China slams Guns N' Roses album

Chinese Democracy a 'venomous attack'

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Music and Media, 25th November 2008 14:53 GMT

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China has unsurprisingly taken exception to Guns N' Roses' new album Chinese Democracy, slamming it as a "venomous attack" which "turns its spear point on China".

That's according to the BBC, which quotes an article in the Global Times (published by the ruling communist party, natch) which roundly condemns Axl Rose and co. The Beeb notes the title track contains the line "If your great wall rocks, blame yourself", while the cover features the painting "Red Star" by Beijing brushsmith Shi Lifeng - showing "Chinese people as powerless".

The powers that be have cracked down on foreign dissent since elfin chanteuse Bjork decided it was a bright idea to bawl "Tibet, Tibet" at a gig in Shanghai back in March. This prompted a July government proclamation that "any foreign entertainers who had attended events threatening national sovereignty would be banned from the country".

The ministry of culture further declared that foreign devil artists indulging in the whipping up of "ethnic hatred" during shows would also be shown the door.

Politics aside, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang explained to the BBC there may be other perfectly legitimate reasons for ojecting to Chinese Democracy. He said: "According to my knowledge, a lot of people don't like this kind of music because it's too noisy and too loud." ®

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