1992.06.26 - Star Tribune - Guns N' Minneapolis

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Guns N’ Minneapolis

It might be an understatement to call Axl Rose, lead singer of Guns Ν’ Roses, mercurial. At concerts, he goes onstage whenever he wants, which often means after midnight. He has recently canceled concerts at the 11th hour, usually citing fear of extradition because of pending legal problems in St. Louis. The latest rap against Rose is that he refuses to play in Minneapolis.

Guns Ν' Roses, Metallica and Faith No More were set to perform Aug.5 at the Metrodome. Suddenly, last week GNR pulled out and Metrodome operations director Dennis Alfton said he was given no explanation even though he asked for one. The official story from concert promoters is that the date did not fit into GNR’s schedule. But the rumor going around — and there are always rumors flying about Rose — is that his psychic told him not to perform in cities that begin with the letter “M."

A check of GNR’s itinerary indicates no concerts in Milwaukee, Memphis, Miami or Minneapolis. Someone who was backstage at GNR’s January concerts at Target Center said Rose had his psychic with him.

What gives?

“There’s no truth to that (psychic story),’’ Chris Jones of GNR’s management team told the Los Angeles Times but he said that he was amused by the rumor.

By the way, GNR is scheduled to perform in Montreal.

Meanwhile, there is a possibility of a Metallica concert in the Twin Cities with Nirvana and Faith No More at a site other than the Dome, according to a source with Metallica. Nirvana is not on tour because lead singer Chris Cobain has recurring stomach problems, but the band is performing a handful of concerts.