Both gunmen are dead, so there's little to be learned from them on a possible connection. The events took place about 30hrs apart and were deceptively close to one another, which does raise questions on whether one was inspired by the other, if not more.

The authorities have already denied any connection, which is fair play on their part. Admitting that Orlando became open-season for separate premeditated strikes over a single weekend would make matters even worse than they already are.

Whether or not there was a connection between the gunmen, the local community suffered a major blow all the same. Condolences go out to the friends and families of the victims. It's hard to imagine what the atmosphere must be like there right now.

Those reissue Marshalls are said to be great for 60's/70's rock and blues tones.

Going for that Stones sound, maybe? The timing certainly raises eyebrows.

Ron Anderson's back? Good news.

Still, why did he bail out of having a vocal coach in the first place? His voice got shot during the UYI tour and the upper register in 2001-2 made him patently Mickey. 2006-10 was pretty consistent, but after that, downhill again.

Newly-found professionalism is good, but it just makes it seem more plain what a pampered baby he's been across the years. If he showed up on tour, he may have been in shape. Lots of luck throwing Angus those temper tantrums, which have novelty value at the age of 5 - less so at 50.

Good point. What was redone, mostly, was Paul Huge's stuff. Ron recalled a lot of the rhythm guitars seemed 'mechanical'. As Fortus had recorded his stuff in less than a week, Ron was more likely pointing towards Paul.

Of course, some of Bucket's stuff got shafted due to him being an absentee. This is the emotional tissue between Axl and the songs - every time he heard the old material, Slash was creeping up in his mind. One reason for re-recording some parts was airbrushing disturbing memories, apparently.

After, say, the 2002 tour, Axl more than likely took a holiday. That's when the shipped sailed. By June 2003, the label shuffle had folded MCA Records into restructured Geffen, and the new company was also given the price-bull of the old days - Guns.  This was Axl, coming off a disastrous comeback tour without an album ready.

In July, Axl held a meeting with someone in a Vegas club and previewed tracks (possibly IRS, Better, TWAT) to someone he wanted to work with. That may be so. A typical Guns idea of being inconspicuous, going to a club a few blocks off the street on vampire hours and blaring the sooper-sekret tracks on the PA. On the other hand, it could've been a Sinatra moment for Axl, minding the shady background of the place.

Any case, August. Geffen say they'll put a Best Of out. At the very same time, Mike Piazza got the IRS disc in the mail. It had three tracks (IRS, Better, TWAT). Three weeks later, Piazza happened upon Eddie Trunk's shows, disc in tow. It read 'Guns N' Roses. I.R.S.' so they what it was. Hell, they'd both been backstage at the Garden show the past December. They were hardly casual fans - they were more familiar with the '02 band than most fans.

It's interesting to note the music started gradually getting out to the open after Guns were brought back to Geffen. This wrangling went on - in October, Geffen settled on a DVD re-release of the early videos. November, Rock in Rio Lisbon was confirmed. You can see a pattern of Axl taking reactionary steps along the way, to convince his old label - with new faces - that he's seriously putting out an album and touring.

They were going through a lot of trouble, at least partially spurred by Geffen's insistence on a Best Of, so a proposed tour is planned (again) without an album. They need Bucket to come in. But Bucket was doing the Bill Murray - wonder if he, too, had a 1-800-number? In any case, Axl's lawyers are fuming at him over voicemail. Hardly a year has passed from the brief and bizarre tour. All the hostility must've been getting into Bucket.

By New Year, Geffen pulled the plug, and this 'one strike and you're out' policy was an entirely new situation for Axl.

This fallout with the label, along with other lawsuits and litigations, took a lot of time to suss out. However, the project was soon set up at Curt Cuomo's studio. Pitman began working as something of an A&R man. He brought in Patti Hood to record the harp on TIL. Caram was in charge at the studio. Pitman was also the one who contacted Ron and working on getting him into the studio. Only Pitman failed to say, 'Shut up about this - they're anxious mofos'.

A lot of the 2004-5 era was therefore about waiting and putting things back together again. More things were added on the songs, and they would've been mixed, up to a degree. But the studio was now costly, even on Sanctuary dime. And who was in a hurry, anyway, as long as the checks arrived on time?