China Bans Guns N' Roses Record

[Horatio_Bunce]

OK, I KNOW this is off topic, but AJ hasn’t really talked about this - The new record from Guns N’ Roses is finally out - Chinese Democracy - and China is calling it a direct attack against their country. Do you support Axl calling the album this and his contrversial lyrics about bringing down the great wall of China andings like You’re worth more than they tell you - Nothing’s gonna stop us now (he is referring to the libertarian movement) - btw his next record will have a song called “Atlas Shrugged.”

If you do support them - please go and show your support by voting in the poll at

http://www.blistering.com

The poll is on the bottom right of the page, scroll down a little.

[Revolt426]

Maybe Guns n Roses should write a song about our move from democracy to fascism

[Horatio_Bunce]

He is talking about that a bit and the songs Oklahoma and Atlas Shrugged will be on the next one out in a year...

[voodo0]

is this the new g&r?

[Horatio_Bunce]

yeah it is - It's been a while now, but If you can get the whole govt of a Communist country mad at you, I think that's pretty damn good..."I.R.S" is pretty interesting too, axl has no love for the bank...

[voodo0]

yeah it is - It's been a while now, but If you can get the whole govt of a Communist country mad at you, I think that's pretty damn good..."I.R.S" is pretty interesting too, axl has no love for the bank...

I'll check it out.

[Horatio_Bunce]

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David Flumenbaum
David Flumenbaum
Posted November 24, 2008 | 01:23 PM (EST)

China Bans Democracy, Declares War on Guns N' Roses

Guess what's never coming to China? Something that the world has patiently waited to see for years now. Something we all hoped we'd see some day but never really expected ever to see. If you said "Chinese Democracy", you're right. And unfortunately, we're not talking about Chinese people voting, although we'd like to see that too. We're talking about Guns N' Roses' first original studio album in 17 years, Chinese Democracy, released worldwide Monday, everywhere but China.

According to a Wall Street Journal report Sunday, Chinese authorities have outlawed sales of the new GN'R release, citing the title of the album, "Chinese Democracy," as the principal reason. The title, thought up by Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose because he "liked the sound of it," violates rules established by China's Ministry of Culture that prohibit the word "democracy" to be used in the title of any music, book or film within mainland China. One can only assume that if the word "Chinese" precedes "Democracy" in a title, Chinese censors would become even more frightened.

The Global Times, a newspaper run by China's Communist Party, published an article Monday with the headline "American band releases album venomously attacking China," that labels the album part of a Western plot to "grasp and control the world using democracy as a pawn" and that the album "turns its spear point on China." Other than the story in the state newspaper, no Ministry of Culture spokesman has commented on the album.

On the album's title track, Axl Rose, a frequent visitor to China, accuses the Chinese government of scapegoating the Falun Gong, the religious sect perpetually at odds with Beijing. "Blame it on the Falun Gong/They've seen the end and you can't hold on now," Axl sings in "Chinese Democracy," a song said to have been written about religious persecution in China. Axl later sings in the song as if speaking directly to the Chinese authorities, "You think you got it all locked up inside/And if you beat them all up they'll die/Then you'll walk them home for the cells/Then now you'll dig for your road back to hell." To use the Chinese government's favorite buzzword, Axl's words are certainly "sensitive."

Before performing the title track for the first time in 2001 at a Las Vegas New Year's show, Axl Rose, the only original member of Guns N' Roses to contribute to Chinese Democracy, told the crowd that he was inspired to write the song after seeing the Martin Scorsese film Kundun about the Dalai Lama. He went on to say this about the track:

    It's not necessarily pro or con about China. Its just that right now China symbolizes one of the strongest, yet most oppressive countries and governments in the world. And we are fortunate to live in a free country. And so in thinking about that it just kind of upset me and so we wrote this little song.

Stores in China that carry new albums will not be allowed to offer Chinese Democracy and fans expect that they will be forbidden to purchase the album on iTunes. China's biggest internet portal, Baidu.com has blocked all internet searches for "Chinese Democracy" and access to the website ChineseDemocracy.com has been blocked within mainland China, according to an AFP report Monday. However, Axl's new album was not completely unobtainable for Chinese GN'R fans. Sunday, Internet users there were able to listen to the album's 14 tracks on MySpace, which was granted permission to release the songs on the Internet one day before Monday's wide release. Furthermore, a search for "Chinese Democracy" on both Google and YouTube within Mainland China returned search results for the new album, according to a source in Shanghai.

The release of Chinese Democracy, an album in the works for nearly 15 years, has taken on somewhat of a mythical status. Axl began writing music for the disc back in 1993, when original members Slash and Duff McKagan were still in the band. Within four years, there was no new album and Slash, Duff and drummer Matt Sorum had all left the band. While Axl rounded up a new lineup and continued to write music for the album, the following decade in the ongoing Chinese Democracy project was punctuated by chronic concert cancellations, more personnel changes and numerous broken promises by Axl as to when the album would come out. People have been waiting for this disc for so long, the term "Chinese Democracy" has become music industry jargon for a highly anticipated album that never gets released.

So when Guns N' Roses announced last month that Chinese Democracy was finished and their label Geffen confirmed the album would be released November 24, GN'R fans finally could believe they would get to hear what '80s rock god Axl Rose had been doing for the last 15 years -- and China is no different. As far as western music goes in China, Guns N' Roses is one of the most well-known, respected and mimicked bands in China. In fact, when Chinese network CCTV ranked the best rock bands of all time last year, GN'R took the #8 spot. Moreover, as the Wall Street Journal points out, the band's legendary 1987 album Appetite for Destructionbecame a massive hit in mainland China during the pro-democracy student movements in China in the late 80s.

Lucky for GN'R fans in China, and there are numerous Chinese websites dedicated to the band, most music listeners in China don't obtain albums in record stores or through legal internet sites anyway. Pirated versions of the album have been available online in China for months and will likely be available on the street in pirated CD and DVD stores. The Wall Street Journal reported that the album can be easily found online in China by searching for "Chinese Democraxy" or "Chi Dem" as the Chinese prefer not to use the album's real name for fear of being monitored by the government. And naturally, when the Chinese government issues a ban on a film or album, especially one with the name "Chinese Democracy," it only serves to create further buzz around the item and usually results in an increase in purchases of pirated copies.

It is unlikely that when Axl selected the title for the album, he realized the depth of the parallels between Chinese democracy and Chinese Democracy. Like actual Chinese democracy, the new album had come to symbolize a fantasy, an ongoing project with no end, a dream that is never fully realized. That all changes today. With the release of the album, the name takes on an entirely new significance. Chinese Democracy is no longer a phantom, but rather, something that now is very real, something celebrated in the rest of the world but still conspicuously absent in China.

Perhaps, with the release of Chinese Democracy, Axl Rose is showing the world that if you wait long enough for something, one day it will arrive.


Guess what's never coming to China? Something that the world has patiently waited to see for years now. Something we all hoped we'd see some day but never really expected ever to see. If you said "Ch...
Guess what's never coming to China? Something that the world has patiently waited to see for years now. Something we all hoped we'd see some day but never really expected ever to see.

[Horatio_Bunce]

Here's from BBC - there are 1024 related articles on google


China: Roses album is 'venomous'
Axl Rose in 2002
Chinese Democracy is the band's first album in 15 years

China has dismissed the new Guns N' Roses album, Chinese Democracy, as a "venomous attack" on the nation.

An article in the Global Times, published by the ruling communist party, says the album, launched this week, "turns its spear point on China".

The title track of the album, which has not been released in China because of the sensitive material, refers to the banned Falun Gong spiritual group.

The album's official website has also been blocked in China.

Chinese Democracy is the band's first album since their covers collection The Spaghetti Incident? in 1993.

Pirate copies

On the title track, lead singer Axl Rose sings: "If your great wall rocks, blame yourself."

Artwork for the album includes the oil painting Red Star by Beijing artist Shi Lifeng - which depicts Chinese people as powerless.

   
According to my knowledge, a lot of people don't like this kind of music because it's too noisy and too loud
Government spokesman Qin Gang

James Reynolds' China

Photographs of the Chinese military and the Hong Kong skyline also feature in the artwork.

When asked about the record, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told the BBC's James Reynolds: "According to my knowledge, a lot of people don't like this kind of music because it's too noisy and too loud."

China frequently bans the release of foreign films and albums, although they often appear in pirated form and are sold in shops and by street vendors.

Bjork
Bjork landed herself in hot water with Chinese authorities

Live performances are also closely monitored with artists forced to supply set lists for approval in advance.

In July, the Chinese government said that any foreign entertainers who had attended events threatening "national sovereignty" would be banned from the country.

The ministry of culture said that any artists that "whip up ethnic hatred" during shows would also be banned.

The announcement came after Bjork shouted "Tibet, Tibet" at a Shanghai concert in March.

Any talk of Tibetan independence is considered taboo in China, which has ruled the territory for more than 50 years.

[creat3d]

I grew up listening to GN'R, Slash was a god to me.
I remember when Chinese Democracy was coming "by the end of the year" in 1999... and 2000... and on and on and on I waited.
Then they performed live for the first time (the new guys)... I lost all faith I had left in Axl that day.

Can't stand his new voice, can't stand his new band, can't stand the new songs.

There are quite a few lyrics from Use Your Illusion that show he's aware of a lot that's going on...
He definately is "awake", that I've known for years, but this new band of his is a farce.
Sorry Axl, I'll keep listening to UYI and AFD though!

Interesting image from that site btw

[Horatio_Bunce]

Sorry man, Slash is a one trick pony - Buckethead has been releasing albums of various styles for years of every different style - he can play circles around slash!

[creat3d]

Sorry man, Slash is a one trick pony - Buckethead has been releasing albums of various styles for years of every different style - he can play circles around slash!

I can recognize that Buckethead has good technical skills, but I can't listen to him. That's got nothing to do with Slash though, I just can't stand BH. Not my cup of tea...

[Horatio_Bunce]

And bitching about that pic is silly when AJ plays Led Zep on the program, with Page being a devoted Crowley follower and Satanist, no???

Take things for what they are worth - Axl is trying to do something about it...has nothing to do with what you're implying.

[creat3d]

Uh? First I didn't bitch about the pic, I merely pointed it out.

Second, I clearly said that I believe Axl is aware of many things. I never implied otherwise, nor anything else other than stating I didn't like the new band.

What's your problem?

[ES]

I was never really a gnr fan back in their day. I was more into punk and thrash and stuff like that. But as I got a little older I found an appreciation for their songs when I began to put my punk rock snob attitude on the shelf a little bit. I haven't heard the songs but I'm willing to give them a chance because I think for all his baggage Axl is still trying to do something real. After all if he was just selling out then why would it take this long to come out with an album. Oh yeah and f**k the ChiComms.

[criticalunity]

Maybe Guns n Roses should write a song about our move from democracy to fascism

YEAH! RIGHT ON!  For chrissake! MAN! ... okay, Ill cool down...

- I'm going to make some anti-NWO music!

[Monkeypox]

Of course I support them.  They can say whatever the f**k they want and if China doesn't like it they can go suck a dick.

The Chinese are the biggest whiners on the planet.

[plantop14]

Of course I support them.  They can say whatever the f**k they want and if China doesn't like it they can go suck a dick.

The Chinese are the biggest whiners on the planet.

Bump, hell yeah, China can f--k off! Rock on GnR!

[sociostudent]

Oh, good Lord. 

[GoingEtheric]

I hope "Chinese Democracy" is a reference to our democracy.

Atlas shrugged you say? The pragmatist's Bible. Hmmm. Hope he hasn't joined the dark side.

[Triadtropz]

Maybe Guns n Roses should write a song about our move from democracy to fascism

I think thats the statement...GNR is huge in china, have been since the late 80's..the red army wants axl roses head on a platter..all GNR is banned in communist china..google helps them keep their minds clean...

[sociostudent]

this is a message for ben fulford:

Could you please remove your nose from that hooker's back long enough to address this censorship thing? Or are you gonna keep on your binge until the bodies line up outside your own home? Come on, man...GNR, dude. Not cool to keep silent, man. Just not cool.

[GoingEtheric]

this is a message for ben fulford:

Could you please remove your nose from that hooker's back long enough to address this censorship thing? Or are you gonna keep on your binge until the bodies line up outside your own home? Come on, man...GNR, dude. Not cool to keep silent, man. Just not cool.

I know. I hate the idea of influential people ( who I respect ) willfully staying quiet.

[Horatio_Bunce]

Of course I support them.  They can say whatever the f**k they want and if China doesn't like it they can go suck a dick.

The Chinese are the biggest whiners on the planet.

I've talked to a few Chinese about it and at this point, it's a big issue over there, people are all talking about the democracy movement in China now...

[Monkeypox]

I've talked to a few Chinese about it and at this point, it's a big issue over there, people are all talking about the democracy movement in China now...

Just to be clear, I was referring to the Chinese government, of course.

[heavyhebrew]

Of course I support them.  They can say whatever the f**k they want and if China doesn't like it they can go suck a dick.

The Chinese are the biggest whiners on the planet.

Sorry bro but my people got that position on lockdown.

[Amerokah]

Aside from all new world order discussion, GnR's (or Axl's) new album kicks ass!

[criticalunity]

BUMPING THE FACT THAT THE US WILL BE LIKE CHINA BECAUSE PEOPLE CANNOT FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUES, DUE TO ENTERTAINMENT & PROPAGANDA DISTRACTIONS.

---> AVOID THE TYRANNY OF CHINA SPREADING ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!! THE TIME IS NOW!

[thrashbassist]

I can't believe that it took GNR so long and so much money to record that piece of crap. I've officially banned Chinese Democracy from my ears.

GNR without Slash is like turkey without dressing (given that it's Thanksgiving).

[GoingEtheric]

I can't believe that it took GNR .......

lol

[creat3d]

Wasn't Use Your Illusion the first american rock record allowed in China?

Maybe they just got taste 

[Horatio_Bunce]

Ah stuck in the past, I see - Bet you think the Constitution has been in effect since the incorporation as well

[creat3d]

Ah stuck in the past, I see - Bet you think the Constitution has been in effect since the incorporation as well

Yes, the fact that I prefer an album over another clearly indicates I'm stuck in the past.
Wouldn't it be great if we went back to steam-powered cars? How about public hangings and guillotines, I sure miss those!

The reason I don't like Chinese Democracy is the same reason why I hated the new songs when I first heard them years ago, why I still hated them when they played them at the Las Vegas new year's eve concert and why I still hated them when I heard the leaked songs this year. What reason? Because I don't like it, it's a matter of personal preferences.

But I guess I just don't "get it"!

Now where was I? Oh yeah, remember when Reagan was president? My god, such charisma!

[L2Design]

I hope "Chinese Democracy" is a reference to our democracy.

....ooooooo that gave me chills.... true huh

[Monkeypox]

Sorry bro but my people got that position on lockdown.

Ouch!  If I said that I'd be anti-Semitic.

 

[L2Design]

My jewish so called 'friends' in my life have ALL BACKSTABBED me...
One took my idea and used it.

I DO NO WORK WITH JEWISH PEOPLE

KARMA will COME DOWN ON ALL OF THEM

[Monkeypox]

My jewish so called 'friends' in my life have ALL BACKSTABBED me...
One took my idea and used it.

I DO NO WORK WITH JEWISH PEOPLE

KARMA will COME DOWN ON ALL OF THEM

Oy vey...

[L2Design]

LOL

Sorry...

But it had to come down to that...

[Horatio_Bunce]

Well, maybe he should have called it Jewish Democracy...hehe