Former Guns n' Roses manager Alan Niven speaks!

[Skeba]

...or maybe not dig it:?

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

[nesquick]

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

[shaun]

...or maybe not dig it: 

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

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.

[A Private Eye]

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.

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.

[Mikkamakka]

Slash, not wanting to stir the pot anymore (like Duff), may respond with silence.

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.

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'.

[mesaboogie]

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....

[Big Gun]

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.

[Ignatius]

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.

[DeN]

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...

[Freya]

Maybe he wants his piece of the pie should a reunion take place.

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

[Thorazine Shuffle]

Maybe he wants his piece of the pie should a reunion take place.

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.

[Will]

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

[Minneapolisnewsman]

Maybe he wants his piece of the pie should a reunion take place.

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

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!

[Backslash]

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.

Man, this is exciting me more and more everyday!     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.

[Thorazine Shuffle]

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.

Man, this is exciting me more and more everyday!? ?? 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.

[LittleFly]

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

[chineseblues]

Maybe he wants his piece of the pie should a reunion take place.

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

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 to 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!

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

[speed_stone]

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

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.

[Minneapolisnewsman]

Maybe he wants his piece of the pie should a reunion take place.

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

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 to 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!

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

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

[dolphin]

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?? ?

Sukie, my sentiments exactly.