Original GNR Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 http://teamrock.com/news/2016-12-18/guns-n-roses-not-playing-download-2017-wasnt-about-money Guns N' Roses not playing Download 2017 isn't about money News / 1 day ago / by Stef Lach Download boss Andy Copping says Guns N' Roses deciding not to headline Download was about making a statement and not about the cash The decision by Guns N' Roses to play London's Olympic Stadium rather than headline Download in 2017 has "nothing to do with money," according to Donington chief Andy Copping. Copping admitted at this year's Download festival that he'd love the reunited Guns N' Roses to make an appearance at Donington in 2017, but the festival recently confirmed Aerosmith, System Of A Down and Biffy Clyro as headliners for next year. And Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan's reunited Guns N' Roses will play at the Olympic Stadium on June 16. Asked why Guns N' Roses couldn't be signed up as 2017 Download headliners, Copping tells the That's Not Metal podcast: "It's very, very simple. We'd been talking to Guns N' Roses when it was first being mooted that Duff, Slash and Axl were talking about getting back together. "They did Coachella and then we talked about Download. I've got to be honest, and this is gonna surprise a lot of people, but it wasn't about the money. "To them, it was about, 'We want to go out and do our own shows.' On that touring cycle in the early 90s they came to the UK three times and played at Wembley Stadium. That is huge. They wanted to play Wembley, but it was booked. So I said they should look at the Olympic Park." Once the band decided to play their own stadium show rather than headline at Donington, they settled on the new Olympic Stadium after Axl Rose's triumphant guest slot with AC/DC at the same venue. Copping adds: "The thing that swung it for Guns N' Roses playing at the Olympic Stadium was that AC/DC concert. "They just wanted to go for it. They felt it was a bigger stadium, coming back for the first time as that band, that it was a bigger statement. It was nothing to do with money." As for choosing Aerosmith as headliners in 2017 after they also took top billing in 2014, Copping says he was sold on the fact that it would be the band's last ever UK show. He says: "It's been sold to me that it's the last time around. When I got the note through that this was gonna be the last chance of seeing them in the UK, it was a no brainer. "They only wanted to play Donington so it was an absolute given that we'd book them. "Repeats are always a concern because you want to mix things up a bit. But if there's a specific reason as to why a band is coming round, you think, 'I'm gonna book them.'" Download 2017 takes place from June 9 to 11. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 So happy they went with their own shows in the UK instead of Download, absolute nightmare trying to get tickets for that festival. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donny Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 already have my sunday download ticket for alter bridge and aerosmith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 Do the Download Festivals have a reputation for being well-organized, well-run events? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MillionsOfSpiders Posted December 19, 2016 Share Posted December 19, 2016 1 hour ago, SteveAJones said: Do the Download Festivals have a reputation for being well-organized, well-run events? I have seen a lot of complaints from people about the lack of organisation and such. People complaining about car parking and distance from the campsite to the arena, also about the inevitable poor weather. I can honestly say when I have been, it's been very well run as far as I'm concerned. The stages run on time, they have a good amount of facilities. As good as you can expect really for saying you're going to see a bunch of rock and metal bands in a field. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernsoul Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 7 hours ago, MillionsOfSpiders said: I have seen a lot of complaints from people about the lack of organisation and such. People complaining about car parking and distance from the campsite to the arena, also about the inevitable poor weather. I can honestly say when I have been, it's been very well run as far as I'm concerned. The stages run on time, they have a good amount of facilities. As good as you can expect really for saying you're going to see a bunch of rock and metal bands in a field. It's a good festival that used to be great. Definitely got worse the last few years, the main bloke that organised the actual festival (not the bands) left a few years ago and yeah it's been very unlucky with the weather recently. Andy Copping, like most Promoters, is a known bullshitter and hype merchant though so I'd take anything he says with a pinch of salt Was always going to be stadiums then if they come back second time round they'll be a bit cheaper and more attainable for festivals, I think they will end up at Download next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiraMPD Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 I'm kinda glad that they aren't doing Download because the attendees there tend to be a mixed bag. I don't mind travelling down to London for a show cuz at least I know I'll be surrounded by fans of the band. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6lake sa66ath Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 Rest in peace Team Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracii Guns Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 Also grateful that they're doing their own shows. Download is more hassle than I care for these days. I know for a fact that in previous years, DL haven't paid some of the lesser-known bands who appear at all, so hoping that this means they can budget for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Money Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 Festival culture sucks, the people who are not fans suck, sliding around in shit and mud when you only came to rock can get in the way of your good time. I'm glad that the 2017 Guns N' Roses can fill a stadium almost anywhere so we fans don't have to deal with all of that. The best thing I ever did was sell my Coachella tickets and make plans to go to Mexico City and Vegas instead. I got my STL tickets in the mail yesterday. I'm getting fired up for the summer. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklord Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 45 minutes ago, Eddie Money said: Festival culture sucks, the people who are not fans suck, sliding around in shit and mud when you only came to rock can get in the way of your good time. I'm glad that the 2017 Guns N' Roses can fill a stadium almost anywhere so we fans don't have to deal with all of that. The best thing I ever did was sell my Coachella tickets and make plans to go to Mexico City and Vegas instead. I got my STL tickets in the mail yesterday. I'm getting fired up for the summer. Which festivals did you go to? Don't know about USA and UK but I've been to Rock im Park where 50% of goers didn't even know the line up, Rock Werchter where it's all about seeing bands and enjoying music, Novarock which was a mix of metalheads and drunken idiots. Sziget and Exit have party atmosphere whoever is on as long as it's good... so it's all pretty much different with every festival Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernsoul Posted December 20, 2016 Share Posted December 20, 2016 1 hour ago, Eddie Money said: Festival culture sucks, the people who are not fans suck, sliding around in shit and mud when you only came to rock can get in the way of your good time. I'm glad that the 2017 Guns N' Roses can fill a stadium almost anywhere so we fans don't have to deal with all of that. The best thing I ever did was sell my Coachella tickets and make plans to go to Mexico City and Vegas instead. I got my STL tickets in the mail yesterday. I'm getting fired up for the summer. You shouldn't confuse festivals like Coachella with the Euro rock fests tbf. Rock am Ring, Download, Werchter and Wacken are all quality rock events. Guns will smash those and it'll be great, and a million miles away from the too cool for school Coachella crowd where 90% of the lineup is as far away from rock imaginable anyway 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Money Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 On 12/20/2016 at 0:58 PM, northernsoul said: You shouldn't confuse festivals like Coachella with the Euro rock fests tbf. Rock am Ring, Download, Werchter and Wacken are all quality rock events. Guns will smash those and it'll be great, and a million miles away from the too cool for school Coachella crowd where 90% of the lineup is as far away from rock imaginable anyway I understand this and have actually been to Download Festival before. All I know about Rock Am Ring is that it once had the best available 2006 era GNR high-quality youtube videos that I would often use to prove to my mates that Axl could still sing. The only thing lamer than a US music festival these days is a US EDM festival. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year friends. Stay safe out there. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts