I know, I know.? I'm just saying.? Axl was going through a rough time in life at that point in time, and that's really disrespectful of Mr. Jagger to tell him what to do.? Especially with people he's still bitter with to this today.
Nobody here really knows how it went down, for all we know management could have offered them the new line up and got rejected cuz it was 1998, who was in that band anyway at that point? Slash, Matt and Duff quit 1 or 2 years before this so it was still fresh. They probably didnt want to advertise GNR and have only Axl show up (looool that sounded funny).
I believe in 1998 you would have been looking at an Axl, Finck, Huge, Stinson, Freese, Reed and Pitman (some claim he's been in GN'R since '98) line-up. I think the Stones countered with Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy (Gilby if Izzy wouldn't do it), Matt, Dizzy line-up. Not hard to see why they didn't come to an agreement there...
I'm just remembering how it played out though... I believe it pretty much came across as the Rolling Stones trying to do a favor to rock fans everywhere by saving Guns N' Roses and Axl being too stuck in his ways to agree to his "salvation".... Axl may not have appreciated that characterization.
But yeah... that was 8 years ago... and Axl jumping on stage with Mick and Keith would be HUGE for this tour.... I'm sure Axl understands that. Doesn't mean he would do it though... OR that the Stones would extend such an invitation... maybe those guys are closer to Slash, Duff, Izzy, etc.