CD w/ Label = Directly from Richard

[user FKA webmoster]

The expectations of the band turns now to the new album, "Chinese Democracy", which will be released in June. The leader guarantees his fans that they will be rewarded for the long wait.
Axl: Yes, I've heard. Um, hopefully we will put out a new single umm sometime this spring and then the record gonna be done in June or shortly thereafter.



Axl: We hadn't written songs or recorded for many years. There were band changes and there were many changes in the record company. People in the record company had many opinions and they wanted to make the best possible record. Every time that we thought that we had the correct songs, then somebody thought that we could make it better. We started over, we continued adding songs, continued recording and recording.

Q: So when is the album going to be released?

A: I've heard that it's coming out in March -- but then again I've heard a lot of things, so you never know.


fortus interview

Regardless we hope to announce a release date within the next few months.

axl 2004 rio press release

That record's really close to being completed and put out," he added, but declined to guess when exactly that will be.

"It's been scheduled every month for the last 10 years," he deadpanned, adding that once the record's out "there will be a flurry of chaos that I'll be thrown into."


tommy 05


Having failed to deliver a new album by the end of the twentieth century, is Rose ready to commit to releasing a record sometime during the twenty-first?

''Yes, I think that would definitely be the right time,'' he answers, a slight grin coming to his face.

The new Guns N Roses album is tentatively titled Chinese Democracy and loosely scheduled for summer 2000.

''As far as I can tell,'' says GnR's manager Doug Goldstein, ''we are now 99% musically done and 80% vocals done. I see the record being done Feb or March for a summer release.''rio

In regard to a release date for the album itself, certain minor - and I do mean minor -- additions, as well as contract negotiations, need to be completed.axl

the album has been done over the yrs. It could have been released at any point in time. Various things have stopped that from happening. But to say that the album was never done over the yrs until now is crazy.
Those are some examples. There are a lot more statement made by band members along the way.

So if you want to get technical and say no, the album hasnt been finished until now. Technically your right. But that is just a cop out. The album at any point from 2000 could have been released.

ok, the fact is that the album easily could have been completed within the past several years. however, as you atleast say jarmo, it has not been. the fact that it is not done, and the band has repeatedly said that they were this [see above quotes] close is complete crap. Theyve been stringing us along for years, telling us things that end up being untrue, and giving us false hope. Axl assured us it would be out many times (eddie trunk show, ect.). im not going to go look them up, and quote them, but you guys know he has. and the fact remains it is not out. he is axl rose. he is in guns n roses. he has made records before. this is not new to him. it should have been out a long time ago, especially since they were "so close" so long ago.

[cybercurves]

That's just it. ?The album is or will be an epic, timeless masterpiece. ?Why would the label give it the same treatment as all the other albums? ?They can't and they won't. ?Since the label is unstable at the moment, why not wait until they get their shit together before unleashing this masterpiece which is a typical GNR album on one sense, but far from ordinary from another sense. ?

Ironically, Axl is ready and wants to put it out now, but the label isn't. ?

[Jim Bob]

^
To back up Youngunner a bit


Wasn't the 98 percent musically and 80 percent vocally thing like in the late 90's?


So it has taken 7 years to complete 2 percent of music and 20 percent of vocals?

I think something like that was said in the early 2000s.   But since then, members have left, new songs/ideas may have been written, things might have changed, plans might have changed.   and none of this means it COULD have been released because SOMETHING is holding it up.   what?  who fucking knows.   At this point, all we can say is that its in the hands of Universal.

What worries me, is the fact the label hasn't released it.  To me if it was this giant all time great masterpiece of an album, they would do everything to release it.  The fact they havent makes me worry that the album isn't as great as they think it should be.

or it could be a number of other reasons, its all speculation, and its pointless.

I just wonder how many more years before Jim Bob cracks...... that is gonna be hilarious cause he is the reincarnation of DaveGnFR2k. 

if the album never comes out, nothing changes regarding my respect for Axl and GnR.   I'm thankful enough for seeing the band 5 times in my life.   If I felt the way some of these people who feel they are "owed" something, I think I would have left back in 2004.    I simply don't feel that way.

There is only one thing he could do that would turn put me off as a fan, but thats for a different thread

[mrbucketfoot]

when a band says that an album is done, or they hope for a release within the next 6 months, to me means the album is pretty much done and ready to be released.

Recording is done that leaves mixing. Then there's promotion and marketing not to mention the business negations between Guns and Geffen/Universal. Then there's planning a tour in support of a landmark release like Chinese Democracy.

lets assume the album is in the lables hands right now.

Lets reasonably assume that you don't know what you are talking about then move on. The record isn't out, you can't will it out, life will go on. There's no need to discuss the past but hope for the future.

[Voodoochild]

Seems like there's not that much people who agree with you, younggunner.

then sometime next week Axl says  I need it back to fix some things and the label gives it back and then doesnt return the album back for another 6 months to a yr. Does that mean the album wasnt done when the label had it?

They didn't do this before, right? You know that, right?

You're talking like you know for sure that the album was done (including mixing) before and haded to label. You don't know shit, you're guessing. Still, it's the backup for all your arguments.

Yeah, the album could have been released in 1999 even. We all know the leaks from this era. Doesn't mean it was finished ENOUGH and that Axl, the band and crew were happy with the songs back then at the point to really finished it, mix it and hand it to the label. You're talking like they just didn't want to relase the album before because they wanted so.

when a band says that an album is done, or they hope for a release within the next 6 months, to me means the album is pretty much done and ready to be released.

Its a common assumption...except of course in gnr land

First you say "to me", then you say "common assumption". Funny.

First, when did they say the album was done? No, for real, without any "close to" or "hope". Thanks.

Second, finish the recording and mixing are different. They may didn't expect legal stuff to delay it even more. Do you know WHEN the mix was finished? Do you know WHEN the album was handed?

Seems like you think you know a lot more than we do for making such baseless assumptions.

And yuor Vanessa's joke with Jim Bob was really rude. 

[D]

Isn't there somewhere a statement,w here Axl did hand the record in some years back but the label wasn't happy with it?

I know I read some shit like that somewhere.

[Jim Bob]

Isn't there somewhere a statement,w here Axl did hand the record in some years back but the label wasn't happy with it?

I know I read some shit like that somewhere.

no.. i don't believe so.  I think some of the over-analyzing, over-speculating "fans" came up with that idea and its been said so many times that people believe it.

[younggunner]

Axl: We hadn't written songs or recorded for many years. There were band changes and there were many changes in the record company. People in the record company had many opinions and they wanted to make the best possible record. Every time that we thought that we had the correct songs, then somebody thought that we could make it better. We started over, we continued adding songs, continued recording and recording.

I think some of the over-analyzing, over-speculating "fans" came up with that idea and its been said so many times that people believe it.

Silly Axl..

spin that comment Jimmy Boy

[norway]

Isn't there somewhere a statement,w here Axl did hand the record in some years back but the label wasn't happy with it?

I know I read some shit like that somewhere.

no.. i don't believe so.?

Yes it is, from a radio interview in 02. Not "hand in" the record tho.

[Voodoochild]

I guess there's a whole different story. One thing is to show songs (or demos) to the label, other is to deliver the finished product.

Do you really think the label would only know the songs once it was finished?

[Derby Greg]

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.

Excellent post - nice to see some well thought through debate.

- Greg

[D]

I dont agree

If Nickelback can sell 6 million in the US

I dont know why GNR wouldn't be able to as long as the songs are good.

[GeorgeSteele]

According to his logic, the Mets won the World Series recent years..... They hoped to win, and maybe they were close one year. So it basically means they won!

Another uncalled for cheap shot against the Mets!  Leave them alone, they never hurt anyone... other than their fans...

[D]

If the Mets land Johan Santana, They will have a great shot at the World Series!

[jarmo]

Younggunner is banned for now until further notice. He can say that it's because I don't agree with him.

The usual bullshit. "I was banned because I'm right".

They love to tell you that.


The truth is, he won't tell you about the insults aimed at people who had nothing to do with this topic.

I couldn't care less what he or anybody like him thinks of me, but when you start insulting people in or around the band, I'm gonna put an end to that.

Isn't there somewhere a statement,w here Axl did hand the record in some years back but the label wasn't happy with it?

I know I read some shit like that somewhere.

The "evidence" the poster mentioned above supplied shows Axl only mentioned having songs.

That could mean they had 20 songs demoed and they just kept working on more and getting them better. Not that there was a finished album.

Only some of you seem to find all these hidden meanings in words like "hope", "wish" and "almost".





/jarmo

[user FKA webmoster]

Younggunner is now banned. He can say that it's because I don't agree with him.

The usual bullshit. "I was banned because I'm right".

They love to tell you that.


The truth is, he won't tell you about the insults aimed at people who had nothing to do with this topic.

I couldn't care less what he or anybody like him thinks of me, but when you start insulting people in or around the band, I'm gonna put an end to that.

Isn't there somewhere a statement,w here Axl did hand the record in some years back but the label wasn't happy with it?

I know I read some shit like that somewhere.

The "evidence" the poster mentioned above supplied shows Axl only mentioned having songs.

That could mean they had 20 songs demoed and they just kept working on more and getting them better. Not that there was a finished album.

Only some of you seem to find all these hidden meanings in words like "hope", "wish" and "almost".





/jarmo

i dont think you should have banned him.

[jarmo]

i dont think you should have banned him.

Well, he knows the rules as well as anybody else.

It's time he takes responsibility for his attacks aimed at people who weren't even involved in the "argument".

I'm sure his buddies will pat him on his back and tell him how right he is.


Hes done posting here as well as finished!




/jarmo

[Jonx]

If Universal have it and they are happy with it then im sure they will be aiming for a summer release, that way they can give maximum exposure to the band, movie tie ins etc. They arent going to put it out straight away, certainly not during Jan, Feb, which are traditionally the worst months to release big albums as people are still poor from Christmas and the New Years.

Hopefully Axl has all the legal stuff with the band and himself sorted. What worries me is in Slash's recent book he states that there is still so much he cant talk about because of legal issues with Axl and the GnR machine. This is probably why we hardly hear from Axl, you dont talk when you have ongoing legal issues!

Jonx

[D]

I think I've said this from the first years I was on this forum.

Id rather Axl take 10 more years and release something he  is 100 percent proud of, than rush something just to put out an album.

Hopefully the record label won't drop the ball so if it takes another year to get it just right thats great.


Im just worried the time the album is released, the music industry is gonna be so different that Cd's will be almost obsolete.

Which is a shame cause CD could've been a huge seller.



On A side note;

Not sure why Youngunner was banned. To me he was just defending his argument.? It seems insults were going both ways were they not?

[Jim Bob]

On A side note;

Not sure why Youngunner was banned. To me he was just defending his argument.  It seems insults were going both ways were they not?

I think a post or two was removed where he was insulting some people.