Fortus playing lead on CD songs instead of Slash, maybe? Just guessing.
While we're at it, you think Slash would like having Izzy there instead of Kushner?
As you said, Slash likes being the top-dog, and the irreverent Mr Stradlin can surely work him up, there.

I once read a Contraband-era interview with Kushner that stuck with me.
He was basically saying that off-stage, he was saving his money and erring on the side of caution, because it could all end in a day. To me, it came across as a surprisingly mature approach for someone in his position. He was happy to make a living.

It comes down to a myriad of things like availability, financials and clicking with the band.
The Constipators are different from VR, which was a lot more of a group effort.
Slash plays his own rhythm guitar on his solo albums and only needs a touring member.
I can imagine Kushner found his Sons of Anarchy work more rewarding in many ways.

Gilby was in Snakepit after he was ousted from Guns.
It's funny how he was basically invisible in the press circuit, btw.
He was obviously under orders to keep quiet, even if Slash shot his mouth about Axl and Paul Huge.

My thoughts exactly. We'll know by Coachella what'll happen.
Meantime, always felt an AFD reunion tour would be a pipedream.
The reason: Axl. At the end of the day, it's his call as to who plays in Guns.

It's a lose-lose situation for Axl, really. Feeling sorry for Adler is just too easy.

Axl could totally call it 'Guns N' Roses' and get away with it. As a title, CD2 would be a stigma, even if it would be fair considering the origin of the tracks.

Uh huh. This is by far the biggest singular shot we've had for a follow-up album since the Azoff era. Had Axl played ball with him, CD2 would've happened in 2009-10, despite the commercial reception of the first one. Azoff would've been shrewd enough to cut the deal, only it would've meant his terms and a reunion by RRHOF. That old man is out there somewhere, grinding his teeth over these recent developments. He missed out.

The Slash guesting scenario has been tossed around since 2001, according to Canter. So it's been within the realm of possibility for Axl since the New Guns were unveiled. Regardless of when it would've happened, some would've seen it as Axl caving in and calling Slash, others would've considered it as Slash caving in and lending credence to Axl's album. Plenty of people would've just been curious to hear the music, tho.

It would be an absolute gas if Ax would come up and say,

'To me, it's more like getting some of the alumni on stage to get it over with... the whole thing is more about promoting the next Guns album...'

You might say McQuarrie and other script doctors are the literary equivalents to people like Josh Freese; able to jump in to someone else's circus, figure out what's needed in a potentially high-stress situation and deliver working solutions on cue. These people get paid very well for doing uncredited work; the monetary compensation covers both the lack of public acknowledgment and the slim amount of personal artistic expression. So much for any auteur theories; this stuff is high-end commercial enterprise all the way.*

Also, feature film writing credits (on studio releases, anyway) are arbitrated by the Writer's Guild and they have a strict set of guidelines on who's entitled to what. I get that, because relatively few people can honestly screenwrite, yet many more do try, even on big-budget features. Sometimes, script doctors are even given producing credits to circumvent the WGA arbitration.

I was a bit perplexed about your comment on Disney taking Rogue 1 seriously until I checked the writing credits. Gary Whitta and Chris Weitz. Ugh. Either of those guys is still to impress me as an above-the-line scribe, so McQuarrie is definitely a good person to elevate the material. Good for them Mouse Corp development execs to snap back to their wits.

*You might be curious as to how unceremoniously Josh Trank was sacked from the SW spinoff movie following Rogue 1. Both the box office failure and the dirty laundry on his recent Fantastic 4 film contributed to people squirming in their conference room chairs to an insufferable degree. Trank's hiring was based on the rush that he's a cool new cat, whom they could boss around and get a balance of safe and edgy for their troubles. When things went south on F4, he was let go just as quick. You'd think properties of this size are governed with calm and maturity. Sometimes, this is so. Case Trank shows the spontaneity involved can go either way at the drop of a hat.

The box office of Force Awakens is what makes them serious, the six-foot mouse is a greedy bastard.

Eeep!