Guns N’ Roses singer has demonstrated that he has a firm stance on musicians who compromise their art for the sake of money
Axl Rose He’s not a guy who does a lot of interviews. Especially from the 1990s onwards, the singer of Armas e Rosas He began to speak much less to the press — therefore, little is known about his tastes and opinions.
There is, however, a great rock icon that Rose made a point of praising back in the 1980s. Robert Plantvocalist of Led Zeppelin.
In an interview with the journalist Steve Harris — not to be confused with the bassist of the same name Iron Maiden —, retrieved from the website Far Out Magazine, Axl shared a reflection on how bands were behaving at that time. It is worth remembering that the 1980s were marked by a series of sonic and aesthetic excesses in style.
And then Zeppelin came up in the discussion. The historic hard rock group is seen as a maximum example of honesty to its audience for having decided to end activities shortly after the death of their drummer John Bonhamin 1980. Except for very rare occasions for special shows, the group never got together.
Given this, Axl highlighted the integrity of vocalist Robert Plant, especially in his post-Led activities. For the Guns N’ Roses frontman, his professional colleague simply moved on instead of dwelling on the past.
“He didn’t compromise his art. He’s moved on, he’s an older guy. He doesn’t agree with some of the lyrics he’s written before, but, like, you go through life and you make changes.”
Still about Plant, Rose commented on a specific song of his released in the 1980s: “Big Log”. The praise extended to guitarist Jimmy Page, who also started some of his own projects during the period.
“I don’t listen to a lot of Robert Plant’s current stuff, but I have a lot of respect for him. I really like the song ‘Big Log’. I have a lot of respect for that, because he’s being himself and doesn’t compromise. And Jimmy Page is pretty much the same way.”
Axl Rose and the return of Led Zeppelin
When he expanded his statement to talk about a possible return of Led Zeppelin, Axl Rose was against it. For him, it would just be a nostalgic attempt to relive something that has already passed.
“Of course you miss the old Led Zeppelin, but people go back to high school reunions and sit there talking to a fat, bald guy, and then they don’t even realize he was the star player on the high school football team who got all the girls. People miss that thing, but the guy has changed. Now he’s the guy who could be happy otherwise, any family man in the country, or something like that now. You go through changes.”
Finally, the Guns N’ Roses singer assured that he would never compromise his art for the sake of commercial success.
“I just don’t like compromises to be successful. This bothers me. I’d rather go hungry than pay the rent by bending over and taking it in the ass. That’s how I think.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
