XX. Notes

Vince: A band is only as good as its last record, so you're really competing with yourself. People keep this rivalry with Guns N Roses going, but it's crazy. You don't hold a grudge for 15 years. It's stupid. Why look back?

Tommy: When Guns was opening for us, Slash thought he could keep up with us drinking Jack. So we started ripping em back. Slash throws up. We got him back to one of our rooms, laid him down on the bed, put our nut sacs right on his chin and took a fucking Polaroid of it. I think we laminated it and made that his tour pass.

Nikki: The thing with Axl is as much as I love him, he's kind of a fucking emo fag. He's not really a dude. He's like the Wizard of Oz behind a curtain making a lot of noise. He never stepped up to the plate when Vince challenged him. Axl wasn't into getting wild. I think that's his inner-emo. He's so fucking artsy. I'm pulling it out in the press. Axl if you're there: Lose your inner-emo. Come back to us. Dude, let's rock.

Duff Mckagan's Wife Caught In Ring Scandal

By Steven Williams in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 26 January 2005

The wife of former GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff Mckagan is currently involved in a police investigation after her wedding ring was supposedly stolen by a Beverly Hills jeweller.

Duff Mckagan - former GUNS N' ROSES bassist - is caught up in a scandal after his wife, Susan Holmes, filed a report against a jeweller for stealing her wedding ring. Holmes visited the Beverly Hills jeweller Yossi Dina in 2004 to get some of her jewellery valued, and after the wedding ring was reportedly lost, Dina supposedly promised that it would be paid for.

According to swimsuit model Holmes, the jeweller took in the ring and promised to replace it, but never got back to her about the missing ring. In an interview with American scandal show 'Celebrity Justice', Holmes said that: "I gave him the ring to just quickly take a look at. Finally he came back to me and said, 'You know what? I don't know where your ring is, we lost it...' He said, 'Don't worry, we'll pay you for it.'"

However, Dina insists that the story is entirely false, and that Holmes had offered to sell the ring to him for 2,300 USD. Beverly Hill police are currently investigating the case after Holmes filed her report.

Slash Is A Smash Playing National Anthems At Toronto Blue Jays Home Opener

Shi Davidi of The Canadian Press has issued the following report:

Slash was doing a show with his band Velvet Revolver in Toronto recently when he decided to play a couple of bars from "O Canada".

"The whole place went nuts," the rock guitarist recalled Friday. "I was like 'OK settle down, just wait for April 8.' I just gave them a taste of it. It was cool though, they started singing the words and I was overwhelmed by that." The fans went even wilder for the real thing Friday, when the former Guns N' Roses star performed the national anthems before the Toronto Blue Jays' home opener against the Boston Red Sox.

A near-capacity crowd began chanting "We want Slash," and roared wildly as he played the "Star Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" on his electric guitar by the pitcher's mound (photo). They yelled even louder when he added a riff to the end of "O Canada".

In the days preceding the show, Jays president Paul Godfrey said reaction to Slash was mixed, with younger fans pumped and older people giving him the thumbs down. But Slash was respectful in the renditions, not straying from the tunes while giving both a hard-rock twist.

"I've listened to a bunch of different versions of ('O Canada') just to make sure I try and stay true to the melody that was written in 18-something-or-other," he said.

The performance wasn't unprecedented for Slash, who is famous for strumming wildly with a cigarette hanging from his mouth and wild streams of black curls jetting out from under a top hat. He has also played the "Star Spangled Banner" before a Los Angeles Lakers game.

"That was pretty nerve-wracking, just standing there in the middle of centre court, just having everybody stare at you all by yourself," he said. "This situation is even bigger, I'm pretty frozen at this point. Once you start playing you're fine."

About two hours before he played the anthems, Slash practiced by the mound as players, fans and the Trailer Park Boys, who later fought each other before Bubbles threw the ceremonial first pitch, looked on excitedly.

Catcher Gregg Zaun, right-hander Justin Speier, lefty Scott Schoeneweis and first baseman Eric Hinske, who took pictures of Slash with his cellphone, were among the Jays watching.

"I used to listen to them all the time," said Hinske. "It's pretty cool."

Zaun later got Slash to autograph two guitars in exchange for a catcher's mask.

Charlie Sheen, aglow with a model romance

By Karen Thomas

The budding romance between Charlie Sheen and Stephanie Seymour is going strong, says Sheen's spokesman Jeff Ballard.

"We're madly in love and very happy together,'' says Sheen, who has shorn the long locks and full beard needed for his new cop adventure flick, Fixing the Shadow, due in fall. No time to waste between films. In October, he and Lloyd Bridges film Hot Shots 2.

■ Sheen radiant: The budding romance between Charlie Sheen and Stephanie Seymour is going strong, says his spokesman.

“We’re madly in love and very happy together," says Sheen, whose new cop adventure, "Fixing the Shadow,” is due this fall.

Blackstar wrote:Story that made the rounds in the gossip columns in June 1992.

USA Today, June 8, 1992:

Charlie Sheen, aglow with a model romance

By Karen Thomas

The budding romance between Charlie Sheen and Stephanie Seymour is going strong, says Sheen's spokesman Jeff Ballard.

"We're madly in love and very happy together,'' says Sheen, who has shorn the long locks and full beard needed for his new cop adventure flick, Fixing the Shadow, due in fall. No time to waste between films. In October, he and Lloyd Bridges film Hot Shots 2.

And in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 11, 1992:

■ Sheen radiant: The budding romance between Charlie Sheen and Stephanie Seymour is going strong, says his spokesman.

“We’re madly in love and very happy together," says Sheen, whose new cop adventure, "Fixing the Shadow,” is due this fall.

It's possible that the story had appeared at an earlier date (e.g. a couple of days earlier) elsewhere, so around the time of the Guns N' Roses show in Paris. The next show in Manchester, originally scheduled for June 9, was postponed (Axl allegedly postponed it on the same morning).

Soulmonster wrote:Yeah, they did have a break-up in 1992. So possibly Stephanie dated Sheen while on this break - doesn't mean Axl was happy about it, and maybe he didn't agree they were having a break. By December they were back together again.

Blackstar wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:Yeah, they did have a break-up in 1992. So possibly Stephanie dated Sheen while on this break - doesn't mean Axl was happy about it, and maybe he didn't agree they were having a break. By December they were back together again.

I think they took a break in 1991. I don't recall anything about 1992 - they supposedly were together then.

Soulmonster wrote:

Blackstar wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:Yeah, they did have a break-up in 1992. So possibly Stephanie dated Sheen while on this break - doesn't mean Axl was happy about it, and maybe he didn't agree they were having a break. By December they were back together again.

I think they took a break in 1991. I don't recall anything about 1992 - they supposedly were together then.

They were reported to have broken up in November 1991 and allegedly they were back together again in December 1991, when Stephanie was spotted with a new diamond ring.

I can understand why Axl would be a bit miffed learning about his girlfriend back home dating Charlie Sheen while he was touring.

06.05.2006 - Izzy sent a message to the fans (05.26) about his guest apearance on GN'R european shows: "I dont have any concrete plans at this moment to join them in Europe but i will let you know if it changes. Please let people know nothing is confirmed at this point for Europe. NY was pretty cool........so.......talk later, izz"

06.12.2006 - Izzy Stradlin joined Guns N' Roses for five songs in Download Festival, Donington Park, Donington, England yesterday night (06.12.2006). Izzy also sent a message to the webmaster of juju.34sp.com/izzy: "izzy here....i`m in london. if u get this ,send me an email. i`m planning to join guns 11th-21st"

Here are the Guns N' Roses shows from 06.11 till 06.21:
06.11.06 - Download Festival, Donington Park, Donington, England
06.13.06 - Sazka Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
06.15.06 - Legia Stadium, Warsaw, Poland
06.17.06 - Novarock, Pannonia Fields II, Nickelsdorf, Austria
06.20.06 - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris, France
06.21.06 - Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland

06.14.2006 - Just like he said - Izzy joined yesterday Axl and his band in Sazka Arena, Prague, Czech Rep. (06.13.06) - together they performed four songs: Think About You, Patience, Nightrain and Paradise City.

06.16.2006 - Yesterday night happend something, I was waiting for many years - I saw Izzy Stradlin who joined Guns N' Roses during the show in my homeland - on Stadion Legii, Warszawa, Polska (06.15.06).

The setlist: Welcome To The Jungle, It's So Easy, Mr Brownstone, Live and Let Die, Better, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Robin Solo (Finlandia), Sweet Child O' Mine, Jamming + Dizzy Piano Solo, The Blues, You Could Be Mine, Bumblefoot solo (Don't Cry), Chinese Democracy, November Rain, Band Introductions + Fortus Solo, Robin & Richard duet (Beautiful), Out Ta Get Me, My Michelle [with Sebastian Bach], Think About You [with Izzy Stradlin], Patience [with Izzy Stradlin], Nightrain [with Izzy Stradlin], Encores: Madagascar, I.R.S., Robin Intro, Paradise City [with Izzy Stradlin]

Izzy looks really great. His way of moving on the stage, his smiles to the fans, made me feel really great. It was a great evening - Thank You Izzy.

06.17.2006 - Yesterday evening Izzy sent a mail to the fan: "cheers ed........please tell will that paris [20th june] is the last show i`ve commited to at this point........ i will let you know if any other dates are added.... thanks again, izzy".

06.18.2006 - Another guest apperance of Izzy during GNR show, in Nickelsdorf, Austria (06.17.06).

06.21.2006 - The last show of Izzy and Guns N' Roses so far, in Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris, France (06.20.06). He played Patience, Nightrain and Used To Love Her.

07.02.2006 - After almost two weeks of break Izzy is back again to join Guns N' Roses on their concert in Nijmegen, Holland, Goffert Park. Izzy played four songs including My Michelle which hasn't been played by him since almost fifteen years.

07.12.2006 - During last couple days Izzy joined Guns N' Roses three times, in Oslo, Norway [07.08.06], Malakasa, Greece [07.10.06] and Istanbul, Turkey [07.12.06].

07.14.2006 - A great performance of You Gotta Move with Izzy on lead vocals during Guns N' Roses show in Bilbao, Spain - Axl and an old friend of Izzy and Axl, Del James sang the background vocals. Other songs played by Stradlin this night: Think About You, Patience, Nightrain, Paradise City.

07.19.2006 - Another guest appearances of Izzy on GN'R shows, this time in: El Ejido, Spain [07.15.06], Sheffield, England [07.18.06], Newcastle, England [07.19.06] and Glasgow, Scotland [07.21.06].

07.23.2006 - I moved to Manchester with my girlfriend and friends to see Izzy again in MEN Arena. The concert was great, Izzy joined for Think About You, Patience, Nightran and Paradise City. Before introducing Izzy, Axl looked at me and told 'Don't spoil with that', cause I screamed 'Sebastian!!' earlier. Unfortunately, same as in Glasgow, You Gotta Move wasn't played at this show.

07.27.2006 - Guns N' Roses shows in Birmingham, England [07.25.06] and Nottingham, England [07.27.06], both with Stradlin on as a guest. Used To Love Her, Patience, Think About You, Nightrain and Paradise City are played on both shows.

07.29.2006 - A great show at Wembley Arena in London, England with incredible set including Izzy as a guest. Rolling Stones' Sway, Rod Stewart's Sailing, The Beatles' Back In The USSR and Think About You, Patience, Nightrain, Paradise City were performed.

07.30.2006 - Second show on Wembley Arena in London, England which finished Guns N' Roses European tour 2006 with izzy playing as a guest on 20 shows of the band.

Team Digital: Speaking of crazy, rumour has it you rocked Axl Rose's piano when you were recording in LA.

James: Yeah, we were in a studio called 'The Village' where Axl has been for the past ten months recording. There's this big theatre room that used to belong to the Maharishi. The Beatles used to go and pray in there and stuff. Now it's this big rehearsal space where Guns 'N Roses rehearses and there's this big man-sized chicken coop where their guitar player Bucket Head goes when they're jamming. And there's this big grand piano where Axl plays and so we just kinda snuck in there and mic'ed it up and started hammering away on the piano, figuring we could steal some of Axl's 'mojo.'

Team Digital: From what we've heard, Axl's got enough 'mojo' to go around. Thanks for taking the time to chat!

Slash's entourage were all these wolf-looking dudes ("wolf" is our word for metal heads or burnouts), just milling around in the control room for the two hours it took to get the mix up and ready.

Finally, somebody asked, "You ready, Slash?"

Suddenly, this guy with a ponytail and baseball cap, sitting way in the back said "Let's do this."

Slash had been in the room the whole time. I didn't recognize him without his top hat. I felt like an idiot.

"Brother, I didn't even know that was you; I'm sorry man" I said.

"What's up," he said.

"Well, man, I appreciate you playing guitar on this record!" I said.

"Well man, I think the song's awesome, man. I really do. Me and my girlfriend were in the drive-thru of a fucking Wendy's man, and we were jamming that shit, you know. I love it man."

I was like, "Whoa, this is the shit! Slash likes my song! The chick he fucks likes it, too."

So Slash went into the room with his barge full of amps to play but he didn't want anybody hearing him. We all had to go out into the lobby while Slash did his thing.

[...]

I was starting to explain the Dark Carnival to Leif, for the movie thing, when Slash walked out of the studio and into the lobby.

"I'm done," he said.

"Fuck, man, I'm dying to hear it," I said.

"Oh, let 'em get a mix on it first," Slash insisted.

Leif jumped in. "Hey, Slash, how you doing? You remember me? Leif Garrett?"

Slash was like, "Yeah, I met you somewhere, blah blah blah..."

Suddenly I realized I was sitting there hanging out with Leif Garrett, listening to his Michael Jackson jack-off stories, while Slash from Guns N' Roses was playing on my record. I felt pretty fucking good. I couldn't wait to hit up Kinko's that night and write Joey about it all.

Then Slash turned to me. "I got a question, Joe. This song isn't about Axl, is it?"

What?

"No, why would you think that?"

"Well, 'Use Your Illusion,' 'Halls of Illusions' You guys are talking about people who beat their wife and kids; you sure this isn't about Axl?'

"No, it's not, man, really."

I realized then that Slash was a great guitar player, but he was completely out of his mind. Why the fuck would I write a song about Axl Rose? What?

Slash explained, "Oh, well, it just seemed like it as about him. Shit I wrote a whole fucking album about Axl Rose, and he never even knew it."

I just laughed. I didn't know what the fuck he was talking about.

I kept thinking, "What album? Slash has a record out? Where? Is he singing on it or something?"

I was steadily realizing how stupid and out of the industry we really were. Then Slash unzipped this bag, and pulled out a Riddle Box shirt.

"I wore your shirt last night on stage," he said. "It's the shit; I love wearing this shirt."

All I could think was, "Where were you on stage last night? Are you back in GnR again?"

Then he started talking to me about how much he hated Axl Rose. "Yeah, fuck that cocksucker..."

"Yeah, well, Slash, bro, this song ain't nothing to do with him," I said quickly.

Slash wasn't going to let it go. He looked me right in the eye.

"You a fan of Axl?" he asked.

Oh shit man. I was stuck, because I did like Axl. In fact, I'm a huge fan of the whole band, but fuck that. Axl ain't here hookin' up our album, so fuck him. I'm down with Slash; in fact, I would've even helped Slash jump that fucker, Axl, if he wanted me to.

"No. I'm a fan of the music of Guns 'n Roses," I said. "I've never met him or nothing."

"Yeah, well, he's a fucking asshole."

[...]

"So, Slash, bro, what do we owe you for this man, because you can't just do this for free."

"Just get me a pint of Wild Irish Rose; that's what you owe me." he said.

So Billy got him a pint of Wild Irish Rose from across the street, and Slash drank it down right in front of us. His throat must be like iron. He finished it off like it was warm Kool-Aid. Slash was a drinking ninja. He could gargle toxic waste with exploding jumping jacks, and not even be faded.

"You guys wanna go over to the titty bar across the street?" he asked. "That's where I'm headed!"

"No," I said, "we're gonna be mixing the song right here."

Fuck man!!! I couldn't stop thinking about how stale I was for flying my girl out there that day. I could have been fuckin' plastic titties with Slash, and drinking wine out of his big-ass top hat.

"Okay, cool. I'll see you guys later, then," Slash said, and shook both my hand and Billy's.

Then he looked my girl right in the eye, and gave her a double squeeze. YES!!! How fresh was that? Now that's a fuckin' rock star!

As Slash left with his Wild Irish buzz and his ponytail, my girl whipped around, and asked, "Did you see that? He did, like, a double squeeze, and felt my hand all up!"

I was just like, "Yes! Slash!"

[...]

Next morning, Slash woke me up with a call to the hotel.

"Hey, Joe, man, turn on the fucking radio; I'm about to do an interview. I'm going to plug you guys."

I thought that was cool as fuck. Slash was cool as fuck. Just another morning in LA. In Detroit, we'd send a bitch back to her parents' car (if it was still there) and go out for breakfast. Here we were getting wake-up calls from Slash, plugging us on the radio. Too fucking weird.

Then at the studio Slash called again, to see how the mix turned out. I told him we didn't have it done yet. Later, he called back just to chat, like we were these old pals.

"Check this out, I'm doing this, blah blah blah." he'd say.

Pretty soon, he'd just be going on and on about his life.

"Man, Joe. I don't know what to put in my house." he said.

"What are you talking about, Slash?"

"I got a big, empty house, man. What the fuck should I put in it?"

Like I was going to give Slash advice on interior decorating. We hung up. Then he called back ten minutes after that.

"Hey, Joe, I want to be in the video."

"I don't even know if this song is gonna be the single," I told him, "but if it is, helly yezzy we want you in the video, too!!!"

"Well, when are you guys going on tour? I want to play it live."

Like we were going to ask Slash to be in our band! Like we even had a band. Even though we didn't have a band, I still thought about asking him to join ICP.

I turned to Mike E. Clark. "If Slash calls back, tell him I'm not there."

That was a stale move, but we had so much work to do, it was crazy.

Blackstar wrote:Extract from "Behind The Paint," Joseph Bruce's (of the band Insane Clown Posse) autobiography, which was released in 2003. Bruce recounts his brief, "bizarre" interaction with Slash, who had guested on one of ICP's albums:

Slash's entourage were all these wolf-looking dudes ("wolf" is our word for metal heads or burnouts), just milling around in the control room for the two hours it took to get the mix up and ready.

Finally, somebody asked, "You ready, Slash?"

Suddenly, this guy with a ponytail and baseball cap, sitting way in the back said "Let's do this."

Slash had been in the room the whole time. I didn't recognize him without his top hat. I felt like an idiot.

"Brother, I didn't even know that was you; I'm sorry man" I said.

"What's up," he said.

"Well, man, I appreciate you playing guitar on this record!" I said.

"Well man, I think the song's awesome, man. I really do. Me and my girlfriend were in the drive-thru of a fucking Wendy's man, and we were jamming that shit, you know. I love it man."

I was like, "Whoa, this is the shit! Slash likes my song! The chick he fucks likes it, too."

So Slash went into the room with his barge full of amps to play but he didn't want anybody hearing him. We all had to go out into the lobby while Slash did his thing.

[...]

I was starting to explain the Dark Carnival to Leif, for the movie thing, when Slash walked out of the studio and into the lobby.

"I'm done," he said.

"Fuck, man, I'm dying to hear it," I said.

"Oh, let 'em get a mix on it first," Slash insisted.

Leif jumped in. "Hey, Slash, how you doing? You remember me? Leif Garrett?"

Slash was like, "Yeah, I met you somewhere, blah blah blah..."

Suddenly I realized I was sitting there hanging out with Leif Garrett, listening to his Michael Jackson jack-off stories, while Slash from Guns N' Roses was playing on my record. I felt pretty fucking good. I couldn't wait to hit up Kinko's that night and write Joey about it all.

Then Slash turned to me. "I got a question, Joe. This song isn't about Axl, is it?"

What?

"No, why would you think that?"

"Well, 'Use Your Illusion,' 'Halls of Illusions' You guys are talking about people who beat their wife and kids; you sure this isn't about Axl?'

"No, it's not, man, really."

I realized then that Slash was a great guitar player, but he was completely out of his mind. Why the fuck would I write a song about Axl Rose? What?

Slash explained, "Oh, well, it just seemed like it as about him. Shit I wrote a whole fucking album about Axl Rose, and he never even knew it."

I just laughed. I didn't know what the fuck he was talking about.

I kept thinking, "What album? Slash has a record out? Where? Is he singing on it or something?"

I was steadily realizing how stupid and out of the industry we really were. Then Slash unzipped this bag, and pulled out a Riddle Box shirt.

"I wore your shirt last night on stage," he said. "It's the shit; I love wearing this shirt."

All I could think was, "Where were you on stage last night? Are you back in GnR again?"

Then he started talking to me about how much he hated Axl Rose. "Yeah, fuck that cocksucker..."

"Yeah, well, Slash, bro, this song ain't nothing to do with him," I said quickly.

Slash wasn't going to let it go. He looked me right in the eye.

"You a fan of Axl?" he asked.

Oh shit man. I was stuck, because I did like Axl. In fact, I'm a huge fan of the whole band, but fuck that. Axl ain't here hookin' up our album, so fuck him. I'm down with Slash; in fact, I would've even helped Slash jump that fucker, Axl, if he wanted me to.

"No. I'm a fan of the music of Guns 'n Roses," I said. "I've never met him or nothing."

"Yeah, well, he's a fucking asshole."

[...]

"So, Slash, bro, what do we owe you for this man, because you can't just do this for free."

"Just get me a pint of Wild Irish Rose; that's what you owe me." he said.

So Billy got him a pint of Wild Irish Rose from across the street, and Slash drank it down right in front of us. His throat must be like iron. He finished it off like it was warm Kool-Aid. Slash was a drinking ninja. He could gargle toxic waste with exploding jumping jacks, and not even be faded.

"You guys wanna go over to the titty bar across the street?" he asked. "That's where I'm headed!"

"No," I said, "we're gonna be mixing the song right here."

Fuck man!!! I couldn't stop thinking about how stale I was for flying my girl out there that day. I could have been fuckin' plastic titties with Slash, and drinking wine out of his big-ass top hat.

"Okay, cool. I'll see you guys later, then," Slash said, and shook both my hand and Billy's.

Then he looked my girl right in the eye, and gave her a double squeeze. YES!!! How fresh was that? Now that's a fuckin' rock star!

As Slash left with his Wild Irish buzz and his ponytail, my girl whipped around, and asked, "Did you see that? He did, like, a double squeeze, and felt my hand all up!"

I was just like, "Yes! Slash!"

[...]

Next morning, Slash woke me up with a call to the hotel.

"Hey, Joe, man, turn on the fucking radio; I'm about to do an interview. I'm going to plug you guys."

I thought that was cool as fuck. Slash was cool as fuck. Just another morning in LA. In Detroit, we'd send a bitch back to her parents' car (if it was still there) and go out for breakfast. Here we were getting wake-up calls from Slash, plugging us on the radio. Too fucking weird.

Then at the studio Slash called again, to see how the mix turned out. I told him we didn't have it done yet. Later, he called back just to chat, like we were these old pals.

"Check this out, I'm doing this, blah blah blah." he'd say.

Pretty soon, he'd just be going on and on about his life.

"Man, Joe. I don't know what to put in my house." he said.

"What are you talking about, Slash?"

"I got a big, empty house, man. What the fuck should I put in it?"

Like I was going to give Slash advice on interior decorating. We hung up. Then he called back ten minutes after that.

"Hey, Joe, I want to be in the video."

"I don't even know if this song is gonna be the single," I told him, "but if it is, helly yezzy we want you in the video, too!!!"

"Well, when are you guys going on tour? I want to play it live."

Like we were going to ask Slash to be in our band! Like we even had a band. Even though we didn't have a band, I still thought about asking him to join ICP.

I turned to Mike E. Clark. "If Slash calls back, tell him I'm not there."

That was a stale move, but we had so much work to do, it was crazy.

Soulmonster wrote:
I remember this story. I am sure it is exaggerated somewhat by Bruce for comic effect, but no smoke without fire. I believe Slash probably wanted assurances that the song wasn't about Axl, did badmouth Axl, and was eager to do more work with ICP.

In other words, no use scouring the lyrics for references to the Guns n’ Roses days. The first Snakepit record “was just filled with innuendo,” Slash said, but no one seemed to pick up on it since the band’s singer at the time, Eric Dover, served as a kind of filter.

Blackstar wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:
I remember this story. I am sure it is exaggerated somewhat by Bruce for comic effect, but no smoke without fire. I believe Slash probably wanted assurances that the song wasn't about Axl, did badmouth Axl, and was eager to do more work with ICP.

I believe this line is also true:

Slash: "[...] Shit I wrote a whole fucking album about Axl Rose, and he never even knew it."

Slash implied in his book that a lot of the lyrics on the first Snakepit album were about Axl.

There is also a hint in this interview from 2000:

In other words, no use scouring the lyrics for references to the Guns n’ Roses days. The first Snakepit record “was just filled with innuendo,” Slash said, but no one seemed to pick up on it since the band’s singer at the time, Eric Dover, served as a kind of filter.

https://www.a-4-d.com/t4629-2000-11-02-reuters-calgary-herald-welcome-to-the-snakepit-slash

Robert John went to the club where the bands [L.A. Guns and London] were playing, and Izzy introduced him to Axl Rose. “I shot both bands,” Robert says, “but then there was this brawl backstage when Axl and Nadir [D’Priest] got into a fight. It turned out there was this major feud between them over the fact that they’re doing the same chick at the same time.”

When Izzy joined London, we started doing a lot of shows together, as we were all supposedly friends. I am still friends with Nadir, which is weird. But Axl had seen Nadir detune my guitars before we went on, or so he claimed. But, sure enough, when I went to put my guitar on that night it was out of tune. I put the next guitar on – it was out of tune as well. So when we went on stage, Axl ripped up a London poster. There is a photo of this in Marc Canter’s book. That was the beginning of all hell breaking loose between those two. Axl and Izzy were kind of humble guys, but growing up they had their share of street fights. So just because they were on the quiet side, didn’t mean that they wouldn’t whip somebody’s butt. On the flip side, Nadir was a really tough guy. He had been in and out of jail, and was a pretty tough kid. A lot of the time I would pick up Axl from work at Tower Video, and a few times Nadir was waiting for Axl outside. They would have these quick little battles, then Nadir would run off. One day, Nadir was waiting outside with a gun! Axl is a tough motherfucker, man. He picked up a broken street sign and just whacked Nadir with it! As far as I know, that was the last time they tangled.

Blackstar wrote:Re: Axl and Nadir D' Priest.

Robert John, quoted in the book "Watch You Bleed; The Saga Of Guns N' Roses" by Stephen Davis, 2008:

Robert John went to the club where the bands [L.A. Guns and London] were playing, and Izzy introduced him to Axl Rose. “I shot both bands,” Robert says, “but then there was this brawl backstage when Axl and Nadir [D’Priest] got into a fight. It turned out there was this major feud between them over the fact that they’re doing the same chick at the same time.”

Tracii has another version (from the book "Tales From The Stage Vol. 1" by Michael Toney, 2012):

When Izzy joined London, we started doing a lot of shows together, as we were all supposedly friends. I am still friends with Nadir, which is weird. But Axl had seen Nadir detune my guitars before we went on, or so he claimed. But, sure enough, when I went to put my guitar on that night it was out of tune. I put the next guitar on – it was out of tune as well. So when we went on stage, Axl ripped up a London poster. There is a photo of this in Marc Canter’s book. That was the beginning of all hell breaking loose between those two. Axl and Izzy were kind of humble guys, but growing up they had their share of street fights. So just because they were on the quiet side, didn’t mean that they wouldn’t whip somebody’s butt. On the flip side, Nadir was a really tough guy. He had been in and out of jail, and was a pretty tough kid. A lot of the time I would pick up Axl from work at Tower Video, and a few times Nadir was waiting for Axl outside. They would have these quick little battles, then Nadir would run off. One day, Nadir was waiting outside with a gun! Axl is a tough motherfucker, man. He picked up a broken street sign and just whacked Nadir with it! As far as I know, that was the last time they tangled.

Blackstar wrote:So the girl in Nadir's tattoo is the one he and Axl fought for.



I suppose it was a different girlfriend with Izzy.

Lollapalooza ’95 and the Stone Roses?

To many pop watchers that seems like a match made in heaven: What better way, the thinking goes, for the touted English band to make its first U.S. tour?

Don’t look for it though.

Stone Roses manager Doug Goldstein believes his band may be excluded from the high-profile summer tour because of politics.

Don Muller, an executive at the William Morris Agency, is one of the founders and organizers of Lollapalooza, and he reportedly wanted to represent the Roses. But the band chose instead to sign with the rival International Talent Agency.

“The band would love to have an offer to play,” Goldstein says. “But I’ve been told that since I would not go with William Morris it’s probably a non-issue now. . . . And that’s no way to put together the real vibe of what Lollapalooza’s supposed to be.”

[...] That predicament isn’t likely to improve: the Roses’ recent choice of Doug Goldstein (who handles Guns N’ Roses) as their new manager, plus talk of the band doing Lollapalooza, reveal a serious intention to finally crack America. [...]

ENGLAND SWINGS: Stone Roses drummer and co-founder Alan (Reni) Wren has left the band over what a source close to the band describes as “personal problems.”

Though he had made similar moves in the past, the band always welcomed him back, the source said. This time, however, the band accepted the resignation and quickly named a replacement: Robbie Maddix, a Manchester musician who has played with Terence Trent D’Arby, among others.

Meanwhile, the Stone Roses and U.S. manager Doug Goldstein have ended their brief association. Steve Atherton, the group’s former tour manager, will apparently assume managerial duties.

Ian Brown: [...] We had this guy, Doug Goldstein, who managed Guns n Roses holed up in the Midland Hotel who had left this message that he’s not leaving town till he met us and we said fucking let him stay there- he give Steve Adge a Rolex watch to bribe him to go and meet him! We went to meet him after three or four days. He was a lovely fellow actually but we didn’t take him on in the end and Reni didn’t turn up for that as well! Doug Goldstein said ”Look, I’m your perfect manager because what you got in your band I’ve already been through.’ He knew exactly what he was talking about with Guns And Roses. I thought you’re a sharp fucker. He said all the problems you got in your band I can help you with- believe me it’s nothing to me this is what he told us.’

In early January 1995 the Roses mixed and finished recording new B-sides for a second single from the album, which was scheduled for release at the end of February. They included a new Brown song, the sensual ‘Ride On’, plus a track attrib- uted to Mani and Reni called ‘Moses’, a studio piece from Paul Schroeder’s time producing the band. For the A-side it was reported that the band were considering ‘Breaking into Heaven’ or ‘How Do You Sleep’, the latter having already been play- listed on Radio 1. ‘Ten Storey Love Song’ was, however, finally selected as the second single. In America, ‘Love Spreads’ was picking up radio support and slowly climbing the Billboard charts, and the album was scheduled for release on 16 January.

Geffen A&R man Tom Zutaut told the press he wanted an ‘organic, word of mouth’ promotional campaign in America. But Zutaut knew it would take more than that, and had introduced the Roses to a powerful manager, Doug Goldstein, who had managed Guns N’ Roses since 1991. It was Zutaut’s last act for the Roses, as he then left Geffen after almost fourteen years. Goldstein travelled to Manchester to woo the band, and was holed up in the Midland Hotel for days before the band finally agreed to meet him. When they did, he told them they were a ‘beautiful ocean liner without a captain’. He said he was their perfect manager be- cause any problems they had he’d seen before with Guns N’ Roses. Goldstein was sharp, and thought the Roses were on to something with Second Coming. He found Reni ‘charismatic’, and Brown ‘intelligent, acerbic and hilarious’. ‘Their personalities got to me. I wanted to work hard for them because I liked who they were.’ He even laughed when Brown told him he thought Guns N’ Roses were the worst band in the world.

Goldstein didn’t pick up on any negative vibe among the band, except with Reni. ‘Reni wasn’t certain that he wanted to take it on: a year and a half of being away from home and touring and promoting the record, having to do the interviews. He just seemed to be content with the way his life was running.’ But the Roses were determined to make it in America. ‘That was the goal,’ said Goldstein. ‘I felt like doing a festival tour across the UK and Europe would have been the best way to go, but that seemed to fall on deaf ears. The band wanted to come to LA and promote the record.’

Chaperoned by Goldstein, the band finally arrived in America for their first visit, unprepared and falling apart. They were interviewed on radio stations in LA, San Francisco, New York and Toronto. In the LA interview Brown made controversial remarks about the US army killing babies. In Toronto Brown and Squire made life awkward for DJ Kim at the CFNY station with their usual yes/no answers. The inter- view was open to the public, and the studio was jammed with fans lapping up Squire and Brown’s nonchalance. At Kits Live 105, in San Francisco, Reni took centre stage, cracking jokes, putting on accents and livening things up. Asked what he thought of America, he replied, ‘Very small, cramped.’

‘When we did the radio interviews they displayed this love-hate attitude towards America,’ said Goldstein. ‘We’d love to be accepted here but fuck you if we’re not. They had this don’t-give-a-shit attitude.’ Reni, said Goldstein, didn’t make himself nearly as available for promotional work as the rest of the band. ‘He just seemed to not want to be there. I felt like replacing Reni was the only way the band was going to be able to travel on.’

In LA the Roses re-shot the video for ‘Love Spreads’ with director Steve Hanft, who had directed ‘Loser’ – the breakthrough US Top 10 single for the Roses’ Geffen label mate Beck. The band performed as if live in the studio in front of oil-well pumpjacks, Brown now looking healthy, sporting a becoming plaid deerstalker hat. Reni looked less enthusiastic, Beck had a small cameo, and Squire memorably was shown playing his guitar while riding on a donkey. ‘Love Spreads’ would peak at number 55 in the Billboard charts.

Goldstein was not involved in the video shoot, as the Roses had decided against making him their permanent manager. ‘I wanted to stay with them,’ he said. ‘My understanding is that John had said if we want to make it in America we have to pay an American manager, and Ian just said, I’m not going to pay the gross dollar figures – so they had a falling out.’

If the traditional rock star trappings such as a regular intake of Charlie were pushing the band slowly towards Spinal Tap territory, then the appointment of a genuine high-powered American rock manager could arguably be seen as the final step in the band’s new direction, or the final nail in the coffin of their British credibility, and is worthy of some consideration. At the start of 1995, ex-Guns ’n’ Roses manager Doug Goldstein, a fast-talking big shot blessed with a devilish sense of humour and, presumably, enough suss to deal with the swathes of ego that came in the form of Axl Rose, appeared on the scene. He knew that The Stone Roses had been having big laughs by winding up the gathering of big-time British rock managers – sober, intelligent Dire Straits supremo Ed Bicknell, hard-line Lisa Stansfield manager Jazz Summers and Simply Red’s duo Elliot Rashman and Andy Dodd amongst them – by sending out invitations for the said managers to ‘attend auditions’.

Goldstein wouldn’t pay heed to any of that. With the blessing of Geffen, perhaps even prompted by them, Goldstein arrived in Manchester armed with a no-nonsense attitude and a single-minded desire to persuade The Stone Roses of his suitability for the job. Ironically perhaps, his first contact with the band would be through Steve Adge who, eager to retain his own managerial credentials, fell into a friendly enough working relationship with Goldstein; as, indeed, did the band. As crazy as it may seem, despite the band’s desperate need to acquire a powerful managerial figure, no one else had even bothered to take the personal approach. In short, a huge wad of money was just waiting there, sitting 180 miles up the M6, and no one thought it worthy of taking the lads out for a pint, talking about Manchester United, softening them for the kill. And yet hadn’t the extended trauma of the past few years been indication enough of a band screaming for such a thing to happen?

Goldstein certainly thought so, and the personal touch made all the difference; he was duly accepted into the role that so many had coveted but none had made their own. Goldstein immediately realised what a special band the Roses were, and how part of their strength came from the gang-like tightness they had developed over the years. “They have a very cool system,” Goldstein told NME in 1996. “Although they had their own opinions, they definitely operated as a unit. All outsiders are just that. If you’re not actually part of the band, or Steve Atherton … you’re not part of the decision-making process. I respected that and thought how it was cool that they really leaned on each other.” Had he arrived a year, or two years earlier, things would surely have turned out differently. As it was, much to the chagrin of Geffen, his appointment would prove to be a little too late. Goldstein eventually ended up representing the band for about three months, but legal complications – allegedly pertaining to his commitments with Guns ’n’ Roses – prevented his taking over full-time.

Funk/rock/R&B Master Michael Bland talks about his days with Prince, the music business, and becoming a full-time member of Soul Asylum.

by Billy Amendola

Most MD readers know Michael Bland as the funky, R&B groove-master behind Prince’s hits “Cream” and “Diamonds & Pearls.” What you might not know is that Michael also played on the pop/rock hits by Evan & Jaron (“Crazy For The Girl”) and Bleu (“You Know I Know You Know”), as well as albums by The Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore, Josh Kelley, Paul Westerberg, and Jonny Lang, to name but a few. This interview is a continuation of our Update on Michael in the November ’06 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

[...]

MD: Did I hear that you auditioned for the “new” Guns N’ Roses?

Michael: Yes, I auditioned for them in ’97. I think Josh Freese was originally supposed to do the gig. I went to the NAMM show, and I ran into Axl at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, and then I went to the audition later that night. He was very cool to me. He didn’t seem at all like the person the press makes him out to be. The audition went well, but I knew they weren’t going to hire me, with them being a bunch of skinny white dudes…[laughs] Although that’s what Soul Asylum is too. [laughs]

Blackstar wrote:Interview with drummer Michael Bland, Modern Drummer website, August 1, 2006:

Funk/rock/R&B Master Michael Bland talks about his days with Prince, the music business, and becoming a full-time member of Soul Asylum.

by Billy Amendola

Most MD readers know Michael Bland as the funky, R&B groove-master behind Prince’s hits “Cream” and “Diamonds & Pearls.” What you might not know is that Michael also played on the pop/rock hits by Evan & Jaron (“Crazy For The Girl”) and Bleu (“You Know I Know You Know”), as well as albums by The Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore, Josh Kelley, Paul Westerberg, and Jonny Lang, to name but a few. This interview is a continuation of our Update on Michael in the November ’06 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

[...]

MD: Did I hear that you auditioned for the “new” Guns N’ Roses?

Michael: Yes, I auditioned for them in ’97. I think Josh Freese was originally supposed to do the gig. I went to the NAMM show, and I ran into Axl at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, and then I went to the audition later that night. He was very cool to me. He didn’t seem at all like the person the press makes him out to be. The audition went well, but I knew they weren’t going to hire me, with them being a bunch of skinny white dudes…[laughs] Although that’s what Soul Asylum is too. [laughs]

https://web.archive.org/web/20180319101103/https://www.moderndrummer.com/2006/08/michael-bland-2/

Soulmonster wrote:

Blackstar wrote:Interview with drummer Michael Bland, Modern Drummer website, August 1, 2006:

Funk/rock/R&B Master Michael Bland talks about his days with Prince, the music business, and becoming a full-time member of Soul Asylum.

by Billy Amendola

Most MD readers know Michael Bland as the funky, R&B groove-master behind Prince’s hits “Cream” and “Diamonds & Pearls.” What you might not know is that Michael also played on the pop/rock hits by Evan & Jaron (“Crazy For The Girl”) and Bleu (“You Know I Know You Know”), as well as albums by The Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore, Josh Kelley, Paul Westerberg, and Jonny Lang, to name but a few. This interview is a continuation of our Update on Michael in the November ’06 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

[...]

MD: Did I hear that you auditioned for the “new” Guns N’ Roses?

Michael: Yes, I auditioned for them in ’97. I think Josh Freese was originally supposed to do the gig. I went to the NAMM show, and I ran into Axl at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, and then I went to the audition later that night. He was very cool to me. He didn’t seem at all like the person the press makes him out to be. The audition went well, but I knew they weren’t going to hire me, with them being a bunch of skinny white dudes…[laughs] Although that’s what Soul Asylum is too. [laughs]

https://web.archive.org/web/20180319101103/https://www.moderndrummer.com/2006/08/michael-bland-2/

Cool, never heard of this before.

I have a problem with the date. Bland says he auditioned in 1997 and did it at the NAMM in Anaheim. There were two NAMMs in 1997: in January in Anaheim and Nashville in July. But by January 1997, Matt was still in the band. Or was he? I believe he left in March/April. It is unlikely that Axl attended the NAMM in Nashville, so maybe Bland got the year wrong and it happened in 1998. There was a NAMM in LA in January/February 1998. Could Bland confuse Los Angeles with Anaheim? Anaheim is part of LA. January/February 1998 would fit nicely with the timeline knowing that Josh Freese was hired about a month later, in March. So I lean toward January/February 1998.

Blackstar wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:

Blackstar wrote:Interview with drummer Michael Bland, Modern Drummer website, August 1, 2006:

Funk/rock/R&B Master Michael Bland talks about his days with Prince, the music business, and becoming a full-time member of Soul Asylum.

by Billy Amendola

Most MD readers know Michael Bland as the funky, R&B groove-master behind Prince’s hits “Cream” and “Diamonds & Pearls.” What you might not know is that Michael also played on the pop/rock hits by Evan & Jaron (“Crazy For The Girl”) and Bleu (“You Know I Know You Know”), as well as albums by The Backstreet Boys, Mandy Moore, Josh Kelley, Paul Westerberg, and Jonny Lang, to name but a few. This interview is a continuation of our Update on Michael in the November ’06 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.

[...]

MD: Did I hear that you auditioned for the “new” Guns N’ Roses?

Michael: Yes, I auditioned for them in ’97. I think Josh Freese was originally supposed to do the gig. I went to the NAMM show, and I ran into Axl at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, and then I went to the audition later that night. He was very cool to me. He didn’t seem at all like the person the press makes him out to be. The audition went well, but I knew they weren’t going to hire me, with them being a bunch of skinny white dudes…[laughs] Although that’s what Soul Asylum is too. [laughs]

https://web.archive.org/web/20180319101103/https://www.moderndrummer.com/2006/08/michael-bland-2/

Cool, never heard of this before.

I have a problem with the date. Bland says he auditioned in 1997 and did it at the NAMM in Anaheim. There were two NAMMs in 1997: in January in Anaheim and Nashville in July. But by January 1997, Matt was still in the band. Or was he? I believe he left in March/April. It is unlikely that Axl attended the NAMM in Nashville, so maybe Bland got the year wrong and it happened in 1998. There was a NAMM in LA in January/February 1998. Could Bland confuse Los Angeles with Anaheim? Anaheim is part of LA. January/February 1998 would fit nicely with the timeline knowing that Josh Freese was hired about a month later, in March. So I lean toward January/February 1998.

Yeah, I looked this up, too, and I had the same problem. 1998 definitely makes more sense, but, on the other hand, Bland specifically mentions running into Axl at the Anaheim Convention Center.

According to Duff, Axl had threatened to fire Matt a few times before he eventually did, so maybe there were problems already. Or it's even possible that Axl was looking at having two drummers (which happened for a while with Chris Vrenna and Dave Abbruzzese). Also Chris Vrenna was already rehearsing with the band before Matt was officially out. So I don't know...

Soulmonster wrote:I am going to try to reach out to Bland and ask.