Chart positions globally & what the industry is saying about “Chinese Democracy”

What the industry is saying about Axl Rose & "Chinese Democracy"



Dumb & Dumber hanging out talking shop!

We’re gonna start a little page here for all the fine industry folks to give their 2 cents on the long awaited arrival of "Chinese Democracy".

Updated: 12-12-2008

DUFF MCKAGAN Says AXL ROSE ‘Sounds Amazing’ On ‘Chinese Democracy’ >HERE<

Bassist Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, LOADED, ex-GUNS N’ ROSES) was interviewed this morning (Friday, December 12) by "The BJ Shea Morning Experience" on the Seattle station KISW 99.9 FM. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On whether he’s heard the new GUNS N’ ROSES album, "Chinese Democracy":

Duff: "I have, yeah. I think Axl [Rose, vocals] sounds amazing. You know, I’m glad he put out the record he wanted to put out and I think it’s gonna be successful, him going out and touring. People have been talking how the record’s doing. I think it’s a longevity thing; it will do fine for him. And I wish him the best of luck."

On whether there is any truth to the rumors that Axl Rose tried to reunite the original GUNS N’ ROSES lineup before the release of "Chinese Democracy":

Duff: "I think all of it’s rumors. It makes for good, you know, talk around the water cooler, but I don’t think much of it is based on any fact."

On whether there’s been any communication between him and Axl and on the possibility of a future reunion of the original GUNS N’ ROSES lineup:

Duff: "No, there has been no communication. I’ve grown up. There are so many other things that made me realize, in my life, that made me realize, ‘Oh, you’re an adult now,’ you know? Petty things just go by the wayside. I don’t really have time for any of that stuff anymore. As an adult, I see what you guys see. Like, OK, well, everybody is alive and perhaps one day. And if we did it, it would be a blast. It’s not anything, by any means, that I sit around and wait for or hope for. If it happens, it happens, and if not, that’s fine too."



We’ll also throw in some world wide debut chart positions for the long awaited disc.

GUNS N’ ROSES’ new album, "Chinese Democracy", has registered the following first-week chart positions so far (Note: The album wasn’t available a full week in many of these territories when the charts were compiled):

Brazil: #1

Finland: #1

Sweden: #1

New Zealand: #2

UK: #2

Australia: #3

Ireland: #3

Japan: #3

Norway: #3

Hungary: #4

Netherlands: #4

Denmark: #7

Spain: #12



Matt Sorum current Velvet Revolver and former GnR/The Cult drummer called the new "Chinese Democracy" release a "Toe tapper" on a recent video captured by the fine folks over at TMZ.com. Check it out >HERE<

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BACH ON ‘CHINESE DEMOCRACY’

Let’s talk audio here. Just like you, & the rest of the planet, since Sunday I have spent every waking moment I can listening to ‘Chinese Democracy’. Recently I purchased a brand new turntable, partly because it has a USB cord on the back so you can make mp3’s of your albums. Funny thing, I have not made one mp3 yet since I bought it. Fact is, any ear can hear that albums sound far richer, clearer, & more natural by far than mp3’s, & even standard CD’s. Once I started listening to my albums again, the only use I now have for mp3’s is their portability. It’s definatley cool to carry your whole collection around in your pocket, but as far as sound goes, analog whup’s digital’s ass, hands down, no contest.

Which leads me to ‘Chinese Democracy’. Picked up the 180 Gram Vinyl Double Album, & the CD as well for the car. This is the first brand new album I have bought in over 15 years for sure, possibly 20 years. All I can say is, we as music fans have lost alot with the so-called (premature? one can only hope) ‘demise’ of the LP. As soon as I ran my fingernail down the side, splitting the cellophane, & opened the gatefold sleeve, I knew I was in for a full-on rock’n’roll ‘experience’ getting into this LP. I pulled out Disc 1 & was immediately struck by how ‘heavy’ this vinyl was. It’s like my dad’s old original copy of ‘Led Zeppelin 2′. Not flimsy, lightweight vinyl like records became in the late ’80’s. ‘Chinese Democracy’ is a heavy, thick , ‘platter’ of a record. I couldn’t wait to crank it.

FYI the Bach stereo system consists of : the ‘Ion’ turntable through a Pioneer VSX-52 Amplifier. I run this through an AudioControl C-101 Equalizier, with Adcom Poweramps. My speakers are JBL Control 10’s with a Velodyne Sub-Woofer on a hardwood floor. Yes, I can make my whole house literally shake if I want, & yes, the lights actually dim for a second in my living room when I fire all the gear up. I dig it. In short, it kicks ass.

As soon as I dropped the needle on ‘Chinese Democracy’, I was captivated by the sound of this record, & the thought, talent, & care put into this piece of Art, from all involved. The power, clarity, separation, & production of this music is nothing short of incredible. As loud as I want, I can still hear the vocals, guitars & everything else perfectly clear, with the bass rumbling my guts (& below) just like it should. When Axl rips into the line "even with an iron fist" in the first song, the blood in my veins starts to boil & the intensity does not let up until the end of Side Four. What I hear on this record is unbelievable pathos, %100 of Axl’s heart, & soul, on record for all of us to hear. When he sings a song such as ‘Street Of Dreams’ it’s lke Janis Joplin at her best, with Quincy Jones’ quote of ‘Melody is King’ operating in full effect. The melodies on this record rip my heart out. To hear them sung by the beautiful/deadly instrument that is Axl Rose’s voice, is something that is to me, truly special, not to mention really cool to own & be able to blast ‘on stun’ whenever I choose. 4 times today so far, but who’s counting.

I cannot stop listening to this record. ‘Scraped’, ‘Rhiad & The Bedoins’, ‘Street Of Dreams’, ‘IRS’, everytime I listen I have a new favorite. Brain, Bumblefoot, Robin Finck, everyone on the record played their asses off; the production is stellar; I haven’t even got to the lyrics, still too blown away by the sheer sound to tackle the words…..yet! The album is, above all: Original. Heartfelt. Without Compromise. How many records can you honestly describe in that way today?

This is like nothing I have ever heard. And I can’t wait to hear it again.

Which is, to me, the definition of great rock’n’roll.



This courtesy of Sebastian Bach’s MySpace

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Oklahoma hard rockers HINDER recently spoke to MTV News about GUNS N’ ROSES’ long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy", which is due for release on November 23.

"We’ve heard some of the earlier stuff that’s leaked, and the single, and I was just kind of like, ‘Eh,’ " frontman Austin Winkler said. "Axl’s voice sounds great, but that was never a problem. It was him going onstage and working with those other guys that was the problem. I think somewhere Axl’s got all these other different guitar players he’s tried to work with and he was just whipping them, going, ‘More like Slash! More like Slash!’ That’s what I’m picturing in my mind."

"I heard the stuff that was leaked, and I know the mixes weren’t there, but, being musicians, you can hear through that stuff — you still hear the songs, and to be honest, the songs just aren’t there," drummer Cody Hanson added. "It almost sounds too artsy; there’s something about it. It’s not what it was. It’s just missing something, and it sounds overproduced. … I guess that’s what happens whenever you’ve got 20 years to sit in the studio."



Overproduced? Coming from "The Lips of an Angel" we wanna suck Nickelbacks ball sacks for dinner group? You silly dicks, you’re from Oklahoma, what the fuck do you know?

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"I don’t know if I believe it’s a Guns N’ Roses record, because it’s just Axl. I think it’s a phenomenal solo record, I’m sure, but as far as being a Guns N’ Roses record, you know, I’d love to hear Guns N’ Roses together because we believed in that band. You know, Axl’s the type of artist who will make sure it’s a great record, but it’s not a Guns N’ Roses record, it’s an Axl Rose record. We need to be careful with the brand name."  Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue

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