Shackler's Revenge by Guns N' Roses

Well, we did it. We scooped the world and released a track from Chinese Democracy, one of the longest-brewing and most-talked-about albums ever.

By now the story is part of rock legend: Axl Rose began work on this album in 1994, soon after the classic lineup of Guns N' Roses last toured. Guitarist Slash stomped out two years later—No album. The label offered an extra million dollars for delivery in 1998—No album.

Five different star producers worked on the sessions. Everybody from guitarist Dave Navarro to basketballer Shaquille O’Neal was in on the recordings. The band toured in 2002, and again in 2006—Still no Chinese Democracy. By now the anticipation—and the budget—were going through the roof.

In 2008, a popular soft-drink company offered to give a free can to everyone in America if Chinese Democracy was released during the year—At this writing, it still isn’t known if they’ll have to pay up. Save for one movie song in 1999 and a whole lot of illegal downloads, “Shackler’s Revenge” is the first Chinese Democracy track to finally see release. Pretty good, isn’t it?

In 2003, the Offspring announced that their new album would be called Chinese Democracy (You Snooze, You Lose). The world, and especially the lawyers, calmed down when they realized the date was April 1.

The guitar part has an unusual rhythm with a lot of hand stretches and tremolo; if you don’t get it fast you’re in big trouble. The pre-chorus gives you a slight rest, and the chorus is long sustained chords.

The solo begins fairly easily with a lot of strange noises to make; but the second half of the solo requires multiple green-to-orange stretches. If you can’t handle jumps up and down the fretboard, you’re done.

The guitar solo also requires a lot of demanding kick-drum action; but the drum part is otherwise not too tough to handle. Have fun with the funky hi-hat parts in the pre-chorus.

Where else? Finishing Chinese Democracy.