McKagan Talks "Chinese Democracy," China Tosses Up a Ban

With Chinese Democracy fever sweeping across the country, Axl Rose's old Guns N' Roses bandmate Duff McKagan has commented on the album's self-titled single. "I just heard the single, 'Chinese Democracy', and I heard it at the gym when I was working out. It wasn't like I sat down in a quiet room and listened to it and analyzed it. And I probably wouldn't. I think [Axl's] a really talented guy and I shared a big part of my life with him, but that was a long time ago for me," McKagan said. "I've been asked more about this record, starting about 8-9 years ago, and I probably know the least about the record." Also not swept up in the whole Chinese Democracy fervor: China. According to reports, G'N'R fans in China have blocked from the album's official website and can't use their search engines to find "Chinese Democracy." Whether this countrywide firewall of the terms "Chinese Democracy" predates the album is unclear, but the band's MySpace page with its full album stream is still accessible. "This is the first time we've heard about it," a Ministry of Culture spokeswoman said regarding a possible ban. "I don't know if they're banned or not. It might be a rumor."

Related Stories:
• Chinese Democracy Hits Best Buys in New York With a Yawn
• Guns N' Roses Streaming On MySpace
• Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin Weigh in on Chinese Democracy

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter