You're right about the 2006 VMA thing. It was pretty awkward and the only mention of the album was backstage which I think only aired on MTV2.

I largely agree about 2002 being the end point, especially considering time would show it'd alienate Buckethead and that a good chunk of the material would lose it's character and relevance the further you get from industrial/numetal rule. That said, the 2006 Tour effectively wiped all the bad memories of 2002 away. Axl shows up looking and sounding like a rockstar, George Chin is conveniently placed in the pit to snap a picture, and there are 3 killer tracks that fans can download off of the internet to get jacked about the record. And Izzy!

In the words of Chuck Klosterman, "Axl Rose never needed a face full of Botox or Vernon Reid's hair or five years in the deserts of Sedona. He just needed to try". And Axl Rose was finally trying.

I remember reading reviews of the leaks from people who didn't like Gn'R giving it a thumbs up. This isn't the far reaching promotion and one person's account is relative but it showed he was, at a time, actually relevant again and to the internet generation, no less. But Axl just couldn't get out of his own way. There was a 2.5 year gap (two-and-a-half-fuckin'-years!!) between the most pop-friendly songs being consumed by the general public and the album actually being released.

The wheels came off when you have your goof toadie roadie waxing poetic about the rawk and roll lifestyle and filibustering about Bumblefoot and Frank lending their talents to songs written a decade prior. And everyone who reads Rolling Stone knew that the band was happy with the Andy Wallace mixes, so much so that the album was played in full at a Spectre-tier mystery party at Dr. Axl's hide-a-way mansion.

To contradict myself, the true last chance saloon was Axl promising up-and-down throughout 2006 that was that the year and then failing to deliver the goods. For another year and a half. Then the real joke began...

It seemed another example of Axl getting cold feet when it came time to deliver.

Another point in case:

Thanks.

The bike could've been a good cover but whomever took the picture (Terry Hardin, whoever that is) is clearly not a trained photographer. It looks like it's a cover for a record called The Golden Basket.

The Red Hand is the best cover and even recalls Appetite For Destruction's original cover however it doesn't fit the songs on the album.

Glad I could bring some smiles.

New subtitle for ya. Fixed some things that were bothering me. Click for notorious biggie size.