Popular Post Nice Boy Posted February 5, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted February 5, 2015 I suppose most people may know about the backstory of GnR's appearance at the 1992 Freddie Mercury concert, that there were some gay rights activists who were trying to get the band thrown off the bill and threatening to make trouble or them. Well I read some more stuff the other day about the actual performance that I found kinda interesting..apparently when they came out and started playing Paradise City, there were a load of activists at the front of the crowd who were indeed giving shit in Axl's direction - that is why you see him point at them and shout "shove it!" at the beginning of the song. (I used to think it was just an adlib, like the 'look out'! bit.) After that the band goes into the Only Women Bleed segment, and then into the Knockin on Heavens Door intro. At this point if you watch closely you can see Duff turning round and walking to Axl and giving him a hearty handshake. The reason for this apparently was that Axl had threatened to go off onto one of his rants at the activists during the gap between the songs, but the band was worried it would ruin the vibe of the concert, and in in the end he restrained himself, and so Duff is shaking his hand to say nice one for keeping cool and calm about it. I just thought this was some interesting background to the concert, cause I never knew this when I watched it back then, or guessed it any time I watched since.. was amazing watching the concert that day, still gives me goosebumps seeing them come on stage in the various guest spots 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estranged Reality Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Very cool, Nice Boy! Thanks for sharing!I always wondered about Duff's handshake with Axl... It's been a couple years since I watched that video, but watching it again now is bringing back the feels -- great performance, and I always thought Axl seemed very defiant throughout, like he was out to prove something, and now it totally makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sabbath Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Interesting. Thanks for the little story.I always thought he was saying it to the person holding the sign at 0:38 that says "AXL PISS OFF" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris 55 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Parts of this performance were re-recorded for Live Era right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncitingChaos Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Great story! Only heard half of it. Great performances also. I've always loved Axl's voice on that small portion of only women bleed. I believe both these tracks remained relatively unchanged onLive era unless you count the fake audience screaming "knock knock knockin on heavens door" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trin9498 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 They were on fire that night too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooker Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Not to be a dick... I would like a source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spliff Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_Your_Illusion_TourOn April 20, 1992, the band performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, an effort for AIDS Awareness in London. Guns N' Roses were a controversial addition to the lineup, as many in the gay community were still angry over Axl using a gay slur in the song "One in a Million." The band opened with "Paradise City" and closed with "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." During the famous "Paradise City" opening, Axl pointed at a group of protesters in the audience and yelled "SHOVE IT!"[citation needed][clarification needed] He had planned to address the controversy between songs, but was asked not to by the band as it would pull the spotlight from Queen and Freddie Mercury. As Slash concluded a short cover of Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed," bassist Duff McKagan kept an eye on Axl, who approached the front of the stage. When Slash finished the song, then strummed the beginning of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," Duff walked over to Axl and shook his hand as an act of appreciation. Later in the show, Slash joined Joe Elliott of Def Leppard and the surviving members of Queen for "Tie Your Mother Down." Axl sang "We Will Rock You" and finished "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Elton John and Queen. The show was broadcast live around the world via satellite, gathering the largest audience for a music concert in history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosaj Thing Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I didn't know that. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axljungle Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 My english is very very poor, I allways heard "show me!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lio Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Thanks, OP, didn't know that.I always thought he was saying it to the person holding the sign at 0:38 that says "AXL PISS OFF"That's what I thought too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nytunz Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 didn't know that. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Dude Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I always thought it was directed at Charles Barkley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 http://www.queenarchives.com/index.php?title=Queen_-_06-25-1992_-_Rolling_Stone_-_Freddie_Mercury_TributeAfter the lineup was announced, the AIDS activist group ACT UP London began screeching about Guns n' Roses' participation, first demanding that Guns be dropped from the bill, then urging other artists to shun them and the Wembley crowd to boo them off the stage--a concept the members of Queen found ludicrous. "ACT UP will have no influence on the audience whatsoever," said an angry Taylor. "And I have a two-word message for them, which I'm prepared to give them at any moment they want it." "People seem so blind," said May earnestly. "Don't they realize that the mere fact that Guns n' Roses are here is the biggest statement that you could get? We think it's time that everybody realizes that whether you're gay or straight, you're entitled to your feelings. You cannot come down on anybody because of the way they feel. That's got to be an outdated concept, and I hope that the concert will help to bring that about." Although the audience at Wembley was primarily there to pay tribute to Mercury, the event's AIDS agenda was never far from anyone's mind. Red ribbons and AIDS-awareness sashes transformed the floor of the packed stadium into a scarlet sea. Elizabeth Taylor pointed a regal finger at the crowd and gave a lengthy, impassioned lecture on safe sex. David Bowie, in one of the evening's most touching moments, knelt during his set and recited the Lord's Prayer. George Michael, quoting figures from the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) forecasting 40 million people worldwide infected with HIV by the year 2000, scolded the crowd: "If any of you really think that those are all going to be gay people or drug addicts, you're lining up to be one of those numbers." Aside from the aforementioned, the members of Queen kept the AIDS-speak to a minimum. "That's definitely what Freddie would have wanted," said Taylor. "`For fuck's sake, dears, have fun!'" And indeed, there was plenty of that to be had. Guns n' Roses' set, the show's potential hot spot, passed without incident. At one point, Axl Rose, looking like he was itching to get something off his chest, sat down on the drum riser long enough to send an anticipatory buzz through the crowd, but after a moment's pause, he resumed the set with "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." (Rose later confirmed that he had been sneaking up on a diatribe-- against the U.S. government, the Food and Drug Administration and the American Medical Association, for hindering access to alternative forms of medicine that could be valuable in the fight against AIDS. "I thought about it," said Rose, "but I couldn't do that to Queen. Everybody was so happy, I didn't want to spoil the vibe.") Despite the advance ink, nary a peep was heard from protesters during Guns' set or throughout the day. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerthGNR Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 The raw power behind his voice in those videos is just astonishing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxySCFC Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 Interesting. Thanks for the little story.I always thought he was saying it to the person holding the sign at 0:38 that says "AXL PISS OFF" This performance of Paradise City never fails to give me goosebumps, I can watch it over and over again.It's watching performances like this recently that have really made me lose any interest in the current incarnation of GNR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 You could see and hear that Axl wanted to give it all that night. While the quality of his Queen covers is debatable (nice Bo Rhap, his timing on Rock You is messed up), on the two songs GNR performed, he was absolutely stellar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 'shove it up your arse' would've been more fitting surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liquor & Whores Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 and another GNR-mystery solved after 20 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkuk04 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 I think something like this would be different thing to handle from somebody with childhood abuse problems, and that's all I'm going to say. God we need new music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlsend Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 There was a lot of controversy here in the UK leading up to the gig. Some people threatened to cause trouble as soon as Guns came out but there was little trouble. The person Axl shouted at was removed I think and the gig continued, in fact in the press the day after it was reported that GnR stole the show. They were incredible that day. In fact the whole day was brilliant, the weather was kind and the crowd up for it. It was an honour to be there. We miss you Freddie. x 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 If it weren't for Extreme, GNR would've stolen the show. But that Queen medley was impossible to beat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 (edited) and another GNR-mystery solved after 20 years... Getting a bit thin on the ground lately though eh? Whats the next mystery gonna be, 'was Izzy saying something when his jaw wiggled in that one gig in 1991 in Bitch City, South Carolina where he was wearing one gold spur and one silver spur on his cowboy boots...or was he just relieving lock-jaw? Stay tuned folks!' Sources from the time recall the involvement of a packet of Wethers Originals with Izzy that day! Edited February 5, 2015 by Len B'stard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkuk04 Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 If it weren't for Extreme, GNR would've stolen the show. But that Queen medley was impossible to beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 If it weren't for Extreme, GNR would've stolen the show. But that Queen medley was impossible to beat.http://youtu.be/lhckuhUxcgAHum okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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