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Has Chinese Democracy achieved cult status?


saber_

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Would you consider Chinese Democracy to be a cult record? As in- a cult classic? While that term is often applied to films, it is perhaps apt to apply it to Chinese Democracy as well. Would you agree?

I believe that in some ways, it definitely meets the criteria. It's got elements of experimental leanings, various genre influences, and an interwoven myriad of unique sounds, timbres, and aural textures. Those things in and of themselves don't equal cult, but taken as a whole, Chinese Democracy might just be a cult record.

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Would you consider Chinese Democracy to be a cult record? As in- a cult classic? While that term is often applied to films, it is perhaps apt to apply it to Chinese Democracy as well. Would you agree?

I believe that in some ways, it definitely meets the criteria. It's got elements of experimental leanings, various genre influences, and an interwoven myriad of unique sounds, timbres, and aural textures. Those things in and of themselves don't equal cult, but taken as a whole, Chinese Democracy might just be a cult record.

it falls more along the lines of waterworld than daydream nation if that is what you are asking.

i liken it more to ishtar, than office space.

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it falls more along the lines of waterworld than daydream nation if that is what you are asking.

i liken it more to ishtar, than office space.

Typical. Perhaps some of the nuance and depth of CD eluded you.

From my point of view however, I would liken Chinese Democracy to some of David Lynch's work- particularly Dune, which although it was a big budget film, has become a cult favorite, especially among fans of Lynch, Dune (the book), and sci-fi fans.

Edited by mindsaber
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it's too early to say - we'll have to wait and see how (and if) the record influences rock music of the future.

think of records from the velvet underground, which had little mainstream and commercial success, but which are highly cited by musicians from the 70s through today as being highly influential (and they ARE great records - but again not very mainstream).

regardless, CD is IMO a solid record, although IMO there are too many ballads and it's not as fast/upbeat as I would like. still great, though.

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another good example is Raw Power. from wikipedia:

"Raw Power was largely ignored upon its release, and the group broke up in obscurity a few years later. However, it was embraced by a small, rabid fan-base that included many younger musicians who would go on to help create the punk rock genre in the mid- to late-1970s and experience commercial success, making Raw Power one of the most important proto-punk documents of its era."

same thing could be said about AFD. the question is, will CD have this same effect in 10-20 years? :question:

Edited by nambis
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Chinese Democracy is the Pulp Fiction of 21st century rock n roll.

No it isn't. Pulp Fiction almost won best movie of the year but lost out to Forrest Gump. Everyone loved Pulp Fiction when it came out.

Well, Chinese placed pretty good in both Rolling Stone and Classic Rock Magazine.

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/features/classic-rock-critics%E2%80%99-top-50-albums-2008-3-1/

http://stereogum.com/40652/rolling_stones_top_50_albums_of_2008/list/

And, finally a little piece from early 2009 by Classic Rock’s editor in chief Scott Rowley about the heaven and hell of being an Axl Rose fan.

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/blog/scott-rowley-a-lovehate-relationship-with-axl/

"I might love Axl Rose. It’s either that or I hate the despicable, contrary, miserable ginger twonk.

I really can’t decide ­ but it’s definitely one or the other. One minute I’m in thrall to the genius of Chinese Democracy tracks like Better or Madagascar, punching the air to ballads like Street of Dreams and There Was A Time, and ready to argue the toss that Chinese Democracy shouldn’t just have been CR’s album of the year in 2007, it should have been album of the year in 2008 too (c’mon: it out-gunned, out-crafted, out-ambitioned, out-emoted, out, er, song-ed Black Ice by a country mile and you know it ­ in fact we should make it album of the year every year until someone makes something better).

The next minute, I see an article about him, read his comments online, see a picture of him, or consider the Michael-Jackson-in-training freakshow his life is in danger of becoming and I realise that, actually, he’s ­ how to put it ­ a bit of a dick.

That’s the weird impact the former William Bailey has on the world of rock."

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I don't think it's achieved anything other than keeping a few fans happy that a long delayed album finally got released. Unless the *new* guns can come up with some hits for the next album(s) then history will repeat its self. Come to think of it, the next album has zero hype compared to CD.

Edited by star
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one of The most highly anticipated and hyped albulm of all time..... Ah.....nah.

I would think cult status meant sales continue to increase over time and gain many new fans due to word of mouth. Mabey the opposite of that has happend? At least in the US.

Mabey in other countries.

I personally like CD, but everyone i ask about it say they heard it once or some songs and didnt listen again or like it.

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But, has it become cult? Will it become cult?

Highly anticipated, big budget: those things don't necessarily negate the eventual 'cultness' of something. I listed Dune earlier. But there are other parallels. Harrison Ford in Mosquito Coast. Sam Raimi. Izzy Stradlin. Bill Murray's films of the last 10 years (and even some older ones, like Stripes). These things each have their own cult appeal.

I s'pose obviously it depends on how one defines cult, and people's perceptions can vary widely.

Still though... I can't help but think Chinese Democracy is heading toward cult status.

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But, has it become cult? Will it become cult?

Highly anticipated, big budget: those things don't necessarily negate the eventual 'cultness' of something. I listed Dune earlier. But there are other parallels. Harrison Ford in Mosquito Coast. Sam Raimi. Izzy Stradlin. Bill Murray's films of the last 10 years (and even some older ones, like Stripes). These things each have their own cult appeal.

I s'pose obviously it depends on how one defines cult, and people's perceptions can vary widely.

Still though... I can't help but think Chinese Democracy is heading toward cult status.

I wouldn't say it is a cult album yet, but, IMO, CD has everything to be one eventually.

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I think cult has become a genre. like Russ Meyer movies are legit cult. or Daniel Johnson records.

CD maybe is influence by cult records.

maybe CD has developed an underground following inspite of it's low sales. but u could say it's one of the bestselling rock records in that year.

Edited by wasted
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I s'pose labeling CD as cult is perhaps premature and/or not really applicable. I'll accept that. Still though... I can't help but feel that there's something about CD which feels inexorably cult-ish; though it may just be a whisper of a cult aura surrounding it, rather than it truly exuding cultishness.

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I think it's influenced by cult culture. cult has become mainstream so it's hard to tell.

I guess if in 10 years there's still a bunch of CD obsessives organizing CDCon and people go dressed as Bucket.

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