Chinese Democracy they had cost $12 million." On March 26, 2008, media reported that soft drinks manufacturer Dr Pepper would offer a free can of its product to everyone in America—excluding former Guns N' Roses guitarists Buckethead and Slash—if the band released "Chinese Democracy" in 2008. Later that day, Rose wrote of his surprise at the company's support on the Guns N' Roses website, and said he would share his Dr Pepper with Buckethead as "some of Buckethead's performances are on "Chinese Democracy"". After it was announced that the album would be released in 2008, Dr Pepper confirmed that it would uphold
Chinese Democracy 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."