cqleonardo Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Is there any truth to it? I always read that Axl didn't like MJ over the acusations Michael suffered in the 90s and that he got really pissed at Slash because he went to play on Dangerous... But it doesn't make any sense, Dangerous was released in 1991, two years before any acusations. The UYI ended in mid july of 93, the acusations on Michael got public on late august, so GNR wasn't even on the road and I bet Axl and Slash were very far from each other at that point... So, anyone knows if there is any truth to this or the "feud" didn't even existed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holographic Universe Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 4 minutes ago, cqleonardo said: Is there any truth to it? I always read that Axl didn't like MJ over the acusations Michael suffered in the 90s and that he got really pissed at Slash because he went to play on Dangerous... But it doesn't make any sense, Dangerous was released in 1991, two years before any acusations. The UYI ended in mid july of 93, the acusations on Michael got public on late august, so GNR wasn't even on the road and I bet Axl and Slash were very far from each other at that point... So, anyone knows if there is any truth to this or the "feud" didn't even existed? There might be a little truth. I believe Axl said something at the VMAs somewhat disavowing MJs name on an award the band recieved. There would be absolutely no reason to make a comment like that unless there was a solid reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowOfTheWave Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Axl later listed MJ as one of his favorite singers in 2014. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holographic Universe Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, ShadowOfTheWave said: Axl later listed MJ as one of his favorite singers in 2014. He still made a shit comment before anyone knew about MJ Edited June 21, 2020 by The Holographic Universe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Doug Goldstein has told this story. I think there might be some truth to it, but not that it was such big a deal as Doug has made it out to be (he basically said that it broke the band). The timeline indeed doesn't make sense, but Goldstein isn't generally good with dates (for example, one time he said that Moby was involved in 1994). Slash also played in the HIStory sessions, which was after the scandal broke out. I don't know if this has anything to do with Axl or Goldstein's claims, but Slash did say then that people tried to talk him out of it: Q: I heard you're going to work with Michael Jackson again, on his next record. Slash: Yes, he asked me to. It was just when the controversy about Michael and those kids had broken out. I know Michael, and I know he's different, but he isn’t capable of doing that kind of thing. So he asked me to do it, and when I told people that I was going to record with Michael, they looked at me in shock and were like, ‘But have you heard about the children? Are you gonna put yourself in the middle of this?’ I told them that I’d heard the stories, but Michael was my friend and I wanted to play with him. So I did three songs for him, but I don’t know which ones will end up on his album, because he does things differently than I do. https://www.a-4-d.com/t4647-1995-02-dd-popular-1-spain-interview-with-slash Edited June 21, 2020 by Blackstar 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SoulMonster Posted June 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2020 The relationship between Slash and Michael Jackson wasn't just professional but developed into a personal friendship: Slash: "[Michael Jackson] was great, you know? I mean, I know a lot of people have... You, know, because he’s such a celebrity, a lot of people have... they think different things about what he is as a person. But, as far as I was concerned, he was just real sweet, and he works real hard and he was real down-to-earth, so we had a great time, you know. That’s why we’re gonna go in and do something else, and, like, finish the whole project out that we started on. I had a great time." MTV Rockline, March 1992. Slash: "Oh Michael’s a sweetheart. He’s a really cool guy. […] We’ve been workin’ together for a couple of years now on different stuff. […] I like him — he’s such a sweet and gentle man and actually pretty ordinary. […] People thought it was weird, us working together. I just think that in the end it’s all music — whatever kind you’re into." The Liverpool Echo, June 8, 1992. And when understanding how Axl might have reacted to Slash being close to Jackson in 1993 and onwards, when the sexual molestation rumours began, the context is of course that Axl was the victim of child abuse himself, possibly also sexual abuse. Around the same time that Slash was bonding with Jackson and fawning over the idea of having such a friend, Axl was starting to open up about his childhood, deal with the memories in a very public way, and started to do charity work for abused children (like donating money to organizations that helped abused children and inviting such organizations to have stands on the UYI shows). Axl: "I'd like to be part of an organization working with child abuse. Sexual abuse and child abuse. I figure you gotta start somewhere." Rolling Stone, September 9, 1991. So when the allegations against Jackson started in 1993 and Slash not only continued to collaborate with him, but also expressed support for Jackson on a personal level, it might have been hard for Axl to accept this lack of sensitivity for his own past and what he was dealing with at the time and feel it like a betrayal. Slash: "Well, that was sort of a shock, I mean cos I’m (?) me and Michael Jackson, like, on two completely opposite ends of the spectrum. But I was still really flattered. And I can understand, yeah, that he might be a little eccentric, but he’s an awesome talent." The Big Breakfast Channel 4, May 28, 1993. Slash: "Well, I mean, I feel sorry for him now, but only because – I mean, no one knows what the real story is, but the way that the media works... Especially nowadays, everything is so intense. You can’t walk down the street without somebody accusing you of something. So it’s hard to tell what the real story is, everything is blown out of proportion. So I know he’s going through it hardcore." Musique Plus, January 1994. Slash: "All the shit that’s going on with him now ... I just hope when it’s all said and done, that it turns out not to be true. […] You can never bury negative press whether it’s right or wrong. And that’s a drag. Especially considering that negative press is a lot more difficult when you’re a popular role model like he is." The Calgary Herald, January 29, 1994. Slash: "There's all this controversy going on with him but that has nothing to do with us playing together […] The guy's not as naive or as innocent as anybody might think; he's a very smart, quick-witted guy, fun to hang out with but obviously he's a little different – but so am I." Guitar, February 1995 Slash would also imply that the friendship with Jackson caused some turmoil, possibly in the GN'R camp, but still defend Jackson: Slash: "It was just when the controversy about Michael and those kids broke out. I know Michael, and I know he's different, but he isn’t capable of doing that kind of thing. So he asked me to do it, and when I told people that I was going to record with Michael, they looked at me in shock and were like, ‘But haven't you heard about the kids? Are you gonna put yourself in the middle of this?’ I told them that I’d heard the stories, but Michael was my friend and I wanted to play with him. So I did three songs for him […]. " Popular 1, February 1995; translated from Spanish. I also don't think this case broke the band, but that there is some truth to Goldstein's claims seem plausible to me and it sheds light on the complexity of Axl and Slash's relationship in the period where they decided to go their separate ways. More on Axl's childhood and statements on being abused: https://www.a-4-d.com/t4995-13-july-november-1991-use-your-illusions-are-out-so-is-izzy#19578 More on Slash and Michael Jackson: https://www.a-4-d.com/t4997-14-november-1991-april-1992-the-biggest-band-in-the-world#19638 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendez Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 All I can add to this is, in one of the 2009 shows, Axl made a joke, something like "So before he died, Michael had this doctor he wanted me to see" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Tom Zutaut has also alluded to it: Zutaut: If Axl would take his greatest press visibility of his career and he would use that to try and save one child's life from sexual abuse, how do you think he would feel about his guitar player playing with a guy who admitted in court documents that he drove to some ten-year-old boy's house and slept with him in the ten-year-old's bed in the room next door to the mom for 168 days in a row? [BBC, "The most dangerous band in the world", 2016] Edited June 21, 2020 by Blackstar 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post loke212 Posted June 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) From what I remember, Axl made at least 2 negative comments about Michael Jackson: - the comment at the VMAs ("This has nothing to do with Michael Jackson" or something like that) - and a few years later, when talking about Slash: Calling Slash "negatively seductive," Rose recalled feeling hurt in his fallout with the guitarist, who left the band in 1996. "I mean, with Slash, I remember crying about all kinds of things in my life, but I had never felt ... hot, burning tears of anger. Basically, to me, it was because I am watching this guy and I don't understand it. Playing with everyone from Space Ghost to Michael Jackson. I don't get it. I wanted the world to love and respect him. I just watched him throw it away." So Axl definitely did seem to feel very negatively about Michael Jackson (or at least didn't seem to have much respect for him) for quite some time. But more recently, he listed him as one of his favorite singers, so maybe his opinion has changed. As for Slash, he may have defended MJ quite a bit in the past, but he didn't actually trust him to get too close to his own son either: Would you let Michael Jackson meet your children? Cait, Streatham I already did! Michael met my eldest, London, when London was one or two years old, at the home of [film producer] Robert Evans, of all places. And no, I didn’t let Michael hold him. No offence to Michael but, at the time, with all that unnerving shit going down, I held on to him tight. You know, I give the benefit of the doubt to Michael on everything – innocent until proven guilty and whatnot – but I was thinking, okay Michael, you figure out your shit and I’ll hold on to my son! But I like Michael a lot, and I enjoyed recording those two albums with him. He’s different. This is I think pretty illustrative of a major difference between Slash and Axl- Slash is well aware of everything going on with MJ and wouldn't let him near his own son, yet he was still willing to work with him and give him the benefit of the doubt. For Axl on the other hand, I think the rumors and accusations against MJ would probably have been enough to no want anything to do with MJ if he found them believable. Slash always tries to remain on good terms with everyone (at least superficially), while Axl is much more "black and white" about the way he sees things and much more radical about cutting people off. And given his own history and everything, I could see Axl finding it very hard to understand (or even upsetting) that Slash would choose to work with someone like MJ. So I think there may be some truth to this story, though I also agree that this wasn't the main reason the band/Axl and Slash's relationship fell apart. More like one of many reasons. Edited June 21, 2020 by loke212 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, loke212 said: Calling Slash "negatively seductive," Rose recalled feeling hurt in his fallout with the guitarist, who left the band in 1996. "I mean, with Slash, I remember crying about all kinds of things in my life, but I had never felt ... hot, burning tears of anger. Basically, to me, it was because I am watching this guy and I don't understand it. Playing with everyone from Space Ghost to Michael Jackson. I don't get it. I wanted the world to love and respect him. I just watched him throw it away." Yes, I think Axl at one point had a big issue with Slash playing with other people so often in general, especially big names. It's interesting that Matt mentioned it in his book (and he mentioned MJ specifically) as the main reason he thinks Axl wanted to take control of the band. Maybe Axl felt insecure or that there was a plan behind Slash doing that, like that he was trying to establish a career for himself outside GnR (so he wasn't concerned whether GnR would remain successful as much as Axl was) - and with MJ there was the additional issue of the accusations, and the fact that Slash continued playing with him although he knew that Axl was very sensitive about child abuse. Quote So Axl definitely did seem to feel very negatively about Michael Jackson (or at least didn't seem to have much respect for him) for quite some time. But more recently, he listed him as one of his favorite singers, so maybe his opinion has changed. Maybe his opinion changed after MJ was acquitted in court. But, iirc, he mentioned him as one of the singers he thought should be above him in the greatest singers' list, not necessarily as one of his favourites. In any case, I think Axl could always be objective as far as acknowledging someone's talent even if he had personal problems with them (for example, he once said that although he had problems with Johnny Thunders, it didn't have anything to do with his music which he loved), although I guess he wouldn't want to work with them let alone be friends with them. 4 hours ago, loke212 said: As for Slash, he may have defended MJ a quite a bit in the past, but he didn't actually trust him to get too close to his own son either: Would you let Michael Jackson meet your children? Cait, Streatham I already did! Michael met my eldest, London, when London was one or two years old, at the home of [film producer] Robert Evans, of all places. And no, I didn’t let Michael hold him. No offence to Michael but, at the time, with all that unnerving shit going down, I held on to him tight. You know, I give the benefit of the doubt to Michael on everything – innocent until proven guilty and whatnot – but I was thinking, okay Michael, you figure out your shit and I’ll hold on to my son! But I like Michael a lot, and I enjoyed recording those two albums with him. He’s different. This is interesting. I hadn't read this Slash interview before. https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/slash-i-felt-very-proud-that-i-was-part-of-this-grand-lineage-of-english-piss-heads-72283/2/ Edited June 21, 2020 by Blackstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Boy Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Yikes, that's a weird mindset for Slash to have - to be giving the benefit of the doubt to MJ due to being friends with him, but keeping his son away from him just in case. I get that's it's hard to digest terrible accusations against someone you know, though. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Nice Boy said: Yikes, that's a weird mindset for Slash to have - to be giving the benefit of the doubt to MJ due to being friends with him, but keeping his son away from him just in case. I get that's it's hard to digest terrible accusations against someone you know, though. With London it would have been in the early 2000’s when that second wave of accusations came... Michael dancing on cars at the courthouse and all that jazz.... Chris Rock : We love Michael so much, we let the first kid slide. I'm fuckin done! What the fuck? Another kid? Another... That's like another dead white woman showing up at O.J.'s house, and O.J. going "I know what you're thinking..." Michael Jackson going to jail. Oh, it's going to be a sad sight when Michael Jackson's going to jail. Oh, we going to shed a tear when Michael Jackson going to jail. We're not going to be sad the day he goes in. We're gonna be sad a month later. When that perm grows out... shits all nappy and gray. His face is all fucked up because it dont got the Crayola people to fix his face nowhere. That's a fuckin sad ass sight. Edited June 21, 2020 by Ant 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Matinator Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Call me crazy but I believe around the time of the 2000s allegations I remember reading a quote from slash along the lines of “I love Michael, but until he sorts this out he’s not allowed around my kids” does anybody remember that besides me? So it’s possible his stance on him hardened throughout the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Boy Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, The Matinator said: Call me crazy but I believe around the time of the 2000s allegations I remember reading a quote from slash along the lines of “I love Michael, but until he sorts this out he’s not allowed around my kids” does anybody remember that besides me? So it’s possible his stance on him hardened throughout the years. It's quoted above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Matinator Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 1 minute ago, Nice Boy said: It's quoted above Thought it was a different quote than that one but I could be remembering incorrectly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I guess when Slash became a father he started taking this more seriously and being more concerned about the possibility of the allegations being true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowOfTheWave Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 5 hours ago, Blackstar said: Yes, I think Axl at one point had a big issue with Slash playing with other people so often in general, especially big names. It's interesting that Matt mentioned it in his book (and he mentioned MJ specifically) as the main reason he thinks Axl wanted to take control of the band. Maybe Axl felt insecure or that there was a plan behind Slash doing that, like that he was trying to establish a career for himself outside GnR (so he wasn't concerned whether GnR would remain successful as much as Axl was) - and with MJ there was the additional issue of the accusations, and the fact that Slash continued playing with him although he knew that Axl was very sensitive about child abuse. Maybe his opinion changed after MJ was acquitted in court. But, iirc, he mentioned him as one of the singers he thought should be above him in the greatest singers' list, not necessarily as one of his favourites. In any case, I think Axl could always be objective as far as acknowledging someone's talent even if he had personal problems with them (for example, he once said that although he had problems with Johnny Thunders, it didn't have anything to do with his music which he loved), although I guess he wouldn't want to work with them let alone be friends with them. This is interesting. I hadn't read this Slash interview before. https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/slash-i-felt-very-proud-that-i-was-part-of-this-grand-lineage-of-english-piss-heads-72283/2/ His exact quote: "That said, I enjoy Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Dan McCafferty, Janice Joplin, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Don Henley, Jeff Lynne, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Scott, Etta James, Fiona Apple, Chrissie Hynde, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and a ton of others (predominantly '70s rock singers) and would rather hear ANY of them anytime rather than me!" I think him saying "I enjoy" and "would rather hear" implies he does like MJ as a singer and doesn't just think of him as being superior. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyman Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) The "this has nothing to do with Michael Jackson" thing is regarding the name of the award, which was renamed the "Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award" like the year before. I don't think it's personal about MJ, I just think it was what he represented as an artist, as he said in the 2000 RS article when talking about Slash. PS - Space Ghost (and MJ) are awesome so I have no idea what Axl was talking about Edit: here's a little clip of MJ mentioning GnR winning the award the year prior: Edited June 21, 2020 by Crazyman 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RussTCB Posted June 21, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 21, 2020 Anyone who'd like to get educated on the 93 case should look up a documentary called Square One 2.0, which is free on Amazon Prime currently. Regarding the second case, Michael was found innocent on all 14 charges. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Bird Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Don't forget sell-out-Slash did this all for big screen televisions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 11 minutes ago, Free Bird said: Don't forget sell-out-Slash did this all for big screen televisions Apparently he didn't do it for the TV's, but MJ gave him two of them anyway Slash: But there’s another song, called Give In To Me where it’s all my guitar; all my leads and everything. And I’m doing a video with him when I get back from England. But that’s how we met, and now we talk on the phone all the time. He sent me a couple of TV sets. He’s a funny guy, you know, very distant, but very personable. Sometimes I don’t know exactly what his motives are, but when I talk to him he always seems really sincere and I take him at face value. https://www.a-4-d.com/t4357-1992-07-dd-guitarist-magazine-gun-law-slash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Taking into account the quote from Tom Zutaut that I've posted above, I assume that, even if it doesn't consist proof of molestation in itself, hearing that someone was sleeping in the same bed with children could be enough to creep many people out, more so someone like Axl who was sensitive about child abuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamsapple Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Axl's position on Slash working with MJ back then could have had to do with Axl trying to protect the GNR name at a time when it was still kind of uncertain if Michael Jackson was guilty or not as during the first accusations Jackson tried to solve the issue and protect his brand without the legal system that left somewhat of a bitter taste. Next time Jackson was accused he went all the way through the legal system. I remember the news reporting about it on a daily basis just waiting to slaughter him alive - but eventually he walked out a free man, declared innocent on all charges. Maybe that's when Axl might have somewhat changed his opinion, if it ever even was about Michael Jackson and not about Slash devalutating the exclusivity of the GNR brand by playing with everyone and his dog, even though Jackson was the biggest star on the planet back then and certainly one of the greatest musicians ever. I wonder Axl ever met him in person? Sure would have made for one hell of a vocal duet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickS77 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 17 hours ago, cqleonardo said: Is there any truth to it? I always read that Axl didn't like MJ over the acusations Michael suffered in the 90s and that he got really pissed at Slash because he went to play on Dangerous... But it doesn't make any sense, Dangerous was released in 1991, two years before any acusations. The UYI ended in mid july of 93, the acusations on Michael got public on late august, so GNR wasn't even on the road and I bet Axl and Slash were very far from each other at that point... So, anyone knows if there is any truth to this or the "feud" didn't even existed? Yes. So let it rest. Some years ago Axl mentioned Michael as one of the singers he enjoyed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunsJail Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 35 minutes ago, adamsapple said: Axl's position on Slash working with MJ back then could have had to do with Axl trying to protect the GNR name at a time when it was still kind of uncertain if Michael Jackson was guilty or not as during the first accusations Jackson tried to solve the issue and protect his brand without the legal system that left somewhat of a bitter taste. Next time Jackson was accused he went all the way through the legal system. I remember the news reporting about it on a daily basis just waiting to slaughter him alive - but eventually he walked out a free man, declared innocent on all charges. Maybe that's when Axl might have somewhat changed his opinion, if it ever even was about Michael Jackson and not about Slash devalutating the exclusivity of the GNR brand by playing with everyone and his dog, even though Jackson was the biggest star on the planet back then and certainly one of the greatest musicians ever. I wonder Axl ever met him in person? Sure would have made for one hell of a vocal duet. Michael Jackson molested multiple children. We don’t need the court cases to turn out any way to know that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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