Merck was around when the renegotiation was occuring, not when it finished.

Actually, I think the renegotiation was one of the main reasons his relationship with Axl erupted.

I don't know if I'm having comprehension disabilites reading the Merck letter or if Ali is reading something completely different, but it's pretty clear there was a renegotiation in place in 2006 and, probably, until the album got to be released.

Where did he do that? Not on his official Facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/Slash

Edit: Nevermind, just saw this comment:
"Duff's bday yesterday, the redhead's today, Happy Birthday fuckers! iiiI; )' "

but TO ME it doesn't seem like he wished Axl personally a happy birthday, more like acknowledging it than anything..

To me, the intro that's on the album completely KILLS the song for me.

It takes out all the seriousness or any feeling the song might want to pass... It sounds like blinks and blonks from a japanese arcade...

The leak was so much better for me because it didn't have those funny noises on the intro..

I'd say he provided string arrangements, kinda like Buckmeister did to Chinese Democracy to a song that nobody wants us to know the title.

Yeah, I don't hear it too...