Duff on Izzy Interviews - The Rolling Stone/Blabbermouth 18th July [New]

[RONIN]

1 hour ago, shotsfired cro said:

uhmm...didn't Slash say 15 years ago Duff is spineless?

he always said what he thought public wanted to hear, probably does the same with Axl.

Slash, obviously, doesn't agree with this line up, but has no support from Duff and is stranded there like an island.

Duff, on the other hand, doesn't want to endanger his $$$$ even if that means leaving out Iz/Matt/Adler and putting up with Frank.

Only hope is endless questions about Izzy, until they begin to feel fed up.

Agreed - I get the same impression. 

There was a rumor here around the time of the reunion that Duff had a prominent role to play in Izzy not being there - mainly that he's become ruthless over money and the band's finances. Who knows how true that is but given Duff's about-face on Izzy, the yachts on Instagram, and his overtly-pc interviews over the past 3 years, I'd say that may be within the realms of possibility. Slash actually comes off the best in this whole situation - he's the only guy that hasn't taken a shot at Izzy publicly and his interviews are much less cringeworthy. 

"Duff may sound like the De La Hoya, but he's the fuckin' Vargas." - W. Axl Rose

Edited June 26, 2019 by RONIN

[RONIN]

7 hours ago, Drexl said:

Duff "The King of Beers" McKagan - the ultimate villain for the GNR fanbase. He dethroned Axl.

People really need to hate someone.

No one hates Puff here - but he deserves our scorn at the moment because he's acting like a clown. He's turning into the Gene Simmons of the band. Atleast Simmons owns that he's a sell-out unlike Duff who talks about his punk cred every chance he gets. I bet he's still kicking himself for quitting in '97 and giving up all that loot. 

Edited June 26, 2019 by RONIN

[kiwiguns]

24 minutes ago, RONIN said:

No one hates Puff here - but he deserves our scorn at the moment because he's acting like a clown. He's turned into the Gene Simmons of the band. Atleast Simmons owns that he's a sell-out unlike Duff who talks about his punk cred every chance he gets. Post VR-Duff is all about the loot. I bet he's still kicking himself for quitting in '97 - probably wishes he could have done those 15 years of endless AFD/Chinese Democracy tours with Axl.

I don't no why some of you get court up in this stuff, given its does not effect you or is it personally being directed at you. 

Don't take things personal. If you don't like Duffs opinions, that's all good. 

It seems you guys want band members to speak, but only what some of you want to hear. 

You people cannot control what Duff does or says, just like he cannot control what you post about him. 

The funny thing is, Duff won't be wasting his time on worrying about what a few people post on a fan forum. 

As you can see by his twitter account he is getting on with life. 

Duff would be laughing his arse off at some of you being so concerned about what he is saying. 

Have you not heard of the meaning, of having the last laugh.

 

Edited June 26, 2019 by kiwiguns

[RONIN]

1 minute ago, kiwiguns said:

I don't no why some of you get, court up in this stuff, given its does not effect you or is personally being directed at you. 

Don't take things personal. If you don't like Duffs opinions, that's all good. 

It's seems you guys want band members to speak, but only what some of you want to hear. 

You people cannot control what Duff does or says, just like he cannot control what you post about him. 

The funny thing is, Duff won't be wasting his time on worrying about what a few people post on fan forum. 

As you can see by his twitter account he is getting on with life. 

Duff would be laughing his arse off at some of you being so concerned about what he is saying. 

So we can't react to GnR news in a cynical way without it sounding like we're taking it personally? 

I can't speak for anyone else, but to me, the GnR story is a bit like Mystery Science Theater - a source of endless mirth. 

[Gunsdrummer63]

If we ever get a behind the scenes look of how everything went down leading up to the "reunion tour", I hope we get it from 2 people. 

 

1.) Fortus because he probably got phoned in at the last minute to replace Izzy, that is of the invitation really was extended to him and they did actually wait. Frank actually might be a decent option too as much as I hate his drumming, he'd be able to give a 3rd party view on rehearsals with everyone and how the steven thing played out.

2.) Slash because he's a lot better than duff at interviews and will be able to share more of the music/axl and his relationship details.  

 

The duff media episodes are just getting old. seems like every interview he does nowadays he digs himself into a deeper hole when all he has to do is just say "the past is the past. we were kids and times were different". 

 

With the Izzy comments, he really needs to script the answer out ahead of time because this wasn't a great answer...you can tell he knew and didn't have an answer for it. Or better yet, just say no Izzy and steven questions before the interview. 

[Original]

Good interview.   Cool to see Duff (since Axl is radio silent) say something semi interesting.   I thought it was solid.  

[rocknroll41]

Didn’t someone close to the band during the UYI days say it was Duff who was most upset when Izzy got demoted in early 1991 while touring?

not trying to attack or defend the guy. Just playing devil’s advocate to the posts directly above.

[djones1225]

For a long time I thought Axl was just talking bullshit how Slash called Duff spineless, now hell I'm actually starting believe Axl.

[axlsalinger]

People are being too negative, this was actually a really good interview. Yeah we all wish the GNR guys would talk more about GNR. But Duff said it twice in this interview, they made a conscious decision not to do any press. It's probably an Axl thing, but they like the mystique. It is what it is.

I thought his comment on It's So Easy in a previous interview was pretty silly, but the answer here made sense. Yeah, Duff is more PC now. He's also older and wiser. I do agree that he should just say it was a punk rock song and some of the lyrics were a little coarse, but honestly the best thing to do is probably just to downplay it and move on. 

It's also quite obvious that they simply do not want to talk in public about what happened with Izzy Stradlin. It totally sucks, I get it, we all love Izzy and we would like to know what went down, but they have all been very cryptic about it (including Izzy) so it's no surprise. If I were to interview Duff I would absolutely ask the question; I just wouldn't expect a detailed response. 

Overall, it's a good interview, nothing groundbreaking, worth a listen.

[Alejandro GNR]

I’ve always felt Axl hasnt lied.

Can anyone explain to me Axl’s analogy about De La Hoya and Vargas?

[djones1225]

There's been a lot of rumors about this reunion with Izzy. Duff saying Izzy never showed up, Axl said things could go one way or another with Izzy, rumors saying there was a full Appetite 5 Rehearsal and Izzy would just mostly talk to Duff, and Izzy saying they didn't want to split the loot equally. I'm guessing a lot of people thought "they" meant Axl, it could've been more Duff since with the reunion the rumor was Axl had the GNR name, Slash had the logo, Duff had the finance. I'm not throwing shots at Duff or saying that Axl is this great guy whose done nothing wrong with GNR, I'm just putting my opinion out there. I'm also not complaining that someone in GNR is actually doing a lot of press.

[Rovim]

26 minutes ago, axlsalinger said:

People are being too negative, this was actually a really good interview. Yeah we all wish the GNR guys would talk more about GNR. But Duff said it twice in this interview, they made a conscious decision not to do any press. It's probably an Axl thing, but they like the mystique. It is what it is.

I thought his comment on It's So Easy in a previous interview was pretty silly, but the answer here made sense. Yeah, Duff is more PC now. He's also older and wiser. I do agree that he should just say it was a punk rock song and some of the lyrics were a little coarse, but honestly the best thing to do is probably just to downplay it and move on. 

It's also quite obvious that they simply do not want to talk in public about what happened with Izzy Stradlin. It totally sucks, I get it, we all love Izzy and we would like to know what went down, but they have all been very cryptic about it (including Izzy) so it's no surprise. If I were to interview Duff I would absolutely ask the question; I just wouldn't expect a detailed response. 

Overall, it's a good interview, nothing groundbreaking, worth a listen.

Izzy wasn't cryptic about it at all. He wasn't specific, but he out right said it was about money. I don't think people are being too negative either, they're just not pleased with Duff trying to spin shit or avoid questions, basically being dishonest when there are so many other, better ways to handle these issues in the press.

when Slash was asked about Izzy in one of his interviews he said "ain't gonna light that fuse" even that is much better than to act like you have no idea why Izzy wasn't a part of it.

Or his excuses about the It's So Easy lyrics... he handled it poorly and a lot of fans here don't appreciate that. He acts like a politician and that fuckin' sucks.

Edited June 26, 2019 by Rovim

[djones1225]

Slash has been the only honest one about the reunion and the possibly new album. Hell a few months ago he said it wasn't so likely and not gonna happen, while Duff at the time was saying it'll happen when it happens.

[djones1225]

Also shouldn't Duff be promoting Tenderness more instead of defending the lyrics he wrote more than 32 years ago. 

[FuriousStyles]

16 minutes ago, Alejandro GNR said:

I’ve always felt Axl hasnt lied.

Can anyone explain to me Axl’s analogy about De La Hoya and Vargas?

The short of it is Fernando Vargas went hard at De La Hoya in the media, calling him out for a potential fight, and when they finally met in the ring, De La Hoya spanked Vargas in the 11th and TKO'd him.

[axlsalinger]

11 minutes ago, Rovim said:

Izzy wasn't cryptic about it at all. He wasn't specific, but he out right said it was about money. I don't think people are being too negative either, they're just not pleased with Duff trying to spin shit or avoid questions, basically being dishonest when there are so many other, better ways to handle these issues in the press.

when Slash was asked about Izzy in one of his interviews he said "ain't gonna light that fuse" even that is much better than to act like you have no idea why Izzy wasn't a part of it.

Or his excuses about the It's So Easy lyrics... he handled it poorly and a lot of fans here don't appreciate that. He acts like a politician and that fuckin' sucks.

Izzy tweeted a clip of himself singing a song with cryptic lyrics that could be about Axl, and made one comment about "the loot", but he was absolutely cryptic about it. We still have no idea whatsoever, what he wanted or asked for.

Did he want to play rhythm guitar for the whole tour and get an equal share? Or did he want to come and go? Izzy has only done a handful of shows in the last 20 years so I find it hard to believe he'd be up for a 3-year world tour.

Still holding out hope that we get to see a limited "Original 5" tour at some point. But new music most of all.

As for negativity, I skimmed through 2/3 of page 1 and wasn't going to bother listening to the interview based on what i read, but decided to click the link and ended up enjoying it a lot. So I feel like the comments did not fairly describe the interview itself. 

[Blackstar]

Brian Hiatt: I had to say one thing and this is probably, you know – listening to this record, I had to say it. I was like, ‘You know who’d really like this record? Izzy.’ I had to say, and unfortunately he wasn’t part of this reunion. 

Duff: Yeah. 

Hiatt: It didn’t work out. I mean, what’s your take on all that? It is undeniably unfortunate.  

Duff: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, and it wasn’t from us not trying, for sure. I don’t know if I have a take beyond that. I know what we tried to do, and how hard we worked at that touring. And a big rock band is not for everybody, that’s my take on that. It’s a thing - you know, like, this is a thing. 

Hiatt: He said it came down to money, which is... interesting. 

Duff: Yeah, I don’t even know... At the end of the day, I just couldn’t figure out.  

Hiatt: I mean, cuz he’s been known to agree to things and then not do them anyway - knowing your whole story, the number of times he comes in and out. I mean, people don’t know how he was almost part of Velvet Revolver - well, there’s a lot of coming and going. 

Duff: Yeah, there’s a lot of coming and going, like... So this was one more chapter of that coming and going. I don’t want to say anything that’s untoward, because I love that guy. And Slash and I are sober guys and we went out with some solution-based – you know, like, ‘Let’s make this work.’ But it just didn’t, and, who knows, maybe some other time?

-------------

 I think this might be a case where each party tells their part of the truth – or part of their truth – and no one is technically lying.

Apparently Izzy wasn’t happy with what was offered and he considered it unfair. Maybe it wasn’t just the loot, but that he wanted a “real” reunion; meaning that he wanted them to start over from where they were when he left or even before, and/or that he didn’t want such a big production tour - there fits a quote attributed to Slash talking to a fan backstage: “Izzy thought it could be 1987 again. That’s not gonna happen.” And maybe all that had to do with the partnership, too - or not; it’s just speculation.  

But it also seems highly possible that Izzy didn’t give them a definite answer and didn’t say that he wouldn’t do it. Duff said in the other interview that they waited for him to turn up at the rehearsals, and he didn’t. I don’t think Duff would’ve just made this up. In this context, what Axl said in the Brazilian TV interview makes some sense. And, in that situation, they had to have Fortus there, as they couldn’t rely on Izzy.

[MaskingApathy]

1 hour ago, djones1225 said:

rumors saying there was a full Appetite 5 Rehearsal and Izzy would just mostly talk to Duff

 

11 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

there fits a quote attributed to Slash talking to a fan backstage: “Izzy thought it could be 1987 again. That’s not gonna happen.”

Can you both elaborate on these 2 points? I don't think I've heard about this.

[Rovim]

1 hour ago, axlsalinger said:

Izzy tweeted a clip of himself singing a song with cryptic lyrics that could be about Axl, and made one comment about "the loot", but he was absolutely cryptic about it. We still have no idea whatsoever, what he wanted or asked for.

Did he want to play rhythm guitar for the whole tour and get an equal share? Or did he want to come and go? Izzy has only done a handful of shows in the last 20 years so I find it hard to believe he'd be up for a 3-year world tour.

Still holding out hope that we get to see a limited "Original 5" tour at some point. But new music most of all.

As for negativity, I skimmed through 2/3 of page 1 and wasn't going to bother listening to the interview based on what i read, but decided to click the link and ended up enjoying it a lot. So I feel like the comments did not fairly describe the interview itself. 

You call that cryptic, but didn't Izzy say "share the loot equally"? anyway, seems pretty clear to me that they at least did not want him to become a part of the partnership when it came to money.

Also: just because Izzy only did a handful of shows doesn't mean anything really. He could have done it cause Axl, Slash, and Duff are a part of it now. we don't know.

Not holding my breath for an original 5 tour, Axl seems satisfied with Frank, and I believe Fortus was always going to be a part of it, but to just circle around it seems too diplomatic of Duff. They've made Izzy an offer that probably insulted him cause he is a founding member, he might think he has a right to be a full partner and they might have thought the price was too high for what he was providing. I think Duff could have been more honest about it and that fans would have mostly accepted it, that they tried and it didn't work out.

Personally I believe that with such a lucrative tour, if they really wanted to, they could have offered him to be a partner but they chose the money over Izzy.

Edited June 26, 2019 by Rovim

[Blackstar]

3 hours ago, MaskingApathy said:

Can you both elaborate on these 2 points? I don't think I've heard about this.

It's at about 1:20:00 minute mark of this podcast. This guy met Slash with Antony Bozza backstage at a NITL show.

"And [Slash] is like, 'We talked about it, we love Izzy, but, let's just put it this way, Izzy wanted everything to be like it was back in 1987 and that just wasn't gonna happen, man. And so, we put a fair offer on the table [...] but it just didn't work out. But, who knows, maybe he'll come out for some of the shows. We'll see, we'd love that.'"

Edited June 26, 2019 by Blackstar

[djones1225]

I think Alan Niven said this (but since its Alan Niven take it with a grain of salt) he said the original 5 got together in either Houston or Nashville in 2016 at rehearsal space, and the band ran through the whole Appetite album + Civil War, You Could be Mine, Patience & Dont Cry, and Izzy would mostly stay close to Duff and didn't really get along with Steven Adler, while Melissa, Dizzy & 4tus got along more with Steven, and the next day at rehearsal Izzy never showed up

[axlsalinger]

I feel like, if Izzy Stradlin had come in and said he wants to be an equal member again and play rhythm guitar at every show, run around the stage, work on writing songs, etc., and be a full member for a full tour, he would have been entitled to an equal share (this is assuming the shares are equal to begin with which is unlikely, Axl & Slash likely wanted and probably deserved more). 

At the end of the day it's impossible to really speculate because we have no idea how much the guys in the band make, how much Izzy wanted, or even how much he wanted to participate in the tour. If he wanted to show up whenever it was convenient for him, no. Not worth an equal share. But I'm sure he would have made a lot of cash either way.

Duff intimates in this interview (despite trying not to answer the question) that they worked really hard to find a solution that worked for izzy and the band, but it just didn't work out because of Izzy. Both Slash and Duff (and hell, even Axl in his 1 interview) have said this a few times, while also saying that they don't want to slag him because they love the guy.

I don't think it's fair to say they chose money over Izzy, we just don't have enough info to go on.

[djones1225]

I dont think we will ever have a flat out answer with what happened with Izzy, it's like we also have no idea what really happened in '94 - '96, and it's been over 22 years. 

[RONIN]

1 hour ago, rocknroll41 said:

Didn’t someone close to the band during the UYI days say it was Duff who was most upset when Izzy got demoted in early 1991 while touring?

not trying to attack or defend the guy. Just playing devil’s advocate to the posts directly above.

Might be totally off here but I vaguely recall reading that in "watch you bleed" - the gist of the anecdote being that in the midst of leg 1 of the Illusion tour, the trio had a group huddle before a show where Axl and Slash decided to officially demote Izzy. Reportedly, Duff really didn't like the decision and had serious misgivings but was cajoled into agreeing. The catalyst for this being (allegedly) Izzy's demand that Axl should pay the band's curfew violation fees since he was always delaying shows.

[Blackstar]

On 6/26/2019 at 8:08 AM, RONIN said:

Might be totally off here but I vaguely recall reading that in "watch you bleed" - the gist of the anecdote being that in the midst of leg 1 of the Illusion tour, the trio had a group huddle before a show where Axl and Slash decided to officially demote Izzy. Reportedly, Duff really didn't like the decision and had serious misgivings but was cajoled into agreeing. The catalyst for this being (allegedly) Izzy's demand that Axl should pay the band's curfew violation fees since he was always delaying shows.

I don't think that book had this story. The writer just quotes from some of the known Axl and Izzy interviews, and nothing more.

But it stems from some Slash interviews of the time, in combination with what Axl and Izzy said in various interviews, also at the time. From those interviews it doesn't seem that Duff was at the meeting where Axl and Slash decided to demote Izzy (more accurately, to threaten to demote Izzy).

@SoulMonsterhas gathered all those quotes and has been writing the story here:

http://www.a-4-d.com/t3967p150-the-history-of-guns-n-roses-in-their-own-words#14955

and here:

http://www.a-4-d.com/t3967p150-the-history-of-guns-n-roses-in-their-own-words#14963

http://www.a-4-d.com/t3967p150-the-history-of-guns-n-roses-in-their-own-words#14964

In short, the series of events (always based on those interviews) seems to have gone like this:

- In September 1991, after the first European leg of the UYI tour, as per Izzy, he calls a band meeting and demands that Axl pays fines from the delays etc. Then also, according to Axl, Izzy sends a letter with his terms and demands about what should be changed so that he continued touring. Moreover, Izzy doesn't show up to the shooting of the Don't Cry video. During that month the press reported that Izzy might stop touring with the band and be replaced by Dave Navarro, but "sources" close to the band indicated that Izzy would continue writing even if he stopped touring, and the Jane's Addiction camp said that Navarro was asked only to replace Izzy for the next leg of the tour and not to become a GnR member.

- In October-early November, the band rehearses for the next NA leg, and Slash auditions horn players and backup singers. According to Slash, Izzy didn't show up at those rehearsals, and towards the end of that period, he finally shows up but also goes to the band's accountants asking for reports on the finances. Shows that were scheduled for October and November are postponed (this comes from an interview of the time with Soundgarden, who were the opening band), most likely due to the pending Izzy situation.

- In November, Axl and Slash decide to threaten Izzy that he wouldn't be an equal partner if he didn't do certain things. So Axl and Slash have a meeting with Izzy and tell him that (as per Izzy, he didn't like the "numbers" that were presented to him). According to Slash, Izzy didn't say anything to them, but instead sent a resignation letter to "the office" the next day.

- Then Axl called Izzy on the phone, and, as per Axl, the phone call lasted four hours. According to Slash, Axl told Izzy that it was fine if he didn't want to tour and that he could return to the band and write with them (this is also confirmed by a later Izzy interview from 2001), and "Izzy was cool and it was real amicable" (Slash). Izzy, talking about the phone call in one of the interviews he gave in late 1992, said that Axl tried to make it better for him, too; in another interview of the same time, though, he said that Axl didn't accomplish anything with the phone call. 

- Then, according to Slash and Axl, Izzy went to the other band members and told them that he was pushed/kicked out of the band. That made Axl very angry (because he apparently thought that the phone conversation had kind of sorted things out) and, when Izzy went over to Axl's house ("he didn't know we knew" [what he had told Duff and Matt] - Slash), Axl told him to go to hell.

Edited June 27, 2019 by Blackstar