Blogger arrested over Guns N' Roses leaks

Appetite for incarceration
Appetite for incarceration

Instead of Mr. Brownstone, it looks like one fellow might be saying hello to Mr. Big House.

Federal authorities say they have arrested a blogger suspected of streaming songs from Guns N' Roses's unreleased album, Chinese Democracy, on his website.

FBI agents arrested 27-year-old Kevin Cogill this morning (Aug. 27) on suspicion of violating federal copyright laws. Federal authorities say Cogill posted nine unreleased Guns N' Roses songs on Antiquiet.com in June. The songs were later removed but spread quickly across the Internet.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cogill admitted to agents that he posted the songs on his website.

Chinese Democracy has been in the works for more than a decade (and has cost upwards of $15 million), with frontman Axl Rose the only remaining original member of the once mighty group. Rumors that the album may finally be out this fall, possibly as a Best Buy exclusive, have not been confirmed by Guns N' Roses or its management.

As for Kevin Cogill, he might still be able to get a copy of Chinese Democracy on cassette. We hear it's the preferred medium in prison.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.