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Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
I think James is on to something when he said that Chinese Democracy is sort of like VR's Contraband. I just hope he's wrong about the next release being like Libertad.
I certainly wasn't referring to quality. 
I meant that any casual interest has pretty much evaporated on that level. People have heard CD. They know it isn't the old band, good or bad. The second album barring a monster single will possibly fall into the Libertad trap of no one but the extreme fan buying it. I've noticed quite a few VR fans at these sites say they actually prefer Libertad over Contraband, yet the sales don't reflect that. It's because the people casually interested in a super group consisting of GNR/VR members washed their hands of the band. No one bought Libertad but the hardcores, the venues were empty, and the band quickly imploded.
Not saying the same fate awaits, but he will be walking out on that same tightrope.
By the way, that's a great article. I've said it for ages.....
Had this album been released in 2001, its an entirely different ballgame.
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
Yeah you might be right there. You could even argue that VR's fade into the sunset was more surprising since they won a grammy and had 2 pretty huge singles off of Contraband. It's still early but while Chinese Democracy and Better have done fairly well they haven't come close to Slither or Fall To Pieces. At the very least VR laid the groundwork, so if there is a next release we should be fully prepared for sales to be even more lackluster. And I'm certain they would be if we continue to go the course we're currently on. Eventually they're gonna have to do something in the way of promoting, appearances, touring, etc. to give them any chance of gaining more fans. Although Velvet Revolver did all those things and it didn't seem to help them. Again, maybe Axl's fine with just having his hardcore fans and getting his music out to them. Since I'm part of that exclusive club, I'm fine with that.
And just for the record, I actually liked Libertad. But to me it didn't come close to Contraband.
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
Axl achieved what he did with CD, whether you see it as good or bad, without even lifting a finger. Didn't have to do anything. Nada.
Actually, he had to make the members of a legendary band not want to be around him, drag the GNR name through the mud with triots & no shows, make a truly forgetable album, and become the botoxed wig wearing freak that the general public thinks he is today so that "the world's most anticipated album ever" could take 6 weeks to go gold in the US. So, I would say he's had to do quite a bit to bring the brandname that is GNR to the depths it is today.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
Another thing that adds to the "buzzkill" you describe is the fact this album didn't resonate with many people outside the hardcore base. None of these forums saw a noticeable increase in new fans. I think the communities are adjusting to the fact that not only were we the 'last line of defense', we're pretty much all there is that has any real interest in new GNR and/or any future projects.
Very good point, James. Before the album came out, everybody expected that the forums would be flood with new fans. Where are they? It seems like either the new Chinese Democracy GN'R fans don't have an internet access, or they just do not exist.
Edit: and this can easily lead to a Libertad-cathegory flop next time. No new fans and a lot of old fans won't give another chance since either they're disappointed or the curiosity factor faded away.
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
Many a band would love to be able to say they have 500,000 hardcore fans in the US and about another 1.5 million worldwide. Any record company in the world be interested in those numbers.....especially if they were sitting on other new material and a back catalog to kill for. Doing business with Axl Rose is still a profitable situation. If you don't think so, then you are the one who is delusional.
Yup. Karma.
This thing was a disaster a few weeks ago... It should have disappeared.... No single should still be on the radio... We shouldn't even be talking about the charts let alone a single moving up.... BUT WE ARE.
If you want to keep holding up the HTGTH fanboy section of the fanbase who said it would sell 2 million copies its first week, then yeah it is a failure. But if you want reality: its actually pretty successful, not just for an album with no promotion, but any album in general these days.
If some people want to keep holding on to the "this was supposed to be the biggest album of all time but its not" thing, then be my guest. Wallow in your negativity all you want.
The cold hard truth is, in reality, the album is doing pretty friggin good by any "real" standard.
And yes, its good enough so that we can expect future releases.:mosh:
btw, wasn't it the biggest album for Geffen in 08?
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
madagas wrote:Many a band would love to be able to say they have 500,000 hardcore fans in the US and about another 1.5 million worldwide. Any record company in the world be interested in those numbers.....especially if they were sitting on other new material and a back catalog to kill for. Doing business with Axl Rose is still a profitable situation. If you don't think so, then you are the one who is delusional.
Yup. Karma.
This thing was a disaster a few weeks ago... It should have disappeared.... No single should still be on the radio... We shouldn't even be talking about the charts let alone a single moving up.... BUT WE ARE.
If you want to keep holding up the HTGTH fanboy section of the fanbase who said it would sell 2 million copies its first week, then yeah it is a failure. But if you want reality: its actually pretty successful, not just for an album with no promotion, but any album in general these days.
If some people want to keep holding on to the "this was supposed to be the biggest album of all time but its not" thing, then be my guest. Wallow in your negativity all you want.
The cold hard truth is, in reality, the album is doing pretty friggin good by any "real" standard.
And yes, its good enough so that we can expect future releases.:mosh:
btw, wasn't it the biggest album for Geffen in 08?
Also, let's not forget that GNR hasn't blown their wad yet on any $$$ spent on promotion & It's still in position to take off at any time. It still has not dissappeared from the charts & "Better", their strongest single, is still on the rise. It would be different if they had already done interviews, Videos, Tour etc. and it still wasn't selling. Then, it would be over.
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
Yup. Karma.
This thing was a disaster a few weeks ago... It should have disappeared.... No single should still be on the radio... We shouldn't even be talking about the charts let alone a single moving up.... BUT WE ARE.
If you want to keep holding up the HTGTH fanboy section of the fanbase who said it would sell 2 million copies its first week, then yeah it is a failure. But if you want reality: its actually pretty successful, not just for an album with no promotion, but any album in general these days.
If some people want to keep holding on to the "this was supposed to be the biggest album of all time but its not" thing, then be my guest. Wallow in your negativity all you want.
The cold hard truth is, in reality, the album is doing pretty friggin good by any "real" standard.
And yes, its good enough so that we can expect future releases
Karma for you my friend. 
Re: "Better" starting to gain MASSIVE steam..
not to start a VR/GNR war but really CD is more Libertad than CB. CB had two number 1's and won a grammy and going double platinum
CD success wise is just a bit ahead of Libertad. CD did bout what She Builds Quick Machines did and better is a little ahead of The Last Fight
