Paul Stenning is a writer who has written
the unofficial Guns n' Roses biography "The Band That Time Forgot", and recently
the unofficial Slash biography "Slash: Surviving Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver and
Rock's Snakepit". He has also written about AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and he currently also
writes for the magazine Metal Maniacs.
In Paul Stenning's recent biography about Slash, he looks through Slash's career, which
was mainly made up of three major bands: Guns n' Roses, Velvet Revolver and Slash's
Snakepit. The book looks at the break up of Guns n' Roses, and the productive (or
counter-productive?) relationship he had with Axl for several years. The book seemingly
claims this relationship led to the band breaking up. Leaving that debate aside, the book
quotes this page - the GnR Source - several times, making it the first book to do so. For
those who read the book, you may have noticed how it claims that GnRsource.com spoke to
several former members of Guns n' Roses. I have been allowed by Stenning to say that this
is based on a misundestanding, and that even if the quotes are real, they're all based on
second hand sources, and no quotes are the result of me interviewing any current or past
band member (even if some information is).
I took the time to write Stenning a few questions, asking him about the process
of writing, and his upcoming projects, as well as his belief in whether "Chinese
Democracy" will be released this year. It should be noted that Stenning in 2005 said
he didn't think the album would be out then, but maybe in 2007 (Sp1at.com, 2005A). Given
the nature of e-mail interviews, it does fall a little short of the possibility of follow
ups and explanations, and there is thus a few misunderstandings in this interview.
I know you had a hard time trying to get an interview with Slash the last time you
wrote about GnR, and it does seem a little weird that you write about someone it's hard to
get interview with. Why did you you really write about him? [note: I meant
writing about Slash over a person he could perhaps get an interview with.]
Stenning: I didn’t really try to be perfectly honest. I was advised
there would be little point trying to get hold of the actual current or past band members
for my unofficial Gn’R biography. As it happens I did make a few enquires but as
expected nothing came back. Every book I have written has been unofficial. That’s not
necessarily been my choice but it’s the case so I don’t have much leeway as to
whether I can speak to the artist concerned.
So I disagree that it is weird writing about someone it is hard to interview. You are
entitled to write about anyone you wish! After all you devote a website to a band who are
not in contact with you… If a band/artist is interesting and people want to read
about them, that’s where unofficial books come in. If there already is one I usually
wouldn’t do a project unless I feel I can do it better and if there is an official
one (as will soon be the case with Slash) then the publisher didn’t know before
agreeing on an unofficial one.
Was writing about Slash easy and fun? Was it complicated to balance Slash's
positive and negative sides when writing about him?
Stenning: In fairness to him there are few negative sides, at least that
WE know about. If he is a nasty person on the side he does a good job of hiding it.
Therefore I would say it was quite easy and fun, though for me the Gn’R story is a
little boring now, I’ve written it 3 times. The part I most enjoyed (as with all my
books) is working on the lesser-known parts of an artist’s career; in this case it
was Slash’s Snakepit.
In the past you've written about various other bands, including Guns n' Roses,
Iron Maiden and AC/DC. What usually motivates you to write about these bands?
Stenning: Love for the bands pure and simple. I have a million books I
would like to write and somewhere in there these bands lay. Unfortunately you can’t
always write about your favourite bands or someone you feel deserves more attention, you
have to go with what a publisher thinks will sell but also what you are happy to put your
name to.
When you wrote about GnR, I know you had trouble with the GnR camp (Sp1at.com
2005A). Does such things kill your motivation to write about the band again, or could you
consider writing a book about the current band?
Stenning: Again I didn’t have trouble, what do you mean by that? If
you mean the management wouldn’t return my emails then that’s about as much
trouble as I had which is fine by me, I didn’t expect a reply. I know from the small
clues I’ve received from the people that were or still are connected with Gn’R
that the book went down pretty well. The proof of that is the fact we weren’t sued!
So in answer to your question I would write a book on the current band and my motivation
wouldn’t ever be killed unless every single member told me my book was a piece of
shit.
In the last book about Slash, you've sourced this page a few times, and I
appreciate that. But how did you find out about it and what do you think would improve it?
Stenning: Just through searches to find decent material online. It’s
a tribute to you that your website not only came up but provided me with material and also
some entertainment. I think it’s a great site, mainly because it’s in depth,
heartfelt and it looks more professional than the other fan pages.
Do you consider yourself a Velvet Revolver fan and would you consider writing a
book about them?
Stenning: I didn’t at first but now I do, once I gave them an
opportunity instead of instantly dismissing them, which I did to begin with. In a way I
have already written a book on them, it was just a short one! I did a long chapter to go
in the revised Gn’r book and I also wrote a CD biography on the band.
Everything indicates that the new GnR album will be out this year. Do you believe
it will be and have you heard anything about this?
Stenning: Absolutely not. I don’t think the album will ever come
out! Only joking… although I am starting to wonder. In 2004 I gave odds on when the
album would come out, and my predicted year at that time was 2007. But now we’re here
and already in May and as usual the band is pumping out the usual press bollocks, that the
album is in the mixing stages and there is no release date planned. So my new prediction
has to be 2008 but I wouldn’t hold much faith in that.
Did you hear the new studio leaks from GnR ("Better" and
"Madagascar") and if so, did you like them? Also, do you like the other new
songs (if you heard them)?
Stenning: I heard everything but it doesn’t do much to restore our
faith after so long in wait. Sure the quality will be better on the finished product but I
am not too keen on Axl’s voice and it sounds pretty weak. There is no balls to it!
Perhaps this will be remedied in the final mix (and it should considering how long
it’s taking) but in my opinion there is a lot of work to do. All these years and that
is all he’s come up with? I didn’t want to side with Velvet Revolver but look at
the difference – they started a band and a year later they had an album, toured the
world, made videos, released singles, won awards and now they are going to be back with
ANOTHER album and ANOTHER tour.
Do you have any plans or ideas of who you will write about next?
Stenning: I am finishing off my book on thrash metal but other than that
I’m open to offers.
Finally, you may be aware that Axl bit a man's knee last year in Sweden. Say that
you have to bite someone's knee, who would you pick?
Stenning: I generally do attack people if I want to so I have no
particular outstanding arseholes who deserve to be bitten, no one who I would risk
catching something from anyway!
"Slash: Surviving Guns N' Roses,
Velvet Revolver and Rock's Snakepit" can be ordered from Stenning's MySpace account.
Thanks to Paul for doing the
interview, staff members and forum members for submitting questions and to sp1at.com for
doing an interview with Stenning in 2005, that I used for research. The source can be
found in sources section.
[Discuss] |