Warner Bros in North America, Vertigo Records in most European countries and Australia, Mercury Records in some European countries, and Universal in Japan. Both Mercury and Vertigo are subsidiaries to Universal.

In short, WB in North America, UMG for the rest of the world.

It takes approximately eight weeks for an album to hit the shelves once it has been turned in to the record company.

The rumored release date is still 10 weeks away.

Shackler's Revenge is out.

We never had anything like that in 2006, aside the dubious Harley ad.

I never read that.

Is it somewhere online?

The fact is, Axl's a big-time celebrity. He's a public figure who's bound to face scrutiny no matter what he does. Imagine, for instance, the type of emotional abuse those close to Michael Jackson have gone through in the past decade or so. Despite all the things he'd done as an artist, a performer and an entertainer, he was labeled as a pedophile and an out n' out weirdo by the press as well as the general public.

Of course, when there's smoke, there's fire, and Michael (as well as Axl) brought at least some the allegations down to himself. Not actually caring to know to what lengths (if any) he went into with, say, Macaulay Culkin, I maintain that poor Jacko gave the slanderers a fair share of ammunition to turn against him, either knowingly or not. Sadly, much of his problems that led to those allegations stem from his identity crisis and general insecurity, both of which stardom blew out of proportion.

It's very cruel and lonely up there on the top, and I can't blame Axl for stepping down from the treadmill to find a healthier place for himself. In fact, I'd find it disturbing that people wouldn't let him well enough alone, unless... Axl's Achilles' heel is the fact that eversince 1999, he's been adamantly promising an album to be released, thereby accrediting everyone interested to wait for one - and to ask what gives when the elusive album fails to show.

That leaves our man Axl open to scrutiny, whether he likes it or not.

As for Del James, it's hypocrisy at its finest to tout that GNR can do what they please and tell everybody who disagrees with him to piss off. His 'View From Side of the Stage' column - which was conveniently removed from GunsNRoses.com after the online fans had seen and copied it - was a real lowpoint in GNR's communication with the few people who've actually remained interested throughout the years.

Sure, they didn't ask us to stick around.

But Del attacked the whole lot of us in a very direct, immature and unnecessary way, which is why he no longer enjoys an ounce of respect here.

If Axl wants to set the record straight, he should do so without letting some of his dogs out. I'm sure everyone here will be very interested to hear out his account and give him a fair trial as far as their personal stance towards him is concerned.

Either that or stop blaming everybody else from not knowing 'the truth'.

I believe in Paul Cashmere.

He gets his news straight from the horse's mouth.