Guns N' Roses manager: 'Great art takes time'

[Spirit]

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/10/gnr-manager.html


The title track to Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy hits radio today, and with the album officially slated for release on Nov. 23 (through an exclusive deal with retail giant Best Buy) comes the beginning of the end to a 15-year GNR drought. But at what cost to the band's label, Interscope?

Music industry veteran Matt Pinfield, a former MTV VJ and Columbia Records VP of A&R who now hosts New York station WRXP's morning show, estimates the recording process alone easily ran in the millions. "I would imagine it's the most expensive rock record ever made," he says. But according to GNR's current manager, Azoff's Andy Gould, you can't rush the magic of rock. "Art and commerce have always made strange bedfellows," Gould tells EW.com. "When they asked Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel, they didn't say, 'Can you do it in the fourth quarter?' so they can make their numbers. Great art sometimes takes time."

Indeed, as recently as 2002, the same year singer Axl Rose closed out the MTV Video Music Awards with a surprise performance, some 300 DAT tapes sat in a studio cabinet ? bits and pieces of Rose's "masterpiece," according to an ex-Geffen Records staffer: "As the dollars got bigger and bigger, there was even greater hope [to get the album finished]. But it got to the point where that hope went over the edge, like 'This will never happen.'"

Pinfield says, "Working on records at Columbia, I'd come across people coming off the project or going on, and they would say that Axl was just taking his time ? that he wasn't satisfied with certain things."

With less than a month to go until fans can judge the final product for themselves (pending approval of the album's artwork, which, Gould hinted, could have its own complications), the anticipation ? and pressure ? is most certainly high, especially considering early predictions that AC/DC's new album, Black Ice, could top 250,000 in first-week sales. "Rock music has always been strong when there?s turmoil and unrest," offers Pinfield, "whether it?s the voice of reason, an accompaniment to what?s going on or a form of escapism. And look at the situation we're in now with the economy and the world. The game has changed, with artists like AC/DC selling through Wal-Mart and Guns at Best Buy, but Chinese Democracy, without a question, will be a No. 1 record."

[CheapJon]

(pending approval of the album's artwork, which, Gould hinted, could have its own complications)

wonder what kind of complications the artwork approval had?

u know what i mean

[FunkyMonkey]

This link to the story doesn't work anymore...just for me?

[CheapJon]

This link to the story doesn't work anymore...just for me?

doesn't work for me either

[Annie]

Great art does take time. I've always said that Axl is the Beethoven of Rock Music!

[Splash]

Great art does take time. I've always said that Axl is the Beethoven of Rock Music!

Touch?

[burnz007]

(pending approval of the album's artwork, which, Gould hinted, could have its own complications)

wonder what kind of complications the artwork approval had?

u know what i mean

Maybe that's why they apparently have 2 covers... one is backup in case of complications

[Adam Bomb]

Great art does take time. I've always said that Axl is the Beethoven of Rock Music!

You've always said he resembles a lion too, and no doubt a slew of other large cats. So sorry, I can't touche the Beethoven thing. Just because you're weird. It's nothing personal, it's just the way you were born.

Why old Ludwig anyway? Why not Liszt? Or the shiznat of 'em all, Mozart? Surely Axl is more like him than Beethoven. In fact, Axl always reminded me of Mozart when he first steps off the bus in WTTJ. Well, either Mozart or a timber wolf. One or the other.

[Bad Cover Version]

Guns N' Roses ex-manager: 'Great art takes muses, 13 Tuesdays and Major League Baseball Advanced Media.'

Andy Gould and Irving Azoff are like 80's movie counter-terrorism commandos that blast their way into a situation, rescue the hostages and blast their way out, only to deliver a cute quote before dropping the grenade pin. These guys have accomplished so much so quickly; it's astonishing.

[Annie]

Great art does take time. I've always said that Axl is the Beethoven of Rock Music!

You've always said he resembles a lion too, and no doubt a slew of other large cats. So sorry, I can't touche the Beethoven thing. Just because you're weird. It's nothing personal, it's just the way you were born.

Why old Ludwig anyway? Why not Liszt? Or the shiznat of 'em all, Mozart? Surely Axl is more like him than Beethoven. In fact, Axl always reminded me of Mozart when he first steps off the bus in WTTJ. Well, either Mozart or a timber wolf. One or the other.

Glad to see that I've made an impression and that you remember my posts.

[Adam Bomb]

I've always loved you, Annie. And I always will. I think you're purrrfect. Will you marry me?

[Annie]

I've always loved you, Annie. And I always will. I think you're purrrfect. Will you marry me?

You are so sweet!But my heart belongs to Axl!

[IKnowWhereIAM]

Man, Axl throws these little powder puff jabs and keeps faking with his left...and today, WHAM-BAM, right in the kisser!
I can't wait to hear more...and the story of Chinese Democracy!  Guns N' Roses is to music, as electricity is to LasVegas.

[Continental Drift]

I have always thought that Beethoven was an appropriate comparison actually. Beethoven was known to be an eccentric "mad scientist" of sorts slaving over his material for years. He also had a difficult personal and romantic life. And how about this quote: "Beethoven's Late (Romantic) period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterized by their intellectual depth, their formal innovations, and their intense, highly personal expression." Sounds like Chinese Democracy Era Axl to me. He was also considered the best amongst his peers.

Mozart was brilliant- but his style was more light and frivolous (Requiem excluded)- and he was a pretty happy go-lucky "life of the party" type of guy. More of a UYI era Duff McKagan.
 

[Annie]

I have always thought that Beethoven was an appropriate comparison actually. Beethoven was known to be an eccentric "mad scientist" of sorts slaving over his material for years. He also had a difficult personal and romantic life. And how about this quote: "Beethoven's Late (Romantic) period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterized by their intellectual depth, their formal innovations, and their intense, highly personal expression." Sounds like Chinese Democracy Era Axl to me. He was also considered the best amongst his peers.

Mozart was brilliant- but his style was more light and frivolous (Requiem excluded)- and he was a pretty happy go-lucky "life of the party" type of guy. More of a UYI era Duff McKagan.
 

WoW!

[GNR4L]

Azoff is right ! you can't rush great music, like today's artist usually put out 4 albums in a 2 year span and half of it is crap.  Axl worked hard and wanted this album to be great.  I admire that and from hearing the song on radio today and their website I give him A+

[russkwtx]

It's kind of funny to hear all the people praising Axl for taking his time and making great product now, whereas during the course of the past 10 years or so everyone complained and bitched about what is taking so long (myself included).

[reed2009]

people will always slam axl for waiting this long, but we all know there is a method to his madness. maybe he was waiting for the right time to save rock and rock n roll needs him more then ever! chinese is a masterpiece, cannot wait to hear the finished product! rock n roll lives 

[King Axl]

Azoff is right ! you can't rush great music, like today's artist usually put out 4 albums in a 2 year span and half of it is crap.  Axl worked hard and wanted this album to be great.  I admire that and from hearing the song on radio today and their website I give him A+

Azoff should know- he also manages the Eagles, and it took them 28 years between new studio recordings. Until 2007's 'Long Road Out Of Eden' was released (also an exclusive, albeit Walmart), the last full album of new studio material was 'The Long Run' in 1979.

[fr8train]

any idea what that might be about?
It was mentioned in the PR this afternoon.
Maybe one of the alternate covers pissed someone off?
Any thoughts?

PS
I am stoked ...............
When all is said and done, we're not the only ones ...................that will think This album will be a classic !