Freese is one of the most desirable skin beaters on the market and certainly one of the busiest. He's best known as the drummer for The Vandals and former Replacement leader Paul Westerberg, but his credits also include Devo (he played with them on this past year's Lollapalooza tour), Juliana Hatfield, Tracey Bonham, the Daredevils and Thermadore among many, many others.

Sources close to Freese confirm that he's been joining Axl Rose in the studio late at night while continuing to do his regular sessions in the daytime. When asked if Freese was the new G n' R drummer, a spokesperson for Geffen, quoting the band's management, told MTV News, "There's nothing we can confirm at this time, hopefully soon, but not now.

G n' R's manager, Doug Goldstein, recently told "Rolling Stone's" Matt Hendrickson that former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck has become a fulltime member of the band. He also said that Rose is writing and jamming with keyboardist Dizzy Reed and guitarist

and longtime Rose collaborator Paul Huge and that the bass slot was being left open until Duff McKagan makes a final decision on his plans for the future. Goldstein told Hendrickson that they were "three to five months away from actual recording" and not to expect a record until 1999.