Chinese Democracy leaker visited by FBI

A California-based blogger who leaked nine new Guns N' Roses songs online last week was paid a visit by the FBI, according to RollingStone.com. Kevin Skwerl posted the tunes, reportedly finished tracks from the band's still-unreleased Chinese Democracy album, at his AntiQuiet web site after receiving them from what he called "an anonymous online source." He was immediately contacted by representatives for Guns N' Roses demanding that he take the tracks down. But then on Monday (June 23rd), he was also paid a visit at his workplace by two FBI agents.

Skwerl, who works as a web designer, said, "When I came back from lunch they were waiting in the lobby for me. It's a little creepy they know where I work." He added that the agents questioned him for 15 minutes about where he got the tracks and made plans to visit him at home on Tuesday (June 24th).

At his home, the agents wanted to examine the original song files, but Skwerl had already erased them at the request of lawyers for Guns N' Roses.

Skwerl also described the call he got from the Guns N' Roses camp, saying, "It was a really cool guy...that was a middle man between someone who was very angry and me. He was trying to reach out and see if I'd go without a fight, which is more or less what I did."

Skwerl says he's not worried about legal action from the band, explaining, "It's a legal gray area since it wasn't for download, it wasn't a finished product. We aren't sure who owns the recordings. I feel like I might survive this."

Skwerl used to work in the distribution department of Universal Music, the company that will release Chinese Democracy if and when it ever emerges.
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