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APPETITE FOR DISCUSSION
Welcome to Appetite for Discussion -- a Guns N' Roses fan forum!

Please feel free to look around the forum as a guest, I hope you will find something of interest. If you want to join the discussions or contribute in other ways then you need to become a member. We especially welcome anyone who wants to share documents for our archive or would be interested in translating or transcribing articles and interviews.

Registering is free and easy.

Cheers!
SoulMonster

23. JANUARY 2001-NOVEMBER 2002: RICHARD REPLACES PAUL, TOURING STARTS

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Post by Soulmonster Sat Jan 29, 2022 9:59 am

AXL'S DAILY ROUTINES IN THE 2000S

Beta and Fernando Lebeis would talk about Axl's day-to-day routines:

We have a nutritionist who tells us what to eat. Axl exercises all day long. He runs between three and five miles every other day. He works out for three or four hours. He doesn’t go out much. We go to the movies a lot, he loves watching a movie. He doesn't like bars. […] He eats a lot of healthy food, turkey breast, chicken breast, plenty of salad, and drinks a lot of water... He also likes Brazilian food a lot. He even tried cabbage and liked it. […] His grandmother says that he was never a day person. He writes a lot at night. There is no phone, no interruptions. This is the time when he is most creative.
Bolsa de Mulher, January 22, 2001; translated from Portuguese

I'm the one who cooks at the house, but it's easy. He really likes grilled meat and fish, he has a very healthy diet and drinks a lot of water.
O Estado de S. Paulo, July 1, 2001; translated from Portuguese

He likes to surf [the Internet], he could spend hours, but when he reads lies about him and can't do anything, he gets upset. The fans read the public chats and the stories are repeated so many times that they start to believe them.


Axl would himself say he liked doing average-guy stuff, like reading with his favorite book being Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly:

I was a little scared when I saw they were making it into a movie starring Keanu [Reeves]. But I guess if he can handle The Matrix, he can do this.


He did not attend many concerts, though:

Not lots, no. I'm not - oddly I guess - I'm not really a live performance guy. I'd rather watch sports on TV rather than most of the time than go to an actual game. I'd rather, because like the close-ups and all of that. So I'll watch some things if it's film, but I'm not so much seeing things live a whole lot.


In 2008 and 2012, Axl would be asked what hobbies he has:

Cars, checking out art, F1.

I go to movies, go out with friends, go to car shows. I have a zoo. My animals (wolves, parrots, dogs, cats) are my buddies. They need lots of love and attention.




Axl and F1 racing driver Kimi Räikköseen
2006



Talking about his animals:

I love animals and I have all kinds of different animals and... I like the way that sometimes an animal will know if… say someone else in the house is sick or something, the animal stays by that person. [...] [I have d]ogs and cats and wolves and birds. [...] A couple wolves, a couple- what five or six- had five or six birds [chain, of what, Chihuahuas]

[...] what I mean though is, um, say like with cats, if you do not keep yourself open to some degree to being sensitive they're not going to be around you. So if you want to be friends with your cat you'd have to be more sensitive than the world may make you or you make the world.


In 2016, Axl would become a "friend" to the watch maker company HYT, as Vincent Perriard, HYT co-founder and board member, would explain:

Axl is a huge fan of watches in general but when he came across HYT he was really blown away. Axl and HYT share the same unconventional attitude. I can feel this partnership is going to be very rock 'n' roll!




Axl sporting a HYT watch
Unknown date




MUSICAL PROJECTS

In April 2001 it would be reported that Axl and Alanis Morissette was considering doing a duet together for the upcoming Lord of the Rings soundtrack [The Province, April 3, 2001]. The recording was intended to be done in the summer of 2001 when both artists were supposed to tour in Europe [The Province, April 3, 2001].


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Post by Soulmonster Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:52 am

FORMER BAND MEMBERS DISCUSSING THE NEW GUNS N' ROSES MUSIC

With new Guns N' Roses music leaking and being played at live shows, former band members were frequently asked to voice their opinion on the new material:

I heard some of the stuff off Napster, and of course the song (Oh My God) from the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Knowing Axl for as long as I have and knowing how brilliant he is, I cringe at some of it. But I’m probably the worst critic. I can still hear that brilliance at times. I’m proud of him. (laughs) And I could have played on that record.

I've heard a couple of things on Napster. […] From the little I heard, I don't believe I can tell [if Axl has taken the new music in the direction he wanted]. I haven't heard enough of the album to get a good representation of the whole record. But it sounded like more in the direction that he described to me. I'm one of the biggest fans of Guns n' Roses. It'll be interesting.

I haven’t heard them yet. I know they played at Rock In Rio, but the only think I saw about them was when I went into a record store and they were playing a video with someone talking, and I recognized Axl. I asked a guy, “What’s that?”. He told me: “It’s Guns N’ Roses in Rio”. He was sort of doing a speech, but I don’t even know what he said. I would like to hear them.
Popular 1 (Spain), July 2001; translated from Spanish

[Being asked why the public still care about Axl]: They [the public] feel bad for him, they feel sorry for him like I do. I mean, I love Axl. It's just a shame that he can't, you know, get his head out of his tuckus long enough to realize it was the five of us who made him a star in the first place... He won't put his record out either, cause it'll flop, it'll suck, and it does suck, and then he'll have nothing to back up on.

I don’t know any more than you do. There’s only a couple of songs with vocals on it–I know that for a fact. But it will come out one of these days.

You would probably know better than I do. [...] the last thing I have time to do is get on the Internet to get the down-low on Chinese Democracy.

You know what? You probably know more than I would. I really have no idea. I've been so busy after leaving Guns N' Roses. I went up to Seattle, went to school and started having babies. And then this band popped up. [...] But I wish they would get it out after all this time.. [...] you know, spontaneity and rock 'n' roll go together. And chemistry. It comes back to the old adage: If it takes you more than five minutes to write a song, then just scrap it. I don't know. Axl Rose is a very, very fickle guy, and he changes his mind all the time. So who knows?

I’m pretty sure what they're doing now won’t sound like the Guns N’ Roses I knew. But despite all the sadness and heartache that Axl put me through, good luck to him. I still love him. It was all a decade ago, I’m over it.

Axl ruins it not for himself and for the rest of us (Slash, Izzy, Duff, Steven) but he ruins it for the fans. [...] If he puts it out he thinks he'll sell 20 million copies. Well, maybe he's lucky if he goes gold. There's no hits on it, it's crap.

It's not really my cup of tea.. and that's not to say it's bad, its just not my style. Axl is trying to go into a direction of like...shit, old Guns N Roses, mixed with Nine Inch Nails, mixed with the fuckin New York Philharmonic, mixed with Elton John. He's just really conflicted, one minute he wants to do some huge ass 10 minute epic song and the next he wants to do It's So Easy.

I know [Axl] recorded a couple of songs during several years, until someone from the company came in and thought they sucked.

[Being asked if he expects Chinese Democracy to be released in 2006]: I certainly hope so because I’m so over talking about it. This anticipation is ridiculous. Just get the fuckin’ thing out! Every interview I do I get two or three questions about it and I haven’t even been in that goddamn rehearsal room in 10 years. [...] I’ve always said [Axl]'s an incredibly talented guy. The things he writes about blows my mind. The music probably isn't going to have the same angst that it had, but there’s probably gonna be some really great stuff on there.

I heard a live track from a concert supposed to be one of the new ones, but it was so long ago I don't even remember what it sounded like.

Honestly, you probably know more about it than I do - I’d bet money that you do. That was the record we started working on in 1994, but that band was so splintered at that point that nothing got started.

I'm sure it's got some amazing shit on it cos I know Axl and what he's capable of. So I'm interested to hear it but patient enough to wait until he figures it out. Because I don't have anything to do with it. It's easy for me to say that [laughs].

I haven't heard anything on 'Chinese Democracy' and probably won't until it's released. I'm sure at some point it will be released, but your guess is as good as mine.


In 2007 Slash would he had been fine with Axl continuing with the band:

[...] you have to understand, when I quit, whatever he went on to do after that, was fine. And I knew he was going to continue on with the name, because that was one of the things that was leading up to the split anyway when it first came up [...]


In 2008, Slash and Gilby would talk about the forthcoming release:

[...] I’m probably less inquisitive than most. I’d be interested to hear it when it comes out, but I’m not sitting around anticipating its release. I don’t think it’ll be the holy grail that people might have been expecting after 14 years, or however long it’s taken. And I know it’s not going to be what you would consider a traditional GN’R record. But, Axl is, with all due credit, an awesome artist, so I’m sure it’s going to be a phenomenal record.

I hear through the grapevine bits and pieces of what's going on, and I'm interested to see what it sounds like because it will be such a huge statement. Although I wouldn't say we split up over musical differences, we did have some musical direction going toward the end there, and I'd be interested to see where it was headed. But I'm not holding my breath because I know Axl, and one of the problems with the band was sitting around (waiting for him) ..... It will come out when it's ready to come out, but I don't have the anticipation that everyone else has.

I want to hear it, but not until I can physically buy it in a record store. I don't want to be listening to some file-sharing download that may or not be the actual album. [...] I don't know about [it being strange to finally hear it], but one way or another it'll be great, because Axl in his own right is a genius. I'm intrigued, because the saga and all the procrastination behind him making that record has a lot to do with why he’s there in his world and I'm here in mine. I'll be interested to hear what Axl has to say these days. Music is the purest form of communication after all.

I am just like every other person and I am a fan of GNR's music but I have no idea. I have heard a couple songs just like everybody else and I am just as curious as everybody else. I am really curious to see what kind of music you break up a really good band for.

I mean, I'm glad if it's finally coming out. I'm glad for Axl, that probably that pressure is off him. I'm glad he's able to let the music go. He is a perfectionist, man. There's people that are just perfectionists and they can't let a single note, anybody hear a single note unless it's, you know, perfect. You know, some musicians will play everybody their demo in the band, and then they go with all the mistakes and they don't care, because they know that everybody else has got the vision to hear it. Axl is, you know, a different… he's a different breed. He's just a musician, man, and he's a caring guy. You know, I've always known him to be a good guy and a caring guy, and I'm glad he's able to finally get this thing out. But, beyond that, musically and all that, I don't really have thoughts or… It's not my band. It would be like me having thoughts on the new Tool record, you know, or something. I wouldn't have many thoughts. If it's good, kick butt, I hope I get something out of it, and if it's not, it probably wouldn't even come into my radar.

As far as Axl's new record, I'm sure there's probably amazing stuff on there, just know there. I've only got that one song and a listen at a gym to go off, so I can't really say that much about it. But how do I feel about it? Good for him that this record's finally coming out. Obviously, I wish him the best. I'm glad that people that have been waiting for this record have something to finally go get.

The band that we formed twenty-something years ago is a completely different thing, and that's been over for… wow, 15 years. But I know Axl; he's a perfectionist, in a good way, musically. So I know he's not gonna let something come out that sucks — at least in his mind. That counts for something with me. He and I, we shared a lot of good times, some crappy times, but when you look at the glass, it's definitely more than half full for me.


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Post by Soulmonster Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:03 am

DEALING WITH DISAPPOINTED FANS

I am your second daddy. Not your first. But guess what, daddy left. So either you can go on without a daddy or you can put up with me. That's life.

___________________________________________________

FANS WANTING OLD BAND MEMBERS

There are going to be skeptics. If Slash was still in the band, there'd still be skeptics. But if Slash is what (audiences) want to see, then don't come. This band goes out and kicks a-- and if that's what you want than this will be one of the best concerts ever.

There's people in the audience who have 'Where's Slash?' banners or "We Love Slash' or whatever. Y'know, all those people, they don't leave. They must not be hating it if they don't leave. People seem to be pretty jazzed by the show that we put.

No matter what we do, there's gonna be some people that are just not gonna let go of the old band. But the majority of the people I see out there are having a great time; they're losing their minds and dancing and singing along. It doesn't seem to me like they miss the old guys.

People are really excited as (bleep) to see Axl out there singing the songs. They are a lot more accepting of the rest of this band. I don't think they walk away going, you know, Where's Slash?' at the end of the show. Well, a lot have, but I get a feeling that we have been accepted.

We saw signs like ‘Where’s Izzy?’ But they would be gone by the third song. There hasn’t been a lot of negativity.

Usually the skeptics are more open to the new Guns after seein' us live. I think... haha. It's all good, I mean, ya can't please folks that don't wanna be pleased, so I don't worry about it, I play for those who wanna have a good time and enjoy themselves.

Oh no, no, [Slash's contributions]'ll never be forgotten about. I mean, that legacy is far too strong and he's genius, Slash is amazing, you know? I don't think that it will ever be forgotten. [...] Some [fans] have [accepted the new band] and others, you know, I'm sure that… I mean, I read stuff on the internet and there's people that love it or they hate it. They either accept it or they don't and, you know, fair enough. And it's definitely a different band, so… It's a different sounding band, but it's a kick-ass band (laughs). I think that's pretty undeniable; I mean, this band is amazing.

There's nothing unreasonable about liking what you like, and wanting what you want. It's not difficult, and I have nothing against fans of the past line-ups. Unless someone's being a dick about it.  And if they are, that's because they're a dick, they're probably a dick about most things anyway, fuck 'em. But no, I have no problem with the past, and no problem with people that have their favorite era of any music, or any band that I'm somehow involved in.

[Joining the band] definitely had its challenges though, like learning the new songs and having to fill more than just one pair of shoes. That's another thing that was strange; it was a whole new experience being part of a band where a lot of followers of the band had this attitude of "You're not my daddy.. You're not my real dad (laughs)" - that whole thing of "You're not Slash, you're not Buckethead, you're not Gilby... you're not...". It's not just filling someone else's shoes - it was like filling a shoe closet (laughs). That surprised me as well, because usually when you're onstage, and people come to see you, it's because they want to see you. Getting used to the idea that there were people that might be wishing I was someone else made for a very dynamic situation where in the same moment you're being hit with that, along with fans that were just so grateful to see the band back on the road and so happy to be hearing it, and enjoying getting to know each other... It was extreme highs and lows that went along with the gigs in the beginning.

Man, I have so much good stuff going on in my own life, a lot besides GNR. I’m busy making music and getting things done, my only concerns are about giving my best with whatever I’m doing. When I’m touring with GNR I care about the show going well, and what special things I can do for fans, meet-n-greets or contests. When I’m visiting kids at a music school I care about inspiring them. When I’m in the studio laying guest solos on people’s albums or making songs for video games and TV shows I care about making it fun and intense, or whatever it’s supposed to be. When I’m with my family I care about them, nothing else. I’m about to release a transcription book of my first album from ’95 being re-released this year – when working on that my concern was the layout of every page, the quality of the paper, making it the best it can be. When doing lessons for guitar magazines I care about explaining the parts and writing out the music accurately and ready to be published. When I’m producing and collaborating with people in the studio I care about getting the best out of them, and making something unique. When I’m mixing and mastering people’s albums I care about making it sound better than they thought it could sound. When I’m having those rare moments of ‘me’ time, to exercise or play guitar, I care about staying focused. Then there’s hours of fan mail, and eating, shitting, showering, sleeping… So, when am I supposed to sit around crying about people that hope for a reunion? How’s Tuesday at 3pm? I think I might have 10 minutes free.

It's a change, it's like suddenly someone brings home to the fans, "Hey here's your new baby brother" and they're like, "What, I didn't even know you were pregnant, what the hell is this? Who's that?" So there's going to be a lot of skepticism, no matter who it was, there would be skepticism, there would be resistance and resentment. It's like "Hey, this wasn't my choice, and this is my band, I'm a fan. Where's my say in this?" So I think that some people were just happy, "Oh good, they got a new guitarist and they're going to be active again." Other people would be like "No, we don't want any more change. Go back to whatever time period I deem I like the most." So there's a lot of "You need to die, Slash needs to come back,", or "Bring back Bucket."

[Commenting on whether it had been different for Dj when he joined in 2009]: At first he got a lot of that until we started playing shows and they saw how much we had prepared and made sure he was ready to be out there. And he put on a great show and the band was tight and people couldn't deny that he was doing a great job. So at that point I think that his period of people fighting it wasn't as long as mine. We got to rehearse with him for a good year and work out gear and work out parts. I had two weeks, and they wouldn't even give me a fucking microphone. They said there was no room in the mixing board to include me. So that was my fucking experience coming into this.

Those opinions matter to me about as much as a vegetarian's opinion matters to the owner of a steakhouse. With the new music, I *do* cover the guitar parts I wrote and recorded, in songs written and recorded by the people in the band I'm playing in. So yeah, there ya go. A lot of the issues are about the name – there are those who take offense to keeping the name with all the line-up changes, I get it. That's why I call this band "GNR". I acknowledge the changes, and also think the current band deserves to be recognized as its own band and not be in the shadow of the past. But really, aren't there bigger things in life to worry about? This kind of stuff is so trivial. Go to a show, and have fun. Or cry into a pillow and try and build a time machine. Your choice how ya wanna spend your day. This band, any band, exists for those that like it – if you don't like it that's totally ok, it's simply not for you, the world is full of music, listen to something else. But complaining about it is pointless. If you don't like meat, shut up and eat your vegetables.

They can think whatever they want. I'm not interested in their opinions.

"You're not my real dad!" It's like most are trying to undo the past or raise the past or challenge the past. You know, if you have a problem with Axl still calling [?] Guns N' Roses, well, you know, talk to fucking Tracii Guns about it. What do you want me to tell you? I don't know. Talk to... I mean, how far do you want to go back with that? It's shit. Who cares? Talk to Ole Beich!

I get it, I understand people want what they remember the band as being. A lot of times people have a hard time accepting. Fans of Fleetwood Mac before they got Stevie Nicks, if they were fans of Peter Green, they didn’t get it. Most of those people, it took them a long time to accept Fleetwood Mac as a different band because it wasn’t Peter Green. The same deal with the Santana band and all the changes that band went through. For people to accept Van Halen with Sammy Hagar singing, even though that was their most successful time and they sold more records with Sammy Hagar, a lot of people that liked Van Halen from the beginning didn’t want to hear anything but David Lee Roth on it. Same thing with Genesis. I have a hard time listening to Genesis with Phil Collins singing after Peter Gabriel. It just goes on and on, the list is quite long.

And I think it’s harder when you change singers because it’s such a huge voice of the music and really that’s like the most personal aspect and connection to a band is generally through the singer. And when you change that it changes the character of the band. And in the same respect, changing anybody else makes it different as well. And it’s a different band. A lot of people accept it and a lot of people don’t. And that’s ok.

It's like, "You're not my real daddy!" I mean, come on.

[We are] the real Guns N’ Roses. [...] Those people [that make accusations] obviously haven’t seen the band and I think people who do feel that way, when they come see the band will definitely change their tune. [...] This is Guns N’ Roses, therefore it is the real Guns N’ Roses. There’s not two Guns N’ Roses out there playing anymore. People can choose to live in the past as much as they want, it’s not going to change anything. This band is the best band I’ve ever been in, and we go out and we kick ass every night, give a thousand per cent.

There’s always going to be people that align themselves with one or more band person. People quit the band. No one got fired that mattered. I think if the fans knew that, they might change their mind. To me this is GNR now and if someone quits, they get replaced. I think the line-up that we have now it’s one of the best bands of all time. I say thank you to all the fans who stuck by us and still support us.

They look at it like suddenly a new addition to the family was brought in without their consent. Or they look at it more like sports teams or superheroes - good versus evil and deciding, "Which is good? Which is evil?" [...] I think the fans forget we are all one family of musicians and people's times come and go in different things they do. It's almost like I guess you could say different sports that are also playing the same game and have the mutual respect for each other. It's just the fans are gonna root for one team or the other or favor one team over the other or maybe they like both. But it's a different perspective I think that fans have than the actual people have. They see the superheroes. They might see the guy with the doubleneck and the beard and the guy with the iconic tophat and the mane of curly hair. They see not the objects but just the personas.


Being asked if it is annoying when people compare him to Slash:

You know, it’s not that it’s annoying. There are different types of mentalities in the world. There’s the ‘and’ mentality and the ‘or’ mentality and that’s how I look at it. When people think so black and white, they’re missing out on a whole gray area that they could enjoy and that’s just like a general philosophy of life.

I find that when people do that, it’s ‘You or Slash,’ it’s kind of a bummer, because I would rather people think ‘Me and Slash’. That’s the thing about music is you can have as much as you want and there’s enough room for everybody out there.

To me, I think of like 1977 when everything was big. Everything was huge. Hard rock was huge. Disco was huge. Think of all the albums from then, between bands like Zeppelin and The Who and Queen and Fleetwood Mac. [...] And all the good funk out there, and all the punk. Ramones, there was so much good shit and it was fantastic. It wasn’t that ‘one or the other’ mentality. There was enough music where you just felt so, what’s the word, enriched. Wherever you turned, there was something good. It was really just very gratifying and satisfying, that’s how I think.

So if somebody goes, “Who do I like better, you or Slash?” That’s personal. What do you like better, a hamburger or a hot dog? It doesn’t really mean anything. I like to think that even some of my crazy guitar geek fans from before I joined Guns, just doing my own music, a lot of them may start to appreciate things about Guns that they didn’t.

Like it opened their eyes to things and that sounds kind of silly, I guess, but I’ve seen it happen. I had people say to me, “I was really bummed when you joined Guns, but honestly after listening to you guys together, it’s really something different and it’s cool. I like it.”


And if it is frustrating to live under the shadow of Slash in many fans' view:

It’s kind of frustrating, but the reason that it is, is not because of other people, it’s because I feel that we could do more to establish the current band as its own band. It shouldn’t be in the shadow of the past. If a reunion ever happens, I would hope that they would give me some free passes so that me and my wife could go (laughs). You know, that doesn’t bother me. I have no problems with anybody. I mean shit! I just did a signing last week end with Duff! I mean, on my end there’s no problem. Of course I don’t have the history that Axl has with these guys, where he has been through things that… you know… They’re been through war together and for me it’s more like “hey! How are you doing? Let’s go sign some autographs together” and there’s a big difference. So it’s not for me to speculate or say what can happen and what can’t.

So does it bother me that people want a reunion? No! You know what? I love Kiss, I love a whole shitload of bands and if there was a line-up that did an album that I totally loved, I would love to go see that line-up do those songs. It’s normal. And it doesn’t mean that I hate what’s going on now. When I grew up, it was part of the time stamp of my life, for that moment and part of my memories and something that I would love to feel again. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t fault people for feeling that way. What that has to do with my contributions to G’N’R’s current history? It’s two separate things you know. I don’t know, I mean honestly, I don’t think about it much. I’m too busy! I’m making music! (laughs) I’m getting things done. And I don’t think about people wanting a reunion. That’s like the farthest thing from my mind. I’m thinking about putting my new song out and everything else that I have to do this week.

I don’t care. It’s like getting mad because I own a seafood restaurant and somebody’s talking about how much they hate lobster.  I don’t do what I do for them, it’s for the people that like lobster (laughs).  We do shows and people who come to the shows, enjoy it and we’re doing it for them. We’re not doing it for people that don’t like it, we’re doing it for the people that do. [...] How many guitar players have been in Red Hot Chili Peppers? How many people have been in Whitesnake? How many drummers have been in Judas Priest? It happens. Break-ups happen. A family can’t always stay together. People die, people get sick, people get angry. Either you can end everything or you can re-build and move forward. So, we move forward and fight. Some people look for reasons not to like things. Their loss, there are plenty of reason why you can like it. Ok, you don’t like it that it’s called “Guns N’ Roses”, just call it  “GNR” . You don’t like that an ex-member isn’t there, then go see that person when they tour. It’s ok. If you go to a GNR show, you’ll listen to Axl and 25 years of his music in the show, and everything we do, and you’ll most likely have fun. If you want to have fun.

They only ever focus on one guitarist who's been in the band! Its completely understandable. He was such a part of what made the band huge.

There are a couple things about this. To some people Guns N’ Roses may be all about Axl and to some people maybe not. To some people it may be all about some of the guys that used to be in the band that aren’t here anymore so they won’t like what we’re doing now. But what can I do about that? Nothing. The people that aren’t in the band now aren’t here because they quit or whatever. Personally I think we’re a great band that’s been put together over time and the line-up we have now is probably the best we’ve ever had and at the end of the day to the people that say, ‘It’s not Guns N’ Roses, it’s some other band,’ I would say, ‘Well, this is Guns N’ Roses and when we play our songs, be they old or new, and Axl sings them it sounds like Guns N’ Roses.’ I’m sorry, that’s just how I feel.


In 2017, Bumblefoot would mention having received a death threat:

Well, I’ve never had a 16-year-old girl sending me death threats, because I’m not an original member! Things like that took getting used to.


DJ would take a pragmatic approach:

It is what it is. If people come to the concert with an open mind and accept that this isn't the original lineup, but this lineup is unbelievably kick ass and come out with that, you're going to love it.

If you come expecting to see Slash, well...

Times change people change and bands change. People have a hard time with change, but I love change. It's what keeps the world interesting.

You can't really worry about it. You'll wear yourself out if you try.


Bumblefoot would talk extensively about this in early 2013:

That we are not wrestling characters that are good guys and bad guys when it comes to the past and the present versions or different members of the different chapters of the story of Guns N’ Roses. People are surprised to know that Izzy (Stradlin) came out and jammed on a couple of songs with us for some of these shows. And Duff (McKagan) did. Things like that. It’s not all this past versus present, one versus the other. It’s all part of the same story. Guns N’ Roses is like this big book filled with so many chapters that are so unique and a story within themselves but they’re all part of the same book, part of the same history. It’s all part of the same life span of the twenty-five year life of the band. It’s a continuing story.

People tend to look at it like, ‘That’s not Guns N’ Roses’. Well, in a sense, a butterfly isn’t a caterpillar but it’s the same life, the same creature. It just goes through changes. It started off as one thing but slowly morphed into another.  That just happens – whether people die or quit, technology change, music styles change, or whatever happens.

It’s the same band but you have to look at it like one is the child, one is the adult, one is the gray haired wise dude. It’s the same life and the child isn’t the same person that he is when he is going to be fifty. But it’s the same life and the sum of the same experiences in the end.  People say, ‘Well, it’s not the same band.’ You’re right, it’s not the same band. Different people. Different sound. Different world. Different century. Different everything. But it’s part of the same story and if you want to not acknowledge any aspect of that story, you’re just missing out on a lot of it you might enjoy if you let yourself.

Every life has its peak, its part that someone is going to favor. That’s fine. Appreciate and enjoy the whole story. There’s a lot to it. It’s very interesting and I’ll even say that there’s been no band in the history of rock that has a story as crazy as Guns N’ Roses is. So, enjoy it! Why fight it? Enjoy it!


Also see later chapter specifically about DJ and his relationship with the fans.

Brain would later talk about how hard it had been to deal with the expectations:

And then it just crazy because of the level it has to work on is so big. And we had such big shoes to fill that it just creates this chaos. And then it wasn't even music anymore. It was just about, you know, "They're wearing Bucket out," "Oh, they're wearing me out, "Oh, Robin's upset, "Oh, Tommy's quitting," "Oh, you know," you know what I mean?



HOW THE NEW MUSIC WAS RECEIVED

New songs are received well, I see plenty of people singing every word in the front of the audience, real cool to see that.

It's been great. It's been really positive. Tons of people are holding up signs for different songs off the records every night. It's really good. I'm really happy.

Some of the newer stuff people actually know now that the record has been out for a while. Like, last night (in Toronto), we played a bunch of the stuff off that record and the crowd seemed to know it and respond to it. It makes it more fun to play that stuff when the audience wants to hear it.

I came in right after Chinese Democracy was released and I've seen a huge difference over the last four years in how fans react to those songs. A lot of people are singing along to them now that they're more familiar.


Last edited by Soulmonster on Thu Mar 28, 2024 7:25 am; edited 2 times in total
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23. JANUARY 2001-NOVEMBER 2002: RICHARD REPLACES PAUL, TOURING STARTS - Page 2 Empty Re: 23. JANUARY 2001-NOVEMBER 2002: RICHARD REPLACES PAUL, TOURING STARTS

Post by Soulmonster Today at 7:20 am

HAVING TWO KEYBOARD PLAYERS IN THE BAND AT THE SAME TIME

When touring started in 2001, Chris would be the band's second keyboard player in addition to Dizzy.

In 2005, Dizzy would be asked how he felt about a second keyboardist:

Uhh... you know.. [Chris] adds so much to the band. He's a good guy to get along with. I've never had a problem with him of any kind. I'm a team player man... I'm always up for whats best for the whole raw picture. on tour.. you know... he just accents what we do so... I'm all for it.


Dizzy would also talk about working out keyboard parts between him and Chris:

Chris (Pitman) has been in the band for a long time now. I have a lot of respect for what he does and vice versa. We figure out who's going to do what, you know? I think it's important for people to look at the big picture, to put your ego aside at the door and do what's best for the band. Chris and I both have that capability.

As far as the older stuff, I do all the piano stuff, and there's a lot of that. I think the main thing is we kind of look out for each other so we're not blown up by the pyro. It's good. We spot each other, basically.

I think if you go through the songs we`ve done over the years, especially the newer songs but also the Use Your Illusion material, then you would realize that I only have two hands.  Chris brings an incredible amount of himself and creativity to the songs.  It`s a good thing to look over and see him doing his thing on stage.
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