Axl Rose’s “Chinese Democracy” Tirade: Sebastian Bach Tells All

6/23/08, 8:45 am EST

In light of the Guns n’ Roses leak last week — nine tracks that may or may not be the near-final version of Chinese DemocracyRolling Stone dialed up Axl Rose pal and collaborator Sebastian Bach to gain some insight into where Rose now stands with the extremely delayed LP. For the full story, see the next issue (out later this week). For now, here’s Bach recalling what happened the time he suggested Rose just put out Democracy:

“There’s only a couple of times he’s ever gotten mad at me. One of them was when I let Ron Jeremy in his dressing room. He didn’t like that at all. ‘Why the fuck did you let Ron Jeremy in my dressing room?’ I was like, dude, he was begging. That wasn’t a good time for me. Axl goes from zero to 60 faster than any hemi engine, I’ll tell you that. When we were first hanging out in 2006, we were just standing around a bunch of people. I go, ‘Axl, do you think you might get the record out? It would be a great time, now that we’re on tour and everything.’ He goes, ‘Oh. Great! Everybody! Sebastian has a great idea here, man. Guess what? Sebastian, should I put out a record? Maybe it would be a good idea for me to put out a fucking record! Hey everybody, listen to this! I never thought of that! That never came to me! Oh, great idea dude.’ I felt like Fred Flintstone in Mr. Slate’s office.

“Another thing that I don’t know you’ll ever see is a Axl Rose reality show. When I see that shit, I laugh. Here’s the only other time that he got made at me. I had just finished shooting Supergroup for VH1. It was on TV in America while we were gallivanting across Europe. We had a beautiful dinner at some incredible Italian restaurant. We are sitting there and I go, ‘Dude, I just shot this reality show for VH1 and they paid me this amount of money, man. It was fucking easy. It was only like two weeks. It was hilarious. Axl, if they paid me this amount of money, they’d pay you like a million bucks for 10 days of some shit.’ He’s looking at me with this look on his face and he’s all quiet and he goes, ‘Sebastian, you don’t understand.’ I go, ‘What?’ He goes, ‘I will pay VH1 $2 million to leave me the fuck alone!‘ I would bet my life you won’t be seeing the Axl Rose reality TV show.

[Photo: Getty]


Comments

DUDE | 9/1/2008, 11:10 am EST

AXL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE LOVE YOU !!!!!
COME BACK!!!!!!!!
YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!

marion | 8/28/2008, 1:03 pm EST

slash you are frigellmen

demese chinocracy | 8/27/2008, 4:41 pm EST

oh! that would be such a mindfuck!! best idea i’ve heard yet. i’m calling axl to check on this.

Dyno-mite | 8/27/2008, 4:32 pm EST

PWNED Y’all

the truth | 8/11/2008, 11:29 am EST

Rumor has it that Axl’s genius will be revealed when the CD is released with all of the original members. According to an unnamed source, Axl wanted to gather a group of talented musicians from a wide range of music to help develop the songs on Chinese Democracy. The original members agreed to a temporary split, so the new CD could be written and fined tuned. The original members have co-writing influence throughout the whole process and have been a part of the process since the beginning. Once the CD is released in Novemember of 2008 the whole world will be shock and awed by seing Slash, Duff, Axl,etc on the cover.

Truth? | 8/11/2008, 11:29 am EST

Rumor has it that Axl’s genius will be revealed when the CD is released with all of the original members. According to an unnamed source, Axl wanted to gather a group of talented musicians from a wide range of music to help develop the songs on Chinese Democracy. The original members agreed to a temporary split, so the new CD could be written and fined tuned. The original members have co-writing influence throughout the whole process and have been a part of the process since the beginning. Once the CD is released in Novemember of 2008 the whole world will be shock and awed by seing Slash, Duff, Axl,etc on the cover.

november snow | 8/10/2008, 12:19 am EST

I want gnr to renuite with axl and slash. no new songs, just do the old stuff. make some money for a few years and retire. take madge with you.

Facundo Pesci | 7/16/2008, 11:40 pm EST

I usually never waste my time posting comments, but never in my life have I seen a such great, intelligent and makesense comment. The one which I reffer to is ‘lizzie manx’. That guy, 2 comments bellow, happens to be the guy with greatest music knowledge, common sense and intelligence in the whole “comment world”. Thank you lizzie manx, you inspire me

ROCKINDAVE | 7/11/2008, 10:46 pm EST

HEY, AXEL KEPT HIS HEAD, DIDN’T GET STRUNG OUT AND DEALT WITH IT LIKE THE BUSINESS IT IS. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY EATS IT’S OWN. AXEL WAS THE SMART ONE AND YOU CANT BLAME HIM FOR BEING THE SMART ONE

lizzie manx | 7/11/2008, 10:44 pm EST

MY REPLIES TO PEOPLE I DO NOT KNOW REGARDING THEIR RIDICULOUS INSULTS ABOUT SOMETHING THEY CLAIM TO NOT CARE ABOUT:

FIRST AND FOREMOST, GET A LIFE! GET BACK TO WORK AND QUIT WASING TIME ON THE INTERNET.

AND LIKE YOU WERE TOLD AS A CHILD - IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOMETHING NICE TO SAY, DON’T SAY ANYTHING!!

in more detail…

to truthis:
even if one person wants to continue a band and keep its name, who cares? other members are continuing on and creating great music in their own rights, let it be as it is. you and all the other haters out there with your two cents won’t change a thing anyways!!

to wannabe ’slash’
and you’re some kind of angel, you’ve never done anything wrong in your life, right? btw the person whose name you used has more class in his discarded toenail clippings than you will ever possess in your wildest fantasies of living a worthwhile life, and actually has NICE things to say about his former bandmate. grow up, pissant.

to jeff (lowercase j)
you probably couldn’t write a simple three chord song to save your life, let alone a hit or even something catchy. Axl is far beyond a ‘pop’ songwriter, he’s an extremely talented rock musician who happens to be capable of putting his feelings to music in a way that surpasses 90% of the shit that currently sells. go back to your cubicle, turd burglar.

to ray
look in the mirror to see the real moron.

to ‘me’ the self important idiot
r & b and pop? you’re joking, or lying. dumbass.

to “Tracii”
i highly doubt your name is really Tracii either. why do stupid idiots post insulting stuff and call themselves rock star names?

to worldsend3001
I agree with you that there is great metal coming out of europe. but you’re obviously closed minded to other genres of music. so what if the new GNR songs aren’t powermetal, etc? they are FAR from garbage. what do you care anyways, you probably didn’t even like Appetite very much, so your opinion is invalid, NEXT!!!

to sith
boy you can only dream of being as deadly as your pseudonym. i’m glad axl never wasted his time fighting vince neil. but besides that your writing makes me wonder, did you even graduate kindergarten? i don’t understand how you can even navigate the internet or have even read the article you commented on. you seem practically illiterate!

to Steel Dragon \m/
seriously, album output levels aside, GNR comes closer to Zeppelin in many ways than just about any other recent (80’s to date) major name band I can think of. just more of a compressed time frame, and Zep had a lot less inter-member drama. they’re not clowns. and Zeppelin are not gods. both bands are groups of extraordinarily talented, often-troubled men who have written music that endures in its appeal to their fans, and crossed genre boundaries.

to “Jodie Foster” wannabe
the pictures that end up online are all the same bad overexposed old shots. i saw the guy from less than eight feet away for a good three hours when they played vegas in 06 and he looks perfectly normal, actually damn good for his age. someone needs to figure out a way to make all those shitty shots self-destruct upon web use. and you only can wish you were Jodie, stupid.

to GNRISDEAD
and who are you again? who cares about your opinion? go away.

to punkrocker
neither one is an asshole, i think you just might be jealous that they are mid forties and still smokin’ hot. it’s all the same - girls call females they are jealous of their looks ‘bitch’, guys call males they are jealous of their looks ‘asshole’.

okay i am tired of this but aren’t all you lame ducks tired of talking shit? give it up. you all must really secretly care quite a bit because anyone with a clue knows that the opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference.
and if you really were indifferent and did not care about what Axl is up to with Chinese Democracy, or what Sebastian said, etc. etc. etc., you would NEVER HAVE READ THE ARTICLE. So you must care, even though your words say otherwise. Just PWNED y’all.

((hugs))

Asri Pandanwangi | 7/1/2008, 9:32 pm EST

AXL, when will u make a tour in Indonesia?? People there still like you and want to see and hear u sing the old GNR songs n ur new songs!
Skid Row came to Indonesia couple months ago, doing the tour in some cities there.. including my city that I live, Bandung.. I even could heard the vocalist (which I thought Sebastian Bach :D ) sang the “Youth Gone Wild” from my home.. it was shakin’!! just kewl!! and it would be more kewl and shakkiin’ if AXL sang “November Rain” in my city…^_^
my sincere and best wishes to u, AXL.. Be healthy and clean!!

.. and Slash, u are still greatt too! :D

Asri Pandanwangi | 7/1/2008, 9:28 pm EST

be dinamic Axl,u’r so talented.. make it your chalenge..

truthis | 6/30/2008, 8:15 pm EST

It wouldn’t be such a big deal if we had been waiting for the new “Axl Rose” album, but Axl kept the GNR name. That makes alot of people think that he feels he can replace Slash and still call it GNR. Clearly Slash was the other half of Axl’s brain and soul in GNR. Anyone who thinks Slash doesn’t belong in GNR is a fucking idiot… ANYONE. GNR IS DEAD, so please Axl, let the name go.

slash | 6/28/2008, 10:54 am EST

rose is a dick

El Rey de los Rockers | 6/25/2008, 7:04 pm EST

It figures. Seabass had a reality show and it sucked. Axl doesn’t have one and should.

Joe | 6/25/2008, 6:38 pm EST

Jeff, how many songs did Lennon co-write with McCartney, Frey with Henley, Nicks w Buckingham, etc etc etc….? what a weird attempt at an argument. Nearly the whole Appetite album, and a good dozen songs off of the two illusion albums, and “Patience” is a pretty good resume to attach your name to.

jeff | 6/25/2008, 12:42 pm EST

Axl is a talented singer songwriter?? Maybe 20 years ago he CO-WROTE a handful of good songs. thats it. No better, no worse than Amy Winehouse, Justin Timberfake, or any other POP sensation.

DARLINN | 6/25/2008, 11:00 am EST

Love you both-Axl and Sebastian. Do what you want and when you want..but do remember we love and admire you and crave music from you…..and in the end…we pay your bills!

nawaf | 6/25/2008, 4:41 am EST

i guess that what axl is best known for is that he writes great music and do weird things

w.axl, rose | 6/24/2008, 11:15 pm EST

nOW LISTEN TO THIS, BECAUSE I’M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME ,iT WILL BE OUT WHEN IT COMES OUT AND NOT A MINUTE SOONER, IF YOU ALL WANT A PIECE OF ME TALK TO JOHN KALODNER HE’S GOT PLENTY, TO THE REST -fUCK OFF.

Ray | 6/24/2008, 10:51 pm EST

Bobby McGhee, you are a complete freakin’ moron.

Bobby McGhee | 6/24/2008, 6:08 pm EST

Most of your are just ignorant. You say that Sebastian Bach writes better music than Axl Rose? What an idiot. Not to pit the two against each other but Axl is one of the most talented song writers and musical influences in music…ever. that includes Sir Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
Unless of course you grew up in a perfect world where the only drama you had was deciding on whihc mario bros. game to play. Live in a fucked up world and see who understands the pain and anguish alot of us face. Axl knows.
His songs come from inside not from some dumb ass bubble gum wrapper>>>Assholes

me | 6/24/2008, 5:56 pm EST

I heard the “new” songs and if you’re looking for GNR, they suck! End of story. If you’re looking for a bit of R & B with some pop thrown in, you might actually like them. But they definitely are not GNR!

LEO | 6/24/2008, 2:24 pm EST

AXL IS A MONSTER
LONG LIVE TO AXL

Tracii | 6/24/2008, 8:01 am EST

Axl who?

PlantRose | 6/24/2008, 4:02 am EST

The new leaks are absolutely spectacular. “If The World” and “Unknown Song” take such huge risks and pull them off very well. Axl sounds AMAZING, as does Buckethead and Stinson and Pitman and Brain.

Hopefully RS has a worthwhile story on their hands here.

Chris | 6/24/2008, 12:24 am EST

You might want to listen to the leaks before calling him an asshole. He’s a smart asshole at that.

andrea | 6/24/2008, 12:18 am EST

what have any of you ever done? it sounds like the majority of you are jealous of axl and sebastian. what a bunch of blowhards!!!!!!

worldsend3001 | 6/23/2008, 10:53 pm EST

i think GNR have been dead for over 15 years now!! im sorry what i heard from that new GNR album was garbage! sebastion bach will always sing and write better music than axel! the best music/metal comes from EUROPE! (an im american)listen to some good POWERMETAL or PROG METAL!

Jeff | 6/23/2008, 9:32 pm EST

Why do my comments constantly get deleted when they’re on topic and no more offensive or stupid than anyone else’s?

willis | 6/23/2008, 9:09 pm EST

that’s some funny shit right there!!!

i love those guys!!!

daniela | 6/23/2008, 8:09 pm EST

me encanta que axl no sea un vendido mas de el monton y que no consideraria estar en un reality show por que eso seria un verguenza y una ofensa para sus fans.
this part goes to the asshold fan of the gay dude of vince if you like so much go and fuckhem and leave axl alone motherfucker and the rest of the peapol that doesnt like gnr GO FUCK YOUR SELF ASSHOLDS¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

Jeff | 6/23/2008, 7:55 pm EST

I have a suggestion to Rolling Stone: A severe beatdown or public mocking for the next genius who posts a comment about how “Chinese Democracy will be out after China becomes a democracy”.

Serious, folks, that joke was old ten years ago. Time to learn some new tricks.

album release date: | 6/23/2008, 7:40 pm EST

just after China becomes a democracy

Jeff | 6/23/2008, 7:35 pm EST

The leaks rock.

Say what you want about Axl, at least he suffers for his art and obviously has enough of a sense of humor to be in touch with his own nuttiness.

FACT: These “demos” (which are probably five years old) wipe the floor with anything VR ever did. Kudos to dude for taking his time to not put out half-assed crap and try to re-capture the long-gone spirit of his glory days like his ex-bandmates did.

You people that think “Appetite” was their only good album are completely insane.

sith | 6/23/2008, 5:41 pm EST

axl is asshole and any fan of gnr are too.man i wish vince would of kicked is his ass in a november rain or on a nighttrain or in a jungle. axl would of been vince’s sweet child then axl could of knocked on heavens door but hey axl no one would of answered ur stupied ass

Max | 6/23/2008, 5:37 pm EST

leave the guy alone, he just want to do it his way…………and we all know his way of doing things……..is AXL ROSE please the Master.

You guys KILL me! | 6/23/2008, 5:02 pm EST

Bach’s “Angel Down” is a GREAT record!….it IS what is needed today. What we don’t need is more slop like my morning jacket and the like. BRING ROCK BACK!

Steel Dragon \m/ | 6/23/2008, 4:46 pm EST

” They could pratically charge whatever they want, it would be like Zeppelin reuniting!!!! ”

Are you retarded? Never mention these clowns in the same breath as Led Zep. I could only think of 1 other band that would be as big re-uniting as Zep, and that is Pink Floyd.

Joe | 6/23/2008, 4:28 pm EST

“Bumblefoot and Buckethead” Best Reality Show Ever

Once Steven Adler gets out of celeb rehab, we all know what’s coming…..Stone Temple Pilots could not even think of turning down the money they were offering for a reunion; can you imagine what they will give GNR? A small country? Either way, I am all over Chinese Democracy based on what I have heard so far. Axl still knows how to bring it, regardless of his myriad of issues

Jodie Foster | 6/23/2008, 4:10 pm EST

Holy hell! What happened to Axl’s face? It’s funny, you can almost see the bandana streaks through the white-as-a-ghost forehead of his.

G'N'R Fan | 6/23/2008, 4:03 pm EST

I’m a loyal die hard guns n’ roses fan. Guess what people… it’s never coming out. He doesn’t need to do it. He has enough money, doesn’t like being around people, and is a drug addict. I gave up and don’t care. I won’t go see him live or buy any material put out until the album comes out. If he wants to be left alone, give him his wish. Enjoy the music(free if you can) and leave everything else. Leaving his shit outta the equation makes the music much better. Axl says to leave him alone…DONE.

GNRISDEAD | 6/23/2008, 3:25 pm EST

Now we know what happens when a has been and a never was get together for drinks.

punkrocker | 6/23/2008, 3:24 pm EST

is axl more off an asshole than bret michaels? I cant stand that show off

rhiad | 6/23/2008, 2:58 pm EST

the truth is that when/if the cd`s out, everybody even the critics and haters will buy the album. Rock on Axl!

Steve | 6/23/2008, 2:01 pm EST

And then the owner of the restaurant came to the table and said, “Sebastian, table seven needs more water”.

TODD ROXX | 6/23/2008, 1:45 pm EST

fact is there isnt anything out there that sounds like this imo.ive heard the leaks and i will buy the cd 1st day it comes out.

Jon G. | 6/23/2008, 1:34 pm EST

Both of these guys are SUCH losers. I’d rather read RS’ take on a TRUE artist… like maybe George Carlin?!

JohnnyRussia | 6/23/2008, 1:13 pm EST

Who is Axl Rose?

Regards,
JohnnyRussia

Listen | 6/23/2008, 1:02 pm EST

Axl will eventually have to release the album because he is running out of money. Its almost like Axl and Steve Perry sit together and contemplate what to do. They sit around doing NOTHING for years while living off their royalties from records past. And of course bad-mouth all of their former band-mates who helped them write all of these classic songs. Its a sad situation but I am glad their musicians were able to move on.

Rusty | 6/23/2008, 12:44 pm EST

GNR has a handful of decent albums a very long time ago. I’ll never understand why all this Axl knob-slobbing continues.

Izzy | 6/23/2008, 12:38 pm EST

Man, I’ve had Chinese Democracy tracks ever since the 2001 Rock in Rio concert was bootlegged. Seriously, how much tinkering can you possibly do with the SAME DAMN SONGS? Shouldn’t Axl and everybody else associated with Guns N’ Roses be incredibly sick of these same (alleged) 14 songs. At some point, they’re good enough and you release the album and let the public decide.

? | 6/23/2008, 12:33 pm EST

ahahah i f*cking love axl rose

Pork Chop | 6/23/2008, 12:21 pm EST

From Bach’s story, he makes Axl sound like a tyrant and a loner with a short temper. Instead of a reality show with just Axl, there should be a reality show with both of these clowns together. Bach would be Axl’s bitch and Axl would shout out commands to Bach who would obediently do everything Axl says ’cause he’s such an ass kisser. I’d watch that.

mattdiggsit | 6/23/2008, 12:21 pm EST

The new leaked tracks sound pretty good, way better than the initial versions. Here’s what he needs to do: Put the album out, get the guys from Velvet Revolver to REJOIN Guns N Roses, go on a world tour (PLAYING ALL OF THEIR CLASSICS), and once again take over the world!!!! They could pratically charge whatever they want, it would be like Zeppelin reuniting!!!!

Ali | 6/23/2008, 12:14 pm EST

The title of this story is misleading. How is this a tirade? It just sounds like someone getting annoyed with a dumb comment by a friend and being a smartass about it.

Ali

FuckYou | 6/23/2008, 11:55 am EST

Sebastian should have slapped him.

psanavitis | 6/23/2008, 11:50 am EST

bach is a mediocre singer with a crush on axl rose

Kevin the Robot | 6/23/2008, 11:46 am EST

Maybe Axl will throw everyone for a loop and release his version of The Beach Boys’ Smile. That would be great!…oh no wait that would suck.

autopsy food | 6/23/2008, 11:45 am EST

Why doesn’t Axl just go away? Why can’t we let this sleeping dog lie? Why does Rolling Stone continue to waste time and ink upon this one-hit wonder? Appetite was great. The rest sucked. Now let him go. For the sake of all that’s holy, let him go.

Slash | 6/23/2008, 11:31 am EST

I have every single leaked song already, and have had most for years. The songs that haven’t been released are OLD to me… I mean, I’ve had the “Madagascar” MP3 for literally 8 years. Just ridiculous.

tim | 6/23/2008, 11:27 am EST

He goes, ‘I will pay VH1 $2 million to leave me the fuck alone!‘

great quote hahaha

Ron Jeremy | 6/23/2008, 11:19 am EST

I love the fact that he waited so long to put it out, CD’s barely even exist. He’ll end up selling 100 downloads and after that everyone will be sharing the songs. Genius move!

GNR fan since the womb | 6/23/2008, 10:58 am EST

With Velvet Revolver’s frontman gone, it sure would be nice for Axl to put on his big boy pants, grow up, and make amends with GNR’s original members. Maybe that’s just false hope though. If he’s shaking his head at this though, he should replay a clip of his bands performance @ the MTV movie awards a couple years back…then reconsider.

lazerbeak1 | 6/23/2008, 10:55 am EST

We’ll have the 2nd coming of christ before Axl decides to release this record

Hunter Hawkins | 6/23/2008, 10:43 am EST

Axl may be a jerk but what he is saying is correct. For him to be on VH1 or some silly reality show is not fitting to him as an artist… GNR are the real deal: then and now. Those celebrity reality shows are stupid and feature only “B stars” and lame “musicians”. I am beyond frustrated with Axl for taking this long but oh well… The new Guns has to do well and it will need marketing and good worth of mouth. Any moron knows that… Sebastian, while a nice guy and a cool performer though I don’t care for his music, is not in the same boat as his buddy.
That being said I think this fall would be an ideal time to release the album Axl. I see magazine covers and cross selling all over the place and another awesome tour… Do it Axl!!!

Shaggy | 6/23/2008, 10:36 am EST

Rose is such a prick. A modern day misunderstood eccentric douchebag.

Kyle Orton's Beard | 6/23/2008, 10:36 am EST

You’ve got to be kidding me. This isn’t ‘Guns N’ Roses’. This is a midlife crisis.

Krunch | 6/23/2008, 10:17 am EST

Who cares already? This record is already dated by a decade + and has effed with to death. It’s going to suck and Axl knows it sucks so he’s not releasing it. I say so effing what? Axl and Bach are both has beens. It’s 2008 RS, get on board.

axl29rose | 6/23/2008, 10:09 am EST

GNR will rule again when Chinese Democracy hits the shelves. Axl Rose is a very smart man. We will all see this when the album comes. Just wait and see.

Jungleland | 6/23/2008, 10:03 am EST

GNR - Izzy = No hooks. These new songs have great instrument sounds, lots of texture and are painfully dull.

Bronson | 6/23/2008, 10:00 am EST

Jungleland, Hilarious! had me rolling

Jungleland | 6/23/2008, 9:36 am EST

When did Bach become the Marci to Axl’s Pepperment Patti?

National Enquirer | 6/23/2008, 9:32 am EST

NEWSFLASH!!!
ROLLING STONE EXCLUSIVE!!!!
AXL ROSE IS AN ASSHOLE!!
NEWS AT ELEVEN…..

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