August 30, 2002
10:44 AM   Subscribe

So what if my cool factor drops 10 points cause I'm still curious about Axl Rose who surprised us by performing live on MTV last night. And now I really need to know the real story about that guy replacing Slash who wears a chicken bucket on his head. And could baldness really be the reason behind Axl's madness?
posted by oh posey (43 comments total)
 
Oh man, Buckethead is so cool. I have his "Monsters & Robots" album - Bootsy Collins appears on it! Buckethead is a great, weird guitarist.
posted by starvingartist at 10:51 AM on August 30, 2002


It had never occurred to me how obviously Eminem fits into the "Axl of today" role until last night. Man, he was gonna kick that puppet's ass.
posted by rex at 10:57 AM on August 30, 2002


I managed to catch this "performance" last night, and oh god, how the mighty have fallen. Was anybody else disturbed by the lack of 'visual cohesion' in Axl's cover band? I mean, you had Axl, the washed up Behind The Music "Very Special Suicide" episode waiting to happen, Buckethead (who initially I thought was Slash gone mad) and a brevy of bad Marylin Manson-esque sideshow fillers. And the drummer of all people seemed pretty normal.
posted by Stan Chin at 10:57 AM on August 30, 2002


i'm a big buckethead fan too (he also did some cool stuff with les claypool), and i gotta say this is sad news. i could never see even the slightest appeal of axl or g&r.
posted by modge at 11:02 AM on August 30, 2002


I LOVE G&R, and if I had known that they'de be closing, I probably would have actually watched the VMA post-Springsteen, and I am looking forward to (if it ever happens) a G&R tour in the USA. On another note, did anyone else find it humorous that MTV felt a need to put James Browns' name up at the concert? Sad, sad world when some of the people watching the show may not have even known who he was.
posted by jmd82 at 11:02 AM on August 30, 2002


Funny, I had no idea he was on for real last night, but I just happened to be watching an old episode of French and Saunders that featured Jennifer Saunders doing a hilarious impersonation of Axl, and Dawn French as Slash.
posted by MrBaliHai at 11:06 AM on August 30, 2002


Rex...how happy I was the GnR appearance fouled up the MnM show last night. He appeared rather insignificant after the real bad boy showed up. MTV wins a kewpie doll for pulling that off.
posted by oh posey at 11:07 AM on August 30, 2002


Axl was huffing and puffing 3/4 of the way into Welcome to the Jungle though. He needs to get back into running-around-the-stage shape. Well, at least he didn't lip-sync like every other performer did.

About the new lineup, Axl says on their official site (gnronline.com), "It's nearly the same as it's been". Hmmm, I didn't see Slash, Izzy, Duff, Steven or Gilby anywhere. I did see some NIN rejects and a guy with a bucket on his head. I want Guns N' Roses, not Guns N' Buckets.
posted by deftone at 11:09 AM on August 30, 2002


Todd Dominey sums up my feelings about the VMAs. Basically: Why? Why? Why? Why do I get tricked into watching it every year only to be bombarded with an event that i can only describe as cringe-worthy.

Reminds me a friend who feels like he has to smoke pot once every 3 or 4 years just to remind himself that he doesn't enjoy smoking pot anymore.

In defence of Axl's poor performance, it appeared that he was having trouble with his ear-piece-- my guess is that he couldn't actually hear himself singing during 'Welcome to the Jungle'. Not that I have much expectation for anything worthwhile coming out of his mouth in the future...
posted by gwint at 11:10 AM on August 30, 2002


oh, and then there's the "misunderstanding" about Jacko's Artist of the Millenium award...
posted by gwint at 11:12 AM on August 30, 2002


I mean, you had Axl, the washed up Behind The Music "Very Special Suicide" episode waiting to happen, Buckethead (who initially I thought was Slash gone mad) and a brevy of bad Marylin Manson-esque sideshow fillers.

One of those "sideshow fillers" was Tommy Stinson, who was in a band far, far better than GNR once upon a time.
posted by malphigian at 11:14 AM on August 30, 2002


The Hives owned the night and made Axl & Co. look like a circus sideshow:
"I know you want us to play more, but that's all we're allowed to play, so you can turn off now!"
posted by afx114 at 11:15 AM on August 30, 2002


Yes the Hives were definately the high point of the night. Axl came across as grating and desperate for attention in the after show interview with Loder. His voice was completely whacked during the performance and the bs about how we've all been waiting was just annoying. Read some of the stuff on his website about his completely insecure poses about what GnR is all about and it'll turn your stomach.

Anyone besides me find it really bizaaaaarre that the GnR tour "Chinese Democracy" launches in China with the support of the Communist Party. Who'd have thought the world could be so ironic?
posted by filchyboy at 11:30 AM on August 30, 2002


Oh my god gwint, thanks for that link. When I watched the highlights on MTV I was under the impression that there was some kind of award... poor, poort Michael.
posted by LukeyBoy at 11:41 AM on August 30, 2002


Buckethead rocks hard as hell. his association with Bootsy goes back to the late 80's/early 90's band Praxis. For those who've never heard him, he's basically a cool version of Joe Satriani. He's also the metal world's version of Andy Warhol in some ways -- constantly doing strange things, mixing music in odd ways.

Axl sucks. He always has, and always will. That said, I think its funny Buckethead is in his band. Maybe GnR won't be so lame this time around.
posted by crackerass at 11:42 AM on August 30, 2002


then there's the "misunderstanding" about Jacko's Artist of the Millenium award...

And he even thanked his mother, Joe Jackson...

yes yes.. thank you gwint.
posted by oh posey at 11:52 AM on August 30, 2002


The sad thing was that, as out-of-breath and out of sync with his band as Axl was, GnR still rocked harder than Creed, Incubus, Stained, Papa Roach or any of those other whiny-ass "hard rock" bands could even dream of.

Sure, I felt kind of bad for Axl and the spectacle he was making of himself, but it wasn't any more pathetic than that puppet parade P. Diddy put on.

I'm tired of intospective bullshit strung over lame, mushy guitar riffs. I say bring back the f*cking rock, and if that means a pale imitation of the GnR of yesteryear, it's still better than nothing.
posted by junkbox at 11:55 AM on August 30, 2002


a cool version of Joe Satriani
I am laughing so hard, you can't imagine. Next someone will tell me there's a listenable version of Steve Vai.
I saw a Guns 'N Buckets live in Brazil clip a few months ago and let me tell you, it was shameful. It's almost reached the point where I stop disliking Axl and start feeling sorry for him.
posted by Fabulon7 at 11:58 AM on August 30, 2002


a guy with a bucket on his head??? It's the one and only Buckethead!!!
posted by ghastlyfop at 12:02 PM on August 30, 2002


Wait a minute, let me get this straight....Joe Jackson is Michael Jackson's mother?
posted by drinkcoffee at 12:03 PM on August 30, 2002


Buckethead's also worked with Satriani, and he also played guitar on "Jack & The Reaper" off the Last Action Hero soundtrack. The soundtrack of course being far far better than the movie was.
posted by riffola at 12:06 PM on August 30, 2002


Oops I might be wrong about Buckethead, I am thinking of someone else here.
posted by riffola at 12:08 PM on August 30, 2002


Legends keep making music........
Hit makers are acts....................
posted by thomcatspike at 12:27 PM on August 30, 2002


Buckethead is a riff-machine. I love his work. I lost the UR: to his website long ago, but he had some b-sides which were just him on guitar, mixed with simple drum machine beats. Very good stuff for anyone who appreciates a good guitarist doing their thing.
posted by Dark Messiah at 12:42 PM on August 30, 2002


afx114 - I do so agree with you. The only reason I tuned into the show in the first place was to see the Hives and Vines perform. The only thing missing were the White Stripes.

Howlin' Pele was very refreshing.
posted by oh posey at 1:05 PM on August 30, 2002


was it that much of a surprise? I heard about GnR playing the awards a day or two ago. I had turned it on about ten minutes before the end of the show to catch it (because I wasn't going to watch the rest of the crap). But the show was running late and I had to catch a glimpse of one of the n'sync scrubs dancing around dressed up like Michael Jackson in his gangster-mode. Buckethead kicks ass, Axl's voice sounded pretty horrible.

I didn't see it, but I heard Truimph the Insult Comic Dog was trying to go off on Eminem but his entourage wouldn't let Truimph close. And then MTV cut to something else. I bet they'll have some of the Truimph stuff on Conan tonight or next week.
posted by stifford at 1:08 PM on August 30, 2002


How stupid did Eminem look when he tried to pull that, "I'm gonna kick Moby's little girl ass"? I could not stop laughing at the wanna be punk-ass!
posted by bmxGirl at 1:13 PM on August 30, 2002


Buckethead's "Colma" is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.
posted by kindall at 1:17 PM on August 30, 2002


Riffola: yeah, that's Buckethead on the Last Action Hero soundtrack. Good stuff. Also, there's conjecture that he and Joe Satriani are one and the same, that it's just Satriani's alter ego. Don't know if anyone's ever conclusively proved or disproved that.

[soapbox] The dreck that are the Hives and Vines both deserved to share the stage with the rest of the dreck that is MTV. [/soapbox]
posted by The Michael The at 1:51 PM on August 30, 2002


There's a lot of rumors of who Buckethead is ( I've heard Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmstein, etc...). But he's just a guy. His real name is known online ( a little google searching will find it pretty easily.) I won't say what it is here, just in case some folks don't want the mystery to end just yet.

Buckethead also works under the pseudonym Death Cube K
posted by stifford at 1:59 PM on August 30, 2002


something about watching an MTV live show reminds of me watching a group of first graders put on a play. it's almost embarassing to watch! anyways, I think axel rose is a pretty annoying vocalist and last night was probably his worst performance ever. he kept delivering his lyrics late and he sounded pretty winded the whole time. it was nice to see Buckethead too even though he appeared to play rhythm for the most part.

furthermore, can someone tell me whether or not The Vines are a joke band?
posted by mcsweetie at 2:00 PM on August 30, 2002


Eminem's targets: Moby, Christina Aguilera, "little girl and boy groups", etc. It's pathetic, especially considering that he is their contemporary and was sitting next to all of them, etc.... He looked like the idiot he is when he dissed Moby for the 10th time. Ooh, tough guy Eminem can dis moby. It was pathetic. I was hoping he would get booed off the stage.

Axl Rose's voice sounded terrible, what happened?
posted by cell divide at 2:09 PM on August 30, 2002


he took singing lessons.
posted by modge at 2:12 PM on August 30, 2002


When Axl first showed up wearing that ridiculous black hat, my first thought was: "That's not Axl Rose, that's Jason Mewes dressed up as Kid Rock"
posted by antimony at 2:37 PM on August 30, 2002


One of those "sideshow fillers" was Tommy Stinson, who was in a band far, far better than GNR once upon a time.

I wish I could find the article, but thanks to Axl there won't be a reunion tour of The Mats that was rumored to take place.
posted by dilok at 2:47 PM on August 30, 2002


Thank you Axl!

Why the heck was the VMA in August this year? I had no idea it was on last night.

I hated GnR the first time, but this new incarnation sounds like the kinda car wreck I'd like to see at least once.
posted by wrench at 3:20 PM on August 30, 2002


Why the heck was the VMA in August this year?

They held the show a few weeks early to avoid the 9/11 anniversary.
posted by hilker at 3:46 PM on August 30, 2002


I found it interesting that the author of the article and I had completely different reasons for being appalled back when it was rumored the Axl was going to adopt a "NIN" style sound. He obviously doesn't like the style, I basically thought that a hack like Axl trying to achieve what Reznor accomplished was going to be puke inducing. Take for example the "Tommy Lee Band" which got foisted on me in place of Alien Ant Farm at a festival this summer, he got a lukewarm reception at the very best from a crowd that didn't think that his second-rate Rob Zombie imitation was impressive. Pathetic is what it was.

I was never a big GnR fan but without Slash I don't really see the point...
posted by RevGreg at 3:58 PM on August 30, 2002


Bad mix on that performance. G'n'R rocks, but without Slash I dunno how that can work....
posted by mogwai at 5:59 PM on August 30, 2002


And could baldness really be the reason behind Axl's madness?

the crazy redhead isn't bald, i've seen him recently, in person, without a schmutta or a hat on and his hairline is in fine shape. got a bit of a belly on him tho'...!

There's a lot of rumors of who Buckethead is ( I've heard Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmstein, etc...)

oh lord, anyone who mistakes buckethead for joe satriani is visually and aurally impaired. joe's a shorter man with a very slight build, buckethead is not and they both have organically, radically diff styles. i used to think buckethead was trey azagthoth or paul gilbert doh. gilbert has been one of his teachers mind you, so i can be forgiven for hearing a big similarity.

eminem is beyond sad... he's middle aged for god's sake and still complaining about his mommy and his girl and picking fights with the other kids on the playground...? pathetic, laughable, and utterly dismissable. his main audience isn't that much different than the spice girl's demographic... little kids who will one day look back and be mildly embarrassed.
posted by t r a c y at 2:37 AM on August 31, 2002


"Anyone besides me find it really bizaaaaarre that the GnR tour "Chinese Democracy" launches in China with the support of the Communist Party."

GnR launched their tour in Hong Kong. Big difference.
posted by plenty at 6:10 AM on August 31, 2002


Axl sounded/looked like crap -- I wasn't sure it was him. Also, the Hives SUCK.
posted by uftheory at 10:28 AM on September 3, 2002


you drop 40 points.

dork.
posted by Satapher at 5:37 PM on September 3, 2002


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