This post is part of our feature on Money Losers of 2008. See all 20.
For decades, Axl Rose, the lead singer for Guns N' Roses, has shown nothing but contempt for his fans, his fellow musicians, the public. and women. He would cancel concerts for no apparent reason. In 1991, he walked off the stage during a show in Germany.
Rose, born William Bruce Rose, is not a stupid man. He knew that the public still clamored for Guns N' Roses. Its songs were mainstays of rock radio. People continued to buy the group's DVDs. So, Rose went to work on the band's sixth album called Chinese Democracy.
And work. And work.
Chinese Democracy attracted almost legendary status as a project that languished for about 15 years. That's almost three lifetimes in the music industry.
Some critics liked the Rose's creation that was recently released. Rolling Stone called Chinese Democracy a "great, audacious, unhinged and uncompromising hard-rock record." Fans were not as enthused.
As the Los Angeles Times noted, "The Guns N' Roses album that was 17 years in the making climbed only as high as No. 3 when it debuted on the national sales chart. It has tumbled to No. 18 in its second week of release. That's a disturbing sign for the most expensive to produce album ever in rock, the cost once estimated at $13 million."
Given Rose's track record, odds are that he is not phased by the tepid reaction from his long-suffering loyal fans.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-26-2008 @ 12:56PM
chris crush said...
Axl's real name he was born with is William Bailey not William Rose, He changed it to Rose later in life. Rose was the last name of his real father.
12-29-2008 @ 1:45PM
nightrain said...
The album sucks. 15 years too late Axl. Try not to get your ass kicked by Tommy Hillfiger any time soon pussy! A couple of years ago Rolling Stone said Axl would save rock and roll. They were wrong then, and the wrong now about the album being any good. Who's Axl?
12-26-2008 @ 7:40PM
Buttons said...
His birth name is William Bruce Rose Jr......his last name was later changed to Bailey when he was a very young boy. When he learned of his natural father in his teens, he soon after changed it back to Rose. I think his given name is a very strong name and even pretty in a sense...
12-27-2008 @ 2:15AM
Bill said...
I think his real name is loser... and 15 years to come up with a lousy record like this is pathetic.
12-27-2008 @ 3:47PM
dave said...
THE ORGASM'S OVER THERE AXL!!!!!!
JONAS BROTHERS ARE LOOKING FOR ROADIES?
12-29-2008 @ 5:26AM
Brian said...
Axl doesn't owe anything to anyone. It's always been about the art for him, and he's damn good at churning out epic artwork. Try throwing all those players in a room and coming out with something coherent - it ain't easy. CD is a masterpiece.
1-21-2009 @ 12:45AM
Derock_1969 said...
chinese democracy wasnt the best but axl always comes through for the fans.Look what hes done in the past.After all hes the best voice of rock n roll hes just getting in the groove.The next CD will be great.
3-01-2009 @ 10:56PM
pfeeney.1 said...
Axl Rose,what a complete loser,GnRs ws the best heavy metal band,but axl"s over-inflated ego ruined it for everyone,hes way to in love with himself,nobody knows why,hes such an idiot