Guns N' Roses reunion set for April

Slash was on Top Gear a couple years ago (last year?) and said he hadn't even spoken to Axl on the phone or anything since the breakup and had no desire to ever talk to the guy again. I wonder what changed.

"Guns N’ Roses and LCD Soundsystem, two of the most influential bands in recent decades," LCD who? J/k... but seriously they are nowhere in the same league of influence as GnR.

If those are two of the most influential bands in recent decades, humans have no taste in music.

Rose probably apologized to Slash.

Anyway, happy to hear they're back together!

"Slash was on Top Gear a couple years ago (last year?) and said he hadn't even spoken to Axl on the phone or anything since the breakup and had no desire to ever talk to the guy again. I wonder what changed."

I saw a vid by their ex drummer, forget his name, from the blue oyster cult I guess, and he was saying something like anything was better than the post guns line up, there just wasnt any money being made. I got a strong feeling this was financially motivated, thats what changed Axel still sells huge in south america etc. I think Slash #s were slipping to the point they needed Axel back on stage. Lets face it, Axel made the band, and Slash just complimented him. I seen Axel years ago in Tokyo dome and everyone came to see him. The post gnr lead that was singing with slash just plain sucked and I found it disrespectful for him to even be singing Axels classics. I dont expect much for this reunion, its 10 or 15 years too late and Axel sounds pretty terrible if you ask me; it was uncomfortable to watch his vids. Back in the day, when GNR came onto the scene, there was nothing like them. Axel brought the good and the bad to the stage, and its what we went to see. Allot has changed since then. Dude is like 55? now? Those were different times; the enviroment that produced Axel was raw and unpolitically correct, and there wasnt much of a global or electronica scene either. I dont know who can fill their shoes but they were the baddest U.S. band of all time.Looking back I guess it was invetible that the original GNR band collasped because times were changing and Axel wanted to also. For me, it was a downhill slide for the music industry after GNR and glam rock faded. I was never a fan of Pearl jam and Nirvana, grunge etc. Those 5 members from GNR were forged in a time and place that was uniquely and original U.S. It was just the timing and all of them all coming together in LA and GNR was made. maybe something good will come out of this and some young bands will get some inspiration. Its hard to believe they are making movies about "straight outta compton" like it was long ago history. Seems all like yesterday.

Nice, expect tickets to sell out

April of what year, G&R?

Hmmm.... sort of like Van Halen back together with David Lee Roth.... yeah, OK, I sort of get it. Its about the money. No doubt there will be drama associated with it.

There is only one band that split that really lived up to the hype when they got back together.... and that was the Eagles. Just my opinion.

Wait, will they do a new video... featuring Stephanie Seymour?! Hmmm....

It may be about the money, but it may also not be, or not entirely. Remember these were people who at one time had a great relationship together, and made good music together. Anyone who has been in a band knows that feeling, and it must be something more to be in a successful band. With G&R they got heavy into the drugs, and everything went to sh*t. Maybe now that they are older, they have been able to get back to that place where they were before it went bad.

Guns N' Roses reunion set for April

So the rumors were true. They will be opening the tour headling Coachella. I remember the 2nd time I saw G&R, Tokyo Dome w/ Metallica bck n' '92- I think it was.

Use ur illusion tour was good, but the, "Appetite for Destruction" was the ultimate. Ahh, those were the good ole' days. Too old now-

They never played in Japan with Metallica, that was just in the US. Will be interesting to see how it goes this time. Not really sure what the point is. A few one-off shows I'd understand but are they going to create any new music and if they are do they really think it's going to be worthwhile? They've both come a long way since 1993 and there's not much reason to thing they're on the same page musically anymore. At least with nu-gnr Axl was making stuff (every 10 years) that was innovative and fresh, whether you liked it or not.

Slash was on Top Gear a couple years ago (last year?) and said he hadn't even spoken to Axl on the phone or anything since the breakup and had no desire to ever talk to the guy again. I wonder what changed.

It's about the money. I met Slash one time at a concert on Sunset, they had Living Colour as an opening act and Axl uttered a racial expletive to one of the members and a brawl ensued. Rose has always been jerk and difficult to work with, not only with his band members, but in the studio with the producers and engineers. It's no wonder the majority of the guys can't stand this jerk. Other than the money, I don't know or could see what other reason there would be to even come together as a band.

@bassnfunk its about the money for sure, but Axel is what sells. I dont think Axel is a jerk now, he just had issues, and thats what everyone came to see, and the fact they guy coud sing like nobody could, the jerk was part of his genius. Racist? I dont know.One in a million is racist by todays standards, but Axel was expressing life on the street. In those days you could go to Chicago and there would be vendors hustling stolen or plated gold everywhere, he should of expressed it differently. Axel was just raw, a bit immature and sometimes a sh@thead. Its what he grew up around in Indiana. I mean people say "racist" but if he was racist, so was allot of the U.S. because thats what created him. Thats how I look at it. Metallica lead and Axel actually had allot in common, growing up in hyper relegious homes. I think its these enviroments that created these legends.

Axl uttered a racial expletive to one of the members and a brawl ensued

On the , "Lies, lies, lies" CD, Axl says a lot of racial stuff. The last song, One in a million, also goes as far to bash foreigners and gays.

@ bass, yeah Axl is a hellraiser alright. Should be a good Tour 2016 if they keep it real.

its about the money for sure, but Axel is what sells. I dont think Axel is a jerk now, he just had issues, and thats what everyone came to see, and the fact they guy coud sing like nobody could, the jerk was part of his genius.

He punched out his female neighbor, that's a bit more of an issue. A genius?? Lennon was a genius, but that's just personal preference, I have no problem with what another person likes, I think we all have different tastes, however, you cannot tell me that the guy over the years was all mentally there. I heard more negative things from Rose, I never really heard or read anything about the other band members.

Racist? I dont know. One in a million is racist by todays standards, but Axel was expressing life on the street.

I do know and as for Rose expressing life on the streets, you can do that without being vulgar, racist and combative.

In those days you could go to Chicago and there would be vendors hustling stolen or plated gold everywhere, he should of expressed it differently. Axel was just raw, a bit immature and sometimes a sh@thead. Its what he grew up around in Indiana.

I get it and what has happened to Rose since the breakup and him getting almost as large as Steven Seagal.

I mean people say "racist" but if he was racist, so was allot of the U.S. because thats what created him.

Wait a minute?! So what you are saying, he doesn't have ANY accountability now? So when some jerk rapes a woman and blames it on porn, that takes him off the hook?? Come on now....

Thats how I look at it. Metallica lead and Axel actually had allot in common, growing up in hyper relegious homes. I think its these enviroments that created these legends.

I would attribute it more to talent. Geddy Lee grew up in a very religious home and you don't see him acting out like a lunatic, conceded jerk.

Like the numerous other groups that have "disbanded" or "retired" they like the sound of the cash register ! Ka-ching, ka-ching.

I wonder if these old timer will make it back to the retirement village before 10.00pm curfew. Come on ! recents decades. last century this a fact. In the late 80,s Navarna, Pearl Jam, Silverchair and Metalica have more influence on todays Genes then some sreaming heavy metal pretenders.

@bass4funk,

Agreed Axel had issues but thats what drew people to come watch him. I think music was his therapy. I guess he still kind of screwed up from what Ive read, but in those days you had to figure it out as you go, and somewhere in all that he had mad talent. Go back and watch them live at the ritz; they had a chemistry amoungst them that we all wanted in our crew. Axel was marketed, and thats all, by us, so we are accountalbe as well. The off stage drama was not our care. Axel looks burned out to me now, and his voice has morphed into a whine, sometimes he even looses the note. It doesnt feel like something that got better with time. Maybe he will get it together before the tour, but Im not expecting much. I think because sorum and slashes band wasnt making numbers so they thought anything is better than this. A reunion will draw numbers, but your watching a middle aged band. Im a huge fan of the original GNR; the new stuff not so much. You got to credit Axel and Addler for coming to LA with nothing and making it, thats what Im saying, I think your missing that point. Its like an American outlaw story; they came into town with nothing and there wasnt no American Idol then, they played the scene in LA and lived on ciggaretes and wine, like he says in reckless life. You got to have mad talent to pull that off.

@bass. You mentioned Geddy Lee. What an incredible bassist, singer and songwriter. Till this day, "Moving Pictures" has got to be 1 of me fav CD's.

they came into town with nothing and there wasnt no American Idol then, they played the scene in LA and lived on ciggaretes and wine

That's basically how all bands got started in LA. Nothing to do with talent, it's just the way it was for every band.

I think Axel's draw was his angry youth vibe and his voice. Now, as an overweight, leisurely wealthy guy with mostly shot vocal cords, and still bearing grudges against the world, I can't see the comeback being all that great. Slash seems to be a great guy. He's not a groundbreaking guitarist, but one who completely mastered all his rock idols licks and made them fresh again with his own style.

I prefer Robert Plant's approach with Zeppelin. Those days are gone, and trying to recapture them just reminds everyone that they have all gotten much older.

"That's basically how all bands got started in LA. Nothing to do with talent, it's just the way it was for every band."

somewhat disagree with that, GNR and other LA punk bands were the opposite to glam rock like poison, warrant, europe, etc of that time

Im sure allot of people are coaching Axel to keep it together and not become a D bag and be late, tantrums etc so it wont become a " I told you so moment". Im not a fan of the new Axels voice and show; from what Ive seen its allot of annoying big money glam, and Im sure that will carry over into the reunion

That's basically how all bands got started in LA. Nothing to do with talent

What? Van Halen started out in LA. He is very talented. What about Randy Rhoads? He got popular in the LA scene and he was also very talented.

somewhat disagree with that, GNR and other LA punk bands

What? GNR ain't no "punk" band? LA punk bands are more like Pennywise, Black Flag & The Circle Jerks.

btw . . . . GNR sold out Coachella, CA very quickly. Holy Crap! Calvin Harris will be there too.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/events/20160106/coachella-sells-out-in-an-hour

@Wc626

I think allot of Axels inspiration came from the sex pistols, rammones etc, thus the punk reference. Slash wanted to stay in that venue but Rose wanted to get into newer stuff like electronica etc thus the rift.

"That's basically how all bands got started in LA. Nothing to do with talent" What? Van Halen started out in LA. He is very talented. What about Randy Rhoads? He got popular in the LA scene and he was also very talented.

You misinterpreted my comment. "Nothing to do with talent" means exactly that. A lot of people starved on the Sunset strip, talented or otherwise. Even glam rock bands had the same struggles, though they didn't sing about it.

I do know of Van Halen begging to open for another band, and being turned down. That other band later was driving call girls to their clients and much worse to make ends meet while Van Halen topped the charts. Talent is nice, but there's a fair bit of luck and good old marketing involved. Most of the really talented people never make it beyond a cult following.

@5petals . . . Oh okay. I see what you mean. You're right, GNR members liked sex pistols, rammones, tsol etc. My bad. Thought u were saying they were Punk.

@commanteer. I agree 100%- fair bit of luck and good ole' fashioned marketing. Making it on the road is what makes or breaks these bands. It's a long way to tha top if u want to rck n' roll.

@Wc,

Yeah they started out playing those songs and in those days people came to see Axel and his mad vocals. I get the spoiled white boy syndrome people accuse Axel of having. I dont think he was a spoiled white boy at all, but just came from a poor white boys background. I think he came into town, got abused a bit and expected it to be like indiana, but what he failed to realize is that everyone gets abused in that enviroment. He sings about welcome to the jungle, but for allot of people who grew up there, it wasnt welcome, they had been a part of it all their lives. I do think however he was a tough kid just making it and dealing with it at his level. He already had it pretty bad in indiana, you read about they were going to kick him out for being habitial criminal. I think LA was just too different than back home though. The dynamic is kind of strange because Slash didnt grow up on the streets, he had a pretty spoiled upbringing himself Its amazing those guys lived through it all. BTW, is the sunset strip still there and is that scene still alive? I mean, are bands still starting out there, or is it long gone?

LCD Soundsystem - eh ?

The Americans are mainly the imitators when it comes to electronic music ("Raves" arrived in America ten years after Europe), the Europeans, particularly the British, were the originators, with perhaps the exception of some early Detroit house music pioneers who were largely ignored in the USA.

GnR, however... yes, legends. But Slash without Axl has thrived - he's a (British born) genius - while Axl's career since falling out with Slash has not amounted to very much.