Was Izzy really asking for a lot of money to come back?

[ChristmasFnatic]

Or was it just rumors/speculations?

And even if he was asking lots, cant GN’R pay him a good share esp from what they are earning?

[ZoSoRose]

We don’t know

 Yes

[Legendador]

My 5 cents on it:

Izzy wasn't asking for a lot of money, but equal share. Since he's not part of the business partnership anymore it wouldn't make sense to split the money equally.

What I remember (I can be wrong) is that he was offered 50 K per concert, which thinking about now would be a decent deal,

BUT, I think the main reason for him not to be a part of the reunion is that he was not a reliable figure to keep going years and years and years of a never ending tour.

Maybe he thought it would all implode in 10 shows, but I don't Izzy going on with the current band.

I don't know if it was Duff or Steven that said that Izzy ended up reharsing for the Nashiville concert in 2016, and something pissed him off and he just took off.

[janrichmond]

The only thing we know was the Tweet posted by Izzy about not sharing the loot, everything else is just speculation

[hollywood_democracy]

I'm sure he wanted an equal (or at least a fair) share, and the rest of the band (Axl & Slash, likely) were greedy and didn't want to share, figuring (correctly so, I think) his presence wouldn't really boost the sales enough to justify the share they'd lose. Financially they made the right move, but would've been cool if Izzy was a part of it and money wasn't an issue. At the end of the day, the tour isn't about the music or the band, it's about money, and they ruled in favor of more money for themselves.

[janrichmond]

I can't see Izzy committing to touring like GNR do

[ChristianGNR]

If i'm not wrong, it was published while ago that Izzy made a deal with Merck about receiving money for showing in some shows of 2006 tour without Axl knowking it.

[Spaghetti4twenty]

If Izzy was there they’d probably still have 4tus as a third guitarist (just a guess) so I’d imagine that’s why. 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Spaghetti4twenty

[James Bond]

5 minutes ago, Spaghetti4twenty said:

If Izzy was there they’d probably still have 4tus as a third guitarist (just a guess) so I’d imagine that’s why. 

That's a good point too. I doubt they were going to send Fortus packing, just as apparently Frank was still going to stick around even if Adler was more involved from the beginning.

[ZoSoRose]

They should have definitely had him for at least 2016. Adler too if possible. They’d still have Frank and Richard. Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Santana, et al. have/had an ensemble of backing musicians because they can and it masks faults from the famous band members

[Ant000]

Izzy would have become bored and forced them to write new music 

it was too risky 

[Tom2112]

45 minutes ago, janrichmond said:

I can't see Izzy committing to touring like GNR do

Exactly! He's played barely any shows in the last 10/20 yrs. I think had he returned in 2016 he probably would have left again within 1 to 2yrs. Could not see him playing year in and out like you said

[Tom2112]

48 minutes ago, Spaghetti4twenty said:

If Izzy was there they’d probably still have 4tus as a third guitarist (just a guess) so I’d imagine that’s why. 

Truth is that even though he wrote and co-wrote slot of big songs, he was a faceless member in comparison to the other guys as he barely talked, stood still on stage and then left as the band was hitting mega stardom. They knew they could sell the same with or without him. 

Richard would have definitely been in the line up but his payment was not a reason for Izzy not being there. Richard is likely paid quite well, but not enough to make it a one or the other conversation. 

[Sweersa]

I wonder how much they offered Buckethead to come back. Even if for a tour or two, I'd pay a lot to see that. 

[moreblack]

1 hour ago, hollywood_democracy said:

I'm sure he wanted an equal (or at least a fair) share, and the rest of the band (Axl & Slash, likely) were greedy and didn't want to share, figuring (correctly so, I think) his presence wouldn't really boost the sales enough to justify the share they'd lose. Financially they made the right move, but would've been cool if Izzy was a part of it and money wasn't an issue. At the end of the day, the tour isn't about the music or the band, it's about money, and they ruled in favor of more money for themselves.

I'm sure they'd feel weird giving such a big share to someone who left them hanging once before, and had exited the partnership decades ago. Izzy really had no right to ask for an equal cut.

[Tom-Ass]

2 hours ago, Legendador said:

I don't know if it was Duff or Steven that said that Izzy ended up reharsing for the Nashiville concert in 2016, and something pissed him off and he just took off.

I don't think it was either of them. 

[Tom-Ass]

59 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

Exactly! He's played barely any shows in the last 10/20 yrs. I think had he returned in 2016 he probably would have left again within 1 to 2yrs. 

I would trade 2 years with Izzy and a possible implosion after he left over what we got/have.  The band has continuously gotten worse and more boring each passing year since the first 2 years of the reunion. 

[DoMw94]

Lets be real. GN'R is a legacy act now, like most rock bands of their type. As long as it 'appears like' Guns N' Roses, that's all that matters.

Forget our feelings, and what we know, as far as casual fans are concerned, GN'R is Axl and Slash – Duff too, perhaps to a lesser extent. So long as they're there, the gravy train will keep on rolling. It's the same with Jagger and Richards, Tyler and Perry, Simmons and Stanley etc. (Those three examples are currently operating with 'missing' members but with the main two still present and they're all still selling tickets)

If we're to assume the speculation is correct, why would they offer Izzy an equal amount to the most marketable guys when they can have basically the same product for less without him?

Getting Axl and Slash back together generated the only new, big windfall these guys will ever have. Bringing back someone else who most concert goers don't care about won't bring a second wind, and had he been there since 2016, he'd have just needlessly eaten into the profits.

Taking the emotion of having the original lineup out of the equation, it makes perfect sense why he's not there – again, assuming the speculation about money is correct.

I like Izzy and it'd be cool to see him back, but it makes little financial/business sense. That being said, I like Richard a lot too so I'm very glad he's there.

Edited June 26, 2023 by DoMw94

[Draguns]

I like IZZY and would have liked to see him as part of the reunion. However, as others stated, he quit GNR right when GNR was about to hit mega stardom. Why would Axl, Slash, and Duff give "equal loot" to someone who quit on them when they were starting a history making tour that would last for a couple of years? I understand why Izzy left GNR to remain sober, but he sold his business partnership in GNR and cashed out. Considering past history and the fact that he rarely performs live as a solo act, he would have left GNR again by now.  In my opinion, it's definitely a trust issue with Izzy as to why they didn't offer him "equal loot".  

[Tom2112]

1 hour ago, Tom-Ass said:

I would trade 2 years with Izzy and a possible implosion after he left over what we got/have.  The band has continuously gotten worse and more boring each passing year since the first 2 years of the reunion. 

I'd go with that too!

Also kinda curious to see what influence he'd actually bring to it or would he just a person on the stage singing Dust n bones and 14 years every night. Think there's fundamental issues with GNR that Izzy can't fix. I just don't think the band sounds tight, and think the live sound is awful and obviously Axl is more changeable vocally than the weather!

[Karice]

There's a certain GNR Fanfiction that said that Izzy got 100 Million for coming back to GNR in 2022. 😏

Edited December 29, 2022 by Karice

[jamillos]

9 hours ago, Draguns said:

I like IZZY and would have liked to see him as part of the reunion. However, as others stated, he quit GNR right when GNR was about to hit mega stardom. Why would Axl, Slash, and Duff give "equal loot" to someone who quit on them when they were starting a history making tour that would last for a couple of years? I understand why Izzy left GNR to remain sober, but he sold his business partnership in GNR and cashed out. Considering past history and the fact that he rarely performs live as a solo act, he would have left GNR again by now.  In my opinion, it's definitely a trust issue with Izzy as to why they didn't offer him "equal loot".  

I’m not one of those Izzy maniac fanboys, but he left because of Axl’s growing dictatorship manners, Slash’s and Duff’s grave drug abuse, and of course his own drug problems. He was, however, a huge part of the writing process and the overall image. 

Now if all they intended to do in 2016 was truly just a couple of shows, as Slash stated several times, then I see no reason why the hell Izzy shouldn’t have gotten the same money as the other three. 

And if the plan was bigger from the get-go, that would mean a) they (Slash) lied about those being just a few shows, b) Izzy wouldn’t have ever done that – nobody can seriously imagine him doing a 6-year world tour (and playing stuff like Better). 

So anyway, they should have split the loot equally. No reason why Izzy should have gotten less. Smells of greed on their part, I’m afraid. 

[Tom2112]

14 hours ago, Tom-Ass said:

I don't think it was either of them. 

It was Niven 

[Tom2112]

3 hours ago, jamillos said:

I’m not one of those Izzy maniac fanboys, but he left because of Axl’s growing dictatorship manners, Slash’s and Duff’s grave drug abuse, and of course his own drug problems. He was, however, a huge part of the writing process and the overall image. 

Now if all they intended to do in 2016 was truly just a couple of shows, as Slash stated several times, then I see no reason why the hell Izzy shouldn’t have gotten the same money as the other three. 

And if the plan was bigger from the get-go, that would mean a) they (Slash) lied about those being just a few shows, b) Izzy wouldn’t have ever done that – nobody can seriously imagine him doing a 6-year world tour (and playing stuff like Better). 

So anyway, they should have split the loot equally. No reason why Izzy should have gotten less. Smells of greed on their part, I’m afraid. 

Smells like someone who doesn't understand the music business and ownership. 

I love Izzy and what he brought to the band, but he left the fucking band, he left the fucking band, how are the other guys the bad guys?? He left the fucking band *walks out of the room*

[jamillos]

11 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

Smells like someone who doesn't understand the music business and ownership. 

I love Izzy and what he brought to the band, but he left the fucking band, he left the fucking band, how are the other guys the bad guys?? He left the fucking band *walks out of the room*

What are you talking about, man. Izzy wrote a huge portion of the songs, and the "loot" was about what they'd get from the reunion shows (where most of the stuff played was the old era material, not CD). 

Slash and Duff also left, remember? 

Anyway, 99% of times someone tells me I don't understand something, it's that very person who's actually the one not understanding something...