RussTCB recently wrote an open letter to Guns N’ Roses on MyGNRForum about recent drama in the GNR fan community, which mentions Brando from Athe Appetite for Distortion podcast (Gambit83 on MyGNRForum).
Guns N’ Roses tour manager Del James wrote in response to the letter on Twitter, “I read it and to be honest I have very little sympathy for anyone who uploads anything that they’re not supposed to like movies/music/videos. If someone is concerned about legal ramifications then maybe they shouldn’t break the law? Let the flames begin…”
He later clarified his views after being sent more information.
“Dear @ms_metal
I am not fully aware of the situation, & again to be perfectly honest, not particularly interested about bootlegs but the part about people’s families being threatened is disturbing.
Who is making these threats and what exactly are they saying? Pls clarify.”
“When I first replied without knowing much other than the question posed and the link to a message board post, I assumed someone got a ‘cease & desist’ letter and that was interpreted as a threat. Now it’s starting to sound more like personal message board drama.”
“And did it ever occur to you that possibly this online bully who is part of ‘your community’ is lying about his or her connection to GNR?
The internet is a strange place. Lots of liars, obsessives, psychos, bullshit artists, and fake accounts.
I wish you well.”
“Without knowing exactly how, my guess would b someone goes 2 youtube & claims to work for someone (Elvis for example). If they have enuff information about (Elvis Inc.) & can bullshit youtube enough into believing they r legit, then they can report illegal/unauthorized material.”
“When I read/skimmed a message board post about ‘families being threatened’ I assumed that a lawyer sent a cease and desist letter which scared someone into thinking they were going to get their balls sued off for posting copyrighted or illegal material.”
You can read the letter below.
An open letter to Guns N’ Roses, Team Brazil, UMG and those who are ruining the community-
After listening to the latest episode of @Gambit83’s podcast, I’m left in the same state of many of you loyal Guns N’ Roses fans; shocked, saddened, frustrated, angry but most of all disappointed.
Like so many users of this site, I am “just a fan”. I’m actually a big fan of many, many different artists with GN’R just being one of them. However, I found a home in the GN’R online community a long time ago, so I stuck around. Over the years, it’s been such a rewarding experience that many of us have stuck with it. Even while being fans of a band that for reasons unknown to us, refuses to release new music. We’ve all stuck together because we’ve made life long friends in some cases. It goes past the music, concerts & merchandise for many of us. It’s about a sense of community and dare I say, family, that we’ve all cultivated.
Speaking for myself, I’ve made friends literally all over the world because of this community. Pre-parties in Las Vegas, Chicago, New York City and even in my own home have produced countless memories with people I now call friends whom I never would have met if it weren’t for this community. The wonderful thing is that my story is not unique! For every person I now call friend, those people have another 5-10 people they’ve met that they now call friend.
I’m creating this thread as an open letter to anyone who works with or for the Guns N’ Roses brand because what is happening to the community right now can only be described with one word: disgusting.
I’m tagging @Fernando in this in hopes that he or anyone from Team Brazil or anyone from UMG or anyone from Guns N’ Roses will see it and begin to help the community that’s been so loyal for so long.
What started as some YouTube videos taken down has now escalated far past that, TWICE. People are having their families threatened over this! @axlrosefan4life and Gambit83 are just the latest victims and my heart is heavy thinking about the fact that they may not be the last. I absolutely do NOT want any sort of harm to befall anyone, let alone members or previous members of this community.
We as a community need help from someone and we need it as soon as possible seeing as this is getting out of hand very fast. It seems that a couple of folks have no sense of boundaries, nor care or compassion which could lead to something beyond awful happening. All of this over what? Videos of old concerts being removed from YouTube?? If I weren’t directly involved in this, I wouldn’t even believe what I just typed!
To Team Brazil, UMG and/or Guns N’ Roses; if you have anything to do with this material being removed because it is copyrighted, we understand. If you have anything to do with any material being removed because you intend to package it and sell it to us in the future, we understand. If you have anything to do with encouraging certain folks to take action on your behalf which has led to where we are now, we do NOT understand.
If you do in fact have any dealing with the people in question, you really need to understand the lengths they’re going to in your name and the dark path we’re already headed down. It’s on you to step up now and clarify some things and help out the fan base that’s done nothing but support you for decades. Concert bootlegs are something that have been enjoyed by music fans for decades upon decades. If you choose to take that away due to future earning possibilities, that’s fine. I’m not here to argue that aspect of it. However, explaining that to the commnunity would’ve gone a long way prior to this and would even help out to some extent now.
Another aspect that needs to be considered is this; the open selling of original, studio works by Guns N’ Roses has been rampant over the years. Why was no action taken then? Why has no action been taken now? If nothing else, why aren’t you at least telling your biggest supporters why this is happening to them over concert bootlegs as opposed to those making thousands off of your hard work? Again, if you clarify why these things are being taken down, then the mystery is solved. We wouldn’t need to discuss it here, on podcasts or anywhere else because we would already have the answer. Not everyone would agree with the answer(s) but it would at least be a start. Discussing the material being taken down is what has led us to where we are; a couple of people acting in your name, going so far as to make TWO (as of this posting) real life threats against families.
This needs to end now.
The only thing that will end it is some sort of communication from Team Brazil, UMG and/or Guns N’ Roses.
To those trying to ruin the community, you know who you are and you know in your heart that what you’re doing is wrong. PLEASE. STOP. Please take just 5 minutes and think about how wrong your actions are, how quickly they’ve escalated and how badly this could all turn out.
To the community here at mygnrforum and my previous family at gnrevolution & newguns; you are and continue to be the only reason I’m still here. Thank you for all of the joy you’ve brought to me over the years whether in a foreign city or in my own home. Thank you to people like @downzy, @FRANSAD, @highvoltage, @metalms, @Gibbo, @Otto, @buzzsaw, @ZoSoRose, all of the people I’ve already tagged and all of the people I’m forgetting to tag for everything you’ve ever done to help another Guns N’ Roses fan out.
To the current users of the board incensed by what is happening right now, please remember a few things; The community will survive this. We at mygnrforum can not, do not and will not encourage or support any sort of retaliatory comments or actions. I am doing what I believe is the only thing that can be done for the community; laying this at the feet of those in charge of the band and hoping they’ll do the right thing.
Lastly, I’d like to say that earlier today I turned off a Guns N’ Roses song for the first time I can ever remember since I first heard them in 1987. I never in my life thought I’d get to a point where just hearing their music made my upset, yet here we are.
Fernando, Team Brazil, UMG, Guns N’ Roses………someone……….please do the right thing and step in to help us out.
EDIT-
To clarify, two users here (axlrosefan4life and gambit83) have had threats made against their families by the people claiming to represent TB and/or Guns N’ Roses. The details exact details aren’t mine to share so I tagged both users later in this thread. They’re more than welcome to post whatever details they chose, but I will not ask them to do so. The mere fact that their families are being threatened by a couple of people claiming to represent TB and/or GN’R should be enough for all parties to look into this IMO.
Brando discussed this controversy on the latest episode of Appetite for Distortion. Guns N’ Roses Central also had Brando on recently to discuss the drama, along with former GNR manager Doug Goldstein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM0qm9Bhl4U
Listen to “Ep. 76 – Marc Danzeisen, Gilby Clarke/Riverdogs” on Spreaker.
