Seriously? I TOTALLY disagree---I am a huge GNR fan and have been from the get go (there's a GNR tattoo involved to prove it) and I think it's a HUGE deal. I agree band members change but when ALL of them change but one, it's no longer the band but a cover band. As much as I love Axl's voice and don't feel that GNR could be GNR without his voice, I don't think it's GNR without a couple more members to go along with him. And I also think that the majority of GNR fans feel that way also and feel it's lame for Axl to continue doing it. Now that's not to say that I wouldn't like to see Axl solo but if I see GNR I want at least 3 of the original members in the band.
Topkat--I was wondering if you've read any of the biographies by Slash, Duff or Steven's? Steven's is so very, very sad and inspiring at the same time. He is very honest about how bad he got and has regrets but yet says he'd pretty much do it all over again. He was the first one to say he'd be at any reunion as soon as he got a phone call. He delves into the Don Henley thing and how he left the band. All the versions of it in all 3 books pretty much tell the story the same way only from each of their points of view. If you haven't read these---please do. I am a rock biography junkie and read them all the time and think Slash's is one of the best one's I've ever read.