Do we really want a new Guns N' Roses record?
Guns N' Roses apparently has plans for a new album in 2021, but should we be excited about it?
After years of fits, starts and rumors, Guns N’ Roses finally released a new album, Chinese Democracy, in November of 2008. The band’s last album with original lead guitarist Slash and original bassist Duff McKagan was 1993’s The Spaghetti Incident?. Rumors of a new album with those two back in the fold have been around for a few years.
This summer, Slash said he was writing new Guns N’Roses material during quarantine. In a recent interview with Cleveland.com, as he also announced the release of a new Guns ‘N Roses-themed pinball machine, he talked about working on new albums with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators as well as GN’R.
You’re making an album with Myles (Kennedy) and the Conspirators, right?
Slash: “We did a week of initial pre-production and there’s 20 songs and we’re gonna start back up next year. I spent a lot of time writing and demoing that stuff. And prior to that Duff (McKagan) and I did some jamming and we also worked on the Guns record, and I’ve had a couple of ancillary recordings and jams on top of that, so there’s been a lot of stuff going on. I’m really not good at slowing down and just sitting around.”
When do you think we’ll hear some of this music?
Slash: “I would like to think that we’d have some new stuff out next year -- from both camps, I guess. It’s hard to say, but I would like to think we’ll have stuff out next year, yeah.”
When it comes down to it, Chinese Democracy was a mashed together Axl Rose project that wasn’t anything close to classic GN’R. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, outside of a few songs it isn’t particularly memorable (for its end result) or good.
It’s been 12 years since we’ve had new Guns ‘N Roses, and it was barely that. The return of Slash and McKagan to the band is interesting and the prospect of a new album in 2021 is intriguing. But when it comes down to it, I feel like I’ll be ready to dig out Appetite for Destruction, GN’R Lies or one of the Use Your Illusion albums and give it a fresh run before I go all-in on a new GN’R record.
What are your thoughts on a new Guns N’ Roses album in 2021? Please share in the comments.