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#1751 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dublin, Ireland - September 1, 2010 (The O2) » 773 weeks ago
The guy next to me who shouted out, "No you fucking don't!" when Axl sang, "We go on stage around nine," made me chuckle, though. 
#1752 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dublin, Ireland - September 1, 2010 (The O2) » 773 weeks ago
Thanks for taking the time to give us this review Stepvhen! Whoever said GnR needs a Pr group could not be more right.
I honestly think this is the most important thing the band could do at the moment. Everything comes down to controlling the message; if you don't take control of that, anyone can fill the void with whatever bullshit they like.
If GN'R had a competent PR team... well, there would've been a press release up within hours of the event, in which GN'R were painted as the heroes for returning to the stage and finishing the show in the face of a few asshole fans throwing bottles. The papers would take their line from that, because entertainment reporters are overworked and basically just rewrite press releases anyway. And that message - Axl is the Good Guy here - would percolate out through the media and into peoples' heads.
Instead... the venue got its press release out early, with a few barbs at the "recurring tardiness" of the band, and essentially painted Axl as the villain. They're covering their backs - of course they are - but overworked journos looking for a press release on the event found that, and took their cues from it. And that message - Axl the unstable, late-showing rockstar - is the one that filters out into the mainstream consciousness. And that makes audiences ill-disposed towards him from the outset, and more likely to... well, to do horrible shit like bottling the band.
For God's sake, Axl, get yourself a decent PR team. Unilaterally posting the odd rant on Twitter is not a joined-up PR strategy; if anything, it reinforces the notion of you as a loose cannon. It's all very well privately stropping about people twisting your words and journos making shit up - but the way to solve that is not to retreat into a private shell, it's to go and engage the services of a reputable PR firm, and DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU TO in order to take control of your public image.
#1753 Re: Guns N' Roses » Rome, Italy - September 4, 2010 (Palalottomatica) » 773 weeks ago
Christ, I hope this one goes off without a hitch.
#1754 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stinson Vents at Del James During Dublin Concert » 773 weeks ago
The Independent's piece is pretty balanced:
#1755 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stinson Vents at Del James During Dublin Concert » 773 weeks ago
Well, most people believe anything they are told by the press, regardless of the subject. Sadly.
Sadly, yes, that's the way of the world. And that's why more than anything else, Axl needs a good PR team to manage his image and communicate with the press. If you don't communicate, other people will control the message; they will vilify you if it suits them to do so, and the public's perception of you is shaped by someone else's agenda.
#1756 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dublin, Ireland - September 1, 2010 (The O2) » 773 weeks ago
"The brains to adapt to his schedule"? Fuck that. If I pay €80 for a ticket (actually, I paid £130, plus the cost of the ferry and petrol to Dublin) I have a right to expect that the gig will proceed at something approximating a reasonable schedule. And I'm a fan of the band, one who knows about and understands Axl's preference for late starts. I talked to a lot of people while waiting for them to cone onstage, and 90% of them were casual concertgoers who had no idea who was in the band, much less that Axl tends to favour late starts.
On top of that, there's late and then there's late. Starting at 10:30pm in a venue whose license runs to 11:30pm, mere days after another gig has been cut short for overrunning AND OFFERING NEITHER AN EXPLANATION NOR AN APOLOGY is just unacceptable. It's unprofessional.
Now, I'm going to the Birmingham gig; I'm having to get transport to the venue and back from London on a Sunday; I have to go to work on Monday morning. I have to be able to plan this in advance, and not be subject to the whims of an overgrown adolescent who "just likes late starts".
#1757 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stinson Vents at Del James During Dublin Concert » 773 weeks ago
Neemo wrote:OUT OF CURIOSITY
is it pronounced reading....like reading a book? or reading like redding?
i was talking to my wife about it and was saying it like reading a book way and she called me an idiot and said it was redding not reading
anyway carryon
Yep you're right it's said like Red-ing.
You're right about the BS madagas, on the radio this morning the headline was how Axl Rose got bottled off stage for being an hour and a half late. When they told the story in detail it was down to an hour late but when they came on they played a shortened set to those few still in attendance.
In reality it appears GNR were 30 mins late and played a full set to what looks to be at least 3/4 of the crowd. GNR don't help themselves but lies and exaggerations in the media don't do anybody any favours either.
God I sound like Jarmo...
Like I said on the other thread, Axl needs to get himself a decent PR outfit. All the promoters, venues etc are running rings around him, sending out press releases making him out to be the villain. It pains me to watch, because it would be simplicity itself to turn the tide. I know plenty of PRs who could refashion his image easily - and he needs to do it. Spin may be the dark art, but if everyone else but you is doing it, you'll get taken to pieces.
#1758 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dublin, Ireland - September 1, 2010 (The O2) » 773 weeks ago
Conversely, I do think Axl has absolutely no grasp of the shit people go through to get to his shows. He rocks up and is all, "Hey, we're here to have a good time!" Not understanding that - as I said above - people have paid significant amounts for tickets, waited for hours, yomped miles to this inaccessible fucking venue, waited some more hours as the venue's closing time draws ever nearer, and when he turns up he doesn't even apologise or offer any explanation for the delay. No, it's the *crowd's* fault for not putting up with this shit…
#1759 Re: Guns N' Roses » Dublin, Ireland - September 1, 2010 (The O2) » 773 weeks ago
Stepvhen wrote:johndivney wrote:if what that woman on the radio said was true about him freaking out in the car park, and i think it probably is, you gotta wonder about how healthy his mind is.
What was said on the radio? I missed this
she said after the walkout at the 4tus solo she was walking by one of the gates where you could see into where the tour bus was parked.
she saw axl there & he was cursing the crowd for throwing things & leaving. she said he was then squatting down with his head in his hands looking like he was really freaking out trying to hold it together.
Jeez. Poor guy. Y'know, I think he really does care, and that he just has the worst luck in the world when it comes to venues/road managers etc. But he does urgently need to sort out the behind-the-scenes goings-on. He claims he's being booked for gigs without his knowledge? This shouldn't be happening. He claims that he's being fucked over by promoters and they're taking him to pieces in the press? He needs to get himself a decent PR operation. Hell, I could think of a dozen good PRs who'd do a better job than whoever he has on the case now. If he's the injured party, he needs to get a hell of a lot better at communicating his message to the public.
#1760 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stinson Vents at Del James During Dublin Concert » 773 weeks ago
Stinson, Ron… these are good people, and they don't deserve this shit. I'm not sure I can blame Axl for the problems; they're putting on a big production and it takes time to set the stage up… but they shouldn't be *starting* to set the stage up at 9:30pm. Like I said in the other thread, it seems to me that there's a fundamental break in communication between the band, the venue and the management. Specifically, I'm not sure that whoever's in charge of the road crew is up to the task of shepherding this show onto the stage every night.
