What’s up with Guns N’ Roses’ “Chinese Democracy”?
When I heard that the new Guns N’ Roses album is entitled Chinese Democracy, it got me wondering what, exactly, the point to the title was. Now, I think we should start with the premise that these fellows aren’t very deep thinkers. I’m not trying to hate on Slash or Axl Rose, but they did choose the names “Slash” and “Axl Rose.” So I think if we are looking for deeper meaning, we’re going to have impose it ourselves. And I accept this challenge:
- Their last albums were Use Your Illusion I & II, both released in 1991. Presumably they started writing their next album right away. In 1991, Chinese Democracy probably sounded prescient. Of course, snap bracelets seemed like a good investment at the time too.
- Guns N’ Roses is now Axl Rose and six guys I’ve never heard of. He’s also had so much plastic surgery he looks like Brigitte Nielson near a heat lamp. Chinese Communism is not market-oriented socialist harmoniousness. Or was it socialist-oriented marketing. I can’t remember. Just saying.
- China’s youth can’t remember 1989, and most who know about it think it was some silly movement decades ago. America’s youth can’t remember Guns N’ Roses and think they were some silly movement decades ago.
- The band probably thinks Guns N’ Roses: hair bands, as China: 1980s communist countries. China is still chugging along while the USSR and East Germany have collapsed. Meanwhile, Guns N’ Roses is still widely respected, and let’s just says Poison, White Snake and Damn Yankees have lost come of their luster. On the other hand, not too many people would have guessed Bon Jovi would be popular in 2008 20 years ago (the Cuba of hair bands?).
- And finally, as times have gotten tough in American, both China and Guns N’ Roses are trying to make life a little better for the people. China announced a US $500 billion stimulus package, and Guns N’ Roses released an album. Let’s hope the latter is better thought out.
Guns N’ Roses and China: 30 years of re-defining themselves.
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MulattoRocks responds:
Posted: November 14th, 2008 at 1:55 pm →
Lighten up. They wrote the book on China. “Welcome to the Jungle” is all about Tongren Lu, while “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” a loving ode to the girl who calls herself Amy and promises a night of you acting as her husband. Plus the last album was “The Spaghetti Incident” and as you all know noodles were invented in China. Expect a reunion gig at Badaling soon.
stevo responds:
Posted: November 17th, 2008 at 6:39 am →
I always assumed it was given that name because the album was started over a decade ago, and all that time it’s only been a rumor somewhere on the Internet, and nothing more.