|
Post by Naitch on Nov 25, 2008 17:05:06 GMT -5
China gave short shrift to Guns N' Roses' controversial new album Chinese Democracy on Tuesday, saying the music was bad and that they were not that popular anyway. The band's first album in 17 years was released on Sunday and its Geffen Records label has already said it thinks it unlikely to be approved for release in China: "As far as I know, many people don't like this kind of music," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a news briefing. "It's too noisy and clamorous." The new album has drawn a furious response from some Chinese Internet users, who accused the band of trying to stir up ill will against China. Others "tried" to be were more balanced: "Forgive them, they haven't been on top of the world for hundreds of years. It's tough to avoid becoming outdated," said one post on popular Chinese web portal Mop.com (www.mop.com)
In one song, singer Axl Rose refers to members of the spiritual group Falun Gong, banned in China as an evil cult, and artwork includes Beijing artist Shi Lifeng's 2008 oil painting "Red Star," which depicts the powerlessness of Chinese people in a state ruled by an iron fist. Photos of the Chinese military and the Hong Kong skyline also appear.
But the album is devoid of bad language or sexual references. That was not the case with the band's last release, which did slip through the net in China.
Thats all fine and good the Chinese didn't like the name of the album, but the title of the album has been the same for 12 years now, what took so long?
|
|
|
Post by MasterSnit on Nov 25, 2008 17:10:56 GMT -5
The Chinese government are silly.
|
|
|
Post by Champ on Nov 26, 2008 5:47:06 GMT -5
no such thing as bad press
|
|
|
Post by Naitch on Nov 26, 2008 8:12:13 GMT -5
Losing a billion potential customers has to suck though.
|
|
|
Post by Champ on Nov 26, 2008 14:06:10 GMT -5
But when something like that comes up people in other countries start jumping on the cd purchase. People love politics and controversy and for some strange rebellious reason, that's always sold records. It definitely sucks that there like a zillion gooks in China, but this album will continue to do awesome just because of the long ass hype of the album and the history of the band and Axl being a douche still sells records
|
|
|
Post by Naitch on Nov 26, 2008 15:00:00 GMT -5
The album was going to sell like hot cakes no matter what. But lets do a little business math here.
Lets say only 400,000 people by the album at 15 dollars a pop. That comes out to $6,000,000. I have no idea of what Axl's share of that is but even 10 percent of 6 million is nothing to laugh at.
Of course thats under the assumption that people in China will buy CD's with English lyrics.
|
|
|
Post by MasterSnit on Nov 26, 2008 15:50:57 GMT -5
If I'm not mistaken, China has more English speakers than any other country on earth. So the Chinese public understanding the lyrics wouldn't be too much of a problem. I would be surprised if anyone connected with the music is surprised by the album being banned in China. The country is very, very picky about what it's citizens can and cannot do.
|
|
|
Post by Champ on Nov 26, 2008 20:48:59 GMT -5
I'm definitely not doubting that it's a huge financial loss for the band. I'm just looking at it from a point of view that they were going to be set after this album regardless.
Not to mention, so many of these gooks are smart and they'll find loopholes. Then again it'll probably be bootleg which wouldn't make money for the band. Whenever you buy a bootleg around here a charlie is always the one selling it on the street.
|
|
|
Post by Naitch on Nov 27, 2008 7:56:50 GMT -5
MS- I had no idea they had that many English speakers in China. So you called me out pretty good there.
Champ-Did you just call him the dude on your corner selling you cheap versions of Use You're Illusion a Charlie? Thats fantastic!
|
|
|
Post by MasterSnit on Nov 27, 2008 14:07:50 GMT -5
It wasn't my intention to call you out. I was surprised when I heard that, too.
I've not heard the actual album but I'll probably listen to it soon.
|
|
|
Post by GLF on Nov 27, 2008 17:25:00 GMT -5
Buy music these days??? You must be mad. If you want to listen/ have a spare hour/ are bored as fuck and can't be bothered doing anything else then you can listen to chinese democracy for free by clicking this. www.deezer.com/#music/album/255900
|
|
|
Post by Champ on Nov 28, 2008 8:08:12 GMT -5
I most certainly did!
To be fair GLF, going by GnR's history, the spare hour is worth the listen even if the album ends up sucking.
I couldn't get the songs to work. The same message kept coming up that it couldn't play it
|
|
|
Post by MasterSnit on Nov 28, 2008 15:21:21 GMT -5
Have you heard it GLF? You don't seem to think too much of it.
I think I'll listen to it this weekend.
|
|
|
Post by Naitch on Nov 28, 2008 16:00:11 GMT -5
The album went #1 like everywhere in the world.
|
|
|
Post by GLF on Nov 28, 2008 16:30:53 GMT -5
I haven't heard it yet but im having low expectations. So now I need to listen to it to have a better judgment lol
|
|