I don't know if you've noticed, but a little while ago Axl Rose released an album that took 13 years to complete. (Guns n' Roses, Chinese Democracy) It's rumored to have been the most expensive album ever produced. Axl hasn't made one public appearance in the seven months or so since Democracy was released. And music video?? Nah. In fact there's been no promotion. But one thing that has been done according to the New York Daily News is Axl firing his manager at least three times over the last two months:
Axl Rose has been having mood swings. The Guns N’ Roses front man, an admitted manic-depressive, has fired and rehired famed manager Irving Azoff at least three times in the last five weeks, according to a source. The reclusive rocker is said to be resisting Azoff's pleas to try to revive sales of the band's recent album, "Chinese Democracy." "Axl doesn't want anything to do with it," says the insider. "He won't come out of his house."
A source close to Azoff admits, "Axl is Axl. People get hired and fired all the time in this business."
But Azoff's rep says that, as of last week, he and Rose are talking again: "We're in daily contact with Axl, and we look forward to continuing to support him and Guns N' Roses."
Guns N' Roses (the band) is coming to 'Rock Band' (the video game) on Tuesday (April 14).
Actually 'Chinese Democracy' is coming to Rock Band, and not all of the GNR albums. That's sort of unfortunate. But what's not unfortunate is imagining little kids try and sing this:
Yahoo Music blogger and tard extrordinaire Robert of the Radish - who, FYI, wears a beanie over his balding head - just named Axl Rose as the fifth most rediculous hairstyle in popular music, along with David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, and the guy from Flock Of Seagulls.
Yeah ok white boy dreads suck. But not as much as Radish, who calls Axl "a grade-A jackass" with "the worst voice in rock & roll history', who is "completely insecure with the aging process and his newly found un-celebrity".
Axl Rose says Slash is a bad guitar player and he will never record music with him again. And then he called him "a whore for the limelight". Nice, Axl.
In an interview for Spinner by his old friend Del James, Axl spoke a words on his feelings for Slash:
In a nutshell, personally I consider him a cancer and better removed, avoided -- and the less anyone heard of him or his supporters, the better.
And when asked how he feels for Slash's guitar playing, Axl kindly gave this response:
"...the passion and true dedication to the art of guitar... other than being, in my opinion, a whore for the limelight has generally seemed absent or lacking... for a long time. To me, it's sad."
And even though Slash wrote the solos in November Rain and all the other legendary guitar parts from the Use Your Illusion albums, Axl says Slash probably shouldn't have been in Guns N' Roses a that time:
"Slash either should not have been in Guns to begin with or should have left after 'Lies..."
So I think this means they aren't going to get back together. Bummer.
I think it's pretty clear Axl Rose and Slash hate each other. In the first real interview in nine years, Axl addresses reunion possibilities with his former guitarist. Here's what he had to say:
In regards to Slash, I read a desperate fan's message about, what if one of us were to die and looking back I had the possibility of a reunion now, blah blah blah. And my thoughts are, "Yeah, and while you're at the show your baby accidentally kicks a candle and burns your house down, killing himself and the rest of your family."
Give me a fucking break. What's clear is that one of the two of us will die before a reunion and however sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is. Those decisions were made a long time ago and reiterated year after year by one man.
There are acts that, once committed between individuals, they are what they are. To add insult to injury almost day after day, lapsing into year after year, for more than a decade, is a nightmare. Anyone putting his own personal entertainment above everything else is sickening.
Ha. But Axl did leave the door open to playing again with Duff and Izzy:
"I could see doing a song or so on the side with Izzy or having him out [on tour] again. I'm not so comfortable with doing anything having more than one of the alumni. Maybe something with Duff, but that's it..."
That title comes from the best line in this video. Anyways, back before the whole band ditched Axl and he made a brand new Guns N' Roses, he had this to say about "the dream band" that was Slash, Duff, Izzy, Matt and himself.
Axl Rose spent some time typing away on some GNR fan sites last night. A lot of time. I can't believe it. He was even all nice and shit. Axl answered tons of questions like 'why is he always late to shows' and how does he feel about Kanye West selling more albums than him. You know he didn't like that one. They also asked him about the Dr. Pepper! (He doesn't care that much.) Here's some of the ones I love:
Q: How come you always come on stage so late at gigs?
Axl: "I've been an after-midnight type since I was sneakin' out of my house in junior high. With old Guns, we preferred to go on 12:00 a.m. or so. When we moved to theaters etc., obviously that changes but it's never changed inside me. Doesn't matter what I do, so generally that's when I'm more myself. This isn't to mess with anyone that has an early schedule to keep, it's just personal preference. And in regard to the size venues, I'm on record as preferring whatever venues allow for our schedule, but management and promoters can do a lot in their own interests behind the scenes that can rarely be avoided and their greed or whatever leads to a lot of double talk and ugly behind nonsense that generally eventually ruins things for everyone. Translated: once a tour is scheduled, however, it's like parting the seas to change. As far as being late, I've been that way my whole life. It drove Izzy crazy but he would check himself and freely admit I was generally actually doing something that had to get done rather than watching basketball, etc."
Q: Just wondering what stops you from playing more guitar live?
Axl: "Skill."
Q: Axl, are you still thinking of suing Dr Pepper's ass?
Axl: "Sure, but the actions taken so far had nothing to do with me and I was taken off guard as I had specifically told our team, 'Who fucking cares?! Right now we have a record to deal with.' My feelings are after their public response. It was cute. Maybe the guy who got it rolling originally meant well, but it turned out sour and maybe it's just me, but he seems like maybe he wants a bit too much attention so..."
Q: What's up with the video for 'Better':
Axl: "The 'Better' music video will be out in a week or so. Monumental promotion will start very soon!"
And something about hanging out with his bandmates:
Axl: But as people get older, they have their own lives. The Stones aren't going bowling every Tuesday, etc.
Enjoy it, because you're probably not going to him from him for a while!
Scott Weiland showed up to his show in NYC about an hour late last week. But of course, apologizing to the crowd is for suckers. There's only three ways to get out a situation like this. Lie, which is usually the best; blame it on someone else, which is pretty easy to; or deride the one guy who makes every bad thing you do look like angel's playtime. Scott choose the latter as he cracked up at his own jokes, and of course Axl Rose just happened to be the punchline.
