This just hit me.

[chineseilusions]

A while back tommy gave an interview to MTV and this part caught my eye Stinson added that he thinks the record is finally almost done, and the only thing that's holding back its completion is legal issues. I think he is talking about the old band members suit and the Hollywood Rose suit as well.When does Axl go to court on the Slash/Duff suit?August I think.What I'm saying is maybe after this is all said and done Axl can go back in the studio or whatever is left to be done and do it and have it ready for a November release.Just a thought,what do you all think?

[SOH]

Unless Axl is scared shitless that Slash and Duff will get the name and he'll be totally fucked, that's no excuse. Just because he has a court case, he's barred from going into his own studio and making music? No. It's just another excuse to stall for time.

[Neemo]

they aren't suing for the name, they are suing because they (Slash and Duff) feel Axl owes them money because movies and television shows over the past few years have wanted to use G'n'R songs for music themes and Axl said no. Also Axl wanted to rerelease AFD recorded by the new band. So lost revenue and integrity of the music, as far as I can make out, are the issues. They are saying Axl left the partnership so they have the ownership of the old catalogue. or something

here is a link to the documents:

http://celebrityjustice.warnerbros.com/documents/04/05/gnr.pdf

[SOH]

I know. I'm just saying the only way it would make sense that this would keep the album from coming out is him fearing that they'd somehow get the name.

[Rhino]

This is all about money and the name "Guns n Roses". It looks as if These legal issues are holding back the release and probably have been for years. Why would Axl release an album if Slash and Duff are going to make money off it. This could also be the reason for the tour cancelation. Once a judgement is made either way I think the Album will come out. The legend of Chinese Democracy starting to become alot more clear.

P.S.

Remember the new logo "Guns & Roses" not "Guns n' Roses" I always thought there was something weird about that.

[chineseilusions]

This is what I thinkI think Axl wants to have all these problems out of the way before he puts CD out.So he can tour with a clear mind and have no worries

[dave-gnfnr2k]

People really need to get a clue about this.
Slash and Duff WONT make money off the album chinese democracy because fo the name guns n roses.
Again, and like someone else pointed out, they are not suing for the name they are suing for the rights to the gnr songs from TSI back to AFD.

Why is this so hard to understand?

[POPmetal]

I don't see how the Hollywood Rose and the Duff and Slash law suits would hold back the release of Chinese Democracy. The legal issues Tommy was talking about must be between GN'R and Geffen and most likely concern how much rights the band gets to retain over the songs, or something like that.

[Neemo]

It would have something to do with the release of the album, if in Axl's "great" mind, the first album, of his "3 albums" which are "coming", is the re-release of AFD. Now wouldn't it?

[justynius]

It would have something to do with the release of the album, if in Axl's "great" mind, the first album, of his "3 albums" which are "coming", is the re-release of AFD. Now wouldn't it?

If there is a connection, it is probably that Axl intended to use the re-release of AFD as a bonus disc to come with Chinese Democracy - thus, losing the Slash/Duff lawsuit would prevent him from doing so.

Otherwise, I cannot see any viable connection between the Slash/Duff lawsuit and the release of Chinese Democracy.

[jbenzz]

Maybe they are just trying to get all the legal issues surrounding GNR cleared up before they get the record out, get on tour, etc.  Maybe Slash and Duff contributed a bit of material to CD before they left which could cause complications.  

There probably is some issue to do with which royalties go to the band.  The album cost the record company millions of dollars, and Geffen (or whoever it is) might consider that entire sum of money an advance which the band needs to pay back, whereas Axl thinks that all, or part of it, shouldn't be paid back.

Legal issues might also have something to do with Geffen itself.  Since the album has been in creation for a long time, which division of Geffen, (Sancutary, Interscope, Universal, etc) owns the album might be in dispute.  I've seen these companies used basically interchangably as their label, but if they got shifted around, there might be some dispute over gets their profits, or the profits might be split or something.

I have no source for these ideas, just throwing them around in my head.  

I'm 100% sure that Axl could release AFD recorded by the new band with no legal issues.  I could go out and record the songs and release them on an album and there would be no issue.

[POPmetal]

which division of Geffen, (Sancutary, Interscope, Universal, etc) owns the album might be in dispute.  I've seen these companies used basically interchangably as their label

Sanctuary Records has nothing to do with Geffen. The Sanctuary name gets dropped a lot because GN'R is managed by the Sanctuary Recording Group (of which Sanctuary Records is a part of). But as far as record companies go, GN'R is signed to Geffen, which is a part of Interscope, which is a part of Universal.