in your opinion, how long did it take to make?

[Axl_Duff_87]

imo, 10 years.

How could the album be worked on when Tommy wasn't in the band (he joined in 1998) and Robin was on/off, plus no Buckethead for a while (joined in 2001), and Brain had to re-record Josh's parts.

[Bluelion]

In terms of the writing of the lyrics in the album, I'm pretty sure Axl has been continuously writing throughout his musical career. For example, I'm pretty sure This I Love was written during the Illusion sessions. Richard Fortus joined in 2002 and he stated that all the songs had been written by the time he joined. In terms of recording the music, that probably happened after 2000, when Axl had a full band together - Himself, Robin, Buckethead, Paul Tobias, Tommy, Dizzy, Brain/Freese and Pitman. Then later on after 2006, Frank and Bumblefoot added their contributions. So there are many places in time you can say the album started from. But in terms of actually recording it, it was probably 2000 onwards. Maybe even 1999, as there were a few very rough demos from that year.

[axlwannabe]

for as along a s there is one member left who is eager to complete whatever he has to or needs to or like to, then it is possible!   I was just relating it with my own experience....i make this song, and my band members don't really like it, but i am kind of eager to complete it no matter what, and this world is so big to have other people work on it aside from the people i was expecting but didn't....So i sent it to my friend who is an advance drummer in California (I'm base here in the Philippines) and they are working on it and sending me the draft today....Perhaps it's something like that too....in my opinion 

TGIF!

[gunner22]

9-10 years. The new band was put together in 1998.

Now, the lyrics is a different thing, "This I Love" for example is from 93.

[chacalula]

 
is like saying UYI took like8 years because of november rain

[gunner22]

Also, they didn't work only on CD. They have other songs.

[abaraxas]

But take November Rain for example-the basic layout and chord structure had been around for ages but only later was it fully fleshed out-Black Sabbaths first two records were recorded in a week(each) and they still stand up.
Sure,it took forever-but at least its out.
(would have loved to have Buckethead and Brains parts untampered with though)

[rds.06]

Too long.

[ronws]

Yeah, I never bought the "15 years" to make the album bullshit but I let it slide because others are trying to make a point that the album was worth the wait. As if you're supposed to start working on a new album as soon as the current one is released. One of our favorite local musicians from Houston is a guy named Shake Russell. He helped Clint Black write "Nothin' but the Taillights" when Clint Black was unkown. That song stuck around, mainly as a live only number for at least 10 years before getting on an album. Did he take 10 years or more to record that song. Not really.