Guns N' Roses planning follow-up to Chinese Democracy

Axl Rose has "a lot of good shit up his sleeve," says Guns N' Roses guitarist DJ Ashba (right). © STRINGER/URUGUAY/Reuters/Corbis

Guns N' Roses are already plotting the follow-up to 2008's Chinese Democracy. So says band guitarist DJ Ashba, who, it must be stressed, wasn't even in the GN'R fold until 2009.

As you might recall, Chinese Democracy took Axl Rose and various musicians - many of whom came and went - over 15 years and untold millions of dollars to record (some estimates put it at $13 million, while others clock it as much higher). But according to Ashba, "We're talking about the new album right now. We've been throwing around a bunch of ideas and it should be good."

Needless to say, "throwing around a bunch of ideas" and having a finished album - especially in the land of Axl Rose - are two different things. But Ashba is confident that things will be much different this time around.

"It won't take as long, I promise," he said. "I'm excited to get this one rolling. You know, Axl has a lot of good shit up his sleeve, so I'm excited about it."

Well then, there you go. Mark your calendars, folks!

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.