Axl Rose reportedly playing new Guns N' Roses album to execs

Singer Axl Rose has reportedly been letting music industry executives and tastemakers listen to six new songs from the long-delayed Guns N' Roses album, Chinese Democracy, according to E! Online. One exec who heard the tracks said, "It's really good. Axl's voice sounds exactly the same, but the songs sound contemporary. You expect it to be a train wreck, but it's not." The listening sessions, along with the recent announcement that Rose and the band have signed with new management, have fired up speculation that the reclusive frontman may finally be readying Chinese Democracy for release sometime in 2008.

Rose revealed last month that he had signed with the management team of Irving Azoff and Andy Gould. Azoff represents the Eagles, Van Halen and Stone Temple Pilots, while Gould is Rob Zombie's longtime manager and producer of all three of his feature films.

Guns N' Roses has been without management since December of 2006, when Rose fired manager Merck Mercuriadis.

The Dr. Pepper soft drink company announced last week that it will give a free soda to everyone in America if Chinese Democracy surfaces in 2008.

The record has been in the works since 1995, with only Rose remaining from the classic Guns N' Roses lineup. As of two years ago, the New York Times reported that Rose had spent $13 million on the project.