**FAQ UPDATE IN FIRST POST 6/16** Guns N' Roses Appetite For Democracy 3D Concert Film/DVD/Blu-Ray

[Andrew07]

funny that rockfuel cockblocked that dvd, understandable but how about some kind of update on this dvd haha

[IncitingChaos]

This better come out soon. I was looking forward to putting the return of the rasp videos on my big screen tonight, and enjoying a concert! Looks like that isn't happening, so now I'm hoping everything gets worked out and the vegas blu ray is on it's way.

This whole week has been lame. Concert cancelled, blu ray delayed (again), fan made video blocked, and no new album in the horizon.

Axl will hopefully turn it around with a great concert in rio, and hopefully Rocketfuel gets their stuff figured out.

[suckerpunched03]

Well this kinda dicking around is why they are both irrelevant today as recording artists. No one gives enough of a shit to watch this nonsense play out for another decade, besides for us demented forum types.

[uncivil war]

Things are pretty shit in GNR land at the moment. Not a good time to be a fan.

It's a shame that they can't just release SOMETHING and sort out the legal bullshit later.

[Coma16]

158 pages (lol) and still no release date

DVD (lol)

Things are pretty shit in GNR land at the moment. Not a good time to be a fan.

It's a shame that they can't just release SOMETHING and sort out the legal bullshit later.

I think this is the calm before the storm. Let's judge after Thursday nights concert.

[Lio]

Luckily I watched some of the Adelaide videos yesterday. It's a slow day at work and I was hoping I could watch some more today It is a lousy time to be a fan. At this point, you have to be incredibly stupid/stubborn/persistent to be a diehard fan. But, hey, one can only hope for the best on Thursday. Come on, Axl, show them!

[Guest Gunns]

Luckily I watched some of the Adelaide videos yesterday. It's a slow day at work and I was hoping I could watch some more today It is a lousy time to be a fan. At this point, you have to be incredibly stupid/stubborn/persistent to be a diehard fan. But, hey, one can only hope for the best on Thursday. Come on, Axl, show them!

At least it did the job of filling in some kind of void between the 'supposed' 3d release, and the first gnr concerts

Edited March 18, 2014 by Gunns

[sturginho]

This better come out soon. I was looking forward to putting the return of the rasp videos on my big screen tonight, and enjoying a concert! Looks like that isn't happening, so now I'm hoping everything gets worked out and the vegas blu ray is on it's way.

This whole week has been lame. Concert cancelled, blu ray delayed (again), fan made video blocked, and no new album in the horizon.

Axl will hopefully turn it around with a great concert in rio, and hopefully Rocketfuel gets their stuff figured out.

LOLfuel

[Intercourse]

As usual for many here, the blame game radiates away from the usual source of all the hassle... Axl & TB.

I work in IP licensing.

Releasing licensed product to market is something that is done all over the world every day of the fucking week, mostly without fail.

Even by people who fucking hate each other with a passion and would stab each other in the eyes if they found themselves in the same room.

It is NOT rocket science, people are lined up in time, negotiated with, managed, contracted to agree to terms, and then you're off to the races.

TBs defense street team here seems believe that Slash would cut off a potentially lucrative line of revenue from himself just for shits and giggles and that nothing more could be the case here.

That's just fucking dumb.

All of GNR now....all of it....is solely about $$$ now. The music, the tours, the old guys, the new guys, TB etc.

Nobody is a young street punk out to change the world anymore.

Nobody is a tortured artist willing to go without food to preserve their legacy.

I mean, look at this shit for God's sake.

[The Glow Inc.]

Nobody is a young street punk out to change the world anymore.

I don't know man...DJ Ashba is pretty demented.

[Lio]

That ad just makes me sad...

You're probably right. They (Rockfuel/TB) fucked things up. It seems the only thing they're really good at, is blocking things. That never seems to fail. On the plus side: you don't have to be rich to be a fan. You're hardly ever given the chance to spend some cash.

[magisme]

If this does come out, I'll do anything I can to help people get it for free if you don't want to pay these people.

[Towelie]

Who gives a flying fuck at this point???

[RidzGnr]

i really doubt this will be successful

[downzy]

What doesn't make any sense is that GNR would go ahead with producing a video that they hadn't secured the rights to. Why would they pay out of pocket to make a video if they didn't have the permission of those who must give their consent to its production?

If Slash had initially agreed, and signed something to that effect, there would be no way for him to block this video. I suppose he could delay it, saying that the potential financial upside was misrepresented and therefore is owed more money, but that argument isn't something that would take too long in the courts to figure out (look how fast the court threw out Axl, Slash, and Duff's lawsuit regarding the Greatest Hits album).

But if this was something they made in the hopes of getting Slash and former members to sign off on it later, then they only have themselves to blame for this. These issues should have been settled a long time ago, well before any of us had ever heard of a potential Las Vegas DVD/Blu-ray.

Unless, of course, there never was any intention to release the disc. Perhaps all of this is some sort of House of Cards/Machiavellian strategy to paint Slash in a bad light. Obviously this theory isn't a serious one, but it's far more logical than someone simply forgetting to get Slash's approval prior to the production of this disc.

Finally, apart of me is glad Slash is blocking the disc. If Axl wants to continue with the name then he should be forced to make his fortunes off what the band has done since the departure of the classic lineup. Release a disc with only performances of CD songs or covers if he and his current business (i.e. GNR) wants to make off the name so badly. Nobody except a few people on here are dying to have a video recording of Bumblefoot playing riffs written and recorded by Slash. If Axl can't succeed with the GNR name and music he's produced after the split, then that's how it should be. He can't have it both ways: turn down his acceptance into the R&R HOF all the while making money off the very work that got him in there.

I don't think they forgot to get Slash's approval... I think Slash got cold feet and backed out after giving his word or his management's word. The film was delayed for months getting approvals, they had it and that's when they went public and announced the release. To get approvals percentages would have been discussed so everybody knew then and there, what monies they would receive from the project - so I don't know how that could be the sticking point.

You're whole Axl should be able to release the dvd without slash/izzy material doesn't hold any water, does Slash not still use old Guns songs for his own promotion? superbowl anyone!? How many people would like to go to a Slash concert and not hear GnR songs, or a VR concert? He uses the material and Axl should be allowed to do just the same, and if he's paying synch rights there shouldn't be an issue as Slash's rights are mute IMO as he quit the band. You don't see Jason newsted or marty friendman blocking releases... if you quit a band you're rights should be zilch! I still think he deserves his money but I don't think he should be able to block a current band release even if it has old band material. I preferred Slash a whole lot more before all this, I'm still hoping there's another explanation and Slash isn't as petty as he looks right now.

That's insane. Considering the history between Slash and Axl, there is no way any sensible business manager would or should accept a verbal or vague commitment from Slash. What would be the point of getting Slash to agree to the project if the terms hadn't been hashed out prior to the disc's production? Any manager worth their salt would have the details locked down and agreed upon prior to the disc's production. Unless you're an idiot, you're not going to work on good faith regarding some sort of vague agreement between two parties that haven't got along in almost twenty years. It's called due diligence, something that was clearly forgot by whoever was supposedly managing this project.

An artist is not required to get licensing rights for performing a song. He/she/they need rights if they wish to sell a recording of that performance, but they aren't legally required to obtain the rights if they simply wish to perform the song. What, do you think every bar band out there is going out and getting the rights to play those songs? There is a financial obligation on behalf of the venue to pay for the rights to have those songs played, but any artist is within their legal rights to perform a song so long as the venue is paying a royalty to the rights holders.

"If you quit a band your rights should be zilch:" says who? You? Are you an entertainment lawyer or a judge now entitled to make up your own laws. Nonsense. Artists do not lose their publishing/recording rights simply because they leave the band/business. Your evaluation of Slash is based on a faulty understanding of the law with respect to publishing rights.

[Guest NGOG]

Who gives a flying fuck at this point???

Those that wish to purchase a Blu-ray commemorating a highly successful residency?

[maynard]

What doesn't make any sense is that GNR would go ahead with producing a video that they hadn't secured the rights to. Why would they pay out of pocket to make a video if they didn't have the permission of those who must give their consent to its production?

If Slash had initially agreed, and signed something to that effect, there would be no way for him to block this video. I suppose he could delay it, saying that the potential financial upside was misrepresented and therefore is owed more money, but that argument isn't something that would take too long in the courts to figure out (look how fast the court threw out Axl, Slash, and Duff's lawsuit regarding the Greatest Hits album).

But if this was something they made in the hopes of getting Slash and former members to sign off on it later, then they only have themselves to blame for this. These issues should have been settled a long time ago, well before any of us had ever heard of a potential Las Vegas DVD/Blu-ray.

Unless, of course, there never was any intention to release the disc. Perhaps all of this is some sort of House of Cards/Machiavellian strategy to paint Slash in a bad light. Obviously this theory isn't a serious one, but it's far more logical than someone simply forgetting to get Slash's approval prior to the production of this disc.

Finally, apart of me is glad Slash is blocking the disc. If Axl wants to continue with the name then he should be forced to make his fortunes off what the band has done since the departure of the classic lineup. Release a disc with only performances of CD songs or covers if he and his current business (i.e. GNR) wants to make off the name so badly. Nobody except a few people on here are dying to have a video recording of Bumblefoot playing riffs written and recorded by Slash. If Axl can't succeed with the GNR name and music he's produced after the split, then that's how it should be. He can't have it both ways: turn down his acceptance into the R&R HOF all the while making money off the very work that got him in there.

I don't think they forgot to get Slash's approval... I think Slash got cold feet and backed out after giving his word or his management's word. The film was delayed for months getting approvals, they had it and that's when they went public and announced the release. To get approvals percentages would have been discussed so everybody knew then and there, what monies they would receive from the project - so I don't know how that could be the sticking point.

You're whole Axl should be able to release the dvd without slash/izzy material doesn't hold any water, does Slash not still use old Guns songs for his own promotion? superbowl anyone!? How many people would like to go to a Slash concert and not hear GnR songs, or a VR concert? He uses the material and Axl should be allowed to do just the same, and if he's paying synch rights there shouldn't be an issue as Slash's rights are mute IMO as he quit the band. You don't see Jason newsted or marty friendman blocking releases... if you quit a band you're rights should be zilch! I still think he deserves his money but I don't think he should be able to block a current band release even if it has old band material. I preferred Slash a whole lot more before all this, I'm still hoping there's another explanation and Slash isn't as petty as he looks right now.

That's insane. Considering the history between Slash and Axl, there is no way any sensible business manager would or should accept a verbal or vague commitment from Slash. What would be the point of getting Slash to agree to the project if the terms hadn't been hashed out prior to the disc's production? Any manager worth their salt would have the details locked down and agreed upon prior to the disc's production. Unless you're an idiot, you're not going to work on good faith regarding some sort of vague agreement between two parties that haven't got along in almost twenty years. It's called due diligence, something that was clearly forgot by whoever was supposedly managing this project.

An artist is not required to get licensing rights for performing a song. He/she/they need rights if they wish to sell a recording of that performance, but they aren't legally required to obtain the rights if they simply wish to perform the song. What, do you think every bar band out there is going out and getting the rights to play those songs? There is a financial obligation on behalf of the venue to pay for the rights to have those songs played, but any artist is within their legal rights to perform a song so long as the venue is paying a royalty to the rights holders.

"If you quit a band your rights should be zilch:" says who? You? Are you an entertainment lawyer or a judge now entitled to make up your own laws. Nonsense. Artists do not lose their publishing/recording rights simply because they leave the band/business. Your evaluation of Slash is based on a faulty understanding of the law with respect to publishing rights.

Great post.

Who gives a flying fuck at this point???

Those that wish to purchase a Blu-ray commemorating a highly successful residency?

They'll do another one. Maybe the "Guns n' Roses - No trickery! An Evening of Destruction Live at Las Vegas" bluray won't be blocked...

[D-GenerationX]

What made that residency "highly successful", exactly?

First of all, if you can't move a few thousand seats in Las Vegas of all places, with one of the biggest brand names in rock, you should probably disband.

But more importantly...we've all heard the performances. Axl sounds horrendous.

[maynard]

When fans praise the band for having a successful residency in Vegas, you can see how low the standards are for those who still want to like this band.

[sturginho]

When fans praise the band for having a successful residency in Vegas, you can see how low the standards are for those who still want to like this band.

I still want to like this band, this band makes that very difficult

[James Bond]

Nobody is a young street punk out to change the world anymore.

I don't know man...DJ Ashba is pretty demented.

He's so rad. If there's licencing issues they could just cut the old Material and loop DJ's solo a bunch of times.

[Scumcat Esq.]

All of GNR now....all of it....is solely about $$$ now. The music, the tours, the old guys, the new guys, TB etc.

Nobody is a young street punk out to change the world anymore.

Nobody is a tortured artist willing to go without food to preserve their legacy.

I mean, look at this shit for God's sake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF11mVnBSmo

They should write a song about it.

P. S. Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the cows are pretty.

[Young_Gun]

What made that residency "highly successful", exactly?

First of all, if you can't move a few thousand seats in Las Vegas of all places, with one of the biggest brand names in rock, you should probably disband.

But more importantly...we've all heard the performances. Axl sounds horrendous.

This.

[Yesterdays-Civil-War]

When fans praise the band for having a successful residency in Vegas, you can see how low the standards are for those who still want to like this band.

I still want to like this band, this band makes that very difficult

It's fascinating how much has gone wrong over the past 20 years. I don't even know where the rope (that I'm supposed to be at the end of) is anymore.

[Guest NGOG]

I just read HV's explanation of the "Return of the Rasp" situation.

Rock Fuel, the mask has well and truly slipped - you have shafted this community for too long with your cocktease nonsense. I will NOT be buying your GNR release. And that should worry you, because I'm one of the only nerds on here that actually buys GNR shit anymore.

Edited March 18, 2014 by NGOG