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

[Scabbie]

if such a big band only offers studio MP3s first only, i'm not goin to buy them and will wait for the lossless and/or physical CD/Blu-Ray Audio version to come later.

Blu-ray audio is a big format? Never seen anything on sale to be honest.

How long would you wait for a CD? Let's say the time between releases was a month. Two months? Three?

After waiting god knows how long for CD and then the planned follow up, 2-3 months would seem like nothing to me.

/jarmo

[sofine11]

So, honestly, does anyone really think the album will come this year?  I want to believe.  So very badly I want to...

It seems like we are closer than ever, realistically, but there's so much behind the scenes drama with this band that always seems to hinder stuff like this.

[ice cream sand pig]

that is correct, Sir!
quality has its price, mp3 (for me) doesnt. i can create lossy stuff myself. and waiting is smth. GN'R fans suffered to succeed big time! so i'm not in hurry and would go for the lossless version only! i wanna enjoy music on expensive hifi set-up and stand by my word that i'm totally against any lossy music when it comes to official releases. why supporting quality that is inferior to CD standard from early 1980s? it makes ZERO sense to me, so zero cent from my pocket for that.

Yes, I agree about the sound quality. But in this hypothetical scenario, it would be the only way to get the new music until there was a physical release later. Just like Radiohead did....
I don't remember if they offered lossless files or not though.



/jarmo

If it was a pay what you want thing, I would pay the normal cost for an album, fifteen bucks or so. If it was the only way to get it besides waiting for the physical release, I would pay whatever I could afford to get it, even if it was only two weeks early. The most I could afford would be around fifty bucks, but that would really be breaking my bank considering I am a broke ass student.

Pilferk, how the hell did you get so smart? It seems like you know everything about everything. Not in some arrogant way or anything like that, it just seems like you really know your shit! Everything from audio formats, courtroom business, the inner workings of record companies and concert venues, and I'm sure there's much more that I am either forgetting or that I haven't seen you talk about yet.

EDIT: About the pictures from that alternate booklet... WTF!? Is that what we missed out on? I was reading through some of the pictures and stuff Axl said in there and thinking "Man, it would have been nice to get all this." It looks a lot more like what I would have expected from CD. As it is, comparing it to those pictures, what we got was really bare. I was really interested when he talked about China and how he referred to his thoughts (those that he was sharing in the booklet) as "time". I feel my theory on Rhiad and the Bedouins being partly about psychological time is much more plausible after seeing that. Also, when he says there are many Rhiads out there, does anyone know what he means? Apparently that was the reason he made the album, not for fortune or fame, but because there are many Rhiads out there.

[TheBaconman]

Yes, but it's video, not only audio.
I think the music industry is going towards streaming rather than lossless audio.

Yes, it's kinda ironic that video went from VHS to DVD to Blu-ray and audio went from vinyl/tapes to CDs to mp3s...

/jarmo

There's a pretty good explanation for the different directions (besides irony):

"Portable" video is still a very new thing.  Until relatively recently, home video meant "Displayed in your living room, on your TV, surrounded by other "appliances".  In other words, physical size didn't much matter...and there wasn't much in the way of a "convenience" factor.

So....quality became the metric for video and cinema (plus...cinema is largely viewed as a visual medium, and the eye is a bit more discerning than the ear, generally).

With music...portability has been the goal since the mid 70's (8 TRACKS!!).  People want to bring their music with them...in the car, to work, as they wander, etc.  People were willing, right up front, to sacrifice some quality for that convenience AND for variety.  As we've progressed down that rabbit hole, to the point where MOST audio is NOT being listened to on a big hi-fi setup in a living room, but from a small, personal device with a set of headphones attached.....more and more quality has been sacrificed to satisfy that size, convenience, and variety side.  THAT seems to be what more consumers value, so that's what the industry has pushed. 

Another quick note: Digital (and CD) formats also are MUCH more durable than, say, vinyl (which not only degrades over time, it's relatively fragile to dust, scratches, etc).

I think there WILL come a time, as the price of storage space shrinks, and we are essentially walking around with cray super computers on our hips, that the quality demand from consumers will increase.  I think that's starting, now, with the new focus on vinyl that's starting to build.  We'll see......

You said it all perfect here. 

But

The biggest thing is that most of the un washed masses are cheap

If most bums could download a new tv they would

But they can't

What the bums can download for free is music and movies

You will always have bums.  Cheap bums.

They take free over quality.   Until that changes.  There will be no vinal.  There will be bums stealing    And that's ok    But not to me. M

[TheBaconman]

So, honestly, does anyone really think the album will come this year?  I want to believe.  So very badly I want to...

It seems like we are closer than ever, realistically, but there's so much behind the scenes drama with this band that always seems to hinder stuff like this.

I think

 We will hear new gnr music this year.

In what ever format that is.    I don't have a clue. 

I would bet a ton of money though m.   We hear new gnr music this year

[rebelhipi]

My ipod classic 160gb is my greatest music device.
I got all of my music collection in ''decent'' quality in my pocket.

I cant believe they stopped making the ipod classic. When mine breaks, i will be trouble.

[pilferk]

You said it all perfect here. 

But

The biggest thing is that most of the un washed masses are cheap

If most bums could download a new tv they would

But they can't

What the bums can download for free is music and movies

You will always have bums.  Cheap bums.

They take free over quality.   Until that changes.  There will be no vinal.  There will be bums stealing    And that's ok    But not to me. M

true...about the stealing.

But the MARKET is not going to specifically target their product so it's easier to "steal".  They're going to do what's best for the product that sells.

Unfortunately, in this case...it happens to do both things...and thus, and industry in chaos.  Or, at least, that's partially why.

Add to that a dinosaur distribution and "label" system which really benefits nobody (except, maybe, the dinosaur label) and actually actively HARMS most (well, all, really..just to varying degrees) artists....

But that's another discussion.

[pilferk]

OK...this is not about GnR..but it is pertinent to some previous conversations we've had:

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/boston-life-love-hope-vinyl/

Tom Scholz, of Boston, actually REJECTED a master copy that was sent to him for approval, for a vinyl re-release of 2013's "LIfe Love Hope".

And yet, it ended up pressed and sold "somehow".

He was busy on a tour, heard the master, rejected it (knowing it would mean they had to delay release) and yet.....

That's remarkably similar, to me, to the reports we've heard about the booklet and packaging for CD (less the delay piece, though others have heard that part, reportedly, in these threads, too).

[Ginger King]

So, honestly, does anyone really think the album will come this year?  I want to believe.  So very badly I want to...

It seems like we are closer than ever, realistically, but there's so much behind the scenes drama with this band that always seems to hinder stuff like this.

I sooo want to believe...but I've been on this altar before.  We're coming up on a year from when they were "going to start looking very seriously at what we?re doing in that regard."  There's been nothing credible to say it will happen...and nothing credible to say it won't.  Clear as mud.  At least we have our hopes and dreams.

[D-GenerationX]

My ipod classic 160gb is my greatest music device.
I got all of my music collection in ''decent'' quality in my pocket.

I cant believe they stopped making the ipod classic. When mine breaks, i will be trouble.

Same here.  I love that thing.

I actually bought a back-up one last spring, just in case.

Then they discontinued it late last year.  Talk about fortunate timing.

[D-GenerationX]

So, honestly, does anyone really think the album will come this year?  I want to believe.  So very badly I want to...

It seems like we are closer than ever, realistically, but there's so much behind the scenes drama with this band that always seems to hinder stuff like this.

I would say that I do, but I'm coming at it at a different way.

I think it comes out this year or never.  The reason I say that is because we have heard time and again how much of this is done, and Axl finally said they "were going to seriously take a look at things in that regard."

To me, that leads to a release.  More to the point, if it leads to nothing and they just go back on tour...I don't see a real solid argument that it comes out later. 

Why?  What would be different down the line? 

[sofine11]

So, honestly, does anyone really think the album will come this year?  I want to believe.  So very badly I want to...

It seems like we are closer than ever, realistically, but there's so much behind the scenes drama with this band that always seems to hinder stuff like this.

I would say that I do, but I'm coming at it at a different way.

I think it comes out this year or never.  The reason I say that is because we have heard time and again how much of this is done, and Axl finally said they "were going to seriously take a look at things in that regard."

To me, that leads to a release.  More to the point, if it leads to nothing and they just go back on tour...I don't see a real solid argument that it comes out later. 

Why?  What would be different down the line? 

I would agree.  At this point, I feel like we're at a "shit or get off the pot" moment in regard to the next album.  He said that's where the focus would be after Vegas, which ended last June.  If we don't get what is really a largely completed album in 2015, I don't see him ever really "getting around to it."

[sofine11]

So, honestly, does anyone really think the album will come this year?  I want to believe.  So very badly I want to...

It seems like we are closer than ever, realistically, but there's so much behind the scenes drama with this band that always seems to hinder stuff like this.

I sooo want to believe...but I've been on this altar before.  We're coming up on a year from when they were "going to start looking very seriously at what we?re doing in that regard."  There's been nothing credible to say it will happen...and nothing credible to say it won't.  Clear as mud.  At least we have our hopes and dreams.

That's the bitch of it. Other than that cryptic photo from the studio in December, we have no idea really what the timeframe is, if one even exists, for putting the next album out.  All we can do is hope that what they were doing was wrapping everything up and mixing it.

[D-GenerationX]

We heard DJ say that the plan was a lot of touring in 2015.

Its already almost February, and we haven't heard anything.  So if that's happening, its later in the year.

So if given a solid year to get it all wrapped up, they get it done if they are serious.  If they aren't, they don't.  And if they don't, hey, that's life. 

But anyone pointing out that it doesn't bode well for the band's level of commitment or seriousness is not a monster.  That's where this disconnect seems to be.  Both the "whiners" and the "real fans" are both willing to accept if nothing materializes.  We are used to it at this point.

But the "real fans" won't want to hear any sort of talk that's its...well, let's just leave it there.  They won't want to hear any sort of talk about it.

[sofine11]

We heard DJ say that the plan was a lot of touring in 2015.

Its already almost February, and we haven't heard anything.  So if that's happening, its later in the year.

So if given a solid year to get it all wrapped up, they get it done if they are serious.  If they aren't, they don't.  And if they don't, hey, that's life. 

But anyone pointing out that it doesn't bode well for the band's level of commitment or seriousness is not a monster.  That's where this disconnect seems to be.  Both the "whiners" and the "real fans" are both willing to accept if nothing materializes.  We are used to it at this point.

But the "real fans" won't want to hear any sort of talk that's its...well, let's just leave it there.  They won't want to hear any sort of talk about it.

It would be quite cool if the tour actually coincided (or was in close proximity) to the release this time.  We know Axl very rarely does public interviews, although that's getting better.  It'd be neat to see him out there tearing it up while the new album is still on everyone's radar.  If that's the plan, then obviously I'm all for it.

Again, it's just that other than cryptic statements here and there, we really have no idea what's in the cards for the rest of 2015.

[jarmo]

So 2015 is out of the question already? January 23rd.





/jarmo

[sofine11]

So 2015 is out of the question already? January 23rd.





/jarmo

Who...Who said that? 

I think it's absolutely within the realm of possibilities.

[D-GenerationX]

So 2015 is out of the question already? January 23rd.

Well, depends who you are talking to.

To some, speculating on 2015 is wrong and irresponsible.  But, now it looks like you are saying NOT speculating on 2015 is wrong and irresponsible.

What's a fake fan to do?

[jarmo]

Who...Who said that? 

I think it's absolutely within the realm of possibilities.

Just asking since you were asking if 2015 is still possible.... 



/jarmo

[sofine11]

Who...Who said that? 

I think it's absolutely within the realm of possibilities.

Just asking since you were asking if 2015 is still possible.... 



/jarmo

Well, you know, fool me once and all that...

"Not sure maybe same bat time, same bat channel next year but we'll see." Axl - December 2008

That's the closest we've gotten to Axl speculating about the next album's release, and well, that didn't exactly pan out.

I guess I'm just adding a good dash of skepticism to my hopes for 2015 so I don't get my hopes up just to be let down.  Can ya blame someone for that?