New Todd Kerns blog: "SMKC knew about this for 'some time', we still plan to record new album in May, Release in 2017"

[grouse]

i know Todds blogs usually get overlooked on this site, and i camt tell if this belongs in the D&N or Slash section, but uere is a little proof that this has been in the pipeline for sometime;

http://www.toddkerns.com/blog/

"By now you will have been privy to news that is hardly unexpected yet wholly exciting nonetheless. God knows it never seemed to be that carefully kept a secret. For a long time now we Conspirators have been personally made aware that the regrouping of one of the most important brotherhoods in music history was underway. That thing that everyone had wished for but never thought possible was quietly (and not so quietly) cooking under our very noses. To be in this close of proximity to a history of Rock N Roll moment occurring has been nothing short of incredible. With Myles returning to a new chapter of Alter Bridge the door has opened for any number of circumstances and the semi-reunion of Guns N Roses is one of the most exciting by products thereof."

As Slash’s bro I think this is a very exciting and important chapter for him to embark on. I support him wholeheartedly to dive into this experience but as his friend I would support him if he decided to walk away from music and live amongst Buddhist monks in Nepal. That’s what bros do. How it affects me really isn’t the point. This thing is bigger than all of us. I think it is a healthy thing for the individuals involved as well as the great gift they are giving to the world. I ccept that gift thankfully. And how exactly does this affect me? Well, to be honest we have all known for a long time that 2016 was going to be a year with not much public activity in the SMKC camp. We still have every intention of entering the studio to record SMKCIII in May and some form of release following in 2017. In music, as in life, things change all the time. For me I have taken on a number of projects that as usual I wish there were at least two of me to see through.

Todd also talks about how the band has been writing together since thanksgiving

There you go

[sonofnazareth]

So I wonder if this means Axl still plans to release CD2 in 2016. And then hire another guitar player to take Slash's spot?

What a convoluted mess of a reunion.

[BadApples87]

Axl, Slash, Duff might do this on a one-time only deal. They might tour the world this year and that will be the end of it. Kind of like the Police and their one-time reunion tour.

[Silent Jay]

So I wonder if this means Axl still plans to release CD2 in 2016. And then hire another guitar player to take Slash's spot?

Probably. Here's the reunion you all wanted for twenty years, then leave us alone. GN'R ain't dead, they're forging ahead. I mean, it's pretty hard to see Slash changing his mind over Axl's ballads. It's still Axl's band.

[Apollo]

So I wonder if this means Axl still plans to release CD2 in 2016. And then hire another guitar player to take Slash's spot?

Probably. Here's the reunion you all wanted for twenty years, then leave us alone. GN'R ain't dead, they're forging ahead. I mean, it's pretty hard to see Slash changing his mind over Axl's ballads. It's still Axl's band.

I would be perfectly happy with a coachella real reunion. Then Axl gets his new band in line. Probably with Duff. Then they release CD2 and tour it.

Seems about perfect.

[gnfnrs1972]

"Things change" is the new soon is the word

Anyway, nicely worded letter, but this whole blog posts seems as a reminder that this reunion thing is only for touring purposes and SMKC is Slash's real band. If that's the case, i will go to one of the european shows and give up on this band, imho

I don't understand why people on here say soon is the word. He actually said I don't know if soon is the word.

[uncivil war]

As a Guns fan and a SMK&C fan, dare I hope that we could be getting a new album (featuring Slash) from both in the not to distant future?

I feel like I'm being kinda greedy for wanting that, considering one of those bands track record.

[ChineseIRS]

Once having Slash back theres no way Axl could carry Guns forward with any amount of success without him again after this year.

[Gibbo]

US stadium date is where you'll see Izzy and Adler making guess spots. There is no way in the world Adler is not going to be involved! Do you really think he would be sitting home going oh damn am not going to be playing in the reunion gigs oh well shit happens. If that was the case he would be on social media going off his head big time. But instead there is nothing from him

Edited January 7, 2016 by Gibbo 27

[KeyserSoze]

Todd is scheduled to guest on MYGNRs second favorite reunion speculationist's show tomorrow.. not sure if there is any more GNR related info that Todd could give out... but we all know Trunk will bring it up

[Rovim]

Holy SHIT!!! there's gonna be a SMKC III ? .................................

Personally I still want to hear it. World On Fire contained great riffs and solos. Some of Slash's melodies and leads were brilliant, and the band rocks hard. Myles in The Conspirators is not my thing, but it doesn't totally ruin the experience for me.

[The Black]

I'm wondering, how long did it take to record his previous albums?

Not mix and master, just record.

[Ralphelmo]

Approx 2 weeks.

[KeyserSoze]

podcast;

Main things we wanna know:

Talking about what the future holds for SMKC, Todd says he was sat down in a meeting after SMKC's Moscow gig and basically told whats going on for the upcoming year in 2016.

He says contrary to what the media is saying, he didn't know about this for a "long time", but had been told fairly recently that things in the GNR camp were being "worked on"

Trunk immediately jumps on the opportunity to ask Todd about the reunion, first hyping "World on Fire" and everything Slash has done with SMKC in the last 5 years, but then saying that this GNR "reunion" is long over due, and the worst kept secret of late 2015.

Todd says that Slash is not the type of person to sit down and call a meeting, but rather very friendly told them that there was something in the works that could be happening sometime soon. Todd then compares it to the fact that everyone in the band always knew Myles Kennedy was going to go back to Alter Bridge at some point, but this time its Slash going off and doing his own thing. He says the GNR reunion actually works out because Myles was going to go with Alter Bridge and do that for an extended period of time and SMKC would be put on hold until that was finished.

Todd: "His whole life he's had to answer the question of 'when is it going to happen', and you know a certain number of different things led up to this, and you know… fuck it! go do it!"

Eddie asks if this whole GNR thing was presented as a "maybe it might happen one day" sort of thing, or a "its definitely happening soon" sort of deal. Todd says they pretty much knew everything was going to dormant in 2016 except for recording the new album. He then goes on to talk about WOF recording process and what to expect this time around.

Going back to Trunks original question, Todd says he can't really remember the perspective the reunion was put into, he just remembers "Coachella being the big one and this and that, and we sort of went… okay!"

Todd: "Anything can change and anything can happen..'

Todd backs up Slashs claim that SMKC have an Albums worth of material written and that bass and drum recording will be done in spring.

Todd; "Theres no reason we shouldn't make this album, unless… you know… scheduling gets really crazy… which… lets be honest.. could happen *laughs*"

Todd then mentions that the second part of the record will be done in the fall… (hmm this is interesting… Looks like slash will be busy till the fall )

Eddie and Todd then talk about how unpredictable this reunion could be and everything could fall apart before it even gets off the ground

Todd also is really excited about wanting to see Slash play the solo to Estranged

Todd mentions he doesn't know who's in the lineup besides Duff, and Trunk mentions the rumors about the Lineup from June 2014, minus BBF and DJ.

Eddie: "SLASHES MANGER SAYS THERE WILL BE NO PRESS, NO INTERVIEWS, NO CONFERENCE LEADING UP TO COACHELLA"

Eddie and Todd then shoot the shit on various reunion rumors. Todd just says they are interesting and he can't wait to see what happens

Eddie thinks Axl pulled out of Kimmel because he"doesn't have answers that the people wanna hear"

other things Todd talks about:

Death of Lemmy and Bowie (Todd talks about how Lemmy was never a sloppy drunk and Eddie mentions that Slash would be that kinda guy around 25 years ago)

His TKO foundation and various other topics

Edited January 12, 2016 by KeyserSoze

[fernandoGNR]

podcast;

Main things we wanna know:

Todd says he was sat down in a meeting after SMKC's Moscow gig and basically told whats going on for the upcoming year in 2016.

[...]

Thanks for posting this!

That would be around the same time Slash2baz told us about the change of plans for Slash in 2016. By the way, where is he? He haven't posted that much since then.

[KeyserSoze]

podcast;

Main things we wanna know:

Todd says he was sat down in a meeting after SMKC's Moscow gig and basically told whats going on for the upcoming year in 2016.

[...]

Thanks for posting this!

That would be around the same time Slash2baz told us about the change of plans for Slash in 2016. By the way, where is he? He haven't posted that much since then.

he is in fact reading this thread as i type this

Edited January 12, 2016 by KeyserSoze

[xBrownstonex]

Who is he?

[colonizedmind]

Who is he

Bassist in Slash's band

[Patience 4 Axl]

Slash knows anything he does with Axl is going to be temporary. Whether it's just a festival or some sort of a tour. He's not going to let this band go.

[Hell House]

Nils Lofgren announced a solo tour of the US, and postponed the whole thing within a month when Bruce Springsteen called and said the E Street Band needed him. Slash and GNR will be the same way, I expect. SMKC can do whatever they want, but they need to know that the S will be leaving when the big show calls him up, the same way Myles kept Alterbridge as his biggest priority throughout.

But he really didn't. Nothing was ever cancelled from Slash because of AB. I like the analogy to Nils, but I do feel Slash might be different. If Slash announced tour dates for early next year, and a month before it got the call from Axl that they should tour, maybe in naiveté, I could easily see Slash going "no, I'm touring with my band. You and everyone know the arrangement and knew this was happening. I won't cancel on these guys. We'll tour when I'm done."

Again, maybe thats completely ridiculous, but I think its different than Bruce and Nils, because Guns IS Axl and Slash. Sure Axl owns it, but you can't tour after this without Slash. So Slash has way more leverage than Nils would have. Or I'd at least think if Axl calls and tells Slash to cancel his tour, Slash will demand to know when the Guns tour ends so he can immediately reschedule his solo dates.

Slash already let Axl jerk his leash back to GN'R back in the Snakepit days, and he wasn't happy about it. I doubt he'd allow that kind of dynamic again.

[Tyler Drama]

Yeah, SMKC will make another album. Just like how Velvet Revolver found another singer.

[Asia]

Even if Slash is back in GNR for good or for a very long time, it doesn't mean he won't have time to do things with SMKC. We all know how Axl operates and that Slash has to do something all the time so he'll sure have lots of opportunity.

Though, it's not certain if the rest of the musicians will be willing to adjust to his schedule and it could happen that SMKC will be replaced with some other projects. Actually that would be more than welcome. Someone other than MK on vocals, please... And some guy with greater songwriting skills, please....

[Babooshka]

I doubt Slash will let SMKC go, the situation with Axl isn't secure. That's why everything is so tentative, no interviews or press conferences. He doesn't want to over commit, talk up the regrouping, only for it to fall apart. As Trunk says, he's dipping his toes in, to see if it can work. And even if it does, for how long and in what way, seems to be up in the air. There isn't much speculation/ideas beyond the 2017 anniversary, and Axl may even retire.

So even if there are more GNR dates this year, there will still be Conspirators activity imo. Well I hope so. No point losing a sure thing.

[TOS--LOA]

Yeah, SMKC will make another album. Just like how Velvet Revolver found another singer.

It's two different situations. For whatever reason Slash never really seemed happy in VR. He complained about the production on both Contraband and Libertad, relapsed on tour, and never seemed to click with Scott. He seems to love SMKC though so I believe that even if NUNUGNR takes off like a juggernaut he will still do a SMKC album for fun.

[Rovim]

Yeah, SMKC will make another album. Just like how Velvet Revolver found another singer.

It's two different situations. For whatever reason Slash never really seemed happy in VR. He complained about the production on both Contraband and Libertad, relapsed on tour, and never seemed to click with Scott. He seems to love SMKC though so I believe that even if NUNUGNR takes off like a juggernaut he will still do a SMKC album for fun.

When it comes to promised albums, Slash is pretty reliable. I think we'll hear it in a year or two and it's not like World On Fire was released 10 years ago. The reason for not releasing it is also a good one, so it's understandable.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Rovim