So let’s get this straight, Axl Rose runs off the best part of Guns ‘n Roses (Duff , Matt Sorum & Slash) due to his arrogance; spends 17 years recording Chinese Democracy; drops off the radar for 2 months before the debut of said album so his label is unable to do the necessary publicity thereby costing the #1 spot on the charts…..and yet Axl can bestir himself to get into a tantrum state over Dr Pepper.

If it weren’t for Dr Pepper, the public would have been hard pressed to even know that Chinese Democracy was being released.

Now, te folks at Dallas area-based Dr Pepper are “disappointed” by legal action threatened by a lawyer for the group Guns N’ Roses, after their highly publicized soft-drink giveaway left some fans with a bad taste.

In March, Dr Pepper offered to give everyone in America a free 20 oz bottle of Dr Pepper if the rock group’s long-delayed album “Chinese Democracy” was released in 2008.

When the album came out last week, Dr Pepper was swamped with requests for coupons needed to redeem the free drink.

Frustrated fans, including some who tried for hours to sign up for the coupons via a Dr Pepper Web site, took their anger out on the group. That’s according to a harshly worded letter from Alan Gutman, the Beverly Hills attorney representing the group and front man Axl Rose.

The letter, sent last week to Larry Young, Dr Pepper’s chief executive, insists among other things that the company take out full-page newspaper ads of apology and expand its redemption offer.

It also seeks “appropriate payments to our clients for unauthorized use…of their publicity.”

Mr. Gutman said “the door to a lawsuit remains open as long as Dr Pepper fails to respond appropriately.”

Dr Pepper spokesman Greg Artkop said the company is “disappointed that GNR’s lawyers are turning a fun giveaway into a legal dispute.

“Axl even expressed support for our efforts earlier this year,” said Mr. Artkop.

“When the album release was confirmed, Guns n’ Roses management team approached us and we openly shared our giveaway plans,” he said.

He said the company took “great steps to fulfill our offer, including: extending the window for the giveaway from 24 to 42 hours, adding a toll-free line to handle consumers…[and] setting up an interactive voice recorder to accept coupon requests.

Also, “for those who contacted us in the week after the giveaway about difficulties requesting the coupon, we continued to offer free coupons to address any problems they may have encountered.”

He said the company also has apologized to consumers who contacted them to complain.

Mr. Artkop declined to reveal how many people tried to get the free sodas, but said “we were very excited by the response of Dr Pepper fans and regret that some had trouble registering for the coupon.

“This was one of the largest responses we have ever received for a giveaway,” he said, adding “We wish Guns N’ Roses the best with their album.”

Axl….get a life.