"[GNR] was sort of just work for hire. [...] I met with Axl and he played me these songs, asked me my ideas about them, and I told him what I thought they needed. They gave me four songs to orchestrate. [...] A song called 'Seven,' which is the one [...] I actually wrote a guitar part [on]. There was one called 'Thyme,' one called 'The General,' one called 'Leave Me Alone.'" (Marco Beltrami, IGN, 07/20/03)

"Leave Me Alone," "Seven," and "The General" could also feature on the new album. These three A-listed songs were worked on by Marco Beltrami, especially "Seven," which Marco deems as the best of the three songs. It has also been reported that Marco worked on a fourth track, "Thyme." However, this song was not worked on subsequent to Marco's work in October 2002. (Jeff Leeds, Sp1at website, 06/05)

umm... I don't know... last year Brain had this song called 'the General' that was really cool... and another song called "we were lying [not sure if thats the name he said]" ... I don't know [...] (Dizzy Reed, Sp1at, January 2006)

"One of my favorite songs is this song called 'The General', which is so... it's by far the heaviest metal tune I think ive ever heard Axl do, this slow, grinding riff with these high, piercing vocals, screaming vocals. [...] [Axl] goes, 'Well, this comes out on the third record. It relates to this song, it's a trilogy, this goes with this lyrically.'" (Baz, Metal Edge, 11/06/07)

"[Bach] says Rose told him that a slow, grinding track called 'The General' is 'the sequel to [Use Your Illusion II's] 'Estranged,' that goes to the parable that Del James wrote of the trilogy' (James penned the short story that inspired the 'November Rain' video)." (Rolling Stone, 06/25/08)

Possible Early Tracklisting of Chinese Democracy

Q: Axl, here's a list of rumored song titles.  Can you tell us which ones are bogus and which ones are real?

Ides Of March ('98), Oklahoma ('98), Atlas Shrugged ('99), Closing In On You ('99), Cock-A-Roach Soup ('99), Friend Or Foe ('99), Hearts Get Killed ('99), No Love Remains ('99), Oh My God ('99), Something Always ('99), Suckerpunched ('99), Zip It ('99), Silkworms ('00), Down By The Ocean ('01), Leave Me Alone ('02), Seven ('02), The General ('02), Thyme ('02), Quick Song ('05), Zodiac ('05), Motormouth ('06), We Were Lying ('06)

A: Ides Of March, Oklahoma, Atlas Shrugged,  Oh My God, Silkworms , Down By The Ocean (Izzy), Leave Me Alone, Seven , The General , Thyme , Quick Song , Zodiac Most all titles subject to change w/out warning and r considered working titles. (Axl Rose, chinesedemocracy.com, Dec. 2008)

Q: Could you tells us more about "The General"?

A: You may have heard parts of it somewhere.
(Axl Rose, chinesedemocracy.com, Dec. 2008)

Q: @gunsnroses PLEASE! what's the name of the intro u guys use live? It's amazing!!!

A: there are several.. "the General" is probably most played before CD

(twitter.com/gunsnroses, Dec. 2010)