Here Today... Gone To Hell!

This article is from The Independant, a newspaper over here in the UK.....

Guns N' Roses: Are they finally ready to release a new album?
In the early 1990s, Guns N' Roses were the biggest band on the planet. Now, eight producers, 15 years and ?7m later, the new album is here
By Fiona Sturges
Published: 02 March 2007

In 1991, Guns N' Roses, the LA rock band led by the tattoo-clad, kilt-wearing, flame-haired singer W Axl Rose, had the world at their feet. Their swaggering 20 million-selling debut Appetite for Destruction was still in the top 10 album chart four years after its release. The twin albums Use Your Illusion I and II had just set a world record - it was the first time two records from the same group had entered the Billboard charts at numbers 1 and 2. The band had also embarked on their biggest world tour to date that would net $30m in ticket sales alone. They were, in short, the biggest band on the planet.

Fast-forward to 2007 and, despite having produced nothing of consequence for more than a decade and a half, Guns N' Roses are far from forgotten. For next month, after 15 years of rumour and expectancy, the band is to release their third proper LP, Chinese Democracy. Possibly.

A letter posted by Rose on the official Guns N' Roses website revealed that the album will hit the shops this Tuesday. But as long-standing GNR fans know, this isn't the first occasion that the release of Chinese Democracy, described by The New York Times as "the recording industry's most notorious white elephant", has been announced. Indeed, the story of Axl Rose, his monstrous ego and his attempts to finish the most expensive album of all time is the stuff of legend. At a cost of ?7m, many believe that democracy will come to China before Chinese Democracy sees the light of day. Over the years, Rose has hired and fired eight producers and at least 20 musicians, while roundly ignoring the pleas of executives at his record company Geffen to finish the job.

The album was originally due to appear in 1996 but was delayed, according to Rose, because of the departure of long-standing band-mates Duff McKagan and Slash. Rose claimed they had left of their own volition, though Slash and McKagan maintain that they were forced to leave after the singer, who has ownership of the band's name, began treating them like a backing band.

In 1998, Rose hired the San Fernando studio where he had recorded Appetite for Destruction and told Geffen, which had already invested heavily in the album, to expect the record at the end of the year. In the event, Rose's visits to the studio were rare and no music materialised. Later in the year, the singer invited Rolling Stone magazine to his house to preview a dozen new tracks, and a new release date was set for 2000, but, once again, nothing appeared.

On New Year's Day 2001, Rose seemed on the brink of delivery. At the House of Blues in Las Vegas, he unveiled his latest line-up and a clutch of new songs. The show was warmly reviewed and a newly energised Rose took his band on the road. Upon his return, Rose went back into the studio but appeared to have a crisis of confidence, firing his producer and ordering the songs to be recorded over again.

By 2004, Universal, Geffen's parent company ran out of patience and informed Rose's management by letter that "having exceeded all budgeted and approved recording costs by millions of dollars, it is now Mr Rose's obligation to fund and complete the album". Rose's studio tab was frozen and the album taken off the schedule. Over a legal challenge from Rose, they released a greatest hits package to help recoup their losses. Without any promotion from the band, it sold 1.8 million copies, proving there was still a market for Guns N' Roses.

Since then, more release dates for Chinese Democracy have come and gone. Early in 2006, Rose told Rolling Stone: "People will hear music this year... It's a complex record. I'm trying to do something different. Some people are going to say, 'It doesn't sound like Guns N' Roses'. But you'll like at least a few songs." Still nothing materialised.

We'll soon know whether there is any substance to Rose's latest announcement, though for once the signs look promising. Sources close to Rose say that Andy Wallace, who engineered Nirvana's Nevermind, has been putting the finishing touches on the album. A few days after Rose's statement, his former manager, Merck Mercuriadis, wrote an open letter to fans saying that the album only needed "two or three more days" before it was completed. He continued: "I promise you that Chinese Democracy is worth it and you should keep the faith ... Next year will see Axl recognised not only as a great singer and rock icon but as one of the greatest artists of all time."

It's more likely, however, that Rose will be remembered as the most egotistical, volatile, downright bonkers front man in the history of rock. This is a man who once kept The Rolling Stones waiting for three hours for the rehearsal of a Rose-Jagger duet.

Back in the mid-Eighties, Rose was already displaying the diva-like behaviour that would be the band's undoing. He frequently failed to show up for gigs and was abusive towards other members of the band. But for Guns N' Roses, the final nail in the coffin was the release of Nevermind in late 1991. At that moment, cock rock was out and introspective indie-rock was in. The band continued to tour until 1993 when they released The Spaghetti Incident?, an album of punk covers. Sales were negligible and for the rest of the decade Rose became a virtual recluse in his Malibu mansion.

Rose's big comeback came in 2002, when he performed at the MTV awards, but he looked out of breath and struggled to sing in tune. The following year, Guns N' Roses announced their first tour in a decade, though it was clear that Rose still hadn't mended his ways. He failed to show up to two shows and was arrested in a state of severe inebriation in Stockholm.

So will we really see a new Guns N' Roses album next week? And, if so, will it have been worth the wait? Only time will tell. Perhaps Rose put it best on his website in 2002. "If you're waiting... don't. Live your life. That's your responsibility, not mine... But if you're really into waiting, try holding your breath for Jesus. I hear the pay-off may be that much greater."

'Chinese Democracy' is released on Tuesday, allegedly

http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/f...icle2316893.ece

http://www.mygnrforum.com/index.php?showtopic=91039

A quick call to Universal would have confirmed March 06 wasn't going to happen..no mention of last years tour..this is a bit unfair but all the more reason why the band needs to give a proper update 'soon'

Give this guy the pulitzer :P

What a waste of life.

This is proof of just how reliable newspapers and magazines are sometimes  ::)

Compared to the shit that passes for the Sun, Daily Express, News of the World, etc and all the other farcical destructive pieces of hate that pass for newspapers in this country, the Independent is not bad. So where the hell did that line come from??

It came from the March 6th "tentative" date.

Ah, should have guessed. Someone else who couldn't comprehend Axl's letter.. And these people are supposed to be journalists?

To be fair they haven't had an update telling them otherwise til the other day  :hihi:

Although they should have phoned the record company or something for comfirmation!

Yeah but even so, the letter does say tentative. Just sloppy journalism if you ask me... Still publicity is publicity  :)

So the 2002 Eurasian/North American tour never happened.

GNR announced their first tour in a decade in 2003, and Axl got arrested in Sweden and failed to appear for two shows.


News to me.? :P

I didnt think this article was that bad.  I mean at least theyre talking about Axl...its not purely negative or bashing him.  We would be lucky if all papers wrote articles like this.  Theyre never going to be nice or say, "Axl Rose is the King of Kings etc...."  This puts Axl's name out there, makes him sound like a crazy rock star, talks about the controversy with the band, gives some history and makes it sound like the album might be out soon.  You guys are too picky.  This isnt necessarily the most accurate, but who the hell could read Axl's letter and make out with any certainty what he said.  Hell, we cant even make out with certainty what our founding fathers said in the Bill of Rights.  His letter was cryptic with built in escape hatches.  This wasnt pulitzer worthy or anything, but its the kind of article that will help GNR.

This is another exemple of an uninformed journalist ::). First, the article says nothing new and also, no mention of the recent update by Del James or the 2006 tour...etc.Simply pathetic.

I really dont know why you people think this is bad.  We are going to know more than any reporters.  Most of us spend hours a week  checking news, discussing the band, downloading videos etc... These reporters have like a day and a half to get their articles ready.  Sure its going to be old to us.  The only thing these reporters will ever get before us are interviews.  People discussing Axl, the album, tours and telling the public that the album is supposed to come out soon is good.  This is much better than no article, and reminds people who may have forgotten the history of the band, who GNR is, and that Axl is coming back.  Most people didnt go to the concerts, dont come to these forums and havent been eagerly anticipating the release. What Axl's note fails to realize is that most people ARENT waiting.  Most people already have moved on with their lives.  Its us few on boards like this who are still here waiting.  Axl should be trying to keep us waiting and getting those people who took a break years ago to come back.  Articles like this help respark those peoples interest.

I THINK THEY ARE!

The following year from 2002 is 2003.

So I guess according to this newspaper, we're living in the year 2004 now.


Why the hell do journalists often "forget" to do fact checking?

Why does this only mention the cancelled shows and one arrest? No mention of headlining festivals, sold out shows or the surprise shows they played.


It's all about negativity.




/jarmo

its an article about how if axl doesn't put out an album on tuesday he's merely fulfilling what this writer outlines as his rep as a diva and nut. i don't know how you misread 'tenative' and 'this is not a lie, promise etc etc' so i assume this particular writer is purposely misleading the public.

its all about misleading the public and shaping opinions.

How many times do you read good news? Almost never.

 ? Controversy and bad news sell, Car wreck, rape, murder, misery that shit sells. Run a story about school kids planting trees and your SOL.

 ?90-95% GNR gigs happen without incident but when Axl gets back to the hotel smashed and has an altercation with security it's on CNN.... that's the way it goes. ?

I'll tell you 'why' jarmo...

Because they're useless fucking arseholes.   :rant:   I  :puke:  on all of them!!!   :rant:

Guns N' Roses: Are they finally ready to release a new album?

They'll never be ready. Even when the album is released they won't be ready. Only once the album is out and doing well, will they believe  :)

Media lies are what they do. They do it from when we are kids and for some reason we believe them.  Nickelodeon said during one of their "educational" commercials that George Washington Carver invented the peanut... They write this stuff and get away with it because most of the intelligent people in the world disseminate their information through books and are too busy making news than writing it.  Still I think this is a positive thing.  People loving you or people hating you sells...its when they arent writing or saying mediocre things that youre in trouble.

That article said he hired and fired 20 musicians.....

That's kind of an exaggeration, isn't it ??




*bba*

Not to mention that Slash said in VH1 BEHIND THE MUSC....."AXL DIDN'T KICK US OUT, WE LEFT HIM"......This guy said that Slash is quoted as saying the opposite.......he's a crackhead with an IQ that can barely reach room temperature. What a terrific writer... ::)

 :hihi:


Yay!


Now you go back to primary school. : ok:
kinda sad that even a writer for a so called quality paper in the UK doesn't know what the word 'tentative' means.

More bullshit.    :rant:    :confused:    :headscratch:

I'd like to :puke:   in this guys mouth.   :rant:         :lmao:

Not just once either.    :rant:    >:(    :o               

I'm talking like, several times.   :yes:   : ok:   :hihi:   :rofl:  :headbanger:

No offense kids, but while some of his facts may have been wrong, we've got to face the truth that this album has been in the making for what? 14-15 years now?

I mean come on guys. Yeah we're all fans and supporters. But don't act shocked when some of the mainstream media runs Axl down. Some of you even sit stunned in disbelief that anyone would run down the legend and legacy that is the almighty, Axl Rose.

I've got no doubt he'll prove his detractors wrong when the album is released. But do you honestly believe the planet is going to jump up and down because Axl said it's going to be released? They've heard it a thousand times before. The difference between us and the rest of the planet is that we're more patient, dedicated, and, quite possibly, dillusional.

Now ask yourself this. If Metallica went through the same shit that GnR did, how many of us that aren't Metallica fans would be laughing our asses off at the band right now?

See....

I'm not bitter about it.....it's just that the writer was giving out information that was just not true.....hence the quote of mine a few replies above this one. If someone wants to bash.....cool. But at least bash with facts and not miqoutes that may very well be just a scumbag writers opinion. Another words, get your story straight before printing ANY article. Ya know?

It seems like it's too much to ask for when you want them to check their facts.





/jarmo

Yeah no shit....they seem to just wing it.......stuff like that does not belong in any newspaper....In any country.....regardless of the subject. It's unfortunate but it is reality.

#1 - I don't buy this bullshit about this album taking 14 - 15 years to make.  I'd like to find out one day the TRUTH on the accumulated total time that was actually spent really working on this album. It most certainly doesn't accumulate to 14 - 15 years man.    :rant: 

Like really, give your head a shake buddy.    :nervous:

Sorry but, that's a bunch of BULLSHIT!!!    :rant:

#2 - I've been literally laughing my ass off at Metallica, since Cliff Burton was killed in a bus crash. All of my friends have been laughing their asses off at Metallica right alongside of me too. Those guys are a fucking joke and ended up being greedy sell-outs in the end. They should have broke the band up and called it quits immediately after Cliff died because all of the useless crap they released after his death, can't even come close enough to hold a candle to their previous work. My opinion of these jerk-offs, went even further downhill and right off the bottom of the scale actually, after I watched their ridiculous 'self-absorbed and completely spoiled little fuckheads' documentary. Lars is just a little whiny, effeminate goofball. I have no idea how anyone can stand that moron. And James Hetfield??? Puh-lease. Do I even need to go there? That guy USED to be cool. He hasn't been a cool dude in a very long time. All of these things, including that totally greedy Napster incident, when combined together forces me to have Less Than Zero Respect for these idiotic morons.

Sorry but, comparing Axl Rose to Metallica is really just a bunch more BULLSHIT!!!     :rant:



Just my opinion and I don't expect anyone to agree with me either.     :headbanger:     :peace:      :beer:

Hah....wow...good to see my points are still taken completely out of context.

Now, don't get me wrong, but preliminary work started on the album on what?  93 or 94? Maybe 94.

It's 2007.

That's about 13-14 years...my apologies. I was off by a year.

Ya see kid. This is like timing someone who's masturbating with dial up.

Granted, they spend most of their time waiting for the pic of their sister to load up on the screen.

But you've got to understand. The little brother wanting to play Warcraft doesn't care how long it's takin' big bro to download a pic, or how much actual time his hammer was in his hand.

All he knows is that it's been half an hour, and that's about 25 minutes too long.

See what I mean now?

Nah..probably not.

Wow. That's twice in a row I've compared Axl Rose to jerk offs. Sorry boss....

That's funny -

People are very defensive here about Axl. ?I dont blame him if youre posting on this board chances are Axl has meant a lot to you, but I think that when the album is released there will be a lot of junk articles like this and most will be far worse. ?Im just hoping that people will be able to take it. ?The more of these articles the better, its when they dont write stuff its time to worry. ?

His Metallica post was right. ?If Hetfield broke off an started his own band called metallica, even after the black album, and then still hadnt released a new album, and did all the stuff Axl has done we would be laughing at him. ?This writer has been influenced by other writers who were probably influenced by other writers...its a chain like the childhood game of telephone. ?Rumors become facts, fantasies become rumors, and lies become truths. ?Its what happens. As fans we just have to be educated, deal with it, tell people who write this shit that they are wrong, but dont be assholes about it. ?If someone writes this guy and tells him about the first new GNR tour or that Axl has probably used about 15 artists, most of whom are still in GNR. ?No reason to beligerant about this stuff, at least hes interested enough to write this, i think a lot of people just dont care anymore.

Who'd give a shit.  :P

Yet if any journalist gives  negative and false info on anybody, they well deserve my great disrespect.

What's your fucking problem man???      ???       >:(

First off, I ain't your fucking kid and I'd appreciate you not calling me a fucking kid.    :rant: 

Got that one fucking right?   :rant:

I sure as hell ain't your fucking boss, so don't be calling me that either.    >:(

Lastly, you're points weren't taken out of fucking context by me. Axl sure as fuck, has not actually spent 13, 14 or even 15 fucking goddamned years actually working on this album and you should be able to figure that out on your own. How the fuck would you know anyway? This is just completely ridiculous guesswork on anyones part to calculate real fucking man-hours spent on this project. Unbelievable that anyone would actually believe that kind of fucked-up bullshit. 

I have a tiny problem with people who pass themselves of as journalists and just don't care enough to check a few simple facts.

It's not like they're writing for some unknown little local newspaper....





They write what they're told to write about. I think they're just interested in getting the job done as fast as possible and get paid.



/jarmo

Also....people have to keep in mind that when AFD was released in 87'...there were a lot of junk articles at first as well.....until everyone started to love them.....then the writers from those same junk articles did an immediate about face.......Negativity sells until someone drops the hammer.....hypocracy is unavoidable with these people in this business.

What he said...

I'm quite surprised that The Independant ran a story on GNR actually. ?I've always seen that paper or rag as a Financial Times paper so any mention of GNR good or bad is COOL in my eyes. ?Imagine you were into GNR in the 80s and suddenly you pick up this rag and see the name GNR in it. ?Don't know about you people but I for one have followed for donkeys years and any PUBLICITY is PUBLICITY. ?I never knew of GNR ever being GOOD BOYS back then so maybe the youth of today needs to realise that they are into GNR because of what they were then. ?GNR today are yet to live upto what they were. ?When I was 16 or so GNR filled the gap in my life and who gives a F**k what anyone thinks. ?Rock music is about rebelion and since when do we want honesty, reliabilty or even truth. ?What made you all into GNR in the first place. BAD PUBLICITY is EXCELLENT!!!!!

F**k the world, because the world F**ks YOU!

I agree with you. All Im saying is that at least theyre being told or choosing to write about about Axl (whether the journalist was told or it was their idea, some journalists have freedom others dont). Most journalism is biased, skewed, and ill-informed.  However, I guess I belong to the any press is good press.  Axl is a polarizing figure, if hes still polarizing that means he still has power and is still important.  I like seeing stuff like this, its being reported as news not "where are they now" or nonsense like that.  It approaches the article like its readers care about the Axl story, even if its bullshit it makes Axl sound important and might remind some people of him and maybe get new people to check out this "crazy assholes music that hes been working on for 15 years."

By not being beligerant i just meant to eachother and if you write people like this.  If you write someone like this and are like "AXLS GOD I KILL YOU BITCH etc.." theyre not going to read it and probably be more inclined to write this shit.

What exactly is false in this article?  The 20 band members thing?  Well...none of us know for sure if that's true or not.  The March 6th date?  Well...maybe it would help if that was removed from the band's website.

The fact that Slash n company left Axl.....which is true.....and not the other way around.......which is a false statement. Watch vh1 btm and you will see.

There's lots of shit that's blatantly false in the article Danny.   :yes:

There's as many false facts in it as there were in your faxes.....



/jarmo

Like WHAT is blatently false? ?This?


It doesn't say that Slash and Duff were fired. ?It says that they were forced to leave because they didn't like how they were treated. ?Isn't that pretty much true?

I'm not trying to bust balls here. ?I'm just trying to figure out what's so false here.

I don't know if the article was wrong or not. But I also won't take what the other band members in BTM say as gold, either.

Kept Mick Jagger waiting for 3 hours!

That is Classic! : ok:

The same letter mentioned above also says:

With that being said, this is not a promise, a lie or a guarantee, but we do wish to announce a tentative release date of March 6. This is the first time we have done this publicly for this album. Others have made up all the other dates for their own reasons.






As far as I remember, Axl never said he'd release an album in 1996. That was Duff and others who claimed so.

He said there would be a new album when he announced Slash was out of the band. It didn't mention when.






No, they hoped it would be out in 2001.




There was no tour in 2003, which followed 2002.

No mention of the successful 2006 European tour and lots of references to the "crazy Axl". Shit that happened in the 1980s/90s....



Poorly researched article.



/jarmo

duff and axl split on good terms...and duff quit in 97 i think...check out the articles on the HTGTH main page its in there somewhere

Slash and axl had creative differences....also it was written that Duff walked out on slashs snakepit material before axl if i recall the interview correctly

as for 20 band members...that could be true i never counted

lets see......since 1996 - axl, slash, duff, paul tobias, matt, dizzy, robin, fortus, bh, bbf, tommy, brain, frank, freese, pitman, othres who may have (or did) record stuff....gary sunshine, dave navarro, Zakk Wylde, Brian May

thats 19..... :hihi:

Ok.  Cool.  Thank you for that.  I was pretty confused on the dates and years...as was this reporter, apparently.  You're right.  This is a pretty poorly written article.

Fukkin' rights it's a poorly written article!!!     :rant:


MOST of them are poorly researched and written and only used as a vehicle to bash Axl every chance they get.   >:(

any journalist worthy of the name would be more interested in probing into the reasons why others have made up all the other dates and in who made them up.

whats cool about this is not the article, but axl is on the front page of the paper. 'the return of guns n roses' with the man next to it.

People have to get over the fact that not everyone in the world is a GNR fan.  Who gives a fuck?   At least there was an article about GNR.  This is how "nonfans" see the band.  They don't know everything that true GNR fans know.  They haven't been following the band like the true fans.  So get the fuck over it.  Image the shit your going to read once the albumn comes out.

March 6th.??

One click of a mouse to GNR official site and you see Del James update on the albums status. "No official release date yet as the band is currently mixing."

Thats sloppy journalism by any standards.

TRUE

A brief statement from Axl addressing "where we are" with Chinese Democracy would prevent alot of this shit journalism.

I mean, I know Del James pretty much told us that via the official site, but I think it would be better and get out to more people if Axl were to actually say something.

That's ok though Axl, I'm definitely buying the album regardless of when it comes out !? ?:yes:




*bba*