Guns N Roses tried to stop the release of their Greatest Hits record which Geffen records is planning to release. I can't believe that Axl, Duff and Slash were able to come together on anything, but I guess money is a big driver.
- GUNS'N'ROSES have failed in a legal bid to prevent the release of the band's 'GREATEST HITS' album.
- Axl Rose formed an unlikely alliance with former members Slash and Duff McKagan to try to prevent Geffen from releasing the album, claiming that the alteration of masters without permission constitutes a breach of contract.
- A statement released by Sanctuary Artist Management, the band claim they have "not been given the opportunity to approve the choice of songs, the artwork, the release date or the re-mastering done on the tracks included on this compilation."
- Rose was also: "concerned that not only will their audience be misled into believing that the planned compilation is an unauthorised release, but that it will hinder the release of the band's long-awaited new studio album 'Chinese Democracy'."
- Now, according to Reuters, a Los Angeles court has thrown out the bid. Peter LoFrumento, a spokesperson for Universal Music, who own Geffen, said: "Their lawsuit is meritless. Fortunately, since the court has denied their application for a temporary restraining order, the album will be released as scheduled on March 23."
- 'Chinese Democracy' is the long-delayed and troubled follow-up to the band's last release, 1993 covers album 'The Spaghetti Incident?'
Chinese Democracy might never come out. From what I have heard, a lot of people will be better off if that album never comes out. I heard the one track that Axl did from the album on the MTV Video Music Awards a couple years ago and it sucked.
Article comments
1 - Dan S.
Who the hell cares?
2 - Dan S.
Who the hell cares? Has-beens!
3 - frost
Dan... you are an idiot.
4 - Craig Lyndall
I guess if a band dies out, then the music is irrelevant thereafter. Too bad for Hendrix. I guess that makes him irrelevant too. Who cares? Has been. :-)
5 - frost
no joke. so what if GNR isn't the latest thing emo-core-crap band? Slash was always an amazing guitarist, and Axl has a range and talent that would kick the crap out of 95% of singers now days.
6 - Michael Croft
So, I'm sorta torn here. On the one hand, if you sell the rights to your work, you get money in exchange for the lack of control. On the other hand the industry is not known for the generous deals they provide to artists, who almost never get to negotiate from a position of strength. On the third hand, it's been a long time since 1993, when the band last produced a record. It's not like they've been making the label rich lately.
Hard to pick a favorite in this fight.
7 - Craig Lyndall
I have no doubt that Geffen has the right to release the album. As far as the GNR camp is concerned, I feel like they don't have the right to complain. They will make plenty of money on it and honestly, I am not concerned about the creative control involved in their careers going forward. They don't have careers going forward. Slash's Snakepit is done. Chinese Democracy is never coming out in all likelihood. The best non GNR project was Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds. Shuffle it All was a badass song.
8 - Eric Olsen
I have a sense they are all very frustrated with their inability to get things sorted out, let sleeping dogs die and get back together and get something out. With all these other bands reuniting for good or for ill, perhaps they feel they are missing the bandwagon.
And as far as loss of control: all we are talking about is the reissue of old material, which goes on everyday and stands to make them money so there really is no tort here and that's what the judge said.
9 - Craig Lyndall
I would love to see a real reunited Guns N Roses with Axl, Slash and Duff. I think I could deal with replacement members everywhere else, but you need those three for a true reunion.
Until that time, I won't be going to see Axl's Allstars under the name of GNR. Hopefully they put Chinese Democracy on the sidelines and Slash comes back and writes some new songs for Axl to sing. The chances are not good though.
10 - Roger
GnR needs to go back to the drawing board and go try out on American Idol. Simon would make Axl cry then Paula would whip his ass just like the dozens of other times it's been beat. Axl is a really long haired cunt. I just invented a new dart board. It's a cut out of Axl with darts shaped like Junkie needles. Obviously the goal is to hit as many veins as possible.