Slash's book on Axl

[Carne_asaDA]

Marc,

Do you think that Slash went pretty light and failled to give us EVERYTHING on his relationship with Axl to salvage anything that's left? Could he have spilled more beans and revealed more than he did?

[ZoSoRose]

Axl was clearly really pissed about Slash's book, but I honestly found Slash really tried his best to paint Axl in the best light as possible. Whenever Slash did say something potentially bad about Axl, he even said, "this is just my opinion, how i saw it, he is valid too, blah blah blah"

Wonder what made Axl so mad about it, even if some of the things in it werent true

[Axl's Bandanna]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

[Carne_asaDA]

Axl was clearly really pissed about Slash's book, but I honestly found Slash really tried his best to paint Axl in the best light as possible. Whenever Slash did say something potentially bad about Axl, he even said, "this is just my opinion, how i saw it, he is valid too, blah blah blah"

Wonder what made Axl so mad about it, even if some of the things in it werent true

I think it's because Axl was looking for reasons to be pissed. I wish Slash would write a follow-up and really take the gloves off on that one.

[Nobody]

Maybe I'm totally crazy or reading things wrong but I've always felt that deep down Slash and Duff still really care a lot for Axl. To me, Slash and Duff have always gone sort've light on Axl or atleast they couch their statements by saying things like , "This is just my opinion, Axl's is also valid ..., etc" . Even when they say things that might piss Axl off or when they're speaking about things that they were angry at AXl for you can still get the sense of the love or atleast respect that they have/had for the guy. I've never really felt the type of venom coming from them that you get with some of Axl's statements (especially about Slash) . I don't know if Slash would ever come out and say it but I think he would still love to be able to atleast speak to Axl again, even if they never collaborated again. All those guys shared and worked together to create something so special and it's too bad they can't even speak together now. I'm really not for a reunion at all but do wish they could atleast make up so there wouldn't have to be all the drama, name calling, accusations etc. I honestly think even if they never worked together again it would be very healing for Axl to put all the pain and toxic feelings behind him.All that being said, I've never even heard Slash and Duff REALLY bad mouth Axl before, they mostly speak about how going on late all those shows was really hard on them during the illusion tour and how Axl could be very controlling and difficult to work with but c,mon all of that's pretty well known stuff anyway, I don't really consider that bad mouthing him per say but just stating how some of his behavior effected the other people around him.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Nobody

[jman2000]

Great post Nobody, I totally agree. That is exactly how I feel about the matter.

[Chris 55]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued.

What are you basing this on?

[Axl's Bandanna]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued.

What are you basing this on?

When a celebrity writes their autobiography, the publishers always get their lawyers to check it so they or the person writing the book can't be sued for libel. There are ways around this, so phrasing it like "this is just my opinion, Axl might think differently" are recommended. I used to work for a lawyer and that's what he told me.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Axl's Bandanna

[useyorappetite]

Yeah they never really badmouthed axl and i think they could have. But i thought it was mostly for hopes of reunion. slashs book was written to make him look good (like all other autobiographies) and obviously he had help with it so although there was no badmouthing there was some omitting and slight change of events you also didn't get any sense of real friendship. duff seems to have moved pat the whole thing mostly and doesn't have bad feelings.

That is really cool about slash and duff even if it's on porpuse. I think if axl was satisfied with his life and got what he wanted career wise he wouldn't be bitter either. He seemed more mature about it in 2001.

[Axl's Bandanna]

I too thought that the main reason Slash didn't really badmouth Axl was because he hoped for a reunion. Maybe it was the same for Duff too? He left loads out, not just about Axl, but about the sex etc, because he didn't want his daughters to read about that. I'm sure he said that in an interview.

[hellobeatle]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued.

What are you basing this on?

When a celebrity writes their autobiography, the publishers always get their lawyers to check it so they or the person writing the book can't be sued for libel. There are ways around this, so phrasing it like "this is just my opinion, Axl might think differently" are recommended. I used to work for a lawyer and that's what he told me.

Writing "just my opinion" or "may think differently" do not add protections - since it is an auto-bio, it is implied it is Slash's "own" opinion and interpretation of events. The First Amendment is the protection, not conditions on each statement. I suggest you recommend to your former employer to check up on journalist protections regarding slander and the huge burden of proof a potential plaintiff bares at trying to bring such an action.

Publishers could not give a flying fuck about libel issues - they have the Constitution on their side and major pub companies have a corporate policy of fighting all such actions to the death because it's an underpinning of their entire industry. Competing publishing companies are known to help provide aid to each other in many suits that involve First Amnd't issues because judicial decisions on it affect them all.

The main reason editors fact check isn't due to the fear of legal action but due to the fear of publishing something that is obviously false and the effect it has on the public perception of the credibility of the publisher.

EDIT: for your reading pleasure: Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46, (1988)

Edited March 15, 2013 by hellobeatle

[dalsh327]

Slash wasn't writing the "Guns N' Roses Story", and I'm sure Slash and Anthony Bozza covered bases on what to keep out of the book. Axl made it sound like he was looking for any reason to take Slash to court for libel/slander, more than sitting down in the backyard and actually reading it.

[Axl's Bandanna]

I'm not going to get into a battle of words here, I was just saying, that's all. I'm not from the US so we don't have 'The Constitution', maybe our laws in the UK are slightly different? Anyway, it would be interesting to see Marc's response to the original question.

[T.wa.T]

The public perception of Axl is already set in stone. He'll always be known as " the bad boy ". Most people who have worked with him say he's great to be around. Of course, from time to time he has his moments, theres no reason for Duff or Slash to rip Axl. The lawsuits have put their differences to rest.

[magisme]

I'm not going to get into a battle of words here, I was just saying, that's all. I'm not from the US so we don't have 'The Constitution', maybe our laws in the UK are slightly different? Anyway, it would be interesting to see Marc's response to the original question.

Your being from the UK is the issue here. It is much, much more difficult to sue for libel or slander or defamation of character in the US.

in reality the second i went backstage he walked out of his dressing room with a bottle of beer in his hand shook my hand straight away got an assistant to go and get me a beer ( i was 15 at the time so felt like king of the world just drinking a beer let alone with Mr. Rose ) and then asked me do i want the band to autograph anything for me offered me a picture and everything

That's fucking awesome.

[classicrawker]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

I know it is hard to believe but actually Slash has stated he was faithful keeping a daily journals back then and could not have written the book without them. And if memory serves me there is a period of time in the book which is light on details because somebody stole his pillow case full of his clothes outside the tour bus when they were getting loaded to leave and one of his journals was in the bag....I'm doing this from memory as I read this a few years ago but I believe that is accurate.

[alfierose]

I have read that too and yes I do find it hard to believe from a guy Alan Niven said was incapable of even running a bath a lot of the time. But who knows, stranger things have happened!

[Axl's Bandanna]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

I know it is hard to believe but actually Slash has stated he was faithful keeping a daily journals back then and could not have written the book without them. And if memory serves me there is a period of time in the book which is light on details because somebody stole his pillow case full of his clothes outside the tour bus when they were getting loaded to leave and one of his journals was in the bag....I'm doing this from memory as I read this a few years ago but I believe that is accurate.

Yes, you're right. I remember that too now, I had forgotten. Slash did say that he had a journal stolen. Well, I just don't know... maybe he wrote some but, really, by his own admission he was a junkie... and really, I wonder how many journals he wrote over the years. Who knows? I did enjoy reading the book though. To go back to the original question, I still think that he and Duff held back stuff in case they were sued by Axl... or that they thought it would jeopardise any chance of a reunion...

[useyorappetite]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

I know it is hard to believe but actually Slash has stated he was faithful keeping a daily journals back then and could not have written the book without them. And if memory serves me there is a period of time in the book which is light on details because somebody stole his pillow case full of his clothes outside the tour bus when they were getting loaded to leave and one of his journals was in the bag....I'm doing this from memory as I read this a few years ago but I believe that is accurate.

keeping the journal doesn't change the fact that he written it however he wanted. Like the saint louis incident.

i was reading slash's book and some old interviews at about the same time and found a lot of similar sentences. So he either has a good memory or someone went through the trouble.

Edited March 16, 2013 by useyorappetite

[classicrawker]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

I know it is hard to believe but actually Slash has stated he was faithful keeping a daily journals back then and could not have written the book without them. And if memory serves me there is a period of time in the book which is light on details because somebody stole his pillow case full of his clothes outside the tour bus when they were getting loaded to leave and one of his journals was in the bag....I'm doing this from memory as I read this a few years ago but I believe that is accurate.

keeping the journal doesn't change the fact that he written it however he wanted. Like the saint louis incident.

i was reading slash's book and some old interviews at about the same time and found a lot of similar sentences. So he either has a good memory or someone went through the trouble.

Nobody ever said it was not Slash's view of things...he continually states that in his book and also says Axl probably sees thing differently..

And suppose your right that the person who actually wrote the book, Anthony Bozza, used some of the old Slash interviews to fill in the blanks...who cares as it was still Slash's words......you do realize that Slash did not write the book right?

[useyorappetite]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

I know it is hard to believe but actually Slash has stated he was faithful keeping a daily journals back then and could not have written the book without them. And if memory serves me there is a period of time in the book which is light on details because somebody stole his pillow case full of his clothes outside the tour bus when they were getting loaded to leave and one of his journals was in the bag....I'm doing this from memory as I read this a few years ago but I believe that is accurate.

keeping the journal doesn't change the fact that he written it however he wanted. Like the saint louis incident.

i was reading slash's book and some old interviews at about the same time and found a lot of similar sentences. So he either has a good memory or someone went through the trouble.

Nobody ever said it was not Slash's view of things...he continually states that in his book and also says Axl probably sees thing differently..

And suppose your right that the person who actually wrote the book, Anthony Bozza, used some of the old Slash interviews to fill in the blanks...who cares as it was still Slash's words......you do realize that Slash did not write the book right?

I meant he doesn't really need to remember much and its not that much about how he remembers things more about what he chooses to say.

I just knew there was a ghost writer but i don't know how involved they are. is it the same for the interviews? like does someone checks and corrects what they say?

Edited March 17, 2013 by useyorappetite

[classicrawker]

The Lawyers would have told Slash to write it that way, so he couldn't be sued. I really enjoyed reading Slash's book, but I still don't believe he could possibly remember so much when he was high on smack most of the time, and he doesn't strike me as someone who would keep a diary...

I know it is hard to believe but actually Slash has stated he was faithful keeping a daily journals back then and could not have written the book without them. And if memory serves me there is a period of time in the book which is light on details because somebody stole his pillow case full of his clothes outside the tour bus when they were getting loaded to leave and one of his journals was in the bag....I'm doing this from memory as I read this a few years ago but I believe that is accurate.

keeping the journal doesn't change the fact that he written it however he wanted. Like the saint louis incident.

i was reading slash's book and some old interviews at about the same time and found a lot of similar sentences. So he either has a good memory or someone went through the trouble.

Nobody ever said it was not Slash's view of things...he continually states that in his book and also says Axl probably sees thing differently..

And suppose your right that the person who actually wrote the book, Anthony Bozza, used some of the old Slash interviews to fill in the blanks...who cares as it was still Slash's words......you do realize that Slash did not write the book right?

I meant he doesn't really need to remember much and its not that much about how he remembers things more about what he chooses to say.

I just knew there was a ghost writer but i don't know how involved they are. is it the same for the interviews? like does someone checks and corrects what they say?

I uploaded a ton of old Slash interviews several years back and his book has a lot more detail then those old interviews so I would say Bozza did not take that much from the old interviews and most came from Slash's journals and memory.........As far as checking what Slash said what would you expect Bozza to check? What he wrote were Slash's memories...I have read a lot of musicians autobiographies and everyone had some inaccuracies that fans found and picked apart...it is the nature of the beast.............