Assuming he stays fired, RTB (best known for his work with Queen) can put this one in the win column regardless. He showed up on the scene in the spring of 2000 supposedly just to do a little "additional production" with Sean Beavan, the producer of record at the time, and he's been there ever since. Sean (who has worked with Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson, among others) lasted over a year himself, as he followed a fleeting bout with England's Youth. A spokesperson for RTB offered up the usual "no comment," followed by a cryptic, "You know how these things are, it's cool."

Calls to Guns N' Roses' manager Doug Goldstein (at least we think he's still their manager) were not returned. (No surprise there, either, but, that's cool, too.)

Out the door not long ago was Guns N' Roses original A&R guy, Tom Zutaut, whom had been brought in last year at Axl's request to try and act as a go-between the singer and Interscope.

Needless to say, the label wants the record done. They've been pouring millions into the project for years, the only saving grace being their books technically didn't start showing the loss until they inherited the already multi-million dollar old project from Geffen, whose share was written off when the label was folded into Interscope/Universal.

(Sorelle Saidman)