Indeed. It was a pretty nutless interview.

All interviewees walk on eggshells though, I'm surprised they're doing interviews at all.

If we Occam's Razor it: Paul Tobias was on his way out and needed a replacement, Axl is crazy, and Slash was not sober.

Izzy or Slash? Axl wins. 

Slash was doing guest spots and there was potential he'd rejoin and Axl would get what he wanted all along. Instead, Slash and Duff sue him in 2002 and again in 2004, they start Velvet Revolver, and then Slash does that mysterious house visit to Malibu. He went from a free agent to a guy playing for the enemy and everyone on the opposing team was talking mad shit.

I don't remember much that was extreme on Axl's end until the Slash is cancer line. It was pretty tame. So the history plus Slash's book brought out the devil in Axl in 2009. We also don't know how much litigation Slash and Duff brought against him 2007-2008 and if/how it caused delays/etc with Chinese Democracy.

I got my Youth chronology wrong, I was thinking 1997 but he was around in 1998.

Still, I don't think we give the skeleton crew of Howerdel, Finck, Dizzy, et. al. from 1997 enough play.

Youth stated that there were 35 songs in his day and that he pushed Axl for vocals. He said nearly all his work didn't make the final album.

The song number was in the 30s before Beavan and up to 60+ by the time Roy Thomas Baker took the chair.

The rawest leak we have is the "Madagascar" from last year. The rest could've been sweetened and pushed out the door.

Keep in mind a logo was commissioned for New GNR in 1999 which would suggest how close to critical mass we were.

It's a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside of an enigma.

I dunno. Mental health issues or not, he pretty much tanked during the 2002 tour and his rep was at an all-time low.

The media was brutal then. BRU-TAL.

The strange things are two-fold:
1. He came out guns blazing at Rio
2. He basically lead with his biggest cards in 2006

Desperation, perhaps, but kinda had to considering Better, TWAT, IRS had all leaked.

The interesting time period to me is 2001-2002.

Axl's personal change, the album being near done to not being done, Axl being more hostile towards Slash, the list goes on.

Yes. Correct answer.

Also weird:
- Shacklers and Sorry being on ice for 8 years
- Jackie having vocals, being worked on post-Freese
- Song on 3rd record being worked on in May 2006
- CD tracklist being relatively fixed since 1997
- What material being on what album jumped around

Youth highlights:
- Youth background, professional life, where he got the nickname from
- Not much that wasn’t said before on Whispers; Axl depression, Axl spiritualism as attempt to heal, Youth getting Axl to sing again, Prostitute as standout track. Very little new.
- Axl wouldn’t let others hear vocals until entering the booth

Beavan mentioned being excited about RTB taking it in a different direction. You’d guesstimate it was grittier vs polished and high end.

I love everything Chinese Democracy. I'd buy the remix album but I'm not necessarily excited about it.

The label owns rights to everything recorded 95-03, GNR had a 3 album contract at the time, Appetite For Democracy fulfilled one of those, and the last I knew it was negotiated on was around 2006.

For digital releases, sales, and profits, it depends entirely on the legal language, sometimes there are certain clauses to rope artists in longterm, sometimes not. It all depends on the contract.

If I had to wager a guess, there's been a longstanding gridlock and animosity between Axl and the label and it likely played a factor in no music being released 2010-2012. "It's a bit more complicated than anyone would like... and no ones trying to talk in parables".

I'm with Axl in terms of artist treatment, profits, and the like. Streaming is just as corrosive to art as illegal downloading.