SLASH Says 'Chinese Democracy' Release Date Will 'Probably Stick'

According to The Pulse of Radio, ex-GUNS N' ROSES lead guitarist Slash is among the many people curious to hear his former band's new album, "Chinese Democracy", when it's finally released on November 23 after a 13-year wait. Slash told The Pulse of Radio he still finds it hard to believe that singer Axl Rose is letting the record come out at last. "I've resigned to the concept that Axl's gonna do whatever he wants to do whenever he does it, and I don't really put a clock on that," he said. "And so I'm looking forward to it coming out and that's basically about it, so hopefully this date, it seems like they're pretty serious about it. And Axl's working with Irving (Azoff, manager),who I know really well. Irving's a good guy to have on your side, so it'll probably stick, you know."

"Chinese Democracy" will be released on November 23, a Sunday, exclusively through Best Buy. The title track arrived at radio stations last week.

Slash left GUNS N' ROSES in the mid-'90s, forming SLASH'S SNAKEPIT before later assembling VELVET REVOLVER with several other ex-members of GUNS N' ROSES and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland.

VELVET REVOLVER is currently searching for a replacement for Weiland, who was dismissed last April. Slash told Billboard.com on Friday (October 24) that the band has been approached by some well-known names, saying, "There's been a couple that might have been interesting, but...it's really hard to make something sound original if you've got somebody people are so familiar with hearing somewhere else."

The guitarist is also working on a solo album, on which he plans to have several high-profile vocalists take turns singing.