Early in the recording process, A&R man Tom Zutaut, who worked for Guns N' Roses' record label Geffen Records, reported that Guns N' Roses had 50–60 songs in development. According to manager Doug Goldstein, Scott Litt, Steve Lillywhite, Mark Bell, and Rick Rubin were considered as producers. In February 1997, electronic producer Moby entered talks to produce; he said: "They're writing with a lot of loops, and believe it or not, they're doing it better than anybody I've heard lately." Moby pulled out to focus on his solo work. Longtime Guns N' Roses producer Mike Clink is also reported to have worked on the album that year.