sp1at Q&A with Richard (comments on guitarist situation and CD)

[jameslofton29]

Saul, I've brought up the rejection scenario and no one believed it. I'm also one of the only people who believed Slash when he made those comments. I feel bad for all of us. The light at the end of the tunnel was a mirage. I think we're definitely heading towards the nightmare 'worst case scenario' for CD. Either its proven to be a fraud, or Axl just abandoned the project. Either of those two scenarios is more likely than an actual album release.

[Saul]

Saul, I've brought up the rejection scenario and no one believed it. I'm also one of the only people who believed Slash when he made those comments. I feel bad for all of us. The light at the end of the tunnel was a mirage. I think we're definitely heading towards the nightmare 'worst case scenario' for CD. Either its proven to be a fraud, or Axl just abandoned the project. Either of those two scenarios is more likely than an actual album release.

I still think we will eventually see it , I just dont know if soons the word. 

[jimmythegent]

Im not attaching too much weight to Fortus' comments.
I think this is kind of irrelevant in the scheme of things and I still have high hope for a release by years end
All it does is illustrate further what a farcical situation GN'R is right now

[jameslofton29]

Jimmy, you think its irrelevant!! Far from it. Its actually a huge contradiction to the GNR spin machine of the past few years! How does an album go from being in the final mixing stages and artwork being completed to Axl working on vocals again? Either Richard's statement is the truth, or he should be fired. Gilby was fired for saying much less than that.

[Saul]

When I 1st heard of "The project" aka , velvet revolver (the project was such a cooler name!) I never imagined they could release 2 freaking albums before axl got democracy out. 

[Gunna_girl01]

I'm getting sick and tired of these lame excuses. Why do they need another guitarist? Hasn't the music supposedly been done for a long time? It just defies all logic. The band hasn't been together in a year and supposedly Richard has more news coming. Yeah Right! And who is this "right person" thats gonna come along and save the day? No one! Its time for the excuses to end! Either you have an album finished or you dont. Make up your fucking mind! I would rather hear an announcement of no CD than for these games to continue.

i agree. we have been waiting for years for this cd to come out. people are beginning to loose hope, it's no good...
yeah if there is no cd it would be nice to know cos sitting around waiting for this cd is driving people mental.
it mite take years for "the right person" to come along. i am willing to wait, but people are getting impatient, and fusterated.
if they keep playing us along like this they wont ge getting more fans they will proberly be loosing them... ( not me of cource )
i feel sorry for the people that have been waiting for like 5-7 years for it to come out.. the waiting must be excrusiating!

[Saul]

i feel sorry for the people that have been waiting for like 5-7 years for it to come out.. the waiting must be excrusiating!

Me and many others have been waiting since TSI? for a new GNR album.   

[estranged.1098]

This is not a rumour, it's a news article.

Article my ass. Sp1at are not the New York Times as far as I know.

Bottom line, they don't want their stuff posted on any other board. How hard is that to understand?

It's hard to understand something that is incorrect. They don't want stuff in the rumours section of the forum posted elsewhere:

This is different from other sections of the forum where you are free to copy information as you wish although we ask you credit Sp1at.
http://www.sp1at.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=328

This piece is in the "News" section (whether you think it's not news, or not even an article is irrelevant).

[jameslofton29]

Saul, I'm not a huge VR fan, but here's my prediction: Velvet Revolver will have a greatest hits cd before Axl ever releases CD. You can take that to the bank. And Gunna_Girl, I haven't been waiting 5-7 years, I've been waiting 12 years!!

[RnT]

i feel sorry for the people that have been waiting for like 5-7 years for it to come out.. the waiting must be excrusiating!

Me and many others have been waiting since TSI? for a new GNR album.? ?

me too
 
woww I?m old

[estranged.1098]

It's nice to know Richard has also been hearing the album might come out before the end of the year.   

[killingvector]

I think Fortus' comments lead credence to the portrait of an Axl Rose who doesn't show up to the studio consistently, sits on these tapes for months, or years, and run up costs recording and re-recording these tracks endlessly.

If this album isn't done yet, I have no more confidence in 2006 than I have right now for 2005.

I doubt management will set back and allow this nonsense to go on forever; this year could be the breaking point beyond which the only force which could compel axl to turn over Chinese  Democracy is through court order. And we all know how successful Axl's attorney's have been lately.

[jameslofton29]

Killingvector, if it goes to court, it will drag on for years. And who in the hell wants a GNR album of instrumentals? If CD got forced, it would be an IRS demo, 30 seconds of clips from CD, The Blues, and Madagascar, and a bunch of instrumentals. I'd much rather Axl pull the plug on CD than to get an unfinished album.

[killingvector]

I am really curious how much is done. I have always believed that there were not as many completed tracks as the fans were led to believe.

[younggunner]

Im not so sure why you people are shocked by this, Is it surprising? Maybe, but the way some of you are talking its quite comical.

The band members have been saying all along that the music is DONE. That only meant 1 thing. Axl hasnt finished recording the vocals. For whatever reason. That doesnt mean he doesnt know what to do with the tracks, or he doesnt have lyrics, etc. It simply means he has decided not to put his touch on the tracks yet.

As we already know Axl has been "directing" this project since the start. In that interview he labeled himself the producer, manager,etc. As did Tommy. Its possible that Axl has been waiting for everything else to be taken care fo before he finishes the vocals.

As for the record company rejecting the album theory. Do you really think that if something like that had happened we wouldnt have known by now? People in the industry talk and if that had happened it would have been heard about already.

Anyways, who the hell knows what the fuck Axl is doing and more improtanly why. Its all one big fukin ?. That no band member{publicly}, fan, or any1 else answer.

It could take Axl either a day to finish the vocals or it could still be a big project to be finished for the album. We have no idea. If it soemthing that is not major then the release is still possible by the end of the year.

The deadline for a dec release would prob mean September, not June. Im sure it doesnt take long for them to press the album. And all they need is 1-2months promotion depending on what they wanna do....if we dont hear anything by sept then kiss 2005 goodbye.

and who the hell knows what will happen from there. Its truly ashame if the album is not released this year and truly ashame if we dont get any info on the band and album from Axl by the end of the year. when it comes it comes...we all know that ...but...for the sake of the peopel here atleast tell us that touring, and "being out there" is not the main focus of this band at this point in time...

if axl just wants to master the album and remain in the shadows fine. I could live with that. atleast i know the gameplan. take as long as you want to perfect the album and when its out its out. But if thats not the complete case.,..then lets go already...or atleast say something....

[killingvector]

Im not so sure why you people are shocked by this, Is it surprising? Myabe, but the way some of you are talking its quite comical.

The band member shave been saying all along that the music is DONE. That only meant 1 thing. Axl hasnt finished recording the vocals. For whatever reason. That doesnt mean he doesnt know what to do with the tracks, or he doesnt have lyrics, etc. It simply means he has decided not to put his touch on the tracks yet.

As we already know Axl has been "directing" this project since the start. In that interview he labeled himself the producer, manager,etc. As did Tommy. Its possible that Axl has been waiting for eveyrhting else to be taken care fo before he finishes the vocals.

As for the record company rejecting the album theory. Do you really think that if something like thta had happened we wouldnt have known by now? Peopel in the industry talk and if that had happened it would have been heard about already.

Anyways, who the hell knows what the fuck Axl is doing and more improtanly why. Its all one big fukin ?. That no band member{publicly}, fan, or any1 else answer.

It could take Axl either a day to finish the vocals or it could still be a big project to be finished for the album. We have no idea. If it soemthing that is not major then the release is still possible by the end of the year.

The deadline for a dec release would prob mean September, not June. Im sure it doesnt take long for them to press the album. And all they need is 1-2months promotion depending on what they wanna do....if we dont hear anything by sept then kiss 2005 goodbye.

and who the hell knows what will happen from there. Its truly ashame if the album is not released this year and truly ashame if we dont get any info on the band and album from Axl by the end of the year. when it comes it comes...we all know that ...but...for the sake of the peopel here atleast tell us that touring, and "being out there" is not the main focus of this band at this point in time...

if axl just wants to master the album and remain in the shadows fine. I could live with that. atleast i know the gameplan. take as long as you want to perfect the album and when its out its out. But if thats not the complete case.,..then lets go already...or atleast say something....

but he has been finishing up vocals for at least 18 months now......in the real world, that is a ridiculous amount of time for finishing touches.

[Falcon]

I think Fortus' comments lead credence to the portrait of an Axl Rose who doesn't show up to the studio consistently, sits on these tapes for months, or years, and run up costs recording and re-recording these tracks endlessly.

By the comments we've heard over the years, Ive never figured Axl as the studio rat by any means.

Comments from himself from about communicating with slash "only by phone" and Matt's Behind The Music classic "The sightings of Axl Rose were few and far between" to Dave Navarro's all timer "He tried to tell me how to play my part (in OMG) over the phone!" definitely lend credence...

Does anyone in their right mind actually think he's some 24/7 musician/producer/engineer and has been working on CD tirelessly since whenever point in time??

C'mon now..

[loretian]

I have to agree, I think everyone is making too big of a deal about Axl supposedly completing the vocals. ?This can be done while it's being mixed, or they can go back and make a few minor updates and send the updates to get mastered again. ?It's not like it's this huge process that has to be done exactly in a certain order, with every step taking 4 months (or whatever to complete). ?I'm wrapping up my album now, and started the mastering process before I even finished the vocals for the last song.

Just relax... there's no "huge contradiction". ?The album is nearly done, and it'll be out sometime. ?Regardless of what anyone says about it being mastered, parts redone, etc. ?It has no bearing on when it'll actually be released from our point of view.

Tomorrow, Tommy Stinson could announce that he's redoing all the bass parts, and it could still be out by Christmas.  Or, Axl could announce that it's been mastered and completed, and it still might not be out until 2008.   There's no reason to spaz out about this.   

[younggunner]

but he has been finishing up vocals for at least 18 months now......in the real world, that is a ridiculous amount of time for finishing touches.

As you have already mentioned, and as its obivioulsy know...Axl is doing things on his terms and time.

For whatever reason he has decided not to wrap the baby up yet.

[killingvector]

but he has been finishing up vocals for at least 18 months now......in the real world, that is a ridiculous amount of time for finishing touches.

As you have already mentioned, and as its obivioulsy know...Axl is doing things on his terms and time.

For whatever reason he has decided not to wrap the baby up yet.

Axl has investors and a contract. He doesn't have the luxury to do this on his own time. Frankly, his last ally is Sanctuary. If he makes Merck eat his words then he may be standing alone on this one.