CD w/ Label = Directly from Richard

[W 23 AXL II]

You heard right Greg.


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: From NYC
From: Greg xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, December 22, 2007 11:50 am
To: 4tus@richardfortusonline.com

Hey Rich....how are things going? Merry Christmas and Happy New....please
man, get this album out already! From what i hear, the label has the album
but arte holding up the release? Or has Axl not delivered it to them yet?

- Greg

[RaspAxl]

oh.............my ..............god...........

[W 23 AXL II]

I haven't been checking for awhile here....is this news, or does everyone already know this??

[RaspAxl]

I think it was just a rumor but if Richard said so......CD coming soon?

[Ali]

Shit, dude.

Thanks for posting that.  I just can't believe Richard would let that slip like that.  I would think that's the kind of info to be given on a need to know basis.

Ali

[W 23 AXL II]

I think it was just a rumor but if Richard said so......CD coming soon?

Cool, I finally rock some breaking news!!! on a serious note though, im not sure this means much. if i was the head of the label or at least, in charge of THIS project, then i would be really worried and concerned as to HOW to release this.

and of course, people are going to want to know: how many cd's did this album sell???
....and in this day and age, that is no longer indicative of an album's greatness. so if chinese democracy only sells like 998,000 in the US, people will say it didn't even go platinum. (meanwhile, if this album was released WITHOUT downloading, stealing, iTunes etc., it would probably sell about 2-4 million in the US alone)

[W 23 AXL II]

Shit, dude.

Thanks for posting that.  I just can't believe Richard would let that slip like that.  I would think that's the kind of info to be given on a need to know basis.

Ali

Its not like me and Richard are friends, but we have shared emails back-n-forth in the past about the band, guitars, gigging in nyc, amps, sound effects etc. as a matter of fact, the first email i sent him wasnt about Axl or GNR or anything, but rather i asked him how he got that long sustain on Madagascar, and if he was using an octave up on it. he replied with what he was using, in fact, from what i remember, he was using an pitch shifter up an octave and I THINK he was controlling the sustain from his guitar with some device. (i realize i just gave u crap info there, i just dont remember.....it may be in the Nice Boys section)

[horsey]

 
okie doikie then
 
cheers n' beers '

[Loaded NightraiN]

Chinese Democracy Starts Now, Gets Held Up By The Record Company (Offically) Now

[-Jack-]

So this is official?

[Tyson]

What are the most logical reasons for the record company holding it up?

[W 23 AXL II]

What are the most logical reasons for the record company holding it up?

I'd venture out and guess they are trying to "Take the Temperature" of the music industry right now, and researching the most effective way to release this album in the new Digital Age.

After all this time, they don't want to mess this up with wrong decisions, wrong promo, wrong media applications etc. Im sure they are going to work on this long and hard, and come up with some new way to release this monster. Im sure iTunes will be involved, or some new way of downloading. And of course, you'll be able to walk into a store and buy it as well.

If I were them, id be working on some exclusive deal with Amazon to sell the cd. Most people buy online nowadays....have iTunes be the place to download instantly with some sorta "digital insert booklet", and have Amazon be the website to order it on.

[mrbucketfoot]

(meanwhile, if this album was released WITHOUT downloading, stealing, iTunes etc., it would probably sell about 2-4 million in the US alone)

That's why even if you download, you can buy it. Or, if you have a extra money, you could buy an extra copy for a friend or some stranger. Hang out at a record store and generate some buzz the old fashioned way.

If you build it, they will come. Something like that.

[cineater]

Happy Holidays Richard

[CheapJon]

good..


it's going to happen

[W. Adam S]

I hope this is true

[bazgnr]

So this is official?

Until it shows up on the band's website and/or in a press release from Axl, *nothing* is official.? ?   That said, it matches Mysteron's previous reveal, and puts a big ol' smile on my face.   Merry Christmas, indeed!

[mrbucketfoot]

So this is official?

Until it shows up on the band's website and/or in a press release from Axl, *nothing* is official.? ? ? That said, it matches Mysteron's previous reveal, and puts a big ol' smile on my face.? ?Merry Christmas, indeed!

I hate to be a Scrooge, but I'm tentatively excited. Hate to get excited for nothing. I'd rather wait until we hear something official and the bullet train gets rolling, you know? But on the other side, the potential of Chinese Democracy being released in 8 weeks. 

And his heart....grew three sizes that day...

[downzy56]

Hey all,

The delay isn't due to Univesal/Interscope/Geffen trying to figure out how to release Chinese Democracy.  They've had over a decade to prepare a marketing and launch campaign.  The formulation of the plan probably isn't the issue.  It's much more likely they're waiting for certain launch dates to implement everything (product tie-ins, movie deals, launch windows, special events - ie. Superbowl, award shows, or a certain financial quarter) OR there are still contractual/legal/monetary issues to be resolved.  Myself, like most of you, are probably hoping for the former, but instinctively probably realize it's the later. 

At least it's good to hear from an official band member that the album is done and turned in.

Cheers,

Andrew

[Naupis]

What are the most logical reasons for the record company holding it up?

Given the decline in sales for the music industry in general, the outrageous cost to make the album, and Geffen's current financial situation the most likely reason is a cosmic divide between Axl and the label over the marketing and promo budget.

Mysteron's quote that it was in the label's hands suggests Axl probably told the label what they want, and the apparent lack of any release date in sight suggests that the label has a different idea about how much money is going to be budgeted for it and who is going to pay for it.

The sad fact is that label's are not making a whole lot from album sales or downloads right now, hence why alot of them are in financial jeopardy. We all know the issues surrounding the money spent to make this album, so it is not unrealistic to believe the label has not exactly offered to spend a boatload marketing this thing. We know they were financially cut off a while ago, so the delay is most likely a pissing contest over money.

From a business standpoint no amount of marketing budget will push sales past a certain point. It will sell a few million copies tops, as there seems to be a cap on rock sales recently no matter who the artist is. Hip-Hop sales and Daughtry are about the only two entities moving sales right now.

Cd has enough built in promo and curiosity that to spend alot of money on marketing/promo does not financially make sense if you know that no amount of money spent on it will provide the incremental increase in sales to make it worth throwing a ton of money at. Throw that fact in with the significant fixed cost that needs to be recouped by the label for the money spent to record it and they are probably being very very stingy right now financially.

On the other hand Axl probably has a significantly different idea about what should be done and spent to market/promote this album because he desperately needs it to be a success. He probably has the mentality that he would rather have it not come out than have it come out and bomb based on a lack of promo because he stands to lose more than anyone on either side of the equation were that to happen.

When you look at Mysteron's comment and Geffen's current financial status money is the most likely candidate for the cause of delay. Everyone has always just assumed the label was just going to throw a ton of money at a huge promotional campaign, but in the current environment the industry is in it just doesn't make sense. When you have two sides with the same goal but 2 entirely different means of getting there it causes the gridlock we are seeing towards the album.