14. NOVEMBER 1991-APRIL 1992: THE BIGGEST BAND IN THE WORLD

With Izzy leaving the band, the band again found themselves in a position of having to replace a member that they had thought was irreplaceable. The last time they had needed a new drummer on short notice to continue recording the 'Use Your Illusion' albums, this time they needed a new guitarist because they were supposed to go back out on tour in not long.





One of the guitarists that the band considered was Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro.



Jane's Addiction and Guns N' Roses had been breaking through in Los Angeles around the same time and Axl had been a huge fan of the band [Hard N' Heavy Music Magazine, April 28, 1989]. Later, Navarro would comment on the alleged rivalry of the two bands back in the day:



That Navarro was auditioning to replace Izzy had also rumored in the press before Izzy's departure was official [Los Angeles Times, September 1991].

But Navarro didn't cut it and Slash would imply he had drug problems at the time:





Dizzy would later indicate that it had been more serious with Navarro than previously disclosed, including having planned for him to tour with them, but - as Slash had indicated - in the end Navarro didn't show up for rehearsals:



Gilby would later say that it was Axl who wanted Navarro [Hartford Courant, March 4, 1993], which would very much be confirmed by Axl in the quote from above and this:



In 2010, Navarro would confirm Axl had called him, but blame drugs for it not happening:



According to Mike Staggs, childhood friend of Axl from Indiana and later co-guitarist in 'Ain't It Fun', Axl had wanted Staggs to replace Izzy:





Another rumour was that ex-Rose Tattoo slide guitarist Mick Cocks would replace Izzy [RAW, December 1991]. The did not, however, contact Tracii:



Slash would later be asked what he thought about Tracii being offended at not being considered to replace Izzy:

After putting the word out that they were looking for a replacement for Izzy, the name of Gilby Clarke was then quickly mentioned:

---------------------------------------
Gilby was only happy to get the opportunity to join Guns N' Roses:










After a week of auditioning Gilby got the job:




















Later, Slash would emphasize, and confirm Gilby quotes from above, that he only rehearsed with one other guitarist, indicating that the 16 others they considered for the job either didn't play at all, or played alone (possibly with recorded backtrack):



During the rehearsals Izzy called and asked who would replace him:



Looking back at having taken the job:

"He ain't Izzy, but who is he?" [Guitar Player, November 1992].
________________________________________________________________















Being asked if he remembers the first album he bought:





Gilby's first proper band was Candy [Guitar Player, November 1992] which was formed in 1981 when Gilby was becoming a "fairly competent guitarist" [Heavy Mental, 1992]. In Candy he had Kim Fowley as the producer/manager [UG Rock Chronicles, June 13, 1994].












Talking about Hollywood in his Candy period, and Kim Fowley:




Candy didn't go anywhere and Gilby decided to start a new band together with Todd Muscat, Kill For Thrills, where he would take a more prominent role [Heavy Mental, 1992; Rock Revival, July 9, 2001].











Kill For Thrills released two records: "Commercial Suicide" (1988-89) and "Dynamite From Nightmareland" (1989-90) [Heavy Mental, 1992]. Looking back Gilby would admit he released three records that "flopped" [The Indianapolis Star, July 21, 1992].

After Kill for Thrills he played in a band called The Blackouts [MTV Headbanger's Ball, October 8, 1994], but this was likely a short affaire before joining Guns N' Roses.

Being asked what he would have done if he hadn't become a musician:





Gilby met his wife-to-be, Daniella on Hollywood Boulevard in July 1985 while his band Candy was shooting its first video for MTV [Los Angeles Daily News, November 18, 2006]. Daniella was an Israeli native who had come to Los Angeles to visit her American father from South African [Los Angeles Daily News, November 18, 2006].



Gilby met Izzy while playing in bands in Los Angeles, likely during his Candy period, and they shared a love for the Rolling Stones:




















Gilby also met Matt during his Candy period:



And while Gilby played in Kill for Thrills, in 1990, Matt replaced Steven:

One problem Gilby faced when replacing Izzy was the fact that no one in the band really knew what Izzy had been playing:








Slash was thrilled about having Gilby in the band and would claim that "for the first time in years, he is getting harmonic support on his guitars solos" [The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 16, 1991]. He would also say that Gilby's "enthusiasm" countered Izzy's "lethargic stage presence and rudimentary guitar work" [St. Petersburg Times, December 27, 1991].



As mentioned above, Axl preferred Navarro over Gilby and wasn't as enthusiastic in the beginning, but this subsided as soon as they started to play together:





The similarities between Gilby and Izzy would also be mentioned by Gilby himself:



Gilby would also comment on fitting in immediately:





Despite having found Gilby, the band wasn't sure whether he would be a recording member or just a touring members:







One of the reasons for this reluctance might have been a hope that Izzy would actually return:



Later Gilby would talk about being afraid that his tenure in Guns N' Roses would just be a short, temporary thing:








As the touring went on, the band members would praise Gilby:





In the band's official fan club newsletter, they would mention Gilby joining the band this way:





Gilby would be joking about going from "nothing" to GN'R over one night:









To sonically stand out against Slash, Gilby would change his gear setup:



Being asked if there was a conscious effort to separate their tones:

At some point in 1990, Michael Jackson's people contacted Slash.




A few months later Slash had recorded for Jackson, but not actually met him:




In the first half of 1991 Slash had still not met Jackson:



In August 1991, while being interviewed for the December issue of Guitar Player, he had again been contacted by Michael Jackson, and this time he got to talk to him:



In December 1991, Slash would again shed light on the collaboration:



Detroit Free Press was present at the show on January 9, 1992, and would describe Slash finishing a phone conversation with his "good buddy" Michael Jackson [Detroit Free Press, April 12, 1992]. According to the newspaper, Slash had recently received a "the gift of a big-screen TV from Jackson" [Detroit Free Press, April 12, 1992]. Slash would comment on their friendship:







In 2009, he would retell his experience with Michael Jackson as if he had been present for the very first recording sessions Slash did for him:



In May 1992, Slash would say he would soon be doing a music video with Michael Jackson [MTV Headbanger's Ball, May 1992]. And and:



In July 1992, Slash would again talk about his collaboration with Jackson:



Talking about how working with Michael Jackson differed from his other collaborations:



In August 1992, Slash would again talk about the collaboration with Jackson:



Slash would also get to organize the video for 'Give in to Me':



In March 1993 Slash would be asked about his collaboration with someone like Michael Jackson:







When asked about his relationship with Jackson in May 1993, he would admit that he was an eccentric person:



By January 1994 allegations of Michael Jackson having sexually molested kids, including the actor Macauley Culkin, started to spread.




When Howard Stern asked Slash about Michael Jackson and Macauley Culkin, Slash would simply respond "I don't know" [The Howard Stern Show, May 1992].

In early 1995, Slash would mention he had again been doing work with Jackson but also alluded to this causing problems:









Around the same time, Slash would defend Jackson against the accusations but refer to him as "different":



In 1999, Slash would say he got a lot of criticism for playing with Jackson:



Later in the year he would talk more about his relationship with Jackson, and when asked if Jackson is a funny man:



Also that they would play again:



In 2000 Slash would tour with Michael Jackson for two of Jackson's shows in Korea [Kerrang! June 10, 2000]. He would also play with Michael Jackson at the Grammy's on February 23, 2000:



In 2001 Slash would play again with Jackson at his "30th Anniversary Celebration":






Talking about Michael Jackson in 2007:




In 2008 Slash would be asked if he would let Michael Jackson meet his kids:



After Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, Slash would comment:









Looking back at working together:





While doing press in March 2010, Slash would comment on the misconception that he had played the main guitar on the Michael Jackson song 'Black Or White' as "gay":



A few days later Slash would explain his choice of words:





In 2015, Doug Goldstein would claim he knew the real reason Axl was angry with Slash and which prevented a reunion between the two of them and that it was Slash's decision to work with Michael Jackson, for barely any compensation, just at the time when Axl was opening up about having been sexually abused as a child:



Slash would quickly respond to Goldstein's claims and not deny that a conflict had arisen but dismiss it was the root cause of the demise of the "original Guns N' Roses":



Later in the year, Goldstein would discuss his previous statement:



And in 2016, Zutaut would be quoted as supporting Goldstein's claims that Axl had been devastated by Slash's collaboration with Michael Jackson:



In 2018, Goldstein would again retell the story when Slash informed him he was going to play with Michael Jackson for a big screen TV:



After the release of Leaving Neverland, a 2019 documentary that levelled accusations of sexual abuse against Michael Jackson, Slash would be asked to comment:

Appetite was released when the band members were in their early 20s. As the band members matured they would quickly have to deal with defending lyrics they might not feel fully represented them as grown-ups. They would also explore different lyrical themes in their music, as shown on more "mature" lyrics on the 'Use Your Illusion' albums.






Their past lifestyles would also be scrutinized by the media and band members would frequently defend or discuss it:






In 1991 Axl went through therapy that helped him to understand why he was the way he was and to grow [see separate chapter]:



Axl would also comment on the way they had behaved before:



In 2006, he would talk more about having been poseurs:

The third single off 'Use Your Illusion' was 'Live and Let Die', a cover of a song by the Wings and written by Paul McCartney.





The music video was finished on November 25, 1991 [Rockline, November 27, 1991]:





Sir Paul McCartney would later react to the single:

After a break in touring since their Wembley gig on August 31, 1991, the band picked up again the touring in support of the Use Your Illusion albums in December 1991. This leg of the tour would feature some changes. Most significantly, Izzy had been replaced with Gilby [see previous chapters]. In addition the band had added extra touring musicians.



The first to be added was a second keyboard player [Rolling Stone, April 2, 1992], Teddy Andreadis [Guitar for the Practising Musician, April 1992].

According to Andreadis, it was Slash, Duff and Matt's who wanted him in the band:



And he was found through Mike Mayhue who knew him from before:



Teddy had a few nicknames, including "Zigzag" and "Big Bag". Explaining his nicknames:



Andreadis was in the band before September 1991 [The Boston Globe, July 31, 1992].




Talking about his responsibilities and negotiating his salary:





The band also decided to add a horn section, which would refer to themselves as 976-HORNS:





As Axl would later quip, "five guys on stage was too much of a homosexual thing" [Onstage at the Worchester Centrum Centre, December 5, 1991].

The idea to add horns and backup singers was Axl's idea, but making the horn section all-female was Slash's [Raw Magazine, March 4, 1992]:



Andreadis helped to find Lisa Maxwell for the horn section [The Boston Globe, July 31, 1992].

Maxwell would discuss how it happened:



Maxwell then began transcribing the group’s albums and called up her old friend and trumpeter, Anne King. King recommended saxophonist and flutist CeCe Worroll, making the horn section complete [The Boston Globe, July 31, 1992].

Roberta Freeman would later discuss how she didn't approve of the "976-HORNS" name:





The back-up singers that were recruited were according to The Boston Globe in July 1992, Diane Jones and Roberta Freeman [The Boston Globe, July 30, 1992]. Later it seems Jones were replaced with Tracey Amos [Detroit Free Press, July 19, 1992], or possibly The Boston Globe was wrong.

Freeman would recall how she got involved and that she then recruited Amos to the project:




And whether she was a fan prior to joining them:



Amos would recall auditioning for the band, and remember that Freeman invited her to join Guns N' Roses:



Talking about preparing for the touring but that Axl never came to rehearsals:



Roberta then insisted on talking to Axl to make sure the vocals arrangements were approved by him:



The ladies had themselves opted for wearing lingerie [Star Tribune, January 21, 1992]. But according to Maxwell it was a little bit more complex than that:



Eventually, after some fans and critics commented on the costumes, the women asked to use their own clothes because they felt it would lend more credibility to their playing [The Boston Globe, July 31, 1992]. Maxwell would recall:



Freeman would imply that they had some problems with Doug Goldstein who was the manager at the time, including that he secluded Axl aaway from them:





Slash and Axl would enjoy the bigger band:




When asked his thoughts on people who preferred the band when it was more stripped down, Axl would say:



Duff would also defend the bigger band and speak disapprovingly of bands who use tapes:



In the March 1992 issue of their official fan club newsletter, the band would explain the addition of musicians this way:








In mid-1994, when asked about the bigger band, Slash would respond this way:



But in early 1995, when his conflict with Axl was escalating, Slash would say he had been against the bigger band and that it had made him "uncomfortable" [Kerrang! January 14, 1995] and:



He would continue on this tune in 2004:




In 2015, Goldstein would argue that Axl had wanted a bigger band because he had stage fright and didn't want all the focus on himself:



Tracy Amos and Roberta Freeman would also confirm that Slash wasn't particularly into the bigger band and that it had been Axl's decision:




Freeman would also discuss how it was to enter a man dominated environment and how she had to handle herself, and the sexism in thus business that they had to deal it, also from the management:



Looking back at the good times:




Discussing who was responsible for the additional musicians occasionally being forgotten and not brought to venues [see later chapters]:

In December 1991 Slash bought a home off Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills for "close to its asking price of $1.495,000" [Los Angeles Times, December 29, 1991]. He would still keep his other house in Laurel Hills for his "16 snakes, eight cats and two Rottweilers" [Los Angeles Times, December 29, 1991].

In October 1991, it would be reported that Slash's favorite hobby was "collecting dinosaur models" [Conspiracy Incorporated Newsletter, October 1991]. Another hobby of Slash's was the collection of t-shirts:



During the hiatus in touring between August and December 1991, Slash would live in an apartment complex in Burbank rather than in his Hollywood Hills house [Guitar World, February 1992] or in hotels:



Slash would also take time off to travel to Africa to photograph wild animals [Guitar World, February 1992].

After the break in touring in February 1992, before travelling to Japan, Slash again opted to stay away from his houses. This time he stayed in a hotel:



Slash would also get fed up by life in Los Angeles:




He also had his share of obnoxious people:



By late 1991 it was also reported that Slash owned "about 50 guitars" [Guitar Player, December 1991], but he would later claim the number was 45 and that a lot of it came from him buying all the guitars he used for recording 'Illusions' [Guitar World, February 1992].

After a break since their Webley gig in August 31, 1991, the band continued with their touring in support of the 'Use Your Illusion' albums in December 1991. This leg was supposed to start in October, then in November, but the band kept postponing [Melody Maker, March 28, 1992], likely due to having to replace Izzy and adding additional musicians as described in the previous section.

In addition, the band had gotten Soundgarden as the opener.

Axl had as early as 1989 expressed admiration for Soundgarden and especially the singer, Chris Cornell:



And Aaron Coves (A&M Records West Coast director of A&R) would state that Axl talking about the band to the press helped make the band popular:



The members of Soundgarden looked forward to the tour:




Despite this, in 2011, Susan Silver, Soundgarden's manager, would describe a lukewarm attitude when she announced they had been invited to tour with Guns N' Roses:

After a break since their Webley gig in August 31, 1991, the band continued with their touring in support of the 'Use Your Illusion' albums in December 1991. This leg was supposed to start in October, then in November, but the band kept postponing [Melody Maker, March 28, 1992], likely due to having to replace Izzy and adding additional musicians as described in the previous section.

The first two gigs were at Worcester Centrum Centre, in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, on December 5 and 6. The December 5 show was sold out in a "record 22 minutes" [RAW, December 1991]. The band would start these shows well over two hours late [Hartfort Courant, December 7, 1991]. The late starts, which had plagued the tour so far, would continue for this leg with 90 minutes or more wait after the opener becoming the norm more than the exception.

These shows would also be Gilby's first shows with the band. Since the band was well into the tour by then, they didn't rehearse much:



Looking back at the show:








For the first show Gilby was asked to do a solo spot:








Gilby would later look back at starting in Guns N' Roses and remark that it was a simple transition:

Then followed three shows at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 9, 10 and 13. During the first of these, which started almost 2 hours later than announced because Axl had the flu which left him throwing up backstage between the songs [Rolling Stone, December 1991]), Axl would say they expected to pay $24,000 in curfew fees [New York Times, December 11, 1991]:



In 2018, Doug Goldstein would tell an anecdote about having to remove Geffen executives from a show at Madison Square Garden [GN'R Central, December 24, 2018]. The three shows at Madison Square Garden in 1991 were the only ones when Goldstein was connected to the band, so it likely happened at one of these:



Also for one of the shows at Madison Square Garden, Andreadis and some other of the additional musicians were not picked up at the hotel and had to get to the venue themselves:



Being asked if the band had been responsible for forgetting to pick them up:



After the band first show at Madison Square Garden, Jon Pareles, writing for New York Times, wrote a lackluster review of the show. This prompted Axl to invite him to attend the second show at MSG and "tell the crowd why they weren't having a good time." This wouldn't be the first time Pareles had been critical of the band. After the band released GN'R Lies with 'One in a Million', Pareles had written a scathing article in New York Times about bigotry in pop music [New York Times, September 10, 1989].

In an interview with Rolling Stone by Kim Neely, which was published in April 1992, Axl was asked why he invited Pareles to their next show, and if he didn't realize Pareles would be walking into "a minefield":



When Neely asked why Axl couldn't call Pareles or meet him at "neutral ground":



And when Neely pointed out that he might just have been "calling it like he saw it":







Looking back at playing at Madison Square Garden:









The band then played 7 more shows: Philadelphia Spectrum, Philadelphia, USA (December 16 and 17); Suncoast Dome, St. Petersburg, USA (December 28); Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, USA (December 31); LSU Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, USA (January 3, 1992); Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, USA (January 4); and The Pyramid, Memphis, USA (January 7).

While in Philadelphia, Duff went to dodgy lengths to score drugs:







When visited St. Petersburg to play at Suncoast Dome the band members used Bay to Bay Limo Services and the owner, Mickey Gillum would later reminisce of the experience:





Then the band came to play two shows at The Summit in Houston on January 9 and 10, 1992. For the first of these shows the Houston chapter of the organization Queer Nation organized a protest titled "Pansies against Roses," calling out and showing displays, "Racist, sexist, anti-gay -- Guns N' Roses, go away!," and "Gay bashers are closet cases." The demonstrators were met by hecklers chanting "Guns N' Roses!" and "Faggots go home!" [Houston Chronicle, January 10, 1992].

Gilby had struggled with addiction in his youth, but he had cleaned up well before joining Guns N' Roses:



When he joined the band he did not take part in the craziest partying and seemed to have stayed sober to his wife/fiancee [add quote from Matt's biography].

Still, Gilby would confirm that the drug issues in the band were under control but that they still partied:

In early 1992, Slash describe his relationship with drugs and say he was less physically abusive now, and also muse on the benefits of ending his junkie times when relatively young:




In May 1992 Slash would admit to occasional cocaine use [Kerrang! May 16, 1992].

In July 1992 he would claim to have cut down on his drinking:





Interestingly, in an interview from 2005, Slash would say he was still a junkie after Use Your Illusion:

After the two shows in Houston the band came to Fairborn near Dayton in Ohio, on January 13 and 14, 1992.



The band would come to Dayton on January 10 and hang out at McGufly's House of Draft on three nights before their first show [Dayton Daily News, June 2, 1995]. At the night before the show (January 12), the band (minus Axl) even did a show at the pub playing GN'R tunes and covers [Dayton Daily News, June 2, 1995].



For the first show the band was even more late than usual, long after the "around 8 PM" time printed on the tickets [Dayton Daily News, January 15, 1992]. At 11:52 PM Slash came on stage to announce the show would be delayed due to a technical problem with one of the stage monitors: "I didn’t build the... equipment — I just play through it" [Dayton Daily News, January 15, 1992]. The band entered the stage first at 12:25 AM [Sandusky Register, January 15, 1992; Dayton Daily News, January 15, 1992]. Several members of the Nutter Center’s support staff allegedly said that Axl did not arrive at the venue until after midnight [Dayton Daily News, January 15, 1992]. The show ended at 3:05 AM [Dayton Daily News, January 15, 1992]. From the stage Axl would imply psychological issues, saying "You’ve got to realize that this is not a pleasant place for me to play" while explaining that his step-father was from Dayton and that he had needed time to prepare himself mentally for the performance [Dayton Daily News, January 15, 1992].



In early 1993, Matt would talk about having to wait for Axl for this show:



During the show Axl would also try to get the crowd into the show by engaging with them about the accusations that the band had supremacist sympathies:



Also on the day of this show, something, a "miscommunication" in the words of Axl, happened between Doug Goldstein and Axl, resulting in rumors that Axl had fired Goldstein:







During the second performance in Dayton [January 14], Axl slashed his hand open on a broken microphone stand:



The incident would also be mentioned in the band's official fan club newsletter:







While Axl was backstage having his hand looked at, he thought Slash said something critical about him and when entering the stage he would call Slash a "punk motherfucker" and that he would "kick your fucking ass". Before things escalated the band started playing 'Welcome to the Jungle'.



When listening to the recording of the show it is clear that Slash first tells the audience that they have to take a break while Axl has a "clothing change" and then later explains that Axl needed medical help. It was the referral to a "clothing change" that Axl took offence to and led to the argument.

To get stiches the band would end the show about 30 minutes early.



As mentioned in the fan club newsletter, the band cancelled two shows in Detroit due to Axl's hand injury.

Slash would look back at the incident:

The band then played two shows at Target Center in Minneapolis on January 21 and 22. Again, Axl was late. Before the show, Soundgarden's singer, Chris Cornell, had talked about the headliner's late starts:



And Cornell would quip about this before they left the stage:







The band then came to Las Vegas for a show at the Thomas and Mack Center on January 25, 1992. The day before the show, January 24, Axl would be interviewed by Kim Neely for Rolling Stone magazine, and Neely would describe Axl's good mood including how he had welcomed two girls who had managed to sneak past security and knocked on his hotel room door [Rolling Stone, April 2, 1992].

After the show, Perla Ferrar, who had a friend who knew the promoter of the show, got back stage and met Slash for the first time [Rolling Stone, July 31, 2007].

Later, Axl would look back at this gig:



The band then travelled to the San Diego Sports Arena for shows on January 27 and 28.

The last shows of this leg was on January 31 and February 1 at Compton Terrace in Chandler.





As common in the music industry, for the very last show, GN'R decided to play a prank on the opener, Soundgarden.




Gilby would be asked if he had been told to act in any particular way on stage on their touring:





During the touring Soundgarden would comment on how it was to open for Guns N' Roses:








And the band would talk about the experience afterwards:








Susan Silver, Soundgarden's manager, would talk about Soundgarden's lukewarm enthusiasm for the tour:

Duff, with his punk sensibilities, was not in favor of merchandise:



In Januar 1991 Slash was also asked about the topic and expressed similar sentiments:



But when asked if there was something he would be willing to sponsor individually, he made an exception for a vodka brand:



Slash and Black Death Vodka will be the topic of later chapter.

Axl would express his thoughts on merchandise and sponsoring from the stage:



But merchandise presented a welcome source of revenues from the band in the beginning:



The most popular item was t-shirts:

Jeff Condon (Merchandise manager): "This is one of our best selling t-shirts. It’s got the album cover, so it kind of identifies with the tour, Use Your Illusion, and the dates on the back – this tour – kind of give the kids an idea of where the show was and gives them something to identify the show with. So yeah, these are real popular" [The O-Zone BBC, May 31, 1993].



But as the band matured and the industry changes, band members would change their opinion on merchandise. Duff, responding to Velvet Revolver licensing music to Victoria’s Secret commercial and movie soundtracks and appearing in ads for the clothing designer John Varvatos

Dizzy, who had married his girlfriend Lisa in June 1990, received a paternity suit in February 1992 from Angela Parker who claimed her daughter, Morgan Alexandra, was Dizzy's daughter and demanded $5,000 in child support and sole custody [MTV, February 11, 1992]. Two days later, Bryn Bridenthal, as spokesperson for Guns N' Roses, said Dizzy had not seen the lawsuit and had no comment [The Newark Advocate, February 13, 1992].

In October 1992 Dizzy would talk about being a father:



He would also talk about moving from Hollywood to Laguna in Orange Country (CA):



In October 1991, it would be reported that Dizzy's favorite hobby was "checking out bands in the local L.A. scene" [Conspiracy Incorporated Newsletter, October 1991].

In 1993, Lisa and Dizzy would become parents to their first daughter, Skye [Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion tour diary, unknown author and date].

The next single from 'Use Your Illusion' would be November Rain, released on on February 18, 1992.





As for 'Don't Cry', the band created an ambitious video to accompany the single, still following loosely the 'Without You' story by Del James.






It was a costly production:



The video took "two months" to produce and was, in the words of Duff, "kind of expensive" but "it's only money, right?" [MTV, May 1993].

While on the set Gilby would be asked what role he would have in the video:



Talking about the wedding scene:




Talking about the church:




And hearing oneself playing with a helicopter just over his head:







Talking about acting with Stephanie Seymour:




In 2010, Slash would talk about hating the video:



And Slash and Dizzy didn't get it:




In 2018, Roberta Freeman would talk about making the video and mention how tedious it was leading to her eventually skipping the third day of filming:



And Slash, after having rejoined the band, would talk in more positive terms about the video and refer to it as "pretty fuckin' awesome":

After a short break the touring commenced again with three shows at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on February 19, 20 and 22.





The film of the February 22 show was released on two home videos (VHS/DVD), called "Use Your Illusion World Tour - 1992 in Tokyo I" and "Use Your Illusion World Tour - 1992 in Tokyo II", on December 8, 1992 [see separate chapter for more on this].

Duff would later be asked about his most "Spinal Tap" moment and give this story:



And Gilby would talk about Wild Horses performed at these shows as an example of him and Slash playing together:

In 1992 Slash would be featured on the song 'Break Like The Wind' on the same-titled album by Spinal Tap:

In March 1992 it was reported that Slash had signed a deal with Black Death Vodka to be their pitch man [New York Daily News, March 13, 1992]. Black Death spokesman Robert Plotkin said that Slash was "perfect for the market” and that he "was really the only one Black Death wanted" [New York Daily News, March 13, 1992].

Slash would admit it came about as a result of his comments to Rolling Stone in 1991:




The vodka was prohibited in the US markets due to the name [Associated Press, April 6, 1992; Entertainment Weekly, April 17, 1992], and as a result it was changed to Black Hat [The Baltimore Sun, May 13, 1992].







When asked about why he did ads for Black Death, Slash would say "just to get the vodka. […] It’s good vodka" and AP would say that Slash was compensated in form of "a little money, T-shirts and several cases of the product" [Associated Press, June 3, 1992].



The collaboration would end:

At the same time as the two 'Use Your Illusion' albums were released and the band started to tour in support of them, an underground musical movement was happening that in many ways, at least superficially, was contrary to Guns N' Roses who had by now become established and mainstream. Fronting this movement was the band Nirvana. As a reviewer of the 1989 Nirvana album 'Bleach' would state:





Guns N' Roses, though, were big fans of Nirvana. In November 1991 (the interview was published in 1992), when asked who he would like to see cover a GN'R song, Axl replied:



Duff would later mention listening to them:



And later Gilby would describe Axl's views on Nirvana:



In 2018, Doug Goldstein would claim that it was Axl who had made Slash and Duff listen to Nirvana:



Axl also tried meeting Kurt Cobain, Nirvana's singer and frontman, after a show in Los Angeles, as remembered by Danny Goldberg who was Nirvana's manager at the time:





Allegedly, for Axl's 30th birthday on February 6, 1992, he wanted Nirvana to play, but they declined the offer [Nirvana The True Story, 2006].

Guns N' Roses also wanted to tour with them. Slash talking about the rumored tour with Metallica and the possibility of Skid Row being part of it but that they rather wanted Nirvana:



Mark Kates, who was working for Geffen, would remember Nirvana being offered to tour with Guns N' Roses:



In March 1992 (published in June 1992], Axl was asked about Nirvana joining for the Metallica tour:





Kurt Cobain, though, would claim he never seriously considered it:



Bryn Bridenthal, from Geffen, would explain Nirvana's views on Guns N' Roses:



In 2018, Doug Goldstein would talk about how the rock that Guns N' Roses and Axl represented had paved the way for the alternative rock movement which was a counter-reaction to the ethos of the 80s and 90s rock star and rock star life:



In fact, Nirvana had previously spoken harshly about Guns N' Roses:





Despite this, Nirvana had considered opening for Guns N' Roses in New Zealand:



Interestingly, in a Kerrang! interview published in May 1992 (but done the month before), Slash claims to not know who Kurt Cobain is [Kerrang! May 16, 1992] despite having talked about attending a Nirvana concert previously [Raw Magazine, March 4, 1992].

Slash would be asked about Nirvana again a little while later:



And whether he was saying this just because Nirvana wouldn't tour with Guns N' Roses because of some of their lyrics:



Axl would continue to talk about Nirvana from the stage:



Later, in 1995, Slash would say it was mostly Axl who had wanted to tour with Nirvana and that Slash found the fight between Axl and Cobain hilarious:



In 2004, Lars Ulrich would look back:



In 2007, Dave Grohl would mention Axl's desire to tour with Nirvana:



The same year, Slash would talk about the "weird vibe" that existed between up-and-coming bands from the alternative scene and Guns N' Roses:



In 2016, Matt would comment on Nirvana not wanting to tour with GN'R was the "perfect answer":

After the three shows at Tokyo Dome in late February 1992, the band took a break in March. Then the band travelled to Mexico for two shows there in April, at the Palacio De Los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico on April 1 and 2, 1992.

Slash being asked who will be the opener for the next leg of the tour:



The two Mexican shows would be followed by one show at Myriad Arena in Oklahoma (April 6).



Then the band did one show at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont (April 9).