Thing is you have to do what you're good at.

As a rock vocalist - Axl was one of the best in the world - arguably the absolute best in the world during his prime - fuck it he's still the go-to guy when it's time to solve an impossible problem like how to replace a guy like Brian Johnston in Ac/Dc! Even these days.

He likes Hip Hop and Electronica...but that doesn't automatically translate to being top level at that talent.

He didn't want to be locked into a genre and I get it - but the music game is the people who are the best at stuff doing what they do.

"It Tastes Good Don't It" was kinda cool - but it's not exactly Eminem worthy.

Shackler's Revenge isn't really Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails.

In a way i respect he wanted to try something new, but being a fan of something doesn't mean you're suited to do that thing, even if you love it. That's why I don't work in WWE.

Axl has amazing talent as a songwriter and performer..but I question how many different genres it was realistic to think he'd be worldclass at.

I would say Brendan O'Brian.

I know Libertad was a disappointment but that was due to the band rushing forward and insisting on recording before they'd written enough material. Even Dave basically said the issue is the songs just weren't there.

But Brendan O'Brian has a sold history with STP, and in particular I like what he did with Ac/Dc's Black Ice, and Rock or Bust which i thought did a good job of capturing the Ac/Dc sound and sitting well with the back catalogue while still being fresh.

A Brendan O'Brian produced GNR record with Slash would probably sound like GNR again.

I think in his Autobiography Slash implied that he wrote Crazy Bitch too - or at least that the buckcherry hit came from something they jammed with the VR boys.

I lean towards error as you'd think if it was real they would have been balls out marketing it that way for years  - like Motley Crue's The End tour was....then again this is GNR....not like much happens according to logic.