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#751 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stay of Execution » 577 weeks ago
Can't see Axl suddenly going solo at this stage. As we've said before GNR essentially is his solo project these days why bother splitting it further? Could be way off of course but I see GNR related material being a much more likely use for the copyright.
At this point, we can only speculate. On the solo album, the dealmaker could be that he'd get away with it without singing, and could release just about anything without the need for it to be decidedly Guns material.
Regarding CD Axl successfully stopped Offspring using the name didn't he? Suggesting he had some form of copyright on the name?
While recording in 2003, the band was at a loss for an album title. "When the record's coming together, you try to seriously think of a title for ten minutes and then everyone in the band jokes around for the next two hours with ideas like 'Offspring Bloody Offspring,'" Holland says. "One day, somebody suggested 'Chinese Democracy' and we couldn't stop laughing about it." At that point, the Guns N' Roses album had been in the works for nearly a decade.
The idea grew into a longer title, 'Chinese Democracy (You Snooze, You Lose),' when the band decided to put out a press release as a gag. "We got a lot more attention than we thought we would," Holland says. "I heard Axl [Rose] was looking into legal options but there aren't any, since you can't copyright an album title before it's released." Eventually the band dropped the ruse and titled the album 'Splinter.' -src
BTW, guess who played drums on the album that was (almost) called CD? That's right, Josh Freese. 
#752 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stay of Execution » 577 weeks ago
If we exclude the label, we're still left with an album or a band called SOE.
As far as Guns go, the Uni contract, I understand, was re-negotiated in 2007-8. I recall rumblings of a four-album deal, including CD. Add Appetite for Democracy, CD2 and the remix album and Guns could become free agents.
And SOE? Maybe it's Axl's solo album / group, done on his own dime and time.
A solo record would be completely different than [CD] and probably much more instrumental.
#753 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stay of Execution » 577 weeks ago
Album-related? Certainly possible. It would prolly be the easiest way SoE would fit into the grand scheme of things, given Guns have a contract with Uni and there's an album in the can.
As it's prolly mentioned elsewhere, the application was filed on June 6th last year, on the day of the penultimate Vegas show. Whatever it is, it was brewing already at the time. We'll know within the next two months whether Axl takes steps to finish the paperwork and claim the copyright, or whether his plans surrounding it have changed.
The claim reads as
Digital media, namely, pre-recorded DVDs, downloadable audio and video recordings, and CDs featuring and promoting music; Pre-recorded CDs, video tapes, laser disks and DVDs featuring music. There's definitely an idea of releasing stuff in connection to the name.
Entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical band; Providing a website for entertainment purposes featuring videos, photos, news and music about a musical group. Touring and website are also in the cards, and they both refer to a musical band. My question is, can it be said the band is either GNR or SOE?
Axl toured 11 years on CD to the date (NYE Show 2001 - NYE Show 2012), but did he ever copyright the CD phrase to be used in merch and whatnot? Just curious, as the precedence could take us further with SOE.
#754 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stay of Execution » 577 weeks ago
People intimate with the copyright law on other forums have mulled over the listing and come to the conclusion that a name of a band or a record label (or anything releasing audiovisual products) is more spot-on than an album title (as such cannot be registered for copyright).
CD was released by Uni, while Axl was repped was by his personal publishing company, Black Frog (all musicians performing on CD have their own cottage-industry publishing companies). If Stay of Execution is a label, would Axl be self-financing and controlling Guns through it with a distribution deal from Uni, or is it ran by Team Brazil for other artists, or Axl's solo career?
If Stay of Execution is a band name, is it Axl's way of circumventing the Guns deal and creating music outside the name and thus, the box? Time will tell.
#755 Re: Guns N' Roses » Ron stirs tempest in a teapot » 578 weeks ago
The funny thing is, Alternative Nation ran a story on Ron NOT talking about Guns a month before the interview. 
http://www.alternativenation.net/bumble … s-n-roses/
It's funny. Here's an interview published right around the time of the last Vegas show last year. He mentions the club tour of early 2012, following the first Vegas residency.
One very difficult show was I played Philadelphia in 2012 with Guns and I was on this nerve-blocker for my spine. I had been in a car accident and the medicine only worked for a month and I had a one month’s supply. Actually, I got a little extra but pretty much the medicine will ONLY work in your body a month and then after that it will stop working.
We had a three week tour, or four weeks, whatever it was, and then on four days’ notice, they didn’t tell us, they booked another three weeks of shows and I needed to take treatments, I needed to get things done, I needed to take care of my health, and they just ignored that and booked these shows.
The first show after that one month was up, I took the pills and they didn’t work and I could barely walk and I had to try and do a three hour show where even if you had just touched the top of my head, it was like someone taking a giant knife and just shoving it in your neck and twisting it.
And I had to play a show like that and I could barely move. I had to sit down for a couple of songs and I remember just walking like I was petrified. I could barely bend my knees and my spine, I just couldn’t move. There was just so much pain. I had to do a show like that and many shows after that.
#756 Re: Guns N' Roses » Big Brain Interview - 'Who's going to clean up the confetti?' » 578 weeks ago
Absolutely fascinating stuff. THIS is the kinda stuff that keeps forums and fanbases going, just to hear all the stuff we don't know.
But at the same time, like all things Guns N' Roses, Brain's interview just brings more questions. When it all goes down, that 2000 Intentions/early-Chinese period will be the more fascinating period in the history of GN'R than the original band.
^This.
The CD chapter is 100% in line with the legend of Guns, if you look at it so. Great potential, painstaking execution, coming off the rails gloriously.
Big points for Axl and the gang for the effort alone, it's monumental, dialing in on the 'Biggest Band in the World' level. 15 years is the karma of the ever-late rock star. Axl could've done different. He could've buckled down, gone, 'This is the album. Lock down and master it. Fuck Universal, we'll tour behind it, non-stop, until our demands are met. We'll get back, finish the next album, repeat.'
The middlemen screwed things up. Axl would've done well to have a listening party with the band on a weekly basis, to go through the stuff he liked and the stuff he wanted to work on. Plus, sing a song or two with the band while there, to keep all eyes on the endgame.
As Brain said, times have changed. Today, even the re-united Guns wouldn't get the carte blanché that CD commanded. The other album is Axl's ace in the hole. He can use it as his plan B for artistic redemption, if he cares to. Slash would be good to have there, on three songs, even, but seeds of songs are good enough, provided Axl stays open about the fact and gracious towards it.
Hell, he may just as well start churning out stuff as 'Stay of Execution' and tour with Guns as an SOE cover band.
THAT would be something!
#757 Re: Guns N' Roses » Stay of Execution » 578 weeks ago
Stay of Execution.
Good one, Axl. That's the story of your professional career.
Impress, please.
#758 Re: Guns N' Roses » Big Brain Interview - 'Who's going to clean up the confetti?' » 580 weeks ago
Bucket went to lengths with his playing and wore people out, much like Axl.
I guess the first year ('99-'00) was good. He got in through his BBF drummer, Josh, and brought in his other BBF drummer, Brain. If I'd have to say where it went south, it was when Robin came back. This is because Bucket apparently took an immediate dislike to Robin. Another quirky artiste, the original replacement. Axl's boy. The made men group were the Beavan boys, Robin, Tommy, and Dizzy. It was their songs.
Aside Brain, I think Bucket really clicked with Dan Monti, the Village Studios' engineer at the time - and maybe Pitman. The guy would always walk in wearing a mask of some kind and stay silent. All communication went through a puppet. After Rio, Bucket was fed up with RTB, sick of redoing his stuff. He quit, Zutaut brought him back, built him a chicken coop in the studio. Then, Bucket wanted to watch porn while he played. Axl saw it and gave Bucket a talking to. Bucket quit. Axl took Bucket to Disneyland again. Bucket came back. His new contract was 3 days / week in the studio. Axl's dog pooped into the chicken coop. Bucket wanted it to keep it there. RTB & co were inhaling dog turd odors for a week or so. The way Brain tells it, it was Bucket's way to dealing was a stressful situation, by asserting a degree of control over it with his antics and absences.
Looking back, I'm a bit amazed he lasted four years.
#759 Re: Guns N' Roses » Doug Goldstein Letter to Axl » 581 weeks ago
On the VMA's in 92, could the "This has nothing to do with Michael Jackson" comment from Axl's be a jab at Slash then?
Always thought it was just a jab at the award name, but coming from Axl we'll never know...
As there's been talks about when things happened, here's something from a handy Slash timeline.
1991
September 17: Guns N' Roses release Use Your Illusion 1 & 2
November 11: Michael Jackson's Black Or White single release
November 26: Slash appears on Michael Jackson's album Dangerous
November 27: Slash on stage with Michael Jackson for MTV 10th anniversary
1992
September 9: Elton John on stage with Guns N' Roses at MTV Music Awards
September 21: Slash on stage with Michael Jackson in Oviedo
December 31: Slash on stage with Michael Jackson in Tokyo
1995
June 16: Slash appears on Michael Jackson's album History
September 7: Slash on stage with Michael Jackson at MTV Video Music Awards
Slash and MJ certainly seemed to get along, as Slash guested on his albums post-Guns and performed with him up until 2001. I think the greatest concern from Axl's part was, will MJ steals his guitar player? Slash was circling in the big leagues with the Guns clout. His Snakepit album and tour were protested by Axl in and out. Later band members would be put on contract, which, Josh Freese said, was most about Guns being a 'priority band', while sideprojects were encouraged.
There was a fear, which I think comes across in Axl's comments, that the band was drifting apart after having achieved a certain level of accomplishment and Axl feared being marooned, whilst he had his own plans about where he'd like to take Guns. Hence, claiming the name of the biggest band of the world at the time, through a succession of legal moves, from friends fallen into substance abuse, had a certain rationale behind it. However ethical it was, that's another story.
Ax would've, thus, felt losing the Guns name through disbanding would've meant the end of his career. Slash could go out to play with Michael Jackson, or whomever. But there was less of a demand for another MJ. I kind of think Ax as a crossbreed between a frontman and a solo artist. He definitely likes the idea of having trustees who hammer out songs for him. Having said that, he also talks about the music as something he steers, meaning he has something of an idea as to how it should sound like.
Must be a bit tricky to helm a rock band when the only instrument you're well-versed with is the piano 
#760 Re: Guns N' Roses » The enigmatic Beavan album ('98-00) » 581 weeks ago
The most curious bits about someone at MSL's board meeting a Geffen employee date to this era.
-He said to the best of his memory, the band playing at the beginning of what would become Chinese Democracy sessions was Axl, Paul Tobias, Robin, Duff, Dizzy, and Matt. He estimated this was right around New Years of 1996. Duff was pretty much MIA until he officially left the band.
-Around 1998, Axl made a friendly competition among the band to see who could come up with the best riffs and songs ideas. He said there are at least "40 cds" of the band playing.
-Asking Axl about vocals was a "sure-fire" way to get kicked off the project. He said that the first time he heard some vocals from the album, however (around 1999) was one of the best and most memorable days of his career.
-When he left the project in 2000, he said there was a second album that was, at the band's own estimation, about 65% done.
Doug Goldstein figured CD was 95% done musically and 80% done vocally. The band was doing squat at the time. Axl was doing vocals.
The second album, two thirds down. 16-18 songs on CD. Sean Beavan said to have worked on about 35 songs at that point. Another 17-19 songs for CD2 , somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 of them done, at least, intstrumentally.
A total of 26 to 30 songs, perhaps.
