Chinese Democracy: Axl Can't Bury Appetite but Does Bury the Need for Slash and Company

Two decades ago on an MTV interview Axl Rose declared that he wanted to "Bury Appetite". The frontman of the band Guns N Roses said he was basically sick and tired of the long shadow that "Appetite for Destruction" cast and wanted to prove to the music world that he had another masterpiece in him. Instead of the shadow getting shorter, the debut album from the Gunners seems to lengthen each year as a new generation of teenagers find the work of what was a young and hungry group from Los Angeles. "Appetite for Destruction" continues to sell at an astounding pace each and every year which is partially the reason that Rose got a pass from his record label by allowing 14 years slip by releasing the first new material.

Axl Rose's outfit is far from conventional. Chinese Democracy, which finally was released on Sunday, marks only the fifth full fledged LP by the band since Rose hit the scene with reckless abandon with his group of two decades ago. Two of those releases were rolled out on the same day in 1991 as the long awaited follow-up to Appetite came to the record stores titled "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" which both sold extremely well and debuted at 1 and 2 on the Billboard charts, a hodgepodge of covers followed the Illusion albums called "The Spaghetti Incident" which is probably not as bad you remember it but failed to meet the standards of spoiled fans who expected nothing less than perfection after the string of hit full length albums and an excellent double EP in "GNR Lies" which was rushed to record stores by Geffen Records to capitalize on the strong sales of "Appetite for Destruction". While the output is ridiculously little by the band, each and every album has been multi-platinum success so maybe there is actually a method to Rose's madness. And yes, there is that little thing about the madness of Rose who has dismissed or been walked out upon by over a dozens of artists that he has worked with through the years. Every original member of the group is now ancient history in Guns N' Roses lore with the last being banished over a decade ago which angered many of Rose's fanbase.

Rose has so far failed to "Bury Appetite". Each of the releases by the band , to this listener, is excellent but no matter how hard any band tries it would be impossible to "bury" the debut album that turned the music world on its head and still remains a force two decades after its initial release. So what did Rose's 14 years of "hard work" prove? Rose likely cemented his own personal legacy with Chinese Democracy. To the naysayers who failed to realize that Axl was the only irreplaceable member of the group, the vast majority will finally come to that realization. Listen to an album by Velvet Revolver, which would have been better suited to be named "Fired From Roses", and then give Rose's album a spin. Axl has released one album without the ex-Gunners and has already conjured up more good tunes with his new release than the others have combined in their group and various solo expeditions and their so-called supergroup. The one former member that would have aided the release of Axl which would have made it even better package than it already is, is not Slash but Izzy Stradlin who helped pen many of the most well known tracks by the band and provides Rose with his Keith Richards while he plays his generations version of Mick Jagger.

Democracy itself could have been called "Use Your Illusions III". Not that the sounds are dated, the release just seems to be an appropriate step after 1991's release which was another delayed album from the band that had the world wondering if Axl and company would make good on his promise and actually release a new album. That album took 4 years from the time their debut album dropped and ironically that seemed like an eternity at the time. Like the Illusion albums, Chinese Democracy features both ballads and hard rockers with Rose's voice playing center stage in well produced arrangements that encompass the set. There are no real clunkers in the album but the standout tracks for me include "Better", "If the World", "I.R.S.", and "Madagascar" .

While Axl Rose didn't manage to fulfill his goal and "bury appetite" with this release, he did manage to throw some dirt on former members of the group who are probably a bit jealous that he was able to pull off a great Guns N Roses without their aid. It should be an interesting ceremony at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 when the band will almost assuredly get enshrined to see who shows up and how the band interacts with each other when they share the ultimate rock honor just a few short years from now.