Yeah, but Mark Prior's career was derailed by injuries. It's not like he just some one year phenom that burnt out,

I honestly think the issue is that Axl is such a perfectionist and an insecure person that he just isn't satisfied with anything he does. I think the burden of having to follow AFD and Illusions just magnifies it.

To me Axl is just like Lee Mavers of the La's, except Mavers was never able to get it together even for a brief moment unlike Axl.

For those that don't know the story the La's signed their first record deal around 86 or 87. The recording of their debut album was a painstaking process due to the constant lineup changes, revolving door of producers, and the constant need to re-record everything (sound familiar?). The problem was with Mavers who was never satisfied with the sound. Eventually the record company grew fed up and scrapped the sessions. The final producer they worked with ended up piecing together an album from his sessions with the band and it was released in 1990. The album well received by critics, but Mavers himself hated it and wanted nothing to do with it.

Since then the La's have done squat except for a handful of tours playing the same old stuff. Mavers has earned a reputation for being an eccentric recluse and a perfectionist. It has been said he is working on their second album, but no one knows if or when it will ever see the light of day.

IMO musicians like Mavers and Axl are just perfectionists who are never satisfied with what they do. They create these impossible standards for themselves and it cripples them.

monkeychow, I think those lyrics from Scraped pretty much sum up what a day in the life of Axl Rose is like. No doubt that was the reason behind all of those false starts over the years.

From a complete outsider's perspective it seems like the issue is that Axl has never been able to move past whatever demons that plague him. It seems like he has never been able to find a place of general contentment with his life. He's like a tortured soul which makes for a great artist but it's painful to watch.

I've always felt that fame was overrated and I imagine it messes with your head when you're someone as insecure as Axl is.

I think Axl would be a lot more productive if he was able to let go of the past and all of the anger that comes with it and find whatever it is that makes him truly happy. But the fact that he is closing in on 50 and hasn't seemed to experience any personal growth makes me doubt he will ever find that place which is quite sad.

Personally I don't expect anything other than what we see which is why I rarely visit this forum. I have been fairly apathetic about this band for the last year or so. I just happened to see a tweet about Reading and surfed on over to see what the drama was. Sadly the drama is far more entertaining than the actual band, IMO.

You're right it's not going to be different no matter who is in the band and that's my whole point in responding to you. People aren't upset with the lineup, it's the actions. I hear you though, this is who the band is and nothing is going to change. It just sounds like some fans who were able to accept it are suddenly at their breaking point. I've already met mine.

I think the difference between the past and now is there was a lot to look forward to during their heyday despite the BS. Now we get very little and that little is usually clouded with BS. Some fans are just happy their favorite band is active and just look at the positives and that is okay. Others just can't overlook all of the negative and it becomes aggravating. I guess those people just need to figure out whether it is worth it or not. For me it isn't.

I don't think it has anything to do with the lineup at this point. I can't speak for everyone, but personally I'd be far more disappointed if the 88 lineup reunited and he was still pulling this crap. I've never made it any secret than I prefer the original lineup to  the current band, but the absolute last thing I'd want to see is a reunion only to deal with a same ol' BS. I'd lose respect for Slash and co if they decided to come crawling back to Axl without making him eat some humble pie. I'd hate to see them sell out their integrity like that. To me that would be far more disappointing than what is going on now. There was a time where a reunion would been a dream come true for me, but I don't want any part of one if it would be like this. I don't ever want a reunion unless Axl gets over himself but that's never going to happen. So while musically I prefer the old band,  I've long been over the idea of a reunion.

For me the outrage stems from the fact that there has been far more lows than highs  with GNR in the past 15 years and they make no effort to turn it around. The hardcores stuck around regardless and they just get more BS slung their way. They like to pretend they care about the fans, but their actions always prove otherwise. It's just disrespectful for them to treat their fans that stuck around through all of the lows this way. I would honestly just rather the GNR name to finally be put to rest because this is just a sad pathetic shell of what was once a great band. It's nothing to do with the new guys either. The problem is this band revolves around Axl's out of control ego and he is incapable of leading this band into anywhere but the gutter.

To me this band seems like it's been stuck in limbo. Axl has an entirely new band and the hardcores have stuck around to move forward with him and watch him usher in a new era, but it's never really happened. All we got was  one record that should have been one of the most anticipated releases in the last decade, but instead it was totally anti-climatic and half-assed. Occasionally we get  a tour that temporarily rejuvenates the base, but it always ends with them self destructing in the same predictable fashion. Even before the self destruction the tours end up disappointing the fan base because instead of moving forward the band relies largely on the old material. The fans either want them to focus on the new era or if they are going to live in the past they should do it properly and reunite with the old band. No one wants a half-assed mish-mash of both eras.

The fact is this band is boring and it's nothing to do with who is in the lineup at this point. It's because there is little excitement. The little crumbs they do throw us are never done right and always end up in disappointment. This is a half-assed band due to their half-assed leader. That's the problem.

The fans are tired of the same ol' shit. They just want something new. They want a pay off for sticking around this long. Following a band should be fun, but the fun is far and few between with this band. It's just disappointment after disappointment. And we all know nothing is going to change. Who really expects anything but another period of silence when they are done touring?

The one thing I could say for a reunion is that it would bring excitement, but that excitement would only take us so far if Axl never bothered to change. I imagine the bitterness and disappointment would be at all time high if a reunion ended up like this. The band would be done for good, IMO.