Blackstar

Weren't you speculating the other day that the "CD leftovers" are being released because of pressure from Slash and Duff to Axl? Supposing for a minute that could be true, then the speculation that Slash is at about the same level as an employee would be contradictory. And vice versa. So there can't be truth to both these assumptions at the same time. But I think neither is true. And regarding the way Slash responds about GN'R, it's just that he isn't comfortable answering these questions, because that's all he can answer knowing very well that there's not such thing as a "concrete plan" when Axl is part of the equation.

Slash can't force the way Axl operates and it was like that at least since the Illusions era. That doesn't mean that he's the same level as Fortus or an employee.

Also try this one (it's a direct link to the twitter video): https://tinyurl.com/4sz5347s

It can't not be vague, because Slash knows better that it's not predictable when Axl finishes (or starts) doing something, what mood he's in at a given time, whether he changes his mind, etc.

Another new interview with Slash, talking about the blues album and SMKC (posted it also in the new album thread, because he was asked about GN'R, too): https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2024/03/25/slash-i-always-enjoy-coming-to-dublin-it-is-exciting-when-it-is-the-first-gig-on-the-run/

Interview with Slash, released today: You brought out two Guns N’ Roses singles last year, The General and Perhaps. Do you think there is a chance of a new Guns N’ Roses album? Slash: I don’t know exactly when. I definitely think there will be. I find Guns N’ Roses very hard to pin down to a date, but there will be one coming in the foreseeable future. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2024/03/25/slash-i-always-enjoy-coming-to-dublin-it-is-exciting-when-it-is-the-first-gig-on-the-run/ (I know people are going react to this in the same way they did to what Duff said in the recent interview, but it had to be shared, for informational purposes at least.)

R.E.M's Losing My Religion - November Rain wasn't even nominated: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Music_Video (Tbh, I would probably vote for that one over NR, too) EDIT: I should have looked at the awards in 1993 (which were for recordings/videos from 1992), so it was Peter Gabriel's Digging In The Dirt (NR was still not nominated) - I would have voted for that one over NR, too

There is, in the annual Grammy Awards. But this is the Grammy Hall Of Fame, which is something like the RRHOF, but for recordings irrespective of genre (so artists are not inducted as such, but through specific recordings, albums, singles or tracks).

The Grammy's have always been a corporate and very conservative institution (worse than the Oscars), always too late (if ever) to acknowledge and embrace artists and currents that were innovative or "it" in their time. For example, seeing the full list of all recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame since 1973, punk is represented only by the three+1 albums (The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, London Calling by The Clash + Patti Smith, if that counts). https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award That said, most of the recordings in this list that I'm familiar with are masterpieces. And considering that this is a "hall of fame" for recordings from all genres of music (classical, jazz, film music, original casts, pop, etc.) and the only other hard rock artists in it are Led Zeppelin (two albums and two singles), AC/DC (Back In Black album), Aerosmith (two singles) and Alice Cooper (School's Out single) - also Nirvana's Nevermind album and Smells Like Teen Spirit single, and Pearl Jam's Ten album (if these count) - this induction is something. Kind of surprising that SCOM hasn't already been inducted as a single before the album, but it most likely will be in there eventually, as well as November Rain.

II think 4 songs wouldn't be enough, so I'd make it a 5-song EP (edit: no, 6 songs, actually): 1. It's So Easy 2. Nightrain 3. You're Crazy (Lies) 4. Civil War 5. Estranged 6. Locomotive

The pictures from that tour were by George Chin, who was also one of the photographers during the UYI tour (besides Robert John and Gene Kirkland). George Chin was also the photographer on the 2006 tour.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4zcNFOunMI/

New interview with Slash. Talks about the album and the performance at the Oskars. Says the blues album is irrelevant to the SMKC tour (so he won't be performing any of the songs on the European SKMC tour): https://www.loudersound.com/features/slash-orgy-of-the-damned-interview

Yes, and I assume if she were to give a deposition or sue, the lawyers would instruct her to not include the miscarriage part in her story. I also suppose that she was instructed to be specific about the "gang rape", so she now remembered that there were two other men besides Axl (before that she was saying that she couldn't see, didn't know how many people there were there etc.. And she was probably asked about the record label, since the music industry is the main target of these organizations' campaign, so she suddenly remembered that Geffen called her, too.

Based on video evidence before and after taking other recent (2023) pictures with fans, he's all happy and normal. He just doesn't smile when he poses for the picture (I guess he thinks he looks better when not smiling).

Yes, that's correct. It was Hard Skool that he introduced as a "new song" he wrote "20 years ago". About Absurd he said that the "pussy full of maggots" line was inspired by a Howard Stern Show "a long time ago".

Like I pointed out earlier, there's strong indication that Axl bought the master recordings of these songs from the label, so he has spent his own money on them, which in turn is an indication that he cares. And I suspect that this is a big part of the reason he's been releasing them now and not earlier. Now, why the songs are being released at such slow pace, I don't know. Axl's perception and sense of time is different than ours.

It can be argued, though, that Izzy did zero promotion and minimal touring, many of his albums were not even released globally at the time, and, in addition to that, he sang his songs himself. Slash, on the other hand, promoted the hell out of his projects and worked hard to establish his brand in various ways, like by collaborating with big names, etc. Axl didn't do much promotion, but he had the name and was out there touring. So it's not a fair comparison as far as impact and success, and the quality is subjective.

Slash has said he plans to record new SMKC in the fall. And Duff will be touring at that time.

Axl already said he wanted to release these songs (and - paraphrasing - that it would be great if Slash agreed to play on them) in the China Exchange interview in 2016.

Yet, according to all sources and everything that has been documented, it was Axl who wanted and asked Slash and Duff to rework these songs. Although it's safe to assume that Slash and Duff would prefer to work on brand new music, they agreed to work on the CD era songs because Axl wanted it and probably seeing it as a step towards potential new music. So, even though I'm sure they would like to record new music, they wouldn't suggest to re-record these songs themselves if Axl didn't ask them to.

I don't agree that Axl doesn't care. There's been effort from him behind these releases but it's not "recognizable" or gets overlooked, because it's more about non-creative aspects. Although we don't know the details, based on the credits it seems that Axl has bought the master recordings of the songs from the label, and that the re-recording and production have been paid for by GN'R (not the label). He wouldn't have done this if he didn't care, would he? As for how they sound, he has signed them as co-producer, so he's responsible for it. I don't know, maybe he thought that's how they should sound in terms of "modern" production aimed mainly at streaming services.

I think he apparently doesn't know what he's talking about regarding this subject:

No, this is just based on Axl's answer that was filed about 3 weeks ago: https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=OxMPP/i5Z5i/N/ZGv1TCYA==&system=prod Axl's attorney's merely point out what Sheila Kennedy said in her book and in the Look Away documentary, but deny there was any sexual activity as alleged in her lawsuit or any of the alleged conversations. It is not denied in the answer, though, that she may have been in Axl's hotel (it says Axl has no "sufficient knowledge and belief" about that = he doesn't know/remember).