The Neverending Story Of Chinese Democracy

Guns N’ Roses joins the growing number of groups whose albums have been leaked to the public before the release date. While still a travesty, the nine tracks leaked off Guns N’ Roses’ forthcoming album, Chinese Democracy, are the result of 14 years of production that leaves fans saying, “Release it, already!”

Guns N’ Roses joins the growing number of groups whose albums have been leaked to the public before the release date. While still a travesty, the nine tracks leaked off Guns N’ Roses’ forthcoming album, Chinese Democracy, are the result of 14 years of production that leaves fans saying, “Release it, already!”

The early release of the nine “mastered, finished” tracks were spilled by links posted on Antiquiet.com, a website that describes itself as “an online magazine dedicated to challenging interviews with real people, and real discussions about real issues.” The links on the website were quickly nipped in the bud by GNR people soon after they were posted.

Prior to yesterday’s exposure, six other tracks off of Chinese Democracy have already been released, albeit in a more unfinished form. Furthermore, three tracks on the album are said to be yet unheard, one of those being “Rhiad and the Bedouins,” which the band performed live in 2001 and 2002.

The collective tracks of Chinese Democracy have been quite the in the “bun in the oven.” Begun in 1994, the album is said to have cost frontman, Axl Rose, a reported $13 million out of pocket in addition to what other band members have put into production costs. Billboard calls Chinese Democracy, “the album with the most troubled birth in rock history”.

As to when the album will actually be released, there is still no definite date. In late March 2008, the band signed a promising deal with Irving Azoff and Andy Gould to provide new management and to start “negotiations” with Interscope to set a date for release. Around the same time Dr. Pepper offered a generous donation: if Chinese Democracy is released before the end of 2008, everyone in America gets a free can of Dr. Pepper (except former members, Slash and Buckethead, of course). Doesn’t that spell happiness- a Guns N’ Roses album and a can of Dr. Pepper, mmmm.