2006.11.13 - The Portland Press Herald - Axl's Addiction: Blaming Everyone But Axl

Axl's addiction: Blaming everyone but Axl

By Colleen Stone, MaineToday producer
Portland Press Herald

Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us again, well, shame on you - again. Guns N' Roses fans and former fans were singing that tune following the last-minute cancellation of a show at the Cumberland County Civic Center last week. Fans, some who'd driven for hours to see the band, were told just 2-1/2 hours before the show was to start that it was off and were given no explanation, other than the decision was the band's.

It didn't take long after a Portland Press Herald story ran about the debacle for the comments and theories to start flying at MaineToday.com. Faster than you can say "Cold November Rain," they were voicing their anger about the unexplained cancellation and the inconveniences that it caused.

Sam, who'd driven from Jackman, might have been one of the most inconvenienced fans, saying, "Don't we at least deserve a show???????? Thanks for long drive & no show, I guess I have to look on the bright side, at least we didn't crash."

At least some people could find a bright side to the situation.

Soon, fans had found a press release on the band's Web site explaining that they'd canceled the show due to "limitations imposed by local fire marshals." The limitations, it turned out, involved alcohol being consumed on stage. After that revelation, all bets were off.

One fan, J, thought the decision displayed not only a lack of professionalism, but a lack of respect for their fans:

"Gn'R should never be invited back to Maine. The band obviously could not compromise on terms of the concert. Which shows to me that they don't care if they have fans here."

Some were more blunt about what it demonstrated. Said G n R Fan, "Sadly, Axl has some serious issues and for his own sake, he needs help. If he wasn't a rock star, he would never get away with his antics and still hold down a job."

Perhaps it's time for an intervention. We can gather the members of Def Leppard, Poison and maybe Whitesnake and invite Axl to somewhere like Becky's Diner for breakfast. Actually, no. Make that dinner. He'd never get up in time for breakfast. Then, over steak and eggs (actually, I think he might be a vegetarian now; make that "feak" and eggs), we recommend treatment.

But what for? Alcohol dependency? Chronic failure to appear at scheduled shows? (More than one fan told stories about other shows they'd been to that he'd either shown up late for, skipped out early on or - surprise - canceled.)

Some seemed to think he could use a stint of rehab to treat his dependency on lame excuses. Jim was one person who'd had enough of them: "He was obviously embarrassed by the low number of tickets sold and too lazy to even bother. So blame everybody else like he's done for 20 years. Just like his former band mates are at fault for the original lineup not being together anymore."

Bizzy was one of a few people (actually, I think exactly three) who thought people were giving Axl and company too much guff for the cancellation - and for the band's apparent need to Perform While Intoxicated, or at least in possession of alcohol: "These people have been producing shows and creating music for many years. Who are we to judge that they could possibly do their jobs better if they did or didn't do something."

Hemingway was known to drink while writing, after all. For the record, this column is far better with a glass of wine.

Another fan, Axl Is God (I think God may beg to differ, but we'll let Them hash that out when the time comes), thought all the complaining was a bunch of sour grapes:

"You people are just jealous that Axl is better than you."

Axl may well be better than many people (though that's setting the "better" bar pretty low), but that doesn't mean people don't have the right to be angry about his antics - and for being dealt the equivalent of a middle finger by a performer they had paid good money to see.

Still others questioned why anyone was still paying money to see the bands in the first place; hadn't they gone out with acid-washed jeans and unlaced Reebok high tops? And besides, the new Guns N' Roses is barely a shadow of its former self, with most of the original members having moved on.

John Extreme put it, well, extremely: "Should not the Axled-one be checking into geriatric assisted living? The dude is 60 years old or something."

Ouch.

Other fans were far more kind. Maybe far too kind. Jeannette was already looking ahead to a show in Illinois:

"If I can get the $120, I'll be up there at 9 a.m. waiting to get in and up close this time. I'll wait all day, and if he cancels, I'll be broken-hearted, but I will always be his fan."

Rest easy, Axl.