1998.02.20 - Rolling Stone - Axl Rose Takes His Time

Axl Rose takes his time

Fools rush in. Axl takes his sweet time. According to Guns N' Roses manager Doug Goldstein, Axl Rose is currently ensconced in a Los Angeles studio, working on material for the long-awaited G n' R follow-up to 1991's Use Your Illusion I and II.

Rose is writing and jamming with keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist and longtime Rose collaborator Paul Huge, and ex-Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck, who has become a full-time member of the band.

Goldstein told Rolling Stone that they have recorded more than 300 hours' worth of material, and "they each take a CD home, listen for cool parts, pick them out, and that's how they build songs." He estimates that Axl and Co. are "three to five months away from actual recording" but says not to expect a record until 1999.

Four producers are being considered for the project -- which Goldstein describes as an "updated nineties-rock sound with a little more technology thrown in" -- including Scott Litt (R.E.M.), Steve Lillywhite (U2), Mark Bell (Bjork) and Youth (the Verve).

Rumored producer Moby took himself out of the running last year to focus on his own work. "It was a very hard decision to make," Moby says. "The music they're working on is really wonderful." Goldstein says that Rose would still love to have Moby hear the G n' R material and offer his insights.

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

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

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Source:
http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=44
https://www.theninhotline.com/features/news.nin.net/monthly_xd_1998-03-18.html

Similar article (most likely based on the Rolling Stone one) in The Greenville News, February 27, 1998:



Transcript:
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Guns N’ Roses whets appetite for recording

There’s been lots of chatter lately about what, if anything, is happening with Guns N’ Roses, the L.A. band that was once on top of the rock world but which hasn’t released an album of new material since its “Use Your Illusion” sets in 1991.

Reports are that Axl Rose, along with keyboardist Dizzy Reed and guitarists Paul Huge and Robin Finck (late of Nine Inch Nails), has recorded more than 300 hours of new material — little of which has been formed into anything resembling songs.

No word on whether Duff McKagan or Matt Sorum will rejoin the group in its potential comeback, and manager Doug Goldstein has said repeatedly not to expect anything until 1999.