"Guns N' Roses have been creatively impotent since 1991" - former manager Alan Niven

[Gunner Gilby]

2 minutes ago, Rovim said:

if the details of the negotiations between Axl and Izzy were known to the public, it would be more than guesswork imo. As it stands, we don't know what the offer was. Sharing the loot can mean many things, it's too general of a comment to draw concrete conclusions.

I can imagine Izzy digging Chinese Democracy the title track for example but who knows.

Axl and Izzy are old friends from Indiana, they seem to have a special bond so I agree it's possible even if I'm guessing the loot thing pissed Izzy off at the time, enough that he wrote and released a song that is probably about it.

What would've happened if Izzy had rejoined the band? Not as a guest but a member. I can't imagine Axl firing Richard. Would Slash have been ok with a three guitar lineup?

[Rovim]

4 minutes ago, Gunner Gilby said:

What would've happened if Izzy had rejoined the band? Not as a guest but a member. I can't imagine Axl firing Richard. Would Slash have been ok with a three guitar lineup?

pure speculation territroy here but I believe that there is no way that Axl would have fired Richard just to give Izzy his spot and I wonder what kind of a deal would have worked with Izzy as a member: he hasn't toured for a long time but his comment about the loot made it seem to me like that was the only issue standing in the way of him being a part of the reunion and I'm not sure it is so fuck if I know. Was he even interested in doing more than a few shows here and there, becoming a full member? no idea but he seems to value his total freedom.

as for Slash and also Richard, I'm guessing both of them have no interest in a third guitar player. It seems like there's no room and no need for anyone else on that stage, even if I would love Izzy to return but in a scenario where Axl demanded that Izzy must be a member too, it would have been pretty silly of Slash to turn it down and not be a part of Gn'R for just that reason imo.

[JimiRose]

Does he sound bitter? Yh sure. Is he right about Axl and GnR? most definitely. We have dozens of people say how axl cuts people out of his life and then doesn't seem to want anyone else he knows to be with them. And the band have been creatively bankrupt since 91. 1 album in 31 soon to be 32 years is damning. i can't slam niven for giving his opinion. Axl is definitely a marmite person. 

[Tourettes2400]

Damn, Allen seems very butt hurt! Like he expected Slash to fuck up all the money they are making just to stay friends with him, lol. GTFOH, there are so many cry babies in the Ex-GNR World. The guys are older and sober now, they probably are making more now than they did then, and they are doing what they want to do. I can't hate.

[Blackstar]

It seems Slash was still in touch with Niven in the beginning of the reunion and told him some things. But then Niven started airing that information - surely embellished and mixed with his own guesses/opinions - either directly or through "insiders". I can imagine how awkward Slash's position must have been because of that, so it's no wonder that he doesn't want to have much to do with Niven anymore.

[merryfnchristmas]

4 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

It seems Slash was still in touch with Niven in the beginning of the reunion and told him some things. But then Niven started airing that information - surely embellished and mixed with his own guesses/opinions - either directly or through "insiders". I can imagine how awkward Slash's position must have been because of that, so it's no wonder that he doesn't want to have much to do with Niven anymore.

yeah the "My Curly Haired Friend" references were a bit creepy. 

[Ratam]

Niven has with Axl a Bad Obsession....

[allwaystired]

'Creatively impotent since 1991 is a bit much, but there's definitely a case for that post Chinese. They're a touring revue. 

[MathieuP]

Niven also  tried to talk the band into firing Axl and getting a new singer. It’s understandable that Axl wanted to get rid of him. 

[Live Like a Suicide]

Niven should just fuck off.

[merryfnchristmas]

4 hours ago, Live Like a Suicide said:

Niven should just fuck off.

and Doug Goldstein reminds me a bit of Ol' Gil  from the Simpsons.

[GoodOlJohnnyK]

I cannot believe this guy has the nerve to state that Guns N’ Roses has been ‘creatively impotent since 1991.’

He’s wayyy off.

They’ve been creatively impotent since 1999.

[Millions]

A lot of fans here are criticizing Niven for what he said. But if you are honest - what part can you genuinely disagree with?

[SoulMonster]

9 minutes ago, Millions said:

A lot of fans here are criticizing Niven for what he said. But if you are honest - what part can you genuinely disagree with?

The "creatively impotent since 1991" part. 

[Rovim]

30 minutes ago, Millions said:

A lot of fans here are criticizing Niven for what he said. But if you are honest - what part can you genuinely disagree with?

that Great White could have been bigger

[Politania]

On 11/12/2022 at 2:57 AM, Ratam said:

Is ironic he talking how Axl is "resentful".... he don't look much in his own mirror.... 

Great comment, that not only applies to Niven, but also to those fans or not fans who criticize the appearance of the boys terribly, especially Axl.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Politania

[guitarpatch]

“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.” - Hunter S Thompson 

Seems like Alan Niven is not short of opinion and is never shy to boast about how critical his involvement was to the band’s success over 30 years ago. Is it ego? Is it to further his current interests? Is it to try and return to the good graces of a multi million dollar machine? 

Whatever it is it’s self serving. It’s pretty apparent that no one involved on a business level with that band cared for the individual well being of anyone there at the time. Whether it was severe drug and alcohol abuse or the mental capacity to handle a world tour.

They all wanted to squeeze every cent from the situation before it imploded or someone died. 

Edited November 14, 2022 by guitarpatch

[Legendador]

Alan Niven is pretty bitter towards Axl, and I think his whole opinion about Axl and GNR is tainted because of that. (but also Slash, in his book said that Alan did a horrible thing to a girl - I think - once and that prevented them to be friends again)

GNR was never his main project and he tought they would catapult Great White to the same height of success, but they weren't good enough for success.

The thing that is pretty hauting is the last line of this interview, which seems so accurate: "Guns N' Roses have been creatively impotent since 1991"!

But I'm confused, what's the real role of a manager in a band, or what's the role Niven thought he had within the band, because by the way he says, the bands success is owned to him.

This also makes me think if TEAM BRAZIL was or would be able to do something different? Better? Are they responsible for the reunion, or the lack of new material? The same with Merck. Alan makes it look like he was the boss of the band telling Axl how, what and when to do it or not.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Legendador

[Sweersa]

6 hours ago, GoodOlJohnnyK said:

I cannot believe this guy has the nerve to state that Guns N’ Roses has been ‘creatively impotent since 1991.’

He’s wayyy off.

They’ve been creatively impotent since 1999.

I'd say 2004, or whenever Buckethead left.

I'd love to be proven wrong. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Legendador said:

Alan Niven is pretty bitter towards Axl, and I think his whole opinion about Axl and GNR is tainted because of that. (but also Slash, in his book said that Alan did a horrible thing to a girl - I think - once and that prevented them to be friends again)

 

Man thats fucked up if true

[Sweersa]

6 minutes ago, Shacklermyrye said:

Man thats fucked up if true

Agreed, probably not the first time someone associated with GN'R did that though.

[Legendador]

26 minutes ago, Shacklermyrye said:

Man thats fucked up if true

I don't remember the exact same quote, but I remember he saying in his book he went to visit Alan or something during the 2000's, and while he was there he did something "terrible/horrible to a girl" and that he was so shocked.

Maybe someone could find the quote and post it here, but see, Alan always comes out as envious and bitter.

[Legendador]

1 minute ago, Legendador said:

I don't remember the exact same quote, but I remember he saying in his book he went to visit Alan or something during the 2000's, and while he was there he did something "terrible/horrible to a girl" and that he was so shocked.

Maybe someone could find the quote and post it here, but see, Alan always comes out as envious and bitter.

My bad! The thing was as this:

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

Alan said or did something horrible to Renne, Slash's ex-wife.

[Rovim]

10 hours ago, Shacklermyrye said:

Man thats fucked up if true

I think it's likely that Gn'R was much worse. Its been said that every classic Gn'R member did fucked up shit too: Steven with drugs/Erin story, Izzy selling heroin and trafficking women, Axl hiring DJ Ashba, Duff working for the mob, Slash injecting Todd Crew with heroin which if true was a mistake but he still died. All allegedely so to be fair to Niven, we don't know what he said exactly but yeah if he said something shitty it wouldn't surprise me, he comes off as not a very pleasant man.

Axl said the cancer thing about Slash during the time when Slash's mother was dying of cancer and basically called Slash a killler in 2010 or around that time. Slash said in a 2000 interview that him and Axl were never friends, it was just businness or whatever. 

these were not quality people so Slash being surprised about Niven is kinda ridiculous imo without knowing exactly what was said to his ex wife Renne and not an excuse, but maybe Niven was just drunk that night and was even more of an asshole. 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by Rovim

[BucketEgg]

20 minutes ago, Rovim said:

I think it's likely that Gn'R was much worse. Its been said that every classic Gn'R member did fucked up shit too: Steven with drugs/Erin story, Izzy selling heroin and trafficking women, Axl hiring DJ Ashba, Duff working for the mob, Slash injecting Todd Crew with heroin which if true was a mistake but he still died. All allegedely so to be fair to Niven, we don't know what he said exactly but yeah if he said something shitty it wouldn't surprise me, he comes off as not a very pleasant man.

Axl said the cancer thing about Slash during the time when Slash's mother was dying of cancer and basically called Slash a killler in 2010 or around that time. Slash said in a 2000 interview that him and Axl were never friends, it was just businness or whatever. 

these were not quality people so Slash being surprised about Niven is kinda ridiculous imo without knowing exactly what was said to his ex wife Renne and not an excuse, but maybe Niven was just drunk that night and was even more of an asshole. 

 

duff worked for the mob!? :O