The "New Album" Thread. Thanks to the long ass thread, I’m going home!

[GoodOlJohnnyK]

4 minutes ago, ChrisW said:

That's about 95% correct.  Slash and Duff get to be back in G'n'R again.  They make a lot more money that way, but they're still just employees of Axl.  The main difference is that they're part of what made G'n'R famous so they have more clout than all the other employees over the last thirty years.  They're not waiting two hours for Axl to show up on stage, the music they write is not owned by Axl.  They might be willing to make new music for G'n'R but there's no sign of that seven years later.

Agreed completely. That’s why if you were to create a tiered view of influence, Slash and Duff are way above Richard and Frank, but below Axl.

The question is where TB falls on that hierarchy. My guess would be obviously below Axl, but slightly above Duff and Slash.

Duff and Slash certainly negotiated some things - this band used to be famously tardy, and now they take the stage on time more frequently than any normal rock band. Also, the fact that there’s been more or less a complete media blackout seems to be intentional and negotiated between managers. Can’t let “the media” come between you if you don’t talk to them.

Edited July 15, 2023 by GoodOlJohnnyK

[SoulMonster]

5 minutes ago, GoodOlJohnnyK said:

Duff and Slash certainly negotiated some things - this band used to be famously tardy, and now they take the stage on time more frequently than any normal rock band. Also, the fact that there’s been more or less a complete media blackout seems to be intentional and negotiated between managers. Can’t let “the media” come between you if you don’t talk to them.

GN'R hasn't been "press-friendly" since the 90s, more or less. The band started being punctual in 2013/2014, or so.  So Duff and Slash didn't make any changes here, really. 

[Blackstar]

7 hours ago, Shacklermyrye said:

Interesting read. I can believe it but can also see how Scott may have been paranoid, although that doesn't change the things like Izzy checking on Steven being indications.

In 2006 when all this was going on isn't that when Lush Productions were shooting that unreleased documentary? If there's any truth to it no wonder we never saw that thing come out.

The Rapidfire stuff is a sad story, spoke to Kevin briefly once seemed like a good bloke. Closure is a really good song

I haven't heard about Lush Productions (or at least I don't remember hearing). I only know of this (which I guess is irrelevant):

https://www.a-4-d.com/t5469-2006-12-05-lsi-online-guns-n-roses-go-digital-in-usa

Here is a timeline I have made (originally posted on GNR Evolution) about the events from 2004 to 2008 that could be related to the almost-to-be reunion in 2006. I'm putting it in spoilers because it's long and O/T:

Spoiler

A timeline:

February 2004: The label shuts down operations on Chinese Democracy.

March 2004: Buckethead leaves. Rock in Rio Lisboa is cancelled. The band is practically on hiatus until late 2005 - Buckethead is not replaced, although there are tryouts and auditions during that period, including Bumblefoot. Axl, Slash and Duff jointly sue Geffen/Interscope trying to block the release of Greatest Hits - they lose.

Late April 2004: Slash and Duff sue Axl over publishing rights.

May 2004: Contraband is released. Velvet Revolver goes out on tour. Axl counter-sues Slash and Duff.

January 2005: Axl signs a 20-year publishing deal with Sanctuary - reaction from Slash and Duff's lawyers. (Eventually Sanctuary was bought out in 2007 by Universal, which still has Axl's publishing).

July 2005: The Velvet Revolver tour in Europe is cut short. Rumors about problems in the band, particularly between Slash and Weiland (it was later known that Duff had relapsed on pills).

August 2005: Velvet Revolver play shows in the US and announce that they'll begin recording the second album in September (which didn't happen).

Late August 2005: Slash and Duff sue Axl for a second time (while the first lawsuit is still pending) claiming that Axl's publishing deal caused them to lose money. Axl's lawyer issues a short press release saying it was just a clerical error from ASCAP and that the money was returned to Slash and Duff as soon as the mistake was found out.

Early September 2005: Duff's lawyer says that, although the money has indeed been returned, they'll proceed with the second lawsuit because there are other unresolved issues.

October 2005: Slash, accompanied by Perla, pays a night visit to Axl's house.

Late October-November 2005: News about the upcoming release of Greatest Hits 2 appears in various outlets. Photographer (and Slash's friend) Ross Halfin posts a recap of a conversation he had with Slash regarding GH 2. Billboard reports a release date for Dec. 20.

December 30, 2005: During a radio interview, Slash announces the release of Chinese Democracy in March, saying that he knows it's finished and adding that he and Axl "are not on each other's throats" and "there's no friction" "at this point." He also says that the new VR album (the recording of which was supposed to start "soon" after being pushed back a few times) might come out around the same time, maybe a little later.

January 11, 2006: GN'R management says there's no release date set, although CD "is coming."

January 13, 2006: Axl attends Korn's tour launch party and talks about CD. He is quoted by Rolling Stone saying about Slash, "I love the guy" (three years later, Axl would claim that he had been misquoted and he had in fact used past tense = "I loved the guy"). He also mentions that he has been talking to Izzy.

February 3, 2006: Ross Halfin posts on his website that reunited GN'R and Metallica are going to headline Download Festival in June. He deletes the post a few hours later, but the sites have already picked it up (Blabbermouth picked it up from Halfin, not the other way around).

February 10, 2006: The jury trial for the first lawsuit, which was going to start in March, is postponed to May. Axl plays CD during a private after party.

February 11, 2006: Slash announces the release of CD again (!), saying he knows that "official sources" have heard it and it's coming out next month, and adding that he's excited and has always been supportive of Axl's effort.

February 22, 2006: GN'R festival dates in Europe are announced, including Download with Metallica.

February 23, 2006: Axl plays CD during another party after attending a Derek Trucks show in Los Angeles.

February 2006: Izzy calls his old friend Adam Bomb, who is currently touring with Adler's band in Europe, to check what condition Steven was in for a potential Guns N' Roses reunion (Adam Bomb made that claim that during an interview in May 2006). Songs from the CD sessions leak.

March 6, 2006: Axl's lawyer issues an extended version of the August 2005 press release in response to Slash and Duff's second lawsuit, which includes the revelation that Slash had visited Axl's house, unannounced, last October and badmouthed his bandmates in VR. Hell breaks loose. "A spokeperson for Velvet Revolver" says that Slash's response is expected "soon."

March 10, 2006: Duff is the first to respond to the press release, making a neutral comment.

March 13, 2006: Weiland posts his well-known online rant against Axl. Later that night, during an after party following the RRHOF ceremony, Lars Ulrich and Kid Rock talk about the GN'R reunion (reported by Rolling Stone a few days later).

March 22, 2006: While Slash is still silent, Alan Niven chimes in defending Axl (!) and attacking Weiland. Interestingly, Niven takes as given that Slash really said what was claimed in the press release by Axl's lawyer, and says that Slash was correct to call Weiland a "fraud."

Late March 2006: Rumors about strife in Velvet Revolver and Perla's involvement while the attorneys were trying to find a solution regarding the lawsuits. Slash reportedly was telling people that he was still in the band and had not quit.

April 12, 2006: Axl and Matt Sorum run into each other at a party in New York. Matt posts about in his blog the next day, saying that it was great and Axl gave him a ride in his limo.

April 2006: Reports on auditions for Buckethead's replacement. Finally, Bumblefoot is brought in just two weeks before the Hammerstein shows. An article in the May 2006 issue of Classic Rock (released in April) claims, citing an anonymous "insider," that a GN'R reunion for two UK shows almost happened, but fell apart at the last minute because Axl had put a clause in the contracts according to which Slash and Duff would have to give up their copyright ownership of the back catalogue.

May 4, 2006: The Rolling Stones announce that GN'R will open for them at two shows in Germany. The shows would be cancelled in June.

May 8, 2006: An Associated Press report about Axl's Eddie Trunk interview includes a bit about the possibility of Slash's return to GN'R (although Axl had clarified during the interview that Buckethead's replacement was not an old member).

May 13, 2006: While GN'R has played the first Hammerstein show, Slash finally addresses the night visit issue on Matt Sorum's Camp Freddy radio show. He denies everything, saying more or less that Axl fabricated the whole story to promote his band, and also downplays his CD release announcements. Matt mentions his encounter with Axl in NY last month saying that it went well only because they were both drunk. On the same day, though, Slash tells a journalist backstage at an awards show that a reunion with Axl came very close to happen.

May 26, 2006: Just before it was about to go to trial, the first lawsuit is dismissed "without prejudice" (which means that the parties retained the right to open the case again in the future), probably after the two camps agreed to mutually withdraw the suits.

May 2006-May 2007: Axl tours until December, CD is not released, Merck is fired, the new release date for March 2007 is not met. Nothing much is heard from the Velvet Revolver front until late 2006 (it would be later known that Slash went to rehab in August), when they announce that they're working on the new album and later the release of Libertad.

May 7, 2007: Weiland claims that Axl has sent him "messages" through Matt Sorum. Beta denies the claim on Axl's behalf (saying that Axl has no interest in Scott at all) and also says that it was her Slash had talked to that night in October 2005.

May 10, 2007: Three days after Beta's clarification that it wasn't Axl who Slash had talked to, Slash speaks again. This time, he admits going to Axl's house, but says he only left a note to Beta regarding the lawsuit and denies everything else. In his book (that was released later that year) he would add that he was drunk that night and Perla was driving. And in later interviews (from late 2007 to mid-2008): he would imply that Axl was behind the Associated Press report; he would say that he (Slash) had lied because he hadn't felt like explaining; that he had also wanted to reach out to Axl and that he apologized for some comments he had made during promo interviews for Velvet Revolver.

July 30, 2007: Slash and Duff sue Axl again, this time over the use of elements of the classic logo on the 2006 tour merchandise. (Axl said in the 2008 forum chats that it was some "murky merckiness" that he had no idea about. That lawsuit was settled in August 2008).

April 2008: A little before he was kicked out of VR, Weiland says that a GN'R almost reunited around the time of the GH (2) album. Duff responds that Weiland had been paranoid. Weiland would repeat his claim as late as 2015.

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by Blackstar

[GoodOlJohnnyK]

2 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

GN'R hasn't been "press-friendly" since the 90s, more or less. The band started being punctual in 2013/2014, or so.  So Duff and Slash didn't make any changes here, really. 

I still think it’s intentional. The NITL tour was wildly successful on its own, but I was a little surprised to see no promotion from the band for it.

[SoulMonster]

1 minute ago, GoodOlJohnnyK said:

I still think it’s intentional. The NITL tour was wildly successful on its own, but I was a little surprised to see no promotion from the band for it.

Oh yes, I agree. It is definitely intentional. Axl doesn't want to talk to the press and Duff and Slash goes along with this regime to not rock the boat.

[AxlRoseCDII]

1 hour ago, Blackstar said:

That's most likely bullshit "insider" stuff. However, it seems that a (one off) reunion was close to happen. There was too much smoke.

https://www.a-4-d.com/t5631-25-august-2004-may-2006-finalizing-chinese-democracy-lawsuits-return-to-nyc#22213

A bit off topic, but holy crap, im surprised how aggressive Scott was in regards to Axl. He didn’t hold back in the slightest at points. 

[Guest]

@Blackstar The Lush productions documentary guy is below. I have some footage from it if you don't then let me know and i'll send it you. They were filming when that Donington gig happened. I always figured it fell through because of tensions with Merck, but if they were attempting some sort of short term reunion then perhaps that's why they were there.

Jason D'avesra http://www.jasondaversa.com/resume.html a director of photography has “Guns n Roses  (documentary of 2006/07 world tour)” listed on his resume. They are still listed in his client list. He also worked on Brains drumming instructional DVD. 

You must have seen it before though there was a clip of izzy backstage if that helps you remember

[alangarcianr]

30 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

GN'R hasn't been "press-friendly" since the 90s, more or less. The band started being punctual in 2013/2014, or so.  So Duff and Slash didn't make any changes here, really. 

Yeah I agree. In 2010/2011 Axl still gave two fucks about punctuality

i remember the show in Rosario 2011 where it was show time and Axl was still in Buenos Aires. Not to mention that Buenos Aires 2010 started 2/3 hours late 

[meadsoap]

2 hours ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

A bit off topic, but holy crap, im surprised how aggressive Scott was in regards to Axl. He didn’t hold back in the slightest at points. 

And given that, it's amusing that he switched so drastically when Velvet Revolver broke-up to being very sympathetic toward Axl and extremely hostile to Slash and Duff. And Matt Sorum too, to a lesser extent (his book was much less harsh toward Axl than it was the other two). It's like people only chose to prop Axl up when they wanted to get under Slash or Duff's (mostly Slash's) skin back then.

Edited July 15, 2023 by meadsoap

[ElJungmano]

Is the vid with Mayhue still available somewhere?

[meadsoap]

38 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

Oh yes, I agree. It is definitely intentional. Axl doesn't want to talk to the press and Duff and Slash goes along with this regime to not rock the boat.

Well, it's mostly Axl who doesn't do interviews. Slash and Duff do but never say anything worthwhile. I almost wish they were like Axl and drop the pretense completely, stop doing gnr-related interviews, and stop making promises that don't go anywhere.

Edited July 15, 2023 by meadsoap

[rocknroll41]

23 minutes ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

A bit off topic, but holy crap, im surprised how aggressive Scott was in regards to Axl. He didn’t hold back in the slightest at points. 

Yeah but then he did a total 180 after VR fired his ass.

[TheDemocracyRose]

9 minutes ago, ElJungmano said:

Is the vid with Mayhue still available somewhere?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0YD8DcPi6T5QT9eCKpbHywnXZRPCNivvW8CZEKzBXmmBFDjPsWEURfegFaQTdkGozl&id=100001930370176

[colonizedmind]

9 minutes ago, ElJungmano said:

Is the vid with Mayhue still available somewhere?

I mean there's always a bit more excitement when you hear these things from an insider....I guess everything we're banging on about is THE plan....it's just when and baring any Axl mold changes....

 

[Blackstar]

25 minutes ago, Ollster42 said:

oh right does this "4 or 5" include hardschool and absurd? Or is it just the remaining ones like OMG, SOG, Perhaps, Atlas etc.

Including Abusrd and Hard Skool. He basically claimed that the songs on the locker leaks that have completed vocals is all that's left because Axl didn't record any vocals after 1999, so the only songs that would be released after Absurd and Hard Skool would be Atlas, Perhaps and OMG

Later, when it was pointed out to him that there were songs on CD that appear only as instrumentals or not at all in the locker leaks, he had to admit that Axl did record "some" vocals after 1999, but the songs that made CD were the only vocals he recorded. Then it was pointed out to him that there's solid proof that the General has vocals, so he had to accept that there may be one unreleased song with vocals recorded after 1999, but nothing more than that. So he ended up half-adding the General to his list of existing songs with vocals but insisting that that's all that there is. 

(Apart from repeating the same claims over and over, he would also move the goalposts when he was confronted with facts).

[HollyWoodRose84]

This was always my fav bullshit quote from Del. Always amazed me how much all the hanger on’s sucked Axl’s ass forever. 
 

Guns has missed the boat in terms of ever being relevant. The new releases will be met with fanfare but nothing will ever surpass what happened or what could have been. 

When certain former members of Guns N' Roses quit, like Slash and Duff McKagan, had they had their way that would have sounded the death knell for GN'R. Guns N' Roses was never their original vision. It has always been Axl's vision and drive to try to make the band as successful as possible without compromising the integrity of Guns N' Roses. Fortunately for the fans, Axl has always been able to see outside the box of conventionalism, taking intelligent and calculated risks when it comes to the evolution of Guns N' Roses. This same forward progress is evident on the band's forthcoming album, Chinese Democracy. Some people out there have downloaded unmixed versions of songs like "IRS," "There Was A Time," "Chinese Democracy," "Madagascar," and "Better" and while it's unfair to judge an unfinished product, it's not that big of a stretch to say that Axl's vision is once again leading him in the right direction.
 

 

[colonizedmind]

5 minutes ago, colonizedmind said:

I mean there's always a bit more excitement when you hear these things from an insider....I guess everything we're banging on about is THE plan....it's just when and baring any Axl mold changes....

 

I do hope whatever we get, we can lovebomb it as much as possible, if only to encourage them to put out more! I think Axl does care about reaction and numbers when he DOES put things out! I can imagine him being pretty annoyed CD only hit #3 after all that time and mystery and you don't even get a week at #1! (Not that he promoted or anything sensible...)

[Blackstar]

26 minutes ago, Shacklermyrye said:

@Blackstar The Lush productions documentary guy is below. I have some footage from it if you don't then let me know and i'll send it you. They were filming when that Donington gig happened. I always figured it fell through because of tensions with Merck, but if they were attempting some sort of short term reunion then perhaps that's why they were there.

Jason D'avesra http://www.jasondaversa.com/resume.html a director of photography has “Guns n Roses  (documentary of 2006/07 world tour)” listed on his resume. They are still listed in his client list. He also worked on Brains drumming instructional DVD. 

You must have seen it before though there was a clip of izzy backstage if that helps you remember

Oh yeah, I think I have seen that clip with Izzy backstage. If you have more footage and it's not too much trouble, I'd be happy to see it.

I suppose that's also the source of the footage in the leaked Better video?

[Dummy]

Axl already told us what's going to happen with the new music

 

It don't really matter

Guess i'l keep it to myself

[Rovim]

3 minutes ago, colonizedmind said:

I do hope whatever we get, we can lovebomb it as much as possible, if only to encourage them to put out more! I think Axl does care about reaction and numbers when he DOES put things out! I can imagine him being pretty annoyed CD only hit #3 after all that time and mystery and you don't even get a week at #1! (Not that he promoted or anything sensible...)

after Catcher leaked he said he was surprised that people who listened to it didn't have a positive enough of a response to Brian May's guitar contributions to the song and then it wasn't used in the released version.

so he cared at least back then when it came to Catcher, a song that he seemed eager to talk about in the Axl chats iirc.

Tommy said that Axl cares too much about what other people think of him or some shit like that.

[Tom2112]

15 minutes ago, colonizedmind said:

I do hope whatever we get, we can lovebomb it as much as possible, if only to encourage them to put out more! I think Axl does care about reaction and numbers when he DOES put things out! I can imagine him being pretty annoyed CD only hit #3 after all that time and mystery and you don't even get a week at #1! (Not that he promoted or anything sensible...)

If he's determined to release music that goes against the grain of traditional gnr then he can't get too upset if people aren't love bombing it, that is the risk you take. Maybe it takes, maybe it doesn't.

If it's good I'm happy to cheerlead for it. If not fuck it😄

[gavgnr]

Anyone tried General Tso’s chicken?

[Its Tino]

2 minutes ago, gavgnr said:

Anyone tried General Tso’s chicken?

Delectable

[UYI4]

1 hour ago, colonizedmind said:

I mean there's always a bit more excitement when you hear these things from an insider....I guess everything we're banging on about is THE plan....it's just when and baring any Axl mold changes....

 

Can you imagine the shit this dude has seen and had to go through with Axl over the years.  Chasing him on stage.  Throwing that mic stand all over hell back in the day.  Dude really probably has extreme “patience” lol.

[gavgnr]

1 minute ago, Its Tino said:

Delectable

Hopefully we all get chance to taste that