GNR Finish CD?

[downzy56]

Jarmo's probably right when he points the issue of money.  I doubt it has much to do with how to map out a marketing plan.  They've been doing that for 50+ years.  It has more to do with who's going to pay for it.

But my question is, if the album has indeed been turned over to the record label, then doesn't Geffen have the final say as to how it's marketed.  If Geffen wanted to release Chinese Democracy without any promotion, isn't within its legal right to do so?  Unless the recording contract was renegotiated to include "adequate promotion of all future releases," Geffen can just say to the band, "thanks for the disc, we'll be releasing it on this day, this will be the single, and if you want anything more, you can use the millions we've already advanced you to pay for it." 

I just have a hard time believing that the hold up is as simple as the article, and perhaps the GNR community, is making it out to be.  Once the album is turned in, a record company can do whatever it wants when it comes to promotion and distribution. 

Another thought is the delay could actually be 'caused by those owning the recording rights and those owning the publishing rights.  Perhaps there's legal issues between Geffen and Sanctuary. 

In the end, as always, it's GNR fans that get the shaft.


Cheers,


Andrew

[gav]

maybe guns should do a quick tour of Europe in the next couple of months to pay for marketing!

[downzy56]

maybe guns should do a quick tour of Europe in the next couple of months to pay for marketing!

Indicative of what Guns N' Roses is that such a thought exists.  It use to be that a tour was part and parcel of a marketing plan.  You don't tour to pay for marketing, you tour to help market your cd.  (though with the change in the music business, it's becoming you release a cd to promote your tour).

[DemocracyRose]

In the end, as always, it's GNR fans that get the shaft.

So true...

[guns_n_motley]

axl probably wants millions for promotion and they say no....

[AdZ]

axl probably wants millions for promotion and they say no....

..and you base this on what exactly?

[marknroses]

axl probably wants millions for promotion and they say no....

..and you base this on what exactly?

There should be nothing in the way of CD in 2008.
If it doesn't come out after this year, then it will never come out.

It is apparent that there is no more recording of the album. There's no more process in making the band or making the album. No more excuses to delay after 2008. GNR has finished their job in the studio, PERIOD.

As much as I like the new stuff more now than ever, that doesn't mean it can't be shelved away until the band passes away and the record company gets to claim it all for itself and release it 80 years from now on a digital format that is wired to an MP3 player in your brain. It sucks that there's nothing we can do as far as I know. Nobody has put out feelers or any official petition to make a release.

MNW

[freddiebrph]

The myth surrounding it alone will cause great awareness.

Give a firm date 3 months or so in advance.

Play some serious live shows on television (Late Night/Awards Shows) and schedule a major world tour.

Make some ads, go on the radio, do some interviews, update the GNR website and make it have a shitload of stuff on it.

Perhaps a making of Chinese Democracy special on VH1.

Put it on iTunes with a bonus track.

Poster the fuck out of cities and put a giant billboard up in NYC and LA with the album date.

Really, I don't know what more there is to do to possibly market an album other than Axl going to every persons house and knocking on their door saying, "Buy this fucking album or I'll kick your teeth in".

To add......why not do a soundtrack release for a song, much like "You Could Be Mine".......that caused great awareness before UYI came out.? By the time it was released on UYI2....I probably heard the song 9000 times, destroying the cassette single.

what is so hard about marketing this release?

Because what you proposed makes too much sense

Assuming the above mentioned is true, the next issue is: Who pays for it all?



If you've worked hard on something, you don't want some half-assed promotion.

If you're a record company in 2008, you want to make money without spending any.


Why do you think they love to release "Best Of" albums after "Best Of" album?



/jarmo

I dont buy this at all. ANY business has to spend money to make money. They know that. This album is already so mythical and huge just in that sense, that it will sell just on that alone. Sure, maybe the record Co. has not spent this much money on any album before, but guess what? It is already spent. They are not just going to to shelve it and not put it out because they cant figure out how to market it. They have marketing bigger bands than this with no problem. The band could start this year by actualling doing a chinese D tour. I dont think they should play a bunch of new song, but they could actually mention it. Everything, well almost everything, the poster said above Jarmo is the way mucic is marketed. For crying out loud people, it is JUST AN ALBUM! It is not like going to your doctor with some disease no one has ever seen. Put a real release date out, play 1 to 2 singles, do all the stuff above and get it out.

[bazgnr]

I'm not sure the focus of "marketing" necessarily has to do with the money involved.  In a VR interview that I referenced (and attempted to transcribe) in another thread, Matt Sorum discussed how Axl is the one who came up with the idea of splitting the Illusion records into two separate discs, something that had never previously been done.  Whereas double-albums were typically displayed only behind the counter at the time, having two separate albums allowed fans to actually pick up the CDs and check them out before buying, as well as give them more of a choice. 

Given that there is rumored to be 3-4 albums worth of new material recorded, I think that "marketing" could easily refer to how to best package and sell the CDs rather than simply promoting and financing the release...

[oldgunsfan]

RollingStone's rock daily section is reporting a story from antimusic.com about Geffen having CD.? We may have started this rumor.

(antiMusic) The latest rumor swirling around Guns N' Roses is that the long over-due "Chinese Democracy" is complete and with the label but a new battle has emerged that is causing further delay.
We don't know how much stock to put into third or fourth generation rumors, but the word on the street is that Axl has turned in the CD to Geffen at long last but no release date is in sight because Axl and the label can not agree on the marketing of the album.

Are we closer to Chinese Democracy? We have no idea but we are hopeful. We have yet to hear back with the official denials or "no comment" from the GNR or Geffen camp but we'll keep you posted on what we hear officially or hearsay. Again this is all but rumor at this point , besides rumors are more fun than official news anyway.

Original Source
http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/jan/10GNR_Finish_CD.shtml

Same Story
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily

Well, I did read the information listed in this rumor months ago from this site; and the source is sebatian bach................... so whatever........take it for what it is..............my guess is any and every song has been done over at least 5-10 times and they all sound the same w/ subtle differences

[grog mug]

Where is Mysteron these days!? 

[King Axl]

Jeez, with all the fanfare that surrounded the leaked material in 2006, I think all that needs to be done is for the band to officially release a single to radio stations. That would probably be all the promotion they need. Once people recognize the song as an official Guns N' Roses single, the anticipation for the album(s) will build quickly.

[mrbucketfoot]

Where is Mysteron these days!??

Probably enjoying his life and not obsessing over the album. 

[acompleteunknown]

First of all, marketing in today's day and age is completely different than a few years ago.  How do you sell a rock album in this day and age?  MTV doesn't play videos anymore.  Rock radio is on the decline.  How else do you get people to listen?

Just look at the top 100 year-end charts.  Only 20 of the artists on the chart are rock artists (alternative, classic, etc). 

Here are the 20 best selling rock artists:  The Eagles, Linkin Park, Nickelback, Daugherty, Beatles, Maroon 5, Hinder, Fall Out boy, Fray, Bruce Springsteen, RHCP, Killers, Snow Patrol, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, 30 Seconds To Mars, Paul MacCartney, Bon Jovi, My Chemical Romance, Incubus, White Stripes.  Pretty much all these bands have gone platinum in 2007.  Why were they successful?

Having good music doesn't mean anything anymore.  You need exposure.  You need for your songs to be in commercials.  You need your songs to be used during sporting events.  You need your songs to be used in TV shows like Grey's Anatomy (and with no new shows being made...that's a huge setback).  You need to be featured in stores where albums are sold (best buy, kmart, walmart).  You need to be featured on itunes. You need the music blogs to be talking about you (in a positive way).  Or the celebrity blogs to talk about you...in any way.  you need to do the talk show circuit (morning and late night).  You need to do interviews with magazines.  you need to be a guest judge on American Idol. You need the American Idol contestants to cover your songs.  You and your music need to be everywhere. 

Making good music today is secondary.

[LawsonsLaw007]

intresting Info but i dont think it meens to mutch sadly 


Peace

[faldor]

First of all, marketing in today's day and age is completely different than a few years ago.? How do you sell a rock album in this day and age?? MTV doesn't play videos anymore.? Rock radio is on the decline.? How else do you get people to listen?

Just look at the top 100 year-end charts.? Only 20 of the artists on the chart are rock artists (alternative, classic, etc).?

Here are the 20 best selling rock artists:? The Eagles, Linkin Park, Nickelback, Daugherty, Beatles, Maroon 5, Hinder, Fall Out boy, Fray, Bruce Springsteen, RHCP, Killers, Snow Patrol, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, 30 Seconds To Mars, Paul MacCartney, Bon Jovi, My Chemical Romance, Incubus, White Stripes.? Pretty much all these bands have gone platinum in 2007.? Why were they successful?

Having good music doesn't mean anything anymore.? You need exposure.? You need for your songs to be in commercials.? You need your songs to be used during sporting events.? You need your songs to be used in TV shows like Grey's Anatomy (and with no new shows being made...that's a huge setback).? You need to be featured in stores where albums are sold (best buy, kmart, walmart).? You need to be featured on itunes. You need the music blogs to be talking about you (in a positive way).? Or the celebrity blogs to talk about you...in any way.? you need to do the talk show circuit (morning and late night).? You need to do interviews with magazines.? you need to be a guest judge on American Idol. You need the American Idol contestants to cover your songs.? You and your music need to be everywhere.?

Making good music today is secondary.

Sad but true.  It's obvious most bands are having trouble learning how to promote their stuff in this new world and not having much success.  I think Chinese Democracy has become so epic in its non-release that everything needs to be perfect from a promotional standpoint.  And I really don't see how that can happen.  I don't see Axl going on TRL or American Idol.  Seems like a very tough task to me, I hope they figure it out.

[GNR4L]

Im surprised that Axl never got his own label and could just release it ?

[robertjohn]

does the webmaster of this site know if this is true or not? we are going in circles here. i asked him a while ago, but he ignored me..help! i want to know this!

[russtcb]

In the end, as always, it's GNR fans that get the shaft.

So true...

Here here. Let's say this is "all the label's fault" at this point, it's still the fans that suffer alot.

[GNR4L]

I have some suggestions to Axl and Geffen

- Use GunsnRoses.com to really promote CD have like a intro page and then when you open up the site have the artwork, track listings, and possible have a 20 sec bit of each song off the album.

- promote like nuts on MTV, Myspace, Itunes, including special on MTV of the history of the album and introducing the new members.

- maybe have Axl do a interview on maybe say 60 min some legit and not too commercial say TRL but Bach was on so I don't know.

- pull a radiohead

- Tour USA for 08 !!!!!!