Longtime managers Irving Azoff and Andy Gould, who have just signed an agreement to represent GUNS N' ROSES and the band's frontman Axl Rose, have released the following statement regarding the new partnership:

"Axl Rose and GUNS N' ROSES is and will always be one of the most important recording and touring artists of our time, and one of the great rock n roll voices for his generation. We are honored that Axl has placed his trust in us."

According to Billboard.com, Azoff and Gould bring a wealth of managerial experience to the table. Azoff currently serves as chairman/CEO of Los Angeles-based Front Line Management Group. He personally represents such artists as THE EAGLES, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, NEIL DIAMOND, VAN HALEN and STEELY DAN. Gould, a former senior partner at the Firm, currently manages ROB ZOMBIE, STATIC-X and PRIMUS/LES CLAYPOOL.

It is interesting to note that up until recently, Azoff Music also managed VELVET REVOLVER, the band featuring Axl's former GN'R bandmates Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. Azoff is continuing to represent VR's singer, Scott Weiland, an Azoff spokesperson confirmed to BLABBERMOUTH.NET.

GUNS N' ROSES' long-delayed new album, "Chinese Democracy", has reportedly been in the works since 1995, with Rose the only original member still in the band. According to a report published two years ago by the New York Times, Rose had allegedly burned through $13 million in the studio by that point.

Although a revamped GUNS lineup toured successfully in 2006 and Rose tentatively promised that the record would be out last March, it never materialized and little has been heard about it since.