Guns N' Roses was all about reviving rock in a decade suffocating with MTV pop-trash and neo-classical shred. It was Slash's aggressive playing style matched with Axl's aggressive lyrics that made GNR so awesome. I can't say that Slash made the band, or that Axl did. I think it was a Page/Plant type relationship: both were required. Also, Axl didn't write all the lyrics and songs. Yeah he played the keyboard on occasion but he shouldn't be credited with all the songwriting. A lot of times it was him and Slash or him and Izzy. As for new GNR, I can't say I've heard enough of them to give them a chance. But I've heard that they've turned more industrial (like the song they did for that movie soundtrack, Oh My God). And Slash in his Snakepit doesn't suit me either. One might even say that both of them have become even more hardcore individually, I think they need each other to balance out.

P.S. Isn't Axl really fat now? I was distressed to hear this... he's always been the ladies man.