We literally have two years' worth of quotes from Slash and Fortus talking about a new album, jamming new songs etc. We have the band soundchecking and playing unreleased songs. The fact they're doing that tallies with the earlier rumours from the likes of MSL that Slash and Duff had reworked tracks like Atlas Shrugged.

At this point it's like denying the nose on your face.

I know you've all been burned by years of DJ Ashba and Bumblefoot blithering on about a new album coming "any minute now, guys!" But the fact is, the moment Slash and Duff walked in the door, the circumstances changed. The record company that didn't give a shit about Axl and His Funny Friends suddenly takes a keen interest in The Fucking Guns N' Roses Reunion Album, the thing they wanted all along, from 1995 to the present day. All the obstacles they threw in Axl's path because they did not give the tiniest fuck about Buckethead suddenly melt away.

And yes, the album was a long time coming. Because, as I've said with numbing frequency, there is no point releasing an album immediately when the purpose of albums nowadays is to promote a tour. The mere fact of the reunion kept the tour chugging along for three, four years. And then, just as they were gearing up for the "release an album to keep the machine ticking over" phase of the tour, fucking COVID dropped.

And yes, I know that other artists released albums in lockdown, but the fact is, you get one shot at the GN'R reunion album. It's one of the few totemic releases left in rock (maybe an Oasis reunion album?). You don't shit it out when everyone's locked in their homes and you can't milk its ability to promote the tour for all it's worth. Not with a savvy businessman like Duff on board.