From: larry@csccat.cs.com (Larry Spence)
Newsgroups: alt.rock-n-roll
Subject: Re: James Hetfield injured
Summary: Axxhole Rose, Ross Perot: believing your own myth
Date: 13 Aug 92 21:46:04 GMT
Organization: Computer Support Corporation,  Dallas,Texas

In article <1992Aug11.211421.21708@colorado.edu> rpb@starr.colorado.edu (Robert Baptist) writes:
>In article <92=C03s=57VQ00@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> fierro@uts.amdahl.com (Doug Fierro) writes:
>>
>>  On a tangent here- has anyone ever seen a rock band in the last 20 years
>>or so create such a fuss in this country as GNR has done?  I mean these guys
>>came on the scene and really shook up rock N roll. 

More like "shook up the media and the media loved it."  I see almost no
long-term lasting contribution to rock from Buns 'n' Hoses.  They're just
doing the same stuff again for kids who were too young when the Stones,
Aerosmith, etc. were around.  Aerosmith was often a second-generation Stones,
and G+R are second-generation Aerosmith... and the music industry _loves
it_ when a band offers to nuke themselves in the glorious rock tradition,
it sells records!

>>Going on the music
>>awards shows totally blitzed and swearing live on TV,  Getting the cover of
>>their debut lp censored, making endless trips into rehab centers until they
>>finally got their act cleaned up a few years ago, pissing off people with
>>a particular song on their "Lies" LP, etc. etc. etc.  Just on the UYI
>>tour alone, they have managed to stir up two riots (this latest one not really
>>their fault), 

Axxhole _flipped off_ 50,000 people who paid to see him perform and walked
out!  Not really their fault?!

>>become persecuted by the national police, piss off most of
>>the music rag magazines, endless postponements, cancellations, etc., 
>>breaking curfews, refusing to give a time when they go onstage, on and on
>>and on. 

Gee, these are all things I really admire in a band, uh huh.  What about
a band like Metallica that gives a damn about their fans, many of whom
have to save and scrimp to be able to afford tickets to a live show?  It's
really cool to piss off your fans and be generally derelict and wasted...
if you still think Keith Richards half-OD'ing on smack is "cool" and
"real rock and roll."

>>It's like they are still living their Appetite for Destruction
>>days in the '90s. 

No, it's like they are still assholes.  _You_ stand around for two hours
waiting for a show that you paid $30 for and then tell me if it's "only
rock 'n' roll" when the singer flips you off and leaves.

>>Those guys working on the crew must never know what
>>the hell is going to happen next.  Maybe the band members themselves don't
>>even know what the hell is going to happen next.  Going along for the
>>ride and having fun doing it.  Spinal Tap for real.  Kinda what Rock N Roll 
>>should be- offensive, unpredictable, fun! 

Being offensive to a record company is conceivably a good thing.  Being
offensive to people who paid good money to see you play rock and roll is NOT.

>>I can't think of a band since the 
>>'70s (Aerosmith? Stones?) that has caused such a commotion and turned rock 
>>N roll on its head.  And still putting out the music to back it all up :-)
>>
>>  Doug

Coming from one of the net's biggest Ross Perot (ex-?) fans, somehow I'm
not surprised that Doug buys into yet another fairy tale.  OOooh, the 
dangerous lives of those rockers, out on the edge, testing the limits of
society.  More like -- wasted losers that let success go to their heads.

In case you forgot, Doug, when Aerosmith got _heavily_ into the partying 
and self-indulgence, they went downhill fast (remember _Draw the Line_?).  
Self-styled rock godz who believe their own hype usually end up burned out
has-beens, but of course we only focus on the Blazing Defiance of Society 
phase 'cause that's the romantic "rock lifestyle" thing that Madison Ave
wants us to crave.

>Exactly Doug.  I don't like what happened any more than the others, as
>I was going to see the Denver show, and now it's postponed until some
>time in September.  This, however, seems to be what rock and roll
>is about-- bands who claim to be "living the bad life" and putting
>out cheesy music to make a buck sicken me. 

I agree with the part after the " -- ".

>GnR is at least for real
>in that their music reflects their lifestyle.

Yep, in that their music is going nowhere fast.  Releasing two max-length
CDs at the same time (largely filler) is another example of massive ego.
I only wish that they had enough talent to be grouped with Morrison,
Presley, Joplin, and the others who drowned in their own stardom.  I
supposed if Axxhole OD's or otherwise nukes himself, that will be a
glorious example of the rock and roll lifestyle at its finest, huh?  You
didn't _learn_ anything from Spinal Tap, did you?

>   As for the riots, I agree with some earlier comments-- no matter
>how ripped off you feel, it's no damn reason to riot.. 

But by your logic, isn't it just the audience getting into the rock
and roll for real, "reflecting their lifestyle"?  I would think that
you would applaud it as "causing commotion" and "turning rock on its
head."  (I know Doug said that, but you seem to agree with him).

>That standard is the one that these people are applying
>to Axl, and it's a standard that they should apply to themselves.  

But you guys seem to think Axxhole is _cool_ to be doing all this 
juvenile stuff!  Make up your mind!

-- 
Larry Spence
larry@cs.com
uunet!csccat!larry or sun!texsun!csccat!larry