The Problem That Exists With Geffen

[milkboy]

Geffen has a contract with GNR and ultimately controls the release of Chinese Democracy. Has anyone considered the possibility that we won't hear new music this year because a vengeful, bitter label with cause delays to spite Axl after enduring this 13-yr wait for a one incredibly expensive and problematic record?

There is obvious tension between Sanctuary (Axl) and Geffen. I think it is telling when you to Geffen's website and look under GNR. You don't get the feeling that a once, huge band is on the eve of dropping one of the most anticpated albums of all-time. Quite the contrary.

I've maintained a healthy bit of restraint over the past several months due mostly to Axl's and Santuary's tendency to focus on a tour rather than a record. That is afterall, what they control. They always shy away from talking about the album. Why? I think they anticipate a big struggle in negotiating a release or are trying to get out of the contract altogether.

I hope to God I'm wrong and a single is presented to us in the next few weeks, but I predict the US tour will come and go with no new record.

[mr.Q]

Geffen has a contract with GNR and ultimately controls the release of Chinese Democracy. Has anyone considered the possibility that we won't hear new music this year because a vengeful, bitter label with cause delays to spite Axl after enduring this 13-yr wait for a one incredibly expensive and problematic record?

There is obvious tension between Sanctuary (Axl) and Geffen. I think it is telling when you to Geffen's website and look under GNR. You don't get the feeling that a once, huge band is on the eve of dropping one of the most anticpated albums of all-time. Quite the contrary.

I've maintained a healthy bit of restraint over the past several months due mostly to Axl's and Santuary's tendency to focus on a tour rather than a record. That is afterall, what they control. They always shy away from talking about the album. Why? I think they anticipate a big struggle in negotiating a release or are trying to get out of the contract altogether.

I hope to God I'm wrong and a single is presented to us in the next few weeks, but I predict the US tour will come and go with no new record.

Don't think so, business is business and personal feelings don't count, that's my opinion.

I think Geffen will thank God if finally the CD comes out

mr.Q

[ohmygod]

Geffen has a contract with GNR and ultimately controls the release of Chinese Democracy. Has anyone considered the possibility that we won't hear new music this year because a vengeful, bitter label with cause delays to spite Axl after enduring this 13-yr wait for a one incredibly expensive and problematic record?

There is obvious tension between Sanctuary (Axl) and Geffen. I think it is telling when you to Geffen's website and look under GNR. You don't get the feeling that a once, huge band is on the eve of dropping one of the most anticpated albums of all-time. Quite the contrary.

I've maintained a healthy bit of restraint over the past several months due mostly to Axl's and Santuary's tendency to focus on a tour rather than a record. That is afterall, what they control. They always shy away from talking about the album. Why? I think they anticipate a big struggle in negotiating a release or are trying to get out of the contract altogether.

I hope to God I'm wrong and a single is presented to us in the next few weeks, but I predict the US tour will come and go with no new record.

Don't think so, business is business and personal feelings don't count, that's my opinion.

I think Geffen will thank God if finally the CD comes out

mr.Q

true, there will be money to be made by all when this comes out.

[axltheman2003]

what record company in the world wouldn't want to put out the next guns n' roses album, they have spent all that money of course they will put it out! but will it be this year or early next year? who know's

[GNR=Greatness]

As much as I love Guns N' Roses, I have to agree. I believe this tour will come and go without an album. It kills me to say that, but I just really have a gut feeling we won't be seeing Chinese Democracy anytime soon. I could be wrong though, and hopefully I am. I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

[milkboy]

If they truly wanted to capitalize on the release of the album, I think they'd be hyping GNR right now and would have this summer. There has been hardly a scrap of information about GNR on their website for years.

My point is I think they are going to be dicks when Axl and Merck finally say "OK, it's finished, here you go. Let's release on this date and this is our first single." I have a feeling Geffen may have some stipulations. And we all know how our boy Axl feels about compromising what he wants.

I predict trouble ahead.

[mr.Q]

As much as I love Guns N' Roses, I have to agree. I believe this tour will come and go without an album. It kills me to say that, but I just really have a gut feeling we won't be seeing Chinese Democracy anytime soon. I could be wrong though, and hopefully I am. I guess we'll just have to see what happens.

Back in February nobody believed in a European tour but we had one.

mr.Q

[vicious]

CD isn't costing the record company

they cut off the funds years ago

Axl is the man paying for it now

i just hope it won't make the price of CD to expensive

[undercovergunner]

How can geffen do anything when they dont have a fucking clue what howard hughes is doing.

Axl parties in seclusion and makes secret recordings like he is a fucking cia agent or something, sanctuary doesnt even know what cd consist of or if the illusion will actually be used.

[PrettyTiedUp763]

Why would they not release it? Geffen probably wants the album out as much as we do just so they can reap the profits.

[rwm172]

It is foolish to think Geffen would do anything but rejoice and cash in when this is finally done

[milkboy]

It is foolish to think Geffen would do anything but rejoice and cash in when this is finally done

I think you are a little niave there - Geffen has put up with Axl's shit and lost a boat load of money. Most bands work with their label while Axl has continued to work against his. There is hostility between the two. Obviously, Geffen wants the record out but don't think they won't put up a hard front to do it their way. Why else would there be such a disconnect between the band and the label over the years. Geffen barely acknowledges that GNR is a band.

[vicious]

It is foolish to think Geffen would do anything but rejoice and cash in when this is finally done

I think you are a little niave there - Geffen has put up with Axl's shit and lost a boat load of money. Most bands work with their label while Axl has continued to work against his. There is hostility between the two. Obviously, Geffen wants the record out but don't think they won't put up a hard front to do it their way. Why else would there be such a disconnect between the band and the label over the years. Geffen barely acknowledges that GNR is a band.

as i said above, geffen cut off funds years ago, and they made more off gnr then they spent on the first few years of CD and they know they'll get millions in CD profits so they won't lose out, thats a guarentee

[milkboy]

It is foolish to think Geffen would do anything but rejoice and cash in when this is finally done

I think you are a little niave there - Geffen has put up with Axl's shit and lost a boat load of money. Most bands work with their label while Axl has continued to work against his. There is hostility between the two. Obviously, Geffen wants the record out but don't think they won't put up a hard front to do it their way. Why else would there be such a disconnect between the band and the label over the years. Geffen barely acknowledges that GNR is a band.

as i said above, geffen cut off funds years ago, and they made more off gnr then they spent on the first few years of CD and they know they'll get millions in CD profits so they won't lose out, thats a guarentee

I'm not implying that they are going into the poor house because of GNR, quite the opposite I'm sure. However, I'm positive none of their other clients have used up so much cash for an unreleased album. Even if GNR were cut off in 2000, I'm sure Geffen is pissed that the money that was paid out earlier has never been returned. If there wasn't bitterness and tension between the two, Geffen would be supportive of them as they continue the tour and supposedly release the album. Geffen is a big label that generates big publicity. When their other clients are on the eve of releasing an album, you tend to see things on their website. It makes no sense why a label would barely recognize an artist like GNR, unless there was trouble behind the scenes.

Edited August 22, 2006 by milkboy

[SlashRock]

It makes no sense why a label would barely recognize an artist like GNR, unless there was trouble behind the scenes.

Either that or Axl doesn't bother talking to them, and so they don't have a fucking clue what's going on.

[bent-axl]

hell, geffen refers to Rob Zombie as the longest standing artist on their label. It's been so long that they must've forgotten about Axl.

I think the cd will be out, but not this year. I thought it was, but now i get the feeling it'll be early to mid 2007.

[Vadin]

Even if GNR were cut off in 2000,

They weren't. It happened in March 2004. And what else happened in the same month? Buckethead quit. Coincidence?

probably..

there's no need to be paranoid here

[jonx12]

Ok how many more times do we need to go over this!

Geffen is not the Geffen that Gnr dealt with in the late 80s early 90s, Axl is dealing with a completly different music buisness. Geffen was bought by Interscope, Interscope was then bought by Universal, which is now part of the Universal Music Group, otherwise known as UMG whose parent company are Vivendi Universal. Basically one huge company that owns shitloads of subsiduary lables. The point im making is, when you have had $13 million poured into an album that kind of money no longer comes from some second rate label like Geffen, that money is coming from Universal. If they want an album that they consider finished out at a certain time there is nothing in the world that is going to stop a huge corporation like Vivendi from putting out CD, not even Axl. While CD maybe released via Geffen, by now, with all the shit that surrounds this project the shots will be called by those with power in Universals head office, its too big for Geffen!

The greatest hits album, and the DVD re releases were nothing but a cash cow that generated nothing but huge amounts of income from the label, and they still do to this day, so they really have no incentive to push Axl for this new release right now. Funding may have been cut off, but we dont really know shit, for all we know Axl may have gone in and renegotiated a new contract with the label. We wont know until the thing comes out!

Jonx

[milkboy]

Ok how many more times do we need to go over this!

Geffen is not the Geffen that Gnr dealt with in the late 80s early 90s, Axl is dealing with a completly different music buisness. Geffen was bought by Interscope, Interscope was then bought by Universal, which is now part of the Universal Music Group, otherwise known as UMG whose parent company are Vivendi Universal. Basically one huge company that owns shitloads of subsiduary lables. The point im making is, when you have had $13 million poured into an album that kind of money no longer comes from some second rate label like Geffen, that money is coming from Universal. If they want an album that they consider finished out at a certain time there is nothing in the world that is going to stop a huge corporation like Vivendi from putting out CD, not even Axl. While CD maybe released via Geffen, by now, with all the shit that surrounds this project the shots will be called by those with power in Universals head office, its too big for Geffen!

The greatest hits album, and the DVD re releases were nothing but a cash cow that generated nothing but huge amounts of income from the label, and they still do to this day, so they really have no incentive to push Axl for this new release right now. Funding may have been cut off, but we dont really know shit, for all we know Axl may have gone in and renegotiated a new contract with the label. We wont know until the thing comes out!

Jonx

Heh?????

OK, Universal brass will decide the details of the record's release, not Geffen's. I think my point still applies. Universal execs have been sitting on their hands for the past several years waiting and waiting. God knows how many "It's almost done" statements they've received from GNR camp over the years. They clearly aren't in-sync with GNR otherwise I think we'd have see more coordination and publicity from the label over the past 3 months. For Christ sake, U.S. tour dates are being announced by livenation right now. Everyone thinks an album is due out this fall and the company who will be delivering the product acts like it doesn't even know who GNR is.

[wasted]

This is one of the reasons I think there will be no relase date. And why it wont be released this year or next. I think they will keep touring and presenting new songs for a few more years and then in 2010 or whenever the tour ends, Axl will put the record out when finally this buzz they have created dies down and then tour again. They started from nothing so they are reaching a peak. I think it mirrors the AFD release.

[Dead Flower]

I think my point still applies.

No, it doesn't. Never did.

[wasted]

I don't know really. I'm sure if Axl wanted the record out it would be out. Come on. Lets get real. No other band has this problem and surely not GNR one of the best bands. I dont know much about it but come on LETS GET REAL.

[inthisriver]

CD isn't costing the record company

they cut off the funds years ago

Axl is the man paying for it now

i just hope it won't make the price of CD to expensive

I agree with Vicious. That makes the most sense. Its all about the money.

Also, we are always specualting on this site about what Geffen or what Axl is thanking or their plans or how they do their business. Personally I know jack shit about the music business and I thinks it foolish to guess the way most of us do.

Rock On

Tbizzle

[gunner22]

I don't know really. I'm sure if Axl wanted the record out it would be out. Come on. Lets get real. No other band has this problem and surely not GNR one of the best bands. I dont know much about it but come on LETS GET REAL.

just curious, but what was the point in holding the music? i mean for the label. Fromthe sound of it, there isn't any gain for them. to me it seems more about keeping it down. also i'm curious what the PRO's say about this, if anything at all. funny i think that if it was slashand the rest of the old band they'd be dancing on thier toes for them.

[GNRbomber]

i just saw somewhere its says guns n roses has or wants to change their record label to interscope

does anyone know if this true or not.