Chinese Democracy Tour of Europe was announced in December 2000 as a New Year's Day performance at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. It was also rumoured that the long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" would be released in June 2001, for which the scheduled European Tour would be promotional. Guns N' Roses – then composed of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarists Buckethead and Robin Finck, rhythm guitarist Paul Tobias (who joined in 1994 to replace Gilby Clarke), bassist Tommy Stinson, drummer Brain and keyboardists Dizzy Reed (still with the band since joining in 1990) and Chris Pitman (who joined between 1998 and 2000) –
Chinese Democracy writing for "The Observer", accused Rose of "cribbing" from the industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails. "The New York Times" described "Chinese Democracy" as "a transitional album". Rock biographer Stephen Davis was more vitriolic and named "Chinese Democracy" "the worst album ever". The album was nominated for the Juno Award for International Album of the Year in 2009, losing to Coldplay's "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends". The song "If the World" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 13th Satellite Awards, losing to "Another Way to Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys. Slash reacted