In 1987 the music world was hit right between the eyes with "Appetite for Destruction" the major label debut from Guns N' Roses. The band was made up of five members...

 Slash and Izzy Stradlin holding down the guitars, the rhythm section of bassist Duff McKagan with drummer Steven Adler and frontman Axl Rose. It took about a year for the album to really catch but once MTV put the video for "Sweet Child O' Mine" into heavy rotation the album and single went to #1. Although the band has gone through numerous personnel changes and released only five albums, the last one in 1993, they are a part of rock consciousness to this day.
 
With 13 years since the last release under the GNR moniker rumors are very heavy these days that their grail like album "Chinese Democracy" will see the light of day in 2006. Recently Axl Rose was in Manhattan for an after hours party in a club that he convinced the owners to keep open by promising he would play them tracks from the more than long awaited album. The club owners stayed open and Axl true to his words played three songs for the small crowd of his party and the club owners. Mr. Rose claims that the album will be released this year and that it has grown to be a three disc set.
 
Strengthening the possibility that the release is near Guns N' Roses have booked live dates for Europe this summer. The dates booked are reality but the story that could be fantasy surrounds the contracts for the shows. I stress this next part is rumor but, word has it that there are two contracts for each date the band has booked. "Why two contracts ?" you ask. One for the current line up of the band, which nobody is sure who those members are except Axl himself. The other for the classic line up of the band Slash and all. As strong as this rumor is, it will be hard for it to happen with all the law suits going on, Axl suing Slash and Duff, Slash and Duff suing Axl and all of them suing their former label for an album released without the permission of any of the players.
 
 
With all the members who have been in and out of Guns they have become the rock equivalent of Kevin Bacon and the six degrees game. Not sure what I mean ? Get ready to draw flow charts and graphs and fasten your seat belt because this is going to shock you. The first member to leave the band was drummer Steven Adler currently touring with Adler’s Appetite. He was replaced by Matt Sorum who is also in Velvet Revolver and The Cult. The Cult is now touring again (The Cult will be at The Nokia Theatre on March 26) with their frontman Ian Astbury back from touring with Riders On The Storm who had been known as The Doors Of The 21st Century which features half The Doors. Izzy Stradlin left to have his solo outfit Izzy Stradlin And The JuJu Hounds which featured members of The Georgia Satellites. Slash had Slash's Snakepit and is now in Velvet Revolver with Duff McKagan and Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland.
 
Axl Rose the lone original member still in the band is not to be left out of this. He has had many members in and out of the band including, ex-Kill for Thrills guitarist Gilby Clarke, Dave Navarro, Buckethead, bassist Tommy Stinson from The Replacements, former Love Spit Love member Richard Fortus, ex-Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck, former Primus drummer Brian Mantia, childhood friend and guitarist Paul Huge, and longtime GNR keyboardist Dizzy Reed. The recording of "Chinese Democracy" has seen many noted producers as well including Moby, Mike Clink, Youth, Bob Ezrin, and many others. The album has also seen guests like Queen guitarist Brian May who is out on the road with the current line up of his band which is being fronted by Paul Rodgers from Free, Bad Company, The Firm as well as solo artist and vocalist on a solo record by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Yardbirds fame.
 
I'm sure I could keep going with all the connections to other artists but I think you get the idea. The biggest question to me though is what will "Chinese Democracy" sound like after 13 years in the studio. Not having heard any of it myself I will have to trust Brian May's opinion. He has heard the music and with no stake in its success or demise he said that he recorded his parts quite a while ago but the track still sounds fresh to this day. Lets hope he is right.