13. JULY-NOVEMBER 1991: USE YOUR ILLUSIONS ARE OUT, SO IS IZZY

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During the process of recording the albums, band members would comment upon the lengthy process.

In May 1991, Slash was asked why it had taken so long:










In September 1991 Slash would talk about the long process of making the albums and how difficulties in their lives (drugs, coping with fame, shit from the press) had influenced how their song-writing:



Looking back at the production process, Izzy would claim they rehearsed and recorded the albums three times [Rolling Stone, October 29, 1992].

In 1994, Slash would again talk about the process:



And in 1995, when the relationship between Slash and Axl had become sour:



Slash would also blame the press and people pestering them for the long process:




As for dealing with the high expectations and whether that had been challenging:



About a year after their release, Izzy and Slash would look back at the records:






Izzy would later complain about his guitar being mixed down:




Izzy would later describe the process of making music together:



And about recording the albums:



And Slash would state that Izzy hadn't played very much, and that Slash had covered for him:



Slash would later talk about how the recording process it had been:













In May 1995, Slash would compare the solos on 'Appetite' and 'Use Your Illusions':



Late in 1995, Slash would say the records weren't what he had wanted, but rather Axl's idea:






But in 2000 Slash would speak more positively about the records, or at least the ordeal of successfully making them:



Being asked which of his records he is the least proud of:




Axl would also look back at the albums and indicate, like Slash, that the albums didn't come out the way he had wanted but due to having to compromise:





Axl would later follow up with his claims that Slash was attempting to take over the band at the time and that Izzy was inaccessible:



And:



Skip Saylor, the owner of the studio where they recorded Use Your Illusions would also comment on why it took so long:



And Marc Canter would discuss how the making of the albums differed from the making of Appetite for Destruction:



Duff would discuss the albums in 2008:



In 2009, Axl would discuss the drums on the record:



While Steven would insist the albums would have been much better if he had been on the drums:






For a Classic Rock article on the making of the Use Your Illusions, both Slash and Duff took a retrospective look:




Also in 2011:



From 2012:




In 2017, Alan Niven would mention how he would have preferred just one album:











Slash would also deny that there were any footage from recording sessions:



In 2017, Arlett Vereecke would contrast Use Your Illusions with Appetite for Destruction which was more of a "band effort":



Duff would discuss their approach to making Use Your Illusions:



2019:

On Use Your Illusion II, the band would confront some of the people in the press:



Andy Secher had previously printed lies about Guns N' Roses and Stryper [see previous chapter]; Bob Guccione Jr. had taken journalist Sugerman's side, published an article on Axl ["Guns N' Neuroses", see earlier chapter], and also printed the entire press contract [see previous chapters]; and Mick Wall had angered Axl in his writings both in Kerrang! and his biography [see previous chapter].

Talking about the rant against named media individuals:







Bob Guccione, Jr., would later mention that he had agreed to "get in the ring" with Axl after hearing the song but that Axl backed out:



In Noember 1991, Axl would admit he hit Guccione "below the belt" and that it wasn't intended as a literal challenge to a fight:



Also 1991, Axl himself would shed light on his relationship with Guccione, Jr., and mention how Spin articles had created "problems that [Axl] have to work with in his life":



From the stage in Worchester on December 5, Axl would announce that the band had just made the decision to sue Guccione and additional people:



A little bit later, from the stage in Madison Square Garden, Axl would again discuss Guccione, Jr., and claim that someone offended by the lyrics to Get In The Ring had hired a hitman to kill Axl:

The second single from the 'Use Your Illusion' albums was Don't Cry, and it was released on September 12, 1991. The choice of Don't Cry had been an easy one, it was harder to choose the next singles although that was not due to a lack of candidates, as Geffen GM Al Coury would say:



The music video to Don't Cry accompanying the single was released on September 20 [Billboard, November 2, 1991] with footage being filmed as late as September 15 [Los Angeles Times, September 24, 1991].



The cover of the CD for the single featured a painting by the artist Kirk Hughey, called Ascension, and it would also be used as a backdrop for the inside liner notes in the Use Your Illusions CDs [Santa Fe New Mexican, December 20, 1991].





Hughey would explain how his 60-by 40-inch painting from 1988 came to be used when Axl and Stephanie came upon the painting at an art gallery in Sedoria, Arizona, June 1991:



Hughey would also praise Axl's appreciation of art:





Reportedly Axl had planned the schematics of the associated music video to 'Don't Cry' already back in May 1991 [RIP, September 1991]. But Geffen didn't want to finance more expensive videos:



Andy Morahan, who would be the director of the Don't Cry video, as well as the videos for November Rain and Estranged:










In the videos Stephanie Seymour would play the role of Erin Everly in scenes depicting events in the relationship between Axl and Everly [MTV, September 9, 1992]:






Talking about the drowning scene:




Talking about the scene with the demon:



Talking about the grave scene:



Talking about the fight scene:



Talking about the hospital scene:



One scene in the video shows a baby with differently colored eyes:





Interesting, in 2009, Marc Canter would say Izzy had wanted a simple music video based on old recordings of performances:



Izzy didn't show up for the filming of the 'Don't Cry' video [see previous chapter], and in the video Dizzy had a sign with "Where's Izzy" written on it on his back in a scene in the video:



Having to replace Izzy's parts with a second Axl made the video into "the Axl video", which wasn't Axl's intention:





At the end of the music video for 'Don't Cry' the text "P.S. thanx Joseph!" is shown. In his 1991 Rockline interview, Axl would explain this was to honor Joseph Brooks who had played a role in the band's early success:





In the March 1992 issue of RIP Magazine it was said that the band planned a documentary detailing the making of the music video for 'Don't Cry' that "will answer all the questions about the clip and what it all means" [RIP Magazine, March 1992].

According to this quote from Axl, Izzy had considered quitting the band at some point before 1991 due to people misinterpreting their songs:



Izzy would later confirm that he had considered leaving before the band recorded Use Your Illusions, but point to Axl being the problem:



During the recording of the Illusions Izzy was frustrated with the lack of structure to the process and tried talking to Axl about this:



In early 1991, when asked if he was the guy "in charge of getting everybody’s butt together and saying, 'Let’s go do this', 'Let’s go do that'", Izzy would say:



It was also obvious Izzy was struggling with all the controversies the band generated and in particular the late starts:




And at the same time, Izzy was looking forward to what he was going to do after the touring:



Around this time there were rumours about Izzy quitting, partly due to him distancing himself from the band and not being featured in the two music videos ('You Could Be Mine' (except for live scenes) and 'Don't Cry'), and before the show at Wembley on August 31 media had been speculating on whether he would show [see previous chapters].

Some time in September 1991, there was a meeting in Los Angeles "about the future of Guns N' Roses" [Melody Maker, October 10, 1992]. It is likely it was Izzy who initiated the meeting to bring up some changes to the band he felt was necessary "for the sake of the livelihood of the band" [Rolling Stone, October 29, 1992]. One of the issues were the late starts that resulting in curfews costing the band money:



"That guy" in Jane's Addiction was Dave Navarro and media would speculate that he would replace Izzy in October 1991 [Billboard, October 5, 1991]. Tom Atencio, the co-manager of Jane's Addiction, said that Dave Navarro, the group's guitarist, has been contacted about sitting in for Izzy if the guitarist decides to stop touring.

A source close to the band would emphasize that this situation was very different from what went down with Steven: "This is totally Izzy's decision, and it appears to be based on whether he wants to spend the next two years of his life on the road in such a highly volatile situation" [Los Angeles Times, September 1991].

At the same time, Geffen would deny the rumours:



Although a representative for FD Entertainment - Doug Goldstein's management company - would paint a slightly different picture:



After the meeting, Izzy travelled to Indiana and spent large parts of October and November riding trial bikes [Kerrang! September 5, 1992].

The press would also pick up on the story and Kerrang! ran with the headline "Izzy Stradlin' Quits Band" [Kerrang! September 21, 1991]. It turned out that wasn't entirely true, or at least a bit premature, and neither the band or Izzy would confirm Izzy's departure at the time. Izzy wasn't completely out of the band yet, even if he hadn't been able to change the way the band was run. Or, at least, the final resignation would come in November.

In October, the rumors again swirled that he was permanently out of the band, implying his problems with the "madness of it all" and "Axl's tantrums":

Alan Niven would deny the statement that Axl was the band leader while he was still managing the band, but because he wasn't fit to lead:



Still, after Niven had been fired there were several accounts of Axl getting his way either because people were afraid of him or because he coerced or threatened people to get his will.

For quite a while, the band's approach to Axl had been to leave him alone rather than confront him. As one anonymous band member was allegedly quoted as saying to VOX journalist Nick Kent: "Nowadays we just let Axl do pretty much what he feels, 'cos he'll only do it anyway" [VOX, October 1991].

This would be illuminated in an interview Malcolm Dome did with Slash in July 1991 but which wasn't released until February 2020 [Malcolm Dome, July 9, 1991]. Dome would ask Slash if there still was a "strong sense of togetherness in the band":



Dome would follow up with Axl having his own floors at hotels where not even band members could enter without permission:



When Dome pointed out that this sounded like they would do anything to keep Axl happy:



Kent would also write, likely based on what Izzy told him, that Axl had insisted on the 'Use Your Illusion' albums being so long, that Axl had insisted that Skid Row should open on their tour (despite band members despising them), that Axl had called for the resignation of Alan Niven, and that Axl decided on what music would be played over the PA before the shows [VOX, October 1991]. It was likely Izzy who had a problem with Skid Row, since Slash and Duff would party with Sebastian Bach [Sebastian Bach, 18 and Life on Skid Row, Harper Collins, 2016; Slash's biography; Melody Maker, August 10, 1991] and Duff would invite Bach to play on his record [source?]. Additionally, Slash would repeatedly argue in favor of the long 'Use Your Illusion' albums to get rid of the backlog and allow them to start afresh on the next record [Rolling Stone, January 1991; Melody maker, August 1991; Slash's biography]. So one should probably not take all these allegations at face value.

Regardless, many articles would still imply that the label was afraid of Axl's temper and behavior and would rather accommodate him than put the foot down [Entertainment Weekly, August 1991]. Simply put, "Axl runs the group" [VOX, October 1991] or, in the words of "a source at Geffen," "Axl’s got everybody by the balls"[/i] [Entertainment Weekly, August 1991].

One alleged example of this comes from Izzy when he tells how the firing of Alan Niven happened:



Izzy would also talk about Axl's attempts at controlling the band:



Axl was confronted by rumors of taking control of the band and forcing decision through ultimatums, when he did an interview with Musician in March 1992 (published in June 1992). When the interviewer said, "It seems like you have the other guys in the band over a barrel sometimes. Everyone knows you're capable of saying, "The hell with it, I won't go on" or won't record or won't show up. Doesn't that force the band to say, "We better do it Axl's way or it ain't going to happen at all"? Axl simply responded "Yeah" [Musician, June 1992].

The interviewer followed up by asking if it is fair to say that by going from a shared vision to Axl's vision it takes something out of the band. In his reply Axl would indicate that he had always had the vision and that Slash and Duff was finally coming round to it:



In September 1992, Izzy would be asked about Axl claiming he was the man with the vision and reply sarcastically:



In May 1992, while opening for GN'R, Faith No More's bassist, Billy Gould, would describe GN'R this way:



When Slash was asked about the running of the band, in mid-1992, he offered a corroborating picture:



But it was clear that if you weren't part of the partnership, e.g. Axl, Slash and Duff, you were to some extent left out of the decision making process:



In May 1993, Dizzy would be asked if the band worked as a democracy, but his answer wasn't decisive and he said that everybody had different roles:



Later, in 1996, Matt would discuss why he had come to accept Axl as the visionary leader of the band:



Slash would also confirm that Axl had become the leader:



Duff would later be confronted with statements saying that when making Use Your Illusions Axl was calling the shots and driving the band:



In 2011, Alan Niven would retell a story of Slash explaining why he let Axl take control:



When asked about this, Slash responded:



In 2015, Goldstein would claim Axl rarely put his footh down but mostly followed what Slash wanted, but that when Axl did put his foot down, the rest would simply agree:

In the March 1992 issue of RIP Magazine, it would be claimed that Duff's drinking got so bad his doctor in October 1991 told him to quit drinking [RIP Magazine, March 1992]. Three months later, in January 1992, Duff was still sober but said it was hard:



It could have been around this time Duff was sent to Hawaii (together with Doug Goldstein) to sober up and met Linda Johnson [The Howard Stern Show, September 1993], a tactic employed earlier to try to sober Slash up [see previous chapters].

After returning to Los Angeles from Indiana, in the second half of November [Kerrang! September 5, 1992] at the end of the band's rehearsals for the next leg of the tour [Raw Magazine, March 4, 1992], Izzy had a meeting with Axl and Slash where Izzy was "threatened" to be demoted from "equal partner", which would affect his share in revenues, unless he started to work harder. This was the final straw for Izzy:








Axl and Slash would explain what they wanted from Izzy:







That Izzy had lost interest in the band would be admitted by Izzy himself a few years later:

After the meeting with Slash and Axl, Izzy went to the band's lawyer and prodded into the band's finances presumably not happy with how the band was run [Popular 1, November 1992], Although Slash would say that Izzy checked out the band's finances before the meeting with him and Axl:





Axl tried to convince Izzy to stay and they had a "four hour" phone conversation that ended "amicably" [Popular 1, November 1992]. In this conversation Axl said it was okay if Izzy "didn't want to do this anymore", likely implying that the band would be fine with Izzy not touring any more [Raw Magazine, March 4, 1992].



Izzy would later talk about this phone conversation and what Axl tried to achieve:






According to an interview/article with Izzy in November 1992, Slash claimed that Izzy then spoke bad about Axl and Slash behind their backs, telling the rest of the band that he had been fired and that they didn't give him an opportunity to defend himself [Popular 1, November 1992]. Slash and Axl heard about Izzy allegedly badmouthing them:




Izzy would also mention the meeting at Axl's house:

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On November 16, the guitarist Marc Ford told that he have received a phone call from Slash (on November 11 and 12) where he'd been asked to become Guns N' Roses' new touring guitarist. Ford, who had recently joined The Black Crowes, declined [Los Angeles Times, November 16, 1991].

In February 1992, Slash would say that Izzy "dropped out three weeks before we were meant to start the US tour" [Raw Magazine, March 4, 1992], probably meaning the leg of the tour that started on December 5, 1991, meaning that Izzy quit the band in mid-November 1991. This coincides well with Marc Ford being asked to replace Izzy on November 16, although the band had obviously considered other guitarists, including Dave Navarro as early as September 1991, around the time when they had the band meeting in Los Angeles [see earlier chapter] and it became obvious Izzy was considering to quit the band. Later, Slash would pinpoint the date of Izzy's departure to November 7 [RIP, March 1992]. It also coincides fairly well with Izzy describing that he spent October and the first half of November in Indiana riding trial bikes, before returning to Los Angeles in the second half of November and then quitting [Kerrang! September 5, 1992].

Apparently, Matt tried to dissuade Izzy from leaving:





MTW News then reported that Izzy had quit the band, but the news was quickly withdrawn by the request of the band [RAW, December 1991] only to be officially announced by Axl on November 27, on a Rockline interview. Axl would also state that Gilby Clarke would replace Izzy for the tour:














I August 1992, Slash would claim he was happy about Izzy leaving:



That Slash wasn't angry with Izzy at the time, and rather happy about it all, seems somewhat at odds with quotes where Slash expressed frustration with Izzy for not doing his part, and feelings of hurt when he quit.

In September 1992, Duff would say that the split was "amicable and all" [The Gazette/Orange County Register, September 26, 1992]. In 2018, he would again state the band had understood the decision and not shared any ill feelings:



Again, no, it likely wasn't entirely amicable, at least not when it came to Axl and Slash.

In mid-1992, with Izzy having left the band, Slash would look back at firing Steven and compare with Izzy:



Robert John would also comment on Izzy leaving:



In 2014, Dizzy would say he thought the band would come to an end:



In 2019, Duff would discuss how he had known it was coming:





Axl would also philosophize on losing members and turn a positive spin on it:





Izzy would claim he was immediately open to working with the band or Axl again:



And not long after Izzy quit, Slash would say Izzy would still write with the band and occasionally play with them, but that he was out as a touring musician:

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There is likely not one single reason why Izzy left, many reasons have been given by the parties involved. Hence, it is easy to choose the one that fits one's narrative the best.

In 2012, Marc Canter would summarize some of the reasons:











In the following quote Izzy would also say he was tired of Doug Goldstein:



Goldstein would later tell his version of why Izzy left:



The "Guns N' Roses deal" that was hanging over Izzy was likely Axl and Slash's attempt at forcing Izzy to work harder or be demoted to a member on salary [see previous chapter and below].

That Izzy didn't enjoy the band anymore and wanted a change, is also indicated from him slowly distancing himself from the band in the period leading up to his leaving. This comes through in the following quotes where Slash talked about Izzy's absence during recording of the 'Use Your Illusion' albums with Slash having to record most of his parts:












Slash would also claim that the band worked up Izzy’s songs from the rhythm guitarist’s demo tapes, and that he refused to rehearse, record overdubs, appear in the band’s videos and was virtually lifeless on stage [Dayton Daily News, January 10, 1992].

Izzy would be asked about Slash's claim that Izzy had sent in sloppy demos:



The claim that Izzy didn't put in enough effort and that the partnership was no longer equal, was an argument Slash would repeat when discussing Izzy [Detroit Free Press, April 12, 1992].

When asked about the allegations that he wouldn't work while in GN'R yet was about to release a new record in about six months, Izzy would respond:



In the band's official fan club newsletter for March 1992, they would explain what happened to their fans this way:



Izzy would admit that the growing estrangement between him and his band mates was partly his fault [Rolling Stone, October 29, 1992].






Izzy, on the other hand, would claim they had removed his guitar contributions and that this helped to drive him away:



And that he didn't have a say anymore:






Izzy's gradual distancing himself from the band would lead to Axl and Slash demanding more from him [also see previous chapter]:



And these stipulations are likely what Izzy refers to in the following quote when he is asked if he felt pushed to leave the band:



Based on the quotes from Slash it seems Izzy was upset by how much money was spent on the tour (as well as other frustrations he felt at the time, as described in this chapter and previous chapters). Slash and Axl, on their side, was frustrated with Izzy and how he had (for a long time) cares less and less about the band. They then gave him an ultimatum, he either had to pull more weight or he would be demoted (from partner to salaried employee). This likely angered and hurt Izzy resulting in him resigning through the office.














In late 2008, Axl would talk about being late for show and mention how much it had bothered Izzy:
























The actual reason Izzy left is likely a combination of the above:







Media would report that Izzy left because he "got tired of touring" [The Indianapolis Star, July 21, 1992]. Izzy would dispute he had a problem with the touring:




Later, Slash would also imply Izzy struggled with the touring:



And Alan Niven would also mention, based on his experiences from Izzy's band JuJu Hounds after he quit Guns N' Roses, that he wanted a smaller operation:





In September Duff would say that Izzy quit because he "couldn't handle the pressure"  [The Gazette/Orange County Register, September 26, 1992]. Axl would also indicate that a sober Izzy couldn't handle it the same way as before:



Axl would later say that Izzy never wanted the band to get as big as they got and couldn't deal with the stress of large shows:







The deteriorating friendship between Izzy and Axl was a main reason for his decision to leave:



Dizzy would later indicate that the conflict with Axl was part of the issue:





In 2018, Alan Niven would claim Goldstein had not been able to keep the band together and thus was at least partly at fault for Izzy leaving:

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After leaving Guns N' Roses, Izzy went on a road trip, trying to figure out what to do next:





Talking about his life immediately after leaving Guns N' Roses:





While travelling he found out he was rumoured to replace Jett Cease, the guitarist of the Black Crowes:






Basically, Izzy was tired of playing guitar:





Around December 1991 Izzy would start writing music again [Kerrang! September 5, 1992].




And then, likely in January 1992, Izzy decided return to Hollywood to meet his friend Jimmy Ashhurst [LA Weekly, October 22, 2016]. At first, Izzy called Ashhurst:



Ashhurst would recount Izzy driving to Hollywood to meet him, carrying all his money in his saddle backs:



Izzy's plan was to put together a new band featuring among other Ashhurst and Rick Richards form the Georgia Satellites:





In the summer of 1992 it was rumored that Izzy had a new band and was working on a record to be released and a following clubs and smaller concert halls tour [Kerrang! June 6, 1992: Journal and Courier, July 21, 1992]. Members of the band were Izzy, Jimmy Ashhurst, Rick Richards and Charlie "Chalo" Quintana.

In August it was reported he was putting the "finishing touches" on his "first solo album" [The Akron Beacon Journal, August 23, 1992], and this he did in Copenhagen, Denmark [Kerrang! September 5, 1992].




The solo record was to be called 'Ju Ju Hounds' and was scheduled for release in October 1992, preceded by an EP that would be out in September [Kerrang! September 5, 1992].

Jimmy Ashhurst would later discuss whether it was a solo or band effort:







Describing the record and the EP:




He also took a dig at GN'R:





Izzy would explain the name of the record: "The title of the LP came by accident in the studio. I was singing a backing track to something, and when I played it back it sounded like I said, `Ju ju hound'. It doesn't mean much really" [Kerrang! September 12, 1992].

In fact, there had been a band called "Ju Ju Hounds" playing in Hollywood in the early 80s and Alice Cooper also had a song with 'Juju' in the title:



After the release he planned a European club tour with most of the musicians from the album and EP: guitarist Rick Richards (ex-Georgia Satellites), bassist Jimmy Ashurst (ex-Broken Homes) and drummer Charlie Quintana [Kerrang! September 5, 1992].

Alan Niven, who was no managing Izzy, took a dig at GN'R who had claimed Izzy had been tired of the touring:



Slash would be asked about Izzy's music in July:



Talking about his plans:



Being asked why the songs he wrote in GN'R sounds different to the songs on 'Juju Hounds':




And when asked if he did anything different guitar-wise:



When he started touring they considered playing some Guns N' Roses songs, and even rehearsed some [Star Tribune, February 26, 1993]:



But in the end decided that it didn't sound right:



Jimmy Ashhurst would look back at the touring and working with Izzy, and talk about the ominous sign of having to cancel some Australian shows in late 1992 because Izzy got sick but refused to take prescription medicine:



Quintana would also look back at having toured with Izzy:



In 2018, Alan Niven would mention that Izzy had been invited to support larger acts, but refused:



Then, in 1993, some US shows were cancelled and much later Ashhurst would be confronted with the story that it was caused by Izzy having a bad throat:



In September 1993, Izzy was asked about his plans as a musician and he would indicate that he didn't have a lot of ambition:



Looking back at the Juju Hounds record:





In 1995, Slash would imply that Izzy had abandoned his band:



Izzy would explain that he decided to have some fun outside of music:



And in 2005, Dizzy would also imply that Izzy had continued his flakiness from his GN'R days into Juju Hounds:



And in 2005, Jimmy Ashhurst would talk about what had happened and express bitterness over Izzy ending Juju Hounds:



Ashhurst would say more about being in a band with Izzy when he compared it to Buckcherry:



In 2018, Wall Street Journal would write that Izzy had left the band in 1994 while working on the second album, and that Ashhurst eventually tracked him down in a coffee shop in Copenhagen, Denmark [Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2018].



At some point, Izzy's former bandmates in the Juju Hounds even considered continuing the band without him:



And explaining why Izzy doesn't need anyone else:





Izzy was also keeping sober:



Despite this, in 2018 Izzy's previous road manager, Steven White, would say that they had hired well-known addiction specialist, Bob Timmins, to help Izzy deal with addiction during the touring with the JuJu Hounds:



Despite these struggles, by early 2000s Izzy was still sober and healthy:








In 1998 it would be reported that Izzy had lived in different places around the world: "England, Trinidad, Costa Rica, Spain, Denmark and Sweden" [Los Angeles Daily News, March 20, 1998].




The place he found in Spain was a house without a phone in Palafrugell, and he lived there for four months in 1993 or 1994:






Despite this nomad existence, he would claim Indiana had been his home base since 1988 when he moved back there [BAM, 1998]



Izzy didn't think Keith Richards comment was particularly funny so he and his wife Annika (whom he married in 1991), after a few months in Spain [Press Kit for 117 Degrees, January 1998] moved into a house in his old hometown of Lafayette, Indiana [Expressen Fredag, March 20, 1998] on 1994 [Classic Rock, June 2001].



There Izzy would take up racing:





And motor cycles:



In 1996, when asked what Izzy was up to, Duff would answer:



In 1998, Izzy would describe what success meant to him:





At some point after the first Ju Ju Hounds tour that ended in 1993, Izzy started working on a follow-up album. Parts of the album was recorded while Izzy was on extended stays in England and Trinidad [Press Kit for 117 Degrees, January 1998]. The band was recording in Tobago when Izzy just left [LA Weekly, October 22, 2016].

Quintana would later comment on this:



Izzy didn't return to finish the work, of if he did, the album was still not released. It is not known why Izzy just left, maybe due to the break with Ashhurst [see above]. Some of the songs did end up on 117 Degrees.

In 2002 Izzy was asked if an unreleased Juju Hounds record existed:



In 2011, Jimmy Ashhurst would talk about wanting to tour with JuJu again:









In February 2003, Izzy would sue his and Guns N' Roses' former managers (Big FD) and lawyers [Blabbermouth, February 25, 2003]. After Izzy had left Guns N' Roses he had continued to pay his managers as per an agreement, but was supposed to stop paying them when Slash and Duff left the band; this had not happened and in the suit he demanded the commission of $231,575 that had accrued to be paid back to him [Blabbermouth, February 25, 2003].



In March 2004 the admin of Steven's official fansite, Brooke Ellis, would report that Steven had been recording with Izzy:




On December 24, 2004, the cover of "Do You Love Me" was released on Steven's website.

Ellis would later talk about how this collaboration happened:





In April 2004 it would be reported that Izzy was to take Johnny Thunders guitar spot in a one-show resurrection of The New York Dolls at the London's Meltdown Festival [Brave Words, April 10, 2004]. David Johansen, singer in the New York Dolls would explain:




But in May it was reported that Izzy had backed out when he learned that that plans existed for the band to do additional dates, a prospect that would have required Izzy to learn more of the group's catalogue and to dedicate more of his time [Blabbermouth, May 5, 2004].



Jimmy Ashhurst would recount an episode from the Los Angeles riots in 1992:



Izzy has always protected his private life but in an interview in 2006 he would reveal he had a girlfriend whose daughter was 14 at the time [TuneCore Podcast, November 12, 2006]. In June 2007, he would mention having picked up painting:



Izzy would do less and less interviews:



And talking about being an ex-GN'R member:




In 2016, in connection with Slash and Duff rejoining Guns N' Roses, Izzy bought a computer and registered his own Twitter account to be able to confirm he was not part of the new lineup or tour [Twitter, 2016]. He also mentioned he had an avocado farm [Twitter, 2016].





In 2018, Alan Niven would mention they still had sporadic contact, and that Izzy was in a long-term relationship with a "lovely French lady":




In June 2018, Steven would mention he had talked to Izzy recently:

Izzy leaving the band was a big shock to the band and fans alike. The fallout from the band members telling their side of what happened to the media affected the relationship between Izzy and his previous band members for a long time.

In March 1992 it seems like the split was permanent, because Slash would indicate that they probably weren't going to be working together after all:



And when asked if he was still in contact with Izzy:



Axl would talk about being angry with Izzy, also because Izzy had decided to continue working with Alan Niven:




During a call-in interview on Rockline in July, Slash was asked if Izzy would contribute to songwriting in the future, to which Slash replied:



In July 1992 Slash would say he had just met Izzy for the first time since the break-up:



Izzy would also mention the meeting with Slash but that he still hadn't resolved things with Axl:



That phone call with Axl took place in December 1991:





Talking about the split:




When asked about the allegations that he wouldn't work while in GN'R yet was about to release a new record in about six months, Izzy would respond:



In the October issue of RIP Axl would again talk about Izzy leaving and how he felt, and indicate that he felt Izzy's working with Alan Niven as a particular betrayal:



The same moth, Izzy would talk about his relationship with Axl:



In October 1992, Rolling Stone Magazine would publish an in-depth interview with Izzy where he would indicate any bad feelings between him and his former band mates were over:



One of the more creative questions interviewers came up with, was whether Izzy would donate bone marrow to save Axl's life:



Axl on the other hand wasn't so gracious, and would continue to bash Izzy from stage. In November 1992 Izzy would give his thoughts on this:




Izzy and Slash would also talk about having played together:




In 1995, Slash would go in more depth on this:




And:



In late 1992 Izzy would indicate that he would be careful about what he said about his former band mates, implying a future litigation:



In early 1993, though, he would claim to be on "good terms with all the guys in the band" but that he hadn't seen much of Axl who "is pretty insulated with lots of bodyguards and security" [The Boston Globe, February 5, 1993].






Duff would confirm that he had no issues with Izzy leaving, saying his reasons were "very valid", and that he had been the first to contact Izzy after his departure, but also that he didn't miss him as a band member:




In March 1993, Slash would say the following about Izzy:





The final legal outcome between Izzy and his former band mates seem to have come in April 1994 when they all signed a Settlement Agreement "to resolve disputes that arose between them after Stradlin left the band, and to establish protocols for the future exploitation of the Compositions" [Axl's Amended Counter-Lawsuit, July 16, 2008].

Izzy would comment on this in 1998:



This could indicate that after 1997, Izzy was not due any further revenues from Guns N' Roses.

In 1998, Izzy was up for a reunion with his old band:



By 2001, he would point out that the problem was Axl:



Izzy being asked what would happen if Chinese Democracy flopped and Axl called him up to ask him to rejoin the band:



And on whether he would do it:




Around the same time Izzy also did another interview where he stated that Axl had indeed asked him to rejoin the band before the Rock in Rio concert in January 2001 [see later section].

In 2008, after having toured with the band in 2006, Izzy was asked if he would consider doing a reunion:





As discussed previously, Izzy had reconnected with Axl in 1995 but then had a fallout on the phone [see previous section].




Then in late 1999 Izzy had tried to visit Axl's home but not been let in [see later section]. Lastly, Izzy would claim that before the Rock In Rio show in January 2001, Axl had asked Izzy to rejoin Guns N' Roses [see later section].

In mid-2001, Izzy would talk about he was on good terms with everybody except Axl:





Yet, he would still claim to be friends with Axl:



After having played with Axl and the new version of Guns N' Roses in 2006, Izzy would be asked if he and Axl had patched things up between themselves before these shows:



When asked if Axl is as problematic as he seems:





As described in others chapters, after leaving Guns N' Roses in 1991 Izzy and Guns N' Roses had a conflicted relationship; but later Izzy collaborated extensively with Duff, played with Slash and Matt in the precursor to Velvet Revolver, and reconnected and played with Axl and his latest version of Guns N' Roses:





Izzy would also talk fondly about playing with Axl and Slash back in the days:

Izzy talking about how the songs he writes for his solo records are the same as the songs he wrote for Guns N' Roses:



And specifically working with Slash:

Axl was interested in movies and films and with the music videos accompanying the singles for 'Don't Cry', 'November Rain' and 'Estranged', he attempted to realize his lofty aspirations for filmatic music videos. It would be said that Axl "wants to experiment with music, film and video, and produce clips that will no doubt redefine the genre for the MTV generation" [RIP Magazine, March 1992].

The three epic music videos were loosely based on Del James' novel 'Without You', which again was loosely based on Axl's life. The videos would be directed by Andy Morahan.



Talking about the novel 'Without You':







Talking about creating the music video scripts:





In early 1995, Del James would release "The Language of Fear", a collection of short stories including 'Without You'. Axl would write the foreword [Del James, "The Language of Fear", 1995].