Niby tak, ale są sugestie, że być może choć to nie potwierdzone , że
ten wywiad z lipca 1996 roku może sugerować iż Duff i Slash znali ten utwór.
Stern: The relationship lasted longer than Guns N' Roses actually, you think [laughter] I saw Slash the other day and I was saying to him, "what the hell's going on," you know, "I mean where's where's the next Guns N' Roses album?" and like he didn't have an answer either. He was like, "I'm working on some things," "I got some surprises" and, you know, how much is it... shut up! [?] What's going on?
Duff: We're writing new songs.
Stern: Oh really?
Duff: Yeah.
Stern: And Axl's into it?
Duff: Yeah, totally. And actually today I was gonna have to fly back right after this.
Stern: Oh really?
Duff: We're gonna start recording for this Jackie Chan movie, the next one.
Stern: Oh, I see.
...
Stern: Yeah, can someone explain Jackie Chan to me? Does anybody recognize that this guy's a stuntman?
...
Stern: You know what an insult that is to anybody who trains in acting? I mean, I'm sorry, Jackie Chan is happening?
Duff: Axl's a huge fan.
Być może to zbieg okoliczności, ale w 2008 roku Axl podczas potwierdzenia utworów które są prawdziwe stwierdził, że "Checkmate" to błędna nazwa, prawidłowa to "Jackie Chan". Choć z przecieków z roku 2000 z płyty Rough Mix CD#3 widnieje nazwa "HardSchool" -11/08/00