I think a pandemic release doesn't make sense for them though.

I get it's been great for a lot of artists.

But for GNR any release (even a GH with 2 new songs etc) is going to have the side effect of re-branding and invigorating the live show into a post NITL tour.

When they've kept the audience waiting for 12 years since the last release, and 30 whatever since the last Axl/Slash release it makes no sense for them to blow their load by dropping it during a pandemic when they can't capitalise by starting a tour cycle based around it.

I don't think the richard/slash album is dropped - I think it's on hold till the world sorts its shit out. Without the pandemic I think it would have happened around now. My guess from here is that 2021 they treat as a "warm back up year" by playing catch up shows from the dates that owe, and testing the international waters again with this aussie tour.

If stuff is calmed down and working then set the stage for a 2022 release and a new tour era. I'd say sooner but it's GNR - so i'm not expecting a nimble response to current events. But you never know I guess.

I should know better by this stage in the game, but something about the situation with them makes me think they will release something else.

On one hand he can tour the hits forever, on the other hand - it helps with sales to make small cosmetic changes so that each tour has the branding of a new show even if it mostly isn't.

I'm thinking the AC/DC model would suit GNR.

Basically the live show is mostly a classic hits show - along with 2 or 3 songs specific to the most recent release to vary it up.

AC/DC has worked that way since 1990 or earlier - new material about every 5 years - followed by a 2.5 year world tour branded around the material and using 2 or 3 songs from it mixed in with an unchanging classic hits show. Then 2.5 years of silence and down time. Then repeat.

Obviously given Axl is putting out albums more like every 15 years the idea of something every 5 is insanely ambitious for GNR - but the general model of reinvigorating your hits show by rebranding around a few new songs could work for GNR too. Even if it's 10 years a cycle or if it's only 2 or 3 songs per cycle and not a full album. It's mostly about selling the tour as new from last time. Keeps it feeling new even when it really aint.

It's actually weird that it seems to work psychologically. Like ask anyone and they always love the older material. People use the new songs as piss breaks for these types of bands. But at the end of the day - it was the act of dropping a new record and doing a new show that seemed part of the process of reawakening the Ac/Dc fans of the world each time - even if mostly people just want to hear Back in Black or Highway to Hell or whatever.

I think GNR probably would have done this already this year, as you could tell the NITL brand had been pushed about as far as it could go. But I do worry the corona situation sadly provides a natural reset - in that now you can go back and redo it again and rather than people thinking they already saw that show - they're thinking "return to the good old days" after lockdown. I notice the new Aussie tour is branded as "Stadium Rock Is Back" - which kinda hightened my worries that they might then milk the return as the gimmick rather than a new record.

End of the day they could tour forever just playing jungle - but something akin to the Ac/Dc model would keep those numbers high globally over and over I think.

I would like these too but I also liked "Eye on You". I know the mac daddy but isn't for everyone but I do like the verse melody in the lyrics a lot...and some good old fashioned Axl screams in it too.

Meanwhile if we're remixing stuff - I sorta want a TIL with a Slash solo and more screamy lyrics like the other version had...hopefully some of the long lost CD songs do find the light of day...or even older stuff from say 94-96 that might have never been done.

Or maybe all new stuff...I know people get sick of Myles era music but I think guitar wise a lot of those riffs would make reasonable GNR if you run them through the Axl songwriting process.

Personally I think people do want a few salacious details...if it's done well.....they were rockstars famous for excess ansd craziness...so you want to read a bit about that lifestyle...but it needs to come off fun so you can picture what it would have been like....as it stood it didn't feel like a finished work...and it also kinda ended leaving a bad taste...as he said in that link above...a little more bitter than he probably actually is.

Be interesting to see if he edits out some of the details about getting fucked over by the others though.

Matt's always been a straight talker...and not one to shy away from his achievements or telling others when they are wrong...so his book was always going to be a rough ride in GNR world. But to me it's a valuable insight into the other side of the coin.