Idolator: Axl Rose

Ten Artists Who Should Be Very Glad They're Not Axl Rose

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The attention the media gives to Guns N' Roses and My Bloody Valentine may give young bands the idea that it'd actually be good for their legacy to record regularly for six years, then hold off for at least another 15 so that fan excitement can build and their myth can blossom. (Hey, if Sting and Joe Strummer had waited that long to record follow-ups to Synchronicity and Combat Rock, maybe people would have cared more about Brand New Day and Rock Art And The X-Ray Style!) So I looked at what would have happened to some of rock's most legendary figures if they, too, had waited 15 years to release new albums once their first six years of putting out records were done—and found that extended absences rarely make later projects look much better.

1. The Beastie Boys
followed by...

Unwilling to repeat themselves after the left-field success of Check Your Head, the Beastie Boys wander through abortive sessions with Mix Master Mike, Lee Perry, Q-Tip, Miho Hatori, and others while promoting Tibetan Freedom Festivals, running Grand Royal, and raising families; Adam Horowitz's glitchy BS-2000 and the peculiar Country Mike's Greatest Hits make fans both curious and excited for what the group might eventually return with. Finally, after over a decade of waiting, Capitol Records and a nation of expectant stoners are blessed with... The Mix-Up.

2. Aerosmith
followed by...

Following the departure of Joe Perry during the recording of A Night In The Ruts, Steven Tyler descends further into chemical dependency, unable to complete sessions with new guitarists for several years. After his recovery from addiction in the mid-'80s, he is hesitant to return to life in the fast lane, preferring to raise his family and promote anti-drug campaigns. Finally, the original lineup returns with 1997's Nine Lives, where a new generation, unprimed by Wayne's World and Alicia Silverstone videos, is introduced to a group of decrepit transvestites screaming "Falling In Love (Is So Hard On The Knees)."

3. Grateful Dead
followed by...

Despite the success of Wake Of The Flood, things aren't the same for the Dead after the death of Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, and the band decides to abstain from the touring circuit. Attempts to hone a new sound are hindered by a series of exploding keyboardists, but the group finally returns to the limelight with 1989's Built To Last. Then another keyboardist dies, and the band says "fuck it." Meanwhile, Trey Anastasio is happily playing in a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover band in Vermont, just happy that he doesn't have to hold down a day job.

4. David Bowie
followed by...

After releasing Pin-Ups (itself The Spaghetti Incident?! of its day), Bowie grows tired of his hard-rock Ziggy Stardust shtick and fires the Spiders Of Mars. Rumors leak that the rock star is obsessed with "soul" and attempting to maintain cultural currency by working with Brian Eno (the Moby of his day), but year after year and release date after release date pass. Finally, cleaned up and ready to play ball, Bowie, joined by Peter Frampton and Charlie Sexton, returns for a massive world tour to promote his new album... Never Let Me Down.

5. Prince
followed by...

Even after his Hollywood dreams fizzled, Prince finds it impossible to follow up the monumental Purple Rain, retiring to his Minnesota home; he's rarely seen after the failed non-musical version of Graffiti Bridge. Some say that the recluse won't even answer to his name! Always up for a challenge, Clive Davis signs the artist to a one-album contract, teaming him with a variety of pop stars that had followed in his wake. He then presents the world with... Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. The world is not impressed.

6. Bruce Springsteen
followed by...

Darkness On The Edge Of Town, while a critical hit, isn't really the sequel to Born To Run that Columbia was looking for. So for years Bruce struggles with synthesizers and drum machines, hoping to craft a surefire hit. Off the road and not meeting supermodels and back-up vocalists, Bruce lives a long, lonely life before finally releasing The Ghost Of Tom Joad, after which Columbia decides this man is no longer the future of rock and roll.

7. U2
followed by...

Torn between their desire for fame and their belief in Christian humility, the members of U2 are more than happy to finely hone their follow-up to The Unforgettable Fire with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. But after a decade-plus of work, it becomes clear that they've lost the script. So instead, the band looks both to the past (their original producer Steve Lillywhite) and the future (Nelle Hooper and Jackknife Lee), creating How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, which the group promotes on an '80s Flashback Tour co-headlined by Simple Minds.

8. R.E.M.
followed by...

The Green tour takes a lot out of R.E.M., with the band first attempting to create a grand follow-up with mandolins and string sections before scrapping the sessions to try and regain their rock energy. Finally, with both producer Scott Litt and Bill Berry no longer involved, the remaining trio makes an album everyone is comfortable with. An album named Around The Sun.

9. Rolling Stones
followed by...

Let It Bleed is a surprise triumph after the loss of Brian Jones, but drugs overcome the band and it isn't long before replacement Mick Taylor is gone. It won't be until after the failure of Mick Jagger's first solo album, She's The Boss, that he'll get the old band together for a new album titled Dirty Work. While they knew Mick Jagger was capable of anything, it shocked fans of the enigmatic Keith Richards, long rumored dead, to see him dancing with cartoon cats in the video for "Harlem Shuffle."

10. Stevie Wonder
followed by...

With Motown refusing to let him run his own albums, Wonder boycotts his label following the release of For Once In My Life. When Berry Gordy finally relents in the early '70s, his concerns are proven tragically valid as Wonder toils unsuccessfully to capture his "inner visions," desperately trying to create songs "in the key of life." The singer could have been forgotten—but Gene Wilder gets in touch with him in hopes that he'll create a soundtrack for The Woman In Red. America is shocked as Little Stevie Wonder returns to the limelight with "I Just Called To Say I Love You," with Rolling Stone declaring it the Least Welcome Comeback of 1984.

There is one alternate history Axl could take heart in. If Paul Simon had waited fifteen years to put out an album after Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water, Graceland would have been even more of an impressive wtf than it was at the time. But will Axl Rose's adventures in the diaspora ("Madagascar!") have the same zeitgeist as Simon's?

Hell no.

New Guns N' Roses Track Gets Tweaked By Buddyhead

Anthony Miccio — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EDT

"Hey, Axl! Wake up, man! Been 14 years, 15 years you've been sleeping... get your hair braided, man. Let's do this!" I tuned out on Buddyhead once they ran out of singers worth revealing the phone numbers of and moved on to posting Primal Scream MP3s, so I'm pleasantly surprised by this brilliant remix of Guns N' Roses' dubby "If The World," a.k.a. "New Song No. 3" from The Antiquiet Sessions. "Buddyhead rock right, Axl know! Fifteen years in the fields of blow! Hair so tight, white-boy corn rows! True rock shit, Real rock n' roll!" If the right producer (who doesn't fear litigation) hears this, it could wind up becoming a popular mixtape loop. "Cease and desist, bitches!" [Buddyhead via Velvet Rope]

Axl Rose Believes That The Truth Is Out There

Maura Johnston — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EDT

Last week's leak of nine songs purporting to be from Guns N' Roses' eternally delayed Chinese Democracy had a whole mess of repercussions, but perhaps none of them were as unnerving for the proprietor of leak source Antiquiet.com as the visitors his office had yesterday—who happened to be from the FBI. (They even looked like Mulder and Scully! Talk about verisimilitude!) "It was kind of an ambush," Antiquiet proprietor and ex-Universal Music Group employee Skwerl told Rolling Stone. "When I came back from lunch they were waiting in the lobby for me." The three chatted for 15 minutes, then made plans to regroup back at Skwel's place at 7 the next morning.

"I wasn't sure if they were going to come by with a warrant and trash the place, like in the movies," he says. "It was nothing like that." The FBI officials wanted to see the original files, but Skwerl erased them last week per instructions from Axl Rose's attorneys. Skwerl ultimately gave them second-hand files that are now widely available on the Internet.

Last week Skwerl's blog crashed from the traffic flood that resulted from his controversial posting. "My host contacts me and says, 'What the fuck did you do?'" I go, "Uhhhh. I posted some music." He goes, "What exactly did you post?" I go, "Uhhhh. [Meek voice] New Guns n' Roses." He goes, "Motherfucker." Before long his cell phone rang with an unfamiliar 323 number. "It was a really cool guy from the Gn'R camp that was a middle man between someone who was very angry and me. He was trying to reach out and see if I'd go without a fight, which is more or less what I did."

Skwerl agreed to take them down, but a cease-and-desist letter soon followed threatening possible legal action. "I'm not so worried about that," Skwerl says. "It's a legal grey area since it wasn't for download, it wasn't a finished product. We aren't sure who owns the recordings. I feel like I might survive this."

While I wish him—and the "anonymous online source" who leaked him the tracks—luck, I also hope that musicFIRST doesn't get wind of this guys' comments about the legality of streaming vs. downloading. Otherwise, he might be getting a lot of "funny" presents in the mail pretty soon.

UPDATE: Skwerl writes in: "Andy Greene at Rolling Stone took me a bit out of context. I told him that I was cooperating completely with the Feds, and that I was 100% ready and willing to face any legal repercussions my actions deserved. I suppose that wasn't a good enough story. He asked if I was freaked out, and that's where the closing quote come from. I said it 'may' be a legal gray area, not that it is. I admit that I don't know the law thoroughly, and have ruled nothing out at this point."

Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" Leaker Gets FBI Visit [RS]
Earlier: "Chinese Democracy" Creeps Ever Closer To Actually Existing (Maybe)

Sebastian Bach Is Happy To Talk About Axl Rose

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EDT

Is Sebastian Bach the only person who can say he's bros with Axl, or is he just the only one who goes to the press to describe how tight the two of them are? Rolling Stone called up the reclusive rock star's former competitor and current compatriot in hopes of getting some juicy quotes about the recently leaked Chinese Democracy tracks. As Bach's Angel Down, despite some guests shrieks from Axl, has failed to make the youth go wild, Bach didn't hesitate to share some admittedly hilarious anecdotes, as well as cast doubt on any hopes that Axl would allow his life to be spotlight alongside those of Scott Baio and Flavor Flav on Celebreality. ("Sebastian, you don't understand. I will pay VH1 $2 million to leave me the fuck alone!")

When we were first hanging out in 2006, we were just standing around a bunch of people. I go, 'Axl, do you think you might get the record out? It would be a great time, now that we're on tour and everything.' He goes, 'Oh. Great! Everybody! Sebastian has a great idea here, man. Guess what? Sebastian, should I put out a record? Maybe it would be a good idea for me to put out a fucking record! Hey everybody, listen to this! I never thought of that! That never came to me! Oh, great idea dude.' I felt like Fred Flintstone in Mr. Slate's office.

"Another thing that I don't know you'll ever see is a Axl Rose reality show. When I see that shit, I laugh. Here's the only other time that he got made at me. I had just finished shooting Supergroup for VH1. It was on TV in America while we were gallivanting across Europe. We had a beautiful dinner at some incredible Italian restaurant. We are sitting there and I go, 'Dude, I just shot this reality show for VH1 and they paid me this amount of money, man. It was fucking easy. It was only like two weeks. It was hilarious. Axl, if they paid me this amount of money, they'd pay you like a million bucks for 10 days of some shit.' He's looking at me with this look on his face and he's all quiet and he goes, 'Sebastian, you don't understand.' I go, 'What?' He goes, 'I will pay VH1 $2 million to leave me the fuck alone!' I would bet my life you won't be seeing the Axl Rose reality TV show.

Oh come on, Axl. What about a travel documentary where the two of you get to visit famous meditative hideaways and commune with ancient spirits? Judging from these quotes and your collaborations. Sebastian's just the right kind of straight man toady to bring out your playful side.

Axl Rose's "Chinese Democracy" Tirade: Sebastian Bach Tells All [Rolling Stone]
Axl Rose + Sebastian Bach Duo Inland Invasion [YouTube]

"Chinese Democracy" Creeps Ever Closer To Actually Existing (Maybe)

Maura Johnston — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:20:29 EDT

In what may be the biggest sign of blogging hubris I've seen in a long time, the guys who run Antiquiet are claiming to have nine tracks from Guns N' Roses' eternally delayed Chinese Democracy, and they're so sure of the songs' legitimacy that they've decided to stream the whole shebang. (10 p.m. ET update: The songs are all gone, and most of the post—except the part where they say "if you ask me, Guns N' Roses are fucking back, and they'll be just fine"—has been struck out.) Six of the tracks are newer versions of songs that first surfaced back in 2007 (including "Better," "Madagascar," and the title track); they're accompanied by three untitled tracks (including one that is, according to a friend, actually called "Rihad and the Bedouins") that definitely have Axl on vocals, and also sound of a piece with the album's other alleged material. While I puzzle over just how close to being really finished these tracks are, I implore you to check them out (while you still can, anyway), if only so you can come back and take part in our exciting "Is this really it for real this time, or is the Internet just being strung along again?" poll!

We've Got Chinese Democracy... And It's Worth The Wait [Antiquiet]

Guns N' Roses Fan So Desperate For New Material, He Resorts To Charity

Maura Johnston — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:45:00 EDT

The world has been waiting for new material from Axl Rose for a long time—even crummy, leaked versions of half-finished tracks haven't trickled out of the studio in months, and the clock counting down to the world no longer getting a free can of Dr Pepper thanks to his creative output is ticking. So one enterprising Guns N' Roses fan has decided to take matters into his own hands, as well as his wallet: "I am willing to pay $1,000.00 to charity if Guns N Roses, their management, or other 'interested parties,' provide me with a previously unleaked demo off of the band's long awaited Chinese Democracy album. It must be in it's entirety - and with Axl's vocals. I am will to pre-pay in advance via paypal." Thinking of giving it to charity was smart, since that "donation" can double as a sweet tax deduction!

Apparently this "give me some, and I'll give something away" tactic is being used to smoke out what a tipster referred to in e-mail as "known German and Portugese hoarders," who are rumored to have still-unreleased demos in their possession. There's an epic thread over at chinesedemocracy.com about one person in particular:

here's the latest that I'm hearing from my source. the iconito guy (guy offering $$ for a new leak at mygnr) has got a new song. maybe even more than one. supposedly he got a song and ended up paying $1,000 for it. rumor has it he got a 99 studio demo of chinese d, a new madagascar, and a new song that my source won't give up the title on. supposedly the new song is low quality and that's the reason the guy threw in the 99 demo of cd and a new madagascar (he didn't know how new, and says he hasn't heard anything himself with the exception of about 5 seconds of a new song and he swears it's legit with axl's vocals.

The debate over whether or not the guy's full of it goes on for another 13 pages, if you dare. I made it through about four before realizing that the fact that Universal hasn't made a lucrative bid to purchase chinesedemocracy.com as a sign that this album isn't coming out anytime soon.

Also: Did you know that Axl turns 50 in 2012? Just figured I'd point that out.

$1,000.00 For GN'R Chinese Democracy Demo [craigslist]
UPDATE ON THE RUMOR ABOUT THE GUY AT MYGNR (HE HAS A SONG) [chinesedemocracy.com]

Your Guns N' Roses Non-News Update

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Guns N' Roses to release new album next month! Duff McKagan talkin' about a reunion! Not really and not really, but with Axl, news is news even when it's not news. First off, Guns N'Roses is re-releasing Greatest Hits in England on June 2, just in time for Father's Day. And that's not a coincidence, as the press release notes: "it's most definitely the only album of choice for any serious rockfather." Actually, any serious rockfather already has Appetite For Destruction and doesn't need to sully his ears with that remake of "Sympathy For The Devil," whether he's enduring an hour-long commute or enjoying a beer in the backyard with his feet in a kiddie pool.

Meanwhile, TV host Paul Heyman cornered Duff McKagan on a red carpet and suggested the band could at least reunite for one night. Duff muttered and said the word "myriad," and Heyman moved on to ogling the breasts of Duff's wife, cleavage enthusiast Susan Holmes. Heyman seems to be under the impression that Weiland's heroin habit has caused Velvet Revolver to break up. (Obviously, he doesn't read our breathless Revolvadrama coverage. Which is cool, as this is the first time I've ever heard of "The Heyman Hustle.")

So yeah, nothing's changed in regards to Chinese Democracy in the slightest. But we're hoping it will be revealed that Slash would be up for a game of badminton with his former bandmate, or that Dizzy Reed has signed onto the STP reunion, in time for a post later today.

Guns N' Roses to release album for Father's Day... [NME]
Heyman Hustle Episode 13 [YouTube]

Slash Gives Eddie Trunk The Final Word (We Hope)

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The MSG Network^* has released an interview with Slash hosted by Matt Pinfield, who really needs to give up the cheaply toupee'd "Eddie Trunk" persona he's created. Nobody's fooled. Mr. "Trunk" (yeah, right) explains that he's been so busy lately that he's only been able to read 85% of Slash's book, and even that's just because he's had some cross-country flights. Despite this riveting look into the life of a radio personality (what, doesn't he read on the toilet?), Slash is somehow able to go on with explaining just what happened with Weiland, and he hints at why we should give up on the Axl dream.

The closest moment to bitchiness is Slash's obvious disbelief that all will be well with Weiland once STP is back in action. Slash's references to seeking a great unknown singer with a "regular blue collar-type guy...with a decent work ethic" rather than a "pop-star mentality" does seem like a set up for an eventual reality show.

Eddie Trunk Interviews Slash of Velvet Revolver [YouTube via Blabbermouth]

^* Wait, Michael Schenker has a network now?

Guns N' Roses are impressively free of bitch ...

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:00:06 EDT

Guns N' Roses are impressively free of bitch about guitarist Robin Finck's return to his old band Nine Inch Nails. "Robin's plans caught everyone in Guns, as well as our fans, a bit off-guard.... Neither we nor management, etc., know any more in this regard and we prefer not to speculate or offer opinions at this time. Robin's Robin. We're in negotiations for the release of Chinese Democracy and things are going well. When we begin to put tour plans together, we'll see where things are. Until then, Robin's touring with NIN and we're working with management on our game plans." I can't imagine it'd be that hard to find a better Izzy, let alone a better Gilby. [gunsnroses.com]

Did Axl Rose Really Deliver "Chinese Democracy" To Geffen Execs?

Maura Johnston — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EDT

Every music site out there is a-twitter over a sentence that appeared in a TheRockRadio.com item about the possibility of Axl Rose entering the reality-TV game: "Sources at Rose's label, Geffen Records, said that a finished version of Chinese Democracy has been delivered to the company." What? A finished version of the years-in-the-making album? As in ready to ship and promote and make very expensive videos for? This is the stuff that slapped-together blog posts and excited NME items are made of!

One wonders why would this news be delivered to the world via a Web site run by a couple of guys in Cyprus—sure, they have a weekly GNR-themed hour, but something tells me that won't suddenly result in Axl trusting them with his secrets.

And then one notices that TheRockRadio's speculation was directly lifted from an item about Axl's reality show from AllYourTV.com. You know, AllYourTV.com! Why a Web site that
"focus[es] on just one subject—primetime and daytime television" is suddenly an authority on Axl Rose's messenger habits is beyond me; the fact that they ran with the NME's "Amy Winehouse on Dr. Who" April Fool's item on April 3 makes me even less inclined to go popping open those Dr. Pepper cans just yet.

Rumors: Axl Rose For Reality TV [The Rock Radio]
[Photo: WENN]

Today's Twist In The Axl Saga: Reality TV?

Anthony Miccio — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EDT

I have a hard time imagining Mr. Rose is into this kind of thing, but "a major music-oriented television channel" (do they still have those?) is allegedly trying to get Guns 'N Roses to do a reality TV show chronicling the creation and release of Chinese Democarcy. I'm sure his label would be ecstatic, as it not only would serve as great hype but relieve some the financial burden of spending fifteen years working on a single album. "There is a lot of footage to choose from," said someone who may know something. "Some of it is incredibly personal and revealing about Axl's life." So when will see this this footage of Axl sitting around his mansion in slippers, eating Funyons, and wondering if industrial is still the future of rock?

According to sources at Geffen (Rose's music label) a version of "Chinese Democracy" has been finished and delivered to the label. But there are still outstanding issues between the singer and the label, not the least of which is a recording cost for the project which (depending on who you believe), has reached between $11 and $15 million. Another stickler is the digital rights for the tracks, along with some proposed "bonus" tracks Geffen would like to release digitally.

This reality show project would be part of a larger effort to build buzz for an album which faces a number of promotional hurdles. Rose's recent concert appearances have been erratic at best, and many fans of the classic Guns N' Roses lineup are going to require some persuasion before embracing this new sound. Rose is also not an especially "journalist-friendly" preformer, making promotion for the project even more difficult.

...According to the network source, the deal for the show is "close, but not signed." Part of the holdup seems to be the timing, as the particpants want to integrate the show into a timeline with the leadup to the album's release, along with the announcment of a limited number of concert dates.

Wait, Chinese Democracy has only cost $15 million so far? Hollywood spends that much to get a shot of Nic Cage standing on a rock! I thought dude was supposed to be livin' wild and decadent! I'm bummed.

Is Axl Rose headed to Reality TV? [AllYourTV via Blabbermouth]

Robin Finck Rejoins Nine Inch Nails--Does That Mean He's Not Going To Tour With Axl Anymore?

Maura Johnston — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:10:00 EDT

Trent Reznor announced on Friday that former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck would be back in the fold for his band's summer tour, which will hit Lollapalooza and the Pemberton Festival before traveling to various arenas and amphitheaters. Now, given that Finck was a touring guitarist with Guns N' Roses, and given that Axl has been making noise about maybe putting Chinese Democracy out in time to give everyone in the country a fizzy drink, and given that there's all that Velvet Revolver drama, what does this mean for Axl and his possible touring plans for the next few months? I'm sure that the speculation will be far, far better than whatever actually winds up happening, so, y'know, have at it. [Blabbermouth]

Axl Rose, Possibly Inspired by Revolvadrama, Spins Tracks For Bigwigs

Anthony Miccio — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:20:00 EDT

With everybody talking about what will become of the band Guns N' Roses, it's no surprise Axl would like people to start talking about the name Guns N' Roses again, preferably in a less carbonated context. Word is that he's been playing six (six!) songs for "music industry honchos, tastemakers and so forth," and at least one anonymous music executive is pleased with what he's heard.

The exec raved about the music. "It's really good," he said. "Axl's voice sounds exactly the same, but the songs sound contemporary. You expect it to be a trainwreck, but it's not."

Still no set release date, but they're claiming 2008 is still a possibility. I have a crazy idea: Why not put away some of the keyboards, have the band bash through another six songs in a week (I'm sure Axl's written that many more), put the twelve together and toss the thing out ASAP? Half the album will the kind of expensive magic Axl's being crafting oh so carefully over the last fifteen years—I'm sure there's a radio-ready power ballad or two in the can—and the other half will be live ?!*@ like a suicide!!! Then there's something for everybody.

New Music From Guns'n'Roses [Planet Gossip]
[Photo: WENN]

Slash Finally Realizes Weiland Is Velvet Revolver's Weakest Link

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Slash promises that Velvet Revolver will record a third album, with or (please please please) without Weiland. "We don't know how or when but the core four guys will continue," he was quoted as saying. It's a heartwarming response to the bitchfits his estranged compatriot has been issuing to the world, as there's no reason The Band Formerly Known As Guns N' Roses should back a grating, obnoxious hack who can't get his pipes around anything on Appetite For Destruction except "It's So Easy," making him more of a rock dodo than a rock dinosaur. But now that The Big Empty might be out of the picture, which grating, obnoxious hack (with more vocal range) should replace him?

1. Axl Rose
Just saying.

2. Any pop-metal singer that can still shriek
Sebastian Bach. Tom Kiefer. Taime Downe. Steve Whiteman. Ian Astbury. Vince Neil. Ronnie James Dio. Jack Russell. Melissa Etheridge. Just not that dude from Tesla. Did you see that Station Family Fund benefit? That voice is gone. Ouch. I'm talking "DuckTales, ooh-ooh."

3. Rod Stewart
Velvet Revolver needs somebody who can sing. Rod Stewart needs someone who can get him off the "Great Clive Davis Songbook" train and back on a Faces trip. I used to say Rod The Mod should lead Audioslave (DID I BLOW YOUR MIND? GOOD.), but it looks like that band has got its Rage on again, so seize the opportunity to work with a legend, Slash. Duff. Matt. The guy with the skullcap.

4. Courtney Love
Think of the publicity!

5. Kelly Clarkson

Failing this, they could always call up Amanda Overmeyer. Doubt she's busy.

Slash: 'Velvet Revolver might continue without Scott Weiland' [NME
[Photo: WENN]

Is Axl Rose Getting Ready To Throw A "Free Soda" Party?

Maura Johnston — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Dr Pepper's offer to bestow a free can o'pop upon every American (save Slash and Buckethead) should Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy actually come out in 2008 brought GNR frontman Axl Rose out of hiding, prompting him to say that he'd even share his can of carbonated sugar water with Buckethead should the giveaway come to pass. Now comes the news that Axl, and whoever's in his band these days, have found new management in Irving Azoff and Andy Gould.

Azoff is reportedly also working on the "surprise" New Kids On The Block reunion at present, and according to Blabbermouth he currently represents Scott Weiland—but not the rest of Weiland's band, Velvet Revolver, a.k.a. ex-Gunners Slash, Duff, and Matt Sorum. Feel free to let your conspiracy theories fly here, whether they involve the long-awaited release of Chinese Democracy as a Wal-Mart-only release (like Azoff's other clients, the Eagles) or a DLR/Sammy-style "Best Of Both Worlds" tour featuring Axl, Weiland, and lots of last-minute cancellations.

New management team for G N' R [gunsnroses.com]
[Photo: AP]

Axl Rose Is Not Entirely Selfish When It Comes To Sharing His Soda

Maura Johnston — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:15:20 EDT

... but sharing the completed masters for Chinese Democracy is another story. Rose responded to Dr Pepper's declaration that it would give a free soda to every American—save Buckethead and Slash—if his long-delayed album came out this year via a statement on the official Guns N' Roses site:

"We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper with our album Chinese Democracy, as for us, this came totally out of the blue. If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead's performances are on our album, I'll share my Dr Pepper with him."

Aww. No hard feelings! And hey, Axl: If you need a place to finish the album, I hear that Dr Pepper happens to have expert knowledge of constructing ad hoc studios where people are forced to finish albums in absurdly short periods of time. At the very least, maybe you can get some sort of seed money for a bonus track or two? Oh, wait, that would actually be a terrible idea, wouldn't it.

Press Release from Axl Regarding Dr Pepper [gunsnroses.com]
Earlier: Axl Rose Could Buy The Country A Soda If He'd Just Release His Damn Album Already]
[Photo: AP]

Axl Rose Could Buy The Country A Soda If He'd Just Release His Damn Album Already

Maura Johnston — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:00:17 EDT

Never let it be said that I'm above appreciating a good stunt, especially one that involves the release of Chinese Democracy—an album that is on the verge of reaching the "20 years in the making" mark sooner than you might think: "In an unprecedented show of solidarity with Axl, everyone in America, except estranged GNR guitarists Slash and Buckethead, will receive a free can of Dr Pepper if [Chinese Democracy] ships sometime — anytime! — in 2008." Knowing Axl, though, he'll probably throw a bitchfit and demand that the promotion be reworked with free bottles of Vitamin Water before he puts any more notes to tape. [Chinese Democracy When?]

Axl Rose's People Just Getting Around To Letting World Know That He Can Be A Good Guy

Maura Johnston — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:30:54 EST

Today an item about Axl Rose helping out a neighbor whose house was in danger of being destroyed by the California wildfires while working on saving his own house is making its way around the Internet, complete with articles headlined "AXL ROSE IS A HERO" and Axl's unidentified neighbor saying that she feels "blessed" to live next to the reclusive Guns N' Roses frontman. But what I don't understand is why this story is firing up the hardrockosphere now, given that the story being referenced originally ran all the way back in November. Could this be some weird pre-pre-push for Chinese Democracy that's centered around the idea that Axl is a good guy who will do wonderful things with the money that fans should lay out for his long-delayed album, or did some hapless reporter expereince an RSS hiccup that's reverberated around the world? Clip of the original Fox report after the jump.

Malibu Woman Credits Musician Axl Rose with Helping Save Her Home [MyFoxLA via Sleaze Roxx / Image via Radioacktiva]

If Guns 'N' Roses' Chinese Democracy is indeed ...

Jess Harvell — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:53:11 EST

If Guns 'N' Roses' Chinese Democracy is indeed finished and ready to be leaked to BitTorrent, what's the hold up? Could it be that Axl wants more money from his used 'n' abused label? For a guy who never leaves his tartan Xanadu, he sure spends a lot. [Blabbermouth]

Is Tom Petty A Big Enough Draw For Super Bowl Audiences?

Maura Johnston — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:55:52 EST

There are a few things that are looking wobbly in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLII—cough cough, Tom Brady's ankle, cough cough—and programmers on cable networks are betting that the ratings power of Tom Petty is one of them. The Hollywood Reporter is saying that networks are in a "counterprogramming frenzy" thanks to the allegedly low starpower of the veteran rocker, although weirdly enough they're trying to go for the bro demo that I'd think would like classic rock, scheduling eating contests judged by former Giant Sean Landeta (Spike TV), the premiere of a reality series about Deion Sanders (Oxygen, go figure!), and a kitten halftime show for the Puppy Bowl. OK, that last one probably crosses more demographic lines than its competitors. While it's pretty obvious that the halftime show's programmers have been all about skewing conservative since the Super Bowl that ruined Janet Jackson's career, I don't know if Tom Petty is as weak a target as the folks at Spike and Oxygen suspect, his live shows do pretty well as far as ticket sales go, and I'd bet that his cross-demographic name recognition is higher than that of any top-20 musician today who hasn't appeared as a featured performer on a TV show. At the very least, I'll be tuning in to see if he brings out a special guest or two:

Free Fallin

Cable nets offer Super Bowl halftime alternatives [Reuters]
Free Fallin' [MySpace TV]

"Chinese Democracy": Is It All Over But The Marketing Plan?

mjohnston — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:30:08 EST

There are 50 Tuesdays left in 2008, which means that there are 50 more chances for all of us to wonder if Chinese Democracy will really, finally be released at some time prior to the impending apocalypse. The latest rumor regarding this years-in-the-making album: It's done! But Axl Rose and his label don't quite see eye-to-eye on how the album will be marketed, which is leading to further delays. What could the disagreement have stemmed from?

The label's ideas probably went something like this:
• Billboards reading "You know you're curious. CHINESE DEMOCRACY." in 300-point type.
• Lil Wayne remixes of every song on the album to get the "blogger crowd" interested.
• Handing out postcards at Velvet Revolver shows.
• Commemorative dolphin shows at Sea World.

But Axl probably balked at those (even the dolphin one!)—in favor of a genius brainstorm of his own:

Axl: "I need two million dollars for the first video."

Record exec: "No."

But still! 50 Tuesdays left! There's still time, right?

GNR Finish CD? [Antimusic]

Amazon's Music Store Gets A Little Bach-ed Up

mjohnston — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:00:31 EST

Via MetalSucks, here's the AmazonMP3 listing for Sebastian Bach's Angel Down. But Sebastian probably gets that a lot. (It certainly fooled my mom at first, back when I was buying Skid Row records.) And who's to say that, buried within the 8,934 tapes of Chinese Democracy out-takes, there isn't a new version of "Oh My God" that actually samples the St. Matthew Passion?

AMAZON MUSIC STORE GAFFE: PREVIEW "JOHANN" SEBASTIAN BACH'S ANGEL DOWN [MetalSucks]

This Just In: Axl Rose May Not Be The Best Houseguest

mjohnston — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:30:44 EDT

Last night on Late Show With David Letterman, Slash stopped by to plug his new book and clear the air with Axl Rose, although maybe doing so by talking about how Axl kicked his grandma off her perch on the couch so he could crash out until mid-afternoon—and how Axl responded to being rebuked for his couch-ganking by jumping out of a moving car—wasn't the best plan of action for doing so, given his, uh, temperament. Guess we'll be seeing another Velvet Revolver album in the next few years!

Actual, audible proof that Axl Rose has actually ...

mjohnston — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:52:22 EDT

Actual, audible proof that Axl Rose has actually been in a recording studio sometime in the past few years: The Sebastian Bach cover of Aerosmith's "Back In The Saddle" that he cameos on—from the sound of this pretty low-quality radio rip, Rose pretty much replicates Steven Tyler's original vocal track for most of the song—has made it to the air. The sludge-metal backing track doesn't really serve the song's original swagger well, but it is kinda interesting to listen to in a "oh, so he can kinda sound the same as the old days with enough studio trickery behind him" way. [MyGNR.com, via MetalSucks]

Colombian Radio Station Exposes The Sacred Heart Of Axl Rose

mjohnston — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 10:00:04 EDT

Above, one of the new ads for the Bogota radio station Radioacktiva; the campaign also includes dollar-store-painting renditions of Mona Manson and Ché Cornell The joke about the second coming happening before Chinese Democracy's release date is too easy, right?

Where ROCK Lives Everlasting... [Copyranter]

In case you were fooled by this Blabbermouth ...

mjohnston — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:44:19 EDT

In case you were fooled by this Blabbermouth post about an upcoming Queen tribute album featuring Axl Rose, Ripper Owens, and uh, Clay Aiken: The "source" is a year-old taking-the-piss post on a Queen message board. That said, I could definitely see Axl dropping a Spaghetti Incident? 2 featuring a cover of, say, "Tie Your Mother Down" before Chinese Democracy comes out. [Queen Zone / Blabbermouth]

The Hidden Messages Lurking In Axl Rose's Nom De Rock

mjohnston — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:01:11 EDT

Today there's an Irish Times article on the fate of Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy that goes so far as to draw parallels between the long-in-the-works album and the Stone Roses' Second Coming, which seems to me a flawed comparison if only because, you know, the latter album actually came out eventually. Anyway, tucked into the story—which seems like it was subject to a lot of verbal taffy-pulling in order to make it fill out column space—was this little unbeknownst-to-me-before factoid:

Axl Rose (his name is an anagram of oral sex; isn't he a caution?)

Wait, what? How had I never noticed this in my 20 years of owning Guns N' Roses albums? To check and see if I was just dumb, I sent this piece of trivia to Jess; what followed were lots of all-caps IMs, as well as the two of us uncomfortably chuckling at our extreme naivete/nimrodness. Honestly, this is way, way more embarrassing than the day a few years back when I finally figured out how to properly pronounce "Taime Downe."

Is the world finally ready for Guns N'Roses' Democracy? [ireland.com, via ONTD]

Not that this means anything about Chinese ...

mjohnston — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:31:46 EDT

Not that this means anything about Chinese Democracy coming out, like, ever, but Rolling Stone has photographic proof that Axl Rose does, in fact, enter recording studios from time to time. Is it just me (or the crummy lighting) or does the Guns N' Roses tattoo on his forearm look like it's been altered, "Wino Forever"-style? [RS]

Album Featuring Axl Rose On Vocals To Be Released Sometime This Year

mjohnston — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:30:26 EDT

We speak, of course, of the forthcoming album by former Skid Row frontman/Gilmore Girls supporting character Sebastian Bach, who claims that Axl will be playing the role of backing vocalist on two of its tracks. Also? Apparently, he's heard Chinese Democracy and it's not just one album, but "like, four." Could whoever's in charge of the Chinese Democracy release-date pool please change our bet to "sometime in 2011"? Thanks.

Exclusive: SEBASTIAN BACH's New Album To Feature Guest Appearance By AXL ROSE [Blabbermouth]

Steven Adler Keeping The Dream Alive, Or At Least Trying To

mjohnston — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:00:02 EDT

Every time I see an exclamation point in this interview with ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler, my heart cracks just a little bit, but what really breaks me (what, can't I get a little emo on a rainy Monday?) is the chat's segment about the maybe-kinda-probably-not "reunion" of 80% of Guns N' Roses' original lineup, which is rumored to be taking place at Los Angeles' Key Club on Saturday night during a show honoring the 20th anniversary of Appetite For Destruction:

There's rumors that there's gonna be special guests at the show...
Yeah! I'm pretty damn sure Slash and Izzy, they already said they were comin'. Ronnie's gonna try and talk to Axl about goin'...
What about Duff?
Well, he's workin' with Slash, and he's in town... nothings confirmed. I hope he'll be there.
Sounds great!
Yeah, things are comin' together, just getting' ready for the 28th!

Aw, Steve. Well, at least one version of L.A. Guns will be at the show (we think)—at the very least, you can maybe drag Tracii Guns onstage for an all-smiles photo op while someone turns up the sex-in-the-studio part from "Rocket Queen" on the PA.

Exclusive! New Interview with Steven!!! [Steven Adler's MySpace Blog]

Axl Rose sings "Nightrain" through the years, ...

mjohnston — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 13:16:14 EDT

Axl Rose sings "Nightrain" through the years, and here are the results: in 1992, he's off-key; in 2001, he's seemingly helium-enhanced; and last year, he's actually not bad, although we have to wonder just what role was played by on-the-fly pitch-correction technology. [MetalSucks]

Liner Notes: What If This Guy Got You Pregnant?

Brian Raftery — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:40:48 EDT

- Good Charlotte's Joel Madden may be having a child with Nicole Richie. It's like Knocked Up, but with more [DRUG REDACTED] and Rancid jokes. [Page Six]
- Moby has just signed a deal with Mute Records for his next album, though he's mum on exactly when it will be released to general apathy. [Billboard]
- Axl Rose needs a Tivo. [Rush & Molloy, scroll down]

Axl Rose's Hit List For "Get In The Ring '07" Keeps Growing

mjohnston — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:10:39 EDT

- Guns N' Roses owes a New Jersey production company about $100,000 for transportation and touring services. Axl promises to pay the bill "as soon as he gets royalties from Chinese Democracy." [TMZ]
- OutKast's Big Boi will partner with the Atlanta Ballet for a series of performances in 2008. Get ready for "The Rooster" to be included on the music roster. [HHNLive.com]
- Courtney Love is selling Kurt Cobain's belongings for "charity"; proceeds to go to the Get Courtney Love Some Positive Press For Once Fund. [Spinner.com]

Even Axl Rose's Ghost Doesn't Know When "Chinese Democracy" Is Coming Out

Brian Raftery — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:40:11 EDT

We still can't make up our minds about this weirdly duplicated Axl image from the new issue of Rolling Stone: Is it merely the result of some photo-department foul-up? Or, as it's long been rumored, could Axl actually be the grown-up incarnation of the Three Men And A Baby ghost?

Steven Adler And Axl Rose Hug It Out

mjohnston — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:46:50 EST

Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler went to a nu-Guns show in January, and according to a posting on his MySpace page, he had a bit of a bro-down with Axl Rose:

STEVEN: I saw Axl, talked with him from, shit, what was it? 10 or 12 at night to 8 in the morning, we talked. We resolved a lot of fucking shit!

FANSITE: What was that like? That must've been weird!

STEVEN: It was wonderful! Just wonderful. I was the same happy-go-lucky person that I've always been to him, and he enjoyed it. Dude we talked 'till 8 in the morning!

FANSITE: Wow.

STEVEN: It was at The HardRock, when he played there.

FANSITE: Did you see the show?

STEVEN: Yeah...three people in his band all look like Izzy! I told him it sucked, I was kidding. I said "You know the five of us have to get back together! That's when it will really fucking take off again! Nothing will be bigger. It would be the biggest reunion ever in history".

FANSITE: What did he say?

STEVEN: You know how he is. He just grinned and giggled a little bit. Everybody in his band came up to me, "You're the greatest fucking drummer! We tell Axl, 'you gotta get the band back together'!" That's what they said to HIM! It was wonderful! Dude, let me call you back! I'm not ignoring you, dude! You're one of my top best friends, man! You've never done anything to hurt me! I'll call you right back!

FANSITE: No problem, man! But real quick, what else is goin' on?

STEVEN: Um, I've been talking with Izzy. I've been talking with Slash. 20 years, dude, since Appetite came out. Axl's record is supposed to come out, in what, a few months?

FANSITE: Yeah, hopefully.

While our hearts are warmed by these revelations of all-night bull sessions, we'd be remiss if we didn't note that this interview was done in January, back when Chinese Democracy's March 6 release date (now only 18 days away!) was still sort of plausible. Whether or not Axl is going to hit that target is still completely up in the air, although perhaps this seemingly friendlier version of Axl will also result in other personality changes—like, you know, sticking to deadlines. Or are we expecting too much?

Steven Adler [MySpace, via Metal Sludge]
Earlier: "Chinese Democracy" Is (Maybe, Possibly, Inconceivably) Only A Month Away!

Axl Rose Prepares To Plunge Back Into The Music-Video World

Brian Raftery — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 13:38:16 EST

Yesterday, we asked if anybody had heard anything about Chinese Democracy, which is supposedly due out in less than a month. One tipster sent this mini-update:

I can definitely tell you that a completed, fully mastered (not the patchy internet version thats been floating around for awhile) track of "Better" is being sent around to various directors to write for a music video. No real idea on when its looking to be shot but definitely very soon. The song btw, is actually pretty fantastic.

Hmmm. We'll believe it when we see it, but we have some words of warning for any director hoping to work with Axl: Don't look him in the eye, don't ask him when the record's coming out, and by all means, don't tell him that there's not enough money in the budget for a dolphin-wrangler.

Earlier: "Chinese Democracy" Is (Maybe, Possibly, Inconceivably) Only A Month Away!

"Chinese Democracy" Is (Maybe, Possibly, Inconceivably) Only A Month Away!

Brian Raftery — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:45:48 EST

Remember last December, when Axl Rose made a big noise about how Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy would be out on March 6? Well, that date is only a month away, and unless Democracy is being promoted via top-secret word-of-mouth viral-marketing, we're guessing this thing isn't coming out anytime soon: There's no Amazon listing, no promo copies making the rounds, and no pre-orders on the iTunes store. In fact, the only hint that the March date is still being held is this pre-order listing on U.K. retail site CD-WOW, which promises the following tracks:

* Better
* Catcher in the Rye
* Chinese Democracy
* I.R.S.
* If The World
* Madagascar
* Prostitute
* Sorry
* The Blues
* There Was A Time
* Rhiad and the Bedouins
* Oh My God
* Silk Worms
* Ides of March
* Leave Me Alone
* ** Provisional Tracklisting **

We were suspicious, too, until a fan pointed out that "**Provisional Tracklisting**" has a gnarly Buckethead solo. We're guessing this thing is never happening, but if you have any further Chinese intelligence to spare, drop us a line at , and prove us wrong.

GUNS N' ROSES - Chinese Democracy [CD-WOW]

A Kiss From A Rose: Axl Will Bring Democracy To China In March

Brian Raftery — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:27:19 EST

Maybe this thing is happening after all: Last night, Axl Rose posted a lengthy open letter on the Guns N' Roses website, explaining that they've canceled shows in January, parted ways with their management, and set a release date (March 6th) for Chinese Democracy:

To say the making of this album has been an unbearably long and incomprehensible journey would be an understatement. Overcoming the endless and seemingly insane amount of obstacles faced by all involved, notwithstanding the emotional challenges endured by everyone — the fans, the band, our road crew and business team — has at many times seemed like a bad dream in which one wakes up only to find that they are still in the nightmare. Unfortunately, this time it has been played out for over a decade in real life.

The true, ongoing, behind-the-scenes triumphs and casualties are much more complicated than any negative speculation that the media or otherwise has managed to hit upon. For much of the time, various legal issues have arisen, demanding that the best way to deal with these things publicly, quite frankly, was to keep our mouths shut in an attempt to ensure the best outcome — especially one that wouldn't jeopardize the band or the album....

It takes approximately eight weeks for an album to hit the shelves once it has been turned in to the record company. For whatever reasons, it appears that it may have been mistakenly inferred by management that this time period could be condensed to three weeks. With that being said, this is not a promise, a lie or a guarantee, but we do wish to announce a tentative release date of March 6. This is the first time we have done this publicly for this album. Others have made up all the other dates for their own reasons. We would like to assure the fans that everything in our power will be done to meet this date. Once it is finalized and official, you will be notified. If we are delayed for unseen reasons, you also will be notified as soon as possible in regard to a new date, and the album will be released as shortly thereafter as is possible. We thank you for your patience.

This sounds like it was written by a very polite Citibank representative, not the guy who used to wear biker shorts and a novelty anti-Jesus T-shirt. We'll believe it when we see it, obviously, but one thing's for sure: If he doesn't stick to this date, Tom Arnold's birthday will be ruined.

An Open Letter From Axl Rose [Gunsnroses.com]

An Idolator Challenge: Can You Match Wits With Axl?

Brian Raftery — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:23:16 EST

As we mentioned earlier today, Axl Rose recently kicked Eages Of Death Metal off the Guns N' Roses tour, providing the band with a new handle in the process. But how would you have handled it?

Axl Rose Still Knows How To Make The Opening Band Feel Comfortable

Brian Raftery — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 11:07:34 EST

It's a time-honored tradition, one shared by everyone from Living Colour to Metallica: Get on the bill with Guns N' Roses, and get treated like crap. And as Product Shop NYC reports today, Eagles Of Death Metal were on the receiving end of some Axl roasting during a Friday-night gig in Cleveland:

The night started off, as every night on the current Guns N Roses tour, with an half-hour set from Sebastian Bach. Then Eagles of Death Metal took the main opening act slot, where they replaced Papa Roach, and they got booed and jeered and completely bombed for a complete hour. Then the Suicide Girls did their burlesque thing. Then the crowd waiting another two hours for Axl and company.
A few songs into Guns N Roses' set, Axl gave a shout out to the opening bands, saying, "So how'd you like The Pigeons of Shit Metal? Don't worry, that's the last show they're playing with us." And that was that. They're off the tour. Gone. Good-bye. Suicide Girls and Sebastian Bach will stay on. Don't worry Eagles, you'll always have North Six in Williamsburg.......

Even though he probably spent three hours coming up with it, "Pigeons of Shit Metal" is a pretty good zinger—possibly the best thing Axl's written in 10 years. We await its inclusion on a new, 24-minute-long remake of "Get In The Ring," due some time in mid-2009.

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL Kicked Off GNR Tour [Product Shop NYC]