NY Post: Axl Rose is New York's Hottest Party Boy

[Cruel Intentions]

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/music/new_york_hottest_party_boy_H44lJMpys5ISi02a7jB7hM

It was just after 8 a.m. on Feb. 12, and for the last three hours Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose had been knocking back cocktails of vodka, cranberry juice and champagne at hip NYC lounge Greenhouse. Hot off the stage from an electric two-hour gig at the John Varvatos store on the Bowery, Rose still had enough energy to keep the party going with his entourage of 20 or more rockers and hangers-on.

“It’s kind of his thing,” said Greenhouse co-owner Barry Mullineaux of Rose’s early after-partying that morning (Mullineaux later named a rose-colored champagne cocktail “the Axl Rose” in honor of the rocker’s wild morning at his club.). “His shows always run late, and he’s a true rock star so he liked to have after-parties after all of his shows.”

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But Rose’s recent high jinks are legendary even where rockers are concerned. For the last three weeks, the singer has been on an epic bender in New York, tearing through the city’s nightclubs and bars like he’s still the stick-thin 25-year-old who became a worldwide phenomenon after the release of his album “Appetite for Destruction.”

Since he arrived in the city for his Fashion Week concert on Feb. 11, he’s gone out nearly every night (and continued on till the morning), usually crashing afterward at his $1,550-a-night suite in the Essex House Hotel. His assault on New York night life has made him a one-man stimulus package during the scene’s winter doldrums — and the city’s nocturnes are thrilled.

“It’s like he’s teaching the next generation how it’s done,” said one source who has joined Rose on at least half a dozen of his jaunts, where Kings of Leon singer Caleb Followill has also been spotted. “Who’s a bigger rock star than Axl Rose?”

One of Rose’s guitarists, Richard Fortus, is in the process of getting started on an elaborate back tattoo at Graceland in Brooklyn, which will take some time to complete.

Though Rose, who lives on the West Coast, has been in New York on and off in the last couple years, night-life insiders say he hasn’t hit the town this hard since 2006.

That year, Rose was in town to play a show at the now-defunct club The Plumm — and got into a punch-up with preppy designer Tommy Hilfiger. (Rose moved a drink that belonged to one of Hilfiger’s friends, so Hilfiger hit him in the face. The clothier was shown the door, and Rose later performed “You’re Crazy” — dedicating the song to Hilfiger.)

Now, the rocker, who turned 48 on Feb. 6, is back on the rampage in the Big Apple. Rose asked to play the concert at the Varvatos store — for reasons that are still unclear — and proprietor John Varvatos was happy to oblige. “We thought they were only going to play five or six songs,” Varvatos said of Rose and his band. In fact, he played 17 to a packed room which included Kevin Bacon.

Rose clearly enjoyed the show. Following his appearance at the store, also the former home of CBGB, Rose raved on his Twitter account: “The NY shows were insane!! Love the free form laid back vibe . . . John [Varvatos] was really great! And to keep CBGB’s rockin’?! Badass!! . . . We all had a great time, it was a madhouse!! . . . I LOVE NY!!”

He wasn’t kidding. The next day he made late night stops at 1Oak followed by a mid-morning bash at Essex House.

On Sunday night, Feb. 14, Guns N’ Roses played a late-night gig at Rose Bar to a crowd of 150 that included Mickey Rourke. “Are you as hung-over as I am?” he snarled between GNR hits “Paradise City” and “Welcome to the Jungle.”

Then he went upstairs to a private suite where the party continued from 3 a.m. until 8 a.m.

Two nights later, he hit the Spin Club for pingpong games with none other than Scarlett Johansson. (He later showed up at posh watering hole Avenue, paddle still in hand).

On Thursday, Feb. 18, he crashed three clubs: The Box, SoHo’s Goldbar and SL in the Meatpacking District. At the last venue, he expressed an interest in buying a house in the metropolitan area — possibly in Connecticut, an insider there said. He capped off that night at a private loft in NoHo, where he drank a $1,000 bottle of wine with members of the Black Eyed Peas.

Although he has no wife or children to worry about, the middle-aged rocker has put on at least 15 pounds since his heyday and doesn’t appear to have a strict eating and drinking regimen to keep him in tip-top shape. Dressed in unbuttoned shirts and chunky man jewelry while sporting a wacky biker mustache, he looks more like a Western outlaw than a skinny metal kid.

Rose refused to give an interview for this article, but people who know him say his hard partying is simply a balance to his tough road schedule. “He works hard on the road, so who cares if he wants to blow off some steam when he’s off duty? What’s the fuss? He’s havin’ a good time. God bless him,” said Nur Khan, a Rose Bar bigwig, who set up Rose’s show and after-party there.

As for the late hours Rose plays and performs, says author Ray LeMoine who’s partied with the rocker in the past three weeks, “He’s Axl Rose playing in a small club. When do you want him to go on? I want him playing at 3 a.m. when I’m completely f - - - - d up.”

Another person who’s partied with Rose says he’s working on a new album after last year’s disappointing “Chinese Democracy” — the first Guns N’ Roses studio album in 15 years — and has something to prove.

LeMoine thinks Rose lets the negative press get to him more that he should. “The interesting thing about the guy is that he’ll tell stories and you’ll say, ‘Dude, you’re Axl Rose, you’ve got to not worry about that s - - t,’ “ LeMoine says. “You’ve put out so many great records and you’re the man, but he won’t hear it ... there’s a nuanced psychological thing about the guy where he’s not trying to be Axl Rose.”

So far, no one knows when the party — or his existential crisis — will end. As Rose prepared to leave one club, The Post cornered him and asked how late he generally stays out. Rose just smirked. “As long as it takes,” he said.

Apologies if this has been posted already...GREAT read!

Edited March 2, 2010 by Cruel Intentions

[droezle]

He capped off that night at a private loft in NoHo, where he drank a $1,000 bottle of wine with members of the Black Eyed Peas.

Paradise city, Welcome to the jungle,...?

[axl_on_drums]

He works hard, he plays hard haha

[layed]

great read, thanks for that. makes me wish i could afford a week long bender in a major city. budgeting sucks ass.

[axl_on_drums]

By the way I hope this drinking is just a bit of fun and not a problem

[karlossacanell]

Very good read ... thanks for posting ...

[Forsaken]

Haha gotta love the haters in the comment section

[Cruel Intentions]

By the way I hope this drinking is just a bit of fun and not a problem

It's hard to say for sure since we really don't know what else he does, where he goes, etc. beyond this tour. But the fact that the article says he hasn't hit NYC this hard since 2006 makes me think he's just having fun till the tour resumes.

[BatVin]

Great to see that he is still real rock star.We don't have much of them left.

[feconroses]

Another person who’s partied with Rose says he’s working on a new album after last year’s disappointing “Chinese Democracy” — the first Guns N’ Roses studio album in 15 years — and has something to prove.

!!!!!!!

[Chris 55]

Another person who’s partied with Rose says he’s working on a new album after last year’s disappointing “Chinese Democracy” — the first Guns N’ Roses studio album in 15 years — and has something to prove.

!!!!!!!

Yeah, that's all I cared about too

[Tater Totts]

[plonker88]

Anyone else kind of creeped out by how stalker like that is?

[Cruel Intentions]

Anyone else kind of creeped out by how stalker like that is?

You don't know the New York media, do you? Lol

[GivenToFly]

with members of the Black Eyed Peas.

Fergie to mediate GNR reunion!

[plonker88]

with members of the Black Eyed Peas.

Fergie to mediate GNR reunion!

All she will do is start singing ' Where is the Love' whenever things get tense.

[sweetness]

By the way I hope this drinking is just a bit of fun and not a problem

lol

[axlsend]

Way to go Axl. Have a great time.......then get your gorgeous ass over to the UK!

[riot]

I really hope is voice will be ok!! if so... drink axl!! drink!! lol

[Scumcat Esq.]

with members of the Black Eyed Peas.

Fergie to mediate GNR reunion!

Or other members of BEP asked Axl to replace her as she spends way too much time with Slash.

[batman007]

Very good posting! I wonder if the statement is true, that he is working on another album? Only time will tell on that one.

[AbominableHoman]

Splenda intake must be at an all time high.

[Lose Your Illusions]

Only in the post grunge 21st century, is where the press are concerned about actual rock stars partying like actual rockstars.

[AbominableHoman]

Only in the post grunge 21st century, is where the press are concerned about actual rock stars partying like actual rockstars.

I'd totally sig' that quote if I didn't lose a terrible bet.

[ohmygod]

Axl and 4tus partying it up and getting tattoos in NY!!!!! Fuck i love rock n roll.

BTW excellent line lose your illusions, so true, it's sad really.