Guns N' Roses in talks for exclusive album release

[Brian Damage]

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The June leak of nine allegedly "mastered, finished" tracks from Guns N' Roses' long-delayed "Chinese Democracy" spurred a renewed round of speculation about whether the Axl Rose-led band will finally release the 14-years-in-the-making album.

But some concrete signs are finally emerging that the album's release could be imminent. That's because, according to sources, negotiations are under way for "Chinese Democracy" to come out as an exclusive at one of the big-box retailers -- either Wal-Mart or Best Buy.

Negotiations are also ongoing for conventional record company distribution, another source said.

Guns N' Roses is now managed by Irving Azoff's Front Line Management, and Azoff is a well-known proponent of issuing albums exclusively through retailers. He released the Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" through Wal-Mart, much to the chagrin of other merchants.

It's unclear who initiated the Guns N' Roses exclusive negotiations -- Front Line or Interscope, the band's label.

Representatives at Front Line and Interscope with knowledge of the situation couldn't be reached for comment. A Wal-Mart representative said the chain couldn't confirm this fall's exclusive album offerings. Best Buy representatives couldn't be reached for comment.

Reuters/Billboard

[TJL]

Guns And Roses - let's face it, we're talking about Axl Rose here, since he's the only original member left - had better get off the stick and finally release this damn album, because fans are tired of waiting.

It's never ever going to live up to all the hype and rumors, and the longer they keep stringing along the public, the less they are going to care about the album.

[MonarC]

I would buy it. :)

[robyrob]

I lost interest in this album 16 years ago.

[TepidLobster]

It's never ever going to live up to all the hype and rumors, and the longer they keep stringing along the public, the less they are going to care about the album.

What hype? I don't know anyone in the record business or any critic who thinks this will be a groundbreaking album. No one in the G'n'R camp has said anything of the sort either.

It's not like Chinese Democracy has been compared to The Beach Boys Smile, except in terms of how it has taken for the album to be released.

[TJL]

What hype? I don't know anyone in the record business or any critic who thinks this will be a groundbreaking album. No one in the G'n'R camp has said anything of the sort either.

It's not like Chinese Democracy has been compared to The Beach Boys Smile, except in terms of how it has taken for the album to be released.

I didn't say it was good. Haven't heard a single cut that was supposedly leaked on the interweb.

The hype comes from the fact that it's been 14 years in the making, and it's been this close to being released a number of times, and it still makes news when some sort of talks about the possible release is talked about.

[gidgetgrape]

I lost interest in this album 16 years ago.

Me too. It was cool hearing Axl on Sebastian Bach's new CD though.