Can someone explain how zero promotion makes any sense?

[Kaneda]

I can't, for the life of me, understand how people continue to believe that with zero promotion Axl and the record company will release an album that cost 15 million dollars to produce sometime in the next 5 weeks.

I keep hearing people makes half-thought-out reasons why no promotion will work, but it won't. But here's the real concern for me.

To even turn promotion on quickly, some stuff has to be planned weeks in advance...ads need to be created, promotional materials need to be developed, media would be informed...etc. If anything were taking place behind the scenes, a leak or two would spring up...The Axl lites on this board think Axl is a genious and has found a way to eilminate inner leaks...but truthfully, I think everyone on this board knows that nothing has leaked because nothing has been going on.

It's almost comical that we are still holding onto 2006 at this point. There has to be a reason why Axl isn't even mentioning the album at concerts...and it can't be good.

What's going on?

[Chris 55]

I dunno. I can't figure out what's going on in that guys head. Sitting around and speculating isn't going to accomplish anything either. It sucks that he's chosen this route for this album but hey, he's the one in charge right?

[uzeurilluzion]

Its fuckin ridiculous and I don't understand it.

I feel like a jackass for promoting the album so much and tellin everyone at work and friends how it will be out by 2006.

Major letdown indeed.

[jaypayton]

i agree..I mean i cant believe how some GNR fans are so damn gullible or just plain stupid....I mean god its been 13 years since the last album...10 years of constant rumors of a new album..and people act like its a forgone conclusion its coming out this year...i mean get serious people, Axl must laugh at you all.......I hear dfrom a radio dj its the 21st..no i heard from a source its the 28th...my friends cousins half brothers little sister heard from someoen its december 5th...HAHAHAHA....i mean seriously look at reality..........THE ALBUM IS NOT COMING OUT IN 2006.......it is a 100 percent guarantee...........and i bet it wont be out in 2007 either.........or 2008....or 2009...........i think it will die a death and go off into oblivion of unreleased albums..........

[Jackamo!]

because Merck is a marketing genious...

[Nick85]

I think we all wanna know...and as loyal fans have the right to know, what the fucking deal is with the album.

[sweetness]

Theres statewide promotion for the concerts, but nothing about Chinese Democracy.

Why? Because it isnt ready yet.

Edited November 20, 2006 by sweetness

[motownjunkie]

wait there's an actual album

[Zeppelin]

Zero promotion doesn't make any sense. That's a fact.

However, GNR doesn't make sense, so no promotion is probably normal at this point. Who knows? It's a dysfunctional situation at best.

[Montrealer]

Promotion for what exactyl?

[Turn_It_Up]

The fact he's not properly introducing the new songs and album during the tour has to raise questions on the timeframe. It's not a good sign to state the obvious...

[wasted]

I think you can over promote a record to the point where people will go against it. If people discover a record themselves or have their own moment to buy it without every media channel telling them to it is just better.

And it's just bullshit about there being no promotion really. It's not tv commercials or ads in magazines but they are taking the music to people with every show and most shows get good reviews and some sort of weird story out of it whether its true or not. Like Ankle Biting Swedish Security Guards and Roast Lamb Dinners and these Trailer Park Boys.

[KBear]

I can't, for the life of me, understand how people continue to believe that with zero promotion Axl and the record company will release an album that cost 15 million dollars to produce sometime in the next 5 weeks.

I keep hearing people makes half-thought-out reasons why no promotion will work, but it won't. But here's the real concern for me.

To even turn promotion on quickly, some stuff has to be planned weeks in advance...ads need to be created, promotional materials need to be developed, media would be informed...etc. If anything were taking place behind the scenes, a leak or two would spring up...The Axl lites on this board think Axl is a genious and has found a way to eilminate inner leaks...but truthfully, I think everyone on this board knows that nothing has leaked because nothing has been going on.

I'm hardly what you'd call an Axlite, but did you forget about the HD Better ad? That obviously leaked, since shortly thereafter GN'R got them to take the ad down and had it pulled from the forums as best they could. Then there are the ads for the tour. And let's not forget general coverage like newspaper reviews. Same thing as promotion really.

Granted we haven't seen much else, but there clearly is some promotion in the pipeline. I tend to think that they will promote it harder after the album comes out, or perhaps after the first single is released. They can do it that way too you know.

They are so damn secretive that it's obvious to me they want to sneak this into stores. I can only assume heavy promotion starts at that point. The crackdown on forums (okay, *a* forum) has been something that has only happened in the last few weeks. Before that they didn't really give a shit about rumours, be they true or false. This leads me to believe then that it's close.

But then again I am always overly optimistic when it comes to this album.

Edited November 20, 2006 by KBear

[Estranged Reality]

I think you can over promote a record to the point where people will go against it. If people discover a record themselves or have their own moment to buy it without every media channel telling them to it is just better.

And it's just bullshit about there being no promotion really. It's not tv commercials or ads in magazines but they are taking the music to people with every show and most shows get good reviews and some sort of weird story out of it whether its true or not. Like Ankle Biting Swedish Security Guards and Roast Lamb Dinners and these Trailer Park Boys.

Dude, please. Yes, there is such a thing as over-exposure. GN'R has NO exposure. You can't rely on some concerts with three or four new songs being played - without introduction - to hype up a new album. It's ridiculous. I knew some people would start responding trying to defend the band's - err, Axl's and Merck's - decisions to make this a "surprise" release. But from a marketing standpoint it's ludicrous. They're screwing themselves - many record stores will either refuse to carry stock on such short notice or have no room and be forced to put many of them in overstock; no one will realize it's out (and word of mouth alone won't spread fast enough and with enough exposure for it to make a difference).

You can't drop a major label album with no promotion. It is NOT up to Merck and Axl how to promote this thing. It's up to Universal, ultimately. Merck is just the manager of the band, NOT the head of distribution.

The fact that there's nothing coming from Universal is what is very disturbing.

[Kaneda]

Ah, thanks Wasted, I knew a moronic Axl-Lite would pop up and post a retarded explanation like yours...

[Rattus]

I can't, for the life of me, understand how people continue to believe that with zero promotion Axl and the record company will release an album that cost 15 million dollars to produce sometime in the next 5 weeks.

It wont happen. It's been delayed, for the 958th time

[EverythingWasRoses]

Its fuckin ridiculous and I don't understand it.

I feel like a jackass for promoting the album so much and tellin everyone at work and friends how it will be out by 2006.

Major letdown indeed.

I know man!

I go around telling everyone that the album is coming out this year - and they all say "ya, sure it is "

I was looking forward to this album coming out, but I haven't given up all hope for '06

[speedking]

I took Axl at his word when he told John Norris backstage at the VMA's that "Chinese Democracy" will be out this year.

He still has a few weeks left and at this point I'd have to say that it's going to be a digital download via I-Tunes etc...

As for the current tour, I'll be seeing them in Minneapolis in a couple of weeks, but the words of David St. Hubbins keep ringing in my ears...

"There's no way to promote something that doesn't exist"

[wasted]

This is not the issue in my mind. GNR arent a new band that just got signed who will do two albums and appear on a few tv shows and then vanish. Whatever anyone says they are sort of legendary within music history. There's this huge base to jump off with this band. If this was their first record and its all about making money for the record company in as quick a time as possible then thats what they could have done - released a quick album in 1997 promoted the hell out of it and then quit with a profit.

This isn't the situation. First it's a whole new project and Axl in someways is holding off on just releasing a quick record which does moderatley well so as not to ruin his own career or tarnish the old members efforts and his own in building GNR into what it is now.

So I think this record is a whole different concept than AFD or UYI. To me this a record like The Wall or The Beatles White Album or some of the other classic rock releases which still sell today. The record doesnt have to sell quickly or be promoted as much because GNR are a known band. Like I go into HMV and look around and see music from older bands like Floyd, Stones, Beatles, Zeepelin and I buy it based on their reputation. It's not cos The White Album was hyped to fuck on TV. It's almost the opposite.

I guess it does all depend if you view the record like I do as a triple album boxset or something like it. But a big release for GNR now with the quality of music they have showed in the leaks and the bands status in music up to this point it will sell for years to come. A triple album to me would make the most balls out statement while at the same time be perfect for the future. At the end of the wait people will be knocked out by such a masterpiece. And for the future it will be on the shelves next to The Wall, Physical Graphiti, Dark Side of The Moon as a record you buy without it being the flavour of the week. Longevity is what it's all about. To me that is.

In ten years will people still be buying Chinese Democracy?

[Guest Matt13]

Ah, thanks Wasted, I knew a moronic Axl-Lite would pop up and post a retarded explanation like yours...

Ah, thanks Kaneda. I knew you would post this same thing now for the 100th time eventually. YOU'RE A BROKEN RECORD.

Shut up.

[espojespojohn]

First off the word genius is thrown around WAY TOO MUCH.Merck is NOT one,neither is AXL.Save the word for people that really are.THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS ALBUM HITS THE STORES THIS YEAR.I dont give a fuck about what Asshole-Rose has said on Tv.If we take all the quotes of the past years about the album coming up,we'd have enough to put in a bag to shove up his fucking ass!!! They would have to pump all their resources into this one album JUST to recoup their losses,let alone make a profit.This is not the 80s anymore.NO ONE sells 10 million of an album anymore.The zero promotion idea is a waste of breath,as human beings all know that we buy shit that we hear about or see...and are bombarded by it day after day.This album is the polar opposite.I am willing to put up $100 that says that the album doesn't come out this Tuesday or even within the year

[potbreath]

It only makes sense if you want to surprise your fans for some reason, (some reason other than the possibility of a leak). But the general opinion seems to be that this would be impossible and someone would spill the beans and we would know by now. If they actually pull something like that off it will be the first time, right?

[ohyesindeed]

axl, merck, and all of their minions are sooo secretive, that i think speculating on anything at this point is silly.

as far as "zero promotion" is concerned, i think it makes perfect sense save for not announcing an actual release date.....they should at least tell us when it's coming out.

the fact of the matter is that this is the most expensive album ever made. for them to get any money back, they've gotta minimize leaks. now, someone at the label said that they have not turned in the masters to be manufactured, or created any promo material. i don't think that means anything when dealing with gn'r (if the sources at the label are even telling the truth!).

once you turn your master into the label, they send it of to be pressed. that means some of those high up people at the label are gonna have a copy prior to manufacturing. then one night when one of these high up people has passed out after doing too much coke and fucking one of the interns, said intern will copy it off his computer whilst he sleeps. then, she'll email it to her boyfriend. her boyfriend will make a copy for his other girlfriend. then it will be avalable for download and they will lose money.

for the label to promote it on a wide scale, they have to know it actually exists. axl and merck are smart enough to understand that leaks have 4 main sources:

1. some dickhead who works at the studio.

2. someone at the label

3. some journalist

4. someone at retail

the best strategy for them to have maximum impact on the first week of release is to usurp all the main points of leakage and get it from their hands to the fans with no interruption.

that being said, it'll be available for illegal download within a week after it hits the shelves....so all this secrecy will prolly be in vain....but this is axl, remember?

Edited November 20, 2006 by ohyesindeed

[blackvelvet]

I can't, for the life of me, understand how people continue to believe that with zero promotion Axl and the record company will release an album that cost 15 million dollars to produce sometime in the next 5 weeks.

I keep hearing people makes half-thought-out reasons why no promotion will work, but it won't. But here's the real concern for me.

To even turn promotion on quickly, some stuff has to be planned weeks in advance...ads need to be created, promotional materials need to be developed, media would be informed...etc. If anything were taking place behind the scenes, a leak or two would spring up...The Axl lites on this board think Axl is a genious and has found a way to eilminate inner leaks...but truthfully, I think everyone on this board knows that nothing has leaked because nothing has been going on.

It's almost comical that we are still holding onto 2006 at this point. There has to be a reason why Axl isn't even mentioning the album at concerts...and it can't be good.

What's going on?

Are you trying for Xozihood..??

[wasted]

I just don't agree that GNR have to promote this thing to shit for it to be a success commercially, if in fact Axl gives a fuck about that. There's no way to know he may not give a rats fuck about it being this intersellar seller, maybe he's had that with AFD and knows he cant top it but still wants to do an album and be in GNR but wants to make music he likes. Not many rock fans are watching this process as closly as us so this year, next year, what's the difference? If you're on it every second of the day then it's gonna feel like an eternity. I think what counts in the medias eyes is this story of generals delays that people are aware of. This in itself draws attention to the record. Rolling Stone can't do an article about GNR if they just released an ok album and did an uneventful tour for 5 years supporting it.