WTF?

That wasn't there!

I recently remembered this:

Jeff Leeds has spoken to Splat about some '˜new' tracks he encountered during his recent investigations for his GN'R article in the NY Times. The first track, '˜Atlas Shrugged' is described as being somewhere between 70's glam rock and '˜November Rain'. - GNRWire

As for the main themes in Atlas Shrugged:

The main conflicts of the book surround the decision of the "individuals of the mind" to go on strike, refusing to contribute their inventions, art, business leadership, scientific research, or new ideas of any kind to the rest of the world. Society, they believe, hampers them by interfering with their work and underpays them by confiscating the profits and dignity they have rightfully earned. - Wikipedia

Basically, the song could be interpreted to concern an artist who abandons his principal supporters as he has grown to abhor the fortune and fame he's attained. What he's now trying to do is pull through with some sort of explanation ('a message for you'), hoping to provide sound reasons for actions that've been considered irrational and willingly harmful by the ones near him.

So it could be the disillusioned rock star lashing out on his former peers on continuously prostituting themselves.

Don't forget Pearl Jam and DJ Shadow.

Shadow's Endtroducing is a pretty significant album in this saga, as it was the original 'how-to' manual Axl applied in making new songs. Maddy's a good example with the drum machine, hip hop beats and the MLK quotes et al. The main difference between Endtroducing and CD is that the latter is compiled from 99% pure GNR samples - the bits and pieces recorded by the band in their late-night jams since the late 90's. Get the GNR vibe going on and have them jam freely, then decide what kind of an album you'd be interested in doing. Log onto Pro Tools and start copy/pasting.

All Mixed Up

In July, VH1 documentary delivered the update Axl'd promised three months earlier.

"Axl's album, Chinese Democracy, is finally slated for release in November of 2004." (GNR: Behind the Music, VH1, 07/04/04)

While the band management were quick to debunk the rumor, the timing felt deceptively apt. At the time, several tracks were apparently entering mixing stage.

"Originally we had a fucking whole lot of songs we were working on. We kinda rolled around them and just kinda kept molding them as we went along. [...] When you're working on 35 or so pieces of music that you're trying to finish, [...] it's really hard to decide, because out of 35 things, we might all like parts and bits of 30 songs. So then you gotta further narrow that down, and you know. It just takes a while." (Tommy, HTGTH, 10/10/04)

"I have heard several versions of some of the cooler songs, and they all sound great. [...] Its an unenviable task for whoever is going to mix it. But they better put my shit in the mix!" (Dizzy, Rock Journal, 07/11/04)

"Stinson also says that he listened to the final mixes recently and 'added his two cents,' noting that the songs were mostly quite long and epic, but 'mind-blowing and fucking huge.'" (Braveworlds, 09/11/04)

"'My two cents was very much like a cent and a half,' he says. 'It's like, all the stuff I heard was phenomenal. I didn't get a chance to listen to all of it, because I was pressed for time. But also I wanted to hear the things I hadn't heard yet. Some of the stuff had been done a while ago and hadn't changed much; I didn't really bother with that.

But I wanted to hear all the new stuff and I heard about six things that I hadn't heard finished yet, that were really mind-blowing. A few of the songs are pretty epic in length, but that's always been GN'R's thing, hasn't it? I don't think it's a particularly long album, but I think the six I heard are pretty epic. I mean they are just... fucking huge, you know [laughs]. I think pretty much all of us in the band have some songwriting credits on just about everything." (Tommy, Chart Attack, 09/15/04)

Tommy even went to suggest some of the material dates back to the UYI lineup, referring likely to This I Love, originally recorded during the UYI world tour, and perhaps even the '96 lost album.

"The undertaking was pretty much a large collaboration between eight people, even a couple others who aren't around anymore, but maybe started with pieces of the old band or whatever. But yeah, there is probably a lot to go around with that one." (Tommy, Chart Attack, 09/15/04)

"There's a record coming - sooner rather than later - and six or seven of the songs are earth-shattering. We'll be touring the world the beginning of the new year." (Tommy, Boston Globe, 09/14/04)

"Chinese Democracy is very close to coming out. I've heard a few of the tracks and it sounds amazing. There are a few more things to do then it'll be ready. They were originally shooting for November, but it may be February now. It's gonna be great." (Dizzy, Richmond.com, 09/18/04)

Amusingly enough, this more or less corroborated the VH1 release date information from July.

"'I would imagine they would start mastering it some time in October, November, somewhere in there,' says Stinson vaguely." (Tommy, Chart Attack, 09/15/04)

A release in February, a year after the label had cut funding...

Woodland

The production was moved out of Village Recording Studios, and work soon resumed.

"Axl Rose has taken over production duties for the album, Stinson said, [...] [and] thinks the record is finally almost done, and the only thing that's holding back its completion is legal issues." (MTV, 06/10/04)

"Since at least early 2004 (when Universal’s Geffen Records made clear it wouldn’t underwrite additional production costs for Chinese Democracy) Sanctuary had functioned as Rose's bank as well, deferring or delaying some commissions for managing him and offering other financial support. According to sources familiar with the situation, Axl’s tab reached well into the seven-figure mark." (Idolator, 11/20/08)

"Mr. Rose is reportedly working on the album even now in a San Fernando Valley studio." (New York Times, 03/06/05)

The studio was eventually revealed to be Curt Cuomo's Woodland Ranch.

"While [Jazan Wild was] recording in Curt Cuomo's studio [in April 2004], other musicians working there included Axl Rose / Guns N' Roses and Desmond Child. [...] Before Jazan Wild could finish the album, he had to move on to another studio as Curt Cuomo became too busy with Axl Rose working in his studio." (Kiss News, 11/17/04)

"Even the recent departure of guitarist Buckethead isn't slowing anything down. 'As far as I know, he hasn't been replaced. [...] Buckethead will be on the record, too. I really have no idea why he decided to leave, but it didn't come out of left field because he's always come and gone. Even when I do see him, I don't know what he thinks.'" (Tommy, MTV, 06/10/04)

"Brain is putting percussion on the album as I write." (Merck, 08/05/04)

"I have this bag where I keep a nice DAT machine with a nice mike, or I have those toy samplers that you buy at Toys R Us. And I just sit there after whatever session I'm in, whether I'm even at the rehearsal space or at the studio, and I just hit my drums, make weird sounds, make weird loops, and then I take them home. I get home at about 2:00 in the morning and from 2:00 until 4:00 in the morning I sit at my laptop, cut up all my beats, make more beats, more sounds, and then bring them into the producer and say, 'Hey, check this out. Are you into this?' That's what I spend most of my free time doing." (Brain, 2001)

A new guitar player was looked for in the late summer, perhaps not yet for touring, but to lay down guitar tracks in Bucket's absence.

"GN'R's Pro Tools engineer 'French' Eric Caudieux has worked a lot with Satriani and Satch recommended Bumble to French Eric." (Del James, GunsNRoses.com, 10/31/06)

"It was actually [Joe] Satriani that recommended me to them (thanks Satch)." (Bumblefoot, 10/01/04)

"I was asked to join Guns N' Roses two months ago... Have yet to speak with Axl - spoke to their engineer about when to come out and lay geetar tracks on the album, spoke to their manager about lotsa stuff, their keyboardist Chris, but that's all that's been goin' on so far." (Bumblefoot, official site, 09/30/04)

"[They were] tellin' me there would be contracts to sign, wanting to have me come record with them in mid-Sept, all that stuff." (Bumblefoot, 10/01/04)

Ron's position would've therefore likely been similar to that of Dave Navarro and Brian May; recording some additional parts which could be used to replace Buckethead's work. Arguably, what cost Ron the gig was that Guns management objected him publicly acknowledging they'd been in talks.

"I told 'em no... After having some dealings with the management, I didn't like how they were doing things. It was something I didn't want in my life 'cause at that time my life was totally good. I didn't need it... I was doing so much and was so gratified doing it all, I knew if I joined Guns I would lose a lot of that and I wouldn't have the time... The way things were going with management at that time, I just didn't like the way they did things and the way they handled situations. And I told them, "No. I just don't want that in my life." I felt it would be toxic." (Bumblefoot, Ultimate Guitar, 07/02/14)