Idolator: guns n' roses

"Chinese Democracy" Whispers Finally Get Some New Storylines

Maura Johnston — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EDT

Last night I got a tip about a video purporting to be footage of someone who works for Rock Band maker Harmonix talking about Chinese Democracy "off the record" at the E3 conference; during the chat, he made outsized claims like a) the album is not only coming out this year, it's going to be made up of not one, but four (?!) CDs; and b) September's Video Music Awards are going to go the big Axl appearance route again, what with MTV being part of the braintrust behind the game. Whether this is at all true, or merely a disinformation campaign that doubles as a shrewd way for the Harmonix employee to punk the "innocent" interviewer who was clearly not turning off his camera during the Axl-sensitive portion of the interview, is for you to figure out, although I think it's somewhat sweet that YouTube's commenting hordes are calling for the clip to be taken down so the dude can keep his job. Video after the jump.

What more is there to say, except "here's hoping Sebastian Bach weighs in on all these rumors soon." Sigh.

Shackler info [YouTube]

"Chinese Democracy" May Arrive Via Video Game First

Maura Johnston — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

One omission from the possibly half-faked Rock Band 2 track list that we published last week: Guns N' Roses' "Shackler's Revenge," which appeared on another leaked track list and which has the same title as a "lost" film that had some sort of contribution by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Buckethead. The New York Times is reporting that "Shackler's" will indeed be on the game come September, and that; more details on the track, via message-board postings pulled together by a GN'R fan blog, after the jump.

According to Saul (Buckethead's webmaster), "The basic song structure was written by Bucket and Brain. Big B did a score for a film of the same name (never released) From what I can gather Axl liked the plot/ideas of the story and crafted lyrics behind the music. It's supposed to be a pretty guitar driven rocker of a song with an amazing hook/bridge."

According to Mysteron (a semi-credible, supposed "insider"), "I know nothing of Rock Band 2, but I am 100 per cent sure that Shackler's Revenge is a new GN'R song...Whoever started this rumo(u)r managed to pull the title of a new GN'R song out of the air from somewhere...It will be on CD."

There is a Buckethead song called "Shackler" that is on one of the Dragon Ball Z soundtracks, The History of Trunks.

You can hear that track here, although you have to go through imeem's annoying login process first. Given that "Shackler's" hasn't shown up on any of the 80,000 leaked track lists for Chinese Democracy, and the genesis of the song makes me feel like it's a song that Axl lent the GN'R "brand" to more than anything else, I'm not taking this as a sign that Universal Music Group actually has a release date for the damn thing until I've heard about promo copies going out.

Planned Guns N' Roses Deal Underscores Power of Video Games to Sell Songs [NYT]
Shackler's Revenge [Chinese Democracy]

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)

Listening to this 15-minute interview with ...

Maura Johnston — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:15:00 EDT

Listening to this 15-minute interview with drummer Matt Sorum makes me think that he would be an interesting guy to sit down for a beer and a (taped) chat with, although I do want to point out that if you actually hunker down with the MP3 of the interview instead of just reading the quoted bits, his talk about the "Guns N' Roses reunion" is pretty much him goofing on the idea, Axl Rose, etc. [musicradar.com]

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]

Have you ever wondered what a heart-to-heart ...

Maura Johnston — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EDT

Have you ever wondered what a heart-to-heart between former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler and early-'90s symbol of racial injustice Rodney King would sound like? Do you have a strong stomach? Then you should tune into the forthcoming season of Celebrity Rehab, which will feature both those personalities as they try to get clean under the tutelage of Dr. Drew Pinsky and Gary Busey and will probably not use "One In A Million" as its background music at any point. (Other music-related personages on the roster: Former Whitesnake poster girl Tawny Kitaen and ex-American Idol contestant Nikki McKibbin.) [Defamer]

Seven Songs That Are Way More Fun To Drive Around To Than "Mr. Brightside"

Maura Johnston — Fri, 30 May 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Once again, we celebrate the last posting day of the month with Rule Of Sevens, in which I make a bunch of seven-item lists in an effort to wipe the slate of the past 30 or 31 days clean. Today's first installment is inspired by a UK car insurance company's rundown of great songs to drive around to, which is topped by the Killers' "Mr. Brightside" and somehow contains both Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For A Hero" (which I swear is completely "borrowed" wholesale on the new Hold Steady album) and Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" (which seems more appropriate for stop-and-go traffic, but maybe that's just me). With gas prices soaring and the general crumminess pervading the world at large, the need for escapist music during routine, yet increasingly expensive, trips to the grocery store is higher than ever, so this perpetual passenger (who always kicks in for fuel) brings you her seven picks for songs you should crank up on your own personal radio after the jump.

1. Janet Jackson, "When I Think Of You"

This would also make a great "first dance at a wedding" song. I'm just saying.

2. Sissy Wish, "Float"

I put this on a "best of '07" mix that became the official CD that I toted along on every car trip I took last year.

3. Queen, "I'm In Love With My Car"

Bonus points if you can find the Mother Love Bone version. Speaking of:

4. Mother Love Bone, "Chloe Dancer/Crown Of Thorns"

5. New Edition, "If It Isn't Love"

That breakdown! I really need to get this on CD very soon.

6. Guns N' Roses, "Paradise City"

Also on the insurance company's list. Sometimes, the publicity-stunt-directed masses get it right.

7. Madonna, "Ray Of Light"

elephant.co.uk Ultimate Driving Songs [elephant.co.uk via ONTD]

Interscope Plans A Hot Winter, "EW" Flatters Keane

Anthony Miccio — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:30:00 EDT

The music industry may be shrinking and stumbling, but Interscope's got a bunch of potential fall releases that might make this a decent year for them if not anyone else in major labeldom. Assuming a weak first single doesn't land an act in "Jimmy Jail," U2, Eminem, Dr. Dre, The Pussycat Dolls, the Black Eyed Peas and No Doubt should all be dropping new iPod ads—sorry, I meant albums—later this year. And let's not forget the vague possibility that Chinese Democracy could join this roster. Entertainment Weekly also names Keane in its list of Interscope's "marquee names," but seeing as how that band's last album didn't even go gold, I don't think we'll be so kind.

Then again, with Coldplay off singing about the French Revolution and fine art, it's possible Keane could step into the heart-shaped hole they're leaving behind, just as Creed stuck up for monotheism when Pearl Jam got qawwali on it in 1998. Keane's b-side cover of the Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary" does sound like the U2 II (or Coldplay 1.5) of Jimmy Iovine's dreams.

The band swears that it's sticking to its piano-dominated sound, but I wouldn't be surprised if these guys wind up pulling the inverse of Queen's "no keyboards! no keyboards! ok, keyboards" shift sooner rather than later.

New albums by U2, Eminem, and Black Eyed Peas could bring a year-end bang [EW]
Keane - She Sells Sanctuary [YouTube]

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?

Forty Percent Of Original Guns N' Roses Lineup To Appear On Upcoming Album

Maura Johnston — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:45:00 EDT

And it's my two favorite members! Let the conspiracy theories/reunion chatter/talk of Chinese Democracy being completely scrapped and recorded over the course of a bourbon-soaked weekend flower anew! [chopaway.com; HT Sleaze Roxx]

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]

Axl Rose Will Not Be Visiting The Confessional Anytime Soon

Maura Johnston — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Rumors that Axl Rose would be promoting/financing the release of Guns N' Roses' many-fortnights-in-the-works album Chinese Democracy via a reality show chronicling its final stages are 100% untrue, according to Rose's longtime associate Del James. In a terse statement on the band's official site, James said "Guns N' Roses will not be appearing on any reality TV program to promote their forthcoming album, Chinese Democracy, or for any other reason.... The reality TV rumors started a little while ago and have taken on an Internet life of their own, but there is no truth to any of this." I wonder if that also means that the source tipping off AllYourTV.com, the site that initially reported the rumors of the show, was also fibbing about Chinese Democracy being delivered to execs? Ah, Internet. Anyway, those of you who still want to get your GNRTV fill can enjoy a chunk of the 1989 MTV Rockumentary about the band—including William Bailey's famous "A-X-L, click" explanation of his nom de guerre—after the jump.

GUNS N' ROSES WILL NOT BE APPEARING IN ANY REALITY TV SHOW [gunsnroses.com]
Guns N' Roses Rockumentary [YouTube]
[Photo: WENN]

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]

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?]

Izzy Stradlin Keeps Shuffling Along His Own Path

Al Shipley — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:05:27 EST

Right now, Axl Rose is somewhere out there, polishing off the 37th rough mix of Chinese Democracy and getting ready to hit "delete" and start all over again. Meanwhile Izzy Stradlin, who left Guns N' Roses in 1991, has since released eight solo albums. 1992's Izzy Stradlin & The JuJu Hounds, was the only one released soon enough to have benefited from the afterglow of his GNR departure in such a way that it made a blip on the pop-culture radar, and his last three albums have been digital-only releases. Still, that first album and its single "Shuffle It All" remain longtime favorites of mine, and if Izzy keeps quietly releasing collections of Stonesy licks directly to iTunes for the rest of his life, I'll consider that a more noble pursuit than if he'd joined up with Velvet Revolver.[YouTube]

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]

Slash: Not Particularly Enthused For Chinese Democracy

Jess Harvell — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:40:06 EST

So, Chinese Democracy is (still) rumored for the zillionth time to be "finished," its release date held hostage on the board room table during the never-ending "contract negotiations" between Axl and label, and while there are undoubtedly a few crazies out there ticking off the remaining 45 Tuesdays in 2008 in hopes that one of them will be the day their unflagging amour is finally rewarded, Saul Hudson is not among them.

"I hear through the grapevine bits and pieces of what's going on, and I'm interested to see what it sounds like because it will be such a huge statement," he recently told an interviewer. "But I'm not holding my breath because I know Axl, and one of the problems with the band was sitting around (waiting for him)...It will come out when it's ready to come out, but I don't have the anticipation that everyone else has." Slash, what if your unspoken support was secretly the only thing keeping Axl going during all those tweaked late nights tweaking snare hits? What if your ennui means we never hear it now? You're so busted if this thing's still in Axl's bandana drawer come 01/05/09.

Behind The Hair With Slash [210SA via Blabbermouth]

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]

Chinese Democracy: The Present You Didn't Even Know You Were Getting?

Jess Harvell — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:15:50 EST

Did you know that deranged perfectionist/cheeky rascal Axl Rose apparently had the "finished" Chinese Democracy in the can before any of us managed to trim the tree or light a single menorah candle? Yes, the mixed and completed and ready to ship CD is no longer a rumor according to no less an authority than Classic Rock Magazine. Thanks to a vague on-the-record quote or two they managed to squeeze out of Axl's manager, "it's a fact!"

Classic Rock recently tracked down Beta Lebeis, personal manager of Axl Rose, who confirmed to us that Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy album "was finished before Christmas".

She added: "Everybody knows that."

Lebeis said Axl is currently "in negotiations".

Lebeis, who is more often referred to in the media as Axl's personal assistant/den mother than GNR's (or Axl's) "manager" per se, was mum on details of said negotiations, and at the risk of sounding skeptical of Rose's ability to close any sort of deal, we'll go out on a limb and assume that the album (or its gift card equivalent) won't be in anyone's stocking next year, either.

It's A Fact [Classic Rock via Blabbermouth]

"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]

Teens Sing Guns N' Roses Into School PA System, Terrified Teacher Calls On The K-9 Squad

mjohnston — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:30:40 EST

I can't believe that there are people out there in 2007 who are still scared by Guns N' Roses' "Welcome To The Jungle"—in 2007, people!—but apparently a schoolteacher in Connecticut, who was staying after school one day when three teenagers took over the PA system and engaged in some impromptu karaoke, is still unnerved by the lyrical content of W. Axl Rose and Co. Or maybe she was just freaked out by the crummy rendition of the song that she was subjected to?

State police say a teacher at Booth Free School barricaded herself inside a classroom Wednesday when she mistook someone singing a Guns N' Roses song over the public address system for a threat.

She was working after hours and thought no one else was in the building. Then she heard someone say over the loudspeaker that she was going to die.

Six troopers and three police dogs showed up and found three teenagers, one of them a custodian at the school, who had been playing with the public address system.

Police say one of them sang "Welcome to the Jungle" into the microphone. The song contains the lyrics "You're in the jungle baby; you're gonna die."

The teenagers were cuffed on the ground for about 15 minutes while police investigated. They were released after being questioned and state police Sgt. Brian Ness said they did not realize the teacher was in the school and will not face charges.

OK, I feel bad for the woman being freaked out. But raise your hand if, given the opportunity to engage in this sort of behavior when you were in high school, you wouldn't have jumped at it immediately.

Conn. Teacher Calls Police Over Impromptu Karaoke [WCBS; HT Brian Lutz]

The Slash Biopic: Some Names Will Be Changed To Project The Drugged

jharv — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:30:45 EST

Slash's dinosaur-loving, butter-eating, coke-snorting personal history has barely been on bookstore shelves a month, and already he says he's being courted by Hollywood types out to turn his autobiographical misdeeds into a major motion picture. Slash is down, too, but he's got some ground rules.

"The one thing I wouldn't have them do or allow them to do would be to actually do the book with the characters in it, the way that they are in real life as far as who they are," he said. "You know, if you wanted to take the story and make up some people (laughs) and change the names and all that kind of stuff, and make everybody fictional, it could be interesting. But if you were gonna try and go, 'Okay, this is Slash and this is Axl (Rose) and this is Slash's mom, and this character's gonna play Scott (Weiland),' no, I wouldn't allow it."

Someone get Todd Haynes on the phone! Might I suggest the five characters who play "Slash" be a koala bear, a grizzled janitor at the Empire State Building circa 1952, the child heir to the Mr. Softee ice cream fortune, a sentient water fern, night manager at a Foot Locker, and Charles Nelson Reilly. No wait, he's dead. Harvey Fierstein, then.

Slash Says Movie Of His Book Could Be "Interesting" [Blabbermouth]

A Wedding And A Few Funerals: Guns 'n' Roses Video Showdown!

dangibs — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:30:00 EST

Every few months or so, it rains here in Phoenix, and inevitably, it's quite an event, the highlight of the radio traffic reporter's month, the lead story on the ten o'clock news, and the only allowable topic of workplace conversation. So when it rained last night, every radio station that could squeak it into their format seemed to have "November Rain" playing as I skipped around the dial. Get it? It's November, and there's rain! Hilarious. However, the nine minutes—less on the adult contemporary station that fade out early—of Axl and Slash brought up an important question: Which epic-imagery-filled Use Your Illusion-era video do you think is better, "November Rain" or "Don't Cry"?

"November Rain" is much more popular these days, and it's hard to argue with the video being at least a slight front-runner. There's a symphony conducted by Kenny G's Italian uncle, a deeply symbolic wedding complete with a ruined cake, and Slash rocking the desert church's parking lot. It really does have everyhing you could want.

However, "Don't Cry" might be all a dream inside the mind of a baby, which is kind of awesome, and, possibly coincidentally, the premise behind the entire recorded output of Coheed and Cambria. The whole thing makes much less sense, which is something I appreciate, from Gollum-Axl underneath the graveyard, Hollywood-Axl walking through a mirror, and the added bonus of Shannon Hoon's finest hour. And babies, with changing eye color! It's madness!

So we leave it in your hands. Decide once and for all, which is more awesome?

November Rain [YouTube]
Don't Cry [YouTube]

Slash Does Not Like Parallel Parking, Human Contact

jharv — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 09:45:00 EST

In his storied/depraved career, Guns N Roses guitarist Slash has lived through much and felt deeply, and so you have to wonder what's left that could make him feel "nervousness, stomach disorders, backaches, loss of appetite," and a laundry list of other ailments.

Oh, it's getting dicked around by your real estate agency, and then suing them over a house you "were duped into buying."

The suit says, among other things, they were told the house was on a private, gated street. The house, they allege, turned out to be on a public street with very little parking. They also say it was much smaller than the 7800 sq. ft. in the listing, and there were issues with the home's title.
Because they say Holcomb and Sotheby's withheld this information from them, the Hudsons have suffered "grief, shame, humiliation, embarrassment, anger, worry, disappointment, nervousness, stomach disorders, backaches, loss of appetite and inability to concentrate on work." They are suing for an amount in excess of $1 million.

Shame and humiliation? The guy who wrote this? It's a long way from happily drawing dinosaurs all day on coke to getting an ulcer over having to find your own street parking every night.

Slash Sues Real Estate Agent Over "Dream House" That Wasn't [Blabbermouth]

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!

Rockers Still Fretting Over Being Called "Sellouts," Even As They Have Advertisers Nervous

jharv — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:35:06 EDT

So long as rockers old and new are worried about the public's perception, no one's going to go broke writing trend pieces about "selling out." This New York Times article looking at the marketing moves of former GNR bassist (and "business school graduate"...who knew?) Duff McKagan is another case in point, as musicians and biz folks alike are trotted out to defend their shilling and make their aging audience comfortable when "rockers are eagerly plastering their names everywhere." In fact, rockers are now so comfy with "plastering their names everywhere" that advertisers are starting to get nervous that audiences are ignoring the stuff those names being used to sell.

"The barriers are changing and we as artists are making less and less money, and we have to get creative," notes Mr. McKagan, whose new band has licensed its music to a Victoria's Secret commercial and movie soundtracks, formed partnerships with entities like the music video simulation game Guitar Hero, and appeared in ads for the clothing designer John Varvatos. "Fifteen years ago, it would have been totally not cool. You would have been selling out."

But isn't it still the fans who were buying the band's records 15 years ago, the all-important touring audience, that are the only ones still hung up on the idea of "selling out," especially since these stories are often at pains to point out that the kids don't really think much of a younger band mass-merchandising itself into oblivion in 2007? The small irony for musicians like McKagan and especially contemporaries like Motley Crue, suvivors from a genre that flaunted fusty ideas of "legitimacy," is that they've been forced to do the tricky anti-sellout dance. You'd think Nikki Sixx would be downright impossible to embarrass, but it seems classic rock status makes everyone self-conscious.

The branding wave makes some rockers wince. Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe recalls feeling let down as a teenager when he saw Kiss on a lunchbox. "I was devastated because all of a sudden they were like Shaun Cassidy and the Partridge Family," he says. Even though it might be hard to distinguish branded lunchboxes from Mötley Brüe, Nikki Sixx rolls his eyes when he sees some of the products that musicians are endorsing. He says he drew the line at baby bottles, even after his advisers pointed out that his fans were becoming parents.
"I think you can go too far," he says.

Which is called "having it both ways," and a smart way to assure longtime fans while staying paid. But whatever the feelings of musicians about advertising diluting the power of music, there's now a worry among ad people that music, or at least celebrity, may still be more powerful than ads. (I know, right?) An Advertising Age report has agency types fretting that since marquee names, like Bob Dylan, are now beating down their doors, the trend for high-profile pop ads may no longer be mutually beneficial.

Mr. Dylan's appearance "definitely dwarfs the product," said Josh Rabinowitz, senior VP-director of music at WPP Group's Grey Worldwide. Even Cadillac admits Mr. Dylan can be a distraction when paired with certain products, though executives felt the Escalade was its most popular model and could hold its own. Modernista took pains to keep Mr. Dylan from overwhelming the car, avoiding scenarios in which he talked about horsepower or the car's navigation system, said David Weist, a creative director at the agency. Mr. Dylan's management told the agency that the singer didn't want his songs used, as it might be seen as self-indulgent.

Of course, that's Bob Dylan, who's a special case even compared to Behind The Music stars like McKagan and Sixx. But the article does conclude on this depressing note:

As record companies pursue their own agendas, the sound of music may grow less melodious. Such entities are "definitely in it for the exposure," said Mike Boris, senior VP-executive music producer at Interpublic Group's McCann Erickson. Musicians "are thinking about their brand." Which means they don't necessarily care about yours.

'Course that really doesn't take into account where listeners fit in. But we're barely a secondary market these days.

If It's Retail, Is It Still Rock? [New York Times]
The Times Are A-Changin' For Musicians And Marketers [Advertising Age]

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]

Idolator Book Club: Slash's Writing Skills Might Trump His Reading Ability

dangibs — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:30:00 EDT

For me, The Dirt is the type of book that all "tales of the rock lifestyle" should aspire to. Drugs, car crashes, bean burritos, drugs, Mick Mars being replaced with an animatronic replica, the occasional playing of music, more drugs: The Dirt has everything I could ask for between two covers, and since its release, I've been willing to fight anyone who dared to presume any autobiography could even come close to that sort of perfection. However, England's Observer Music Monthly ran an excerpt from a forthcoming release that might knock Motley Crue off my bookshelf and out of my heart.

Ladies and gentlemen—wait, maybe the ladies should leave the room—I present Slash: The Autobiography:

I went through an interesting succession of girlfriends at this time; just a handful that I'd see over at my place, each on different nights. At some point during these months my manager had the brilliant idea of having me present some award to someone or other at the MTV Video Music Awards. I can't even remember who we gave it to, but my co-presenter was Traci Lords, the porn star, so we met backstage and then started dating immediately...But Traci didn't want any part of being seen in public with me...From what I understood she wanted to keep a low profile because she didn't want to be exposed as a groupie slut or one of the porno chicks that guys like me dated. I was never one of those guys who was judgemental about that stuff and never understood those who were; in fact the only reason I knew her was that I'd seen her in this movie where she was bent over holding her ankles and she looked amazing. I truly appreciated that, so I figured everyone else appreciated that, too. I didn't get her whole charade at all....
I found a house just off Laurel Canyon, and it was forever known as the Walnut House. I was pretty out of control at the time. I remember showing up to meet the contractor to talk about redoing my bathroom and thinking that breaking out a few lines would be a good way to break the ice. He and I stood in the bathroom as he walked me through the work that needed to be done. 'Yeah, yeah, cool, man,' I said. I slapped down the toilet-seat cover and cut out four thick lines of coke. 'You want one?'
He looked pretty uneasy. 'No, no thanks. I'm on the job,' he said. 'OK, right, that's cool,' I said. 'I'll do yours, then.' 'It's not just that, it's also eight o'clock in the morning,' he said, smiling apologetically....
I remember that Izzy had taken a cymbal and a broomstick and some strings and had made a sitar out of it. Needless to say, Izzy was pretty fucking high....
We would be hanging out and sharing a bit of blow, but I couldn't figure out how Steve was always that much more wasted. He'd just get this twinkle in his eye and say, 'Hey man, butter tray,' and point at the fridge.
'Yeah, OK, Steve. Sure,' I'd say. I'd go to the refrigerator, fix myself a drink, and come back with nothing to report. I didn't think he actually wanted me to look in the butter tray. He was that fucked up that I didn't take it seriously.
'Did you see?' he'd ask, grinning wildly. He'd just keep pointing at the refrigerator and saying, 'Butter tray.'
'Yeah, man, I saw it,' I'd say. 'That's a great refrigerator you've got there. Really nice butter tray, man.'
'Butter tray.'
'So, Steven, what are you trying to say?'
Tom Mayhew discovered it eventually. Steven had a steep supply of coke piled up in that butter tray of his...
Around then I stopped talking to everyone I knew and started doing a great deal of drawing.
Throughout my life, my drawings have always reflected what I was into at the time. During this period, I drew nothing but dinosaurs and assorted graphic designs and logos....

I can only hope that the book includes some of the dinosaur drawings, but from the thankfully extended and apparently uncensored excerpt, Slash and co-writer Anthony Bozza might have the Crue beat. One note, the first edition of Slash's new book comes with a complimentary trip to rehab, so be sure to get that pre-order in.

Slash And Burn [Observer Music Monthly]
Slash: The Autobiography [Amazon]
[Photo credit: WENN]

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]