I dunno...I maintain 2006 Axl still had a charismatic vibe.

Like he looked older, but in a kinda tasteful classic rock way....the braids weren't for everyone but I thought in this era he kinda rocked them.

The voice was a long way from prime yet he was doing amazing screams that were bringing the house down and the odd moment of sheer brillance.

The only problem was people didn't really care for the replacement band, and that it was a classic hits tour (handful of CD songs excepted).

I think the NITL reunion done in 2006 (which nearly happened what with the slash visit earlier) would have been a mind-blowing comback....or hell...even the CD stuff dropped in 2006 not 2008 and then followed up with a more material would have gone better.

I mean nothing will be like UYI tour....but I think 2006 Axl had a bit of petrol in the tank.

I always thought that Don’t Cry came out months before UYI. But I guess even back when they were actively working, there were still delays.

I have a question for anyone here that was a fan of the AFD harder sound, what was your initial reaction to them releasing Don’t Cry as a lead single for UYI?

Sky Dog wrote:

Tommy has backed that up...RTB didn’t work and they thought the album was done.

In hindsight that is the point of no return.

You could make a case for the Ezrin "3 songs" fiasco but the damage hadn't been done yet. That can be walked back, everyone take a breather, and negotiate a release with the label.

He couldn't/wouldn't stick to his guns and all momentum was lost. They never got it back.

The project needed competent management from day one...or at least at the moment that the album was ready in 2001 and 2002.

Someone like Azoff would've had the album on the launch pad before the opening Jungle scream at the VMAs.

Baffling levels of incompetence allowed a major rock band on a major tour launching a comeback on national television to not have a single song....much less an album...to be in stores....and then allow the singer to shit can the idea of a coming album in an interview right after the performance.

Then it gets worse....

He abandons his own band in Philly to fend for themselves.

A year later they accidentally stumble into a nationwide buzz when IRS leaks on the Trunk show. Literally within hours, they stomp this buzz to death in its cradle.

Just unbelievable stupidity.

I can't imagine how frustrating this shit must have been for people like Tommy and Robin.

The situation was so much worse than fans believed at the time.

Like I said...they needed real management.