Rumbles of Finck's decision had been going around for just a week, but it couldn't be made official because his two-year contract with GNR wasn't up until Saturday (Aug. 1). This leaves open the never-ending question of "will Slash rejoin" Guns, however, there is no news on that front as of now. A label spokesperson says, "Robin finished recording several albums worth of material with Guns N' Roses. Axl is now working on the vocals for the album." As far as the street date goes, that is still undetermined. "When the album's done, it will come out," says the spokesperson. It's also too early to speculate who will replace Finck in GNR's touring incarnation, since a tour is too far off in the future at this point.

A spokesperson for Nine Inch Nails confirms that Finck has rejoined the band "for the tour."

Finck joined Nine Inch Nails in February 1994 for The Downward Spiral tour and quit the band two months after NIN's tour with David Bowie ended in October 1995. After quitting, Finck joined Cirque du Soleil as the guitarist in the orchestra, and did that gig up until joining GNR. Previous to joining Nails, Finck was in the outlandish Impotent Sea Snakes.

One can only speculate that what may have contributed to Finck's decision is A) The length of time it has taken to record and finish the album, and B) The crazy hours GNR had been working, which at one point were from about 11 or 12 at night until 6 in the morning.

-- Carrie Borzillo