Good--then it worked, haha.

Btw, you guys missed it then if you don't know what i'm talking about.

Back in the late 1990s there were rampant rumors that Axl very much lived a secluded life of no partying, lots of books, and self-loathing. He also sought spiritual advice from psychics, as well as the infamous Yoda (Sharon Maynard) of the Southwest U.S. desert for spiritual advice as well. Axl visited China around the early 2000's I believe as a spiritual retreat for inspiration for Chinese Democracy, and the last time he'd probably be allowed to visit the country before the album's release and eventually banning by the government.

Axl soaked up books, universal beliefs, psychic shit, psychology, philosophy, art, world music, all kinds of stuff in his down time during this period, when...

Slash was just fucking recording and recording. Gettin' shit done. Sweat of your brow. Axl was finding himself and his sanity, trying to have the youth of discovering himself, that he never had.

Even Axl's writing style changed from the heyday, to the present. He became a much more affluent, high-style writer and speaker, something obviously more self-aware of themself during that time.

I value both Axl & Slash's choices during this period.

Now my opinion of WHY Axl did it, is based on his words in interviews, as well as my interpretation of it. But all of the stuff I listed about was in the various interviews and speculatory articles over the last 15 years or so of Axl Rose.

I for one gave $la$h major hell for selling out in the way he did. It's one thing to participate in American Idol to perform with other artists and pass down your musical knowledge, re-working songs and the like, like Queen did. It's a total nother just using the platform to hawk your wares and new album n' shit. It's lame.

Slash sold out to anybody with a paycheck. Granted he didn't have GN'R still to fall back on, he DIDN'T have a successful touring act at that point, and he had a family at home. Regardless of his motivations, it was lame. Guitar Hero didn't bother me as much, as I enjoyed the game, and I thought it was Slash's way of connecting to a new generation. That's fine. But the corporate thing bothers me.

I gave Axl credit for never making that move. Until now. Axl sold out. Whatever rock n' roll rebel image and all his wordy, infamous "Axl says a ton of... nothing" gibber gabber he's known for, and all this shit about spirituality and all the stuff that makes Axl--Axl, just flew out the door with this. Regardless of how much Bud he drinks, or how big of a check they cut him. Going out with your rebel image, something you've somewhat maintained, despite all the "Sell out" claims, he still had that enigma label. But to sell out, and not just sell out, but to one of the biggest corporations out there....

I'll be informing Anonymous of his information

I see your point a little more now. But just because Slash "works" in the business, doesn't mean Axl doesn't "work" either. While Slash has recorded, from my perspective of Axl back in the day to know, Axl seemed to be spending all of his time on spirituality, finding his place in existence, and wanting to know every tick about how the universe works. He is far more intellectual today than he was back in the day.

And I find that just as valuable as Slash having a "sweat of your brow" mentality.

I believe Slash plays better technically, but doesn't have the same feel imo. I don't feel the same soul from his modern songs, that I did from his GN'R stuff. Where is the heart?

A player's player... i'll take your word for it. I'm just telling you my experience. And I will also agree that Slash gets called for collab work more often, which proves he's a team player more than anything. Just because people call you, don't mean your right, or a good guy. It just means you're a reliable session player, at the least. If he's all the other thing, ding ding for him and the people around him.

Axl not getting calls, doesn't do anything to his reputation other than Axl didn't pick up the phone. Axl shot his own foot off with this. He alluded in this Revolver intereview that "nobody calls" for these kind of performance shows, and it has nothing to do with his voice. Axl basically spent 20 years NOT PICKING UP THE PHONE when it rang, or blowing off the whole thing, declining work, etc. His reputation got blown way out of proportion, because for as rebellious as all those Seattle rockers are---every last one of them are total conformists, except maybe that original guitarist dude from Nirvana.

Now Axl wants to cry foul because of a lack of support now that suddenly he's on Valium and Vicodin on a daily basis and feels great, and suddenly he wants to get back involved in the music scene... doesn't work that way and the music scene makes that clear. Slash put his dues in, taking it up the ass when need be and knowing who not to piss off. Axl tried to dare be an original. Biz don't work that way, and Axl is no exception. Axl tried to fight and win and a war, nobody has ever won. Not him, not the Sex Pistols, not Pearl Jam vs. Ticketmaster, etc. Axl tried to circumvent the business and the machine, and his reward?

They fucking buried him.

And to get out?

Axl kept digging deeper and deeper with his own personality and insecurities.

Slash on the other hand supplied his own spit and took one for the team. Slash likes being a celebrity, and that is why he's where he is. Celebs get press, celebs get assistence, celebs are seen. Axl WANTED to vanish, and that's exactly what he got. That doesn't mean he's wrong, as much as I wish he had released more music.

It's not being an Axl zealot. I hear utterly NO ONE ever talk about Slash in a positive sense. Fucking ever. He's talked about like a clown in all of the rock circles i've been around, since maybe high school. And A-L-O-T of it had to do with Cypress Hill & Black Eyed Peas and Fergie. I have never met ANYONE that respects Fergie outside of the Slashites, that worship every goddamn thing he does. Her and her group are seen as a joke outside The Insider and Entertainment Tonight. Even the more urban people I know, blacks and hispanics that are more into the pop/rap scene, think they are a joke. The only time I ever see Slash gain some points back is when he does stuff with Ozzy, because Ozzy will always be Ozzy, no matter how many reality shows he does. People in those circles will always respect the Prince of Darkness.

I haven't met ONE person in at least 15 years that has said a positive thing about Slash outside of these boards, I swear on my life.

Axl on the other hand--i've heard mad respect for, for a variety of things, but also ALOT of criticism for the obvious stuff as well. Even the Slash show I went to, everyone around me groaned everytime Myles started singing, and at least two rows of people, around 50 people all in general conversation state "he's not Axl", "this guy is nowhere close to fucking Axl". Axl also got props for NOT playing the game, for as many people I met that also have called him an arrogant asshole for the exact same behavior.

For as many people i've met that tried to turn Chinese Democracy into a punchline, i've met just as many that thought it was sorely underrated, and could name favorite tracks off of it, and these are casual rock fans. Most spoken of has been Catcher In The Rye, Prostitute, This I Love, Better, and Shackler's Revenge btw.

Slash has his "shit together" because Slash plays the game. Axl doesn't. Slash is willing to suck off who he has to to play the Hollywood game at a moment's notice. American Idol, Anger Management, whatever he's doing this week. Axl has the same amount of A-list friends, but you never hear about it, because the guy refuses to not be Axl. I think that's a pro, not a con.

I'm not saying this as some sort of "fuck Slash" brigade. You guys know me better than that, and I have commended Slash where warranted. I say this because i'm sick of this one-sided bullshit where Slash CONSTANTLY gets a pass on sucking epic fucking ass, because he releases material and tours with second-rate players, and somehow becasue people VISUALLY SEE Slash more, somehow it "makes him better".

I have a real problem with that, and I do not think Slash deserves praise simply because he shoves himself down my throat regularly. He is really not an interesting person, and seems to piggie back on everyone else's media-driven whore moment of the week. I prefer Duff the most to any of them on a personal, non-music level. Duff has enough brains to know when to whore, and enough brains to know when to pull back and keep his self-respect. If Axl could be Duff (not Slash), man we would've had the best of both worlds.

I want Slash to succeed, no different than you do Axl, which is why I passionately criticize him. I know what Slash is capable of, and he is better, WAY better than the people he puts around him and the material he does.