Chinese Democracy a "toe-tapper". Early Guns N' Roses guitarist Tracii Guns said he thought it was "over-indulgent, sterile and not that exciting". "Chinese Democracy"'s protracted recording process attracted extensive media coverage. According to "Spin", a cottage industry grew around covering its development; "the only way the record could have lived up to its legend would have been to never come out at all". Five years after its release, "Grantland" journalist Steven Hyden wrote: "For years, it was widely assumed "Chinese Democracy" would never come out; in retrospect, the delay is all anybody cares about ... As music, "Chinese Democracy" is merely the
Chinese Democracy late November 1999, Rose played several tracks for "Rolling Stone", who likened the new sound to "Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti" remixed by Beck and Trent Reznor". Rose said in 1999 that the band had recorded enough material for two albums. He also said the recording sessions had produced enough material for several albums, including an album that is "more industrial and electronica-influenced than "Chinese Democracy"". According to former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach, Rose told him "Chinese Democracy" was to be the first in a trilogy of albums. Sources said the band's initial plans were to record two albums, release