Millions wanted to be a pepper too. But couldn't

Remember how back in March of this year, Dr Pepper pledged to give every American (with the exception of Slash and Buckethead) a free can of soda if Axl Rose came good on his promise to release the new Guns N' Roses record before the end of 2008?

Well, as millions of Americans flocked to the Dr Pepper website Sunday to claim their free soft drink following the official release of Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, the site crashed.

And millions of Americans who wanted to "be a pepper too", couldn't.

Due to the overwhelming response, Dr Pepper extended the deadline for thirsty fans to register to receive their soda coupon from midnight Sunday evening to 6 p.m. Monday, November 24.

Apparently this wasn't good enough.

And legal council representing Guns N' Roses, who previously said nothing about the promotion, have spoken.

The band's lawyer Alan Gutman, according to Billboard magazine, called the publicity stunt an "unmitigated disaster which defrauded consumers" and further claims it to be a "raw and damaging commercial exploitation of our clients' rights."

In a letter written to Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., Gutman demands that the free soda offer be extended and that the company publish full-page apologies in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

To read the full story, click here.

To hear Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, click here.