The Axl Rose led Guns N' Roses performed "The Blues" during their 2001 New Year's Eve concert in Las Vegas as well as on their 2002 tour. While the GNR leaks have been big news in the underground and among the Gunner faithful, the mainstream media by-in-large have ignored the story. This has opened the doors to some interesting conspiracy theories.

Some of the more interesting theories being debated by fans include: Axl leaked the songs to a) get fans ready for the announcement of the Chinese Democracy. b) gauge fan response to the new Guns N' Roses sound. Which really isn't as far away from the old sound as some feared. c) Axl is leaking the tracks because he plans to redo them with Slash, if not the entire original Guns N' Roses lineup. d) the record company leaked the tracks to force Axl into releasing the album. e) Management is requesting the radio stations play the "IRS" track in heavy rotation.

However reports of management actions seem to debunk some of these theories as the band's manager and/or attorney reportedly has sent "cease and desist" letters to radio stations playing the leaked tracks as well as to owners of websites hosting the files and posting lyrics to any unreleased tracks, including those played during the 2002 tour which have not leaked as studio version tracks.

A Dutch radio station report adds some fuel to the rumor that the album will be released in March. According to a posting on the "Hear Today� Gone to Hell" message board, Dutch radio station Radio Veronica's website reports that "Singer Axl Rose isn't happy with [the leaks], but says, that the problem [will be] fixed at the end of March. Because then the new album will be available in stores."