"Next Album" rumor / speculation thread *UPDATE AUG 22/2023*

[jarmo]

If he picks up the phone and calls 'Rolling Stone', he doesn't get an interview?  Preposterous.  They probably put him on the fucking cover.

So that's your whole marketing plan?
Brilliant!

That's all it takes!



/jarmo

[D-GenerationX]

Seriously, this. The good old "anyone that doesn't agree with me is some sick blind worshiper". For fuck's sake, nobody worships Axl rose. All things considered the dude has done a great job making GNR magic so far. Based off of that track record I give him a certain amount of credit. You know what I don't approve of? Ball sack turkey necks. I blame the recent appearance of this issue on Buckethead's dirty chicken coop dog shit porn influences making their way onto CD and subconsciously seeping into Axl's mind.

Here's the flipside of that argument.

One of Jarmo's goto taunts is "for such open minded people..." because he thinks we are just terrible, awful people.

But let's take that at its basest definition, that phrase.  What evidence have you EVER seen where any sort of blame laid at Axl's feet is accepted.  Isn't that part of being "open minded"?  There is always an excuse, always.  Always how we don't work at the record company.  Always how we don't stand at the mixing board during the shows.  So we should shut up.

And I'm talking a real benign "yeah, he probably messed that up" about something or other.  Nothing really damning.  Is that EVER accepted?

So, in other words, the "open mind" taunt...unless he's going for irony, its a big ol' bowl of fail.

[D-GenerationX]

If he picks up the phone and calls 'Rolling Stone', he doesn't get an interview?  Preposterous.  They probably put him on the fucking cover.

So that's your whole marketing plan?
Brilliant!

That's all it takes!

My plan is to not sit and do nothing because I'm mad.  That plan's a proven loser. 

I'm for alternative plans.  That whole "definition of insanity" thing and all that.

Take some fucking initiative.  Give a shit about your own career, your own work, and your own bandmates.

[jarmo]

One of Jarmo's goto taunts is "for such open minded people..." because he thinks we are just terrible, awful people.

No, sorry. It's called sarcasm.

Mr "It's not GN'R". It's difficult to take anything you say too seriously.
So, you're doing the same thing you accuse me of. Misdirection. 

Take some fucking initiative.  Give a shit about your own career, your own work, and your own bandmates.

He did Billboard magazine. How amazing right?
Oh no, can't give any credit. He's "doing his job".



/jarmo

[TheBaconman]

If he picks up the phone and calls 'Rolling Stone', he doesn't get an interview?  Preposterous.  They probably put him on the fucking cover.

So that's your whole marketing plan?
Brilliant!

That's all it takes!

My plan is to not sit and do nothing because I'm mad.  That plan's a proven loser. 

I'm for alternative plans.  That whole "definition of insanity" thing and all that.

Take some fucking initiative.  Give a shit about your own career, your own work, and your own bandmates.

Well we did get all those online chats, months after the release of CD.  As nice as they were, it seemed like it should of been part of marketing campaign months after the release of the album.   But what it was, was really the only promotion from the band.

Simple things that could of been used to promote the release of CD, that where all ready done, but never used.    The release of the Better, video and that add for Harley Davidson, using Better and a song over.   Both were pulled and not explained why.

Also a one of the best tools Guns had to promote the album, was letting the band members talk about it.  I am sure Tommy would of loved to be out promoting it.  More sales for these guys equals more money in there pocket.  But I never saw any interviews of band promotion..

And what did we get from the label?  Nothing...   If you look right now at the labels website, the bands bio and main web page link have not been updated in what looks like forever.   The label dosnt even promote the Chinease Democracy album on the webpage, but the page has been updated to show the new blue ray...  So that shows that they do update it.   Very weird.

Its seems like the label itself didn't want to spend one dime in promotion of the album.  Once they got there best buy money, they were happy and didn't want to invest anything.  As an artist I would be pissed at this as well.. Especially if I had been promised stuff.

In the end of the day, both Guns N Roses (Axl), and the label were both at fault for the lack of promotion of CD.  One day when we do get new music on what ever label or form it comes out on.   I hope they use the past as a learning tool on what can go wrong and what not to do.

[D-GenerationX]

One of Jarmo's goto taunts is "for such open minded people..." because he thinks we are just terrible, awful people.

No, sorry. It's called sarcasm.

I know, but it only works as a goof. 

Like if I told someone to stop being a smartass.  As a joke, that works, given my way of carrying myself.  As a serious demand, its not the least bit credible.

Mr "It's not GN'R". It's difficult to take anything you say too seriously.
So, you're doing the same thing you accuse me of. Misdirection. 

Really?

I continue to bring up a comment that you made WEEKS AGO now, like you are doing with this over and over again when I get under your skin? 

Yeah, I said it.  Get over it already.  It shouldn't mean we can't ever talk about anything else, ever.

Take some fucking initiative.  Give a shit about your own career, your own work, and your own bandmates.

He did Billboard magazine. How amazing right?
Oh no, can't give any credit. He's "doing his job".

He completely fucked over his bandmates with his temper tantrum.  They waited for years on a payoff that never came.

Now, they stood for it and continue to stand for it, so ultimately, that's on them.  But it doesn't mean we can't call it what it was, their Stockholm Syndrome non-withstanding.

[sky dog]

What the fuck are you talking about? These guys are contracted musicians who Axl has paid a ton of money to and has taken care of for over a decade. These guys know what they got in to and are grown men. All the touring they have done puts food on the table for the band, the crew, the promoter, etc. This all comes from Axl and Gnr. 

They don't make money/royalties off record sales...they make salary and possibly some publishing money if their songs are used or played commercially.

[GNR2014]

you play 3 hour shows, but you can't find 4 - 8 minutes to play a new song?  There's no reason why that can't be done. 

I'll give you one reason since you're unable to think of any, for some reason: Maybe the band doesn't wish to premiere a new song in a live concert this time around because they already did that in the past? Maybe they don't want to play anything new until they have a release date that's set in stone and everything is in place for the album's release?

Jarmo, is this your way of saying that GNR made mistakes last time?
Or, are you just saying the band doesn't want to promote this new album the same way they did last time?

[JAEBALL]

maybe it didn't matter how many records were sold after the best buy deal?

band members were not going to earn any more money based off sales?

[sky dog]

no....they are not a part of the recording contract with the label. The records sold after the Best Buy deal certainly mattered to Axl!

[D-GenerationX]

Well we did get all those online chats, months after the release of CD.  As nice as they were, it seemed like it should of been part of marketing campaign months after the release of the album.   But what it was, was really the only promotion from the band.

I happened to be online that night at MYGNR.  And it was pretty wild.

But once you get past the euphoria of him actually communicating with us, you were left with 2 takeaways :

1) Huge olive branch to the fans, but it needed to be part of a larger strategy.  Face it, is coming to a fan message board really getting the word out to anyone that has not been following every twist and turn for a decade?  Were any new ears reached?

2) How much time was spent putting over his new band?  Putting over their work?  Talking about how excited he was for the future?  Well, not as much as we talked bout Slash the cancer, and other shit from way back when.

Also a one of the best tools Guns had to promote the album, was letting the band members talk about it.  I am sure Tommy would of loved to be out promoting it.  More sales for these guys equals more money in there pocket.  But I never saw any interviews of band promotion.

Never.  Most times in those days, questions about the band they were in drew laughter.  It was a bunch of "fucked if I know" answers.

Its seems like the label itself didn't want to spend one dime in promotion of the album.  Once they got there best buy money, they were happy and didn't want to invest anything.  As an artist I would be pissed at this as well.. Especially if I had been promised stuff.

True.  But to what end?

This is your career, not theirs.  Their lives are not all that impacted if you decide to let this thing die on the shelves.  

Your career, on the other hand, takes a huge hit.  This was "the most anticipated album EVER" that hits the shelves in November 2008 and is already forgotten about by 2009.  Is that a good thing?  

You spent almost a decade of your life on this thing.  If you hope to have a viable career going forward, you need to sell this to the people.  Where's the payoff getting mad and pouting?

That is the part I have the most trouble with.  I'm constantly fed the narrative Axl is this relentless warrior that never gives up and is ready to battle.  But I see time and again a guy content to sit on the sidelines and shrug.  Whatever happens, happens.

In the end of the day, both Guns N Roses (Axl), and the label were both at fault for the lack of promotion of CD.  One day when we do get new music on what ever label or form it comes out on.   I hope they use the past as a learning tool on what can go wrong and what not to do.

Big time agreed.

[D-GenerationX]

What the fuck are you talking about? These guys are contracted musicians who Axl has paid a ton of money to and has taken care of for over a decade. These guys know what they got in to and are grown men. All the touring they have done puts food on the table for the band, the crew, the promoter, etc. This all comes from Axl and Gnr. 

They don't make money/royalties off record sales...they make salary and possibly some publishing money if their songs are used or played commercially.

But look at the YEARS spent doing nothing.  Don't you figure what kept them going was the eventual payoff?  Eventually, their own work would be out there, and not just them playing 'Mr. Brownstone' every night.

Some guys saw the writing on the wall and bailed.  Others stuck with it, presumably thinking it would all be worth it.

You think this is what they singed on for?  No singles, no interviews, no promotion.  To this day, we don't have a band photo.

[TheBaconman]

maybe it didn't matter how many records were sold after the best buy deal?

band members were not going to earn any more money based off sales?

So this is how it works....  Whoever is on the writing credit to the album, shares in all the profits of the sales.  There is no cap after say, 1.5 million records or sold, or whatever silly number you are thinking.   The more albums that are sold, the more money everyone makes..   All the artists and the label.

Don't think for a second that the musicians/artists on the album were required to cover any of the production costs of this album.   Well other than Axl who picked up the junk of a big part of the production costs once the label cut off funding.   The label is responsible for covering it.  Which is why they were happy with the guaranteed best buy deal..  But that dosnt affect Axls, tommys, buckets, robins pay day..   The more they sell the more they get.   Which is why more advertising would of been better.

The only reason I can see the label would cut the funding for the advertising, is that the saw it wouldn't matter.   Like the increase of record sales due to the increase in promotion would not offset the increase in promotion costs..  So they just scraped it

[D-GenerationX]

The only reason I can see the label would cut the funding for the advertising, is that the saw it wouldn't matter.   Like the increase of record sales due to the increase in promotion would not offset the increase in promotion costs..  So they just scraped it

Axl cut off all communication with them months before the release.

Put yourself in their spot.  Are you OKing a huge promotion blitz when it appears the artist himself doesn't give a shit?  That you would have to twist his arm to even get him to do it?

Hell no, you don't OK that.  That's just bad business.

[TheBaconman]

What the fuck are you talking about? These guys are contracted musicians who Axl has paid a ton of money to and has taken care of for over a decade. These guys know what they got in to and are grown men. All the touring they have done puts food on the table for the band, the crew, the promoter, etc. This all comes from Axl and Gnr. 

They don't make money/royalties off record sales...they make salary and possibly some publishing money if their songs are used or played commercially.

No they were paid a salary to record/write on CD.
Any artist with a writing credit on the album will now get royalties for each album sold..  These are easy facts to find out threw a few google searches.
They will also get more money if the songs are licenced commercially for say, movies commercials etc...

[sky dog]

No no no.....record sales don't financially affect the band! They were not part of the recording agreement.

[TheBaconman]

What the fuck are you talking about? These guys are contracted musicians who Axl has paid a ton of money to and has taken care of for over a decade. These guys know what they got in to and are grown men. All the touring they have done puts food on the table for the band, the crew, the promoter, etc. This all comes from Axl and Gnr. 

They don't make money/royalties off record sales...they make salary and possibly some publishing money if their songs are used or played commercially.

The band member are also not on any present salary either, it was just during the recording.   So now any money they have to make comes from past record sales and future/current tours.  

That's why you see so many band members with current side projects...   Got to pay the bills

[sky dog]

Axl incurred the costs.....he gets the royalties from sales. Yes writing credits get you publishing money. From the 2004 GH Lawsuit

Since 1992, the parties have executed various amendments to the Recording Agreement, including most notably, two amendments dated as of May 1, 1998. One of these amendments, see Froeling Decl. Ex. D, confirmed Slash's and Duff's departure from the band and their status as 'Leaving Members'? under the 1992 Recording Agreement, thereby relieving them of charges against their royalty accounts for the enormous recording costs and other expenses being incurred by Axl Rose (the only 'Remaining Member'[FN1] of Guns N' Roses) in connection with the recording of the new Guns N' Roses studio album. Hoffman Decl. ¶ 3. Slash and Duff, like Stradlin and Adler before them, retained a royalty interest in masters created under the Recording Agreement prior to their departure from the band. Id In the other May 1, 1998 amendment, see Hoffman Decl. Ex. A, Axl Rose agreed, among other things, to deliver that new studio LP (which was even then long overdue under the Recording Agreement) no later than March 1, 1999 and received a substantial advance from Geffen in return. Hence, although other individuals have joined Axl Rose in performing under the name 'Guns N' Roses'? since 1998, Rose is the only principal in the band. Id.

[D-GenerationX]

Yep.

He's the lone named partner in this firm.

[TheBaconman]

The only reason I can see the label would cut the funding for the advertising, is that the saw it wouldn't matter.   Like the increase of record sales due to the increase in promotion would not offset the increase in promotion costs..  So they just scraped it

Axl cut off all communication with them months before the release.

Put yourself in their spot.  Are you OKing a huge promotion blitz when it appears the artist himself doesn't give a shit?  That you would have to twist his arm to even get him to do it?

Hell no, you don't OK that.  That's just bad business.

The label had more promotion of there greatest hits album than they did with CD.  With zero help from Axl or past members.  I would say the funding the label put into the promotion of greatest hits dwarfs that of CD.  

Why?

Because they felt there was more money to be earned promoting the greatest hits than CD.   The greatest hits turned out to be a huge success.  Good promotion equaled great sales and everyone got richer off of it...   Now with CD, I feel the label felt it wasn't worth it to put any money into it