According to Guns N' Roses manager Doug Goldstein, Axl Rose is currently ensconced in a Los Angeles studio, working on material for the long-awaited G n' R follow-up to 1991's Use Your Illusion I and II. Rose is writing and jamming with keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist and longtime Rose collaborator Paul Huge, and ex-Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck, who has become a full-time member of the band. Goldstein told Rolling Stone that they have recorded more than 300 hours' worth of material, and "they each take a CD home, listen for cool parts, pick them out, and that's how they build songs." He estimates that Axl and Co. are "three to five months away from actual recording" but says not to expect a record until 1999. Four producers are being considered for the project -- which Goldstein describes as an "updated nineties-rock sound with a little more technology thrown in" -- including Scott Litt (R.E.M.), Steve Lillywhite(U2), Mark Bell (Bjork) and Youth (the Verve). Rumored producer Moby took himself out of the running last year to focus on his own work. "It was a very hard decision to make," Moby says. "The music they're working on is really wonderful." Goldstein says that Rose would still love to have Moby hear the G n' R material and offer his insights.

So why the hell has it taken so long to get to this point? "Slash and Axl really thought they could work out their differences," says Goldstein. "They tried for a couple of years to see if they could agree creatively. Once it became clear that they couldn't, we then had to assemble people who could."

As for bassist Duff McKagan, Goldstein reports that the G n' R bass slot will be held open until McKagan -- who's recently become a father -- decides on his future plans. "The jury is still out on [drummer] Matt Sorum," Goldstein admits, adding that Axl has tried out different drummers. . . .