The Chinese Democracy Years – 2004: Geffen Pull The Plug

This is the year that, famously, Geffen pulled out of funding the recording of Chinese Democracy, stating that “all budgeted and approved recording costs had been exceeded by millions of dollars”.
In February, various retailers reported that the GN’R greatest hits album would be released in March. A source suggested to Reuters that the only reason Geffen went ahead with the greatest hits album was because Axl had failed to deliver Chinese Democracy.
Axl took the step of drawing up a legal action against against Geffen together with Slash and Duff McKagan to stop the unauthorised release of a greatest hits album. Axl cited concern that GN’R fans would be misled into believing the greatest hits was a new GN’R album and that it would also hinder the release of Chinese Democracy.
The restraining order was refused and the Greatest Hits was indeed released in March, reaching sales of over 1.8 million without any kind of promotion by the band.
On the same month, Axl cancelled GN’R’s scheduled gig in Rock In Rio-Lisboa citing Buckethead’s departure. He also suggested that the album could be released in the autumn. Work resumed on the album in San Fernando on Curt Cuomo’s Woodland Ranch with Axl taking over production duties.
On his website, highly-rated guitar supremo Ron Thal, aka Bumblefoot, revealed he had been approached by Axl to replace Buckethead. “They want me to come and record with them in mid-September It was actually Joe Satriani who recommended me to them, ” he said.
VH1’s Behind The Music stated Chinese Democracy was slated for release in November. The band’s management quickly scotched the rumour while some tracks entered the mixing stage.
“Originally we had a fucking whole lot of songs we were working on,” said Tommy. “We kinda rolled around them and just kinda kept moulding them as we went along.”
“A few of the songs are pretty epic in length, but that’s always been GN’R’s thing, hasn’t it? I don’t think it’s a particularly long album, but I think the six I heard are pretty epic. I mean they are just… fucking huge, you know.”

Dizzy: “I have heard several versions of some of the cooler songs, and they all sound great…It’s an unenviable task for whoever is going to mix it. But they better put my shit in the mix! …They were originally shooting for November, but it may be February now. It’s gonna be great.”

Click here for The Chinese Democracy Years – 2005: Zzzzzzzzzzz