The BBC reports the "Guns N' Roses long-awaited new album, Chinese Democracy, is to be released in the US on 23 November."
This album has been in the making since recording began in 1994!! The small matter of Slash and the rest of the band leaving in 1996 in revolt against Axl Rose caused the initial delay.
Rose replaced all the band members and started recording again in 1998. Geffen paid Rose $1m to get the album finished by the end of 1999 and promised a further $1m if he did finish it. He didn't.
More members left the band and were replaced, including the rather bizarre new guitarist Buckethead, who always performed with a KFC bucket on his head. By 2001 things were on the go again, with Gn'R playing their first live gig for seven years in Vegas. A European tour was also planned, but was then cancelled... because Buckethead was ill. They did manage a few dates in 2002, including England. Various gigs had to be cancelled at the last moment because Rose failed to show up, despite the rest of the band being at the venue. This resulted in riots in Vancouver and Philadelphia.
All this trouble put things back once again and the band went their seperate ways... with Chinese Democracy no closer to being finished than it was in 1994.
The band got back together in 2006 and started touring again. Though touring was abruptly stopped by Rose, who cancelled the remaining dates... because the band needed some time to finish recording Chinese Democracy.
Finally, in 2007 the album was complete according to Gn'R's management. All that remained to be done was the mixing phase. By the end of 2007 there was still no release.
By now becoming a joke, Dr Pepper publically stated that they would offer a free can of Dr Pepper to everyone in America — excluding former Guns N' Roses guitarists Buckethead and Slash — if the band releases Chinese Democracy in 2008.
Later on March 26, Rose replied to Dr Pepper on Guns N' Roses' official website and spoke of his surprise at Dr Pepper's support. Rose also said he would share his Dr Pepper with Buckethead as "some of Buckethead's performances are on [Chinese Democracy]".
It is said that so much money has been spent on this record over the past 14 years, that it will be impossible for it to be profitable.
Still, if you are in America and like Dr Pepper you're luck is in come 23 November ... though, judging by past from I wouldn't hold your breath.
(source - wikipedia)