Dr Pepper Hit Back At Guns N' Roses Legal Threat

Dr Pepper has said it is “disappointed” that Guns N' Roses have threatened the company with legal action over a drinks promotion linked to their new album 'Chinese Democracy'.

The drinks company promised to give every American citizen a free drink if the band released their long awaited album before the end of 2008.

But when the album was launched last month, many fans were unable to gain access to the online promotion, which Guns N' Roses called an "unmitigated disaster”.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Dr Pepper said: “We are disappointed that Gn’R’s lawyers are turning a fun giveaway into a legal dispute.

“We simply commented on the delayed release of ‘Chinese Democracy’ and openly encouraged the band to release it before the end of the year.

“Axl even expressed support for our efforts earlier in the year.”

As previously reported on Gigwise, in a strongly worded letter to Dr Pepper's CEO Larry Young, the band's lawyer, Alan Gutman, asked the company to further extend the offer, as well as print full page apologies in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal.

Mr Gutman also said the offer had exploited the band's “legendary reputation” and “brazenly violated our client's rights”.

When Dr Pepper unveiled the offer in March it went unchallenged by the group.
 
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