Chinese Democracy.....with no warning????

[MATT-A-REAL-FAN]

 Yo guys and girls,
? ?
? ?Is it possible to release an album with no promotion or substantial announcement?

 Does anyone know of a band or group that....just put a cd out and then watched what happened???
?
? Is there any chance that this is the position they will take?

 Have it shipped and stocked and let the word of mouth travel like wildfire and watch it grow.

? If "very,very soon",etc. is what is being said...could they just throw it out there under a cloud of darkness and let it explode on it's own?

? I think that would be a very interesting way of releasing it.

? No real fanfare,no hype,an small announcement of a release date and then just "here ya go,enjoy it" kind of thing.

? Has this ever happened and if so what was the result?

 Just curious and want to know what eveyone thinks.

 Personally,I can see both sides.? ?

 We all want Axl to reclaim rock and kick everyone's ass sideways and have it be this huge spectacle so we can say "Yeah,our boy's back!" but,I can also see it just being dropped off at Best Buy and have the news break on it's own.
? There has been SO MUCH written already about it for YEARS(!) about: where it's at,what is he doing,blah,blah,blah, that any big promotion will bring out the same naysayers to try and ruin the return before it will have a decent chance at a good opening,etc.

?
 If they just throw it out and see what happens,it will A) take EVERYONE by surprise B) still sell, and C) probably be an industry first.
? Imagine it growing week after week and claiming the number one spot after a month or so,after all of the word spreads around. That would be a cool feat!!?
 
 Can you even imagine how people would flip? Like,"What? THAT'S OUT? Shit,I wanna hear that! They said it'd never come out!!"

 I've seen this happen only a few times with the movie box office,where a flick will be released in a very small amount of venues and then grow due to positive word of mouth and then claim the top spot after awhile.

 I was just thinking about this scenario,since we've had no "official" announcement but,it's supposedly coming "sooner than you think".

? ? ?Anyway,that's it.

? ? ? GNR FOREVER!!

? ? ? ? ? ?MATT

 Post script-I don't know how I will actually "hear" any single,if released,since 93.3 WMMR in Philly said back in 2002 (after the Philly riot) that they wouldn't play any new music from CD until Axl apologizes for said incident.
 Plus,last week 94.1 WYSP turned from rock to mostly talk format bullshit. Oh yeah,and 100.3-Y100 became a rap station back in February.
This city blows when it comes to rock music.? ?
 Looks like I will see GNR in NYC next tour,'cause no one is left to promote them here!

[jarmo]

Is it possible to release an album with no promotion or substantial announcement?

Yeah, lots of artists do that when their record company can't afford promotion.

Is there any chance that this is the position they will take?

No, I'm pretty sure they'll announce it.




/jarmo

[Voodoochild]

I don't think Axl needs to do everything with a surprise thing.

[jameslofton29]

If Axl has no real intentions of mass promoting the album(talk show appearances, TV interviews, mag interviews,etc.), or if he does not plan on touring, then just releasing it out of the blue would be the way to do it. The surprise release would promote it, and word of mouth would spread about its quality. This would be the way to do it if Axl wants to sit at home but still release CD.

[conny]

It's possible, but having the huge amount of money behind that project in mind, I doubt they'll go for an all low profile promo. I don't know who founded the project, but be sure that whoever paid for it wants his money back.

Unless Axl paid for everything...it's possible - he was rich before and with the Sanctuary deal he could as well have bought the master back from the record label or just give them their money back without any product - IF they paid for it. If that's the case, anything can happen.

The best "guerilla promo" would be a surprise show in Philadelphia on December 6.

Another option: the album features a new sound technology only working with the actual CD. They could put the entire album up for free on their website (been done before, yet this always gains free advertising and new listeners), and then get people to buy the album for that new technology and bonus goodies. Something like that, you get the idea. That would also explain the long wait a bit better....

[snead hearn]

Zero promotion? Won't happen. There would have to be some promotion. When you're selling the product through stores, the labels and such will expect store displays and such. Then the label would take out some page adverts in consumer and trade publications. Depending on what level we're talking about is what we shall see. At the same time, the chains on their own, from their own district and store managers, will hype and hump the product as well. Virgin, Tower, Borders, etc.

Here's the way I would see it:

Axl holds a central press conference. A pigfuck of a press gaggle shows up, still photogs, network cams, and wire and mag reporters-the WORKS. Probably somewhere in LA, of course (maybe NYC? That would be great! cuz I live here). Him and the entire band would be there.

He reads a statement unveiling the date and track list and answers questions from a pre-chosen pool. I don't see him giving a 'reviewers' listening party for music press months before. Everyone gets it, EVERYONE (trade and consumers) get it the same day.

Then we all wait. It comes out. We buy it. Then the fun begins!

[Spirit]

I think there wouldn't have been any problems just releasing CD without promotion, 'cause the name (Guns N' Roses) is so big, it would sell itself. But I don't think the record company are willing to take a chance like that. But on the other hand I don't think they'll need to announce the release like 6 months in advance, just a couple of weeks before, and the whole world will know!

[misterbrownstone]

Another option: the album features a new sound technology only working with the actual CD. They could put the entire album up for free on their website (been done before, yet this always gains free advertising and new listeners), and then get people to buy the album for that new technology and bonus goodies. Something like that, you get the idea. That would also explain the long wait a bit better....

if they made an official myspace, they could post the songs there.  a bunch of bands have put the whole album on those a few weeks before a release was made.

[dboyd13]

 Limp Bisket, remember them, did that early this year.  They put out a 7 song CD with no press and sold a Huge 58,000 copies at last check.  Im not trying to compare the 2 bands at all, but just throwing a new Gun's CD out with no press makes no sense.  Die hard fans will buy the new AXL CD, but the record label will need to attract new fans to make its money back.

[StoneTempleRoses]

Yeah the Deli Creeps just did it 

StoneTempleRoses

[Lesty]

I'll never understand why people think releasing something "out of the blue" would be even a remote possibility.
Let's put over $13 million and 10 years into making a record, then secretly release it and let word of mouth drive CD sales instead of a proper marketing campaign.

Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?
 

[Guns N RockMusic]

I wasin Sam goody today picking up Episode III and decided to talk to the manager about the possibility of a single later this month. ?I expected him to look at me like I had a dick growing out of my forehead, but he actually said that GN'R disk (didn't specify if it was a single or album) was on their list until recently and was taken off. ?I inquired as to whether the possibility of a single kind of "just showing up" a day or two before release was realistic. ?He explained that her personally didn't think it would happen in this case, but that it has happened before.

Personally, I think releasing the single with minimal promotion is a safe move by the record company. ?We all know that release dates have been thrown out and promised time and time again. ?It's also been reported that at least one completed album was done before Axl trashed it. ?Because of Axl's explosive and reclusive nature, the company may release the single with little to no promotion because any promotion invested until the ball begins to roll (which I believe would give Axl the confidence to finally release it) would be wasted funds. ?If the single is a hit and every radio station in the world is playing it and talking about it, Axl can capitalize on that publicity and then Geffen/Sanctuary can promote the album on top of the public's word of mouth. ?Just my take on things, take t for what it's worth.

[conny]

I'll never understand why people think releasing something "out of the blue" would be even a remote possibility.
Let's put over $13 million and 10 years into making a record, then secretly release it and let word of mouth drive CD sales instead of a proper marketing campaign.

Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?
 

Depends on who paid. If Axl got money from the record company in advance and now paid it back, he could do anything with the album.

We give you money, you give us an album.
Here's your money back, no album for you.

Simple as that.

[cineater]

I'd do it that way.  Get it on the shelf and then announce it.  That way the critics have to listen to it before they slam it.  And before they can get their comments in print, I promote the fuck out of it.  Give everyone interviews so I take up more time then their review.  People want to read and listen to what Axl says more then what some reporter says.

And maybe by doing it that way, I'd slip it by the bootleggers and release it before they can release it on the net.  Some of those guys are damn good.

[jazjme]

Ok, a while back....like awilllllllllllllle back.lol. I brought up this senerio, abut them just releasing it,

though I do have opposing views in my mind about it but , what I realy thought back then, and maybe even now is, it would be a great way to do this.

IF you follow my thought process as wierd as it can be at times, but we all know .................well no Ill just talk about how I found out , might make it clearer..

Back in 87...............i was on vacation  that summer, in cali, heard SCOM, didnt know who the fuck it was cause I always caught the song halfway through, on the radio, and I was blown away..... (mind you this was before it was even released as a single a yr later). Then finally I heard the name of the band the day I was goin back to NY....

ok  that was GNR,,,,,, was thier any  fan fare? Any promotion , when you think about it for AFD, NO!!!!!!

It was born from the music doin the talking and the word of mouth that did spread like wild fire.

We are dealin with a NEW GNR, yes, GUNS N ROSES ...is a name people are familiar with today. But to go back to the ways of just put it out there, let it spin, there are alot more of them than us right now, as far as fans, and many who have no idea who they are. And if the heart of this band is the music it produced , I see no way in hell based on what I have heard and what you have heard that this thing wouldnt go the distance, ala AFD.

BUt , I am a fan of all the new band and each of its members, so maybe like alot I want a BIG FANFARE, a HUGE RETURN, which I think would be justified.

But , on the other hand I have also that feelng that , if the music is gonna do the talking and Axl wants this band to really blossom, he has both options and my self Im not opposed to either.


BUt would kick my ass, if all of a sudden I saw a record , out, there on the shelves, and it took everyone , by surpirse, cause the first thing that would happen is ,..............haaaaaaaaaaa( radio people trying to be the first to play cuts, and like 1 week later, a brand new vid) Played on every vid outlet ........... it could be sweet actually...lol. But thats just my thought on it.

 

[Scabbie]

What about the Al Queda approach...Axl films himself, with nothing else but the GNR logo and a stack of dat tapes behind him explaining the new album, tracklist concepts etc and leaks the video to the internet or tv network...shortly after the press have lapped it up, the cd appears

Seriously, its nice to think, but if the album is released there will be some major promotion and an announcement...someone's gotta keep those marketing/pr departments happy!

[jazjme]

I hear ya.lol but like i said it was a thought I had along time ago so I just explained my trippy thought from like 2 yrs ago, seeing that it was brought up.lol

[nesquick]

Promotion is 30% of your success. The music is 50%, and the look/image is 20%.
Promotion + look/image are as important as the music itself.

With a weak promotion and a bad image (especially BH and Finck), exactly what we had in 2002, it leads to failure. A band like GN'R can't survive with just 50% of its potencial.

[jazjme]

I agree, though I saw BH last night, and thought he rocked at Bowery Ballroom, but I do know that he doesnt fit the band, and seeing him in his own element , for the first time solidlfied that, but what is left , indeed is the nisic, and image, ........that of Axl, Richard, Dizzy, Tommy , brain, and Chris, and to me if you add up by your calcs is 70%, which boads really fuckin well!

[Scabbie]

Promotion is 30% of your success. The music is 50%, and the look/image is 20%.
Promotion + look/image are as important as the music itself.

With a weak promotion and a bad image (especially BH and Finck), exactly what we had in 2002, it leads to failure. A band like GN'R can't survive with just 50% of its potencial.

If the music is spot on, I disagree...GN'R and Axl Rose are already big 'brand' names...if the music is good and the critics don't slate it then I think you won't need as much promotion as you think...but then again the pr / marketing departments would argue differently

From Axl's point of view, he should be focussing 100% on the music.