2003.02.10 - Blender Magazine (via Blabbermouth) - Axl's Final Freak-Out

Blender magazine has published an article in its current issue claiming that "Axl Rose blew off GUNS N' ROSES' sold-out concert in Philadelphia —leading to the collapse of their tour — after a radio personality was rude about him on December 6, according to sources close to the singer.

"Blender has discovered that Rose sulked and was depressed following the previous night's triumphant return to a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City.

"After a bravura performance, a giddy Rose stayed up all night in his excitement to read positive reviews the next morning — and then tuned in to 'The Howard Stern Show'.

"Stern's associate, Doug Goodstein, gave a thumbs down to the MSG show, mocking the singer's braider hair, claiming that Rose needed oxygen between songs and was lip-synching and comparing him to Michael Jackson.

"With a helicopter waiting on the rooftop of his hotel to take him on a brief 40-minute flight to Philadelphia for that night's show at the First Union Center, a dispirited Rose refused to budge.

"Venue representatives boosted security to avoid a repeat of the riot that occurred when GN'R failed to turn up for their opening-night show in Vancouver on November 7.

"Promoter Clear Channel and venue managers Comcast-Spectator set a firm deadline of 10:45pm for Rose to say whether or not he would show up to play. Rose's longtime manager, Doug Goldstein, reached at Rose's New York hotel room, glumly reported 'He's not coming.'

"At 11:15, the 15,000 strong audience was told the show was not going to happen 'due to illness in the band.' Fans were asked not to take their anger out on the staff or the facility. Some of them threw chairs and attacked the lighting, sound, and video crews, but no arrests or injuries were reported.

" '[The GUNS N' ROSES tour] probably will go down as one of the biggest disappointments of the year. Not just because the band didn't always show up, but because most of the audience didn't,' says Gary Bongiovanni, the editor-in-chief of the concert business trade monthly Pollstar.

"Attendance at other venues was underwhelming according to figures reported to Pollstar, ticket sales for the tour's first 10 dates averaged 7,344 a night for arenas that hold between 15,000 and 20,000."

Blender also ran a host of opinions from various so-called "experts" on what his next step should be to help revive his ailing career.

"His options are to leave the business and have a nice life if he can afford it, or try to get someone to believe in him again somehow — or, in a year, put the real GN'R back together. He should do some soul-searching and realize that it's about the fans and not about him." — Doc McGhee, The head of Doc McGhee Entertainment, Manager of KISS, former Manager of MÖTLEY CRÜE and BON JOVI.

"If he wants to resume his career, he must be productive. His fate is in his hands — it doesn't appear that he's truly being victimized. And he's got to get that album out." — Allan Mayer of Sitrick and Co., a crisis management and communications service whose clients have included Tommy Lee and R. Kelly.

"The fact that he's falling apart indicates that he can't access the creative part of himself. He needs to relive his childhood trauma — that's the only way he can move on. Any treatment he ha undergone hasn't worked." — Dr. Arthur Janov, John Lennon's former therapist and the originator of primal-scream therapy.

"I would get him as strong a prescription of Xanax as I could, and then I would insist he go on MTV and make an extremely contrite public statement. I'd then suggest that he lose THE VILLAGE PEOPLE, unveil the classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES and play free club and theater shows in Philadelphia and Vancouver." — Steve Martin, the head of Nasty Little Man, a music public-relations company.

"He seems to have a self-destructive grandiose attitude that's very reflective of an addict — 'it's everybody's fault but mine.' He's acting like a toddler in a tantrum, victimizing others as he was formerly victimized as a child. But part of recovery is growing yourself up, taking on responsibility and behaving like an adult." — Suzanne Lopez, "Life Coach" and author of "Get Smart With Your Heart".

"I think that he should leave the music business and go to Africa for several years. He's gotta get some perspective — so maybe he could become a witch doctor in some minute republic." — Damon Albarn, the lead singer of BLUR.

"He needs to get his record out — if it's great, and there's some semblance of order in the subsequent touring, then a lot will be forgiven." — John Scher, a former GUNS N' ROSES concert promoter.