The Snakepit - Set Up

With the internal drama in Guns now boiling, Slash was quick to set up his Snakepit album for release, ironically, on Valentine's Day '95. Zutaut must've known the risks involved: for a while, Axl had threatened to sue Slash if those 3-4 demos would be released. The cease & desist order had since been pulled, but Axl had already provided his side of the drama by commissioning third-party overdubs to the '...Devil' recordings.

"I played Snakepit to Zutaut, [Geffen Records] agreed to put it out, and that was all I cared to hear... Looking back, I realize that while they thought I was putting the future of Guns in jeopardy by pursuing Snakepit, they decided it was more important to humor me. So Geffen released and supported It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. "

"We finished it about three months before it was released... We had nothing to do and the record company was like:
"This is a cool record. Why don't you go out and promote it?"
I was like: "What do you mean?"
They said: "You could go to like, England, Japan and Australia."
I was like: "Really? Get the fuck out of the house. Ok, let's go!"...
Eric and I went out and did a promo tour [in early '95]." (Slash, Canadian Radio, 04/20/95)

"They publicized it, and they gave us financial tour support... We booked ourselves a tour across the United States, Europe, Japan an Australia... Everything was in place and we were ready to take Snakepit on tour, had it not been for the fact that Matt and Mike Inez weren't able to go." (Slash, Autobiography)

On December 10th, 1994, Pride & Glory played the last show of their tour in Los Angeles (with LoMenzo having already left the band in November and replaced by John DeServio). Slash joined them onstage to perform the Hendrix songs Voodoo Child and Red House.

"I enlisted [drummer] Brian Tichy and [bassist] James LoMenzo, who are in Zakk Wylde's band [Pride & Glory]..." (Slash, Autobiography)

"It's really weird. It had nothing to do with Zakk. Zakk didn't even know about it... Someone else suggested Brian. So we called him up to see if he was interested. I jammed with him. Brian turned me on to James 'cause he was used to playing with him. We got the set down in a week and then we took off."  (Slash, Metal Edge, 10/95)

"...and rounded out the lineup with Gilby Clarke." (Slash, Autobiography)

"The Gilby thing did piss Axl off. But Gilby was pissed off too... I wasn't mad at Gilby. I can do what the f**k I want. And if he wanted to work with me after all this shit..." (Slash, Kerrang, 01/95)

"Halloween was the last time I saw [Axl], but we talk." (Slash, Metal Edge Magazine, 04/95)

"Let's put [Matt's absence] to politics, put it that way... It was financial reasons as well." (Slash, Metal Edge, 10/95)

"Axl asked me not to go on tour with Slash... And I have to be honest, the Snakepit album won't change the music world!" (Matt, 1996)

"If I'd taken Matt with me, that would have just been starting a fight, basically. Which I don't wanna do... This whole tour thing and how long it's gonna go is sort of a thorn in Guns N' Roses's side, you know." (Slash, Canadian Radio, 04/20/95)

"In late 1994, Axl called and we talked about plans for the band, trying to figure out what to do. The conversation went on for more than an hour. We started to talk about GN’R’s accomplishments - something that none of us had ever acknowledged or discussed together prior to this...

It took getting sober and contemplative about the whole situation, but now it struck me as sad that we hadn’t stood face-to-face and congratulated one another - alone, without management or minions around. At this point, it would have been just Axl, Slash, and me, but there would still have been value in doing it...

Axl was definitely behind the idea, but I never set up any kind of meeting.
Somehow it was already too late."
(Duff, autobiography)

'Even friends seem out to harm you'

In November, the cat and mouse game finally ended, as Doug Goldstein canceled the rescheduled European tour.

"Following the euphoria of Rock in Rio, I jumped the gun and arranged a European tour as our plan was to have the new album out this year. Unfortunately, Buckethead's illness not only stopped the tour but it also slowed down progress on 'Chinese Democracy'. As a result, touring right now is logistically impossible. [...] I made a plan and unfortunately it did not work out." (Doug Goldstein, press release, 11/08/01)

The producers of Black Hawk Down had also by then approached the GNR camp for the inclusion of WTTJ to the films soundtrack. Unfortunately, Axl's reaction wasn't as rosy as it was back in '94, when Zutaut arranged GNR to contribute to the Interview with a Vampire soundtrack.

"Direct Ridley Scott had requested permission to use “Welcome to the Jungle” in his movie Black Hawk Down, and negotiations had begun to see if he would accept a remade version featuring the new Guns N’ Roses lineup." (Classic Rock, 04/08)

"I found out that it's incredibly difficult to license Guns N' Roses songs. We tried for the rights to the original masters, and then a re-recorded version." (Kathy Nelson, Black Hawk Down music supervisor, Allstar, 01/08/02)

"[Beta Lebeis] recalls that [Axl] told Zutaut, ‘Listen, we’re making the album. Now we have to stop and do this?'

But Zutaut claims that the band had already rerecorded the song. 'Part of Axl's induction process for his new band [in 1998] was that they re-record every song off of Appetite,' [Zutaut] says. 'So we just had to spend a day mixing it.'"  (Classic Rock, 04/08)

Also, SCOM had been featured as an original/re-recorded mash-up on Big Daddy in '99.

"It's difficult to explain why Zutaut was sacked, but it centres around the fact that Axl had requested a private screening of the movie (a standard request). When he turned up to find strangers there, he felt that Zutaut had midled him over the nature of the screening... Zutaut, meanwhile, claims to have been set-up by someone looking to discredit him - an accusation denied by the Axl Rose camp." (Classic Rock, 04/08)

"Around Christmas, [Axl] ousted... Mr. Zutaut (who said there had been a miscommunication)." (New York Times, 03/06/05)

"He said, 'Who the fuck are all those people in there?'" says Tom.  'I was told that this was my private screening and I don't know who these fucking people are! I can't believe you lied to me about this - you told me it was a private screening!  You're fired!'" (Classic Rock, 04/08)

"We tried for the rights to the original masters, and then a re-recorded version. We came close, but it just wasn't going to happen." (Kathy Nelson, Black Hawk Down music supervisor, Allstar, 01/08/02)

"It would be weeks before the singer would even allow an Interscope executive to visit him in the studio, according to people involved with the production." (New York Times, 03/06/05)

"In the faint red light of the Rainbow Bar and Grill, Tom Zutaut sips at his drink and spills a bit of regret. [...] 'I really thought I could get [Axl] to deliver the record,' said Mr. Zutaut, who spent nine months trying. 'And we got close.'" (New York Times, 03/06/05)

"By the time I left, I felt there were probably 11 or 12 tracks that just needed final mixes... I would've given it another 3 months for a few more overdubs and 3 for mixing... We could have had a record out for September 2002... and, worst case scenario, out Spring of '03." (Tom Zutaut, Classic Rock, 04/08)

The Dog-Shit Boys

"MTV Brazil is reporting that Guns N' Roses' guitarist Buckethead has left the band." (CDNow, 07/26/01)

"After news leaked that Buckethead had indeed left the Guns N' Roses building, a little birdie told us that he's now back at the negotiating table with Axl Rose." (CDNow, 08/02/01)

"[Axl] accompanied Buckethead on a jaunt to Disneyland when the guitarist was drifting toward quitting, several people involved recalled." (New York Times, 03/06/05)

"Buckethead is still in the band, he tried to quit but Axl talked him into coming back. On the condition that he only has to play/record with the band 3 days a week. They are in the still in the studio recording two full albums, so when they finally release the first one, they can tour for a year and then release another one without going back into the studio." (HTGTH, 10/23/01)

Even when Bucket agreed to come back and try working things out with Baker and the studio crew, there was undoubtedly a good deal of tension about. Events upon his return to the fold certainly give a different meaning to 'a breath of fresh air'.

"'Axl,' says Zutaut, 'had a couple of wolf dogs.'" (Classic Rock, 04/08)

"[On 06/28/01,] Thursday morning, Axl was calling up at 8.30, [re]counting details of the birth of [a] couple of [wolf dog puppies]... 'He said that they are two, but I think more were born and he is hiding, with fear that I don't want to be with them in the house.'" (Beta interview, Brazilian Journal, 07/01/01)

"When Zutaut's daughter came to the studio, Axl offered to give her a puppy as she'd recently lost her dog." (Classic Rock, 04/08)

As wolf dogs are most keen to make contact with strangers between six and eight weeks of age, Axl likely introduced the Zutauts to his pup in late August.

"[Axl] brings in a puppy... 'It goes into the chicken coop and takes a dump... No one was allowed to go in there apart from the assistant engineers to adjust mics - you could not destroy the spirit and karmic vibe of the coop, his personal retreat.  But - it's chicken wire.  You could stand outside and talk, looking through, but nobody was allowed in there with his hacked up dolls and rubber chickens and heads...

So Bucket shows up later to work on his parts and he is mic-ed up, so he can record and we hear through the speaker, 'Oh, I love the smell of dog poop... leave it right there, don't let anybody touch it.'

Three days later, the studio stinks to high heaven of dog poop, and finally the studio could not bear it and had it cleaned up.'" (Classic Rock, 04/08)

And if Bucket was only in the studio three days a week, he must've gotten an insane giggle out of Baker & co inhaling the dog-poop odors all week long.

"'When Bucket came in the next day, he was like 'Where is my dog poop, man?' [...] [He] was generally bummed out [...], [it] had inspired him for a few days to do some great work...' Zutaut never did get the puppy - it had three months of weaning to go and he was off the project before then." (Classic Rock, 04/08)

Wonder if the Finnish band knew about the incident when naming their album in 2005?

Extracurricular activities

While CD was supposed to have been already released, and Buckethead was clashing with the studio crew and the GNR camp was arguing over touring with Doug Goldstein, Axl attended the NBA finals between the LA Lakers (featuring one-time GNR guest vocalist Shaq O'Neal) and Philadelphia 76ers.

On 06/13/01, he was spotted in Philadelphia during the fourth game.

"Rose was dining at [Buddakan,] the upscale Asian eatery [in Philadelphia] with two companions... When [owner Stephen] Starr approached to say hello, the hard rock hero recognized him... 'I promoted their show at the Trocadero about 10 years ago, and then another one at the Spectrum.'" (On the House, 06/30/01)

Moving away from promoting GNR in Philly would turn out well for him.

In the following game, Axl was interviewed by NBC at the Wachovia Center. Another strange coincidence in the world of GNR was the interviewers remark.

NBC: 'Now Axl, you've sat out there, you experienced the Philadelphia fans... People say it's a tough crowd, it's a rough crowd - what did you think?'
Axl: 'Mellow'.

A year and a half later, he might've reflected on that assessment.

In April/May, Robin and Buckethead contributed to the soundtrack of the John Carpenter film, Ghosts of Mars. Most of the albums basic tracks were cut by Anthrax in mid-March, with additional contributions by Steve Vai. Robin played on four (out of six) Anthrax tracks [Love Siege, Fight Train, Power Station and Ghost Poppin']. Buckethead was featured on Love Siege as well, along with the fifth Anthrax track, Kick Ass. He also played a solo number, Fightin' Mad.

Suddenly, Finck was keeping himself busy with soundtrack work.

"Clint Mansell recently completed a score featuring Danny Lohner and Robin Finck for the film 'Rain,' which is scheduled for release towards the end of 2001. There's no word on the soundtrack release at the moment, but more information will be provided by the official site [www.clintmansell.com] in the not to distant future." (Seems Like Salvation, 08/09/01)

While the soundtrack has never been released separately from the film, Mansell's website provides some samples.

Up in the Bucket

"By the time Zutaut joined the Chinese Democracy project, Buckethead had left, frustrated by what he saw as the band's inactivity. Axl wanted him back. So Zutaut arranges a meeting with Brian/Bucket at a deli in LA and listens as the guitarist explains why he left."

"'There was a bit of creative tension with Roy Thomas Baker,' says Zutaut... It could well have been, what with Roy being an eccentric, flamboyant, British rock god producer and Buckethead being, well, a chicken...

[Bucket's] frustrated at the whole situation - at coming in to the studio everyday when Axl's not even there, playing the same parts over and over. Axl's his hero, he tells him, but he just spent a year going nowhere.  He doesn't think the record will ever come out and he just has to move on with his life."

Zutaut: 'You've just told me how you don't feel right in the studio. What if we build a chicken coop in the studio for you to record your guitar-parts?'
Buckethead:'If I could have my own chicken coop in the studio, my own world to live in, I could play a lot better.'

Two days later... 'We built the coop and then he brought in all his props and toys and put straw on the floor! You could almost smells the chickens.'" (Classic Rock, 04/08)

"What I've noticed about playing in the studio for the last three months doing it, whatever you give, it comes out on tape," [Brain] says... When I give more and I feel like I'm into it and I have a vibe you can hear that, too. So I bring the vibe. I bring all my inspirations. Like I bring pictures of Bruce Lee, and hang them up all around the drums. For me it's everything. It just adds that extra energy... And then I would play better." (Brain, 2001)

"As the weeks went by, the [chicken coop] joke started to wear thin... 'So Bucket comes and says he needs a TV so he can sit in his chicken coop and watch porn,' says Tom. 'And that seemed to really inspire him to record some great stuff.'" (Classic Rock, 04/08)

"Buckethead was an absolutely emotionless person. The only thing that allowed him feel emotion was having things cut up and bleeding around him, so he'd cut the heads off rubber chickens and hang them around the studio."  (Tom Zutaut, Billboard, 12/22/18)

Axl originally connected with Bucket by giving him a Leatherface doll for Christmas. Bucket felt Axl understood him and his idiosyncracies.

"One evening Axl turns up for the session. '[He] sees that Bucket is running this porn - and it is pretty hardcore stuff... and Axl is really disturbed by it.' [So Axl] takes Bucket outside for a talk... that it wasn't right to be inspired by shit like that.

"'He said, 'I really can't have the vibe of a dirty, depraved porn being a part of my record - it is really not what this record is about, you know?'"

"Then Axl left and Bucket was pretty despondent. He disappeared for a few days, because he was pretty torn up about it." (Tom Zutaut, Classic Rock, 04/08)

Given Axl overdubbed Rocket Queen and would preview tracks at a strip club within two years, Bucket would've surely felt confused by the incident, even if the record was to be Axl's answer to warmongers and other profiteers.

Unhappy, Bucket would develop a medical condition on the eve of the summer tour.

"Guitarist Buckethead has suffered hemorrhaging and has missed [Guns] rehearsals, according to Helter Skelter, the band's European management agency... Doctors have been unable to determine the hemorrhaging's cause, though the guitarist is going through extensive testing in California." (Sonicnet, 05/10/01)

"Buckethead has been diagnosed as having a gastric ailment by one doctor and tuberculosis by another." (Merck Mercuaridis, Billboard, 05/31/01)