Guns N' Roses/Axl Watch

[muthagoose]

Axl Rose's attorney has told the Los Angeles Times that "a clerical error" by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is to blame for all GUNS N' ROSES-related publishing royalties being sent to the singer, thereby bypassing the band's other partners, Slash and Duff McKagan.

Slash and Duff, otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan, are suing band leader Rose fraudulently naming himself sole administrator of the band's copyrights, jilting his former partners out of their shares of revenue that Hudson and McKagan's lawyer said totals about $500,000 a year.

The suit accuses Rose of "suffering an apparent attack of arrogance and ego" and says "he is no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners and bandmates in having created some of rock's greatest hits."

But Howard Weitzman, Rose's lawyer, told the Los Angeles Times that the singer had asked to receive only his portion of royalties, and that the overpayment was due to a clerical error by the society. Weitzman said Rose had returned the extra funds to the organization.

Last year, Hudson and McKagan filed their first suit against Rose. This one alleged that the singer had wrongly claimed ownership of the group's assets after he quit GUNS N' ROSES in 1995. It also claimed that Rose had blocked Hudson and McKagan from licensing the band's recordings to movie producers, "costing the GUNS N' ROSES partnership millions of dollars to date." The case is pending.

[Üncle Snake]

According to a recent article published by the Canyon News, GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose told a fan in Malibu, California a few weeks ago that the group's long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy" will be released early next year. In addition, he allegedly revealed that GUNS N' ROSES are looking to put a new song on "The Da Vinci Code" movie soundtrack. The film (more information), based on Dan Brown's controversial best-selling novel, is currently in production and stars Tom Hanks.

"Chinese Democracy" will feature the band's first new music since "Oh My God", the group's contribution to the soundtrack to the 1999 movie "End of Days". The group's last studio album was a covers CD, "The Spaghetti Incident?", which was released in 1993.

In March 2004, Geffen Records issued a GUNS N' ROSES "Greatest Hits" album, which has since gone on to sell 2.36 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose and fellow original members Slash and Duff McKagan tried to block the "Greatest Hits" album's release by arguing in a lawsuit that Geffen Records was putting out the CD without their input. Geffen officials countered that they wouldn't have released the album if Rose had delivered the long-promised album "Chinese Democracy", which has been in the works for over 10 years.

[muthagoose]

Well when Chinese Democracy is released... I have decided to take the day off of work. Just thought I'd mention it.

[muthagoose]

According to MusicTap, Geffen Records will release a two-CD "best of" collection from GUNS N' ROSES, entitled "Welcome to the Jungle: The Very Best of Guns N' Roses". This set will reportedly come in both "Parental Advisory" and edited forms and will be available to fans on December 20, just in time for gift-giving.

Late last month, a spokesperson for Geffen confirmed to Launch that a second GUNS N' ROSES greatest hits album was coming. MusicTap had previously reported a tentative release date of December 6, but other sources, including Universal Music Norway, suggested a March 2006 arrival for the disc. The label spokesperson did not have information on a release date or any other details about the set.

The first GUNS N' ROSES hits collection, released in March of 2004, has sold nearly 2.5 million copies in the U.S. GUNS N' ROSES vocalist Axl Rose, along with former guitarist Slash and ex-bassist Duff McKagan, tried to block the release of "Greatest Hits" with a lawsuit, claiming that the record label had assembled the CD without their input.

The band's label, Geffen Records, insisted that it was forced to put out a greatest hits album since Axl Rose had failed to deliver the long-delayed new GUNS album, "Chinese Democracy". That project has still not been scheduled for release.

[mavhimself]

one day we won't be saying "this will happen when hell freezes over", instead it will be "this will happen when chinese democracy is in record stores".

mav himself.

[stallion]

I personally think this is some long-running joke that Axl thought up to play on us all. "I wonder how long I can make people actually think I could put out a solo GNR album......I'll throw 'em a new song, show up on MTV, even stage a few concerts.....then conveniently no-show." Verbal Kint said, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist." I say, "The greatest trick Axl ever pulled was making the world think he was still relevant."

[muthagoose]

Last post about this for 2005!...

According to a posting on the GUNS N' ROSES fan site Here Today... Gone to Hell!, former GN'R and current VELVET REVOLVER guitarist Slash was interviewed on the WMMR radio station in Philadelphia on Friday (Dec. 30) and he said that he can't wait to hear Axl Rose's new GUNS N' ROSES record in March.

The host asked him if he meant that "Chinese Democracy" is coming out in March, to which Slash replied that he's been told many things over time, but this time it really sounds like it's coming out. He also believes the album is done.

[muthagoose]

Still No Release Date for "Chinese Democracy": Still Not Surprised

Launch Radio Networks reports: Although former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash told a Philadelphia radio station two weeks ago that he heard a March release date was on tap for the long-delayed new GUNS album, the band's management has told Launch that no release date has been set. Slash said that he had learned about the March date from sources inside the GUNS camp.

A management spokesperson said that the new album, titled "Chinese Democracy", "is coming," but its official arrival date has yet to be determined.

Slash also said in his interview that he has no feud, or any relationship for that matter, with GUNS frontman Axl Rose. Slash explained, "I haven't really talked to him directly, but we're not at each others throats or anything like that, just to kill all of that bad blood that people keep recreating. God, it's been going on for 10 years. He and I have never had a conversation, an argument...over that whole 10 years, and people have been generating all this animosity. But at this point there's no friction going on."

[stallion]

This whole Chinese Democracy business is really just a running joke. Axl will be in some posh rock n' roll retirement home 40 years from now and we'll still be asking when this stupid-ass album is coming out.

[muthagoose]

Axl Rose Frontman Sues Beverly Hills Auto Dealership

The Associated Press is reporting that GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose has sued a Beverly Hills auto dealership, claiming that it failed to deliver two luxury cars after receiving $20,000 in deposits and also failed to give Axl any money after selling his Ferrari.

Rose contends in the suit, which was filed Thursday (Jan 12) in Los Angeles County Superior Court, that Beverly Hills Classic Cars took his deposits but violated oral agreements to get him a 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo and a 2005 Porsche GT3.

The suit also contends the dealer sold his consigned 1999 Ferrari Marinello but never paid him a promised $135,000 of the proceeds.

After-hours calls to the dealer and its owner by The Associated Press were not immediately returned Thursday night.

[muthagoose]

Guns 'n' Roses album nearing completion
Take that with a grain of salt...

Axl Rose has revealed that Guns 'n' Roses long-awaited album 'Chinese Democracy' is nearing completion.

If the album is released this year it will be the first Guns 'n' Roses release in over 15 years.

The last original material was the 1991 double album 'Use Your Illusion'.

Since then, the original group members have gone their separate ways, with infamous Stoke-on-Trent born guitarist Slash now a part of heavy rock outfit Velvet Revolver.

However, the elusive Axl Rose remains and is supported by a new cast of band members.

Speaking about 'Chinese Democracy', Rose revealed: "People will hear music this year.

"I'm trying to do something different. Some of the arrangements are kind of like Queen. Some people are going to say, 'It doesn't sound like Axl Rose, it doesn't sound like Guns 'n' Roses.' But you'll like at least a few songs on there."

[muthagoose]

Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash recently spoke to "The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show" on the U.K.'s Virgin Radio about the band's long-awaited album "Chinese Democracy", which is expected to be released later in the year. During the interview, Slash confirmed that the record is done and he said a "very official source" had already heard it, according to NME.com. He added: "Yeah, it's going to happen, I've been made aware it's been heard. I'm really excited, it's been a long time waiting to see what the next step around the corner was going to be for him (Axl Rose), we know where everybody else is, but we were wondering what he was going to be doing. It's coming out in March and apparently it sounds great."

Tracks slated to appear on the album include "Better", "There Was A Time" and "The Blues".

Although Axl and Slash have not spoken in the last 10 years, the VELVET REVOLVER guitarist said he was pleased that the record is finally going to see the light of day.

He added: "I've always been supportive over that thing, even though it's been turned in to a big controversial blah blah blah thing.

"When I left I was pretty pissed off for having to leave in the first place. After a while all the boo-haha that was stirred and all the negative press, sort of went in his direction, so I'm just waiting for the record to come out, so I'm glad where it's got to the point that that's happening."

[muthagoose]

The New York Post's Page Six reports in its February 12, 2006 edition:

Stereo nightclub owners Barry Mullineaux and Mike Satsky were closing up their Chelsea hotspot at 5:30 a.m. the other morning when they encountered elusive GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose at the front door. The braided rocker was with bandmates and a bevy of beauties wanting to keep his 44th birthday bash going. Rose was so eager to get inside the club that he offered the owners a little bribe — an exclusive listening party for his yet-to-be released album, "Chinese Democracy". Axl dispatched his driver to retrieve the unreleased CD and the owners proceeded to play host, bartender and DJ to the posse till 8 a.m.

[muthagoose]

NEW GUNS N' ROSES LEAKED...

A full-length, high-quality version of the GUNS N' ROSES track "I.R.S.", which was recorded during the sessions for the band's long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy", has been leaked and is currently making the rounds via various GN'R fan sites and other message boards.

Several other songs are rumored to be floating around as well.

This is not the first time that "I.R.S." became available to the listening public ahead of its intended release date. A version of the same song originally surfaced in 2003 on a CD marked "New GNR" that was sent anonymously to then-New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, who proceeded to play the track on New York classic rock station Q104.3's nationally syndicated Friday night show, "Friday Night Rocks ... With Eddie Trunk".

"It reminded me of 'Use Your Illusion'-era stuff, with some modern flairs to it," DJ Eddie Trunk told MTV.com at the time. "The song had a loop track in the beginning, but then, when it kicked in, it was that same dramatic GUNS N' ROSES hard rock."

Shortly after the song was aired on Q104.3, GN'R management contacted the station and issued a verbal cease-and-desist order before arranging to meet with Trunk to retrieve the disc, according to the MTV.com report.



GUILTY... OF ROCK!!![/color]

[muthagoose]

Now swing your heavy metal hair to this woo dee woo!!!

Swing by my Myspace.com profile to check out "I.R.S." by Guns N' Roses...

www.myspace.com/muthagoose

[muthagoose]

Another Guns N' Roses Tradk leaked...

A full-length version of another track recorded during the sessions for GUNS N' ROSES' much-anticipated "Chinese Democracy" album has been leaked — this time of the song "There Was A Time", or "T.W.A.T."

The track, which has been rumored to exist for some time within the GUNS N' ROSES fan community, is the third new GN'R song to make its way online in two days — joiing the full-length leak of the song "I.R.S." and a one-minute, 20-second clip of a track called "Better". GUNS N' ROSES' management has reportedly been asking webmasters to delete the files from their sites, and to also remove any links to them, in an effort to stop their spread. It's unknown where the leaks originated.

Although GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose has yet to officially comment on the leaks, Lisa Reed, wife of longtime GN'R member Dizzy Reed, reportedly let her feelings be known in an online post. 'I just don't understand it," she wrote with regards to the leak. "If people claim to love the band and Axl so much, why on earth would you do something you know will piss them off? Especially when all signs point to it getting closer and closer. It's like shaking all your Christmas presents on the 23rd of December and figuring out what they are. No surprise and you ruined the fun for the giver. I just as much as anyone want this record to come out. but BE PATIENT!'"

Axl Rose has said fans would get to hear new music this year, and former lead guitarist Slash has been telling interviewers that "Chinese Democracy" will be out in March, but no official release date has been announced.

[muthagoose]

Axl Rose Comments On Guns N' Roses DOWNLOAD Festival Appearance

GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose has commented on the band's upcoming appearance at the Download 2006 festival, set to take place June 9-11 at Donington Park in England.

The band will join the already announced METALLICA at the top of the bill for the summer event, which will provide the only U.K. shows for the two groups.

GUNS N' ROSES will take to the stage on the Sunday (June 11), while METALLICA will play the previous night.

The last time Axl Rose and co. graced Donington was in 1988, where they played in front of over 100,000 fans following the release of their seminal album "Appetite for Destruction".

According to NME.com, Rose said of the appearance: "The U.K. and Europe have always been special for me. After our last great shows there, we are all very excited and looking forward to getting back over there and in front of such great audiences."

He added: "Donington has always meant a lot to me personally, way before I ever played there. To be asked to headline is for me an honour and a privilege that none of us take for granted. We look forward to seeing all of you at Download!"

GUNS N' ROSES are expected to showcase new songs from their long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" album, which has been over ten years in the making.

As well as the two confirmed headliners, the bill for Download 2006 now includes KORN, THE PRODIGY, DEFTONES, CLUTCH, TRIVIUM, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, LUCUNA COIL, INME, HATEBREED and WITHIN TEMPTATION.



Axl is still a ladies man.

[Dementro]

Correct me if i am wrong here, but wasn't it the last time both of these bands got together James Hetfield went up in flames??

I hope it happens again.

[muthagoose]

Bon Jovi is jealous of Axl Rose...

The New York Post is reporting that Jon Bon Jovi is disgusted rock rival Axl Rose receives more media attention than he does, because the elusive GUNS N' ROSES frontman "hasn't made a record in 13 years." Jon can't seem to get over the fact that the press will always be more fascinated with the bad-boy legacy of GNR than they are with the comparatively bland BON JOVI, according to the Post.

He fumes, "You know what pisses me off? I was reading this British rock magazine this month and there was a story about Axl Rose and the $13 million GUNS N' ROSES record that was never made. That motherfucker hasn't made a record in 13 years and he gets all that attention. You know what I've done in 13 years? A lot. But they have continued to write about the freak show aspect of him. Because he's a recluse. That makes him interesting, right?"

[stallion]

Is that Axl, LOTB or Tim Hearn?

[muthagoose]

GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose has issued the following press release via his attorney, Howard Weitzman, Esq.:

"W. Axl Rose, on Friday March 3, 2006 responded to one of Saul 'Slash' Hudson's baseless lawsuits by filing a counterclaim asking the Federal Court to confirm his ownership of his own creative works. Slash and Michael 'Duff' McKagan had previously filed cases both in Federal Court and in the Los Angeles Superior Court making numerous false allegations about Axl. Mr. Rose believes that once apprised of the true facts the Judge or Jury deciding these lawsuits will rule in Axl's favor on every issue before them.

"More surprising to Axl are recent media reports that Slash (Saul Hudson) is claiming that he has always been supportive of Axl Rose and the new GUNS N' ROSES. Slash's actions in recent years have in fact been anything but supportive. Besides the lawsuits filed against Axl Rose, claiming, among other things, that Axl does not own the copyright in the songs that Axl co-authored with his former GUNS N' ROSES band mates, Slash has continually made negative and malicious statements about Axl in order to garner publicity for himself.

"As an example, the Federal lawsuit Hudson and McKagan filed was based on a faulty premise from the start. What Hudson and McKagan attempted to portray as egregious misconduct by Axl was in fact — as Slash and Duff have learned — nothing more than a clerical error committed by ASCAP. Had Slash and Duff or their representatives bothered to pick up the phone the clerical error could have been easily sorted out without the need for filing an utterly baseless lawsuit which one can only assume had been filed for the purposes of self-publicity at Axl's expense. The lawsuit also attacks Axl's integrity as Slash and Duff, in a vindictive attempt to aggrandize their own stature, re-write history through false statements, which have been repeated by the media. Their attacks on Axl stand in sharp contrast to Rose's conduct. Axl has at all times worked diligently to maintain the artistic integrity of the band by choosing with great care which properties to license GUNS N' ROSES songs to and refusing to participate in what he believed were potentially embarrassing projects. He has fought to avoid the release of material that does not live up to the highest of standards demanded by the band's history and its followers. Axl chose not to respond through the media while taking the high road in the face of Slash and Duff's attacks. Hudson and McKagan, by contrast, have told ever changing — and false — stories regarding the formation of the band and its history and believe that the band's catalogue should be exploited without careful consideration — for the GUNS N' ROSES brand and their loyal audience — or Axl's input as if it were fast food by anyone willing to pay for it.

"For over 10 years Slash, a consummate press, photo and media opportunist and manipulator, has attacked Axl Rose on a number of levels. Slash's actions whether in or out of GUN'S N' ROSES have been a complete betrayal across the board of his alleged friendship and business relationship with Axl and the so called brotherhood and band loyalties that are supposed to have existed. Instead Slash has publicly attempted, by soliciting public and media support, to take credit for something that was not his or anyone else's to take, notwithstanding that Slash played a major part in the success of the band as Axl has continually acknowledged.

"In October of 2005 Slash made an unannounced 5:30 AM visit to Axl Rose's house. Not appearing to be under the influence, Slash came to inform Axl that: 'Duff was spineless,' 'Scott [Weiland] was a fraud,' that he 'hates Matt Sorum' and that in this ongoing war, contest or whatever anyone wants to call it that Slash has waged against Axl for the better part of 20 years, that Axl has proven himself 'the stronger.'

Based on his conduct in showing up at Rose's home, Axl was hopeful that Slash would live up to his pronouncements that he wanted to end the war and move on with life. Unfortunately that did not prove to be the case.

"Mr. Rose's attorney Howard Weitzman commented, 'Axl regrets having to spend time and energy on these distractions but he has a responsibility to protect the GUNS N' ROSES legacy and expose the truth. Axl believes he has been left with no alternative but to respond to these lawsuits. It would have been Axl's preference to resolve disputes with Slash and Duff in private. The courthouse is not his choice of forum. However, Axl could no longer sit quietly and allow the continuing dissemination of falsehoods and half-truths by his former band-mates.'"

[muthagoose]

Axl Unloads on Ex-Gunners

Axl Rose is making his old Guns N' Roses band mates feel unwelcome to the jungle.

GN'R's former ringleader filed court papers Friday asking a federal judge to affirm that Rose has "ownership of all creative works" stemming from his days fronting the legendary rock outfit.

The legal action is the latest salvo in Rose's long-running feud with former guitarist Slash and bassist Michael "Duff" McKagan. The latter musicians filed a lawsuit in August accusing the flame-haired singer of trying to dupe them out of royalties.

Slash and Duff, now members of Velvet Revolver, alleged in their complaint that Rose's "arrogance and ego" kept them from receiving their fair share of a multimillion-dollar publishing deal he signed with Sanctuary Group.

In his counterclaim and a written statement, Rose, 44, says Slash and Duff's suit was "based on a faulty premise from the start."

Rose's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, asserts the "egregious behavior" Slash and Duff accused Rose of was the result of a "clerical error" by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Weitzman says in a press release that had Slash and Duff made some calls the problem would have been resolved quickly; however, the attorney says, they decided to pursue the matter in the courts due to their desire for "self-publicity."

"Mr. Rose believes that once apprised of the true facts the Judge or Jury deciding these lawsuits will rule in Axl's favor on every issue before them," Weitzman continues.

The release claims Slash and Duff continue to offer "ever changing and false stories" about how the group got its start and that the two rockers want to commercially exploit Guns N' Roses' roster of hits--including "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child O' Mine"--"as if it were fast food by anyone willing to pay for it."

"Their attacks on Axl stand in sharp contract to Rose's conduct," continues the statement. "Axl has at all times worked diligently to maintain the artistic integrity of the band by choosing with great care which properties to license Guns N' Roses songs to and refusing to participate in what he believed were potentially embarrassing projects."

"Axl regrets having to spend time and energy on these distractions but he has a responsibility to protect the Guns N' Roses legacy and expose the truth," Weitzman says. "Axl believes he has been left with no alternative and but to respond to these lawsuits....[He] could no longer sit quietly and allow the continuing dissemination of falsehoods and half-truths by his former bandmates."

Reps for Slash and Duff did not immediately comment.

Ironically, Rose's dissing of his former mates comes just weeks after Slash gushed to a British radio station that he was looking forward to Rose and his revamped Guns N' Roses lineup finally releasing the forever-in-the-works Chinese Democracy album this year.

Several tracks from the disc were leaked to the Internet in recent days, generating big buzz among fans before Rose's lawyers ordering sites to take down the tracks. The three songs remain in heavy rotation on file-sharing sites, however, and have also popped up on radio station playlists.

There's still no official word on when Chinese Democracy will hit stores, but Rose and his new Gunners are scheduled to play several festival dates this summer in Europe, perhaps to be followed by a full-blown tour.

[muthagoose]

AXL ROSE Storms Out Of NYC Club After Eye-Closing Fan Encounter

The New York Post's "Page Six" column ran the following item in its March 12, 2006 edition:

"The fascinatingly mercurial GUNS N' ROSES frontman [Axl Rose] fled club Stereo late Thursday night after a drunken fan inadvertently spat in his eye. Axl, sporting braids in a ponytail and looking puffy in a white sweater, was tolerating the sloppy dude's boozy line of questioning until some spittle landed on his contacts. 'Axl started yelling, 'My [bleep]ing eyes! My contacts,' reports our spywitness. 'He became irate. He ran out of the club with one eye closed and knocked over Stephon Marbury on his way out the door. He left his whole entourage behind.' The eye-closing experience was the final stop of the night for the easily enraged Rose."

In other news, Axl attended the "Sopranos" premiere party in New York City at the Museum of Modern Art on March 7. Check out a picture of Rose and actor James Gandolfini which was published in the "Snaps" section in today's edition of the New York Post (courtesy of Here Today… Gone to Hell!).



Axl was also recently spotted at Los Angeles airport. An onlooker took a photo with his/her mobile phone (courtesy of Splat).

[mavhimself]

he's looking more like lotb by the day.

mav himself.

[muthagoose]

The current issue of SPIN features a review of "Chinese Democracy"...

www.spin.com/reviews/magazine/2006/03/060323_gunsnroses/