Reaching out to Axl Rose of rock band Guns N' Roses to plead with him to finally release the band’s "Chinese Democracy" CD, which has been more than 15 years in the making, Dr. Pepper offered to give one free can of the soft drink to everyone in the U.S. if the album will be released within the calendar year 2008.

"We completely understand and empathize with Axl's quest for perfection – for something more than the average album," Dr Pepper's Marketing Director Jaxie Alt explained. There have been rumors claiming that control-freak Axl Rose is obsessed with the new album and can’t stop re-recording the tracks to make them perfect.

According to TMZ.com, reps for the fizzy drink producer confirmed the authenticity of their offer 100%. However, former band members Slash and Buckethead are excluded from the free can challenge.

Responding the challenge, front man and the only remaining original member of Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose, wrote on the group's website on behalf of the band: "We are surprised and very happy to have the support of Dr Pepper . . . This came totally out of the blue."

Moreover, the lead singer disagreed with the exclusion from the soda pop offer of Slash and Buckethead - two guitarists who have feuded with him, and explained that, "If there is any involvement with this promotion by our record company or others, we are unaware of such at this time. And as some of Buckethead's performances are on our album, I'll share my Dr Pepper with him."

The record will be the first album consisting of new material for the group since the 1991 records "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II." Last time we heard about a possible "Chinese Democracy" release was in May 2007, before it was canceled for an unknown reason.