2019.01.06 - Alternative Nation - Statement from Alan Niven regarding Steven Adler

Former Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven has sent a response (via journalist Mitch Lafon who forwarded it to us) to Alternative Nation’s story today where Slash discussed Steven Adler’s exit from Guns N’ Roses. Photographer Ross Halfin made the same claim about Steven Adler’s exit in relation to Erin Everly in 2004. Rose and Everly were married from 1990 to 1991, though this reported incident appeared to happen during their engagement. Niven also took a shot at Axl Rose for his new Looney Tunes “Rock the Rock” song.

“I’d say it was more of business management that really was the catalyst for splitting up, at least for my leaving, the underlying theme was definitely that.” – Slash

Just to clarify, let me make it absolutely clear that Steven’s exit from Guns was driven by Axl and Goldstein, and to my understanding was significantly motivated by Axl’s anger at Steven for getting Erin high on smack and having his way with her. And well can I understand that. The support of everyone else for Steven was undercut by his inability, in preproduction, to play a song the same way twice. Steven dug his own hole, jumped in it and pulled the dirt down on top of himself.

As for my motivation being in any way material, let me make it clear that I signed on to a hopeless case because of their attitude – why else would I take on a band ‘built to lose’ as Slash described it at his RRHOF induction.

History, however, has shown that Axl and Goldstein had material motives – Axl, Mr Fifty Per-Cent, was fine with cutting both Steven and Izzy out of the tour. I’d hazard a bet Bugs Bunny ain’t been paid for the Cock Up The Rock video yet – or if he was, he merely got a quarter of a carrot, while Axl took the salad.

https://www.alternativenation.net/ex-guns-n-roses-manager-details-member-having-his-way-with-axl-rose-wife/

Alan Niven's statement was in response to this interview with Slash from September 2018 (but parts of which were transcribed and published on Ultimate Guitar and Alternative Nation on a later date in January 2019):

https://www.a-4-d.com/t3163-2018-09-20-wtf-with-marc-maron-interview-with-slash