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| "Guns est sous contrat avec Universal mais je suis propriétaire du nom." |
That said because someone leaves the shop I started in which I still legally have the rights to the name I started it with? makes up a bunch of nonsense to win public and legal support in an effort to get whatever it is they want at mine and the public?s expense? I don?t feel any reason whatsoever I should have to throw what I?ve not only worked for but fought and suffered for away because some hurt, angry, betrayed, misguided and lied to people with a lynch mob mentality, joined by others who could care less (especially in the media), enjoying the controversy and hate, choose one over the other regardless of what?s right because they want what they want. And you can still prefer then as opposed to now and no one?s arguing your right to do so.
In regard to nuGuns, I get that sometimes it helps to be able to clarify. Personally I call this Guns and the Illusions or previous lineups old Guns.
We can play what we want as far as I?m aware.
It wasn?t so much that it was a good course or that if looking back I could do something differently it?s that for better or worse it was the only course and had I not done this Slash would have succeeded in destroying me publicly much more than he, others or myself have so far and I would have gone bankrupt.
I don?t know where I?d be but there?s clearly no happy ending there and with everything else that had gone on in every other area of my life the devastation isn?t something I feel I would have overcome at least to any real degree publicly. Hopefully I would?ve been able to pick myself up enough to get a job or sing somewhere else but I doubt anything that significant.
The sharing thing is interesting but even with all this time the complications of the red tape and trying to get something out fall on my world to sort and not theirs. They are amazingly supportive and do their best to keep me in up spirits and focused which I had less and less of in Guns way before Sweet Child caught on. If that were to change then that may be something to look at. I hope for us to grow more together as we continue so who knows.
If I hadn?t secured the rights I don?t know where I?d be and I?d probably call what would then be the current lineup ?Those mother fuckers!!? 
The name is something I take great pride in as I feel anyone who?s been a part of it should, the same as other bands or teams etc. The burden when it is such is a nightmare but not as much or as hopeless as I?d imagine without it could have been.
On the what?s the difference? I think I get what you?re asking? I feel it depends on how and in what ways either the formers members are using the association and what the true circumstances regarding why they moved on from both the band and the name that would or could affect the decision to continue on with the name by in this case this lineup and or myself.
As for selling more records it?d be nice to be in a position to possibly do so at some point but that?s never been my base reasoning. I would think it fits into not feeling I shouldn?t be forced to throw away possible opportunities in a hostile attempted takeover. I believe I should fight for Guns in a patriotic sense or sense of loyalty or honor. Not just my vision or direction for Guns as those things can evolve and you can make forward moving positive compromises by what others bring to the table but I mean more as in what principles I feel were important to Guns in regard to an overall commitment to the music.
It helped us get here but most of that was with Universal and the positives of that wore off years ago until recently and after the initial run it?ll be about the music and us. Then it?s about touring and there?s not a question the name?s helped at most everywhere but not so much the states. With that it comes down to the strength or quality of the performance. Having the name kicks your ass every night as it?s not some side project or something u can fuck off in. You don?t deliver u get your ass handed to u. So it makes us work much harder than I feel we would outside of it and it hasn?t been too ugly yet.
I didn?t see lineup changes etc back then I saw it more as a crash and burn, goin? down with the ship. On one hand I knew the band was over before we started touring Illusions but you have hope? but I saw it more like the Titanic sinking than moving on or surviving. And in reality I went the distance with each and every one in Guns to where they felt for whatever reasons they either couldn?t or wouldn?t give what Guns required.
And I?m not talking change of styles or sounds etc. A lot of people bought that crap and me having gone in other directions seems to many to have verified that. Then you have the mind twisting equally as true horseshit in Slash?s book but I have the rehearsal tapes. There?s nothing but Slash based blues rock and he stopped it to both go solo and try to completely take over Guns. I read all this if Axl would?ve put words and melodies on it could?ve? That was denied and I didn?t walk till several months after having 3 to 4 hour phone conversations nearly every day with Slash trying to reach a compromise. I was specifically told no lyrics, no melodies, no changes to anything and to sing what I was told or fuck off.
As to what would possibly make me change the name would be some form of evolving that I don?t feel we?ve reached yet and not in any way consciously trying to at this time. It?s really hard to say. I?d have to feel it was right for me and those involved and whatever we?re doing at that time.
Never thought about that , with the RRHOF. The whole ?mature enough? bit was cute. Not to offend anyone but personally I don?t have an interest and other than inducting Elton don?t quite get what it is exactly and who decides what. It seems to mean more to some than others and more so amongst fans. It?s nice to get recognition and have some form of acceptance but in regards to joining others the price is too high and just not worth it. It?s a ways away and seems a bit presumptuous to be contemplating being inducted now.
About following particular styles yes I do feel there are parameters with Guns as opposed to not being or in Guns. Chinese is imo an evolution not necessarily how each from the past would but how the music and intent could and did. Guns did not have specific lifelong criteria to follow and many of the influences on Appetite were abandoned by the others long before me. In fact Slash hated a good portion of those on Appetite and wasn?t all that into the involvement or association but knew it worked at the time and realized it was the cusp of a wave that was growing. It?s a trip for me to witness as so many of the people he performs with etc he hated then, them, their bands and their music where the others or I were the fans.
I like touring with these guys a lot more than the old band. The beginning was fun but it started going bad our first gig opening for the Cult in Halifax between Slash and I. That?s when the ok I put up with all Axl?s and Izzy?s crap now I?m gonna be the man trip started with him runnin? right out front on the ego ramp for the whole show. It was pretty funny. 
No one ever talked about or suggested using another name. The guys are really respectful in regard to the old band and I?m not sure if they?ve said a paragraph apiece in all the years towards or about the old band whether I?m talking about whatever or not. But from being with me for so long they know a lot of it?s shit so they get bummed at the endless interviews and nonsense. Personally I?m so proud of them I wouldn?t know how to express it. I can?t see me handing something like this as they have with so much class and maturity especially being shit on publicly to such a degree. ?Hey join my band, bring an umbrella!!?
If I were to leave Guns I could consider giving, selling, shelving or opening a GNR Burger chain with the name!! Ha!! j/k. I?m not so different than the alumni in that there?s generally something going on that makes things suck and when that reaches overflow I want out too but if you didn?t when it?s ugly I think that?d be less normal.
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