2002.03.09 - Kerrang! - GN'R: What's Going On? Axl's People Speak!

GN'R: What's Going On?
Axl's people speak!

Guns N' Roses' management company have broken their long silence and spoken exclusively to Kerrang! about the band's gameplans for 2002 - shortly after Axl reportedly fired key members of his staff. Rose has spent the last eight years working on the new Guns N' Roses album, which has been thought to bear the title 'The Chinese Democracy'. The frontman has only performed public at New Year's shows in Las Vegas in 2000 and 2001.

Up until recently, he was working on the album with Roy Thomas Baker, the celebrated producer who handled Queen's classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. However, Baker has now been fired - along with Tom Zutaut, the band's A&R man. Zutaut became semi-famous in the 1980's when The Nymphs frontlady Inger Lorre reportedly urinated on his desk at Geffen Records.

While such upheavals might suggest that the release of a new Guns N' Roses album is even further off than expected, a spokesperson for their management insists that all is well. "I went to the studio three weeks ago and heard 41 songs," he tells us. "You're gonna be blown away when you hear them. All this stuff in the papers is rubbish: Axl's got himself together and he's making an incredible, important record."

The spokesman adds that the album may not now be called 'The Chinese Democracy'. "Was it ever called that?" he laughs, alluding to the media confusion over the project.

The new GNR album has seen contributions from numerous musicians. Among them is Queen guitarist Brian May. "That was years ago! Literally two years ago. I was working in Capitol Studios in LA and met our old producer Roy Baker. He told me he was off to produce Guns N' Roses." May describes the material that he worked on as "fantastic. I was shocked that they didn't put it out straight away. Maybe it's perfection on Axl's part - the desire to make it the album of all time. I played on three tracks , but I don't know if they'll be used. I don't wanna ask!"

The album's protracted genesis seems to be down to Rose's determination to make it worth the wait. "He's completely immersed in making this record," says the management spokesperson. "The 41 songs I heard were from the 60 or 70 he's working on."

"It has to be the best in Axl's own mind," continues May, "and an exprerssion of his personal feelings. He's very passionate about it - every single word and note is very personal."

The album is now set for release in the second half of 2002. There are now no confirmed song titles. "This album will make a big impact on people," assures the management spokesperson. "People think they have all the answers, but the music will do the talking."