Axl Rose has some cloudy issues with Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper, you might conclude, has made good on its promise to provide all of America with an unpleasant pop to mark the release of Chinese Democracy - you could get a voucher to turn into a drink. All a bit of harmless fun, right?

Not according to Axl who had instructed his lawyers. TMZ reports:

Rose is accusing Pepper of profiting off the Guns N' Roses name, after the soda company's website malfunctioned during their free Dr Pepper giveaway on Sunday. The 20 oz. handouts were a promise made by Pepper if "Chinese Democracy" ever hit the shelves.

Axl's lawyers are demanding full-page apologies in four major newspapers, an extended period of time to collect on the free suds and payment for unauthorized use the G'N'R name.

Apart from being utterly, utterly humourless, it's a bit puzzling - if Rose is annoyed that Dr Pepper somehow misused the good name of Guns N Roses in their promotion, why does he want the promotion extended?

And given Buckethead's appropriation of KFC's buckets in an earlier iteration of Guns N Roses, does Axl really want to get into a brand-ownership cock fight?