Guns N’ Roses, it’s fair to say, are known for their lineup inconsistency. Not many bands have an entire Wikipedia page devoted to their list of members after all.
When it came to making their sixth studio album Chinese Democracy, still their last record to date, several guitarists were tried out. Beginning with Robin Finck and Paul Tobias, Richard Fortus, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, and Buckethead were also given their shot over a decade of recording.
Add to that list Brian May. Amazingly, the Queen legend was also sought out to feature on Chinese Democracy, but was dropped from the final album just weeks before its release in 2008.
In a new interview with Classic Rock (as per Guitar World), the guitarist discussed his difficult experience making his parts for the album over nine years. “It was an odd experience,” he recalled. “I think it was about midway through the whole thing.
By that point Axl (Rose) was pretty much a recluse. He was working in his house, and I was working in the studio at the bottom of the hill with his engineer at the time, and he only rarely came down. Now and again he would call in and get all enthusiastic and talk a lot, and then he’d be gone again. I don’t think any of what I played actually got onto the album.”
Back when it was first reported that May’s work was scrubbed from the final album, he expressed his disappointment. “Well, it is a shame. I did put quite a lot of work in, and was proud of it,” he said in 2008.
It doesn’t sound like Axl Rose thinks bad of May’s talent though: several years ago, he hailed Queen as the greatest band of all time. And yet you decided against having their guitarist on your album? Where’s the consistency, Axl?
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Check out ‘Chinese Democracy’ by Guns N’ Roses:
