Guns N Roses Chinese Democracy Thread

[Jeremy Ordan]

Finally, we are just about one month away from the single greatest moment in all of human history, the release of 'Chinese Democracy'.

I don't know about anyone else but on the list of most important moments in my life this falls right between birth and marriage.

From Billboard:

NEW YORK (Billboard) - More than a decade after its conception, Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" will finally see the light of day before year's end, sources close to the situation told Billboard.

The set will be a Best Buy exclusive and will be available Sunday, November 23, rather than the usual Tuesday.

In the run-up to release date, album track "Shackler's Revenge" will debut in the video game "Rock Band 2," while a portion of "If the World" is playing over the end credits in the new Leonardo DiCaprio/Russell Crowe film "Body of Lies."

In addition, GNR's seminal 1987 full-length debut, "Appetite for Destruction," will be reissued on vinyl on October 28 via Interscope.

The band's last new studio albums were the simultaneously released "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" in September 1991. A covers set, "The Spaghetti Incident?," followed in 1993, and featured some of the last GNR recordings from original guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan.

This spring, soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper offered to send a free can of the beverage to "everyone in America" (excluding ex-GNR members Slash and Buckethead) if "Chinese Democracy" were to arrive anytime during the calendar year 2008. A Dr Pepper spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Reuters/Billboard

 

[Mark Harris]

This reminds me of the time everyone thought Indy 4 wouldn't suck ass. Are you being sarcastic, or do you actually have some hope that this album is not DOA?

 

[grinner]

it'll sell at least a thousand copies.

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

This reminds me of the time everyone thought Indy 4 wouldn't suck ass. Are you being sarcastic, or do you actually have some hope that this album is not DOA?

I have been waiting for this album for over 10 years so if it doesn't have some sort of magical power associated with it that instills a sense of synesthesia with every guitar lick and Axl whine then it will be a disappointment.

That being said, I will still be purchasing it within moments of Best Buy (exclusive retailer) opens that Sunday morning.

 

[ryan brown]

Just out of curiosity, have you heard the leaked version?

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

Just out of curiosity, have you heard the leaked version?

I have heard bits and pieces but refuse to listen to it until it is legitimately released...

 

[J.R. Hudson]

Game on.

GNR is one of the finest bands in rock music histroy. And imporant bridge from Hair Bands to Grunge. They brought some balls back to Rock and Appetite For Destruction is on my TOP 10 Ever list !

 

[Mark Harris]

et tu, Hudson?

I'm going to invest in Kleenex in anticipation of all the tears of disappointment coming...

 

[Ben Sliker]

lol Harris. I agree.

Slash was as much GnR as Axl is ... without him ... there's only the chance that this new album will be 50% as good as the "good ol days"

Shackler's Revenge is ... okay. it sounds like trent reznor got ahold of it before it went out (not that i don't love NIN) but it definitely doesn't have the iconic GnR sound.

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

lol Harris. I agree.

Slash was as much GnR as Axl is ... without him ... there's only the chance that this new album will be 50% as good as the "good ol days"

Completely agree with this. Slash's sound is his and you could always tell when it was him on lead guitar.

Shackler's Revenge is ... okay. it sounds like trent reznor got ahold of it before it went out (not that i don't love NIN) but it definitely doesn't have the iconic GnR sound.

I haven't heard it but I put NIN up there with my favorite artist/bands of all time so it is sort of a sign of potential...

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

Entertainment Weekly said that if it sounds too new that people will miss the sound of the original GnR whereas if it sounds too much like the original GnR people will think that it sounds dated.

It is truly a no win situation... unless the album proves to be that good.

I don't keep up with new music in any regards... On my XM when I am not listening to baseball I pretty much listen to Lucy (channel 54) which is 90's alternative (the musical high point for me). I couldn't really name one current band (meaning their debut album was released within the last decade) that I would go crazy to see live and I have seen a lot of shows in my time.

GnR is an exception. I know there is no Aldren, no Slash, no Duff... it doesn't matter to be. GnR was about this rage.

When Destruction came out I owned the tape. I felt like I needed to hide the inside artwork from my parents because it had the dead chick with her chest hanging out of it. It was amazing to me... it was Rock N Roll at it's best.



Will this album recapture the angst and creativity of Destruction? nope.

Will this album be as disorderly with flashes of brilliance as Illusion I & II? Who knows?

But for $15 to have at least an hour where I'm reminded, even if its just slightly, of the sound that once played through my stereo for hours on end, it's a cheap ticket price for a trip down memory lane.

I am optimistically skeptical that it will be good... but I am loyally faithful to the idea that it has the potential to be brilliant.

All this being said, Sebastian Bach has said that Axl will be releasing three albums with Chinese Democracy being the first. Axl confirmed that he wants the next one to come out in 2009 and the third to come out in 2011. At this rate I think we'll see album #2 around 2019.



Finally… What is amazing is that if you list Lies as a nonalbum or half album and Use Your Illusion I & II as a single album (sold separately double pack) GnR only had two albums (or 2.5 depending on what you consider Lies to be) of original material yet they remain one of the most popular and influential bands of all time.

That says a lot.

 

[Mark Harris]

...yet they remain one of the most popular and influential bands of all time.

That says a lot.

Of all time? Man you do have a man-crush on Axl.

 

[Nic Aragon]

I am with Jeremy. Though ive listened to a little more of it and i still feel its going to be epic. it has to be and will be.

 

[Mark Harris]

Guys. If I could be serious for a moment?

Crack is a terrible habit that will destroy your lives. Quit now. Please. For me?

 

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

Why is nobody talking about the FREE DR. PEPPER?!

I hate that stuff, but would love to see an ambitious project such as trying to deliver one to every person in the USA. LOL.

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

Why is nobody talking about the FREE DR. PEPPER?!

I hate that stuff, but would love to see an ambitious project such as trying to deliver one to every person in the USA. LOL.

I love that everyone forgets that Dr. Pepper was originally a laxative.

The concept is let's listen to Chinese Democracy, drink a Dr. Pepper, and poop together

Maybe I shouldn't be so excited about this album.

 

[Nathyn]

This sounds way different the old GNR? This is a lot harder. No Sweet Child of Mine here. This is possibly the equivalent to the Metallica Black album that drove all their original fans nuts because of the sound change. Then St. Anger did the same. GNR was more hard rock, this sounds more metal.

-Nate

 

[Ben Sliker]

jeremy, shackler's revenge was on RB2, so don't feel like you are listening to anything "leaked" ... here's a video where there isn't annoying "clank, i missed a note sounds" from Rock Band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dos9ws2Q8j0

(unless you are trying to keep the experience of listening to the whole album at once without hearing a single first)

also ... they should have kept buckethead in the band, his solo when they played live on the VMAs was SICK.

EDIT: just realized that performance was over 6 years ago ... cripes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STc30hsUCoY

 

[Big Bad]

I like GNR but when it comes to the greatest moments in history, this is nothing compared to the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series and Van Halen's reunion tour last year. I will die happy no matter what happens now.

 

[Jeremy Ordan]

A whole lot more of developments... all of which are pretty a-to-the-wesome

OK... So EW.com is reporting in THIS ARTICLE that this could be the album cover to the new album. I'm not that crazy about it but seeing as how I haven't bought a CD in years, album covers don't really matter that much to me:

Furthermore, EW laid out this nifty little timeline regarding the album. I found this pretty interesting...

JUL. 1996
Almost five years after Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion I & II albums hit stores, a spokesperson for their label, Geffen, informs the New York Daily News that ''it's possible to have a Guns record this year.''

DEC. 1999
It is reported that the band's album, which has been given the title Chinese Democracy, is ''loosely scheduled'' for a summer 2000 release.

DEC. 2000
While appearing on radio station KROQ, Guns N' Roses' manager Doug Goldstein says that although a release date has yet to be determined, Chinese Democracy could be on shelves as early as June.

MAR. 2003
A posting on Guns N' Roses' official website tantalizes fans with the instruction that they should ''stay tuned for news and information on Chinese Democracy coming soon.''

AUG. 2004
Guns N' Roses bassist Tommy Stinson reveals to British metal magazine Kerrang! that Chinese Democracy is ''a hair's breadth from being finished.''

FEB. 2006
Guns N' Roses' manager Merck Mercuriadis tells EW Axl Rose is ''almost finished and he's confident that it will come out this year.'' In a radio interview, ex-Guns guitarist Slash says, ''It's coming out in March.''

OCT. 2006
Mercuriadis reportedly says that there are 10 Tuesdays left before January and that Chinese Democracy ''will come out on one of them.''

NOV. 2006
EW contacts the office of Mercuriadis to confirm whether
Chinese Democracy is still definitely coming out this year. Mercuriadis is unavailable for comment.

Finally...

Bestbuy.com is also listing the complete tracklisting HERE:

1. Chinese Democracy
2. Shackler's Revenge
3. Better 4. Street Of Dreams
5. If The World
6. There Was A Time
7. Catcher N' The Rye
8. Scraped
9. Riad N' The Bedouins
10. Sorry
11. I.R.S.
12. Madagascar
13. This I Love
14. Prostitute

The excitment continues to grow.... just like Axl's cornrows