I saw this line up in Vegas in 2001 and was blown away. Killer show, just insane. It made me a believer instantly. I had seen the original band only once prior, back around 1991 if I recall. I had been a fan since 1987 when I heard WTTJ single on the radio. I was seriously bummed about their break-up, but open to the idea of a new band.

If I recall there was a show prior to that in Vegas as well. The media was actually interested at that time, gave it good reviews, and was quite positive towards Axl. He had been gone long enough for the demand to be there again, even if it didn't include the old crew.

There wasn't many active sites back then (anybody remember The Lost Rose? That was my favorite back then), and I was so excited for news, I drove down to the store to buy the magazine which had the write up of New GnR. It may have been Entertainment Weekly. At the end of the article, the author wrote (paraphrasing) "now it's just time for Axl to get in the ring."

In my opinion they should have dropped the album right around that time. The VMAs were a spectacle (for better and for worse) but he had the crowd. He had the public's interest. He should have done it all then: Videos, Late Night Shows, SNL, and SMALLER GIGS. Build up some buzz, capture the media by blowing them away in more intimate venues across the country. I tend to believe the half empty arenas were tough for Axl to deal with  (I also think this had a lot to do with why the tour ended pre-maturely.) More so, it looked bad from a PR standpoint, and really could not compare to what I saw at (the old) Joint in Vegas. The shows were simply swallowed up by the empty space surrounding them. Critics couldn't get past that and even see the show(s.)

But IMO, Axl should have taken that talent, and exploded onto the scene with little to no notice. A few shows here and there (Joint, Rio etc) then drop all the goods and promote the shit out of himself. MTV still sucked back then, but they would absolutely accommodated him just about any way he would have wanted.

At the end of the day, I believe the GnR brand was simply too much for Axl to deal with. He got what he wanted, but like the saying goes, be careful what you wish for...

Ultimately, it was maddening to see him assemble such talent and do nothing with it.