Chad Smith discussed Red Hot Chili Peppers being banned from China in a new interview on SiriusXM’s Volume with Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan. Guns N’ Roses are obviously banned, as they released an album titled Chinese Democracy in 2008. Alternative Nation transcribed Smith and McKagan’s comments.
Chad Smith: Are you going to mainland China, will they let you troublemakers over there?
Duff McKagan: No.
Chad: They won’t let us over there either. Well, because we’ve got Dalai Llama connections. They don’t like that.
Duff: And with your band there’s been weiniers out and stuff like that.
Chad: Yeah, you’ve got your dick out anywhere, they’re not having you. You’ve got swear words, too many fucks.
Duff: Sexual content.
Chad: Yeah, you’re right.
The Huffington Post reported in 2009 that according to a Wall Street Journal report, Chinese authorities outlawed sales of the GN’R release, citing the title of the album, “Chinese Democracy,” as the principal reason. The title, thought up by Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose because he “liked the sound of it,” violates rules established by China’s Ministry of Culture that prohibit the word “democracy” to be used in the title of any music, book or film within mainland China. One can only assume that if the word “Chinese” precedes “Democracy” in a title, Chinese censors would become even more frightened.
