1993.10.04 - Tampa Bay Times/Billboard - Guns N' Roses moves on after drummer's lawsuit

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Guns N' Roses moves on after drummer's lawsuit

By MELINDA NEWMAN
Billboard Magazine

NEW YORK —Although displeased with the monetary settlement in their legal battle with ex-drummer Steven Adler, the members of Guns N’ Roses are moving ahead on other fronts. The band is putting the finishing touches on its next album, The Spaghetti Incident— due for release Nov. 23 — and continuing work on an upcoming documentary.

On Sept. 24, just hours before the case would have gone to the jury, the band’s attorneys reached a settlement with Adler, agreeing to pay him $2.5-million. Adler had brought suit against the band, his former management, and attorneys two years ago, charging that he was fraudulently removed from the group, and unknowingly stripped of his partnership interest in the band. Adler will collect $2.3-million from the band, $150,000 from former manager Alan Niven, and $50,000 from the band’s current manager, Doug Goldstein.

A statement released by the band’s label, Geffen Records, and attributed only to the Guns N’ Roses camp, said, “We’re not thrilled about having to pay Steven Adler more money than we already were paying him, and we continue to believe in the defenses we asserted in the lawsuit. But we are certainly glad to have the dispute behind us."

According to the original suit, Guns N’ Roses threw Adler out of the band in 1990. Adler, who admits he had a drug problem, signed a 12-page document relinquishing his partnership interest in the band.

Adler never read the agreement prior to signing it, instead relying on a summary of the document prepared by the band’s attorneys, which did not mention that Adler was giving up his partnership rights. He had retained his publishing royalties.