text:
1994.01.03 - Rockline - Interview with Axl and Slash
by Soulmonster on Wed 22 Jun 2011 - 13:01
Steve Downs - Axl, good to have you.
Axl - What's happening?
Steve Downs - Not much. And Slash. Fresh from a… An invigorating game of pinball, I understand.
Slash - Yeah, something like that.
Steve Downs - It's somewhat of a rarity to have the both of you in the same place at the same time.
Axl - I don't know…
Slash - Someone asked me: "Are you both guys gonna be on the radio?" I was like: "Yeah!" It's been a couple of years since we did an interview together.
Steve Downs - And you Axl were telling me that when you guys write, it's actually done over the phone.
Axl - The majority of things are done on the phone, until we actually get in the studio. A lot of things over the phone and sending tapes back and forth. And we've done this for years.
Slash - I just delivered my last tape to Axl. My latest tape to Axl.
Steve Downs - Just minutes ago.
Axl - I've been eagerly awaiting.
Steve Downs - Really? Well, we'll eagerly awaiting a chance to hear it some point down the line. Tell me about "The Spaghetti Incident?". How did this thing come together, and what did you want to do with this?
Slash - I think the easiest way to… It wasn't supposed to be taken that seriously in the beginning. It was a… Seriously, in the beginning , it was a… some songs that… It started out with some songs that we were jamming that we were gonna make an EP out of. And then we started adding more songs into it, and eventually it turned into a 13-song record which obviously is the result on the CD.
Axl - We had an idea of this going into the first album… that there were some songs that, what we called "punk" to us, or whatever, that we wanted to record a long time ago, that we wanted people to hear, that we liked a lot. And there's songs that Izzy and I liked, there's songs that Slash and I liked, there's songs that Duff and Izzy liked. Things like that, and then it turned into… We had a collection over about nine years of over ten songs that we really liked and we realized we could make an album instead of just a little EP and throw out there.
Steve Downs - Would you say that what is on "The Spaghetti Incident?" is fairly representative of what the influences were to Guns N' Roses in the early days?
Slash - It's a coup…
Axl - Some.
Slash - It's… A drop in the bucket, you know.
Axl - Some, but the energy of the songs and stuff, but it's a… It's some… Some of the influences that I don't think mainstream radio, and a lot of like, I don't know… Mid-western and things like that, people haven't really heard.
Slash - The funny thing about it though, is that when we started doing this, it was just to levitate the pressure of making the Illusions records. [laughs]
Steve Downs - [laughs] Really?
Slash - I mean really, when it comes down to it, we were jamming stuff in the studio on off-time and that's how it started.
Axl - I was like, going: "Well, jam on these songs". Kinda like steer it into a project for later.
Slash - [laughs]
Steve Downs - The first song we're gonna play tonight is "Hair Of The Dog", which I guess was a part of the early GN'R repertoire, right?
Slash - Actually, that goes back to Hollywood Rose.
Axl - Yeah, we played it only a few times a very long time ago. When we were in the studio, finishing up the recording of the song, Slash is going: "This is cool!". 'Cause he's the one that brought it to our attention to do it for this album and Duff reminded him… He goes: "Remember the old days? This was cool." Duff reminds him: "You hated this song".
Axl - Slash goes: "Oh, yeah". Which was very strange when he brought it to us: "We gotta do this song." I was like: "You hated it". I was confused for months.
Steve Downs - "Hair Of The Dog". Guns N' Roses on Rockline
"Hair Of The Dog" is played
Steve Downs - We're back. Just getting underway with a full 90-minutes with Axl Rose and Slash from Guns N' Roses. The phones are lit up so let's get to 'em right now. We're gonna take our first stop at Muscatine, Iowa. Beth is listening to us at 97X in Davenport. Beth, you're on with Axl and Slash.
Beth - Hi Axl, hi Slash. Happy new year.
Slash - Happy new year.
Axl - Happy new year.
Beth - Thank you. I'd like to know what it was about punk that influenced, or attracted you. You know, was it the scene or the sound. Also, you guys have been credited so many times with breathing new life into rock n' roll, and with this success of the new CD doing covers of old punk, and old-time metal or rock n' roll, do you feel you're helping metal make a comeback? Or more importantly, are you helping punk comeback?
Slash - The main thing… We didn't do what we call a punk comeback or anything like that. We just took a bunch of songs which I thought represented where we came from… Had a certain amount of attitude. I mean, punk didn't last…
Axl - Energy.
Slash - …all that long. It's all about a vibe and about a certain attitude directed towards... I don't know. It's the way that the band plays and there's a lot of different types of music that forms the way we sound. So… that's really what it's all about.
Steve Downs - Thanks Beth for the call…
Slash - That was short. [laughs]
Steve Downs - Got to the point. I'm not sure metal needs a comeback at this point.
Slash - No, it's…
Axl - It's got nothing to do with that…
Slash - It's the attitude.
Axl - It's just like, we like the energy and the defiance that punk rock had and that it… It didn't really hit the mainstream all that much. And we are, whether we like it or not, in some ways in the mainstream. So we gotta bring certain songs to people's attention.
Slash - Yeah.
Axl - For me, it was like, some of those songs I liked, I got ridiculed and criticized for at the times those songs were out. So, it was kinda like, well, now maybe some of those people will listen to it
Slash - It's a crime that a lot of the band that we did cover and other bands that we didn't cover, that if we had all the time in the world to do, didn't… They're almost forgotten now. I mean, completely… Out-of-print and out-of-mind.
Axl - Can say we wanted to call the record "Pension Fund". 'Cause we're kind of paying some… Helping these guys pay some rent.
Steve Downs - There you go.
Slash - Yeah, Cheetah Crome's happy.
Axl - Yeah.
Steve Downs - We're gonna go to Louisville, Kentucky now. Jan is on 95.7 WQMF.
Jan - Hi Axl, hi Slash. How you doing?
Axl - Hi.
Slash - Doing great.
Jan - Great. Over the years you've taken a lot of criticism over music. And now all of a sudden, I'm hearing a lot of empathy coming out. Over the last couple of years… Like this new video I just recently saw, with the whales and dolphins. That's beautiful.
Axl - Thank you. And yeah… In some areas there is a different vibe coming and that's really nice.
Jan - Do… Are you going to keep going that way?
Axl - You know… What? Trying to get people to like us, but still doing what we want? Sure.
[everybody laughs]
Jan - Keep progressing, you know, the criticism will stop and they will understand, you know, that the music is for what you make it.
Slash - The two don't often meet on the same ground. We'll always do what we want. 'Cause otherwise we'll get seriously bored and the critics will always have something bad to say about it. It's just… It goes with the territory so we just gotten used to it. As long as it doesn't affect what we do as a band then we're fine.
Axl - I think there's a level of… You know, level of people out there, the so-called "moral majority" and things like that, that will always have a problem with certain things in the media. But then again, these people can be won over in other ways and maybe that'll happen. I guess it depends on how politically correct we are with our incorrectness.
Slash - [laughs] Where do we fit in?
Steve Downs - Jan, thanks for the call. We're gonna go from Louisville to Augusta, Georgia. Carl's on 96 RXR in Augusta. Carl, you're on Rockline with Guns N' Roses.
Carl - Axl, Slash. It's great to talk to you.
Carl - You have such an incredible sound when you're live. I'd like to know, when do you plan on releasing a full-length live album?
Axl - We recorded every single show we did and there is a… You know, we've talked for a long time about compiling something out of that. I have no idea… I mean, then again, it could sound like crap. [laughs] We don't know.
Slash - Basically…
Axl - We haven't had the time to go back and listen to everything yet, but…
Slash - Basically we're just waiting to find somebody who has the patience to sit trough it. [laughs]
Axl - We'd like to make a movie. We filmed everything that we did on the road for the last few years, and we'd like to make a documentary movie and put out a soundtrack to that.
Steve Downs - That'd be hot. We're gonna… Carl, thanks for the call. We're gonna play another track now from the album "The Spaghetti Incident?". This is the Steve Jones/Sex Pistols tune "Black Leather". A caller earlier was talking about punk and the fact that this album is certainly shedding new light on that era again. And most people think of the Sex Pistols as the… Sort of the, you know, the star of the era, if you will.
Slash - Like I said, the whole punk thing… There was only a handful of bands that were, what you call, really good rock n' roll bands. And as far as the style of music goes, it doesn't matter. It was like a real heart-felt kind of rebellion thing that we picked up on.
Axl - Some of these songs are more obscure than others. Like the Sex Pistols songs that we did. It was a b-side that I just thought was one of the coolest songs they did and thought other people might like to hear it. I mean… You know, we have our version of it, but then again, I like listening to the original better. It depends on what mood people are in. What they want to hear. I mean, I've heard criticism about: "Well, a punk record shouldn't have drums this heavy." And this and that. But we do it GN'R-style.
Slash - That's exactly it. It was GN'R doing all these songs of ours the way that we play 'em. I mean, there's no changing that. So, we're not exactly "the best sounding punk band"… technology and decent marshals at work.
Axl - We just be paying some respect.
Steve Downs - Sounds something like this. GN'R. "Black Leather".
"Black Leather" is played.
Steve Downs - Guns N' Roses. "Black Leather" from "The Spaghetti Incident?". Back to the phones we go. Blaire is in Robertsonville, North Carolina, listening to WRDU 106 in Raleigh. Blaire, you're on with Axl and Slash.
Blair - Hi! I'm a fan of you. I had a question. Are you planning on pulling the Charles Manson track from the album?
Axl - At this time, no. But, we've also been notified by a fan that if we do pull the song, he'll sue us and Geffen Records for one dollar per album sold, as of the date that we pull the song. You know, he'll file s in federal court. But we don't have plans of pulling it as of now. And… You're in Raleigh?
Blair - Yeah.
Axl - Oh, okay. Cool. Hi Jennifer!
Steve Downs - [laughs]
Slash - [laughs] There was a time when we were planning on pulling it because of the fact that it was… I don't know… the messages were all crossed. As far as to what we were really doing. I mean, basically, all we did was do a track that had something to do lyrically with the band. Or… you know.
Axl - I like the lyrics of the song. I also thought it was something that people hadn't heard and was a missing part of the puzzle. And almost everything about Charles Manson has been public, but this was something that wasn't public really, on a big scale, to my knowledge, and just thought that people would be interested in hearing it. But… you know, even the… One of the… The victim's son whose getting money supposedly, was talking about people worshipping Charles Manson and I was like, getting a vibe that people were trying to paint a picture of me worshipping Charles Manson now. It's exactly, for me, the opposite of that.
Slash - It's sort of a parody almost, you know. [laughs]
Axl - He's a pop-cartoon-icon of absolutely how far off the edge you can go, which… I don't have any desire to go that far.
Slash - It's really weird because when the song was done and it was recorded and released, there was no attention drawn to it, and all the attention that's been given it so far has come from the media that's been opposing it.
Axl - 'Cause the make the bucks off that.
Slash - And it's ridiculous. At this point it's like: "Screw you, whatever." You know, it's typical, we've been going through this since we started. So, I'm not faced.
Steve Downs - And as Axl mentioned, the… I guess the royalties to this song go to the son of one of the victims of the Manson murders. They don't go to Charles Manson.
Slash - Right.
Axl - Yeah, but then I did hear also about someone else saying that Charles doesn't have the copyright on that. He does, and he wants the money. So… you know, as long as Charlie's not getting it, that's cool.
Steve Downs - It sounds…
Slash - We don't know what this guy's all about.
Steve Downs - It is an unlisted track on the album. You won't find it, but it's at the very end. It's called "Look At Your Game Girl". Guns N' Roses on Rockline.
"Look At Your Game Girl" is played
Steve Downs - There you go. That's Guns N' Roses from "The Spagehtti Incident?"
Slash - I have to call Carlos and ask him what that last chord was.
Axl - [laughs]
Steve Downs - We're gonna go to the Rocky Mountain state, as a matter of fact. Colorado Springs is where we're headed. Nick…
Axl - Who wrote that Rockline riff?
Steve Downs - Who did write that? Forget who wrote that. Um… Dana Strum from… from… I'm sorry… from Slaughter wrote that riff. Many, many years ago.
Steve Downs - So, there you go. [laughs]
Axl - Just wondering. That says it all.
Steve Downs - Colorado Springs is where we're headed. Where was I? Kilo, that's where I was. Nick, you're on with…
Axl - Kilo?
Steve Downs - How appropriate.
Steve Downs - Nick, you're on buddy.
Slash - Kilo, Colorado. No way! [laughs]
Nick - Hey, how's it going guys?
Axl - Kilo, Colorado. I like that.
Nick - Yeah, it works, it works.
Steve Downs - What's your question Nick?
Nick - Yeah, I was wondering, since Duff did his solo album and Slash, you worked on that Jimi tribute album, is anyone else gonna do any solos or work on any other albums?
Slash - Um… Tell you truth, Duff's solo album… Gilby's doing one, it's pretty much finished. That's basically it. I don't have any plans to do… I don't think Axl… You do have one.
Axl - I'm hoping to… I'm trying to put a project together that is kind of a top-secret weapon right now.
Steve Downs - Oh, really?
Steve Downs - Cool. We'll look forward to that. Gilby Clarke, of course the second guitarist from Guns N' Roses. Thank you Nick for the call. Jeff is in St. Louis, listening to KC 95. Jeff, you're on Rockline.
Jeff - Hey Axl, Slash. What's up?
Slash - Hey.
Jeff - First I would like to say the that you did in St. Louis, the last show was the best show I've ever been to and my question is…
Axl - Wow!
Jeff - I've heard some rumors that…
Slash - Where were you when we needed you?
Jeff - … maybe Izzy would be brought back in to help record things. Is there any truth to that?
Slash - Nothing, no.
Axl - None at all!
Slash - Especially not to help record things.
Axl - Never again! No, not at all. We brought Izzy back in Europe when Gilby had hurt his arm. And then we kinda got blackmailed and we haven't… We really don't wanna have anything to do with Izzy ever since then.
Slash - In all honesty, it was cool to get him back. When the idea came…
Axl - And it was cool when he went away! [laughs]
Slash - We thought it was a good idea to, you know, call him up and see if he wanted to come down and hang out and do a couple of gigs. And then it turned sour at the end so… It took us right back to square one.
Axl - It was nice while it lasted.
Steve Downs - Nice to be back in St. Louis, by the way?
Axl - Um… Yeah. I was back there recently and actually it was… It wasn't bad. It was… It worked out real nice and there was a whole different vibe about things once people got a different side of the story.
Slash - Yeah, I wanna go play there. [laughs]
Steve Downs - Jeff, thanks for the call. Mike is in New York City, listening to 92.3 KROC. Mike, you're on with Axl and Slash.
Mike - Hey Axl and Slash. How you doing, guys?
Slash - Hey, how are you?
Axl - What's up?
Mike - Pretty good. I just like to tell you, man, you're music is fantastic. You're the greatest rock n' roll band in the world to me. Just like to let you guys know that.
Axl - Thanks.
Slash - Thank you.
Axl - We're embarrassed. [laughs]
Slash - Yeah. [laughs]
Mike - … in England. And I was wondering why you didn't put Queen songs on "The Spaghetti Incident?"?
Axl - One, I don't know of a Queen song I can really do the caliber of Queen, you know. That's part of it for me and it just didn't really fit into the project that we were doing at this time. And to pick a Queen song is rough one.
Slash - Yeah. One thing about "The Spaghetti Incident?" is that all the songs are like, pretty spontaneously picked. It was about two or three minutes decision on any of the songs. It just didn't come up. That would have taken thought and planning. [laughs]
Axl - We may work with Brian May on a project upcoming… We don't know… And we're hoping to pull that one off. We get along with Brian really well.
Steve Downs - He opened for some of the Guns N' Roses shows last year.
Axl - Yeah. And Slash and Brian did a pretty amazing job on… When we did "Heaven's Door" live somewhere in Europe. And I've never seen two guitarists get along like that, the way they played together, complementing each other, in my life. It was pretty magical. But the rest… The whole band, we were all kinda waiting: "When is the solo gonna end."
Axl - After five minutes we're all running around and we're getting tired and these guys are still soloing.
Axl - It was pretty wild. It was great.
Slash - He's one of the most unpretentious rock stars of his caliber that I've ever met and… You put the two of us together onstage playing guitar, and it basically free rain. [laughs]
Axl - "Dead On Time" would have been a good song to put on this album. "Dead On Time" would've been great.
Steve Downs - Yeah, that'd be good.
Slash - Metallica did a Queen song.
Steve Downs - Yeah.
Axl - "Stone Cold Crazy".
Steve Downs - "Stone Cold Crazy", yeah. Going back to "The Spaghetti Incident?" You did a Dead Boys tune, the band out of Cleveland originally, with Stiv Bators, called "Ain't It Fun", which is a real kicker on this record.
Slash - Yeah. We were talking about it earlier, that the lyrics to that song pretty much sum up where we come from as a band. Like, you know… Especially on the surface.
Axl - Or things that we've been through, stupid mistakes we've made.
Slash - And when I hear it, I just go: "Yeah, ok, check, check". [laughs]
Steve Downs - That's right.
Axl - It was also a tribute to Stiv. And Mike Monroe, who guest sings on the song, from the band Hanoi Rocks, was a really good friend of Stiv's and… He turned me onto a bunch of Dead Boys stuff. I already knew the song, and it was a song I liked and he got me all these tapes and things. And then I was like: "Why don't we just play it?". And it was kinda like a tribute for him, 'cause it was really hard on Mike and… And other people in his life when Stiv did pass away.
Steve Downs - "Ain't It Fun". Guns N' Roses.
Axl - For Cheetah.
"Ain't It Fun" is played.
Steve Downs - "Ain't It Fun" from Guns N' Roses off "The Spaghetti Incident?". You quoted that line at… I think it was in the liner notes to "Use Your Illusion I", right at the end of everything it says: "Ain't It Fun - Stiv Bators".
Axl - Yeah, that's why it was on the end of Use Your Illusions, kinda like a hint. 'Cause we did that on the first album too. We gave a hint from "You Could Be Mine".
Steve Downs - Right.
Slash - Yeah, a lot of people been talking, over the last couple of years about the way that Use Your Illusion sounded and how it was… You know, a different kind of direction for us, and I'm going: "No, it wasn't." We do whatever. And we recorded this stuff, which is really raw and they go: "Oh, that's a great departure." [laughs]
Axl - We did it at the same time, it's just different songs.
Steve Downs - Right. We're going back to the phones now. Albany, Georgia is where we're headed. Kelly is listening to us from Rock 104 in Tallahassee, Florida. Kelly, you're on with Axl and Slash.
Kelly - Hi Axl, hi Slash. How's it going?
Axl - It's going great.
Kelly - I've been a fan for quite some time now and I really love you guys.
Slash - Ooh.
Kelly - I heard that you all were making a home video, explaining the trilogy and other past videos. I was just wondering what it contained and when it'll be released.
Slash - That… that's expensive.
Axl - We released a making of… One for "Don't Cry" and one for "November Rain" and we're making one for "Estranged"… Actually "Estranged" isn't… in some ways a part of the trilogy. It's more like part four. Part three was a mutual self-destruction of the couple that was in "November Rain". And… well, someone had other plans and we were in a position, where something we had worked on for five years had to be rewritten to kinda transcend it. So, it's a video about transcendence of a real life situation, that didn't have a whole lot to do with the story that was intended. And actually I'm kinda glad we made this video instead of the one we were going to make. To know about the story that was in "November Rain", you have to wait on Del's book. It's a story called "Without You".
Steve Downs - Cool. Look forward to that. Thanks for the question Kelly.
Axl - "The Language Of Fear".
Steve Downs - Philadelphia is where we're off to. 94 YSP is the station and Phil, you're on Rockline with Axl and Slash.
Phil - Hey, what's up guys?
Slash - Hey Phil.
Axl - Talking to you.
Phil - What was the inspiration behind "Civil War" and how did it end up on the benefit album, "Nobody's Child"?
Slash - Umm…
Axl - It ended up on the benefit album 'cause Tom Petty called me and asked me, which was really weird, asked me if George Harrison could call me.
[laughs]
Axl - And then George Harrison called me and we we're talking, and all of a sudden he started talking about his wife flying to Bangladesh… It just… All of a sudden my mind was like, boom… hyper-space, I'm talking to a Beatle. And he was very Beatle-esque talking about Bangladesh. [laughs]
Steve Downs - Yeah, of course [laughs]
Axl - It was pretty wild. They asked for the song and the inspiration was… A friend asked me to write a song about just how crazy the world is and certain things and… I just thought it was an interesting subject and just… Slash had this music and it exactly fit what I'd written.
Slash - There's something very unnerving about having George Harrison around, let me tell you. [laughs]
Steve Downs - Oh, I can imagine.
Slash - He came to my house once when I was… I was like: "Whoa". I should have brought the picture with me that he left. This Indian picture, it's hilarious. But, it meant a lot to him to leave…
Axl - Plus, I was trying to be the fifth Wilbury.
Steve Downs - Fifth Wilbury! That's right. There you go.
Axl - I was working.
Steve Downs - Alright. Phil, thanks for the call.
Steve Downs - We go back to the phones now. Lancing in Michigan is where we're headed. Q106 is the station. Shannon, you're on Rockline with Guns N' Roses.
Shannon - Hi Slash.
Shannon - Hey Axl. I almost love you.
Axl - Almost?
Shannon - Almost. Well, I don't know you in person, so…
Axl - Don't love me. People that do usually cost me lawsuits.
Slash - [laughs] That's true.
Shannon - Well, I won't do that.
Axl - I don't wanna be loved. [in a mock accent]
Steve Downs - What's your question Shannon?
Shannon - I just wanted to know, in what musical direction maybe we can expect their next CD, or CDs may go.
Slash - Umm...
Axl - I'm about to hear it tonight. [laughs]
Slash - Well, that's too much pressure. Musical direction with the band really has to do with what the band… you know, what we do as a group or as an organization of people. You know, the six of us, constitutes.
Axl - And then I throw in the… [inaudible]
Slash - [laughs] No… I mean, it's really simple and it's a lot less complicated than most of the public thinks.
Axl - How about it's like, compared to the "Illusions", the direction will be a shorter direction. [laughs]
Steve Downs - There you go. Shannon, thanks for the call. Sarah…
Slash - It was no answer.
Steve Downs - It was close enough.
Slash - It'll be what we think is good at the present, that's all.
Steve Downs - Well, it's been three years, almost, since the last original material.
Slash - Yeah, but we weren't dicking around. We did tour for two and half years.
Steve Downs - That's true.
Slash - Just to set that straight.
Steve Downs - You did have a real job. Sarah is in Woodstock, Connecticut listening to 107.3 WAAF in Boston, Massachusetts. Sarah, you have a question for Axl or Slash?
Sarah - Yeah. Actually both of them, whoever wants to answer. I'd like to know what you guys like to do in your like, spare-time? When you're not in the studio recording.
Axl - Slash feeds snakes.
Steve Downs - You have quite a pet collection?
Steve Downs - I don't know if you call them pets, but…
Slash - To tell you the truth, most of the time I spend, as far as free-time is… Just working with Guns stuff. It's a never-ending thing. He would say the same thing. It's like…
Axl - Yeah, it's like, we… There's no real split between business and personal things, so it's still Guns N' Roses. I mean, I don't know when we'll go out again. We're aiming at '96 and we'll probably be doing a lot of recording, and trying to put a lot of things between now and then. But, we're still trying to move ahead as… And just keep this moving as hard as we can. So, there's not really a whole lot of free-time. I mean, now and then you kick back watching a movie or something.
Axl - Other than that, it's just trying to keep your life together. And people from taking it away.
Slash - It hasn't been any nude horseback riding or… [laughs]
Steve Downs - None of that, huh?
Axl - Damn!
Steve Downs - Damn!
Slash - I'm really working on my boogie-boarding-style.
Steve Downs - Sarah, thanks for the call. We were talking about George Harrison earlier and…
Axl - I wear drag. [laughs]
Steve Downs - … and we're gonna play the Paul McCartney tune "Live And Let Die", that you recorded. It's funny 'cause you were talking about… Axl, when you met Paul and… you know…
Axl - He came up and… It's like, some guy goes: "Are you gonna get another tattoo made?" And I wasn't feeling very good and just kinda like: "Oh, great. Another…" Ok, "jerk", I'll use that word. And I looked up and it's Paul McCartney. I was like: "No way!".
Axl - And I was like: "You look pretty relaxed". And he was like, there up until two minutes before the show. Then it hits.
Steve Downs - Here it is. Guns N' Roses. This is from "Use Your Illusion 1". "Live And Let Die".
"Live And Let Die" is played
Steve Downs - "Live And Let Die" from Guns N' Roses, who we are spending 90 minutes with on our first show of the 1994 season here on Rockline. We're gonna take it down to Memphis, Tennessee. Shaun is listening to us on ROCK 103 in Memphis. Shaun, you're on.
Shaun - Hey.
Axl - Hey Shaun.
Slash - Hey Shaun.
Shaun - Hey… Man, I'm tripping here.
Steve Downs - Okay.
Axl - Really? Are you really?
Shaun - My question is for Slash. I was wondering what kind of an influence Joe Perry had on you.
Slash - Oh… In the days when I really started playing and like, getting into the whole thing, amongst other guitar players, Aerosmith and Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were definitely an influence. They're just the coolest, most screwed up band in the world. [laughs]
Steve Downs - And they're still here to tell the tale, man.
Slash - They love to tell you about it. [everybody laugh]
Steve Downs - Thanks Shaun for the call. We're gonna go to Wheezie. Wheezie is in Austin, TX listening to KLBJFM 94. Weezie, you're on with Axl and Slash.
Weezie - Hey, what's up guys?
Axl - What's up, homes?
Weezie - Listen man, on "The Spaghetti Incident?"… 20 years ago I found myself a big Marc Bolan/T-Rex fan. 20 years later I'm listening to Soundgarden and then boom, I buy the disc and you guys have put a Soundgarden and a T-Rex song together. Whose idea was that and how did that come about?
Slash - Well…
Axl - That was mine.
Slash - Yeah, 'cause I got a phone call… I got a phone call…
Axl - And I played it for him.
Slash - In the middle of the night over the phone. The song was already recorded and Axl was singing the Soundgarden thing. And I was like…
Axl - 'Cause the riff was very similar, if not the same. And I just thought it added something to it and… Plus, we really like the Soundgarden guys, and that particular song is, I think, a song that… I just consider a cult classic, whether it is or not. And it fit together with the T-Rex thing. And when we put the album together, Slash was a big fan of that particular T-Rex song, and I remembered that and I asked if he wanted to that on here as one more song. 'Cause I thought that would balance things out. And get something else out of the closet that was waiting to be recorded.
Slash - So I had to sing it. [laughs]
Axl - [laughs] Yeah, so you had to sing it.
Steve Downs - Yeah, you two guys sing together on that.
Slash - But the combination of the two songs and all that was… The song was more or less done and then Axl sang just real naturally over the end of it, and put the Soundgarden vocals there.
Axl - It's a real sexy song and the end gets kind of aggressive. And so an aggressive sexy song on top of that.
Steve Downs - Aggressive would be an understatement. It pretty much cuts to the chase.
Axl - Cuts right to the chase.
Steve Downs - Absolutely. Alright, we're gonna go to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ROCK 100.5 The Cat is the station. William, you're on with Axl and Slash. What's your question?
William - Hi guys. How you doing?
Slash - Good.
Axl - I'm doing alright.
William - Umm… Hi from Amy. I gotta make this quick.
Axl - Hi Amy.
William - How did you come about to the song "Since I Don't Have You"? I really like that one.
Slash - That's a good one.
Axl - That song, for some reason… When we started rehearsing, living in a little craphole on… Craphole, like that?
Steve Downs - We can use that one.
Axl - Off Sunset and Gardener. It was just a song for some reason I wanted to do & Slash wanted to do a long time ago, and we don't really know… we felt indicated…
Slash - No, the reason why was 'cause I heard you singing it when you were living at my house.
Axl - Oh.
Slash - And since you sang it with so much… [inaudible]
Axl - I don't know why I really liked that song, I just did and then… We were on the road, we had three days off in Boston, and the song just fit things at the time and we had some time so we went in and did it without having any clue of what it was gonna sound like musically. Because it's a completely different string arrangement and everything in the original. And we went in and just had fun with it.
Steve Downs - Originally done by a group called the Skyliners, out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 1958. Here it is, from Guns N' Roses.
Axl - Punk rock at its finest.
"Since I Don't Have You" is played
Steve Downs - Nice little groove towards the end of that and…
Axl - Voodoo, or something.
Axl - We don't know what, or how that happened.
Slash - There's a good story going behind that song because I think that was one of the first songs that really started to turn this "Spaghetti Incident" thing into an actual album.
Steve Downs - Really?
Slash - And we did it on off time on the road and recorded it in Makeshift studios in Boston. Brought rental gear down there 'cause all our gear was on the track. And that was how badly we wanted to do it. We just… you know, pulled out whatever we had. And talking about Gilby's guitar… We used his practice guitar and we used rented gear and this and that. We couldn't find a guitar store in Boston.
[the rest of Slash's sentence is cut out by a jingle]
Steve Downs - … 90 minutes tonight with Slash and Axl Rose from Guns N' Roses. Lots of phone calls. Let's go to Houston, TX- Actually ??, TX and Christine is listening to in Houston, on 101 KLOL. Christine, you're on with Guns N' Roses.
Christine - Hey guys! What's up?
Axl - Not a whole lot. How's Texas?
Christine - Not a whole lot here either.
Christine - I just wanted to let you guys know that you're my favorite band and I just want to know, are you planning on making any videos off "The Spaghetti Incident?"
Slash - We're talking about it.
Axl - Yeah, we're talking about "Since I Don't Have You", and Slash is working on project for "Hair Of The Dog", actually. I have no idea…
Steve Downs - We'll look forward to it. Christine, thanks for the call. Moses is in Texas also. El Paso this time, listening to 95.5 KLAQ. Moses, you're on with Axl and Slash.
Moses - Hello Axl.
Axl - Moses, what's happening?
Moses - What's up guys? Quick question, why the release of the "Estranged" video with "The Spaghetti Incident?" album coming out?
Slash - There was…
Axl - It was just planned to make that video for a long time, and it was just the time to put the video out. We got it done and we wanted to put it out, and we also had "Spaghetti Incident" and… Plus, it's Guns N' Roses and it's confusing to everybody…
Slash - I was gonna say the same.
Axl - It's confusing for us and we wanted everybody else to celebrate and join in the confusion.
Steve Downs - I'm confused. You talked about the video for the song a little bit earlier. Originally, if I understood it correctly, it was supposed to be part of a trilogy and it didn't necessarily end up that way, or did it?
Axl - Umm, my friend Del James wrote a short story called "Without You", that was influenced by me and my ex-wife, in some ways. And then I ended up writing a song that fit that story, which was "Estranged". And so… You know, that was about, I don't know, four or five years ago and… The story started, then a couple of years later the song came about and then we started working on this project. And then in the middle of the project, or two thirds into the project, real life kind of changed all the plans. And we had to make something else and figure out how to rise above… As an artist, I had to figure out how to rise above my own creation that meant a lot to me. That I was kinda stop dead in my tracks and had to figure out how to make something else and… Like, write a whole new thing on top of something I'd been living to make, that I liked even more. And it was a really hard challenge and myself and the director, Andy Morahan was involved in this whole thing all along. And so was Del James and the band and… For all of us, it was a really hard challenge to rise above. Plus, we've spent 2.5 million dollars and we had to put it out.
Steve Downs - Had to do something. [laughs] From "Use Your Illusion II", "Estranged".
"Estranged" is played
Steve Downs - We're back live all over the United States and Canada with Axl Rose and Slash from Guns N' Roses. We got time for one more call. We're gonna head back to Raleigh, North Carolina, to WRDU 106 in Raleigh. We have Arleen, or is it Arlene? Listening to us in ??, North Carolina. You're on with Axl and Slash.
Arlene - Good evening Axl and Slash.
Slash - Hi.
Axl - Good evening.
Arlene - And my name is Arlene.
Steve Downs - Arlene.
Axl - Arlene in Raleigh.
Arlene - Yeah. My question is…
Steve Downs - Hi Jennifer.
Axl - Yeah. [laughs]
Arlene - If you could change a myth, or any of the myths the public may have of Guns N' Roses. What would it be?
Slash - There's too many. Really, when it comes down to it.
Axl - Change one myth? Uuh, wow that's a…
Steve Downs - Something the public perceives of you and the band that is not true.
Axl - I don't know… When Use Your Illusions came out, I actually read a review that said we should have titled the albums "Our Hitler", meaning me, or something. And I would like to change the myth that we want to control the media, and control people. That's not… You know, there's some people that believe that, or something. It's like, I don't wanna control the media, I just want things to be accurate. It's the only control that we want, is that it's accurate and the things that we say and do are there as we say and do them. Not changed around or taken out of context or distorted. A lot of times we don't get an opportunity, or chance to rectify things without having to go through a whole lot of trouble that opens up a whole new can of ones.
Slash - Yeah, the main thing about… What I've been seeing since we've been off the road is… The simple fact that the media is the one that's really backwards and very twisted. And I think it's actually sicker what they do than anything they even try to make us out to be. And it's a drag because when it comes down to it… We've been together for a long time and I know these people and it's like… be taken that seriously for one and then, from a completely wrong direction is just… you know, it's a drag and you don't have any control over it. After a while you have to take a…
Axl - We've been working on a book since we started as Guns N' Roses, with Del James. We've been doing interviews for this book for a very, very long time, to try to get an accurate picture with all our own personal mistakes and our own personal nightmares. And actually it's very exposing. But, we wanna show, like, an accurate picture of who we are and where we've been. It's not necessarily favorable for us in some places. It's a lot of times: "I said that? What an idiot! I can't believe I said that." But we're gonna put it all out.
Steve Downs - Well, hopefully… And also to have you in a venue like this is hopefully an opportunity to sort of set the record straight.
Slash - A venue?
Axl - This is what? Third time Rockline? Or is this fourth?
Steve Downs - I think this'll be number four altogether.
Axl - Four, wow.
Slash - Everybody's up at my house right now, so I have to say hi. I'm late. [laughs]
[now Steve Downs thanks the crew and talks about upcoming shows]
Steve Downs - … and finally to our guests tonight. Axl Rose and Slash. It's great to have you guys here, and especially to have you together.
Slash - It's been a great time.
Axl - It's bizarre that we're here together. It's a good thing.
Steve Downs - Bizarre in a good way.
Slash - Yeah, absolutely.
Axl - Yo, Beta.
Steve Downs - It's been great.
by Blackstar Today at 4:24
by Blackstar Yesterday at 18:47
by Soulmonster Yesterday at 17:38
by Soulmonster Yesterday at 9:31
CHOOSE AN ARTICLE OR INTERVIEW (2003-)2003.01.03 - Chart Attack - Can Todd Kerns Fill Axl Rose's Leather Pants?2003.01.03 - The Guardian - Meltdown2003.01.06 - Rolling Stone - Are Guns Done?2003.01.23 - Rolling Stone - Guns N' Roses Alums Regroup (Matt)2003.01.27 - MTV News - Gina Gershon Fronts Ex-GN'R Members At Sundance Concert2003.01.29 - Blabbermouth - Steelheart Frontman Auditions For Ex-Guns N' Roses Project2003.02.01 - BBC News - Appeal To Find Missing Rock Fan2003.02.07 - Rolling Stone - Gn'R Tryouts Get Real on VH1 (Slash, Duff)2003.02.10 - Blabbermouth - Former Guns N' Roses Drummer To Perform 'Appetite For Destruction' Material Live (Steven)2003.02.10 - Blender Magazine - Axl's Final Freak-Out2003.02.25 - Blabbermouth - Former Guns N' Roses Guitarist Files Suit Against Management, Lawyers (Izzy)2003.02.DD - Access All Areas - Interview with Tommy2003.02.DD - Classic Rock - Appetite for Self-Destruction2003.03.01 - Blabbermouth - Former Guns N' Roses Drummer Chooses Name For New Project (Steven)2003.03.03 - Launch - Duff McKagan Talks About Axl's Current Guns N' Roses Lineup2003.03.09 - Gnronline - Stay Tuned2003.03.10 - Steven Adler Official Fan Site - Slash and Stevie Reunited2003.03.11 - Blabbermouth - Ex-Guns N' Roses Members Not Making Reality Show Based On Singer Search2003.03.26 - MTV News - Not Another Reality Show: Ex-Guns N' Roses Members Document Singer Search2003.03.31 - Rolling Stone - The Offspring Scoop Axl (& later related articles)2003.03.DD - Spin - Ever Get the Feeling You've (Not) Been Cheated?2003.04.14 - MTV News - Sebastian Bach Or Scott Weiland To Fill Axl's Jackboots?2003.04.15 - Billboard - Ex-Gunners Still Searching For Singer2003.04.18 - Tom Anderson Guitarworks - Guitar Of The Week (Richard)2003.05.01 - Rolling Stone - Jack Daniels (Slash)2003.05.04 - Blabbermouth - Longtime Guns N' Roses Photographer Sues Axl Rose2003.05.13 - MTV News - Slash/ Duff/ Matt Coming Soon, Axl Nowhere In Sight2003.05.13 - Rolling Stone - Weiland to Front Gn'R Band2003.05.16 - Blabbermouth - Steven Adler: 'The New Guns N' Roses Album Will Suck'2003.06.01 - The Sacramento Bee - The Legend of Buckethead2003.06.03 - Rolling Stone - Use Your Delusion: The Never-Ending Drama Of Guns N' Roses2003.06.05 - MTV News - Scott Weiland Gets Official Nod To Lead Ex-GN'R Members2003.06.05 - Rolling Stone - Slash Welcomes Weiland2003.06.06 - Rolling Stone - Izzy Rolling Out "Dog" Days2003.06.08 - Blabbermouth - It's Official: Weiland/Ex-Guns N' Roses Band To Call Themselves Velvet Revolver2003.06.11 - Billboard - Stinson Swims In Solo Waters2003.06.16 - antiMUSIC - Axl Hopeful For Album Release Soon-Attends Led Zep Release Party2003.06.17 - Rolling Stone - Scott & Slash Speak2003.06.19 - Billboard - Velvet Revolver Loads Up For Live Debut2003.06.20 - MTV News, Rolling Stone - Velvet Revolver Live Debut2003.06.26 - Rolling Stone - In The Studio (Buckethead)2003.06.27 - Riki Rachtman's Triple R (97.1 Talk Radio Los Angeles) - Interview with Duff and Matt2003.06.DD - Total Guitar - GN'R: The Inside Story2003.07.02 - Kerrang! - Appetite For Reconstruction (Slash, Duff, Matt)2003.07.15 - Entertainment Weekly - Here Comes The Guns N' Roses/Scott Weiland Supergroup (Slash)2003.07.16 - MTV News - For The Record: Quick News (Axl)2003.07.18 - IGN - Interview with Marco Beltrami [GN'R related excerpt]2003.07.23 - Billboard - Stinson Sets Solo Dates With The Figgs2003.08.17 - The New York Times - Grand Street, Lower East Side; Rock Musician's City Paradise (Richard)2003.08.18 - MTV News - Scott Weiland Gets Probation; Velvet Revolver Scrap EP2003.08.20 - Detroit Metro Times - Tommy Says So2003.08.20 - Pulse Of The Twin Cities - Tommy Stinson: The Surreal Life2003.08.21 - MTV News - Shocking: GN'R Bassist Stinson Has Plenty Of Time To Work On Solo Material2003.08.21 - The Albany Times Union - The Sideman Out Front (Tommy)2003.08.23 - Star Tribune - Who's Gonna Drive You Home? (Tommy)2003.08.24 - Star Tribune - Coming Up Roses (Tommy)2003.08.28 - Green Bay Press Gazette - Stinson Tries Life Outside GN'R2003.08.29 - Chicago Tribune - Stinson's Post-Replacements Life Fine2003.08.DD - Spin - The Dance of Decadence: The Uncensored History of Jane's Addiction [excerpts] (Slash)2003.09.02 - MTV News - New GN'R Tune Leaked By ... Mets Catcher Mike Piazza?!2003.09.05 - The Boston Phoenix - For Stinson, Everything's Coming Up Roses2003.09.14 - The New York Times - A Night Out With Tommy Stinson2003.09.21 - Steven Adler Official Fan Site - Slash and Izzy jam with Adler's Appetite2003.09.25 - The Stranger - Appetite For Education (Duff)2003.10.15 - Press Release from Geffen - Guns N' Roses Debuts On DVD2003.10.20 - Brave Words - Guns N' Roses Greatest Hits Tracklisting Revealed!2003.10.27 - MTV - For The Record (Greatest Hits Album)2003.10.30 - MTV News - Scott Weiland To Enter Rehab Immediately, By Order Of Judge2003.10.DD - Classic Rock - "No Thanks, Axl" (& Brian May's response)2003.10.DD - Harper Magazine - Tommy Grows Up2003.10.DD - Hit Parader - Velvet Revolver Set To Fire (Duff)2003.11.02 - Blabbermouth - Matt Sorum Speaks Out On Scott Weiland's Latest Arrest2003.11.06 - Billboard - Billboard Bits (GN'R to play at Rock In Rio Lisbon)2003.11.07 - Press Release - Guns N' Roses Announce Record Setting Third Appearance At Rock In Rio2003.11.DD - Guitar World - The Big Bang (Slash, Duff, Matt)2003.11.DD - Q - Guns N' Roses: The Scum Also Rises2003.12.12 - Rolling Stone - Velvet Revolver Fired Up (Slash, Duff)2003.12.DD - Classic Rock - Flashback/Slash Gets Addled Again2003.MM.DD - Masters Of Metal And Hard Rock - Guns N' Roses Slash2003.MM.DD - Snakepit.org - Fan Questions/Slash Answers2003.MM.DD - Steven Adler Official Fansite - Steven Answers Fans' Questions2004.01.11 - Revolver Magazine - Shoot To Thrill2004.01.15 - RCA Records/BMG - Bringing Chaos Back Into The Rock World (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.01.15/26-02.20 - Tommy Stinson Website - Updates on Tommy's Solo Album2004.01.22 - Las Vegas Mercury - Guns Nut (Gilby)2004.02.03 - Jim Dunlop's Website - Interview with Duff2004.02.03 - Press Release: Compulsion For Non-GN'R Project (Richard)2004.02.14 - Unknown Source - Interview with Gilby2004.02.17 - Dagbladet - Guns N' Roses Was Painful (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.02.18 - Billboard - GNR's 'Hits' Coming Before New Album2004.02.18 - Press Release: Velvet Revolver Set To Release Debut Album (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.02.19 - MTV News - Guns N' Roses' Greatest Due In March, But Axl May Intervene2004.02.19 - Press Release from Geffen: Guns N' Roses Greatest Hits2004.02.27 - MTV News - Album Preview: GN'R + STP = Uphill Battle2004.02.28 - Unknown Mexican Magazine - Life After Being A Gun (Slash)2004.02.DD - Hit Parader - Velvet Revolver Beating The Odds (Slash)2004.02.DD - Record Collector - Appetite For Self Destruction (Slash)2004.02.DD - Studio Expresso - Newsletter: The Village Buzz2004.03.11 - Brave Words - Hollywood Rose: Pre-Guns N' Roses Demos To Surface2004.03.13 - The Guardian - Crash And Burn2004.03.15 - Guns N' Roses Files Lawsuit (Press Release from Sanctuary Group)2004.03.15 - Legal Document regarding the Greatest Hits Album Release2004.03.15 - Reuters - Geffen Records Prevails Over Axl Rose Lawsuit2004.03.16 - AP, Rolling Stone - Judge Denies Axl Rose Bid To Stop Release Of Guns N' Roses CD2004.03.16/20 - Steven Adler Official Fansite - Steven Recording With Izzy Stradlin2004.03.17 - MTV News - Buckethead's Hand Puppet Says Goodbye To Guns N' Roses2004.03.20 - Kerrang! - Welcome To The Jungle,option value="/t5136-2004-03-20-nme-ten-reasons-why-guns-n-roses-still-rock">2004.03.20 - NME - Ten Reasons Why Guns N' Roses Still Rock2004.03.29 - SVT2 Studio Pop - Interview with Slash and Duff2004.03.30 - Press release from Axl regarding RIRIII and Buckethead2004.03.31 - Crud Magazine - Velvet Revolver: Cocked and Ready to Rock (Duff)2004.03.DD - Bass Player - Welcome Back To The Jungle (Duff)2004.03.DD - Classic Rock - Shooting From The Hip (Velvet Revolver)2004.03.DD - Japanese TV - Interview with Slash and Duff2004.03.DD - Metal Hammer - Velvet Underground (Slash, Duff)2004.03.DD - Rhythm Magazine - Welcome Back: Matt Sorum2004.03.DD - Guitar One - Where Are They Now? (Izzy, Gilby)2004.04.04 - The Napoleon Blownaparts Website - Ajax Garcia Would Welcome A Phone Call From Axl Rose2004.04.09 - MTV News - Velvet Revolver Diggin' Tunnels (Duff, Matt)2004.04.10 - Brave Words - Ex-Guns N' Roses Guitarist To Play With The New York Dolls (Izzy)2004.04.10 - Kerrang! - Hanging with... Slash2004.04.14 - LiveDaily - Interview with Slash2004.04.17 - Zioshow - Mobile I/O No Brainer for Brain2004.04.23 - Rayno's interview with Slash2004.04.25 - Anderswolleck Blog - Interview with Chris Vrenna [excerpt]2004.04.29 - Slash & Duff Vs. Axl Lawsuit Document2004.04.30 - KROQ Radio - Interview with Velvet Revolver2004.04.DD - Drum Magazine - Matt Sorum Rocks With Velvet Revolver2004.04.DD - Gitarre & Bass (Germany) - Interview with Slash2004.04.DD - Hit Parader - Velvet Revolver Clearing The Air (Slash, Duff)2004.04.DD - Metal Hammer - The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs (Slash, Duff)2004.04.DD - Rock Feedback - Interview with Slash and Duff2004.04.DD - Total Guitar - Velvet Revolver2004.04.DD - Total Guitar Bass Special - Duff McKagan2004.05.01 - Mix Online - Out Of The Ashes Of GN'R and STP (Duff)2004.05.03 - Celebrity Justice - Former Guns N' Roses Members Fight for Control of Songs2004.05.07 - Blabbermouth - Izzy Stradlin Backs Out Of New York Dolls Reunion Show2004.05.12 - Rolling Stone - Tommy Stinson Rears "Head"2004.05.13 - KSHE 95 St. Louis - Interview with Slash and Duff2004.05.19 - Toronto Sun - It's GNR With A Little STP (Duff)2004.05.24 - The Howard Stern Show - Interview with Velvet Revolver2004.05.27 - Blabbermouth - Velvet Revolver NYC Show Attended By Richard Fortus2004.05.27 - PBS Frontline - The Way The Music Died (Duff, Matt)2004.05.28 - The Boston Globe - Velvet Revolver takes aim with a hard-rock merger (Slash)2004.05.29 - WBCN FM 104.1 FM - Interview with Slash and Duff2004.05.30 - MuchMusic.com - Reloading The Rock With Velvet Revolver (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.05.DD - Classic Rock - Paradise Lost2004.05.DD - Guitar One - Velvet Revolver: Rock's New Supergroup (Slash, Duff)2004.06.03 - Rock Journal - Interview with Dizzy2004.06.04 - Chart Attack - Scott Weiland Sticks It To Toronto Rock Journalists2004.06.05 - MTV2 Headbangers Ball - Interview with Velvet Revolver2004.06.05 - The London Times - Gunning It (Slash, Duff)2004.06.07 - Reuters - Supergroup for New Decade (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.06.11 - MTV News - GN'R Bassist Stinson Works Solo While Awaiting Chinese Democracy2004.06.11 - Orange County Register - Revolver Reloaded (Slash)2004.06.13 - New York Post - Slash: No Axl To Grind2004.06.13 - Newsweek - The Little Band That Could (Slash)2004.06.14 - KNAC.COM - Exclusive! Interview With Duff McKagan2004.06.17 - Houston Press - Use Your Illusion2004.06.22 - Hollywood Rose CD Booklet - The Hollywood Rose Story (Vicky Hamilton)2004.06.22 - MTV News - Velvet Revolver Explain Slash's Hat Trick2004.06.23 - Aquarian Weekly - Fully Loaded (Duff)2004.06.24 - Rolling Stone - Hard Drinking in Hollywood (Duff)2004.06.DD - Aardschok Magazine (Netherlands) - Oldtimers Back To The Garage (Duff)2004.06.DD - Aloha Magazine (Netherlands) - Guns, Drugs and Rock N' Roll (Slash, Duff)2004.06.DD - EQ Magazine - Velvet Glove2004.06.DD - FHM Magazine - Mexican Food with Velvet Revolver2004.06.DD - Guitar Player - Straight Shooter (Slash)2004.06.DD - Guitar World - Slash Answers Your Questions2004.06.DD - Guitar World's Bass Guitar - From Guns N' Roses To Velvet Revolver (Duff)2004.06.DD - Hit Parader - Loaded For Action (Slash, Duff)2004.06.DD - Loaded Magazine - Axe Gods (Slash, Duff)2004.06.DD - Revolver Magazine - The Ego Has Landed (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.06.DD - Santa Monica Campus Circle - Velvet Revolver (Duff)2004.06.DD - Spin - Axl Kicks the Bucket2004.07.02 - Court Ruling Document (Hollywood Rose album lawsuit)2004.07.05 - VH1 - Behind The Music: Guns N' Roses 2004.07.08 - Rolling Stone - Revolver Loaded (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.07.09 - AP/Indiana Gazette - Judge Rejects Request To Stop Hollywood Rose Album2004.07.09 - Aftonbladet - "Alcohol almost killed me" (Slash)2004.07.09 - The Guardian - 'I died. I do remember that' (Slash)2004.07.15 - The Guardian - Cultural News Roundup (Tommy)2004.07.25 - The Guardian - This Much I Know (Slash)2004.07.26 - KNAC.COM - Interview with Matt2004.07.DD - Classic Rock - Interview with Duff2004.07.DD - Guitar One Magazine - A Private Lesson with... Slash2004.07.DD - Guitarist Magazine - Top Gun (Slash, Duff)2004.07.DD - Modern Drummer - Welcome To The Rumble (Matt)2004.07.DD - Q Magazine - Cash for Questions (Slash)2004.08.02 - Rock Journal - Five Days With Hookers & Blow (Dizzy)2004.08.07 - Kerrang! - GN'R Bassist Lifts The Lid On Frontman Axl Rose (Tommy)2004.08.08 - San Francisco Chronicle - Pop Quiz: Tommy Stinson2004.08.08 - The Philadelphia Inquirer - Stinson Makes Most Of Guns N' Roses Breaks2004.08.14 - Kerrang! - The Last Gang In Town (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.08.18 - Glam Metal - Another Spin (Dizzy)2004.08.18 - Glam Metal - Interview with Steven2004.08.25 - The Oregonian - Stinson Hits New Artistic Peak2004.08.28 - Living Scotsman - Ex-Druggies & Rock'n'Roll (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.08.29 - Sunday Mail - Slash & Burn (Slash)2004.08.DD - Blender Magazine - The Blender 100: #93 Velvet Revolver (Slash, Duff)2004.09.02 - Rocky Mountain News - At Last, Tommy Stinson Gets His Strokes2004.09.10 - Daily Mirror - All Guns and Poses (Slash)2004.09.12 - Brave Words - New Guns N' Roses Album Is "A Lot More Complex" (Tommy)2004.09.14 - The Boston Globe - All Grown Up And Rocking (Tommy)2004.09.15 - Chart Attack - Tommy Stinson Hopefully Vague On Future Of New GN'R Album2004.09.16 - Richmond.com - Dizzy Reed's Hollywood Bulldozer2004.09.17 - Belfast Telegraph - A Pair Of Guns For Hire (Slash, Duff)2004.09.28 - Blabbermouth - Velvet Revolver: Management Shake-Up Leads To Split In Group's Ranks2004.09.30 - Blabbermouth - Guns N' Roses: New Guitarist Found? (Bumblefoot)2004.09.29 - Kerrang! - Slash Survey2004.10.12 - Press Release - GN'R Set the Record Straight2004.10.15 - The Times-Picayune - Velvet Renaissance (Duff) 2004.10.18 - MTV News - Velvet Revolver's Tour Begins With Surprise Show (Duff)2004.10.20 - antiMUSIC - Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" May Surface in Feb (Dizzy)2004.10.26 - MTV News - Axl Rose, Game, Charlie Murphy Lend Voices To 'San Andreas'2004.10.DD - Big Cheese Magazine - Paying Homage to Slash2004.10.DD - Circus Magazine - Cocked & Loaded (Slash)2004.10.DD - GQ Magazine - How I Get My Body (Duff)2004.10.DD - Guitar & Bass Magazine - Magnum Force (Duff)2004.10.DD - Guitar Buyers Magazine - Velvet Revolver (Slash)2004.10.DD - Hit Parader - Interview with Slash2004.10.DD - HTGTH - This Tastes Like Pretzels: The Tommy Stinson Interview2004.10.DD - Nuts Magazine - Interview with Slash and Duff2004.10.DD - WWFX-FM 100.1 The Fox - Interview with Steven2004.11.08 - Kerrang! - About Duff2004.11.13 - Blabbermouth - Velvet Revolver Dress Up As Guns N' Roses For Halloween2004.11.17 - Static Multimedia - A Rock 'n' Roll Legend: An Interview With Tommy Stinson2004.11.19 - Entertainment Weekly - Sex, Drugs & Rock N' Roll (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.11.19 - MetalShrine - Interview with Chris Weber2004.11.20 - The Irish Examiner - Slash: 'I was suicidal when I left GNR'2004.11.21 - Chicago Sun-Times - For Slash, Happiness Is A Warm Velvet Revolver2004.11.22 - Blabbermouth - Orchestral Arranger Paul Buckmaster Collaborates With Guns N' Roses?2004.11.DD - Classic Rock - Guns For Hire (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.12.01 - VH1 - Inside Out: The Rise of Velvet Revolver2004.12.03 - Entertainment Weekly - Is there hope for Chinese Democracy?2004.12.03 - Times Dispatch - The Velvet Touch (Duff)2004.12.11 - Miami Herald - Velvet Revolver's Quick Success No Shot In The Dark (Duff)2004.12.13 - Guitar Legends - The Ultimate Guitar Outlaw (Slash)2004.12.15 - Hot Press - Up The Duff2004.12.15 - Thrasher Magazine - Interview with Duff2004.12.30 - Las Vegas Weekly - The Perils of Rock 'n' Roll Decadence (Matt)2004.12.DD - Guitar World's Bass Guitar - Guns at the Ready (Tommy)2004.12.DD - Hit Parader - Straight Aim (Slash, Duff)2004.12.DD - Kerrang! - Yearbook With Duff2004.12.DD - Metal Edge - Returning the Glory to Rock N' Roll (Slash, Duff)2004.12.DD - Mojo - The Boys Are Back In Town (Slash, Duff, Matt)2004.12.DD - Total Guitar - Slash Feature2004.MM.DD - Magnet Magazine - Interview with Tommy2004.MM.DD - Steven Adler Official Fansite - Steven Answers Fans' Questions 2005.01.01 - Sp1at - Dizzy Reed Humours Sp1at2005.01.07 - Kerrang! - Interview with Matt2005.01.07 - Music Mania Magazine - Interview with Steven2005.01.13 - The Herald - Back With All Guns Blazing (Slash)2005.01.14 - Rock Confidential - Interview with Steven2005.01.15 - The Telegraph - Slash: Alive And Riffing2005.01.18 - In-Forum - Replacement's Guns Reloaded (Tommy)2005.01.20 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Guns N' Roses bassist finds his way back to Midwest (Tommy)2005.01.20 - South Philly Review - On That Note (Tommy)2005.01.20 - St. Paul Pioneer Press - Tommy Stinson Sticks To His Guns2005.01.21 - Sp1at - 10 Questions with Bryan 'Brain' Mantia2005.01.21 - The Sun - Rock On... Slash Is A Guitar Legend2005.01.24 - Billboard - Axl Rose Signs To Sanctuary Publishing2005.01.25 - Soundgenerator - Axl Rose Signs New Deal2005.01.26 - Kerrang! - Psycho Circus (Slash, Duff, Matt)2005.01.26 - The Times - Sanctuary Shares Tumble As It Surprises With £13.5m Losses2005.01.27 - Sp1at - Guns N' Roses Enter Final Phase2005.01.28 - New York Daily News - Kid Rocker Grows Up In Solo Bow (Tommy)2005.01.30 - Q104.3 New York (via HTGTH) - Interview with Tommy [excerpts]2005.01.DD - Classic Rock - Radio Axl2005.01.DD - Classic Rock - Tommy Gun (Tommy)2005.01.DD - Metal Edge - Breaking the Big Machine (Matt)2005.01.DD - Metal Hammer - This Is Not A Band To Mess With! (Slash, Duff, Matt)2005.01.DD - MTV2 - Interview with Slash and Duff2005.01.DD - Redtopmatches.com - Interview with Slash and Duff2005.02.01 - Associated Press - Axl Rose's Publishing Deal Fuels Feud2005.02.02 - Daily Yomiuri - Velvet Revolver Shoot To Thrill (Duff)2005.02.03 - Greenwich Time - While Guns N' Roses Waits, Dizzy Reed Unleashes Hollywood Bulldozer2005.02.03 - Creative Loafing - Playing With Himself (Tommy)2005.02.04 - The Washington Post - The Irreplaceable Tommy Stinson2005.02.07 - The Sun-Herald - From Under The Gun To A Rock Survivor (Duff)2005.02.10 - Sp1at - 10 Questions with Dave Dominguez (studio engineer)2005.02.10 - WCF Courier - Replacements, Guns N' Roses Member Brings Solo Act to Reverb (Tommy)2005.02.17 - MetalShrine - Interview with Steven2005.02.17 - The Sydney Morning Herald - Age Against The Machine (Duff, Matt)2005.02.24 - MTV News - Velvet Revolver Return To The Road In March, Write New LP In Transit2005.02.DD - Hit Parader - Rock and Roll Machine (Matt)2005.02.DD - Mojo - It's Only Rock And Roll!2005.02.DD - Revolver Magazine - Interview with Velvet Revolver2005.03.03 - Los Angeles Times - Nowhere Else To Go But Forward (Tommy)2005.03.04 - Billboard - Velvet Revolver Reloads For Spring Tour (Slash)2005.03.05 - Billboard - Interview with Merck Mercuriadis2005.03.06 - Gunsnroses.gr - Interview with Gilby2005.03.06 - The New York Times - The Most Expensive Album Never Made2005.03.18 - The London Times - The Most Expensive Album Never Released2005.03.21 - The Gazette - Ex-Gunners Ease Up On The Trigger (Duff)2005.03.21 - The Ottawa Citizen - Slash And Burnout2005.03.26 - Edmonton Journal - Revolver's Not Loaded (Duff)2005.03.31 - The Georgia Straight - Musical Marriage Made in Hard-Rock Heaven (Slash)2005.03.31 - The Vancouver Sun - Velvet Revolver Puts Hard Rock Back Into Rock 'n' Roll (Duff)2005.03.DD - DRUM! - Cheesy Fun And Cubist Funk (Brain)2005.03.DD - Guitarist Magazine - The World According to Slash2005.04.06 - North County Times - No Breakup In Sight (Duff)2005.04.06 - Sp1at - Interview with Craig Duswalt (Axl's former personal assistant)2005.04.07 - The San Diego Union-Tribune - Phoenix, Rising (Slash)2005.04.09 - Kerrang! - Face 2 Face (Slash, Duff)2005.04.15 - Inside Bay Area - Whether In Guns Or Velvet, Slash Just Plugs In And Plays2005.04.17 - San Francisco Chronicle - Pop Quiz: Duff McKagan2005.04.17 - The Seattle Times - Velvet Revolver Shoots Down Critics (Duff)2005.04.21 - Associated Press - Georgia Club Hopes for Guns N' Roses Show2005.04.21 - Salt Lake Tribune - Act II: Velvet Revolver 'Ferocious' (Duff)2005.04.22 - Salt Lake City Weekly - Appetite for Deduction (Slash)2005.04.25 - Denver Post - Family, Outkast's Genius And Crescent Rolls (Duff)2005.04.26 - Associated Press - Ga. Fans Disappointed by Axl's No-Show2005.04.28 - Rockford Register Star - Revolver in Rockford (Slash)2005.04.28 - Pioneer Press - We've Got Good News And Bad News: Slash Is Coherent2005.04.28 - The Valley Advocate - Duff Times2005.04.DD - Classic Rock - The Days of Wine and Roses (Slash, Duff, Steven)2005.04.DD - Metal Hammer - My Life Story (Duff)2005.05.07 - Sp1at - Interview with Matt2005.05.13 - Star Ledger - Beating The Odds (Slash)2005.05.17 - Bankrate - Fame & Fortune: Duff McKagan2005.05.18 - The Aquarian Weekly - The Return Of Indispensable Rock (Duff)2005.05.19 - Room Thirteen - Interview with Duff2005.05.19 - The Charlotte Observer - Lock and Load (Slash)2005.05.20 - Asbury Park Press - Happiness Is A Warm Gun (Matt)2005.05.20 - Star Tribune - Better Living Through Chemistry (Slash)2005.05.20 - The Washington Post - Velvet Revolver, Sticking to Its Guns (Slash)2005.05.22 - St. Petersburg Times - Slash Reloads2005.05.25 - Blabbermouth - Guns N' Roses Frontman Ordered To Pay Label's Legal Fees2005.05.30 - The Hairball John (via Blabbermouth) - Interview with Steven2005.05.DD - Q Magazine - Confessions of a Boozehound (Duff)2005.05/06.DD - Sp1at - Brain Answers Fans Questions2005.05/06.DD - Sp1at - Dizzy Reed Answers Fans Questions2005.06.03 - News Letter - Slash Is Still The Top Gun2005.06.03 - The Rock Radio (via Blabbermouth) - Interview with Steven2005.06.22/30 - Sp1at - Interview with Richard2005.06.DD - Classic Rock - Guest Editors: Velvet Revolver2005.07.15 - Celebrity Justice - Rock Legend Battles over Money (Slash)
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text:
Propaganda and the Coronavirus
March 9, 2020 // 30 Comments »
"Um, is it Colonel Vindman in the Russian Tea room with the coronavirus?"
"Very funny. Now everyone settle down. Welcome back to Propaganda and the Death of Media 101 in case you're in the wrong class, and its, um, March 15, 2024. Now we were discussing the role of propaganda and the media in trying to influence the re-election of Donald Trump by tying his leadership to a global pandemic. Propaganda in these cases seeks to diminish people's view of a leader's competence. The ultimate goal is to get you to vote him out.
For those of you in the back holding up those tattered Bernie signs, God rest his soul, let's start with the question of whether the media engaged in propaganda at all. Contrast the sense of panic in 2020 whipped into place with how things played out in 2009 under Obama. The first cases of the swine flu, H1N1, appeared in April 2009. By the time Obama finally declared a national emergency that fall, the CDC reported 50 million Americans, one in six people, had been infected and 10,000 Americans had died. In the early months of the disease, Obama had no Secretary of Health and Human Services or appointees in any of the Department's 19 key posts. No Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, no Surgeon General, no CDC Director. The gap at CDC was particularly important, as in the early days of the crisis only they could test for the virus; states weren't enabled until later. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, not a medical doctor, lead the federal effort.
The first real H1N1 cases appeared in Mexico. The border was not sealed, Mexicans were not forbidden to enter the U.S. Though CDC recommended against travel there, the primary danger cited was kidnapping for ransom. Yet 66 percent of Americans, supported by the media, thought the president was protecting them. Some 4,000 Americans were dead before a vaccine was first distributed.
The emergency proclamation it took Obama seven months to declare was issued by Trump within 30 days of the current virus being found abroad. He announced a temporary suspension of entry into the U.S. of foreign nationals who pose a risk for the transmission of the coronavirus (CNN criticized "the travel ban could stigmatize countries and ethnicities.") And yes, Trump encouraged everyone to wash their hands.
Anybody here remember the media freaking out over Obama's initial response, which was hand washing was pretty much what was needed? Anyone who did the reading find evidence of national panic throughout the crisis? No. Why did the media cover essentially the identical story so very differently for two presidents? The question is the answer.
Look at the timing in 2020; the crisis came when the media decided it was time for a crisis. Though the virus dominated headlines in Asia since mid-January, American media first relegated the story to the business news. In late February the main "Trump" story was Russiagate II, the revelation (which quickly fell apart) the Russians were meddling again in the election. The Democratic debate at the end of February invoked Putin many times. The virus barely came up.
Then the NYT sent up the Bat Signal for the new crisis on February 26, the day after the Democratic debate, with an article titled "Let's Call It Trumpvirus" (subtlety is not required for propaganda.) An effort was born overnight to blame Trump personally for the virus, and essentially declare his chances of reelection done. The critical change was not anything to do with the virus itself, simply with the decision by the media to elevate the story from the business section to the front page. Even a week after that, with American sanity in a tailspin, only two Americans had died, and about half the known U.S. cases arrived with the evacuees from Japan. Of course the numbers quickly went up (that's why we use the expression "going viral" for your Instagram blowups, kids) but imagine what a graph of actual cases would look like versus a graph measuring panic.
You'll see in your textbooks another example which shows how propaganda works, the reporting of initial problems with the CDC coronavirus test kits. One typical headline claimed "The U.S. Badly Bungled Coronavirus Testing." But the problems were old news almost as the stories were written; 15,000 testing kits were released within 48 hours of that story with plans to send out an additional 50,000. Each kit can test 700-800 patient samples.
The follow-on stories screamed about Trump funding cuts to the CDC, most of which were actually only proposed. Then the stories were merged — Trump cut CDC funding and thus not enough kits were available. Not only were both pieces largely untrue individually (few cuts were made, kits were available), the merging of the two was grossly false. Instead of examining these things for lessons learned in the midst of an unfolding crisis, the media treated them as new bits to mock Trump with, like late night comedians trolling the news for material for their monologue.
No room was left for people making errors in novel decisions under time pressure, just the jump to "Trump incompetence" instead of doing the real work of looking into the questions. The problem with the testing kits was a highly technical one involving chemical reagents and factory contamination. CDC is a massive institution. Who if anyone there made any "bungled" decisions? Would they have likely made a better decision with different funding? If so, then Congress can act and drop some money on that office. If not, move on, there is work to do. It is how the media acts when they seek to fix the blame, not the problem.
The propaganda surrounding how the government initially handled the coronavirus was also obvious in the false "who is in charge" question the media asked. The vice president was given the role heading up the task force. This is the kind of thing VPs do, bring gravitas, make sure a whole of government approach has the bureaucratic firepower it needs, and so on. The propaganda instead hyper-focused on Mike Pence's "disbelief in science," itself more of a chanted mantra than anything established by fact. For "proof" the stories settled on Pence supposedly creating an HIV epidemic while governor of Indiana. The reality is much different. Pence took office opposed to needle exchanges. When dirty needles shared among opioid users in rural Scott County, Indiana were linked to 71 cases of HIV transmission, Pence responded to the new information (sad to see people die, but 71 deaths is all it was and many would have died from their drugs soon enough) by changing his policy and authorizing needle exchange in Scott and four other counties. The reality seems much closer to seeing an ideological stance changed by science than the opposite.
Pence said at the time "I'm going to put the lives of the people of Indiana first. It's a commitment to law and order, but it's a commitment to compassion."
Meanwhile, the media largely ignored those Pence chose for the taskforce. One was Dr. Deborah Birx, a career medical professional nominated by Obama in 2014 as the U.S. global AIDS coordinator. She also served as head of the global HIV/AIDS division at CDC, was an immunology researcher at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and an Army colonel. You want to inspire confidence you profile Dr. Brix; you want to sow discord you misrepresent Mike Pence's decisions years ago.
There's so many more examples, but our class time is short. Here are a few.
You can report on the elimination of Obama's pandemic czar but leave out that the position was just a coordination job on the National Security Council with no real power. It sounds scary (one outlet called it sabotage) to see that job go, but in fact the coordination duties within NSC were reassigned to others.
You can focus on every coronavirus case as proof efforts are failing while ignoring providing perspective by reminding 12,000 people died, with over 13 million infected, from the regular influenza (the one with the vaccine) between October 2019 and February 2020.
You can focus on time will take to develop a full-on vaccine and ignore the treatments already now in human testing trials.
You can purposefully confuse accelerating public health measures already underway with America's lack of universal individual health care. We have plenty of the former, not enough of the latter. But the pandemic is not a solid argument for the latter as it is a problem of public health policy. That's why even countries with good, free care systems are suffering the virus. Medicare for All would not have changed anything in 2020.
You can cover the virus as you did Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Everyone was gonna die there until they didn't. You can follow the now-standard Trump propaganda template: say he won't do enough, then say what he does isn't being done fast enough, predict everything will collapse (with Katrina references) and then move on to a new crisis as the reality of the response takes hold.
You can report on panic selling on Wall Street, or explain how global supply chain problems are not caused by the virus, but by traders' reaction to the unknowns of the virus. China's factories closed because the government enforced social isolation, not because the workers were dead. Soon enough Apple products flowed back into our greedy hands, and the stock market found its way back to a new normal.
You can report store closings, but not their reopenings. By March 1 Starbucks had reopened 85 percent of its stores in China. Apple, over 50 percent. You can emphasize how many Chinese factories were closed in February, or report on their reopenings in March.
You can misrepresent the use of words like hoax to make the president appear weak.
You can ignore the drop off in cases inside China. Only a few days after the first cases appeared in the U.S., new ones inside China dropped to 200.
You can avoid reporting how viruses follow a bell curve. Case counts first rise quickly, the virus claims the "easy" deaths among the elderly, and then environmental factors (viruses must live inside a host; they have limited life outside on surfaces`, typically less and less as temperatures climb. This is why you can't catch HIV from a toilet seat) and public health measures kick in. Treatment emerges and the virus fades. You can explain to calm people where they are in what looks like a 10-12 week cycle to or you can ignore it to stoke fear of the unknown.
The bell curve template is clearly illustrated by a look-back to how HIV/AIDS went from a massive public health crisis in America to a manageable problem. As the virus became known, panic took hold. False reporting outran reality. But the bell curve took over; the virus' transmission became well understood, better testing protocols developed, excellent preventive medicines became available, and treatment regimes now exist which ensure long lives in remission. Knowns displace unknowns. None of this is to minimize the suffering enroute to the current state, but to show there is an established path even for a virus far more deadly than corona.
Class concluded.
"Hey professor, is all this gonna be on the test?"
"No, but it may influence an election. And don't forget to wash your hands before lunch, something is going around."
Fear Itself, Covid Edition
Covid State of Things
COVID and the Minimum Wage: It Hurts
Sustainable Stupidity in Hawaii
Hawaii Held Hostage
Democrats and the Economy: The New Slaves of Hawaii
Posted in 2020, Economy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Mobility package: Parliament adopts position on overhaul of road transport rules
Clear rules on drivers' pay and on rest times
Three-day limit for cabotage operations
Fewer but better controls and roadside checks
MEPs amend rules to fight illegal practices in road transport and improve working conditions for drivers.
On Thursday, Parliament approved its position to negotiate with the Council on revised rules for posting of drivers, drivers' rest times and better enforcement of cabotage rules. They also want to put an end to distortion of competition by hauliers using letterbox companies.
Fairer competition and fighting illegal practices in international transport
To help detect when rules are being breached by road hauliers, Parliament wants to replace the existing restriction on the number of cabotage operations (i.e. transport operations in another EU country following a cross-border delivery), with a time limit (3 days) and introduce registration of border-crossings through vehicle tachographs.
There should also be "cooling-off period" for vehicles to be spent in the home-country (60 hours) before heading for another cabotage, to prevent "systematic cabotage" .
To fight use of letterbox companies, road haulage businesses would need to have substantial activities in the member state where they are registered. Since operators increasingly use light commercial vehicles to provide transport services, those operators would also need to follow EU norms for transport operators, MEPs say.
Clear rules on posting of drivers and less red tape for operators
EU-wide rules on posting of drivers will give a clear legal framework for applying posting of workers rules in the highly mobile transport sector, to prevent red tape caused by differing national approaches and ensure fair remuneration for drivers.
MEPs want the posting rules to apply to cabotage, and cross-border transport operations, excluding transit, bilateral operations and bilateral operations with one extra loading or unloading in each direction (or zero on the way out and two on return).
MEPs want digital technologies to be used to make drivers' lives easier and reduce road-check times. They also want national authorities to focus on companies with poor compliance records, while cutting back on random checks on law-abiding operators.
Better working conditions for drivers
MEPs also proposed changes to help ensure better rest conditions for drivers. Companies will have to organise their timetables so that drivers are able to return home at regular intervals (at least every 4 weeks). The mandatory rest period at the end of the week should not be taken in the truck cab, MEPs add.
Video statements by the rapporteurs (available at approximately 15.30)
The EP position on rules on posting of drivers was approved with 317 votes in favour, 302 against, and 14 abstentions.
The position on rules on drivers rest periods was approved with 394 votes in favour, 236 against, and 5 abstentions.
The position on amending rules on access to the occupation of road transport operator and road haulage market, setting out rules on cabotage and tackling letterbox companies was approved with 371 votes in favour, 251 against, and 13 abstentions.
« Ending the abuse of monopolies in the gas market
Newsletter: Trawler – April 2019 »
EU wins 2012 Nobel Peace Prize: "This prize is for all EU citizens"
The European Union has been awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize for helping to "transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace". Announcing its decision on 12 October, the Nobel Peace Prize committee stated: "The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe."
EU contest "Peace, Europe, Future": four young Europeans to attend the official Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony
Four young Europeans, Ana from Spain, Elena from Italy, Ilona from Poland and Larkin from Malta, will join EU leaders in Oslo for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. They won the drawing and writing contest organised by the EU institutions, in partnership with the European Youth Forum, on the occasion of the award of the Nobel Peace prize to the European Union.
PECH Newsletter Trawler for July 2018 prepared by the Secretariat of the Committee on Fisheries


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Karl Rove Didn't Have the Answers
Richard A. Viguerie attended a benefit dinner recently at which Karl Rove was the speaker. Mr. Rove took questions from the audience, but not from Mr. Viguerie. As the latter says:
"… it was understandable for Rove to pass me by. He is well aware of my unhappiness with President Bush and the GOP congressional leadership—it's all spelled out in my latest book, "Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause" (Bonus Books, 2006). The last thing he needed that night was to give me, an outspoken conservative with no desires for White House invitations, the opportunity, with the nation as audience via C-SPAN, to lob one at the President."
Boy, who wouldn't like a chance to grill question Karl Rove? Since Rove laughingly passed him over (chicken), Mr. Viguerie has posed the question rhetorically, after the fact:
Karl, you've made a number of references tonight about how the Republican Party has lost its way. Well, the conservatives here tonight [the event was at Hillsdale College] — plus millions around the country—would like to have some comfort level that we will feel better about the next two years than we have the last few years. Because quite frankly, the conservatives are getting highly nervous about the early signals we're getting from President Bush and his team: 1) The President said he is looking forward to working with the Democrats on amnesty for illegal aliens, 2) Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson has suggested that nothing is off the table regarding Social Security, which conservatives interpret as opening the door to tax increases and benefit cuts, and 3) the President and congressional Republicans decided to throw in the towel and not fight for one of the few conservatives in his administration, UN Ambassador John Bolton. So, Karl, in light of developments such as these, what assurances can you give us that the White House and the GOP will indeed return to basic conservative principles?
What assurances indeed? And who would believe them?
The next two years are going to be even more disastrous than we dare to think about. What I can't figure out is whether President Bush changed, or he was always like this and we just couldn't see it, given the glaring radioactivity given off by his Democrat presidential opponents.
Is Bush a better choice than those two? "Yes," she said reluctantly. And if he'd run with his true colors flying, I'd have voted for him by default. But like many others, like Mr. Viguerie, I feel betrayed.
At least Gore and Kerry let it all hang out for everyone to see…or, rather, Kerry tried to hide some of the more shameful parts but they kept showing up anyway.
2008 will be a race to see who can distance himself further from the White House. The dust clouds you'll see will resemble the ones stirred up by those herds of buffalo that once covered the western plains. Only these dust clouds will be covering the tracks of the fleeing politicians.
Posted by Dymphna at 12/15/2006 06:58:00 PM
MikeZ said...
The only problem with a guest worker program is that guests will not leave. Turkey is finding that out with their own guest worker program.
It sued to be that you could say with confidence that "liberal" = "Democrat" and "conservative" = "Republican".
But, as someone pointed out, the Founding Fathers were classical liberals. And today's Republicans - at least, those around the top, are not as conservative as the party once was.
A few decades ago, the Democrtaic party left me, so I moved over to the Republicans. Not that the Republicans are leaving me, I'm looking for a place to turn.
Dymphna said...
Aren't we all? A staunch Democrat friend has just left the party. He says there's no where to go so he's going choose a la carte.
That is probably the coming phenomenon and who knows which side will benefit from the huge dis-satisfaction with things as they are? The Dems have two years to mess up, and no doubt they will.
2008 doesn't even *look* interesting.
Counter-Jihadist said...
I too am hopeful that the Dems, in the next two years, will sew the seeds of a real Conservative takeover of the .gov in 2008.
(Hey, I can dream can't I?)
linearthinker said...
I suspect he hasn't had the answers needed for about 4 years, at least. I've wondered for a long time how much of Bush's apparent feckless performance was due to the advice from his "architect". As long as the Republicans managed to squeak by with their narrow margins, I was willing to hold my nose and hope for the best while giving Rove grudging credit for some of the victories. Those hopes rose here when Rove's duties were reshuffled, with less influence on policy so he could concentrate on politics (or was it the other way around?). There seems to have been a crescendo of bad (IMO) decisions and weak positions which seemed out of character for Bush, but which seemed explicable if one factored in the influence of Rove's cunning counsel behind the scenes. Whatever the extent of Rove's culpability, George W. Bush will bear the burden of responsibility for what's shaping up to be a greatly disappointing performance. Like Rush Limbaugh said, I'm tired of carrying the water for those who don't deserve it.
Harrison said...
2008 will be again about which party has screwed the country over the least, which side has less senators and congressmen being indicted, slandered, accused of corruption or all of the above simultaneously - in essence, about the lesser of two evils. My guess is that the Dems won't do any better, and will be forced to toe Republican policies for fear of backlash two years down the road - especially Iraq. If they deviate, judging from their limited capacity to work effectively and the abject failure to come up with any workable, coherent policy on almost anything significant, then we'll see them at the door.
Maybe Rove's belief in his architect-esque role as brilliant strategist blinded him to delusions of grandeur. Maybe he was overrated, or that the barrage of scandals, accusations and indictments proved too much even for the ingenious Rove himself.
Well, Bob Barr left the Republican Party for the Libertarian Party; why don't y'all think about it? If enough people leave and go to the Constitution Party of Libertarian Party we might have half a chance.
Your Thug or Mine?
Of All the Deaths in 2006 Whom Will You Grieve the...
Those Racist Swedes
EXTRA: Muslims Not Offended!
Senator Boxer Caught in the CAIR Headlights
Baghdad Ballet
The Twelfth Viking
Welcome to North Korea
The Legions of Abyssinia
Distributed Intelligence
Juleaften i Københavns Domkirke
A Bird's-Eye View of Jamaat ul-Fuqra
Creating a "Rift", WAPO Style
Inside the Gates
A "Clarifying Moment" or Further Murk?
Merry Something-or-Other
The West Must Stop Tormenting Itself
Terror in the Chunnel
Virgil Goode Threatened by ROP
Reining in the CAIR Treatment
Stuck Inside of Philly with the Lynchburg Blues Ag...
The "Nuke Mecca" Meme
There's a Hole in Sandy's Pants Where All the Pape...
Shades of Rwanda, Only With More Factions
Gates of Vienna Goes to Toronto
The Federal Behemoth
Welcome to Middle East Hell
Every Woman Needs a Little Black Dress
We Live in Interesting Times
Any Freepers Around?
Way Cool: Une Grande Conservative Blogress Diva......
The German Church Draws the Line on Islam
Rockin' James
The Veil is Islamism's Symbol
The Government is Not Your Friend
Calling Theodore Dalrymple
Finland Troll for Refugees
Bolton Says Iran's Holocaust Denial is Genocide
Uncle Joe Redux
Council Results for December 1st, 2006
Changing the Venue
Democrats Held Meetings with Hamas
The Ten Righteous
Even If We Have to Kill Your Kids, We'll Get You
Mail Bomb
'Tis the Season of Peace…Oil
"Mr. President, I Yield the Floor"
On the Barricades
The Would-Be Shopping Mall Mujahid
Requiescat In Pace, Jeane Duane Jordan Kirkpatrick...
The Latest Dhimmi News From Norway
Le Mot Juste
We're on Our Own
Frank Gaffney: "The Iraq Surrender Group" Report
Dissin' Les Flics
Two Clear Winners for the Council
An Immigrant's Observations
The Coming Russian Fascism
The Trouble With Irshad Manji
Advent, 2006 A.D.
Not-So-Strange Bedfellows: Democrats and Destroyer...
You Can Check Out Any Time You Like, But You Can N...
This Little Piggy Ran Races
The Latest Chapter of The Incredibly Shrinking Chu...
A Deeper Swell
Away in a Closet


text:
package com.vmware.vim25;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessorType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlType;

/**
 *
Java class for ArrayOfPerfSampleInfo complex type.
 *
 *
The following schema fragment specifies the expected content contained within this class.
 *
 *

 * <complexType name="ArrayOfPerfSampleInfo">
 *   <complexContent>
 *     <restriction base="{http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema}anyType">
 *       <sequence>
 *         <element name="PerfSampleInfo" type="{urn:vim25}PerfSampleInfo" maxOccurs="unbounded" minOccurs="0"/>
 *       </sequence>
 *     </restriction>
 *   </complexContent>
 * </complexType>
 *

 *
 *
 */
@XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD)
@XmlType(name = "ArrayOfPerfSampleInfo", propOrder = {
    "perfSampleInfo"
})
public class ArrayOfPerfSampleInfo {

    @XmlElement(name = "PerfSampleInfo")
    protected List<PerfSampleInfo> perfSampleInfo;

    /**
     * Gets the value of the perfSampleInfo property.
     *
     *

     * This accessor method returns a reference to the live list,
     * not a snapshot. Therefore any modification you make to the
     * returned list will be present inside the JAXB object.
     * This is why there is not a set method for the perfSampleInfo property.
     *
     *

     * For example, to add a new item, do as follows:
     *

     *    getPerfSampleInfo().add(newItem);
     *

     *
     *
     *

     * Objects of the following type(s) are allowed in the list
     * {@link PerfSampleInfo }
     *
     *
     */
    public List<PerfSampleInfo> getPerfSampleInfo() {
        if (perfSampleInfo == null) {
            perfSampleInfo = new ArrayList<PerfSampleInfo>();
        }
        return this.perfSampleInfo;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Pashupati es un nombre propio indio.
 Pashupati ('señor de las bestias'), nombre del dios hinduista Shiva.
 Pashupati Chatterjee (1906-1991), cineasta indio.
 Pashupati Bhattacharyi, cantante y compositor bengalí, padre del cantante Kumar Sanu (n. 1957).
 Pashupati Shumsher, político nepalí, del Partido Nacional Democrático.
 Pashupati Nath Singh (n. 1949) político indio del Partido Popular Indio, y miembro del Parlamento Indio.
 Pashupati Paneru (n. 1982), jugador nepalí de bádminton, actualmente retirado.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: General structure of language packs I am currently programming a GUI program with PyQt6. It should be multilingual.
Problem
How to structure language packs / files the best way?
Idea
CSV file
I could create a CSV file for every language. It has two columns; one for unique IDs and one for the content. The program gets the content by knowing the ID for every occurrence of text in the GUI.

ID
CONTENT

12345
Welcome to the new program!

32456
Homepage

64375
Contact

...
...

12345; Welcome to the new program!
32456; Homepage
64375; Contact

A: I have done that with a sqlite database and use it to put out messages in different languages. I load the last used language texts at the beginning of the programm and them use them as needed. Table structure is textid(integer, primary key), messageId(integer), text(char), language(char)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


2. Branches of foreign auditing firms in Vietnam are carried on business of audit services in accordance with the law regulations.
3. Enterprises, enterprises' branches that are insufficient conditions to carry on business of audit services are not entitled to use the term "audit" in their names.
4. Auditing firms are not entitled to contribute capital to set up another auditing firm, unless the contribution of capital to foreign auditing firms to set up an auditing firm in Vietnam.
đ) Contributed capital portion of member as organization shall not exceed the level set by the Government. Representative of member as organization must be practicing auditor.
c) Private enterprise owner is director as well.
đ) Foreign auditing firms must ensure the maintenance of capital not less than the legal capital level as stipulated by the Government.
5. Within six months from the date of business registration of audit services which auditing firms, branches of foreign auditing firms in Vietnam are not granted certificates of sufficient conditions to carry on business of audit services must conduct the procedures to reject the business line of audit services.


← Book Review: What Does The Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality?
Sometimes expressions are so common that we cease to think of how revolutionary or how alarming they are. Let us take, for example, the expression "hoist with their own petard," which first appears in the English language in Shakespeare's classic play Hamlet. During the late 1500's and early 1600's there was a rash of religious related violence that included but was not limited to the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in France that slaughtered thousands of Protestants, the assassination of the Dutch revolt leader William of Orange, and the second defenestration of Prague, which started the Thirty Year's War and led to the death of many Germans and the beginning of the contemporary age of Westphalian diplomacy . In this atmosphere of immense violence and hostility among different worldviews within Europe Shakespeare came up with an expression in a play that dealt with violence that demonstrated the often-neglected truth that those who plan violence often end up destroying themselves in the process.
This is a lesson we would do well to learn. Our own time appears to greatly trust in political violence in a variety of forms to prove our points. Even mainstream political parties in some countries, like the United States, endorse political violence against opponents that they denigrate for being fascist, which tempts many people to oblige them by cracking down on them as domestic terrorists. But whether we are trying to attack political enemies because of a belief that their mere existence is dangerous, or support drone strikes or bombings or even the slicing and dicing of political opponents when they are engaging in routine evidence of trying to get a marriage licensed, political violence is a common contemporary problem in our world. And in our support of the coercive power of states or of the coercive power of paramilitary groups in order to help takeover the state, it is easy to forget that this violence can easily rebound destructively upon us and that those who are quick to resort to the sword or gun or bomb may easily die by the means they have sought to utilize to destroy others.
Sometimes this happens in literal ways. When an American or Israeli drone kills a bombmaker, the irony is rather appropriate. Better yet, when someone's efforts at planning weapons leads to their own death when their bomb factory explodes, there is a sense of poetic justice about such a fate. Those who seek to bring political violence to ordinary people and who find themselves dead instead will not find me a mourner at their funeral, regardless of their political ideology. More often, though, those who wish to spread their own ideology by violence are themselves often (perceived) victims of violence who increase violence that ends up consuming the lives of other people and leading to still other people whose wounds and losses lead them to resort to violence as a way of evening the score. When even the act of having a bumper sticker on one's car or an item of clothing like a hat or a t-shirt that shows one's political worldview can provoke violence, and when the response of others who have been subject to violence or at least felt it possible that they may be respond with contempt instead of compassion, we live in a world where politics has gotten too serious.
That is not to say that politics is unserious, but only that it is not nearly as serious as we often make it. What is most serious and most important about politics are not political issues at all but the underlying moral and philosophical issues underneath our politics. Yet we seldom go beneath the surface in examining these matters. People proclaim others to be against science when they are only against bad philosophy masquerading as science, such as the philosophical position of scientism and naturalism which denies anything nonphysical. People slander and libel others as being against women when they are only against the murder of innocent unborn children. And so it goes. Our inability to separate the deeper philosophical and theological disagreements we have with others from the surface level identities that these choices manifest themselves in mean that we treat the surface level disagreements of being as of greater importance than is the case. Violence is a form of communication, to be sure, but it is not a very good form of communication.
Indeed, it may be said that the violence of our own time is a natural consequence of the silence that often exists between people of very different worldviews. If we live in an echo chamber and only hear views that are supportive of our worldview and position, we may greatly exaggerate how obvious what we view of as truth is. We may simply not be equipped to handle those who think and reason differently from ourselves. On the other hand, some of us have always been involved in debate and communication with those of other worldviews. Whether it is because we have combative personalities, or worldviews which are sufficiently unusual that we have no choice but to engage with others or because we live in areas where we are surrounded by those who think and feel differently from ourselves, we may find ourselves in significant danger of suffering from political violence because people cannot handle the content of our communication. To seek to silence others through violence is a sign that one is not confident in one's ability to silence arguments through refutation and reason. And if our rhetoric is sufficiently combative, it can be easy for all of us to be hoist on our own petard when others take our rhetoric seriously and respond to us the way we endorse others being dealt with with whom we violently disagree.
This entry was posted in History, Musings and tagged communication, politics. Bookmark the permalink.


The College of Arts & Sciences will host its Fourth Annual Alumni Tailgate prior to the Texas Tech-Oklahoma Football game on Saturday, November 3. The college's most popular alumni event of the year is a great way to connect with fellow A&S alumni and friends.
This year's tailgate will begin at 4 p.m. and will be held on the North Lawn of Holden Hall. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased online while walk-up tickets will be $20. Kids 12-and-under are free. Admission includes an all-you-can-eat buffet, beer and wine.
There will be plenty of televisions to catch all the action of other college games across the country as well as live music from Marshall Stevens and The Trespassers.
Cagle Steaks & BBQ, McPherson Cellars and Anheuser-Busch are generous sponsors of the event and will be providing the food and beverages.
All proceeds benefit the A&S Fund for Excellence.
For more information, contact Cathey Durham at (806) 834-4754.


Earn 5.00% CashCoins at Funky Hampers just like I did.
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