Rockblog

Geffen records are blaming Axl Rose for the disappointing first week sales of the new Guns ‘N’ Roses album Chinese Democracy.

According to The Sun newspaper in the UK, a Geffen insider said: “Everyone knows Axl is a bit of a maverick genius and won’t do anything he doesn’t want to do.

“The label is really glad to have him back. But it is frustrating because the album would have had a much better chance of going to No1 if he had only been prepared to show his face.

“People have been trying to contact him for two months and he’s been completely AWOL.

“You would have thought after spending 15 years on an album you might do a few weeks promotion.”

Chinese Democracy missed the top spot in the album charts in both the USA and the UK. Having your album come in at No2 would not usually be cause for alarm, but after spending 15 years and an estimated 50 gazillion dollars making Chinese Democracy, Geffen is understandably worried about sales numbers.

Taking a look at recent No1 albums from Metallica and AC/DC, the Rockblog notices that both those bands announced US tour dates approximately a month before their new albums were released. AC/DC then announced European tour dates the week before Black Ice went on sale and Metallica about a month after Death Magnetic hit the streets, though they did play release parties in London and Berlin. So far, there has been no news of a Guns ‘N’ Roses tour to promote Chinese Democracy.

It also doesn’t help that Chinese Democracy is not a very good rock album. Over 8 million people listened to the album feed on the band’s Myspace page. How many of them felt the same way as the Rockblog? Chinese Democracy is not what they were hoping for from a Guns ‘N’ Roses album.

The Sun article says Axl Rose is rumoured to be trying to get the old band back together. They report Izzy Stradlin is keen to see the original lineup back together. Steven Adler has also announced his interest in getting back together with his former Guns ‘N’ Roses bandmates. Velvet Revolver is currently without a singer and were reportedly asked to be released from their record contract, so Slash and Duff McKagan look like they could be available.

Let’s hope Axl has been neglecting his promoting duties to get Guns ‘N’ Roses back together to do some serious rocking. Whatever Axl does, he better do it quick. The world will not wait another 15 years for a Guns ‘N’ Roses album and the Rockblog can’t imagine any record companies spending the GDP of a medium sized country to get it recorded.

The Rockblog would like to wish all its readers a Happy Thanksgiving and take this chance to list some of the things the Rockblog has been thnkful for over the past twelve months.

The first thing to be thankful for is the Norton Records release of the Dictators collection Every Day is Saturday. I’m not usually into collections of rarities and alternate versions, but Dictators releases are too rare as it is. It helps that the alternate version of “Sleeping With the TV On” from the Manifest Destiny album pisses all over the original release and most of the Bloodbrothers album that is included sounds great as well. Throw in some very early Dictators songs including the best song ever written about an episode of the original 1950’s Superman TV series, “Fireman’s Friend”, and you’re on to a winner.

Sticking with the Dictators, the Rockblog is not only thankful, but eternally grateful, for the Spanish tour the band did in October and easyjet for providing cheap flights to Spain. The Barcelona show was easily one of the best I’ve ever been to and it was a pleasure meeting Ross the Boss, Handsome Dick Manitoba, and Andy Shernoff after the show.

The Rockblog is also thankful for getting to see Neil Young again at the Hammersmith Apollo and Ace Frehley at the Astoria. Hell, I enjoyed seeing Ace more as a solo artist then I did when I saw him with KISS in 1996.

I’m thankful I got the chance to catch up with old friends in the Grateful Dead tribute band the Cosmic Charlies. It’s a shame the UK market for a Dead tribute band is so small because these guys are good. Hopefully it won’t be so long between shows the next time I see them.

I’m thankful AC/DC added a second date at the O2 in London. I was still trying to buy tickets for the sold out first gig when Ticketmaster notified me tickets were on sale for another date at the arena.

And speaking of the O2, I’m thankful to Metallica for the £5 tickets to their Death Magnetic release party gig held at the arena.

I’m thankful Guns N Roses finally released Chinese Democracy. I may not like the album, but the coverage in the music press became almost as tedious as that of the Presidential election and should die out within the next couple of weeks. I’m also glad Dr Pepper screwed up on their free soda deal. Why should us in the UK not be able to get a free Dr Pepper?

And that brings me to some things I’m thankful to look forward to in 2009. A new album from the New York Dolls. Tours from George Thorogood and Lynyrd Skynyrd. And hopefully a tour from Alice Cooper with a full stage production of his latest album Along Came A Spider.

I almost forgot, I’m also thankful to Today.com for providing beer money to blog about something I really love. Check them out, you too could earn some extra cash blogging about something dear to your heart.

Have a happy and rockin’ Thanksgiving.

Australian rockers AC/DC see their album Black Ice hold on to the number 1 spot in the combined European album chart for the fourth straight week.

According to Billboard, Black Ice remained on top in Germany and Greece and regained the top spots in Hungary and Sweden after slipping to numbers 4 and 2 respectively. Black Ice held at No. 2 in Switzerland and the Belgian region of Wallony and No. 3 in France and Austria, but fell from 1 to 2 in Denmark and Flanders, 2 to 3 in Norway, 3 to 6 in Italy and 9 to 11 in the United Kingdom.

AC/DC knocked Metallica off the number one spot four weeks ago. Metallica’s Death Magnetic was the European number 1 for six weeks before being knocked out of the top spot by Black Ice.  

That makes a total of ten straight weeks of rock at the top of the European charts. With the release of the long awaited Chinese Democracy by Guns ‘N’ Roses this week, there is a strong possibility of an eleventh straight week of rock sitting on top in Europe.

Can AC/DC retain the top spot for a fith week or will Guns ‘N’ Roses make it a hard rock hat trick? While I’m not a big fan of Chinese Democracy, I hope it takes the top spot if Black Ice can’t hold on another week as I’m sure it is better than any of the pop, hip-hop, or R&B alternatives.

The long awaited Guns N Roses album Chinese Democracy is available for streaming from the band’s MySpace page.

That’s right, it’s streaming. Chinese Democracy has not been “released early” as reported by other sources on the web *cough* Yahoo! *cough* who obviously don’t know the difference.

I’ve been sitting here in front of my PC for the past hour or so listening to Chinese Democracy streaming out of my poxy PC speakers. Has the long wait been worth it?

On first listen, no.

It sounds like Axl forgot the first word in rock ‘n’ roll. I keep waiting for this album to rock and, 12 songs in at the time of writing this sentence, Chinese Democracy has so far failed to do so.

Is it a bad album? No. It’s just not what I want out of a Guns ‘N’ Roses album. If Axl released this as an Axl Rose album, and not put the Guns ‘N’ Roses name on the cover, I might say it’s an OK album. But using the Guns ‘N’ Roses name means having to stand up to Appetite For Destruction and the Use Your Illusion releases. Chinese Democracy doesn’t come close.

I’ve been waiting for a standout track to blow me away, but with tracks running thin, it doesn’t look like I’m going to get one. Which is a shame, because I really wanted to like this album before I started listening to it.

Hearing this, I wish Axl would either ditch the Guns ‘N’ Roses name and continue as the solo artist he already is, or put away his ego and reform the band. I know of at least one former member who would be up for it .

Update: I’ve now heard the whole album. Nothing in the final two tracks made me change my mind.

In celebration of the upcoming (Fingers crossed) release of Chinese Democracy, and the state of today’s weather outside my window, I’ve decided to have another look at Guns ‘N’ Roses’ video for November Rain.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 17 years since Guns ‘N’ Roses released an album of original music - 1993’s The Spaghetti Incident? consisted entirely of cover versions. The last original albums released by the band were the simultaneous releases of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II in September 1991.

Of course, the only member of Guns ‘N’ Roses still in the band from those days is Axl Rose. Former GNR guitarist Slash has reportedly heard Chinese Democracy and giving the album his blessing, so I guess the album is at least worth a listen when/if it finally hits the shelves.

Until then, enjoy the video for November Rain. It might be a bit overblown, but Slash’s guitar solo makes up for it in the end.