The Chinese Democracy Years – 2003: The First Evidence Is Heard

In mid-March Richard Fortus claimed the band would gear up again in May and that Axl was finishing up on vocals and overdubs. Soundtrack rumours abounded with tracks from the album allegedly slated for Terminator 3. Fortus them suggested the album would be out in the autumn when the band would begin touring again.

Axl, for his part, appeared to be content with the album as well. Incredibly, the GN’R frontman wandered into a nearly-empty Las Vegas strip club and treated everyone to a preview of the long-delayed album over the club’s PA system.

That summer, MCA folded and its roster moved to Geffen. Label execs announced they would release a GN’R greatest hits. Axl found out by letter from Universal – Geffen’s parent company.

Things got even more bizarre. In late summer, New York Mets catcher, Mike Piazza, found a CD
titled ‘Guns N’ Roses, I.R.S.’ amongst his fan mail. He appeared on a radio show with DJ Eddie Trunk who played some of the tracks. The switchboard was jammed with calls – one of which was from GN’R’s management who asked for the disc to be returned.

Tommy Stinson suggested the album would surface before the end of the year during the tour. Axl’s intention was to finish the album and rehearse for the tour mid-September. However, during the tour, the album was again pushed back until early 2004.

This would support the allusions that the album work was gradually started all over again mid-year. It would mark the third great overhaul in the project, following Slash’s resignation in October 1996, and Bob Ezrin’s dismissal of the mostly Sean Beavan produced album in the fall of 2000.

A few days later, Amazon listed a new GN’R album in their catalogue, with the release set for November 25. The album was soon revealed to be the Greatest Hits release. The listing disappeared on October 22, mere days after the title was revealed.

“The band’s representatives managed to hold [the plans for a greatest hits] off with yet another promise to deliver Chinese Democracy by the end of the year,” The New York Times later reported.

In November, GN’R were confirmed for Rock In Rio-Lisboa in the following June, and there were rumours of a European tour for summer 2004 with a headline spot at Germany’s Rock-am-ring.

2003 passed without any release of Chinese Democracy. By the end of the year, Buckethead was out. Again.

Click here for The Chinese Democracy Years – 2004: Geffen Pull The Plug