Alan Niven. good or bad?

[DurhamGirl]

I have just watched an interesting interview with Alan Niven which has left me wondering how much influence did he have on  the success of Guns n Roses and why did Axl eventually sack him?  Anyone have any ideas?

[soon]

Niven's been through a very difficult time recently. I wish him all the best.

As far as I understand he was instrumental in the bands success. For one, he was the only real deal, professional, manager who would work with them. So that alone gives him credit.

I think the whole creating a fake indie label "Uzi Suicide" to give the band some street cred with LLAS was a good move. As was taking them to England to break there first. He successfully renegotiated the bands contract to get that money (though iirc Goldstein claims to have played a role, maybe??).

It seems that by his own admission Niven didn't really care for Axls ways. Even leaving the door open to managing the rest of the band if they fired Axl. But Im not clear on those details and it might have just been a passing comment in a specific moment. The following manager, Doug Goldstein, was much more amenable to Axls demands and needs.

So I think he did a great job. Just like the case with Izzy and Stephen, some people just didnt fit into what Axl was transitioning the band into for the UYI era.

[lame ass security]

7 hours ago, soon said:

Niven's been through a very difficult time recently. I wish him all the best.

As far as I understand he was instrumental in the bands success. For one, he was the only real deal, professional, manager who would work with them. So that alone gives him credit.

I think the whole creating a fake indie label "Uzi Suicide" to give the band some street cred with LLAS was a good move. As was taking them to England to break there first. He successfully renegotiated the bands contract to get that money (though iirc Goldstein claims to have played a role, maybe??).

It seems that by his own admission Niven didn't really care for Axls ways. Even leaving the door open to managing the rest of the band if they fired Axl. But Im not clear on those details and it might have just been a passing comment in a specific moment. The following manager, Doug Goldstein, was much more amenable to Axls demands and needs.

So I think he did a great job. Just like the case with Izzy and Stephen, some people just didnt fit into what Axl was transitioning the band into for the UYI era.

Is he having health issues?

[ShadowOfTheWave]

His lunacy with the AC/DC devil horns and him wanting Axl to become a Dylan like artist that sang about politics shows he wasn't right for GNR.

[soon]

16 minutes ago, lame ass security said:

Is he having health issues?

In June on Mitch Lafon's podcast Niven admirably shared about some struggles he was having with mental health. His marriage had come to an end and things got dark. 

https://omny.fm/shows/rock-talk-with-mitch-lafon-1/alan-niven-ginger-wildheart-discuss-mental-health

[DurhamGirl]

Huge respect for Alan talking openly about a very difficult subject that very often gets brushed under the carpet...

[janrichmond]

I thought Niven was the best manager for the band but not for Axl. Doug was shit because he just became Axl's nanny

[Ratam]

2 hours ago, janrichmond said:

I thought Niven was the best manager for the band but not for Axl. Doug was shit because he just became Axl's nanny

Nanny like Beta....

[jamillos]

For Niven, GNR ended with Steven being gone (I believe he's said so himself). Which I understand, although not necessarily fully agree with. It is a valid point of view, of course. 

[appetite4illusions]

He's got a bit of the 'cunt' persona to him.

It might just be how he has that high-horse mentality and is thoroughly outspoken about it. The kind of guy who has no problem turning his nose at something. 

He undoubtedly helped the band navigate the early pitfalls and created opportunity for them to get the music across to a national audience.

 

As it pertains to Niven, I've always wanted to know what exactly it was that caused Slash to turn his back on his management. In Slash's book, he claims Niven, himself, Slash's wife and Alan's wife were partying one night and Alan got extremely weird as it pertained to Renne. In a very Slash move, he says in one sentence "I don't remember exactly it was he said..." but then, several sentences later, he says "...it was very weird and I never forgot it..."

Which was it it? Does Slash remember what Alan said/did or doesn't he? Either way, must have been bad.

[rocknroll41]

2 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

He's got a bit of the 'cunt' persona to him.

It might just be how he has that high-horse mentality and is thoroughly outspoken about it. The kind of guy who has no problem turning his nose at something. 

He undoubtedly helped the band navigate the early pitfalls and created opportunity for them to get the music across to a national audience.

 

As it pertains to Niven, I've always wanted to know what exactly it was that caused Slash to turn his back on his management. In Slash's book, he claims Niven, himself, Slash's wife and Alan's wife were partying one night and Alan got extremely weird as it pertained to Renne. In a very Slash move, he says in one sentence "I don't remember exactly it was he said..." but then, several sentences later, he says "...it was very weird and I never forgot it..."

Which was it it? Does Slash remember what Alan said/did or doesn't he? Either way, must have been bad.

Yeah slash’s book kinda sucks. Lots of inaccuracies. The video of the St. Louis riot is completely different from how the book describes it.

[IrishgunnerII]

20 minutes ago, rocknroll41 said:

Yeah slash’s book kinda sucks. Lots of inaccuracies. The video of the St. Louis riot is completely different from how the book describes it.

I mean it's a autobiography of someone who for most of the time in the book is varying degrees a function addict. But I don't think it sucks as you put it, but having said that slash's memories of the St. Louis riot aren't even close. I mean he could have rewatched the video and none of us would be the none the wiser and there wouldn't be such a glaring discrepancy about the riot. 

 

Also to answer the thread title. Alan Niven was the right manger at the right time to get the band to where they needed to be. Doug Goldstein I don't think helped the band like he should have.

Edited February 18, 2020 by IrishgunnerII

[lame ass security]

39 minutes ago, IrishgunnerII said:

I mean it's a autobiography of someone who for most of the time in the book is varying degrees a function addict. But I don't think it sucks as you put it, but having said that slash's memories of the St. Louis riot aren't even close. I mean he could have rewatched the video and none of us would be the none the wiser and there wouldn't be such a glaring discrepancy about the riot. 

 

Also to answer the thread title. Alan Niven was the right manger at the right time to get the band to where they needed to be. Doug Goldstein I don't think helped the band like he should have.

That's funny, how did Slash incorrectly remember the riot?  I obviously didn't read the book.

[rocknroll41]

1 hour ago, lame ass security said:

That's funny, how did Slash incorrectly remember the riot?  I obviously didn't read the book.

Slash’s book: After Axl stormed off, the band kept jamming in the hopes that he’d come back onstage. While the jam session was going on, slash went to the side of the stage and asked someone “when’s Axl coming back?” The person replied “he’s not coming back.” Slash then asked “what do you MEAN he’s not coming back?” And eventually the jam session just fizzled out and the band left.

Reality: After Axl stormed off, the band immediately stopped playing and slash walked up to a mic and said “he (Axl) just slammed his mic on the ground. We’re outta here!” And then he gave the crowd the middle finger and then he and the rest of the band left.

[Powderfinger]

6 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

As it pertains to Niven, I've always wanted to know what exactly it was that caused Slash to turn his back on his management. In Slash's book, he claims Niven, himself, Slash's wife and Alan's wife were partying one night and Alan got extremely weird as it pertained to Renne. In a very Slash move, he says in one sentence "I don't remember exactly it was he said..." but then, several sentences later, he says "...it was very weird and I never forgot it..."

Which was it it? Does Slash remember what Alan said/did or doesn't he? Either way, must have been bad.

Always wondered this myself... What did Niven say...

[Politania]

4 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

Slash’s book: After Axl stormed off, the band kept jamming in the hopes that he’d come back onstage. While the jam session was going on, slash went to the side of the stage and asked someone “when’s Axl coming back?” The person replied “he’s not coming back.” Slash then asked “what do you MEAN he’s not coming back?” And eventually the jam session just fizzled out and the band left.

Reality: After Axl stormed off, the band immediately stopped playing and slash walked up to a mic and said “he (Axl) just slammed his mic on the ground. We’re outta here!” And then he gave the crowd the middle finger and then he and the rest of the band left.

out of likes. Im wondering of this example it's one of reasons why Axl thinks that Slash book is a lie.

[Blackstar]

16 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

Slash’s book: After Axl stormed off, the band kept jamming in the hopes that he’d come back onstage. While the jam session was going on, slash went to the side of the stage and asked someone “when’s Axl coming back?” The person replied “he’s not coming back.” Slash then asked “what do you MEAN he’s not coming back?” And eventually the jam session just fizzled out and the band left.

Reality: After Axl stormed off, the band immediately stopped playing and slash walked up to a mic and said “he (Axl) just slammed his mic on the ground. We’re outta here!” And then he gave the crowd the middle finger and then he and the rest of the band left.

There are a lot of inaccuracies like this in Slash's book (for example, he wrote that the horns on Live and Let Die were fake, a result of Axl's synth work, although horn players, including Duff's brother, are credited in the UYI liner notes - Slash probably confused it with November Rain). I think this kind of inaccuracies are just due to bad memory and not deliberate "lies." But there are also some other things he wrote in the book that seem to be a distorted or glossed over version of events, and probably these are the things that triggered Axl's anger.

22 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

Which was it it? Does Slash remember what Alan said/did or doesn't he? Either way, must have been bad.

Doug Goldstein said in an interview, iirc, something about Niven going to the bathroom while Renee was there. I guess Goldstein meant that that was the story he had heard from Slash, since he wasn't there. I don't know, though, how accurate this can be considered coming from Goldstein, as it's well known that he and Niven hate each other with passion.

[Blackstar]

As for Alan Niven, I think he undoubtedly helped the band in its early days and played a significant part in its rise to fame - for example, booking the Marquee shows in England was a smart move.

After the band became successful, however, he didn't seem to be able to keep it together. The band almost broke up in 1989 and Niven couldn't do anything for that.

[JONEZY]

Gotta say Alan Niven was a great manager of the band.  He got them to get off their asses and make a record, tour, and make money.  Which was probably a tough job.  Also, Slash got the St. Louis and Montreal riot mixed up, in his book.  And he didn't flip off the crowd in St. Louis, after Axl slammed the mic down, Slash said, "What'd you do the mic for? Well, were out of here."  Then Slash threw his guitar pick and left.  Then all hell broke loose.

[Amaya]

Truth lies in the middle. Read between the lines I  always say. Many negative posts here are always about Allan N.  GnR was the money . AFD needed to blow up. Watching this band take over L.A. club scene,  record comoany scounts, managers knew that was money. No other group was likevthem....it quality. Problem, you had 4 hard drug and alcohol addicts and 1 crazy guy. You had the usual 5 egos but the egos were not so big then at the start.  Niven, a seasoned, experienced, connected, knowledgable name , manager took them on. I am not a manger. Niven , like Peter Mensch (DefLep)  , Doc McGhee (MCrue) knew what to do and all got a bad rap today from their bands. Well, DefLep dont seem to badvrap Mensch and the other guy. They were partners. After the success hit, GnR egos took flight, really justb Axl's crazy azz. The rest were too drunk and stoned .  He got fired. A good manager is not a yes man. Goldstein came wcroos by what has been said as a yes man.  Hopefully, he did not  make a pass at Renee back then. Not cool. Never. Nevermind Niven nor Renee are in Slash"s life today.  Today, it does not matter. Neither is connected or in contact with The Big 3. Too bad about Niven andvhis health crisis.  Hopefully he is better and did not lose it all in divorce. He is on the other side, I am sure, of 65 . If anyway should happen to him, The Big 3 would not need to be posting phony social media crap.

[Amaya]

On 2/16/2020 at 4:47 PM, DurhamGirl said:

Huge respect for Alan talking openly about a very difficult subject that very often gets brushed under the carpet...

Suicide. That is the big one.

[ludurigan]

On 16/02/2020 at 8:04 PM, janrichmond said:

I thought Niven was the best manager for the band but not for Axl. Doug was shit because he just became Axl's nanny

e-fucking-xactly