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

[D-GenerationX]

I don't have much of a preference for surprise vs. planned out ahead of time.

I just want them to give it the best chance to succeed, which certainly did not occur in 2008.  Whichever way they think is best, I'm onboard.

[mortismurphy]

About the 'old material v new material' debate, there is no real perfect strategy because of the strangeness of how Axl operates. No artist has essentially sat on certifiable 'a-list' material for fifteen years only to treat this as their next bona fide album (and not a mere archival release like Van Morrison's Philosopher's Stone).

That's not ENTIRELY true.  It's rare, but there are examples (most notably Brian Wilson's "Smile" album) of it.

Smile is not the greatest analogy as, the majority of Smile was released on future albums, most predominantly Smiley Smile, e.g. 'Heroes and Villains'. Also, Brian Wilson continued to write and record on the Beach Boys albums following Smiley Smile, albeit on a reduced scale. Wild Honey, Friends, Sunflower - all of these albums feature Brian Wilson's songwriting and recording. You also are dealing with a much more prolific time period. Pet Sounds was '66; Smile/Smiley Smile, 67; Friends, 68 - essentially every year featured a new Beach Boys album, featuring Brian's songs and voice. Axl has released only one album of new material within a twenty-five year period. Brian also did not merely, 'sit' on Smile (returning to what I wrote in my original post). Smile collapsed due to his own mental tortures - but as I said, most of the material was released anyhow. There is barely any similarity between the two. Beach Boys albums did not stop being released, with the collapse of Smile.

Um...I wasn't comparing Smile to CD, or any other album.

I was demonstrating that the statement you made, the one i quoted, wasn't entirely true.  There have been artists who've done it. The only difference in there is "their next", which is sort of open to interpretation (because their newest release was, at some point, their next album).  It's also quibbling, if you're interpreting it as "didn't release anything else in the interim".

And while, yes, some of the material slated for Smile came out with other discs...NOT all of it did. Not even most of it did.

Some (I'd even say the majority) of it didn't get released until Smile did....and it was treated as his next bona fide album (and not as an archival...though that was the form the Smile Sessions, in 2011, took...sort of).

Done what?

I am trying to find a reason why you introduced Smile.

- A large part of Smile was released during the following years - some of it almost immediately after the collapse of the project. CD2, CD3, etc, remain unreleased officially (and, unofficially, there is only Silk Worms and Going Down).

- Brian Wilson continued to write, record and release songs for The Beach Boys up until his departure following the collapse of Smile. There has been no Guns/Axl release since CD.

For Smile to be similar, Axl would have had to have aborted CD2, reused the songs for another project almost immediately, and continued to contribute to albums during the following years.

Done what the statement in that very first sentence i quoted says no artist has ever done. "Sat on" aaa material for 15 years and realeased it as their next bona fide album (depending on the interpretation of "next album" is).

If you are confused, you should reread what i wrote. Specifically the very first sentence. Then the very last one.  No where do i make any comparison to axl or cd. In fact, i specifically exclude those comparisons. Im simply demnstrating the scenario you specifically create, and then try to say is unique, isnt. Its rare, but not unheard of. Smile was simply the easiest and best known example. Def leppard with X (although not the whole album) is another. Some of that material was many, many years old when finally realeased, and had been "sat on".

Or continue to be obtuse. Your choice. But i wont hop to your attempts to change the subject, or broaden it, simply to try to "save face" or win "board warrior points".

I'm fairly certain everyone else gets the point, though....so i think we can move on, now.

But Smile was not, 'sat on for fifteen years' and the Beach Boys (Brian included) merely resumed work a few months later  on the next album!! It would be the equivalent of, Axl releasing CD in, say, 2002 (when it should have came out) and then, in 2003, 2005, 2006,, releasing albums continuously which were newly recorded but had Chinese outakes inserted to flesh them out.

[sofine11]

It would be the opposite of Chinese Democracy. Which was marketed by the record company as something like "the most anticipated album of all time"....



/jarmo

Yeah, there's no album, from any artist, that could live up to that tagline and not be seen as a commercial failure when it doesn't smoke album sales records. 

A surprise (or little notice) release would strike me as ballsy.  Kind of a "Here's the album, buy it...or don't." kind of attitude.  Art for art's sake. 

[D-GenerationX]

A surprise (or little notice) release would strike me as ballsy.  Kind of a "Here's the album, buy it...or don't." kind of attitude.  Art for art's sake. 

Well, let's face it.  He ain't doing some big press junket.

When Colbert debuts later in the year, I don't expect to hear he landed Guns N' Roses.  I don't expect them on SNL.  He won't be on Stern.

Maybe you might as well set it all up behind the scenes and then just say, "here 'tis". 

[sofine11]

A surprise (or little notice) release would strike me as ballsy.  Kind of a "Here's the album, buy it...or don't." kind of attitude.  Art for art's sake. 

Well, let's face it.  He ain't doing some big press junket.

When Colbert debuts later in the year, I don't expect to hear he landed Guns N' Roses.  I don't expect them on SNL.  He won't be on Stern.

Maybe you might as well set it all up behind the scenes and then just say, "here 'tis". 

Yeah....Or I could be talking out of my ass because we have no idea when the album is coming, because there's been no official word on it from the man since last Spring. 

"Shucks, maybe he'll just surprise us!"

Meh, when has a little wishful thinking hurt our situation?

[D-GenerationX]

A surprise (or little notice) release would strike me as ballsy.  Kind of a "Here's the album, buy it...or don't." kind of attitude.  Art for art's sake. 

Well, let's face it.  He ain't doing some big press junket.

When Colbert debuts later in the year, I don't expect to hear he landed Guns N' Roses.  I don't expect them on SNL.  He won't be on Stern.

Maybe you might as well set it all up behind the scenes and then just say, "here 'tis". 

Yeah....Or I could be talking out of my ass because we have no idea when the album is coming, because there's been no official word on it from the man since last Spring. 

"Shucks, maybe he'll just surprise us!"

Meh, when has a little wishful thinking hurt our situation?

Wait...how many Tuesdays left in 2015?  Does anyone have a calendar??

[sofine11]

A surprise (or little notice) release would strike me as ballsy.  Kind of a "Here's the album, buy it...or don't." kind of attitude.  Art for art's sake. 

Well, let's face it.  He ain't doing some big press junket.

When Colbert debuts later in the year, I don't expect to hear he landed Guns N' Roses.  I don't expect them on SNL.  He won't be on Stern.

Maybe you might as well set it all up behind the scenes and then just say, "here 'tis". 

Yeah....Or I could be talking out of my ass because we have no idea when the album is coming, because there's been no official word on it from the man since last Spring. 

"Shucks, maybe he'll just surprise us!"

Meh, when has a little wishful thinking hurt our situation?

Wait...how many Tuesdays left in 2015?  Does anyone have a calendar??

   ::fumbles frantically through my desk looking for one::

Honestly, I suppose stranger things have happened.  That's the beauty of getting new music whenever the hell the main man feels like releasing it.  It could literally happen at any time.

[EmilyGNR]

A surprise (or little notice) release would strike me as ballsy.  Kind of a "Here's the album, buy it...or don't." kind of attitude.  Art for art's sake. 

Well, let's face it.  He ain't doing some big press junket.

When Colbert debuts later in the year, I don't expect to hear he landed Guns N' Roses.  I don't expect them on SNL.  He won't be on Stern.

Maybe you might as well set it all up behind the scenes and then just say, "here 'tis". 

Yeah....Or I could be talking out of my ass because we have no idea when the album is coming, because there's been no official word on it from the man since last Spring. 

"Shucks, maybe he'll just surprise us!"

Meh, when has a little wishful thinking hurt our situation?

Wait...how many Tuesdays left in 2015?  Does anyone have a calendar??

Merck? Give DgenX back his account please

[D-GenerationX]

Merck? Give DgenX back his account please

Hahahaha

I always wished I could have seen Axl's face when that comment made its way back to him.  Can't imagine its an accident he was sacked shortly after.

Just a ridiculous, ridiculous statement.

[sofine11]

Merck? Give DgenX back his account please

Hahahaha

I always wished I could have seen Axl's face when that comment made its way back to him.  Can't imagine its an accident he was sacked shortly after.

Just a ridiculous, ridiculous statement.

Per Merck, that comment was made to keep the Fall tour alive back in '06.  Lie to the fans to keep promoters happy. Brilliant. 

That said, Axl did tell fans that 2006 was the year twice, both during the Eddie Trunk interview and later that year at the VMAs.  I understand his intentions were purer than Merck's, but false hope is false hope.  This is also why I hope the next album just drops out of nowhere.  No announcements, no soundbites promising a summer release, etc.  Just a killer release out of nowhere.

[mortismurphy]

I actually think Merck was the best of the new band managers. He communicated with the fans on a regular basis and seemed to generally do his utmost, to get Axl to release the damn album (to no avail). I would take Merck anyday before, 'Team Brazil'.

[sofine11]

I actually think Merck was the best of the new band managers. He communicated with the fans on a regular basis and seemed to generally do his utmost, to get Axl to release the damn album (to no avail). I would take Merck anyday before, 'Team Brazil'.

Yeah, Merck was definitely no saint, but yes, absolutely Merck over TB as far as getting shit done goes.  All day.

[mortismurphy]

He was struggling all the time to get Axl to release the album (you can read it all on Chinese whispers) and made the 'Tuesdays' comment and it sort of backfired and he became a bit of a joke on the forums but he seems to have been a person who could stand up to Axl and not, a mere sycophant.

[D-GenerationX]

But wasn't it ultimately Azoff that got the Best Buy deal done?

[sofine11]

He was struggling all the time to get Axl to release the album (you can read it all on Chinese whispers) and made the 'Tuesdays' comment and it sort of backfired and he became a bit of a joke on the forums but he seems to have been a person who could stand up to Axl and not, a mere sycophant.

Agreed.  We can talk all day about artistic integrity and Axl being allowed to release music on his own terms, but if there isn't a regimented manager behind the scenes pushing him in the direction of the next release, well, we get what we have.  Over six years since Chinese and still no real word and when we might see the next release.  Although the recent studio time might suggest they're finally moving in that direction.

Beta, for whatever reason, gave Axl an ultimatum that her family (Team Brazil) be given the reigns to manage Guns N' Roses or she was gonna walk.  She literally said as much in an interview a couple years back.  What was he going to do? Let her leave?  Of course not.  I just hope she has more than the Lebeis clan in mind in terms of the future of Guns N' Roses.  I really do.  We can only hope they have as much interest in getting the next album out as the fanbase does in hearing it.

[D-GenerationX]

Beta, for whatever reason, gave Axl an ultimatum that her family (Team Brazil) be given the reigns to manage Guns N' Roses or she was gonna walk.  She literally said as much in an interview a couple years back.  What was he going to do? Let her leave?  Of course not.  I just hope she has more than the Lebeis clan in mind in terms of the future of Guns N' Roses.  I really do.  

Always felt it was kind of weird she copped to that so openly.

[sofine11]

Beta, for whatever reason, gave Axl an ultimatum that her family (Team Brazil) be given the reigns to manage Guns N' Roses or she was gonna walk.  She literally said as much in an interview a couple years back.  What was he going to do? Let her leave?  Of course not.  I just hope she has more than the Lebeis clan in mind in terms of the future of Guns N' Roses.  I really do.  

Always felt it was kind of weird she copped to that so openly.

Yeah, I just found it odd that this is what she wanted to do, meaning becoming the full-blown manager of Guns N' Roses.  Sure there's the financial gain for her family, but you also have to be willing to take lumps from the fanbase regarding what you're able to produce from the artist you're managing, or lack therof.  We've seen that both she and Fernando have been sensitive about what fans post on internet forums, which are ground zero for vocal naysayers.  Do they really want to have to be the ones who answer for GNR puts out, or doesn't put out?  I don't know, but that certainly seems to be the case now.

[jarmo]

Yeah, Merck was definitely no saint, but yes, absolutely Merck over TB as far as getting shit done goes.  All day.

What exactly got done that hasn't happened since 2011?

Don't let your dislike or personal bias against something cloud your judgement. Makes you look ignorant.
Who was there though all those other management teams? Take a wild guess.

Beta, for whatever reason, gave Axl an ultimatum that her family (Team Brazil) be given the reigns to manage Guns N' Roses or she was gonna walk.  

"For whatever reason"?
Maybe the reason was that the band had tried so many managers over the years and they all ended up bumming Axl out with their antics? But none of you could think of that because you didn't read it on the Internet right?

To me it's common sense. For some of you, it's not. Obviously.





/jarmo

[sofine11]

Yeah, Merck was definitely no saint, but yes, absolutely Merck over TB as far as getting shit done goes.  All day.

What exactly got done that hasn't happened since 2011?

Don't let your dislike or personal bias against something cloud your judgement. Makes you look ignorant.
Who was there though all those other management teams? Take a wild guess.

Beta, for whatever reason, gave Axl an ultimatum that her family (Team Brazil) be given the reigns to manage Guns N' Roses or she was gonna walk.  

"For whatever reason"?
Maybe the reason was that the band had tried so many managers over the years and they all ended up bumming Axl out with their antics? But none of you could think of that because you didn't read it on the Internet right?

To me it's common sense. For some of you, it's not. Obviously.


/jarmo

I'll give TB this, they're great at booking tours.  The two shows I went to post Chinese Democracy were fantastic, particularly the UCAP tour at the House of Blues.  Really cool.

That said, I'm just not sure they're qualified to arrange an album release.  I'm also concerned that they're too close to Axl (they're family) to properly motivate him to release music.  This is a business at it's core, and I just haven't seen anything from them that would suggest that they're doing their due diligence to move him in that direction.  Like everyone here, I only know what I see, and again, I just haven't seen them move the band/Axl in that direction since they took control.  Hopefully I'm wrong and they're doing this as we speak.

[jarmo]

They've been there longer than any manager. They know him better than any manager.

By the way, who was the manager when Appetite For Democracy was released?
Who was the manager at the time Axl did that Revolver interview where he talked about his hopes for the future?



/jarmo