Guns music is on the horizon any more than it did 5 years ago or when Axl was 'looking very seriously at what he was doing in that regard'

Five years? That comment is from an interview done in April 2014.
Two years is still two years, even if it would feel like five.

Sorry! 




/jarmo

I'm afraid it's not that easy. Look at what he says about labels. There is a big obstacle there 

[sky dog]

agree....talk is cheap in the world of Guns N Roses in regards to new music. Facts are no new songs in 8 years and nothing confirmed for the future. 

[Ginger King]

In all honesty it doesn't sound like new Guns music is on the horizon any more than it did 5 years ago or when Axl was 'looking very seriously at what he was doing in that regard' - but who really thought it was? The current tour is about Axl, Slash and Duff together playing the hits.

I can see a new album with Angus before I can see new Guns material.

I don?t think the reunion is just about playing the hits.  IMO, they wouldn?t have reconciled with each other just for a tour.  There was/is a lot of shit to sort out between the three of them (really Axl and Slash, as Duff and Axl seemed to mend fences a few years back), and I don?t think they would have done that just to play a few shows.  I think they want to show the world that they can reclaim the rock throne with a new Guns n Roses album.  To do that, you have to start with a tour, which has been very successful so far.  There is a ton of good press/buzz about the upcoming NA tour, and rumors of touring the globe.

That?s the way to do it.  Get them pregnant with the old stuff?then hit ?em with the new.  Drop the mike, and call it a career.  Well, at least that?s how it plays out in my head! 

[Voodoochild]

I didnt listen to the interview, the sound was too bad and I didnt have time to do it properly yet. But from what I read, seems like the new music isnt exactly around the corner. Excited that he didnt disregard the previous lineup and all of their work, tho.

I just struggle to understand how people can't dig more into his answers with follow up questions. I mean, how the hell can you not ask more about when he wants to release, what kind of music, if he wants to write with the new old boys... And also how the reunion happened, how much talk was needed... I mean, even if youre not a superfan, you at least would be curious enough to talk about those things, right?

Well, at least the guy did ask him about cats.

[JAEBALL]

I'm OK with a new record coming out in a couple of years... if that's what it takes...

My hope is that they spark a real solid relationship again and enjoy the tour so much ... that it will inspire some great new stuff... whether from scratch or they all put their mark on what Axl already has.

Even from the very little Axl said in this "interview"... you don't get the impression that the relationship is "perfect". He was barely asked anything about the reunion and he still managed to mention Slash's book and the fact that Slash told him he doesn't want to work too hard! (which made me cringe, Slash has proven over the past 20 years quite the opposite) So I just hope that all things go well... because GNR without Slash at some point would be such a blow to the whole thing and all the heap and praise that has been thrown Axl's way would go with it.

Hopefully we get more clarification on how they put all this back together... just to ease some fears! Like Axl said... it could implode at any time! So lets all keep our fingers crossed this summer goes swimmingly and they get inspired to hammer out CD 2! ..or whatever it will be called.

[sky dog]

I think CD 2 is dead in the water...whole new ballgame now.

[JAEBALL]

I think CD 2 is dead in the water...whole new ballgame now.

I could never imagine a record where 3 or 4 the songs were reworked by Slash... and the rest feature x y and z from the various CD musicians...

but based on the little info we got from Axl the other day... sounds like that's what he envisions...

Perfect world for me... Slash Duff, Izzy and Richard write an entire new album together ... and Axl releases the CD stuff separately or as part of one big release. (yes izzy  )

[D-GenerationX]

I think its also going to become clearer and clearer that this could have happened a long time ago if not for the book Slash wrote.

Frankly, I think Slash took it WAY easy on Axl in that book.  Imagine the lunacy he left out.

[D-GenerationX]

I think CD 2 is dead in the water...whole new ballgame now.

I tend to agree, but who figured there would be CD songs in the setlist?

Have to admit a bit of personal annoyance with Axl's line about enjoying playing the CD tunes the most. 

[jarmo]

I just struggle to understand how people can't dig more into his answers with follow up questions. I mean, how the hell can you not ask more about when he wants to release, what kind of music, if he wants to write with the new old boys... And also how the reunion happened, how much talk was needed... I mean, even if youre not a superfan, you at least would be curious enough to talk about those things, right?

Because, when you're there, you have your question ready. It's what you want to ask. That one question.
Then you get your shot, and you ask it, get your answer, and then it's someone else's turn. And they in turn have their question which isn't related to anything he's said earlier in the Q&A... And so on.

That's what I suspect might happen....
Fans, not journalists...

Have to admit a bit of personal annoyance with Axl's line about enjoying playing the CD tunes the most. 

Why?



/jarmo

[JAEBALL]

I think its also going to become clearer and clearer that this could have happened a long time ago if not for the book Slash wrote.

Frankly, I think Slash took it WAY easy on Axl in that book.  Imagine the lunacy he left out.

I'm sure he could have told some not so flattering stories... but same goes for any of those guys...

I'd imagine the main issue Axl took from it was the insistence over the name rights, which has been proven to not have gone down the way Slash and Duff thought or represented in their books.

[D-GenerationX]

I think its also going to become clearer and clearer that this could have happened a long time ago if not for the book Slash wrote.

Frankly, I think Slash took it WAY easy on Axl in that book.  Imagine the lunacy he left out.

I'm sure he could have told some not so flattering stories... but same goes for any of those guys...

I'd imagine the main issue Axl took from it was the insistence over the name rights, which has been proven to not have gone down the way Slash and Duff thought or represented in their books.

I think the only reason Slash didn't go full scorched earth on Axl is because he knew that shuts down a reunion forever.

[GeorgeSteele]

I think that one of the main reasons Axl got/gets a lot of shit in the press is because he has always treated them disrespectfully.  And then he used to get bashed because of it, used to get angrier and treated them with even more disrespect. In other words, it's a vicious cycle.

I follow a great deal of bands (The Stones, Springsteen, Aerosmith, etc.), and they all do mainstream press. Rolling Stone covers, Late Night talk shows, interviews, press releases, etc.

I've always wondered why can't we get something like that with GNR. I feel like all we've done these past 16 years is just especulate on these boards.

Sure, we got some tours, and some press releases, and one album, but real information has always been to much difficult to find, and that can be really frustrating for us fans. And also, this lack of real news doesn't help the band's, and especially Axl's, image to the general public aswell.

PS.: On a side note, I think an autobiography by Axl would certainly be one of the most interesting things to read. And I don't mean the story behind the break up, because, as some of you said before, it's really a matter of personal views, there's no entire truth about it.

I'd prefer to read about his childhood, how it affected his adult life, how it generated his psycological problems (bipolar disorder for example), what he's been through and what he did to overcome those problems.

We'll never get all the information we want, but I think, comparatively speaking, we get more information from these types of appearances compared to mainstream outlets like late shows or popular magazines.  (btw, I think he confirmed he's not bipolar)

Fair point that him shunning mainstream press can hurt his image.  They're more likely to present him in a less flattering light if he's not helping them sell their media.  That's always a tough balancing act for an artist, because some artists play ball with the media and still get slammed.  But from our standpoint as more informed fans, why should we care?  Why do we need the general public's adulation?  I understand wanting our fandom to be validated, but isn't it already?  Regardless of whatever happens with this band, isn't their legacy as one of the greats etched in stone by now?

[Alan]

I'm sure he could have told some not so flattering stories... but same goes for any of those guys...

I'd imagine the main issue Axl took from it was the insistence over the name rights, which has been proven to not have gone down the way Slash and Duff thought or represented in their books.

It's entirely possible that both sides were completely honest.

Slash/Duff were told that Axl wouldn't go on stage.  But Axl never actually said or implied that himself.

[JAEBALL]

I'm sure he could have told some not so flattering stories... but same goes for any of those guys...

I'd imagine the main issue Axl took from it was the insistence over the name rights, which has been proven to not have gone down the way Slash and Duff thought or represented in their books.

It's entirely possible that both sides were completely honest.

Slash/Duff were told that Axl wouldn't go on stage.  But Axl never actually said or implied that himself.

That has always been the most logical explanation. Amazing it took 19 years for all parties to come to terms with.

[Eduardo]

I think that one of the main reasons Axl got/gets a lot of shit in the press is because he has always treated them disrespectfully.  And then he used to get bashed because of it, used to get angrier and treated them with even more disrespect. In other words, it's a vicious cycle.

Which one do you thing happened first?

Like he mentioned in the Q&A, the English press used to write that he likes to kill dogs. Just for the sake of having a shocking story....
Not saying all of the media is like that, but sensationalism surely seems to be the fuel for many.

/jarmo

I do think the press started first.

But Axl wasn't the most affable carachter back in the day either. That's why I think it was a vicious cycle.

The thing that gets me more excited in 2016, besides him touring with ACDC and the old guys, is that he seems to have overcome some of his problems.

He has been more than lovely with people on the streets, cracking jokes and stuff like that. That Q&A proves that.

Also, he seems to be showing up on time, showing more professionalism, which is great too