Long Awaited Return of Guns N' Roses

Single ‘Chinese Democracy’ takes humanitarian theme

By Chris Holehouse
Epoch Times Staff Nov 6, 2008

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Actor Richard Gere, Director Martin Scorsese, the Dalai Lama and producer/screenwriter Melissa Mathison at an awards ceremony in New York for the film Kundun. (Matt Campbell/AFP/Getty Images)

All the controversy and chatterings of the reorganized mega-band Guns N' Roses aside, one thing is for certain—Mr. Rose still flaunts his rock and roll craft with a humanitarian undertone, keeping his conciseness neatly aligned with justice and human rights.

Millions of fans remember the epic, soul stirring 1993 Guns N' Roses piece Civil War, where Rose and his platinum selling G N’R troupe painted a rallying anti-war protest that left even the most apathetic moved. Beginning with the famous line, "What we've got here is a failure to communicate," sampled from the film Cool Hand Luke, the song provoked strong introspection and an array of intense emotions. By the time Rose's gripping tone and the words "Peace can last forever" chimed, one would be hard pressed not to be totally immersed and laden with a full body chill.

It's been a long time since 93' and the GN’R sounds of old, and Guns N' Roses have taken on a few new reforms. The band released its first single and title track, “Chinese Democracy,” from the heavily delayed and strongly anticipated album of the same name, which slates to be made available exclusively through Best Buy retailers on November 24.

The song Chinese Democracy, was inspired by the Martin Scorsese film, Kundun which documents the life and teachings of the exiled Tiebetan leader the Dali Llama. Rose first played the song live in at a Las Vegas show in 2001 stating "…right now China symbolizes one of the strongest, yet most oppressive countries and governments in the world."

Past the Tibet situation, Rose brings to light yet another atrocity in China with his mention of the persecution of the spiritual practice Falun Gong with the lyrics "Blame it on the Falun Gong, they've seen the end and you [the Chinese Communist Part] can't hold on now."

The persecution of Falun Gong has been a reality in China for nearly ten years, starting in July of 1999, and the media outlets and news sources in both the East and the West, have been for the most part, tight lipped. Axl Rose has taken steps in a meaningful and honorable direction with the inclusion of real and breathing humanitarian content that takes aim at reaching the world's people through his tried and true medium of hard rock music.