Axl Rose Slams Irving Azoff In $5 Million Countersuit

[cineater]

Yeah I don't know about that lawsuits interfering with GNR concentration, there's always a lot going on.  Anyway this is good, it's June, best month of the year.

[HBK]

No Tour In USA:

2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 (No Valid RN'R)

5 Years Is Much... Before Only:

2003 - 2004 - 2005

Is The Moment !!

[pilferk]

So the band still has to tour for Azoff?

I think more likely it was an agreement that Azoff would facilitate a tour via Ticketmaster/LiveNation.

Not that they would tour "for" him (as in, paying him commission, etc).

[pilferk]

Not for Azoff himself, per se.  They have to have the backing of his company to mount any significant US tour.  That's why the DOJ challenged the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger on grounds it would create a merger.

Ali

Exactly.  I'm pretty sure one of the biggest fears (from the band) concerning this lawsuit was Azoff's ability to "blackball" them out of most of the major arenas in the US (and the major ticket seller).  I'm confident they would have made sure there was language in the settlement that would preclued Azoff from being able to do that...especially if they "won".

[D]

Azoff had his nuts in the fire with this lawsuit cause it just smelled of Anti Trust... so he was basically beat and forced by Axl to do the right thing. I love it!

[LunsJail]

Not for Azoff himself, per se.  They have to have the backing of his company to mount any significant US tour.  That's why the DOJ challenged the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger on grounds it would create a merger.

Ali

Exactly.  I'm pretty sure one of the biggest fears (from the band) concerning this lawsuit was Azoff's ability to "blackball" them out of most of the major arenas in the US (and the major ticket seller).  I'm confident they would have made sure there was language in the settlement that would preclued Azoff from being able to do that...especially if they "won".

Maybe they were using a US tour as a bargaining chip too. I don't like Azoff controlling Live Nation but I did think he had a reasonable argument over these commissions owed.

[pilferk]

Maybe they were using a US tour as a bargaining chip too. I don't like Azoff controlling Live Nation but I did think he had a reasonable argument over these commissions owed.

We'll never really know, since it didn't go to court.

Likely, the tide would have turned on who broke the contract first, and when.  You can't owe someone commissions if the contract was violated prior to the point where those commissions would be levied.  In other words, if Azoff didn't do what the contract stipulated (which, I think, was the crux of Axl's countersuit) PRIOR to the tour....the band wouldn't owe him squat.  EVEN if he did ANYTHING (and, FYI, from band reports it doesn't sound like he did much) to help coordinate those tours.  He might be owed some recompense for the specific work did.  MAYBE.  Again, largely that would be determined by the courts, and their view on how/when/why the contract was violated.

[AxlReznor]

It's a shame that they reached a settlement.... I really wanted Azoff to get his ass handed to him in court and have his stranglehold on the music industry weakened.

[One.In.A.Million]

This was probably the reason why GN'R couldn't play any US venues, it might have been tied up with Azoff in some way. So that's what I meant by my comment earlier, when I said that hopefully GN'R can now fully concentrate on the fans, and give them what they want. Which is probably now going to happen, but I too would have liked this thing to go the full course and have the ruling in favour of Axl. Azoff needs to get taught a lesson, but at least he knows now that Axl isn't going to let him walk all over him. 

[zihuatenajo]

Well...

SUDAMERICAN TOUR / MEXICO TOUR / USA TOUR

 

Don't forget Canada!!

[willow]

It's a shame that they reached a settlement.... I really wanted Azoff to get his ass handed to him in court and have his stranglehold on the music industry weakened.

Yeah I am really glad its over and it looks too me like Axl and company got the better end of the deal. But I would have loved too see Azoff get his ass beat in court.

[Albert S Miller]

No matter what, this issue is now resolved, that makes for a good day !!

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

Excellent news.

[HBK]

Confirmed > Southamerican In Octuber !!

Maybe > Mexico In November & USA In December

 

[Mysteron]

That is fantastic news.

Hopefully they tour during January, as I am in the US then.

[FunkyMonkey]

Azoff And Axl Settle Suit

June 15, 2011

The lawsuits between Irving Azoff and Axl Rose have been settled.

The parties reached a confidential settlement of mutual satisfaction, Azoff attorney Howard King told Pollstar.

http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2011/06/15/771100.aspx

[NaturalLight]

It's a shame that they reached a settlement.... I really wanted Azoff to get his ass handed to him in court and have his stranglehold on the music industry weakened.

No it's not a shame actually. If this went to court it would have dragged out forever. And don't think that just because they had a hearing schedule it wouldn't have been postponed. These things take years. It's good they settled, so they can get on with their business and the fans can watch them tour. Also, do'nt be so sure Axl would have won. Juries are made up of fools who can't figure out how to get out of jury duty.

[cybercurves]

The flip side to this is that why should Axl spend years in court over this?  I know he has his lawyers looking after things but Axl is a musician.   There was a time when Rock N Roll was supposed to be fun.  Put out a few albums, go on stage and for a couple hours forget about everything that's going on and interact with your fans.  Now, it's big business.  There are shady managers, greedy music labels, disgruntled fans, blind critics.  Having to deal on the business end can be very complex, not every musician is capable of handling it.  Axl has always stood his ground and wouldn't let anyone walk over him or take advantage.  But at the end of the day, I'm sure he would find more satisfaction in being in the studio, doing more concerts instead of having to deal with legalities all time.

[Limulus]

as someone closer of the circle said before Axl is doing much for the music industry defending art/bands/music etc. in a positive way, behind the scenes. it appears he set this as very very high priority, exspecially when all the lawsuits started in early/mid 90s.
its very cool in general but can be really depressing aswell for him and the fans. i mean....we dont need long silent times again cause of stuff like this, do we?

[Street of the Blues]

THEY'RE BACK!!!!!