Chinese Democracy track in the beginning, but then, when it kicked in, it was that same dramatic Guns N' Roses hard rock." In mid-2003, Guns N' Roses reportedly started rerecording the album again. An editor from antiMUSIC said Rose told him in June 2003 that "he wants to make sure it is a perfect as possible before it is released". In 2004, Stinson said "Chinese Democracy" was "almost done" and had been delayed by "legal issues" and because Rose wanted to ensure every band member had a say in each song: "It's a lengthy process because you have to get eight people
Chinese Democracy Geffen had removed "Chinese Democracy" from its release schedule and withdrawn funding, stating: "Having exceeded all budgeted and approved recording costs by millions of dollars, it is Mr. Rose's obligation to fund and complete the album, not Geffen's." Around that time, manager Merck Mercuriadis said the album was close to complete. According to a March 2005 "New York Times" article, production costs for the album had reached $13 million, making it probably the most expensive recording "never made". Mercuriadis dismissed the article, writing in a letter that the newspaper's sources had not been involved with the project for several years.