Guns N' Roses Unleashes Chinese Democracy After 14 Years in Production

Tue, 11/25/2008 - 4:24pm by Caser

The facts surrounding the sixth Guns N' Roses studio record, Chinese Democracy, are straight out of a Christopher Guest mockumentary or a Brian Wilson breakdown. Consider the following: over $13 million spent on production, 14 years of recording and mixing, 3 different record labels, 4 new band members (Axl Rose, sole original member), 4 producers, 17 contributing musicians, a ban on the record in China, not to mention Rose's myriad scandals while in self-imposed exile in the Hollywood hills. The only thing this record is missing is the obligatory Stonehenge track to make it a 'true' rock epic. Whether this overblown release is worth the wait is for the listener to decide; either way, Axl Rose's personal golem has earned its place in the expansive halls of rock egotism.