CD soon?

[14 Years Estranged]

To be honest that was just my own humble opinion. I have waited for a Guns N' Roses album (not some fucking compliation disc) since the rolling credits at the end of Interview With A Vampire shocked me with the cover of 'Sympathy For The Devil', and while the 1990's rolled by I was pretty oblivious that the main driving force behind the band's sound had bailed between '97-98. So when the day came that I was watching the trailer for End Of Days in 1999 and I hear about the soundtrack 'containing all new music from Guns N' Roses' *cut to a clip of 'Oh My God'* I nearly jumped from my seat in excitement. That night mentioning it to my friend he breaks the news that Gilby Clarke was canned, Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum had left and that Axl Rose was the only one left... and that "Guns N' Roses are pretty much broken up."

Flash forward to New Years Eve 2000 where they play the House Of Blues, I jump from my chair expecting Axl and the original group to have mended fences and regrouped, only to endure a smidgeon of disappointment before realizing that Axl is pretty much doing what he can to ensure that Guns N' Roses remains alive in somewhat the same fashion Dave Mustaine has kept Megadeth around for almost 25 years. My only hope, which is as true now as it was then, is that Axl can emulate Dave Mustaine's ability to create a better album than his last with an ever-changing line-up.

[GNRfan2008]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

That is the ONLY legit excuse, but even then it's pretty ridiculous how long it's taking. It sounds like they have plenty of songs that they have created (Axl said somewhere in the 25-30 area right?). Just choose the best of those and release 'em. But he's far too paranoid for that. He keeps digging himself farther and farther into a hole. It's a vicious cycle that won't end until he finally gets this 800 pound gorilla off his back.

[SlashHoppus182]

Yes, it has to come out soon.

[Gunner_Rose]

I don't care about the release of the album while we can enjoy a tour like the last one. Chinese Democracy has to be the best album of Guns N' Roses history so if they want more time to make it better it's cool for me.

[markreed]

I wouldn't want to speculate too much, but it's very possible Axl will want to release a companion live "Chinese Democracy" DVD not long after the album hits and thus that, too, could be delaying things. Then again, I think the biggest problem at the moment is an element of perfectionism - Moby said the album was good enough to release in 1998 and Axl had enough songs at that point (when he was approached to do some production work) - and I think Axl and co. may have become hyperaware of the pressure facing them and won't release the record until it is absolutely perfect and cannot possibly be improved in any way shape or form by any further tinkering. Studio perfectionism can be a gorilla on someone's back.

[Edward Rose]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

That is the ONLY legit excuse, but even then it's pretty ridiculous how long it's taking. It sounds like they have plenty of songs that they have created (Axl said somewhere in the 25-30 area right?). Just choose the best of those and release 'em. But he's far too paranoid for that. He keeps digging himself farther and farther into a hole. It's a vicious cycle that won't end until he finally gets this 800 pound gorilla off his back.

Given the complexity of UYI... with the cover art and movie samples, my best guess is that he's attempting something even more complex that may require more challenging permissions as well as impecable timing. I think it'll be worth the wait what ever it ends up being and WHEN ever it ends up coming out. JMHO

[GnR-NOW]

I don't think the album will ever come out.  But that doesn't mean I'm negative or hold any animosity tolds GNR. I love this band, I'll go see them again if they play by me, I'll always support this version of GNR.  But 2006 was the perfect year to release it.  Now does that mean we won't hear any new music ? No, I think we'll hear some new songs live, or leaked again, but the fascination of going to Best Buy and buying a cd called Chinese Democracy by Guns N' Roses does not seem like a reality.  I would love to be proven wrong on this one though.

[GNRfan2008]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

That is the ONLY legit excuse, but even then it's pretty ridiculous how long it's taking. It sounds like they have plenty of songs that they have created (Axl said somewhere in the 25-30 area right?). Just choose the best of those and release 'em. But he's far too paranoid for that. He keeps digging himself farther and farther into a hole. It's a vicious cycle that won't end until he finally gets this 800 pound gorilla off his back.

Given the complexity of UYI... with the cover art and movie samples, my best guess is that he's attempting something even more complex that may require more challenging permissions as well as impecable timing. I think it'll be worth the wait what ever it ends up being and WHEN ever it ends up coming out. JMHO

One thing is certain. It won't be very profitable in today's time of decreased album sales. They'll need a couple of huge hits to help boost total profitability of the project. Green Day's American Idiot sold around 15 million worldwide and I'd compare it with AFD, which has probably sold over 25 million worldwide. It's just a lot harder to sell albums today. The single "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" sold 3 million copies in the U.S. for Green Day. GN'R will need a couple of huge hits like that plus an incredible album for this project to break even. $15+ million spent is an incredible hole to start out in.

[Bartlet]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

That is the ONLY legit excuse, but even then it's pretty ridiculous how long it's taking. It sounds like they have plenty of songs that they have created (Axl said somewhere in the 25-30 area right?). Just choose the best of those and release 'em. But he's far too paranoid for that. He keeps digging himself farther and farther into a hole. It's a vicious cycle that won't end until he finally gets this 800 pound gorilla off his back.

Given the complexity of UYI... with the cover art and movie samples, my best guess is that he's attempting something even more complex that may require more challenging permissions as well as impecable timing. I think it'll be worth the wait what ever it ends up being and WHEN ever it ends up coming out. JMHO

One thing is certain. It won't be very profitable in today's time of decreased album sales. They'll need a couple of huge hits to help boost total profitability of the project. Green Day's American Idiot sold around 15 million worldwide and I'd compare it with AFD, which has probably sold over 25 million worldwide. It's just a lot harder to sell albums today. The single "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" sold 3 million copies in the U.S. for Green Day. GN'R will need a couple of huge hits like that plus an incredible album for this project to break even. $15+ million spent is an incredible hole to start out in.

we dont know how much it has to sell to break even, as we dont no what everyone is gonna be paid for it either.

[novrain91]

I just happened to reread the 2000 Rollingstone article today and came across this about Axl:
"He feels like the world revolves around him, but he refuses most requests to speak publicly about himself. He believes in justice, but he doesn't believe he has to be fair. He can be an incisive observer of human weakness in his songs, yet when it comes to his own conduct, he has little perspective. "Axl's really easy to hate, and he doesn't understand why," a friend observes. "He lives in a fantasy world, a parallel universe. He's self?centered, like a child, but not so naive. When he calls, all he wants to talk about is his record and how Interscope can't fix things for him."

It kinda pisses me off that this article seems to be right. 7 years later and the same characteristics seem to be coming through.  Interesting article, although the description of Axl's behavior (supposed) towards his Ex Gf's is a little troubling.  I hope that shit isn't true.

[Jessica]

and if it is true, it's still none of your business and no woman has had to complain in the recent years and axl had yet again pulled a model who seems happy with him so that's the end for your imagination, isn't it ?

[Verasa]

I just happened to reread the 2000 Rollingstone article today and came across this about Axl:
"He feels like the world revolves around him, but he refuses most requests to speak publicly about himself. He believes in justice, but he doesn't believe he has to be fair. He can be an incisive observer of human weakness in his songs, yet when it comes to his own conduct, he has little perspective. "Axl's really easy to hate, and he doesn't understand why," a friend observes. "He lives in a fantasy world, a parallel universe. He's self?centered, like a child, but not so naive. When he calls, all he wants to talk about is his record and how Interscope can't fix things for him."

It kinda pisses me off that this article seems to be right. 7 years later and the same characteristics seem to be coming through.? Interesting article, although the description of Axl's behavior (supposed) towards his Ex Gf's is a little troubling.? I hope that shit isn't true.

you gotta link to that article?? i haven't read it in a long time

[estranged.1098]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

I'm sorry, but it wasn't legal issues that had them still recording material in 2007.

I believe the correct two words are "not ready".

[ShotgunBlues1978]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

Legal issues might have played a role, in that perhaps Axl's mind was elsewhere and he couldn't focus, and they may have played a role in some form of delay, but not this long. 

The truth is, nobody knows exactly why this album has taken this long.  We know that according to confirmed sources they had written and recorded more than enough material to have released an album back in 2000.  And we know that IRS, TWAT, and The Blues have all been re-tooled and reworked significantly so it's safe to say that many of the other songs have undergone this meticulous fine tuning process.  And we know that Axl has yet to be 100% satisfied with the final product because the album has never been turned in to the record label.  Everything else is just speculation, whether Axl had a severe case of writer's block, was uncertain of which direction to go musically, has had long periods where he doesn't feel inspired to write music, that he's not ready for the media circus and the scrutiny that will inevitably accompany the release, these are all possible reasons but nobody besides Axl and others close to the band really know

[flicknn]

the black album was mixed from 6-10-1991 to 7-08-1991 , mastered from 07-08-1991 to 07-10-1991...and this was in 1991 , so what is going on in the gnr world to hold this album up in 2007 , I figure things would be   a little faster with technology.

[redx]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

I'm sorry, but it wasn't legal issues that had them still recording material in 2007.

I believe the correct two words are "not ready".

..or unsure about what they do have (material wise)

[Jaakko]

There is no excuse for someone with Axl's talent to have taken so long.

Two words: Legal Issues

One thing is certain. It won't be very profitable in today's time of decreased album sales. They'll need a couple of huge hits to help boost total profitability of the project. Green Day's American Idiot sold around 15 million worldwide and I'd compare it with AFD, which has probably sold over 25 million worldwide. It's just a lot harder to sell albums today. The single "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" sold 3 million copies in the U.S. for Green Day. GN'R will need a couple of huge hits like that plus an incredible album for this project to break even. $15+ million spent is an incredible hole to start out in.

Green Day might be the worst band ever. It makes me wonder, when a shit like Green Day or Fall Out Boy sells, how come Chinese Democracy wouldn't be a success.

Soon is not the word. Late, late fall or 2008...

[W 23 AXL II]

Here is the best reason why its taken so long....are u ready??    Axl is lazy. Not legal issues, perfectionism, old battles with past band members....none of that. Im sure they work a couple of days a week, take sometimes 2-4 weeks off at a time, and Axl is just, generally, in no rush.

dont underestimate this.....my bet is laziness and inertia.

[redx]

Here is the best reason why its taken so long....are u ready??    Axl is lazy. Not legal issues, perfectionism, old battles with past band members....none of that. Im sure they work a couple of days a week, take sometimes 2-4 weeks off at a time, and Axl is just, generally, in no rush.

dont underestimate this.....my bet is laziness and inertia.

Its all part of the process.

Have you ever created something, thought it was great (at the time) only to return to it 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month later only to spot the faults. I think Chinese Democracy has been put through such a process. There's probably (definitely) been change after change after change made to the various tracks that make up Chinese Democracy. While making changes can improve something, it can also detract from it (I think they call it, being over worked). NME said some T.W.A.T. sounded over produced (thus lacking in rawness). The track The Blues has been watered down near the start since the 2000 Rio 'coolest' version.