Here Today... Gone To Hell!

I MANAGED GUNS N' ROSES FROM 1986 TO 1991, AND IN SO DOING, OVERSAW THE PRE-PRODUCTION OF 'APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION', 'LIES' AND 'USE YOUR ILLUSIONS'.
 
I WAS ALSO PRESENT AT SEVERAL REHEARSALS DURING THE FORMATION OF VELVET REVOLVER AND I HAVE SEEN THEM PERFORM 'LIVE'. [I PASSED ON AN INVITATION TO MANAGE THE BAND, PRIOR TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF SCOTT WEILLAND, FOR PERSONAL REASONS].

CATEGORICALLY, SLASH IS UTTERLY ACCURATE - MR WEILLAND IS, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, A CLUELESS POSTURING FRAUD, OF NO PARTICULAR OR OBVIOUS ABILITIES, INCLUDING, AND MOST APPARENTLY, COMPOSITION. THE BAND IS A THOROUGH WASTE OF A TRULY GREAT GUITAR PLAYER AND TERRIFIC RHYTHM SECTION. [THEIR OUTPUT HAS BEEN ENTIRELY FORGETTABLE AND ONE DIMENSIONAL].
 
AS FOR MR ROSE, I HAVE NO DOUBT HE IS STILL GENUINELY AND PROFOUNDLY GIFTED, AND IT IS SELF EVIDENT THAT HE HAS PROVIDED MORE INSIGHT AND MEMORABILITY IN A SINGLE LINE OF COMPOSITION THAN MR WEILLAND HAS MANAGED IN AN ENTIRE CAREER.
 
FOR THE RECORD, MR ROSE WROTE THE MAJORITY OF THE MELODIES AND LYRICS ON THE GUNS RECORDS, WHICH INCLUDE THE BEST SELLING ROCK DEBUT OF OUR TIMES, WITH 16,000,000 SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE.
 
HE SHARED THE SPOTLIGHT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHOSE EXCELLENCE IS REFLECTED IN SUCH SALES FIGURES.
 
WHAT MIGHT NOT BE UNDERSTOOD IS THAT HE, AND THE OTHER BAND COMPOSERS, EMPLOYED A COURTESY SHARING OF SO CALLED MECHANICAL INCOME - GRACE AND JUDGEMENT IN ACTION.
 
MR WEILLAND, OF COURSE, EXHIBITS NEITHER GRACE NOR JUDGEMENT IN HIS DELUSIONAL UTTERANCES, AND IN MY VIEW, NO DISCERNABLE TALENT EITHER.
 
I HAVE HELD THIS OPINION FROM THOSE VERY FIRST REHEARSALS, AND CONSIDER HIM BETTER EMPLOYED BY HIS FORMER BAND, WHERE HE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR COMPOSING ABILITIES ONCE MORE.
 
PERHAPS THEN WE COULD ALL GET DOWN TO THE VERY SERIOUS, AND BIG, BUSINESS OF REFORMING THE GREATEST, AND MOST RELEVANT, ROCK BAND, [DISPENSING WITH THE COURT SPATS THAT SUCK THE JUICE OUT OF LIFE ITSELF],  FOR THE DELIGHT OF MILLIONS OF FANS, A MULTITUDE OF WHICH, THE SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION OF ADMIRERS, HAVE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE FLORAL ARTILLERY IN LIVING MAGNIFICENCE.
 
THE INDUSTRY COULD CERTAINLY USE A SHOT OF GENUINELY TALENTED FIREPOWER.
 
SINCERELY
ALAN NIVEN

http://www.metalsludge.tv/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1222&Itemid=42

He better write the majority of the lyrics and melodies... Thats what a singer is suppose to fucking do. I don't get why he's trying to make it look like Axl preformed some great duty. Scott is a fucking homo though... I love Velvet but they should have gone with Buckcherry's singer.

GNR REUNION IS COMING  ;D

Metal sludge? :hihi:

thats what i said misterID!  but if its true, wow

it's actually true.

haha very nice.. but he must get rid of the caps

its like he's mad at the world :hihi:

You hit the nail on the fucking head.  Josh Todd rocks!

Stay on topic, please.   :)

thanks for the info

How do you know its true? MS has lied before and posted fake interviews. And why would he take shots at his 'friends' band, even if he hated Scott? It makes no sense. Sounds like the writing of just another old line up fan boy to me.

Name one fuckin thing Josh Todd has ever done.


Scott Weiland shits all over Josh Todd or Sebastian Bach.

As soon as someone assassinates someone's talent, i immediately disreguard anything they say.

If u dont like Scott........ Fine

If u think he is a fag........ Fine


but no one can sit here and try to say that man does not have fuckin talent.

that statement is ridiculous and removes all credibility from anyone who says such a stupid fuckin thing.


"Stupid Bitch" yeah thats a real winner of a song, Buckcherry are soooooo fuckin lame seriously.

Scott's worst song is better than that piece of garbage.

mhmm.  agreed.

Its not an interview man, it was an email Alan sent to Sludge.

Prediction , this spans 10-20 pages , most of which is reunion talk , why or why not it shouldnt happen. The rest will be comparing axl VS Weiland.

*shudders*

Scott cant catch a break..not that he deserves one.

Mr.Niven pretty much just gave the most accurate descirption of guns ive heard : ok:

Please for the love of all that is holy, lets not turn this into another rip Scott thread.

Followed by someone asking for proof that Weiland is a fraud....

interesting - I wonder why after all this time, he chosse to get involved in this??

I agree entirely regarding his words relating to thr original Guns - one of the greats for sure...
Scott statements are a little harsh... the plot thickens ?:-\

I was wondering the same thing myself.  He's no longer affiliated with the band.  Is this statement for attention?  To get in Axl's good graces?   ???

I didn't say it was an interview, I'm telling you about MS past. Remember when they posted the letter sent in by Earl? ::)

You really think Alan Niven just out of the blue gets a wild hair up his ass to write a letter like this to some cumsponge site like metalsludge?

I don't fucking care what Scotts done... Josh is the better singer by leaps and bounds. Scott is like any Post-Gruge, Alternitive singer. Josh has that unique tone to him.
First off, it's called "Crazy Bitch". Secondly, that song is better then any Stone Temple Pilots song I have heard.

Im pretty sure Alan has something to do With Stevie Rachelle the owner of metal sludge.

Or a rip Josh Todd thread..

But you can show the toddster some love if you so desire.

Niven, ah, it's been so long since he's been involved with Axl.

Let's keep this on topic, guys and gals. ?This is the GN'R section so the posts should be GN'R related...not who is/would have been the better frontman for VR. ?

Sorry... Josh should have fronted Guns.
 :hihi:

 :P  Pretty funny!  But stay on topic!   ;D

If this letter is true, Slash shouldn't have anything to do with him; he is a complete tool and has made Slash look bad in the process. With friends like that who needs and enema?

But that doesn't matter because the letter has FAKE written all over it to me.

Crazy Bitch is better than anything STP has ever done?

Dude u need to stop suckin on that crack pipe honestly.


Ok on topic

I think Alan NIven is seeing dollar signs and wants to be involved in a GNR reunion so maybe he can get a piece of the pie.
money usually is what drives parasites like this guy.

Alan managed Izzy, when Izzy left GNR.  I also know he likes the new demo leaks ;)

so because he disses scott he is a parasite?  ::)

 :hihi:
I don't this dude should get involved... It's obviously some kind of ploy for attention. The guy hasn't had anything to do with Guns for a long ass time.

D is right. Slamming the band of someone who's supposed to be your friend and trying to stir shit up and cause problems within that band because you can't stop living in the past, and you want to see a band reunite that will never reunite, for your own pathetic reasons ?= Parasite

Incorrect.  Slave to the Grind is one of the greatest rock albums ever, whereas Weiland hasnt been involved in an album thats in the top 1,000,000,000 albums ever.

A parasite is someone who lives off someone else.

Band managers dont record albums, they dont do concerts, they dont make any money, they ?parasite and suck their cash out of their clients.

Niven probably thinks he can do like Motley Crue'smanager has done, get the band back together and make a couple more million for himself.

why else would he say the things he is saying?

Im guessin u have never heard of Core or Purple.  also how many songs did Bach write on Slave to the grind?

he cowrote what 2 or 3?

Great frontman has to do better than that unless u want slash and duff writing the lyrics, and i for one dont want that.

He probably wants to set the record straight aboutwhat Scott said about Axl not writing lyrics or melodies. He knows Axl doesn't want to have anything to do with him as far as managing the band.

Josh sounds like a wannabe Axl Rose, there's nothing unique about him.

thats fine but to turn around and act like Scott didnt write his own lyrics and melodies makes him look like a bigger idiot than scott.

Not so fast calling him a parasite. ?He obviously, will be called as a witness in the upcoming court case, to resolve the issue regarding ownership or (what it should be) joint ownership of the original material. ?This is most likely, a way to state his opinion, before others state it for him when the coverage of the proceedings kicks in. ?He very clearly described this process, which I have heard Axl describe before. ?Moreover, Axl's statement a month ago stirred up more shit in Velvet Revolver, than this statement did. ?The man is entitled to his opinion, and just did Axl a huge favor, by not only defending him against a libel attack by Weiland, but also letting the world know that Axl is still relevant. ?

maybe he actually knows something that you dont  ;)

Maybe just saying what needs to be said. Axl hasn't responded yet. Who knows if he will. Do you think you could sit and watch by while someone whom you considred extremely talented gets bashed in the media by some glammy cracked out medicore singer you consider to be a poseur piece of shit? It does sound a little too hopeful for a reunion, but who cares? I agree with it entirely.
VR is a corporate marketing band. Shit like that just never works. I await its demise. Still waiting for Slash's response though, thought that was 'forthcoming'...

u think Scott didnt write the lyrics and melodies in VR?

u think Scott didnt write the lyrics and melodies in STP?

I dont know if he did or didn't, I was just joking with my last reply hense the smilie....

Alan Niven's comments notwithstanding, does anyone have any doubts that Slash visited Axl in Oct 2005?

Slash, not wanting to stir the pot anymore (like Duff), may respond with silence. ?They know, that sometime in the future, that the original band will get back together. ?They will all need to work it out, and they maybe just letting the dust settle. ?Slash, obviously was at Axl's, and was wanting to get back together. ?Who knows what Axl and Slash's agreement was, but man if I could have been a fly on the wall when those two met...although, I think it is like Aerosmith, when they broke up--they may say they have not spoken in ten years, but they obviously have. ?

For the love of God, this thread represents everything that's bad here.

Metalsludge: How many God damn times do you have to stick a fork in the electric outlet before you know its gonna fucking shock you?? sludge has ZERO credibility!!

Scott vs Axl vs <insert name here>: What the hell is it going to accomplish arguing about this meaningless bullshit? Its a matter of friggin taste people! You can't win and it does nothing more than pollute a thread with complete and utter bullshit!

Minneapolisnewsman: My friend told me the letter is bullshit, so there you go : ok:

"floral artillery" 

That made my day  ;D

Someone said it before this guy might know something we don't or got involved in and we just haven't heard about it yet.


Last time I'll go off topic. I swear.
You guys call everyone who has somekind of special tone to there voice a Axl imposter.
Well guess what? I could just as easily say that Axl was just rippin' of the guy from Motorhead.

Hell if my memory serves me right, I remember people on here calling Scott an Axl wannabe.

That is a very patronizing view of Slash's silence. I don't really think that can be assumed at this point. Axl made his statement; if he is mistaken or in fact lied, then Slash needs to respond.

Josh Todd has a unique tone? Haha his voice totally sucks. The Cocaine song is so annoying. Stupid Bitch is outragous but not neccesarily a good vocal performence

Exactly.

Hee Hee. ?I love this shit.

Scott Weiland shits all over Josh Todd or Sebastian Bach.

As soon as someone assassinates someone's talent, i immediately disreguard anything they say.



You say this and yet you talk about Scott shitting (whatever that means) all over Sebastian Bach?  Have you ever heard him sing?  I immediately disregard anything YOU say now.  FYI disregard has no u.

Slash doesn't have to respond if he doesn't want to  :peace:

Um, I can't speak for everyone else here, but I can't recall many (if any at all) singers who are "Axl wannabe's", but Josh Todd in my opinion sound like an Axl wannabe.

As for the Scott / Axl comparisons, Scott doesn't sound like Axl to me either.

Back on topic though, I would love to see the original line-up as much as he seems to want to, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

And I don't have to believe that Axl Rose lied about the encounter  :peace:

You both have valid points of view.  Slash may unload to the tabloids any day now!  Who knows, it's a world of anarchy with GNR---which is the way it should be!

Ok, someone here will probably remember what I'm talking about...the article might even be on the site.

But years ago I remember reading an interview with Axl when he talked about the departure of Izzy.  He said Izzy was basically enticed into leaving by a former manager, and that manager was trying to go behind Axl's back and get the rest to leave Axl too.  He felt very betrayed  by both Izzy and that manager.  Is this Alan Niven the guy he was talking about?

If so, it sounds like he likes Axl alot more than Axl likes him. 

yes it's the same manager.

A very good read! Thanks for passing it along! I wonder if he was shouting the whole time during the interview or someones caps lock was on?

Slash's rebuttal to Alan Niven:

(http://maddox.xmission.com/keyboard4.jpg)

I also think, Axl knew how significant Izzy's departure was, and was subsequently quite paranoid at that time. ?Niven may have had a falling out with the band, and may have said some shit, but never would have tried to break the band up or entice the others to leave Axl. ?He was no dumby, and there was no doubt then, as there is no doubt now, Axl was the biggest star, amongst big stars in GNR.

Is this 100% legit?  If so, wow, pretty interesting.  We can bitch and moan all we want, but this is someone who has seen the behind the scenes stuff, so their opinion carrys a lot more weight then some dudes on a message forum.  Who knows what his motives might be, but you still can't deny the power of the source.

Sounds like Scott's cred is under fire.

oh, Josh Todd rules btw hehe  : ok:

I found the article, it is on this site.  And I did have it mixed up a bit.  While Axl was mad at Izzy for going with Alan Niven, he actually said it was Izzy that called the other band members to turn them against him, not Niven.  But he clearly didn't like Niven, at least not back then. 

That part hardly seems fair. For one thing, we don't know for sure what came out of Slash's mouth w/regard to Weiland. And the "PARTICULAR OR OBVIOUS ABILITIES" is just bullshit. The dude should listen to the outstanding "12 Bar Blues."

Sorry, I have to say it, that album sucks cocks in hell.  I just wonder what Niven's motivation is, regarding all of this.

To each his own, but that album is a favorite of mine.

As for motivation? Maybe he wants his piece of the pie should a reunion take place.

If this is even real.. Eh whatever tho.. Im sick of the bullshit and just want some damn music.

So I guess Niven backs Axls story, and maybe slash told Alan that Scott is a fraud too

I agree, josh todd kicks ass.  they wanted the name that came with weiland.

I'll tell you what josh todd has done. 2/3 fucking amazing albums with buckcherry. I just saw them a couple weeks ago and they blew the fucking roof off. The last of the real front men. His vocals blow scott away anyday, and his melodies are way more authentic than scott. Just because buckcherry didn't sell a million records doesn't mean josh can't wipe the stage clean with scott's melodramatic bullshit.

The truth is Slash and duff went with scott because it equalled more records.... same with sebastion or todd kerns. Anyone of those guys wipes the floor with scott. but scott has a huge name and druggy high profile persona... which sells records.

His creative contributions are cool... but not great by any means

Well in Scott's defence, he recorded 5 amazing STP albums plus (from what I hear) a great solo album, so sorry, Scott wins over Josh! :hihi:

well we can all believe what we want,but anyway it still doesn't make sense to me at all why first Axl says that he hasn't talked to Slash in 10 years and then says that Slash showed up at his house  :smoking:

That has been answered. Axl was at a party and just blew off the question, he did not want to get into it and open a can of worms.

Well.. when theres nobody else that will understnad you.. ol' uncle axl is there!

This is off topic but if you recall, Axl was approached by the RS reporter while trying  enjoying himself at a party. My best guess is that he didn't want to draw the  heat that would no doubt result if he revealed the encounter (assuming it is true) to the reporter. Perhaps Axl felt that Slash deserved to have the encounter kept in secret as they were trying to build some kind of bridge between them. It was simply easier to deny any contact than open the proverbial can of worms.

As Axl said in his press release, they had come to some sort of understanding at that point in which Axl was waiting for some benevolent action on the part of Slash. When none was forthcoming, he lowered the boom and went ahead with his countersuit.

if the letter is true i think niven is tryin to kiss axl's ass so in the chance of a reunion he'll get a piece of the pie

somneone just said that.. lol... but i think hes trying to justify what axls saying.. its about time someone stood up for axl.. hes been shit on by the press for years now...

Imagine Slash and Axl Re-United... seeing those two leaning against eachother, slash playig his guitar and axl singing at the top of his lungs... wow... would that be a sight to see again..

It depends on what kind of person Niven is.  (I don't know anything about him.)  But if he's self-serving, then yes, his motivation is to get into Axl's good graces in order to get some benefit from it.

Or he could be someone who genuinely cares about the original GNR members and didn't like an "outsider" critcizing someone who he deeply admires.  Especially an outsider who he considers inferior in talent.

Either one could be true, just depends on if you want to think the best of the guy or the worst.  Unless someone here actually knows what kind of person he is and could explain him to the rest of us.

I wouldnt say Scott Weiland is a bad artist.. i fell in love with the "thank you" album (greatest hits) this summer.. and ive got to say each one on that CD is good.. i mean its no GNR.. but its up there with my top 10 bands of the 90's... They were good.. but like i said, compare their greatest hits to one GNR record.. and GNR wins.. because it was VERY odd to see a song you dont like on AFD LIES or UYI...

Even the fillers compare to STP's best songs...

STP was good.. but frankly GNR is about 10 levels above them...

Scotts a good artist.. person.. well.. im not into him as much as i am axl to say.

LOL

And here I thought there wouldn't be anything of benefit in this thread  :hihi:

I don't think so, it's very evident a reunion is not going to happen now these tour dates have been announced, and especially after the recent press releases etc.

He hasn't the best GnR manager, alot of people had problems with him that's why they brought in Doug Goldstein.

It's ironic, I guarnantee that ChineseBlues would of called Alan Niven a piece of shit or called the interview fake if he had of bad mouthed Axl, but because Axl came off the best it's all ok.

Hmm, it's obvious his alliegiance still lies with Axl. But he should probably know by now that Guns N' Roses are moving ahead without Slash and Duff. Whether they rejoin or not remains to be seen but I think they will after Chinese Democracy.

I think the day a Guns N' Roses album is released under the new line up, is the day a reunion is gone forever.

Could that possible be the reason for the long hold out?????? I guess maybe we will never know?

Perhaps. But maybe Slash and Duff see the success that it 'might' get and want back in on what they once had. How much money would be thrown at these guys to reunite? The original 5 piece classic line up. Even if for just one show and they played an Appetite For Destruction set. How rockin' would that be!?

think the man dislikes scott :hihi:

"Floral Artillery"

Best. Tribute band. Name. Ever.

SG

FOR THE RECORD, MR ROSE WROTE THE MAJORITY OF THE MELODIES AND LYRICS ON THE GUNS RECORDS, WHICH INCLUDE THE BEST SELLING ROCK DEBUT OF OUR TIMES, WITH 16,000,000 SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE

Interesting to hear confirmation of something which has been of much debate, from a first hand witness.

I think we can start to add a few things up at this stage. ?No denials from slash, no denials from duff, only duff and matt in studio at that moment according to matts site, axl says slash called to the house, slash was in LA at end of oct..look at his diary online, slash say he knows album is coming out, slashs mgt split from rest of VR a while back, dizzy and tommy talking about the 8 guys in the band in interviews since mid 2005 when surely there was only 7, slashes mate Ross Halfin states reunion as such on his site and regularly meets up with slash as a friend! he would know, GNR need a replacement guitarist, weiland writing books, solo albums and joining camp freddy as fulltime member, weiland say "dont call duff spineless" no mention of slashes involvement or denial he was axls house, the GNR logo amended to included the "guns and roses entwined", slashes design from the early days, and now Alan Nivan as industry figure who has been involved with both bands is pointing that direction. ?

The only thing that goes against all of this is axls slagging of slash in the press release. ?Maybe he was to join GNR back two months ago and something happened, now slash at war on two fronts. ?

so are you saying at rio the opening riff to jungle will be slash :D

Of course it won't, it's never going to happen.

Then again, I thought Roger Waters and David Gilmour would never, ever play together again. They parted ways in very bad terms in 1981.

Then on July 2, 2005, they played again together on the same stage...

We will see what happens, but for the moment, lips scalled for me. Nothing is impossible, but it's still too soon to speak about that, especially on International GNR message boards like this one. If "something" really happens, you'll know it when it's official.
In the meantime, lips scalled.

You mean sealed lips or lips are sealed? ;)

The rumor has been out there anyway for a while about Slash coming back. But it is just what it is: a rumor, unless someone actually involved (meaning: any current GN'R member or Slash) says otherwise.

yeah lol, sorry for my English sometimes it's du nimporte nawak :hihi:

Slash hasn't spoken up and on the VR front all i ever read is Duff's and Matt Sorum's quotes. The 2nd VR album sounds like a Duff and Matt Sorum album. Slash appears to have no input and Scott, whats he doing. Also, all this talk of having too many songs to choose from, all sounds like BS.

Sounds like they are trying to be like the new GnR (Axl+Co.):
Matt posted about working on new songs for the VR album: "Had a great day in Drac Studios today working with Duff on some songs. We are coming up with some breakthrough stuff. I'm getting excited. One song sounds like a cross between Zeppelin and Prince. Duff loves Prince. Great riff for Slash. Today we did one that is very heavy with a sick groove. With some synth keyboard part. A la a band called Refused.

Blabbermouth published another quote from Launch's March 10 interview with Duff. This time, Duff speaks about working on the new album: "It's real close, you know," he said. "The thing is, we always have way too much material, so it's probably more a matter of just like picking the right ones. It's a quality problem. This second record will be just an exploration, as opposed to like, 'Let's crush it and put it out,' it's gonna be exploration and I think people will really dig it."
...or maybe not dig it:  :hihi:

Am I reading this right? You're dissing the album before you've heard a note from it?

Darknemus, check your PM, it's quite important. : ok:

I wrote or 'maybe' not dig it. I didn't dig the 1st VR album, and i'm not holding out high hopes for the 2nd one either.

That's quite interesting because I've always felt the opposite, until Axl gets CD and out of his system and the weight is lifted from his shoulders we wouldn't see a reunion. I only really think we are likely to see a reunion once they have all completed there own individual goals. After the UYI tour was over it was clear these guys visions for the next album were nowhere near the same,  and I've always thought CD is going to be close to what Axl wanted that next record to be and VR was roughly the kind of musical direction Slash and Duff wanted to take that next album. I think once these individual directions have been explored we will be closer to a reunion.

Interesting theory. In the past 10 years when Axl hasn't responded to anything, hasn't given a goddamn detail about anything, just ranted against the former members, Axlites said he 'let te music do the talking', and 'didn't respond since the shit was crazy that it didn't need his response'.

Maybe VR are taking some an axl stance on things and ensuring only the best goes onto the next album. ?

Wasnt it matt that said "hey whats up with the piano man, i didnt sign up for this" now he is writing songs with synth and prince vibes! ?

The unfortunate thing for VR is that there isnt one intelligent person amonst the lot of them. ?How many more embarrassing lyrics and phrasing are we going to be subjected to next time round. ?Everything backed by power chords or a new effects pedal sound....

FROM HARD ROCK MAGAZINE JUNE 2001 (FRANCE)

Q: Does GNR success made loose contact with reality?

Izzy: Yes a little bit. I didn't know what to expect, I just wanted to
play in a rock band... None of us even thought that one day we will be
playing out of LA. And I can assure you that as we were really simple
people, there were no way to prepare us to success. The only rock side
that we used to have was to be stoned. Our kind of life so strange, and
when we started having some success, it only became worst. When we came
back from tour, we all bought a house, and we got stoned even more... But
one day when I wasn't stoned I thought :" Izzy, something is wrong, we
are fucking around." That was in 88 or 89. I took the decision to go back
to Indiana and see my friends... Before the tour we didn't have money,
when we came back, our bank account were full, everybody wanted to sell
us drugs, weapons, crazy stuff.

Q: Before the recording of UYI 1 & 2 , did you ever think of leaving
the band?

Izzy: Yes, from time to time, but not every day. It's true that sometimes
 the situation was so "grotesque"; Axl was leaving the stage after 2 songs
 and I used to think:" Hey we look like stupid assholes". But I wasn't
convinced yet to leave. Music was still uniting us. Slash, Steven, Duff
and I were living very close to each others and we were playing a lot.
So I wanted to do another album, and that what we did. It was a double...
 or a triple I don't even know.

Q: What was the last straw that made you leave GNR?

Izzy: After the first leg of? the UYI tour, Axl wanted to make me sign a
contract which meant that I was less involved and less paid. I couldn't
believe it. This contract was coming from someone I grew up with for fuck's
sake. We always considered GNR as a best friend band, and now Axl was
telling me:" now we are doing business." Why should I carry on? Where was
the fun? That was the last drop. But other things happen before like in
Donnington where to kids died during the show. What the fuck is that? Is
that rock n' roll? To read in an airport newspaper that kid died during
one of your gig? What the fun to play in stadium every night and to start
a riot in Saint-Louis because your singer is fucked up? You come to a point
when none of all this is funny anymore. Axl wasn't doing his front man job
anymore. As for the others, there were all stoned and wasted, I wasn't
even able to make them learn covers: We could have play covers while Axl
was away waiting for him to come back, entertaining the kids. No. We came
up with drum solo. What's more boring than a drum solo???

Q: You were his best friend. Was he listening to you?

Izzy: When he started earning big money and getting laid, he was out of
reach. Everybody was so stone. I was able to control myself, but I was
looking at Steve, Slash and Duff killing themselves in front of me. I
don't even remember if Steven was still in the band by the way. What was
this bullshit anyway? A musician is sack from GNR because is doing to much
drugs when you that drug was the main occupation of this band? Me I stopped
all that one year before I quit. So during that years I was a witness of
them trying to kill themselves. I didn't wanted to be an accomplice to
that; I didn't wanted to wake near Slash's dead body. Thinking that I was
indirectly responsible for that, so I quit GNR.

Q: But you came back later on to replace Gilby?

Izzy: Simple. I was back in Indiana, living quietly when Axl rang me.
He asked me if I could help them out for a few shows. I asked where were
those shows and he said Istanbul, London, Paris, Athens... You think I
would have hesitated. I like to travel and see new country. Meanwhile,
Alan Niven, my manager, who was GNR manager at a time, told me that the
band was still owing me money. I told me to accept if they were give me
my money. It is only after that I realise that Alan will have 20% of the
money ( he laugh). I did those shows and didn't have a lot of fun because
Slash and Duff were still stoned. I don't want to call myself a saint, I
did it all myself, but when you are not stone there is nothing funny in
seeing your friends like that.

Q: Do you still see Steven, Slash and Duff?

Izzy: Yes, I spoke to them on the phone three days ago, I even have lunch
with Steven last week. He is clean now but physically and mentally...
Slash is well, so is Duff: he just did the Hawaiian marathon! A fucking
marathon. Not bad for a guy whose pancreas exploded because he was drinking
3 1/2 liters of vodka every day? He is my band by the way, that is very
cool. The only who doesn't speak to anybody is Axl. He doesn't call the
people back on the phone. I like to ride my bike and I know where he
lives. Once in 1995, I went there and ring the door bell, he opened the
door, we took each other in our arms, he made me visit his house and we
had a chat. Cool. We called back each other after that, but one day the
old Axl was back; He was taking notes on the phone of what I was telling
him, and then, no news. Since then I go to his place, that makes me laugh:
I ring the door bell and there is always a bouncer telling me he is not
there! I am happy anyway that he did two gigs in Vegas and Rio in the
beginning of the year. I am especially happy that his microphone did work
properly. Who knows, He might have left the stage (he laughs).


An old Izzy interview...aplologies in advance if it was shown here before.

I'm not too sure about this, but didn't Axl fire this guy?

I find this very strange (and ironic). Why would he praise Axl like this 15 years later when it would someone could expect otherwise? I mean, former employees, usually the ones fired by the employers, don't really have "good" things to say about them. More even in GNR.

Alan Niven wants to be the manager of the GNR reunited, that's all.

anyway, he's right about Velvet Revolver : what a waste of time and talent for Slash Duff & Matt...

Yeah, but should hell freeze over and they do reunite, chances are slim they would call Niven.

Yea i can't see Niven in the equation if they were to re-unite.? But Slashs silence does intrigue me.? But what intrigues me even more is Axls silence in regards to Scotts rant.? Couple that with Axl being in contact with Izzy, and Izzys close contact with Slash.

All I would like to say is that at the end of the day, the GNR machine is a business.? One of the most successful businesses in all of Rock and Roll.? I guarantee their are people in both VR and Axls camps trying to do what it takes to bring about a reunion.? Will there be one soon?? Probably not.? But I'm sure there are people trying to lay the foundation for a reunion somewhere down the road.? There's way too much money involved.

Can't Linda at snakepit.org or someone in Slash's fans community investigate about all this??

You never know (odd's are they will reunite sometime), I think him (Niven) and Izzy are still close. ?Also, critisize the man all you want, but he was the last manager who oversaw GNR producing original albums. ?Part of a managers roll is setting budgets, deadlines, and critiquing their work--forcing the artists to use their time wisely and produce art. ?He may have issues, but don't critisize his good work at the same time. ?He managed GNR when they rose to fame, and then conquered the world. ?I think he knew what he was doing! :hihi:

Man, this is exciting me more and more everyday!   : ok:  I'm not saying that anything GNR wouldn't be good, but a reunion of Axl, Slash, and Izzy?  I would surely explode!  Just think of how great it would be.  And the publicity.  GNR would be huge again.  The only downside is that if they get huge, Izzy would probably want to leave again.

Like I said, probably will happen.  But not anytime soon.  Axl wants to prove all of the doubters wrong with the new band.  And I'm all for that. : ok:

I'm not sure if Slash could be back in the band after that press release.  But after reading the last few pages of this thread, it makes me think Izzy has something to do with GNR again.  That would be awesome imo.  I've always liked Izzy

;D

I dont him and Izzy are close anymore either. I belive Izzy fired him back in the mid/late 90's.

haha this is spot on, scott is a talentless fraud and a joke and his recent attack on axl just enhances that fact.
scott isn't worth the dirt on axl's shoe. glad to see alan shed some light on who was the real talent in gnr, if there ever was any doubt.

I know they don't work together anymore, but I always thought they left in good terms.

Sukie, my sentiments exactly.

For over 10 years Slash, a consummate press, photo and media opportunist and manipulator, has attacked Axl Rose on a number of levels. Slash?s actions whether in or out of Gun's N' Roses have been a complete betrayal across the board of his alleged friendship and business relationship with Axl and the so called brotherhood and band loyalties that are supposed to have existed. Instead Slash has publicly attempted, by soliciting public and media support, to take credit for something that was not his or anyone else's to take, notwithstanding that Slash played a major part in the success of the band as Axl has continually acknowledged.

Remember this guys? I dont think it will be a reunion. The only one that Axl wanted to work ?from is former band mates was Slash. I thought that could might happen after i heard Axl at his latest appearance at that heavy metal band party,which i cant recall their name at the moment. He said that he wanted to show to everybody how great Slash was, and also hearing Slash on that morning show for Virgin Radio my hopes were high. But i know now for sure it is not going to happen (not in the near future anyway).

I think you're referring to the Korn Tour Launch Party a couple of weeks ago.

yes thats the one. : ok:

I've said this a few times...

If Pink Floyd can reunite, ANYONE can! 

But anyway, we'll just have to wait and see.  I'm excited about anything GNR related.  A GNR reunion or partial reunion would make me leap for 5 years straight!  I'm not going to get my hopes up this time, but in the future it could happen.

so did the cool axl answer the door at 5am or was it the bouncer :hihi:

Alan Niven<Merck :rofl:

i dont think he can afford a bouncer now - just joking. ;D

Wow thats really cool to hear that. And ya ur rght it pink floyd can reunite sure can GNR... that would be soo cool..... plus sorr to get off topic but has anyone heard that Queen is getting back together with the singer of Bad Company and there planning on touring... this could be good but in my opinion when bands get back together they lose the sence of what they had before ? :no: and that isnt what i would want with gnr

I can appreciate what you're saying, but I think you either have a very low IQ or you're just plain fucking stupid.  Why in the name of the good lord did you just lecture people for talking shit on Scott, noting specifically that insulting someone wrecks personal credibility, and then turn right around and talk shit on Todd?  Dude why don't you go slip your cock up your mom's rotting crotch.

Oh shut up.  ::)

Somebody on a GN'R board doesn't like your favorite band.... Big deal. If you want to find Josh fans maybe you need to go a web site dedicated to him?





/jarmo

How did I know this board would love his comments?

Now, this is really interesting.

This is good if Axl wants some good publicity. I also don't like Scott Weiland either, I never have.

Very well written too.  Better than axl is a fat . . . .

Pink Floyd did 1 show and that was it, and will never get back together

Queen's been touring with the BC for month's now

How do you know that? Right now Gilmour is touring with Rick Wright and Waters will tour with Mason on the summer.
Once Gilmour is done with his album I bet they will play some more gigs down the line. Dont get confused with writing new material to just playing one off's, beside PF are like 60+ years old if GNR reunited now they still got some 15+ years to rock worlds!  :peace:

Drugs, money and fame made the original band splits.

cool izzy piece that is!

Can someone summarize this thread?

Am I safe to assume that Alan Niven's comments mean either Slash or Izzy and Slash may be back in GNR or maybe will make surprise appearances on European tour??? ???

Or am I safe to assume that this is just bullshit PR talk :P

a lot of opinions.........     and since alan niven isn`t in the know, his statement means nothing in regards of a gnr reunion :peace:

15 years after he was fired, who cares what he's got to say

Well, this thread is now 8 pages long, so I guess somebody does. 

apparently there are even internal rumours at interscope & geffen about that....rumours rumours...who knows...

The funny thing is he was fired by Axl! They must have somehow mended fences a little bit.

Exactly, that's what I said in a previous post earlier...

Proof?

I would just say that the proof is that Slash has YET to comment so maybe his silence is because they are gonna announce his return to GNR and all this so called bad blood is PR bullshit.

Okay..wakes up from dream ;D

I found it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izzy_Stradlin

"Several of his former bandmates asked him to join Velvet Revolver when it was in its formative stage but he declined due to his unwillingness to work with a lead singer, and his aversion to the life on the road."

Is he refrering to Scott Weiland?

No, that was before there was a singer picked.  Izzy wants to sing, himself.

Do you have an article to this story? Thanks

Haha Slash isnt back in Guns.. VR is coming out with a new album, and besides if he left, do u think Scott, Matt, or Duff would let him go without making it public and spilling the beans on this HUGE reuinion between axl n slash..

Its nothing but a dream..

I am pretty sure Izzy's reasonging was fairly unselfish, and well thought out.  He wanted to avoid, exactly what is happening now:  basically two bands formed out of one, and verbal bashing between the new lead man and Axl.  If just Izzy sang, then it would have been easy to bring Ax back into the fold when the timing was right.  Hindsight is 20/20, but that would have made for a far better scenario.  Izzy, also, is a fairly decent singer, and a better songwriter than Weiland.

psh...the only reason scott and stp had any success is because they got lucky - they jumped on the grunge bandwagon and rode it all the way to the bank...sure, there was some decent grunge music, but as a whole grunge is an inferior style of rock...it is monotonous and litmited in what it can do...the best grunge song can't even compete with a mediocre gnr song...

at least buckcherry tries to make something good, rather than just trying to cover up their lack of talent with a lame "experimental" or "modern" sound...

a lot of modern rock bands have this approach:? "oh, i can't sing or write a decent tune, so i'll just make it sound really weird and people will think i'm a genious for doing something different"

in my opinion, grunge ruined rock, and is responsible for the extreme lack of good bands today...grunge made it possible for bands to achieve huge success from inferior melodies...once mucisians realized they could be successful without being good, there was no longer any motivation to be good.

Agreed. There can be 10 Scott Weilands, but only one Axl Rose..

Voice. No one will EVER touch axls.
Look. Man.. evey girl loves him.. even now.
Style. Man he was a trend setter.. still is..
PErsona. Lets not even go there..
Moves. Like a snake baby..

Yeah a VR dance concept album. That is gonna rock  ::)

you'd be the first to say wait for the album if axl made a comment like that...  We know you already hate the album even before it comes out.. :hihi:

Is that Axl interview real? And this letter?
Isn't it exactly what this Alan Niven guy is up to right now on VR?
It seems that he goes behind Scott's back and trying to get the rest to leave Scott.
Or is it Slash?

Too much :greedy: :greedy: :greedy: in his letter. disgusting. As if nobody knows Axl can write but him!
Go away reactionary!

He must of had a dream about studio 54 and how great it could be.

Scott's vocals suck, his writing sucks both in STP and VR I mean c'mon it looks like a middle school kid wrote those lyrics give me a break. And you have to admit it's not like Slash or duff are pushing the limits on musicianship, they could play that shit with their eyes shut and one arm tied behind their backs. Scotts dragging them down. GNR was talent. And Axl is keeping the talent there he's pushing his limits not putting something half assed out like a VR album. Axl might be taking his good old time but the quality speaks for itself and at least he knows what page he's on. VR doesn't know who's saying what about whom. And for gods sake each member of VR says the next albums gonna be different then what each other member says. :smoking: :rofl:

The Axl interview is real, its on this site.  I think its the one called I, Axl by Del James.  But I got it mixed up, Axl said Izzy was the one who went behind his back to turn the other guys against him. But he was clearly pissed that Izzy hooked up with Niven. 

As far as if the letter is real, I don't think anyone has proven it to be true or false at this point.

Agreed. I see no reason why you should be bashing VR's new album before you've heard a note. Especally cause like Mike said.. if Axl said the same thing you would be dying to hear it.

Whatever

As I said before, interesting comments about who wrote the melodies on a lot off the songs... which has been of a lot of debate here lately..

And I mean Axl fired this guy.. so he has no reason to be bias.

But is this letter from Niven real or a joke?

Granted: if a fake then Nivens abrasive style has been copied with some degree of success.

Since it was posted on Metal Sludge I won't believe it till there is some sort of confirmation Niven actually wrote that. If it's not a fake I think it is nice he is on Axl's side. Remember: it won't be the first time Metal Sludge posted something that wasn't legit. Remember the fake Earl Gabbidon interview?

Really? On what grade level? The caps lock thing is the least of Niven's worries. He might need to go back and make another attempt at passing 6th grade, because there is major grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

James> There ARE major grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors...  :hihi:

He even spelled Weiland as Weilland.  just curious if it's actually legit.  You'd think they'd edit stuff before releasing it if it's legit, eh?

:hihi: If you noticed that minor error, how come nobody noticed anything in Niven's statement? Is it because it takes Axl's side?

Haha, well I noticed a lot of errors... I just didn't want to say anything, because we're not supposed to post solely for the purpose of criticizing grammar.  :hihi: It's quite possible that the Axl fans have had the bandana pulled over their eyes.  ;)

Nobody noticed, or nobody cared?  Besides, many people on this board couldn't speak as well as that statement was written, errors and all.  I don't even make the effort anymore.  But I don't think the errors in grammer, etc. make it false.  If he wrote it himself without a secretary to edit it, then its reasonable that it would have errors. 

That said, the statement does not ring true to me.  I can't say for sure, because I know nothing about Niven.  But as I read it again, my instinct is that it was written by a fan, not an industry person.  Just a guess though. 

I was told there was a phone number attached to the email that was sent to various sites in order to authenticate it as being real. I'm not sure if any of the people who originally recieved the email from Niven's daughter (she supposidely sent it for her father) actually called or not, but Bori (runs blabbermouth) told me he was going to have a friend of his check it out to see if it was indeed real or not.

In an era of fake sources and fake insiders, I think people should care. I agree. Of course, there's always the chance it could be real. The piece is way too biased to come from a "professional" such as Niven. All it does is basically fall into line with all the crap we've heard since the Weiland and Axl statements. In fact, what Niven said sounds like it could have come from one of these threads. :hihi:

Finally, someone who speaks some sense.

Good on you, Mr. Niven.  :beer:

That's exactly what I thought.  Of course, who's to say that Mr. Niven isn't a member of this board?  Maybe we should be trying to spot him!

:hihi: Good luck with that. Start by going through the 100 page thread of hundreds of people calling Weiland a fag and a pussy. I'm sure he's in there somewhere. :hihi:

Or just look through this thread, handy. There're quite a few Mr Niven lookalikes.

BTW, No he isn't calling Mr. Weiland names. And no there weren't hundreads of people in that thread.
Don't make it up.

Go read the thread again, ppbebe. Maybe you missed out on 70 or 80 pages of it. Not too many posts there that didn't resort to the "Weiland is a fag" tactic.

Don't exaggerate. I must admit I didn't read all the pages but there can't be hundreds of posters.
There were only a handful of posters retorting insult for insult for Axl.
But what else do you expect from the fans when someone calls their beloved front man names?

James, so many people are putting forth a lot of effort lately talking shit about a reunion.  I mean faking a letter from a former member?  Reporting a joke conversation between Lars and Kid Rock?  Ross Haflin posting on his site?  I mean, why do all these irrelevant people keep trying to get a reunion going?  Why are they wasting their time for nothing?  Unless....its not for nothing....  Where there is smoke there is fire.  I just don't buy it right now.  But dam, this shit is every day now.

Everytime this reunion shit starts, I always remember what started it in the first place. It started with fake insiders, then Halfin, and now all other sorts of people are saying it. I dont buy any of it. That "fire" that got started was a mirage. If other people at all the forums want to believe it, then that's their choice. I'm not falling for it.

Thanks for snuffing out my fire James.......you basssstard.