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

[Spirit]

Jarmo, which unheard Chi Dem era tracks are you looking forward to hearing for the first time, possibly on the forthcoming album?

Based on song titles?
I really don't know.
I know are supposed to have orchestration like several CD songs. But then again, there's probably something on there that we didn't expect....




/jarmo

I was shocked when This I Love ended up on the tracklist for Chinese.  The only bits we heard about it were from that one interview from 1993 when Axl said he wrote it in Paris   We never heard an inkling that the Chinese lineup were working on it, then BAM!, it's on the album. 

We know Axl has several unreleased songs going back, some that even have Izzy's mark on them from when he came in to help Duff write in the mid 90s.  They've done such a good job keeping all the tracks for the next album locked down, up until now.  Who knows what'll end up on the final tracklist?

Tommy gave us a specific number of songs left from the Chinese sessions: 22. If we take into account the titles we know, that leaves 8-10 (depending on counting OMG and Down By The Ocean or not) unknown songs.

It would be interesting to know if he counts the material from the mid-90s - the "Izzy & Duff songs" - as Chinese songs. If not, there might be a whole lot more.

Then you have the songs written (recorded?) by the current line-up...

[sky dog]

At this point, I imagine Axl considers everything recorded since the process began in 1994 as "Gnr" property so to say. He was responsible for all the costs of those sessions when Slash and Duff left the "partnership".

"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."

[JAEBALL]

Its weird how much the greatest hits album sold so well just a couple years prior too the release of CD, with zero marketing at all

And not only sold well, but in the united  states completly destroyed sales compared to CD

I have read where sales of the greatest hits are 5 million in the united states and CD is under 700 grand

So when one argues marketing is the reason CD didnt sell the millions people thought it aould sell in the states.   I cant totally agree with that

It is just one big piece to the puzzle

And back to the fumors about the next release is true

I cant wait to hear some more of Bucketheads work!!!!

Baconman, far from weird. Think about reasons why the Greatest Hit album did much better than CD.

I actually think the cover of the greatest hits album looks pretty cool. Mb people bought is for that reason?

I still don't get how it sold so much

The band had 5 albums at the time.    For the price of what the greatest hits albums cost, you could probably buy all 5 albums!  Give or take 10 bux.    But put a shiny package out for the unwashed masses and people will buy anything

Hell I own a copy of it! 

I am gonna go with that had some of the greatest songs of all time on it from the band that the world knew... not the gray cover lol

[D-GenerationX]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

[JAEBALL]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

Well I bought it...

I'm sure it was a few factors... some people will buy anything GNR related (including me) , people were desperate for any GNR release at that point, and didn't Contraband come out around the same time? So I'm sure that helped sales as well.

Lastly, I think any major music act who releases a greatest hits album will do well with it.

[D-GenerationX]

I know some people only buy greatest hits.

Not sure I was even in a dorm rom in college that did not have :

- Bob Marley
- Steve Miller Band
- The Eagles
- Elton John

If not all 4.

[sofine11]

Jarmo, which unheard Chi Dem era tracks are you looking forward to hearing for the first time, possibly on the forthcoming album?

Based on song titles?
I really don't know.
I know are supposed to have orchestration like several CD songs. But then again, there's probably something on there that we didn't expect....




/jarmo

I was shocked when This I Love ended up on the tracklist for Chinese.  The only bits we heard about it were from that one interview from 1993 when Axl said he wrote it in Paris   We never heard an inkling that the Chinese lineup were working on it, then BAM!, it's on the album. 

We know Axl has several unreleased songs going back, some that even have Izzy's mark on them from when he came in to help Duff write in the mid 90s.  They've done such a good job keeping all the tracks for the next album locked down, up until now.  Who knows what'll end up on the final tracklist?

Tommy gave us a specific number of songs left from the Chinese sessions: 22. If we take into account the titles we know, that leaves 8-10 (depending on counting OMG and Down By The Ocean or not) unknown songs.

It would be interesting to know if he counts the material from the mid-90s - the "Izzy & Duff songs" - as Chinese songs. If not, there might be a whole lot more.

Then you have the songs written (recorded?) by the current line-up...

When you consider the lack of cohesive studio time with the current lineup, I would be shocked if more than 1 or 2 tracks made it past the red tape from them.  They've said they've passed around songs and recorded in their home studios, but going by that recording formula, you'd imagine that maybe only a couple would be worthy of appearing on "Chinese 2".

They have more than enough tracks from the Chinese era recorded, so I'm not loosing sleep that we're not getting more, say, Ashba penned tracks.  Either way, you have to figure that Axl sent DJ a good handful of Chi Dem era tracks to see what he could add to them in his studio.  I'm sure he'll still be decently present on the next album.

Bigger question may be whether Duff was asked to participate in some recording within the last year...

[jarmo]

If you read or listened to the interviews regarding the recording and song writing process that's been used by GN'R for decades, it's quite apparent that they don't really use the "let's put everyone in a room together and see what happens" technique a lot.

Even back in the 1990s Axl was receiving songs on tapes from other members and they used phones to communicate.

Richard mentioned how Axl is really good at taking ideas and putting them together into songs. And then you get everybody to collaborate on it.
So the whole idea that everybody needs to be in a room together isn't really the way GN'R has worked since maybe 1985? Back when they lived together.

The process is totally different from one guy writing a complete song and then having Axl put words to it.
That's why I don't necessarily think there'll be songs that were written by one guy alone on the next album. Maybe Axl.
If Dj wrote something on the album, I don't expect it to be a full song. That would kinda go against the idea of how the band has worked on songs in recent decades.




/jarmo

[The Wight Gunner]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

I got it for Sympathy for the Devil.... A classic song  that for even the casual fan of the band would spark some interest, given the low (if any)  marketing for the single, as a "new" release,the first in a decade.

[D-GenerationX]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

I got it for Sympathy for the Devil.... A classic song  that for even the casual fan of the band would spark some interest, given the low (if any)  marketing for the single, as a "new" release,the first in a decade.

I really like that cover, though I seem to be in the minority, I find.

[The Wight Gunner]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

I got it for Sympathy for the Devil.... A classic song  that for even the casual fan of the band would spark some interest, given the low (if any)  marketing for the single, as a "new" release,the first in a decade.

I really like that cover, though I seem to be in the minority, I find.

Me too 

[JAEBALL]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

I got it for Sympathy for the Devil.... A classic song  that for even the casual fan of the band would spark some interest, given the low (if any)  marketing for the single, as a "new" release,the first in a decade.

I really like that cover, though I seem to be in the minority, I find.

I don't like it solely because of the drama that went in to it.

[JAEBALL]

Jarmo, which unheard Chi Dem era tracks are you looking forward to hearing for the first time, possibly on the forthcoming album?

Based on song titles?
I really don't know.
I know are supposed to have orchestration like several CD songs. But then again, there's probably something on there that we didn't expect....




/jarmo

I was shocked when This I Love ended up on the tracklist for Chinese.  The only bits we heard about it were from that one interview from 1993 when Axl said he wrote it in Paris   We never heard an inkling that the Chinese lineup were working on it, then BAM!, it's on the album. 

We know Axl has several unreleased songs going back, some that even have Izzy's mark on them from when he came in to help Duff write in the mid 90s.  They've done such a good job keeping all the tracks for the next album locked down, up until now.  Who knows what'll end up on the final tracklist?

Tommy gave us a specific number of songs left from the Chinese sessions: 22. If we take into account the titles we know, that leaves 8-10 (depending on counting OMG and Down By The Ocean or not) unknown songs.

It would be interesting to know if he counts the material from the mid-90s - the "Izzy & Duff songs" - as Chinese songs. If not, there might be a whole lot more.

Then you have the songs written (recorded?) by the current line-up...

When you consider the lack of cohesive studio time with the current lineup, I would be shocked if more than 1 or 2 tracks made it past the red tape from them.  They've said they've passed around songs and recorded in their home studios, but going by that recording formula, you'd imagine that maybe only a couple would be worthy of appearing on "Chinese 2".

They have more than enough tracks from the Chinese era recorded, so I'm not loosing sleep that we're not getting more, say, Ashba penned tracks.  Either way, you have to figure that Axl sent DJ a good handful of Chi Dem era tracks to see what he could add to them in his studio.  I'm sure he'll still be decently present on the next album.

Bigger question may be whether Duff was asked to participate in some recording within the last year...

Imagine is some songs are Duff and some are Tommy? That would be crazy.

[sofine11]

If you read or listened to the interviews regarding the recording and song writing process that's been used by GN'R for decades, it's quite apparent that they don't really use the "let's put everyone in a room together and see what happens" technique a lot.

Even back in the 1990s Axl was receiving songs on tapes from other members and they used phones to communicate.

Richard mentioned how Axl is really good at taking ideas and putting them together into songs. And then you get everybody to collaborate on it.
So the whole idea that everybody needs to be in a room together isn't really the way GN'R has worked since maybe 1985? Back when they lived together.

The process is totally different from one guy writing a complete song and then having Axl put words to it.
That's why I don't necessarily think there'll be songs that were written by one guy alone on the next album. Maybe Axl.
If Dj wrote something on the album, I don't expect it to be a full song. That would kinda go against the idea of how the band has worked on songs in recent decades.




/jarmo

I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see what Axl's process is in the studio nowadays.  He requested that DJ send him recorded versions of his solos (BOD & Mi Amor) a few years back.  Would be interesting if those turned up on a GNR track. 

I also think we'll see lots of song writing credits on the next album as well, from both past and present members.  Richard recently mentioned that his favorite unreleased track is one that was written by Robin Finck.  I'm sure that Axl loves it as well, and that we'll see that on the next album.  Exciting stuff!

[D-GenerationX]

I was shocked GH sold so well.

It came out, when...2004?  People didn't have those songs by then?

I got it for Sympathy for the Devil.... A classic song  that for even the casual fan of the band would spark some interest, given the low (if any)  marketing for the single, as a "new" release,the first in a decade.

I really like that cover, though I seem to be in the minority, I find.

I don't like it solely because of the drama that went in to it.

Oh, that's the worst part about it.  Its hard to look at the song the same way once all that bullshit went public.

[D-GenerationX]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see what Axl's process is in the studio nowadays.

How much "nowadays" do you think Axl is in the studio?

I would posit that the first thing you need to see Axl in the studio is a DeLorean.

[sofine11]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see what Axl's process is in the studio nowadays.

How much "nowadays" do you think Axl is in the studio?

I would posit that the first thing you need to see Axl in the studio is a DeLorean.

Well, if the stories about him having 1-2 finished albums are true, there's really been no cause to spend a vast amount of time in the studio post Chi Dem. That is, if you consider that those tracks are what he intends for the next album.

I was more referring to what his process would be if, in fact, he is putting together/mixing a couple tracks from the current lineup for the next album.

[ice cream sand pig]

'Legend Of The Red Panda' was rumored to be the next album title.

But that's a rumor going back a few years.  It might have been during one of MSL's bits of performance art where we heard.  I can't recall.

That wrestler dude that leaked all those songs? He did performance art that hinted about GNR stuff? What an over the top character. Must have been trippy for Axl to have such a random eccentric character appear out of nowhere and start affecting his life.

Anyway though, I do think that is an awesome name for an album. I like that it keeps with the Chinese theme but changes it up more than just slapping a 2 on CD.

One thing that I noticed recently after listening to some instrumental versions of the songs on CD is that there is a lot going on that is almost impossible to notice with the vocals there. This I Love for example (3 minutes and 50 seconds in or so, the bridge?) had some amazing stuff that I have never heard before. I hope with the next album they can mix it in a way that everything can be heard. Or at least in the remix album, I hope some of the things that are drowned out in CD become more prominent.

Edit to add: Around 3:16 into TIL there is an amazing string and horn arrangement part that I was also never aware of before. From that point on, for about one entire minute, there are all kinds of for me unrecognizable parts including the one I noted above (at 3:50). And the better instrumental, holy shit! What a solid song, even without Axl's awesomeness. Hearing these instrumental versions of the songs makes me want the remix album even more! Can't wait to see how they pull it off!

[jarmo]

If you mix an album where the orchestration is louder, wouldn't you lose the guitar rock element?

GN'R has always been guitar based. Even after they added piano and keyboards to the songs and then later drum beats, effects and samples.


/jarmo

[GeorgeSteele]

If you mix an album where the orchestration is louder, wouldn't you lose the guitar rock element?

GN'R has always been guitar based. Even after they added piano and keyboards to the songs and then later drum beats, effects and samples.


/jarmo

True, but I think one of the strengths of CD was that it was not 'rigidly' guitar-based.  For example, I think one of the reasons that the guitar solo in This I Love is so powerful is the way that it contrasts against how the song was mostly orchestration leading up to the solo.  Also, I loved the orchestration/guitar balance in Madagascar as well.