User:Funeral/Chinese Democracy

Chinese Democracy is the upcoming sixth studio album by the American rock band Guns N' Roses. When released, it will be the band's first album of original studio material since the simultaneous release of Use Your Illusion I and II in September 1991. In a 2007 interview, Axl Rose's close friend Sebastian Bach stated that Chinese Democracy will be the first instalment in a trilogy of new albums. Bach also remarked that Rose had told him the third, as of yet untitled, album will be released in 2012.

Track listing
Although the entire track listing for Chinese Democracy has not been confirmed, various members of the band and people associated with the band have confirmed certain tracks which will appear on the album. All but one of the confirmed tracks have been played live during the Chinese Democracy Tour, the exception being "Sorry". Demos have leaked of all but one of the tracks, with "Sorry" being the exception.

History and touring
Recording for Chinese Democracy began in 1994. Ex-bassist Duff McKagan is quoted as saying, "but that band was so splintered at that point that nothing got started". Slash has criticized Rose for making the band seem "like a dictatorship". In his autobiography, Slash, Slash writes that his departure from the band in 1996 was caused by "Axl wanting control to the point that the rest of us were strangled". Slash quit the band in 1996; drummer Matt Sorum and McKagan left soon afterwards. Slash was replaced by Nine Inch Nails touring guitarist Robin Finck, ex-Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson replaced McKagan, and Josh Freese joined as the drummer.

In the beginning of 1998, the band - which comprised of Rose, former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck, long-time Guns N' Roses associate Paul Tobias, former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, along with drummer Josh Freese - began recording at Rumbo Recorders, a state-of-the-art studio in the San Fernando Valley where Guns N' Roses had partially recorded parts for their debut album, Appetite for Destruction. During this time, Geffen paid Rose $1 million to try and finish the album; with a further $1 million if he handed it in to them by March 1, 1999.

Finck briefly left the band to rejoin Nine Inch Nails on tour in 1999. In 2000, Rose hired guitar virtuoso Buckethead, and drummer Bryan Mantia, who has appeared on many of Buckethead's solo albums, to replace the departed Freese. Later on in 2000, Finck rejoined the band as the third guitarist.

On January 1, 2001, Guns N' Roses played their first concert in over seven years at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada. This was followed by their headlining performance at Rock in Rio III on January 15, 2001 in front of 190,000 people. The group had planned to tour Europe in June 2001, however, all the dates were cancelled because of stomach problems suffered by Buckethead. The European tour was rescheduled for December 2001 but was once again cancelled; tour manager Doug Goldstein is said to have taken responsibility for the tour's downfall. Despite these cancellations, the band played two concerts in Las Vegas on December 29 and 31.

Rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus joined the band in 2002, replacing Tobias, who had left because of his disdain for touring. In August 2002, the band honored tour dates in Hong Kong, Japan, England and Belgium. They infamously played at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, on August 29, during their medley of "Welcome to the Jungle", "Madagascar" and "Paradise City" Rose seemed out of breath and struggled to keep up with the rest of the band; Rose's vocal performance was the subject of much criticism by fans and critics. After the VMA appearance The band embarked on their first North American tour since the spring of 1993. The tour was supposed to begin on November 7 in Vancouver, however, a spokesman for the band claimed that due due to poor weather conditions Rose was unable to fly to Canada from Los Angeles, the rest of the band members were already at the concert venue, though. The show was cancelled less than two hours before Guns N' Roses were supposed to go onstage which caused riots outside the venue. The riot caused more than $400,000 (USD) in damages. Despite not being able to reach Vancouver the previous day, Rose performed in Tacoma, Washington on November 8 and Guns N' Roses played the first concert on their North American tour at the Tacoma Dome, although the venue was only half full and the band had many sound problems. According to MTV, Rose had blown his vocal chords by the end of the performance. The band's last show on the tour was a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, the following night the band was scheduled to appear at Philadelphia's First Union Center, the opening acts - CKY and Mix Master Mike - both performed but Guns N' Roses failed to show up. The cancellation resulted in another riot after which the tour promoter, Clear Channel, cancelled the remaining sixteen shows of the tour. Between the beginning of the tour on November 8 and and the last show on December 5, the band had finished sixteen shows, less than half of what they had planned to play. After the 2002 tour, the band went on hiatus. They were scheduled to play at Rock in Rio IV in May 2004, but cancelled. Rose claimed Buckethead's departure in March 2004 left them unable to perform: The band has been put in an untenable position by guitarist Buckethead and his untimely departure. On behalf of Guns N' Roses and myself I apologize to the fans who planned to see us at Rock in Rio - Lisbon. The festival and its tradition mean a lot to me personally and I sincerely do not enjoy being robbed by one of our own of the opportunity to be the first artist to play it for the third time. I would also like to express my gratitude to those who chose to embrace Buckethead's role in Guns and support our new line up. We greatly appreciate Bucket's contributions and remain open to 'discussions' as there are obviously several issues to resolve. In the meantime rather than dwelling on the negative, Guns will be moving forward and surprisingly (without giving away any details) this unfortunate set of circumstances may have given us the opportunity to take our recording that one extra step further.

In May 2006, the band played their first concerts in over three years in New York; four performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom on May 12, 14, 15 and 17. These were followed by an acoustic set at The Plumm for Rosario Dawson's birthday party on May 18, before the band went on stage, Rose had an infamous altercation with the fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. Just two weeks before the New York shows, Bumblefoot joined the band as a replacement for Buckethead. The shows in New York were followed by a summer tour in Europe. After Guns N' Roses' performance performance in Stockholm, Sweden on June 26, an intoxicated Rose was arrested for biting a hotel security guard's leg, threatening police and damaging property at the hotel. Despite this, the band managed to fulfil their show in Oslo, Norway just two days later.

Following the successful European summer tour, in which the band played to over 700,000 people, the band embarked on a tour in North America in October 2006. The band cancelled two shows in November 2006; the first, which was scheduled for November 6 in Portland, Maine, was cancelled "due to limitations imposed by local fire marshals", the second, which was scheduled for November 29 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was cancelled due to Rose's ear and throat problems.

On December 14, 2006, Rose published an open letter to the band's fans on their website, he announced the cancellation of the final four shows of the North American tour, claiming that those shows were taking up time the band needed to finish recording Chinese Democracy. Rose also revealed that the band had parted company with their manager Merck Mercuriadis, implying that the reason the album wasn't released in 2006 was Mercuriadis's fault (many times throughout 2006, Rose had said the album would be released that year). In the letter, Rose announced a tentative release date of March 6, 2007 for the album, however, the album was once again delayed. The next day, Mercuriadis replied to Rose's letter, he stated that he had organized many recording sessions which Rose had failed to attend, he also claimed that he had written much of Rose's open letter.

On February 22, 2007, the band's road manager, Del James, announced that all recording for the album had been completed and it was in the mixing process, James stated that there was no release date for the album but that things appeared to be moving on after a number of delays.

In the summer of 2007, the band begun touring again; playing in Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The tour was supposed to begin with two performances in South Africa, including headlining the My Coke Fest, South Africa's biggest music festival, in late April/early May but they were cancelled after bassist Stinson injured his wrist after falling down a light of stairs.

Sound
In 1999, the industrial metal song "Oh My God" was released on the End of Days soundtrack. It featured current Guns N' Roses members Axl Rose, Dizzy Reed, Robin Finck, Chris Pitman and Tommy Stinson, along with former members Paul Tobias and Josh Freese, who have since left the band. Dave Navarro and Gary Sunshine also recorded guitar parts for the song. "Oh My God" was unpopular upon its release, and was described by All Music Guide as "a less than satisfying comeback". The sound of Chinese Democracy was often reported to be industrial rock music similar to Nine Inch Nails and Ministry, a style that Rose had long been a fan of. However, in a 2001 interview with an Argentine radio station, Rose stated the album wasn't industrial, and would vary in styles: It is not industrial, the closest thing to that was perhaps "Oh My God", but there are some songs that won't be on the album that were this way. There will be all kinds of styles, many influences as blues, mixed in the songs.

In 2003, DJ Eddie Trunk spoke about the demo of "I.R.S." which was leaked on his radio show: It reminded me of Use Your Illusion-era stuff, with some modern flairs to it. The song had a loop track in the beginning, but then, when it kicked in, it was that same dramatic Guns N' Roses hard rock.

During the launch party for Korn's 2006 tour, Rose conducted an interview with Rolling Stone, he told the magazine: It's a very complex record, I'm trying to do something different. Some of the arrangements are kind of like Queen. Some people are going to say, 'It doesn't sound like Axl Rose, it doesn't sound like Guns N' Roses.' But you'll like at least a few songs on there.

In a Rolling Stone article in 2006, former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach described the album as "epic" and "mind-blowing" and added: It’s a very cool album - it’s badass with killer screams, killer guitar riffs, but it’s got a totally modern sound. The word for it is ‘grand.’ It’s fucking epic. He’s reinvented himself yet again.

Bach also described a song entitled "Sorry": There’s this one song called ‘Sorry’ that’s almost like doom metal with Axl singing really clean over this grinding, slow beat that is fucking mean, I cannot get it out of my head.

Bach has also described the album as having "the rawness and the power of Appetite for Destruction, but it also has the grandiosity of 'November Rain'."

Production
Long time Guns N' Roses producer Mike Clink was reported to have worked on the album during its conception. Moby and Youth turned down offers to work on the album.

According to Rolling Stone, Nevermind engineer Andy Wallace was working on the album in 2006. A source close to Guns N' Roses is quoted as saying "we're absolutely delighted with the mixes".

Other producers who have worked on the album include: Roy Thomas Baker, Bob Ezrin and Sean Beavan.

Collaborations with other artists
The band have worked with numerous other artists during Chinese Democracy's recording process; including guitarists Brian May and Dave Navarro. May recorded the lead guitar parts for for the leaked song "Catcher in the Rye" in 1999, however, "Catcher in the Rye" has never been confirmed to appear on Chinese Democracy and it's unknown if May's parts will be on the song if it is officially released.

NBA star Shaquille O'Neal rapped on a song with the band. He took a break from his own recording session and found Dizzy Reed and then-drummer Josh Freese working in a neighboring studio: I saw Guns N' Roses listed on the bulletin board in the lobby of the studio so I stuck my head in to check it out. They asked me to join them, so I started freestylin' over their track. It was the first time I ever performed with a rock group, and it felt good. Composers Marco Beltrami and Paul Buckmaster worked on orchestral arrangements for the album in the early 2000s.

In January 2007, former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach recorded backing vocals for a song called "Sorry" at Electric Lady Studios. Harpist Patti Hood has also recorded parts for the album.

Leaks
In September 2003, radio DJ Eddie Trunk played a new Guns N' Roses song titled "I.R.S." on his syndicated radio show Friday Night Rocks ... With Eddie Trunk. This was at the insistence of his in-studio guest Mike Piazza, who had received a CD in the mail the previous month. Guns N' Roses' management issued a cease-and-desist order against Trunk, leading him to strip replays of his broadcast of both the song and references to it. An excerpt of the song "I.R.S." leaked onto the Internet in April 2005. The band's management referred to it as a "low quality demo", but it was most likely a recording of Eddie Trunk's broadcast of the song from 2003.

Full-length studio demos of "Better", "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S." and "There Was a Time" leaked online in February 2006. Queen guitarist Brian May confirmed on his blog that he recorded guitar for the "Catcher in the Rye" demo in 1999.

On February 20, 2007, a new version of the song "Better" was leaked onto the Internet. Dizzy Reed confirmed the song was real on the band's website, he also claimed Harley-Davidson was the source of the leak, "we were doing a commercial with Harley-Davidson. Harley was going to do a version using 'Paradise City' and another version using 'Better'. Their web site even had a version up for like one day with 'Better', but the version of 'Better' that they had was an unfinished, unapproved demo. That's why it was removed." Reed also rejected claims made by fans that Guns N' Roses or their management were responsible for the leak.

A studio version of "Madagascar" was leaked onto a fansite, on March 29, 2007; the track was leaked by a well known member on a Guns N' Roses fan forum. Rose's vocal style on the demo is different to how he had sung it live, leading many fans to think the demo was fan made, however, guitarist Bumblefoot later confirmed it was real.

Three more tracks leaked in early May, 2007; the album's title track, "Chinese Democracy", "There Was a Time", "The Blues" and another, more recent version of "I.R.S.". All three tracks had previously been played live and "Chinese Democracy" had been partially leaked in March. They were allegedly leaked by the wrestler Mister Saint Laurent.

Current status
According to a March 2005 New York Times article, production costs for the album have reached $13 million, making it probably the most expensive recording never to be released. Then-Guns N' Roses manager, Merck Mercuriadis, however, refuted the article in a letter and claimed that the newspaper's sources had not been involved with the project for "six to nine years".

Rose issued a press release on Guns N' Roses' official website on December 14 2006. Entitled "An open letter to the fans from Axl", Rose announced the cancellation of four concerts that were scheduled for January 2007, he stated that if the band fulfilled the concerts, "valuable time needed by the band and record company for the proper setup and release of the album Chinese Democracy would have been lost". Also in the letter, he confirmed that Guns N' Roses had parted company with manager Merck Mercuriadis. Rose blamed much of the album's delay on Mercuriadis. Rose also announced a tentative release date for Chinese Democracy of March 6 2007, he remarked that it was the first time the band had publicly named a release date for the album.

Despite Rose's announcement, the album was, once again, delayed. On February 22, 2007, road manager Del James confirmed that all recording for the album had been completed, and that it was in the mixing stage. James elaborated, "drummer Frank Ferrer and guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal integrated themselves into the recordings seamlessly and will have their presence felt".

In a 2007 interview, Bach claimed Rose had planned to have the album released by Christmas 2007, stating "I know Axl was very serious about putting something out before Christmas. He was talking to me about it. He was talking about finishing liner notes." Bach also said that Chinese Democracy's delay might be because of business problems: "I think there's a lot of business shit that goes on with him. It's just not as easy. It's a little more complicated than people think."

Controversy and lawsuits
In 2004, Geffen Records released Greatest Hits. Rose, along with Slash and McKagan, attempted to block the album's release. They filed a lawsuit against Geffen, claiming the album was unauthorized and would damage reputation, Rose also claimed it would would destract the band from completing Chinese Democracy. A week before the scheduled release, a judge denied their request for an injunction and the album was released. Greatest Hits was #1 in the UK for two weeks and reached #3 on the Billboard 200. Despite being criticized for being hastily assembled and not being noticeable remastered, it was the world's ninth highest selling album of 2004.

On January 24 2005, Rose signed a publishing deal with Sanctuary Music Publishing. In the deal, Rose sold Guns N' Roses' entire back catalogue and future material to Sanctuary. McKagan and Slash filed a lawsuit against Rose in August 2005, they claimed Rose changed the group's publisher without their consent and tried to take the group's royalties for himself. McKagan and Slash also claimed Rose "omitted and concealed" his dealings with Sanctuary, and they only discovered the deal after they didn't receive their royalties for the first quarter of 2005, despite the deal being reported by the press.

On March 6 2006, Rose filed a counterclaim against Slash, requesting confirmation of Rose's "ownership of his own creative works". A press release was also issued on behalf of Rose along with the suit: "W. Axl Rose, on Friday March 3, 2006 responded to one of Saul "Slash" Hudson's baseless lawsuits by filing a counterclaim asking the Federal Court to confirm his ownership of his own creative works. Slash and Michael "Duff" McKagan had previously filed cases both in Federal Court and in the Los Angeles Superior Court making numerous false allegations about Axl. Mr. Rose believes that once apprised of the true facts the Judge or Jury deciding these lawsuits will rule in Axl’s favor on every issue before them. The press release also claimed Slash had visited Rose's house in October 2005 and made derogatory comments about his Velvet Revolver band mates : In October of 2005 Slash made an unannounced 5:30 AM visit to Axl Rose’s house. Not appearing to be under the influence, Slash came to inform Axl of the Velvet Revolver band members: 'Duff [McKagan] was spineless', 'Scott [Weiland] was a fraud', that he 'hates Matt Sorum' and that in this ongoing war, contest or whatever anyone wants to call it that Slash has waged against Axl for the better part of 10 years, that Axl has proven himself 'the stronger.' Based on his conduct in showing up at Rose's home, Axl was hopeful that Slash would live up to his pronouncements that he wanted to end the war and move on with life. Unfortunately that did not prove to be the case.

During an interview on the Camp Freddy Show, on May 13, 2006, Slash denied ever having visited Rose's home, claiming that he had neither seen nor spoken to the singer since the mid-'90s. However, in 2007, Slash admitted he had visited Rose's house, but stated that he had spoken to Rose's housekeeper, Beta Lebeis, not to Rose himself, and that he had not made any of the comments attributed to him.

Title conflicts
On April 1, 2003 (April Fool's Day), The Offspring announced that they would be naming their upcoming album Chinese Democrazy (You Snooze, You Lose). The Offspring lead singer Dexter Holland elaborated, "You snooze, you lose. Axl ripped off my braids, I ripped off his album title." However, the Offspring album was eventually released under the title Splinter instead.

Personnel

 * Axl Rose - lead vocals, backing vocals
 * Dizzy Reed - keyboards, piano, backing vocals
 * Robin Finck - lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
 * Tommy Stinson - bass guitar, backing vocals
 * Chris Pitman - keyboards, synthesizer, programming, backing vocals
 * Bryan Mantia - drums, percussion
 * Richard Fortus - rhythm and lead guitar
 * Bumblefoot - lead and rhythm guitar
 * Frank Ferrer - drums

Former members who may feature

 * Paul Tobias - rhythm guitar
 * Josh Freese - drums
 * Buckethead - lead and rhythm guitar

Additional musicians who recorded parts for Chinese Democracy

 * Dave Navarro - guitar
 * Gary Sunshine - guitar
 * Brian May - guitar
 * Shaquille O'Neal - vocals
 * Sebastian Bach - backing vocals
 * Patti Hood - harp

Orchestral arrangements

 * Marco Beltrami
 * Paul Buckmaster