The CD release date rumor / speculation thread

[ppbebe]

W8! what made U say within' the next 2 weeks?

BTW, they must have read Tommys interview.
http://www.tophitsonline.com/newreleases.htm

[youngerformofaxl]

2 Weeks was my only little prediction.

[ppbebe]

I C? have a good summer holiday m8.

I'm a happy maniac as well.

[nesquick]

Well, I can't confirm it 100 percent but there are plans for a european tour this December/January

alright. I don't think GN'R management want to do again the same 2002 tour mistake. If this rumour is true, the album will get out before the band starts the tour. I feel it's going to come out soon. let's see what happens in the futur.

[Krispy Kreme]

By the way, within' the next 2 weeks, we will see who is right about this whole tour thing and (possibly) the release date of CD itself.

Please note, that this is my last day on here until about the 16th or 17th of August and then I'll be back.

god speed

[Krispy Kreme]

We will see, time will tell, and what will be, will be. I personally have my doubts. But I doubt everything.

[Mutherfunker]

god speed

God speed - what speed is that? You'd imagine it's something god would do in his ferrari, or maybe it's one above warp speed..... "God Speed, Mr Sulu"   

@#$%Funker

[Mr Cowbell ?]

god speed

God speed - what speed is that? You'd imagine it's something god would do in his ferrari, or maybe it's one above warp speed..... "God Speed, Mr Sulu"? ?

@#$%Funker

I think its like Bon Voyage, kind of saying to say to someone when they are leaving. Since god made time he can change it so in theory God's Speed could be very fast or very slow.. What a thinker

[Buddha_Master]

This is starting to look bleak.

Oh, and that's my own little prediction.

[Scabbie]

Its been 19 weeks to the day since Axl announced Buckethead's departure.

Its been just over 5 weeks since BTM and the Nov rumour - which the management has denied (to Mysteron anyway).

Now its just 3 months until the first possible (US) release date and still no news.

Tomorrow more legal proceddings begin...things could go either way, or just stagnate

I would say things are looking bleak too. I just don't think its possible in 3 months to release a CD with no (official) prior notice. Especially one of the most publicised forthcoming albums of the decade.

I just wish the management would officially deny the November rumour to the press. At least it would stop the confusion. Then again, I suppose thats half the fun.

[GnFnR87]

u obviously have a point but there still is time until November, we'll see

[Krispy Kreme]

god speed

God speed - what speed is that? You'd imagine it's something god would do in his ferrari, or maybe it's one above warp speed..... "God Speed, Mr Sulu"? ?

@#$%Funker

I think its like Bon Voyage, kind of saying to say to someone when they are leaving. Since god made time he can change it so in theory God's Speed could be very fast or very slow.. What a thinker

Hey, that's pretty funny. The original meaning, as far as I know, is that it is an old English phrase that means "return quickly" with the implication that your trip will be safe. Anyone from UK want to check me on that?

[Eazy E]

Its been 19 weeks to the day since Axl announced Buckethead's departure.

Its been just over 5 weeks since BTM and the Nov rumour - which the management has denied (to Mysteron anyway).

Now its just 3 months until the first possible (US) release date and still no news.

Tomorrow more legal proceddings begin...things could go either way, or just stagnate

I would say things are looking bleak too. I just don't think its possible in 3 months to release a CD with no (official) prior notice. Especially one of the most publicised forthcoming albums of the decade.

I just wish the management would officially deny the November rumour to the press. At least it would stop the confusion. Then again, I suppose thats half the fun.

3 months is plenty of time... if the album is 100% ready, they could just assault us for 3 months... how much notice do you want? a year?

You're right it's been a long time since Axl announced Buckethead left.  He also said they would hopefully announce a release date soon, which we haven't seen.  So that's a negative.

The BTM thing?  Means nothing... Management wouldn't say "Yes, that's correct, we told VH1 the release date"... so you can still keep faith in that.

It's entirely possible for the album to be coming out in November... but we should know better than to even start getting our hopes up.

[pilferk]

Just wanted to give a heads up on a Nov release date...really just a bit of info.

The deadline for Thanksgiving advertising (meaning the Thanksgiving Flyers that most major retailers put together for their Black Friday sales) is going to be, probably, between September 24th and October 8th. There is typically, a 6 week lead time from the printer, but that usually baloons to 8 weeks for any holiday season flyers.  If the album is going to come out in November, you would have to figure that it would be a good bet we will hear something "official" before then.

Just an FYI.

[Lesty]

Just wanted to give a heads up on a Nov release date...really just a bit of info.

The deadline for Thanksgiving advertising (meaning the Thanksgiving Flyers that most major retailers put together for their Black Friday sales) is going to be, probably, between September 24th and October 8th.
Just an FYI.

This isn't entirely accurate. As stated in previous posts, I work in advertising for a major retailer and know the lead times for when we release a circular to the printer. You're right that the holidays do require extra lead time, but definitley NOT 8 weeks. Last year a friend of mine in the music dept. called me to say that they were putting GnR in our circular the day after thanksgiving. After an hour of happiness and posting it here, she talked to the label rep and realized it was the Greatest Hits, and called me back to give me the bad news.

However, even though street dates for music remains very loose 11 months out of the year, the record companies have their sh*t together when it comes to their November schedule.
They wouldn't just slip the new GnR in at the last minute before circulars go to press. We'll know before those deadlines. On top of the record companies promotion, they have to arrange for signage and space in stores for all the major releases during the holidays, which isn't easy.
Back to the original point, the drop dead date for making art changes to a weekly circular is about 3--1/2 weeks from the street date, but ideally about 4 weeks. The holiday circulars are between 4-5 weeks, if you're talking about the music retailers who have huge accounts with printers and use them every week of the year (Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Circuit City, etc..)

[pilferk]

I was told, by someone who is actively involved in putting their flyer together, that their lead time for their Thanksgiving flyers is 6 to 8 weeks (and remains that until the end of the year). 6 weeks for "regular weeks", 8 weeks for the Thanksgiving flyer, the week before X-mas Flyer, and the "New Years" sales flyers. While they haven't set their deadline yet for the Thanksgiving flyer, she said it would probably be sometime between September 24th and October 8th.? She is in a position to know (working in PR and advertising for a mid-sized music retail chain owned by a MUCH larger chain).

 If your lead times are shorter (due to volume, which I don't doubt, with the printer), that's great.? The fact remains, however, that for the "average sized" retail unit (re: Not Walmart, Circuit City, Target, etc), the lead time is legit.? I would be surprised if Geffen/Interscope ignored the "average sized" retail outlets and musical specialty shops by dropping a release date AFTER the first week (or two) in October.? Though, admittedly, they did try to do it with GH last year, so who knows.

I'm not trying to get into a pissing contest, here.? Saying it's not accurate FOR YOU is entirely fair, especially since you qualify that you work for a large retailer (I'm assuming a Walmart caliber, here).? I just want to make sure it's clear that the information isn't entirely innaccurate, either.

Edit: Keep in mind, I'm talking about a 6 to 8 week lead time on SUBMISSIONS from lables/vendors: ie: pictures, graphics, titles, track lists, etc.? Maybe that's where the disconnect is?? They need the info from the labels far enough in advance so they can do the flyer layout prior to sending it to the printers...or at least that's how she explained it to me.? I think the turn around time from the PRINTER is, in fact, about 4-5 weeks.....My original post maybe wasn't as clear on that as it should have been.

[NickNasty]

So, am I right to infer that either by pilferk's or Lesty's assesment, if we don't hear anything by mid-October at the VERY latest, then we can consider November a total wash?

[Lesty]

Pif...most of your information is right on. I'm not arguing with you at all.

For mid-sized retailers who don't print circulars 52 weeks a year, they most
likely do need a longer lead time than major retailers who have more larger contracts with
more printers.
When an ad is assembled, the music buyers basically takes bids and the creative team starts assembling the ad. You're right that the artwork can come very late in the process. And yes, titles slip in and out of the ad during the weeks it's put together because of all the street date changes.

The entertainment section of the circular ususally has the most "late" changes, where they have to rework the page and send color changes to the printers because of the nature of the music business.
But despite all of this boring info on how to release a circular, I think you can bet on that
if CD will be announced for november, they'll be a big announcement and you won't find out from someone like me who sees the circular as they get created.

And your general message is also correct. If this fiaso draws on past early October, the label would see no reason to release it in November if they can't get the CD in print ads for the holiday shopping season in late nov/early dec.
 

[Buddha_Master]

I would say let's look at this logically.

If we do not here the release date by the end of August, we are not going to get Chinese Democracy in November.

This release will only come with the largest marketing promotions, and nothing short of that. Its really as simple as that. If it is to come in November, it would surely use the MTV Awards to do its bidding in whatever capacity that is.

[Lesty]

I would say let's look at this logically.

If we do not here the release date by the end of August, we are not going to get Chinese Democracy in November.

This release will only come with the largest marketing promotions, and nothing short of that. Its really as simple as that. If it is to come in November, it would surely use the MTV Awards to do its bidding in whatever capacity that is.

I honestly don't think all that promotion is necessary. This is arguably the most anticipated rock n roll album in the last 15 years. The label and management aren't going to have to go knocking on doors and blitzing every talk show with this news.

When Axl and the record company green light this album, I think the promotion is going to take care of itself. Every major music/entertainment news outlet on the planet will be reporting it.

Getting official news and word of mouth buzz on the internet today would be worth millions in promotional dollars 10 or 15 years ago.  Yes, the VMA's would be nice, but I don't think it's going to make or break the launch of Chinese Democracy. We don't need 3 straight months of hype for an album that people have already been waiting 8 years for. Even casual rock fans will realize the signifigance of this CD. With that being said, 3 months of promotion wouldn't hurt, but I don't think it's a do or die situation.