New Matt Sorum 2018 Interview on LA News Show

[Top-Hatted One]

I think Axl hires Azoff with the idea of properly releasing CD then ending nuguns and reuniting with Slash later on down the line. However, Azoff and the label were only interested in the later.

I still think what ultimately kept a reunion from happening until much later,  8-10yrs later in 2016, was Axl wanting Perla as a business partner. Slash files for divorce from Perla and they instantly reunite. It’s pretty obvious IMO 

[Blackstar]

13 hours ago, DieselDaisy said:

I cannot find Slash's first statements but this blabbermouth acknowledges them: ''Slash has admitted that he visited GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose's house in 2005, despite previous claims to the contrary.''

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/slash-admits-he-visited-axl-rose-s-house-in/

If anyone finds them it is the most blatant example of Slash lying ever haha. 

13 hours ago, RONIN said:

I remember reading his first denial on this forum - it's more than likely in the forum archive somewhere. 

Here it is. It's from a radio interview with Slash and Matt in May 2006:

On Axl Rose's claim that Slash made an unannounced 5:30 a.m. visit to Rose's house in October 2005 during which he stated, among other things, that "Duff was spineless," "Scott [Weiland] was a fraud," and that he "hates Matt Sorum":

Slash: I'm not gonna go into the whole long thing. It was just something that he [Axl] decided he was going to? It was a lot of this stuff was built to promote the next Guns record and the tour and all that kind of stuff, 'cause there was this blatantly fabricated thing in there that I'd gone to his house and that he and I had a conversation in which I said all this stuff about my bandmates. And it's just blatantly untrue. For one, I have not talked to the guy in any way, shape or form since 1996, so it's going on 11 years. [Laughs] So that's basically it. There's just no truth to it. And all things considered, it put lot of whatever in people's minds that I was that kind of a guy, so it's? there you have it. So it's not true.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/slash-addresses-guns-n-roses-rumors-talks-about-upcoming-velvet-revolver-album/

"Blatantly fabricated", "there's no truth to it"...

Slash was basically hiding behind the true part of the story, i.e. that he hadn't talked to Axl himself.

Edited January 30, 2018 by Blackstar

[MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle]

On 1/29/2018 at 2:41 AM, RONIN said:

We've only gotten bits and pieces of that story but it sounds to me like that very nearly broke up the band. What the heck was going in 2005/2006? Did we almost get a GnR reunion? 

To add a further mysterious piece to that particular puzzle @Blackstar I think you might recall this too, remember on London's live stream he accidentally left on about a month ago, that guy who said in '2006 when GNR were getting back together' and Steven Adler was taking drum lessons so he could 'get back in the band'.  At first we thought it might have been for the Rock Hall Fame gig but I wonder if there were plans for beyond just that one gig, hence the drum lessons?  Which never paid off.  I wonder what happened that time?  Poor Steven.  He seems perpetually trying and failing to get in on a 'reunion'. 

[Blackstar]

34 minutes ago, MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle said:

To add a further mysterious piece to that particular puzzle @Blackstar I think you might recall this too, remember on London's live stream he accidentally left on about a month ago, that guy who said in '2006 when GNR were getting back together' and Steven Adler was taking drum lessons so he could 'get back in the band'.  At first we thought it might have been for the Rock Hall Fame gig but I wonder if there were plans for beyond just that one gig, hence the drum lessons?  Which never paid off.  I wonder what happened that time?  Poor Steven.  He seems perpetually trying and failing to get in on a 'reunion'. 

There's also what Scott Weiland had said (that the reunion almost happened in 2005-06).

It's possible that there was some kind of contact between Slash/his camp and Axl's camp after the visit in Axl's house, but then something happened. I read some threads from early 2006, and there were strong reunion rumours going on. The rumours were partly driven from a Slash interview in January/February, where he "announced" that CD was going to come out in March, that he was eager to hear it and was supportive. Later, when he denied the visit to Axl's house, he said he had gotten that information from a business person in Axl's camp (it's in the link I posted above).

--------

EDIT: @RONIN I checked Chinese Whispers, and it seems that the Slash/Duff vs Axl lawsuit the press release was referring to had been filed before the visit. So my theory about the revelation of the visit in the press release being because of that doesn't make much sense, unless the same lawsuit was filed again at another court; or Axl was expecting Slash to withdraw the lawsuit, since Slash and Duff had been receiving the royalties the lawsuit was about.

Maybe Axl's rebuttal was for something else, e.g. Slash announcing the supposed release date of CD, both because Slash took such liberty and of course because the album wasn't released eventually.

Edited January 30, 2018 by Blackstar

[Georgina Arriaga]

@Blackstar my hat goes to you. Wow....what a source of info you are. Thanks very much.

I have a question, how many interviews Axl gave between 2006 and 2011?

[Blackstar]

7 minutes ago, Georgina Arriaga said:

I have a question, how many interviews Axl gave between 2006 and 2011?

I think about 10, plus the online chats in 2008. Most of them were in 2010-11.

[DieselDaisy]

9 hours ago, Blackstar said:

Here it is. It's from a radio interview with Slash and Matt in May 2006:

On Axl Rose's claim that Slash made an unannounced 5:30 a.m. visit to Rose's house in October 2005 during which he stated, among other things, that "Duff was spineless," "Scott [Weiland] was a fraud," and that he "hates Matt Sorum":

Slash: I'm not gonna go into the whole long thing. It was just something that he [Axl] decided he was going to? It was a lot of this stuff was built to promote the next Guns record and the tour and all that kind of stuff, 'cause there was this blatantly fabricated thing in there that I'd gone to his house and that he and I had a conversation in which I said all this stuff about my bandmates. And it's just blatantly untrue. For one, I have not talked to the guy in any way, shape or form since 1996, so it's going on 11 years. [Laughs] So that's basically it. There's just no truth to it. And all things considered, it put lot of whatever in people's minds that I was that kind of a guy, so it's? there you have it. So it's not true.

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/slash-addresses-guns-n-roses-rumors-talks-about-upcoming-velvet-revolver-album/

"Blatantly fabricated", "there's no truth to it"...

Slash was basically hiding behind the true part of the story, i.e. that he hadn't talked to Axl himself.

Ouch! 

Quote

all things considered

A classic.

[RONIN]

On 1/30/2018 at 3:04 PM, MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle said:

To add a further mysterious piece to that particular puzzle @Blackstar I think you might recall this too, remember on London's live stream he accidentally left on about a month ago, that guy who said in '2006 when GNR were getting back together' and Steven Adler was taking drum lessons so he could 'get back in the band'.  At first we thought it might have been for the Rock Hall Fame gig but I wonder if there were plans for beyond just that one gig, hence the drum lessons?  Which never paid off.  I wonder what happened that time?  Poor Steven.  He seems perpetually trying and failing to get in on a 'reunion'. 

Interesting tidbit there. The plot thickens.

As per Steven, in 2006 him and Axl buried the hatchet:

The former bandmates were last in touch nearly a decade ago — 2006, according to Adler, when he and Rose connected in Las Vegas. "We drank a $3,000 bottle of tequila, we hugged and we made our amends to each other -- it was wonderful," he recalled. "I hadn't seen him for 15 years before that, so it was really nice just to be in the room with him."

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/steven-adler-hasnt-seen-axl-rose/?trackback=tsmclip

 "First off, I walked into the venue and I saw three guys playing guitar that all looked like Izzy. It's funny that [Axl] needs three guitar players to take the place of one. He's got three guitar players to take care of [Slash's guitar duties]. That just shows how great Slash is. . . At first, his manager told me to leave. I walked in and he said, 'Dude, you better leave. I don't want Axl to get pissed off.' So I left, and I'm opening the front door to my house and my phone is ringing and I answer it and it's his manager, Del. He goes, 'Dude, I'm sorry. He wants to see you.' So I got in the car and went right back."

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/steven-adler-axl-rose-is-one-of-the-greatest-assholes-of-all-time-and-i-say-that-with-love/

Mark Canter:

I helped make that happen. I bumped into Steven roaming around in the crowd and got his phone number. Soon after that del had him removed because he was afraid Axl would get upset that Steven was there. Then they told Axl that Steven was there but that they asked him to leave. Axl was no you didn't have to do that, so then del asked me if I had his contact which I did so they were able to call him and get him back to the gig.

After the gig axl and Steven talked for hours and it seamed that they were cool now. The problem is at some point Steven started talking shit about the fact that Axl didn't want to do a reunion. 

although I didn't hear what they were saying to each other, I could see that Axl did most of the talking and Steven was just nodding his head in agreement. Sort of like yea I know I fucked up. Also Im sure Axl did plenty of venting about the things that he is upset with regarding Slash.

http://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/208485-axl-and-steven-las-vegas-2006/?page=2

Tell me you've changed your opinion on Del James @killuridols 

 

[RONIN]

On 1/30/2018 at 3:38 PM, Blackstar said:

There's also what Scott Weiland had said (that the reunion almost happened in 2005-06).

It's possible that there was some kind of contact between Slash/his camp and Axl's camp after the visit in Axl's house, but then something happened. I read some threads from early 2006, and there were strong reunion rumours going on. The rumours were partly driven from a Slash interview in January/February, where he "announced" that CD was going to come out in March, that he was eager to hear it and was supportive. Later, when he denied the visit to Axl's house, he said he had gotten that information from a business person in Axl's camp (it's in the link I posted above).

--------

EDIT: @RONIN I checked Chinese Whispers, and it seems that the Slash/Duff vs Axl lawsuit the press release was referring to had been filed before the visit. So my theory about the revelation of the visit in the press release being because of that doesn't make much sense, unless the same lawsuit was filed again at another court; or Axl was expecting Slash to withdraw the lawsuit, since Slash and Duff had been receiving the royalties the lawsuit was about.

Maybe Axl's rebuttal was for something else, e.g. Slash announcing the supposed release date of CD, both because Slash took such liberty and of course because the album wasn't released eventually.

Hmmm....so somewhere in early 2006, Axl and Slash fell out in a major way again - Axl issues his press release and Slash/Duff file that lawsuit. I suspect Axl and Slash may have gotten on the phone after his visit in 2005 and tried to test the waters and maybe the call didn't go so well. Or perhaps Axl offered reunion "terms" through his management that were potentially offensive for Slash. As Canter said - maybe Axl asked Slash to apologize publicly if he wanted to play on a few chinese tracks. Maybe the "reunion" would be Slash/Duff guesting like Izzy on some old songs - or perhaps they were asked to again sign on as hired hands to Axl's new band rather than revive the old partnership.

Endless possibilities here but if I had to guess, it appears to me like Slash/Duff were ready and willing but Axl probably felt he had the upper hand in 2006 w/ Chinese Democracy and so his "terms" were probably not so favorable for Sluff. He still wanted them on his terms more than likely. And even now that's kinda what happened since he ended up retaining Fortus/Frank and Melissa for NITL.

2006 seems like a massive missed opportunity. 

[killuridols]

1 hour ago, RONIN said:

Tell me you've changed your opinion on Del James @killuridols 

I knew it was him who removed Steven and Duff and everybody else but I still dont think of him as the devil he is for you 

He was just acting like any employee who's been given orders  at least he checked with Axl later  He could have not mentioned it at all 

 

[RONIN]

3 minutes ago, killuridols said:

I knew it was him who removed Steven and Duff and everybody else but I still dont think of him as the devil he is for you 

He was just acting like any employee who's been given orders  at least he checked with Axl later  He could have not mentioned it at all 

 

Very good point 

[killuridols]

1 hour ago, RONIN said:

Very good point 

[GoBucky]

On 1/27/2018 at 11:26 PM, RONIN said:

Arlette sort of added the final piece of the puzzle about why Sorum was out. Axl hates him but apparently Duff and especially Slash fell out with him in VR. I don't think those guys fought for him as hard as he would have liked when the reunion was announced. He probably was shocked that they decided to do it without any involvement from him. Hence, the awkward deer in headlights look whenever the reunion is brought up in his interviews.

Didn't Duff play in Hollywood Vampires with Matt just a few years ago?

[DieselDaisy]

4 hours ago, RONIN said:

Interesting tidbit there. The plot thickens.

As per Steven, in 2006 him and Axl buried the hatchet:

The former bandmates were last in touch nearly a decade ago — 2006, according to Adler, when he and Rose connected in Las Vegas. "We drank a $3,000 bottle of tequila, we hugged and we made our amends to each other -- it was wonderful," he recalled. "I hadn't seen him for 15 years before that, so it was really nice just to be in the room with him."

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/steven-adler-hasnt-seen-axl-rose/?trackback=tsmclip

 "First off, I walked into the venue and I saw three guys playing guitar that all looked like Izzy. It's funny that [Axl] needs three guitar players to take the place of one. He's got three guitar players to take care of [Slash's guitar duties]. That just shows how great Slash is. . . At first, his manager told me to leave. I walked in and he said, 'Dude, you better leave. I don't want Axl to get pissed off.' So I left, and I'm opening the front door to my house and my phone is ringing and I answer it and it's his manager, Del. He goes, 'Dude, I'm sorry. He wants to see you.' So I got in the car and went right back."

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/steven-adler-axl-rose-is-one-of-the-greatest-assholes-of-all-time-and-i-say-that-with-love/

Mark Canter:

I helped make that happen. I bumped into Steven roaming around in the crowd and got his phone number. Soon after that del had him removed because he was afraid Axl would get upset that Steven was there. Then they told Axl that Steven was there but that they asked him to leave. Axl was no you didn't have to do that, so then del asked me if I had his contact which I did so they were able to call him and get him back to the gig.

After the gig axl and Steven talked for hours and it seamed that they were cool now. The problem is at some point Steven started talking shit about the fact that Axl didn't want to do a reunion. 

although I didn't hear what they were saying to each other, I could see that Axl did most of the talking and Steven was just nodding his head in agreement. Sort of like yea I know I fucked up. Also Im sure Axl did plenty of venting about the things that he is upset with regarding Slash.

http://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/208485-axl-and-steven-las-vegas-2006/?page=2

Tell me you've changed your opinion on Del James @killuridols 

 

I wish rose would ditch the sycophants. 

[GoBucky]

"I won't even list what I've accomplished because I don't need to. What we're talking about here is a frightened little man who once thought he was king, but unfortunately this king without his court is nothing but a memory of the asshole he once was."

The irony of that Weiland quote is unreal.

[Sydney Fan]

7 hours ago, RONIN said:

Hmmm....so somewhere in early 2006, Axl and Slash fell out in a major way again - Axl issues his press release and Slash/Duff file that lawsuit. I suspect Axl and Slash may have gotten on the phone after his visit in 2005 and tried to test the waters and maybe the call didn't go so well. Or perhaps Axl offered reunion "terms" through his management that were potentially offensive for Slash. As Canter said - maybe Axl asked Slash to apologize publicly if he wanted to play on a few chinese tracks. Maybe the "reunion" would be Slash/Duff guesting like Izzy on some old songs - or perhaps they were asked to again sign on as hired hands to Axl's new band rather than revive the old partnership.

Endless possibilities here but if I had to guess, it appears to me like Slash/Duff were ready and willing but Axl probably felt he had the upper hand in 2006 w/ Chinese Democracy and so his "terms" were probably not so favorable for Sluff. He still wanted them on his terms more than likely. And even now that's kinda what happened since he ended up retaining Fortus/Frank and Melissa for NITL.

2006 seems like a massive missed opportunity. 

Plus ronin add to that duff and slash are or were during NITL on contracts which is what axl wanted and the reason for slash leaving in the first place in 96. If someone would have mentioned to slash in 96 that 20 years from now you will be back touring under axls band of "GNR" you will be on a contract he would probably have never left in the first place.

[CAFC Nick]

11 hours ago, RONIN said:

Hmmm....so somewhere in early 2006, Axl and Slash fell out in a major way again - Axl issues his press release and Slash/Duff file that lawsuit. I suspect Axl and Slash may have gotten on the phone after his visit in 2005 and tried to test the waters and maybe the call didn't go so well. Or perhaps Axl offered reunion "terms" through his management that were potentially offensive for Slash. As Canter said - maybe Axl asked Slash to apologize publicly if he wanted to play on a few chinese tracks. Maybe the "reunion" would be Slash/Duff guesting like Izzy on some old songs - or perhaps they were asked to again sign on as hired hands to Axl's new band rather than revive the old partnership.

Endless possibilities here but if I had to guess, it appears to me like Slash/Duff were ready and willing but Axl probably felt he had the upper hand in 2006 w/ Chinese Democracy and so his "terms" were probably not so favorable for Sluff. He still wanted them on his terms more than likely. And even now that's kinda what happened since he ended up retaining Fortus/Frank and Melissa for NITL.

2006 seems like a massive missed opportunity. 

Furthering on from this - took me a while to find but remember reading this vividly soon after the event:

"I have to write some copy this weekend on Guns 'N Roses for a feature to go with my photos. [...] If you tell the truth it sets off too many wars, or egos way out of control. The original line-up is supposed to play Download in June with their metal chums, Metallica, if Lars can be bothered to turn up." (Ross Halfin, 02/04/06)

Source: http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=4193

If i remember correctly (can't verify this exactly) but the deal for Download 2006 was a one-off reunion show where Slash and Duff ultimately sign away any remaining rights to GNR - I guess similar to the Van Halen Michael Anthony reunion deal of a number of years back.

[Blackstar]

12 hours ago, RONIN said:

Hmmm....so somewhere in early 2006, Axl and Slash fell out in a major way again - Axl issues his press release and Slash/Duff file that lawsuit. I suspect Axl and Slash may have gotten on the phone after his visit in 2005 and tried to test the waters and maybe the call didn't go so well. Or perhaps Axl offered reunion "terms" through his management that were potentially offensive for Slash. As Canter said - maybe Axl asked Slash to apologize publicly if he wanted to play on a few chinese tracks. Maybe the "reunion" would be Slash/Duff guesting like Izzy on some old songs - or perhaps they were asked to again sign on as hired hands to Axl's new band rather than revive the old partnership.

Endless possibilities here but if I had to guess, it appears to me like Slash/Duff were ready and willing but Axl probably felt he had the upper hand in 2006 w/ Chinese Democracy and so his "terms" were probably not so favorable for Sluff. He still wanted them on his terms more than likely. And even now that's kinda what happened since he ended up retaining Fortus/Frank and Melissa for NITL.

2006 seems like a massive missed opportunity. 

Imo it's very doubtful that they had spoken to each other directly. I don't think they've lied about that, i.e. that they hadn't talked in 20 years. It's more likely that there had been negotiations or informal talks between the camps.

The scenario/rumour of the time @CAFC Nickposted seems plausible:  Slash went to Axl's house in an attempt to settle the lawsuit and maybe explore the possibilities for a reunion. Indirect communication started and Axl agreed on a one off or a few reunion shows in exchange of Slash/Duff withdrawing the 2004 lawsuit and any legal claims on the band name, rights etc, so it didn't go anywhere.

[double talkin jive mfkr]

18 hours ago, RONIN said:

Hmmm....so somewhere in early 2006, Axl and Slash fell out in a major way again - Axl issues his press release and Slash/Duff file that lawsuit. I suspect Axl and Slash may have gotten on the phone after his visit in 2005 and tried to test the waters and maybe the call didn't go so well. Or perhaps Axl offered reunion "terms" through his management that were potentially offensive for Slash. As Canter said - maybe Axl asked Slash to apologize publicly if he wanted to play on a few chinese tracks. Maybe the "reunion" would be Slash/Duff guesting like Izzy on some old songs - or perhaps they were asked to again sign on as hired hands to Axl's new band rather than revive the old partnership.

Endless possibilities here but if I had to guess, it appears to me like Slash/Duff were ready and willing but Axl probably felt he had the upper hand in 2006 w/ Chinese Democracy and so his "terms" were probably not so favorable for Sluff. He still wanted them on his terms more than likely. And even now that's kinda what happened since he ended up retaining Fortus/Frank and Melissa for NITL.

2006 seems like a massive missed opportunity. 

SLUFF SUCKS - NO LEVERAGE TILL THE END AND EVEN THEN STILL THE SAME

Edited February 2, 2018 by double talkin jive mfkr

[Top-Hatted One]

21 hours ago, GoBucky said:

Didn't Duff play in Hollywood Vampires with Matt just a few years ago?

Yea things seemed to be ok between Matt and duff but not Slash.

Remember the Hall of Fame? The Hall inducted Matt. So if there was a major fallout and burned bridges wouldn’t Slash have him excluded from the induction ceremony?

I think they are still cool with one another. Slash did wish him a happy birthday a few months ago but Slash no longer wants him as a bandmate.

 

[RONIN]

23 hours ago, DieselDaisy said:

I wish rose would ditch the sycophants. 

So did Tom Zutaut apparently.

Tom Zutaut, the man who signed GUNS N' ROSES to Geffen Records back in the mis-'80s, was unceremoniously booted out of the "Chinese Democracy" listening party, held at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood, California last Tuesday (November 18).

Tom tells Classic Rock magazine, "Yeah, sadly it is true that I was escorted out of the Roxy by a beefy security guy just prior to the last three songs of the playback. I did stand on the sidewalk and hear the last three anyway.

"I believe that love and hate are a complicated thing but ultimately the same thing. I love Axland think 'Chinese Democracy' is a genius body of music. Although I had heard most of the album in an unfinished form six-seven years ago, and more recently through some of the leaks, I really wanted to hear it played back over a loud PA in its final form as imagined by its creator, W. Axl Rose.

"It is sad and disappointing to me that those around Axl would lie to him to fuel his hatred towards me with imaginary events used to drive a wedge between us. I love him deeply, will always love him and wish only the greatest success to one of the world’s last true creative musical sparks with a god-given voice. I am proud of my contributions to his career and am always there for him should he one day become enlightened to the truth of what surrounds him. It is also sad that he doesn't mention the hard work I put in on my short involvement with 'Chinese Democracy' with even a 'Thank You' considering lesser players are credited or thanked in the liner notes — even those who ridiculed him, belittled and made fun of him behind his back while I defended his genius 'til those around him poisoned him against me with distortions and lies.

"I wear his hatred as a badge of honor as it would be far worse for him not to care at all."

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-original-a-r-man-kicked-out-of-chinese-democracy-listening-party/

[DieselDaisy]

5 hours ago, RONIN said:

So did Tom Zutaut apparently.

Tom Zutaut, the man who signed GUNS N' ROSES to Geffen Records back in the mis-'80s, was unceremoniously booted out of the "Chinese Democracy" listening party, held at the Roxy Theater in West Hollywood, California last Tuesday (November 18).

Tom tells Classic Rock magazine, "Yeah, sadly it is true that I was escorted out of the Roxy by a beefy security guy just prior to the last three songs of the playback. I did stand on the sidewalk and hear the last three anyway.

"I believe that love and hate are a complicated thing but ultimately the same thing. I love Axland think 'Chinese Democracy' is a genius body of music. Although I had heard most of the album in an unfinished form six-seven years ago, and more recently through some of the leaks, I really wanted to hear it played back over a loud PA in its final form as imagined by its creator, W. Axl Rose.

"It is sad and disappointing to me that those around Axl would lie to him to fuel his hatred towards me with imaginary events used to drive a wedge between us. I love him deeply, will always love him and wish only the greatest success to one of the world’s last true creative musical sparks with a god-given voice. I am proud of my contributions to his career and am always there for him should he one day become enlightened to the truth of what surrounds him. It is also sad that he doesn't mention the hard work I put in on my short involvement with 'Chinese Democracy' with even a 'Thank You' considering lesser players are credited or thanked in the liner notes — even those who ridiculed him, belittled and made fun of him behind his back while I defended his genius 'til those around him poisoned him against me with distortions and lies.

"I wear his hatred as a badge of honor as it would be far worse for him not to care at all."

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-original-a-r-man-kicked-out-of-chinese-democracy-listening-party/

It seems obvious that Beta propagated Rose's hatred of Slash over the years. The story Canter tells of Beta walking out of his son's Bar Mitzvah when Slash got on stage has to be one of the most pettiest things I've read from this world of sad petty little people. 

[RONIN]

15 hours ago, DieselDaisy said:

It seems obvious that Beta propagated Rose's hatred of Slash over the years. The story Canter tells of Beta walking out of his son's Bar Mitzvah when Slash got on stage has to be one of the most pettiest things I've read from this world of sad petty little people. 

Agreed - I guess she saw any reconciliation between Axl and Duff/Slash as a threat to her influence in Axl's life (and finances). Her and Doug Goldstein systematically separated him from everyone in the original GnR inner circle like Niven, Slash, Duff, Canter. This would play out again when Buckethead is also ousted in a similar fashion by those trying to secure their position and influence in Axl's life (Del/Tommy).

On a sidenote - one of the people Zutaut is directly referring to in the above press release? Doug Goldstein.

I was just listening to Goldstein's interview w/ Mitch Lafon (it's a hoot) - towards the end, he admits that he may have "accidentally" been responsible for the rift between Axl and Zoot. There's another lovely part towards the end of that interview where Mitch brings up randomly that Doug's company sued Slash/Duff in '99 - after Doug spent the past 2 hours talking about how much he loves Duff/Slash and how they were family. Comedy gold.

Apparently Goldstein was ousted out of the GnR organization in an underhanded fashion by Merck (probably another interesting story there to be dug up - the Merck/Axl saga). Oddly enough, Alan Niven claims his former employee Doug did exactly that to him 27 odd years ago (which Doug disputes in the interview - he loves Alan Niven too you see). History repeating itself. The icing on the cake? Doug writes a long sycophantic love letter to Axl begging to be let back into his former job - and someone (read: Beta) leaks the entire thing onto the internet to publicly humiliate him.  

“During this process (the mixing of ‘UYI’) the animosity between our manager, Alan Niven, and Axl came to a head. The rest of us had been trying to squash it for a while, but Axl's issues with Alan had been brewing for years - since the moment he found out that Alan also managed and produced and co-wrote Great White. There was also the fact that Alan was opinionated on a lot of things and Axl didn’t always agree with his point of view. So at times Axl felt like he was being forced to do things that he didn't necessarily want to do.

“I knew it was going to happen but I didn’t think it would be the tipping point. Looking back, I feel that shift was the moment, the pause at the pinnacle of the band’s success... and the start of its downfall… All the same, I saw Doug coming. He made a place for himself in Axl’s life, and once Axl had made his feelings about Alan clear, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Doug was right there to pick up the reins. He had been strategically moving up the ladder from the beginning. He was like an ambush predator. Though at the end of the day no one is more responsible for the demise of Guns N’ Roses  than Guns N’ Roses, Doug Goldstein was a catalyst ... from the start, (he) wanted to make a name for himself  in the industry and make money, and we were the perfect vehicle for that. His techniques to divide and conquer were an instrument for the arrival of our end.” - Slash 

Edited February 3, 2018 by RONIN

[RONIN]

On 2/2/2018 at 2:51 AM, Blackstar said:

Imo it's very doubtful that they had spoken to each other directly. I don't think they've lied about that, i.e. that they hadn't talked in 20 years. It's more likely that there had been negotiations or informal talks between the camps.

The scenario/rumour of the time @CAFC Nickposted seems plausible:  Slash went to Axl's house in an attempt to settle the lawsuit and maybe explore the possibilities for a reunion. Indirect communication started and Axl agreed on a one off or a few reunion shows in exchange of Slash/Duff withdrawing the 2004 lawsuit and any legal claims on the band name, rights etc, so it didn't go anywhere.

Agreed - so if there was any veracity to the quote  @CAFC Nick posted (and it sounds entirely plausible) - then Axl, keeping with Axl tradition, offered them an insulting deal to strip them of their last remaining legal rights to the band. Win/Win proposition for him - what better way to drum up hype for Axl's new band than to announce a one-off GnR reunion which would have been a global event magnitudes bigger than what we saw in 2016 - and finally end a decade of reunion whining with a one-off that also dissolves any legal ties to his former friends. It would have set the nu-Guns marketing machine off with a bang in 2006 and built momentum throughout the year w/ nuguns touring the world and finally capping off the year with the release of the album.  The Hammerstein shows in 2006 got a great reception on this forum and Axl's voice/physique were the best he's been since '93. 

So the next question is what happened to throw Axl's plans in 2006 off track? That was a legitimate comeback attempt squandered at the last minute. For all intents and purposes, it looks like he choked when the moment of truth arrived (and subsequently threw Merck under the bus). Didn't Merck get the boot soon after 2006 ended and the album hadn't come out yet? 

[RONIN]

On 2/2/2018 at 1:27 AM, CAFC Nick said:

Furthering on from this - took me a while to find but remember reading this vividly soon after the event:

"I have to write some copy this weekend on Guns 'N Roses for a feature to go with my photos. [...] If you tell the truth it sets off too many wars, or egos way out of control. The original line-up is supposed to play Download in June with their metal chums, Metallica, if Lars can be bothered to turn up." (Ross Halfin, 02/04/06)

Source: http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=4193

If i remember correctly (can't verify this exactly) but the deal for Download 2006 was a one-off reunion show where Slash and Duff ultimately sign away any remaining rights to GNR - I guess similar to the Van Halen Michael Anthony reunion deal of a number of years back.

Yep I recall reading this as well back when it first appeared on this forum and completely dismissed it as a rumor. Fantastic find.  There were huge rumors that they were going to reunite at a festival in Europe around that time. 

On 2/1/2018 at 8:22 PM, GoBucky said:

"I won't even list what I've accomplished because I don't need to. What we're talking about here is a frightened little man who once thought he was king, but unfortunately this king without his court is nothing but a memory of the asshole he once was."

The irony of that Weiland quote is unreal.

Yeah, it's a classic