1999.07.09 - MTV News - New Guns N' Roses Makes Mystery Debut; Live Album Sessions Underway

NEW GUNS N' ROSES MAKES MYSTERY DEBUT; LIVE ALBUM SESSIONS UNDERWAY

MTV NEWS STAFF
07/09/1999

Fans who are anxiously awaiting the debut of the new Guns N' Roses band may have already heard it without realizing it.

Although the GN'R camp has been keeping it quiet, moviegoers who see the Adam Sandler movie "Big Daddy" can get a very brief taste of a new GN'R recording, but only if they stick around well into the closing credits.

As we previously reported, Sheryl Crow's cover of the band's 1987 hit "Sweet Child O' Mine" appears on the "Big Daddy" soundtrack album.

But that's not the only version of the track that can be heard in "Big Daddy." In theaters, moviegoers can hear what appears to be a live version of the song by Guns N' Roses played over the movie's end credits. (The song is not included on the soundtrack CD.)

As it turns out, there's even more to it than meets the ear. A spokesperson for the film's music supervisors, Michael Dilbeck Entertainment, confirmed to MTV News that the song "morphs" into a new version recorded by the revamped GN'R.

Speaking for the music supervisors, Lori Lahman says that the initial part of the song features the near-original group (Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Gilby Clarke, and Matt Sorum) recorded live at a concert in Paris. More than halfway through that rendition, the new band -- presumably Rose, guitarists Robin Finck and Paul Huge, drummer Josh Freese, bassist Tommy Stinson, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed -- kicks in with tracks of the same song recently recorded in the studio.

The tune's intro also includes a voice repeating the word, "Figaro," which was a last-minute addition "for fun," courtesy of Rose, says Lahman.

The sessions were produced by Sean Beavan and engineered by Critter. The band and crew is the same team currently at work recording a studio album that will appear under the Guns N' Roses moniker. Rose, the sole remaining original member, retains the rights to the band's name.

Estranged guitarist Slash is telling his official fan Web site that sessions relating to Guns N' Roses' long-rumored live album will be getting underway with mixer Andy Wallace sometime in July. Wallace's management company confirms that the studio veteran is booked for the sessions from July 12 through to the 29th.

The post indicates that Slash and Rose will not at any time be working together on the project; Rose will reportedly be handling the tracks pertaining to vocals with another producer.

A spokesperson for Slash confirms the information, but cautions that a live CD is still not a done deal and that the sessions with Wallace are only exploratory.

The live album has been anticipated as a Christmas release. However, also expected by the end of the year is the new GN'R studio album, although the latter has been "expected" annually for the past five years.

Calls to the band's label, Geffen/Interscope, were not returned.