The report claims that negotiations have begun to make Chinese Democracy a retail exclusive, either at Wal-Mart or Best Buy. The article further purports that negotiations to distribute the record through conventional channels have also been ongoing.

Of course, no one from Guns N' Roses' management firm, Front Line Management, was available to comment on these rumors, but Irving Azoff, who runs Front Line, did work with the Eagles to get their Long Road Out of Eden on Wal-Mart's shelves, making that album an exclusive for the chain. Additionally, representatives from Best Buy and Wal-Mart would not confirm the rumors.

Could the release of Chinese Democracy be imminent? Perhaps, considering Harmonix and MTV Games announced last month that "Shackler's Revenge," a track from the perennially delayed LP, would be making its worldwide debut on the forthcoming "Rock Band 2," which will be released next month for the Xbox 360. We'll believe it if, and only if, Axl Rose himself makes an official announcement about the record's release. Until then, we'll keep our fingers crossed.