Chinese Democracy is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released in November 2008 on Geffen Records. It is the band's first studio album since "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993), released exactly 15 years before Chinese Democracy, and their first album of original studio material since the simultaneous releases of Use Your Illusion I and II in September 1991. Despite debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 and being certified Platinum by the RIAA, Chinese Democracy domestically undersold expectations. It received generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics. The album achieved international chart success and has sold over one million copies in Europe. It is the most expensive album ever produced, with production costs in excess of $13 million. Guns N' Roses began to write and record new music in 1994. Bassist Duff McKagan is quoted as saying, " band was so stoned at that point that nothing got finished". Guitarist Slash has criticized Axl Rose for making the band seem "like a dictatorship". Slash quit the band in 1996, with drummer Matt Sorum and McKagan both leaving soon afterwards. Slash was replaced by Nine Inch Nails touring guitari…