W. Axl Rose Speaks

[Guest tres-b]

Axl Rose Breaks His Silence...taken from Rolling Stone

Gn'R mastermind talks "Democracy" at L.A. party "People will hear music this year," says Axl Rose, puffing on a cigar in the early hours of Saturday morning at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

The notoriously reclusive rocker is of course referring to Guns n' Roses' decade-in-the-making Chinese Democracy, arguably the most anticipated album in rock & roll history. "It's a very complex record," says Rose, a surprise guest at Korn's tour announcement bash. (Others in the house: Jessica Alba, cast members of The OC, and members of Linkin Park, Good Charlotte and the Used.) "I'm trying to do something different. Some of the arrangements are kind of like Queen. Some people are going to say, 'It doesn't sound like Axl Rose, it doesn't sound like Guns n' Roses.'" He then smiles and adds, "But you'll like at least a few songs on there."

Dressed in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, cross hanging around his neck, cornrows still intact and sporting a blonde goatee, Rose strolled into the party around 1 a.m., just as the DJ was coincidentally rocking some vintage Gn'R. Approached by a steady stream of women and hard-rock disciples -- including Puddle of Mudd's Wes Scantlin and Papa Roach's Dave Buckner -- Rose is cordial and chatty as he poses for photo after photo. He seems more like an average guy out for a night with friends than the most mythical rock star on the planet in 2006.

And he maintains that that's exactly what he is. "The only time people ever write about me is when I go out to a strip club, because I don't chase the paparazzi down," he says. And, when he's out of the spotlight, Rose says you'll find him doing average-guy stuff: reading books and watching movies. His favorite book is Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly. "I was a little scared when I saw they were making it into a movie starring Keanu [Reeves]," he says. "But I guess if he can handle The Matrix, he can do this."

While Rose and his revolving cast of Gn'R bandmates have been working on Chinese Democracy, Papa Roach have achieved platinum status in their own right. But tonight, their drummer reverts to his teenage fan days, asking Rose for a picture and to guest on Papa Roach's next album. Rose strikes a pose and then graciously refers the fellow rocker to his management.

After all, before he lends his talents to others' projects, Rose has one of his own to finish, and he says it's getting there. "We're working on thirty-two songs, and twenty-six are nearly done," he says. Of those, thirteen are slated for the final album. Among Rose's favorites are "Better," "There Was a Time" and "The Blues."

As for a reunion with his former Gn'R mates, that seems unlikely. "I haven't spoken to Slash in ten years," Rose says. "I love the guy, I always wanted everyone to know how great he was, but.... I was just talking to Izzy the other day though."

However, he hints that you could see the current incarnation of Gn'R back out on the road soon. "Every time there's a big festival announced, we get rumored to be on there," he says. "But we'll see what happens."

One thing's for sure: Everyone will be watching

[Guest trancelator]

Here we go again. Hope it's for real this time. Thanks for posting this.

[ryan2772]

what's funny about this is that whatever he does next doesn't even have to be that good. it just has to not suck. that's all this guy needs. cause whenever he gets a chance, he just fucks it up. mediocre, and this guy can be in the limelight again.

[Guest tres-b]

STEREO nightclub owners Barry Mullineaux and Mike Satsky were closing up their Chelsea hotspot at 5:30 a.m. the other morning when they encountered elusive Guns 'N' Roses frontman Axl Rose at the front door.

The braided rocker was with bandmates and a bevy of beauties wanting to keep his 44th birthday bash going. Rose was so eager to get inside the club that he offered the owners a little bribe - an exclusive listening party for his yet-to-be released album, "Chinese Democracy."

Axl dispatched his driver to retrieve the unreleased CD and the owners proceeded to play host, bartender and DJ to the posse till 8 a.m.

[Guest durrtylexx]

^ nice

[Guest Cosmigonon]

It's been so long I don't even care anymore, and I'm sure the album will suck. He takes himself waaaay too seriously, I guess he tried to sound current and while making it, 10 years have gone by and rock scene has totally changed.

I used to be a huge fan, even flew out of my country to see them live (only time I've done such a thing), but now I don;t expect anything good about him, he lost his momentum...

[Guest LeVeL]

The is remendously talented, I beleive he doesn't even need a band he can do a solo and people will still attend.

But the guy has certaintly dragged the process of rebuilding the G&R Name.

Sooner or later there will be a reunion of such and the old bandmates will do a reunion tour which all their fans will welcome with open hands. Everyone would certainly like to see that happen and I can imagine if Axl wants his last hurrah it will certainly happen if that goes down.