GUNS N' ROSES Bassist: 'Chinese Democracy' To Surface This Year

GUNS N' ROSES bassist Tommy Stinson has told Billboard.com that he expects the group's long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy", to see the light of day sometime this year. "The record is being completed. Other people are putting their final little touches on things, and then it goes to mix," he explained. "My physical presence wasn't really needed until September, so that's why I'm getting out and doing some shows [on my own]. I've got my parts all done."

Asked if he expects GNR, which late last year abruptly ended a tour shortly after it began, to hit the road again in the fall, he offered, "You know, I'm just gonna say, in September, that's when I've got to be back. All I know is that we're gonna finish the record up, get it out, and I've got some time on my hands to do some other shit."

Stinson recently recorded an album's worth of solo material over the course of two months in a studio owned by Charles Thompson (a.k.a. Frank Black). "Basically, I had an opportunity fall into my lap that I couldn't refuse," the former REPLACEMENTS member said.

"I've been pals with Charles for a number of years, and [his band] THE CATHOLICS went on tour for the months of March and April, and basically Charles said, 'you can use my studio and all my gear and my place while I'm gone and make a record if you want.'"

"I'd been sitting on a bunch of songs for a number of years -- there's two of them that are probably 10 years old, at least," he said. "So, I just went in and recorded them using his stuff and it worked out great."

Among the guest musicians making appearances on the as-yet-untitled effort are GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Richard Fortus and keyboardist Dizzy Reed, A PERFECT CIRCLE drummer Josh Freese, his brother Jason Freese on saxophone, and CATHOLICS guitarist Dave Philips. "My friend Gresh [a member of Stinson's short-lived mid-1990s band BASH & POP] played some drums on some stuff, too," he noted. "All of my closest friends played on my record."

Stinson is scheduled to play Thursday (June 12) at Largo in Los Angeles and July 1 at the Mercury Lounge in New York. A three-show run in England with friend Jesse Malin will follow shortly thereafter.

At the end of August, Stinson will launch a three-week East Coast and Midwest U.S. run that will also feature THE FIGGS.