page_title: Chinese Democracy
section_title: Artwork
hierarchical_section_title: Chinese Democracy / Artwork
caption_attribution_description: English: Guns N' Roses logo used during the "Chinese Democracy" era
context_page_description: Chinese Democracy is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released on November 23, 2008 by Black Frog and Geffen Records. It was their first album since 1993's "The Spaghetti Incident?", and their first album of original studio material since Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, released simultaneously in 1991. The album underwent a protracted recording process, delayed by personnel and legal problems and vocalist Axl Rose’s perfectionism.
  In the mid-1990s, amid creative and personal differences, guitarists Slash and Gilby Clarke, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Matt Sorum all either quit or were fired. Only Rose and keyboardist Dizzy Reed remained. In 1997, they began work on the album with guitarists Robin Finck and Paul Tobias, bassist Tommy Stinson, drummer Josh Freese, and keyboardist Chris Pitman. The lineup shifted several times, incorporating guitarists Buckethead, Richard Fortus and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and drummers Bryan "Brain" Mantia and Frank Ferrer.
context_section_description: The cover art features a sepia photograph of a bicycle with a large wicker basket resting against a wall on which the band's name is graffitied; it was photographed in Kowloon Walled City by Terry Hardin. Three red communist stars are above the letters "GNR" on the side with the band name and album title, which are written vertically. According to artistic director Ryan Corey, Rose conceived the bike cover at the album's inception.
  Rose approached Chinese artist Chen Zhuo for permission to use a painting of Tiananmen Square as an amusement park for the album cover, but Zhuo declined. Shi Lifeng's painting "Controlling No. 3"  was chosen by Rose and used as an alternate cover for an "art edition". It was used for the Rock Band 2 download and released on CD in small quantities. The alternate booklet opens with a short essay written by Rose titled "Fear N' Freedom: The Future of China and Western Society". The album booklet features several artworks by Lifeng, including a bloodied fist holding a star covered by flailing human figures. Photographs of the Hong Kong skyline and the Chinese military also appear in the booklet. The booklet also includes pictures of Rose, Buckethead, Stinson, Pitman, Finck, Fortus, Bumblefoot, Reed, Brain, and Ferrer alongside lyrics to the songs.
  Rose stated in December 2008 that two alternate booklets were pending release, adding "the artwork has always been something I've been passionate about, and to release the album with unapproved and unseen final artwork with a 1st work only error filled draft when others more recent were readily available still has not been explained." However, plans fell through and only the "art edition" was released in limited quantities. Bassist Tommy Stinson stated the label "ripped away" from Rose the artwork "right at the last second, when he wasn't ready."
caption: Guns N' Roses' logo featured on the Chinese Democracy cover
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