GnR to use Slash music on their next album?

Guns n’Roses guitarist Richard Fortus has suggested their next album could include music written by former axeman Slash – nearly 20 years after he left the band.

Speculation has been rife in recent months that Axl Rose is close to confirming the long-awaited follow-up release to 2008’s Chinese Democracy.

Speaking at a workshop event last month, Fortus said: “There’s so much stuff that’s recorded. There’s three albums worth of material, easy. Axl is very secretive – he doesn’t want stuff getting out. He wants to create stuff then release it when it’s ready. He’s also a bit of a perfectionist, as you can imagine.”

He added: “Some of the stuff comes from nothing and some of the stuff were ideas that were already there. Some of the stuff Slash did – it was the beginning of the seed of a song that’s been around for a while.”

Meanwhile, Rose has laughed off his most recent death hoax, after a scam website published a news report saying his body had been found at home. He tweeted a ghost-like picture from his studio and later asked: “If I’m dead do I still have to pay taxes?”

Slash is currently touring the UK in support of third solo album World On Fire.

Read all about the early years of Guns N’ Roses in the latest issue of Metal Hammer.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.