Latest news with #AxlRose
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Guns N' Roses ex-manager reveals what the 'nightmare' rock 'n' roll band were REALLY like as he exposes antics
Alan Niven, the former manager of Guns N' Roses, is pulling back the curtain on his time with one of rock's most infamous bands — including how Slash's charm convinced him to sign on, why 'narcissist' Axl Rose abruptly fired him, and how rampant drug use impacted the group. The New Zealand-born mega-producer, songwriter, and manager — who's also worked with the likes of Great White, Dokken, Berlin, and Mötley Crüe — is detailing the wild ride in his upcoming book Sound N' Fury: Rock N' Roll Stories, out August 5. Speaking exclusively to ahead of the release, Niven recalled how he turned down the job three times before finally agreeing to manage the band—whose unhinged reputation was already well-established long before their 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction hit shelves. At the time, Guns N' Roses consisted of Axl on vocals, Slash on lead guitar, Izzy Stradlin on rhythm guitar, Duff McKagan on bass, and Steven Adler on drums. 'No one wanted Guns N' Roses. They'd been through at least two other management situations… They couldn't get rid of them fast enough. No one wanted to deal with them. They were a nightmare,' Niven said. 'So the question is, "How did I get sucked into that?"' he quipped, claiming it was Slash who ultimately drew him in. 'It was Slash because I found out, one, he was English, and two, he was not just articulate, he was eloquent, he was smart, he was incredibly charming. And I'm going, "This is not just a knucklehead drunk like I saw on the stage of the Troubadour where he was just a knucklehead, Sunset guitarist drunk. This is a really interesting guy. He's smart, very charming."' 'That was the beginning. That's where it all started to go wrong,' he joked. 'And of course then I got to know Izzy and simply put, Izzy Stradlin… for me… personified rock and roll.' Niven said he only began to understand Slash and Izzy during their first truly bizarre meeting — the moment he reluctantly agreed to try and bring some order to the chaos surrounding Guns N' Roses. 'I turn up for a band meeting and I park my bike outside and there's this broken toilet by the front door and I go, "That's interesting symbolism." Most people put a big old pots of beautiful flowers, but they've got a broken toilet by the front door. That's a different message.' Inside, the eccentricity continued, per Niven. 'The door opens and out wanders this quite well-known stripper and she smiles and walks past. I go in and there's only two people there at the meeting — Slash and Izzy… And then there was one, because Izzy nodded out. He's sitting at the table and literally he just slowly goes like this,' Niven said, mimicking someone passing out face-first. 'So that just leaves me and Slash, and Slash says, 'Let me show you something in the bedroom.' Oh, that's an interesting invitation. I go in and I freeze 'cause there's this enormous snake in there and I hate snakes.' Then came the kicker. 'He goes, 'Watch this.' And he takes a perfect beautiful little white bunny and feeds it to this legless monster.' Even with their outrageous antics, it was clear to Niven early on that the band was becoming a sensation. 'You're driving down to Electric Ladyland Studios one afternoon and you see that there are some kids in leather jackets running after the car because Slash is sitting next to me,' he recalled, describing one of Slash's first brushes with fame. 'And we pull around on Eighth Street, I dive out of the car, get the front door of the studio open and go 'Curly, get your ass in here!' And he leaps from the car and zips in, and we close the door and look at each other and go, 'Whoa, that's different. Things have changed, haven't they?'' He added, 'Because the one thing about fame is everybody knows you're famous before you do.' Still, not every band member handled fame the same way, according to Niven. 'It didn't change Axel one bit. It amplified him. He was always that way. He's a narcissist,' Niven said. 'And I think if you go and look at the employment forms for 'Front Man in Band,' the first box that you have to tick is, 'Are you a narcissist?' Tick. Okay. Now you can answer the rest of the questions.' The weight of managing the band's meteoric rise hit Niven almost immediately. 'My sense of lighthearted joy of what I did evaporated in September of 1986 when I signed a contract with five individuals collectively known as Guns and Roses,' he joked. 'From that point on, we had stress, we had pressure every day.' That included alleged pressure from Geffen Records co-founder David Geffen. 'David Geffen getting right in your face. I mean, this close,' Niven said, holding a hand to his face. ''When am I going to get my record?'' Niven recalled him asking. ''When it's done, David!' You had to give as good as you got from him.' Regarding the band's well-known struggles with addiction, Niven offered a deeper perspective on which member was most affected. 'I had this perception that in most bands, all those who were band members usually came from dysfunctional childhoods and families and a part of the motivation of forming a band was not just to make noise, not just to get laid, but to create your perfect family that substitutes that,' he said. 'So there's that aspect of it in that everybody who comes into the band brings familial dysfunction with them. Now, in terms of how does that relate to recreational drugs use or addiction? I believe people from dysfunctional circumstance are prone to addiction.' He continued, 'Now, with Axel, his sense of dysfunction… and I'm not talking outta school here, I mean, he's talked about this. He had a rotten childhood. I'm aware of some of the rottenness of his childhood, and he's had to deal with that. So that absorbed Axel, as he was not one really for getting f***** up and out of it.' 'Now Slash, bless his heart, he had an appetite for anything.' As for Izzy, Niven said he was 'incredibly street smart and cool' — and once confessed that he had sold drugs to Aerosmith frontmen Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. 'When we were going out with Aerosmith, Izzy sidled up to me in the office one day and he said, 'Now, I think we're gonna have a bit of a problem.' And I said, 'Oh, why?' He said, 'Well, I should tell you this, but I used to deal for Joe and Steven. I was their dealer once.'' 'I turned around to Izzy and I said, 'If you don't mention it, I'm sure as hell they won't mention it.' Because they were in super rehab mode. So everybody was on the down low.' Niven insisted addiction wasn't what ultimately wrecked the band — it was ego. 'It became about power. It became about control,' he said. As for the end of his relationship with Guns N' Roses in 1991, Niven said it came without warning. 'There was no breaking point except for a phone call from Axl,' he recalled. 'I was on the East Coast, he was on the West Coast. I was gig at Meadowlands. There was a phone call in the production studio, 'Axl's on the phone for you.' Axel says, 'I can't work with you anymore.' 'Okay, Ax, I'll be back in a couple of days. Let's go have dinner, talk about it, and if you still feel the same way, then we'll deal with what we have to deal with.'' 'I never heard from him again. He did not have the courage, the grace, the appreciation to even sit down and say, this is why.' Twelve weeks later, Izzy also left the band. 'I get a phone call. I'm in Switzerland at a gig in Switzerland, and I go get a phone from Izzy and he goes, 'I'm out. I can't deal with this anymore.'' 'And I said, 'Well, you better tell me about it.' And he told me about it. And I said, 'Well, what have you got left on the calendar?' And he said, 'Well, you've got Wembley left.' I said, 'Well, you are playing Wembley. You cannot not turn up for Wembley.'' Izzy indeed played Wembley in August 1991 with the original lineup, sans Adler, who had already been fired in 1990 due to his drug use and was replaced by Matt Sorum. By 1997, lead guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan had also departed, leaving Axl as the sole original member. The band's lineup continued to shift throughout the 2000s, culminating in the long-delayed Chinese Democracy album in 2008 with an entirely different cast. In a shocking turn, Slash and Duff officially rejoined in 2016 for the Not in This Lifetime... reunion tour, marking the first time the trio had shared a stage since 1993. The band's present-day roster includes Rose, Slash, McKagan, Richard Fortus on guitar, Isaac Carpenter on drums, and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese. Although his relationship with Axl remains fractured, Niven said he still cares deeply for Slash, even though they lost touch after Slash ended his feud with Axl. 'I considered Slash a friend for life until he reunited with Axel,' he said. But Niven believes they'll reconnect eventually. 'I didn't hear from Slash from '91 to '98. I didn't hear for seven years, and then he called me up and we spent some time together. And the cliché is there are certain people in your life that you can be separate from them for a long time, but the minute you're back together, it's as if it was just yesterday.' 'He's one of those people in my life. I may not see him for two or three years. I know I'll be in a groove with him when I do see him again.' Looking back, Niven admitted that walking away from Guns N' Roses may have been for the best—despite the years of toil and dedication he poured into the band. Under his leadership, Appetite for Destruction became a landmark release and the best-selling debut rock album of all time, launching the band into global superstardom. His role in shaping their legacy is indisputable. 'I don't think I've ever said this to anybody else before, but in some ways I'm really glad that I got outta GNR when I did,' he said. 'Because sometimes I have the honesty to sit in a tub and think, 'What kind of an ass*** do you think you would've been if you'd been multimillions rich?' 'What makes you a character that you can live with? What gives you a persona that you can live with when you are going through the tough times. 'So as I can live with myself, I can look at myself in the mirror.' Alan Niven's Sound N' Fury: Rock N' Roll Stories hits shelves August 5.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Believe It Or Not, Ozzy Osbourne and Axl Rose Had Never Met Before Final Black Sabbath Show: ‘An Utter Gentleman'
Sometimes it's easy to assume that all famous people know each other. But until Saturday's (July 5) Back to the Beginning blow-out final show honoring Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, the Prince of Darkness had never met Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose. Despite both men being hard rock royalty, their paths had somehow never crossed. Now they have and Ozzy has deemed Axl an 'utter gentleman' and friend. Alongside a sweet backstage photo in which a seated Ozzy reached out both hands to shake Axl's right hand, Osbourne, 76, wrote, 'My first time meeting Axl Rose, at my age you don't get to meet many legends, seriously an utter gentleman.' More from Billboard Fans Hit Out At 'Piece of S–t' Marilyn Manson After Disgraced Rocker's Video Tribute During Final Black Sabbath Show Lewis Capaldi Donates 734,000 Hours of Free Therapy to Those in Need: 'This Is My Way of Giving Back' Wu-Tang Clan's RZA Celebrated His 56th Birthday Jamming Out to Phish Osbourne followed up with a shot of him smiling and chilling in his dressing room with Rose and GNR guitarist Slash, captioned 'Guns N' Darkness.' Rose seemed similarly smitten, posting a long note on X about the dark summit, saying, 'Wow!! What an EVENT. Extremely overwhelming!! Really great crowd!! Was very emotional for everyone!! MET OZZY!! (Crazy we'd never met [before]. He was really great. It was great to meet Sabbath. [fire and cross emoji].' Rose added, 'Was hard as I imagine it was for anyone to watch his struggles while, at the same time, everyone was rooting for him and massively respecting the challenges he took head on and HE DID IT!!!! Was great to meet Ozzy's family and see friends and peeps in all the bands in the business,' along with a series of trophy, star and arm flex emoji. 'A HUGE THANK YOU again to Ozzy, Sharon, Black Sabbath, and all the fans for having us.' GNR covered four Sabbath songs at what was billed as original lineup of the iconic metal band's final-ever gig, rolling out 'It's Alright,' 'Never Say Die,' 'Junior's Eyes' and 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,' as well as runs through their own 'Welcome to the Jungle' and 'Paradise City.' They joined the massive line-up of the show at Villa Park in Sabbath's hometown of Birmingham that also featured sets from Metallica, Slayer, Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Tool, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, and many more, led by musical director Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. In addition, Osbourne, who has fought a series of health issues, surgeries and a Parkinson's diagnosis over the past few years, sat on a gilded throne to perform four Sabbath classics — 'War Pigs,' 'Iron Man,' 'N.I.B.' and 'Paraoid' — as well as solo songs 'I Don' Know,' 'Mr. Crowley,' 'Suicide Solution,' 'Crazy Train' and the tear-stained metal ballad 'Mama, I'm Coming Home.' In addition to the 40,000-plus metalheads who crammed into the venue for the show, according to The Guardian more than five million fans livestreamed the metal marathon worldwide on a two-hour delay. Check out the meet metal moment below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
San Francisco Chronicle
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
After decades of tension, Axl Rose and James Hetfield meet again at Black Sabbath's final show
Metallica's James Hetfield and Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose shared a quiet reunion backstage at Black Sabbath's farewell concert over the weekend — a rare moment for two metal giants whose infamous 1992 tour ended in conflict and chaos. 'Back to the Beginning' at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on Saturday, July 5, marked the final performance of Black Sabbath and its frontman, Ozzy Osbourne. The sold-out show, hosted by 'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa, drew more than 40,000 fans and a jaw-dropping lineup of rock royalty, including Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Steven Tyler, Ronnie Wood, Billy Corgan, Sammy Hagar, Fred Durst and others. — Axl Rose (@axlrose) July 6, 2025 The two hadn't been known to share much common ground since their tumultuous co-headlining tour in 1992, which famously derailed in Montreal when Hetfield was injured by pyrotechnics and Rose cut Guns N' Roses' set short, triggering a riot. Reflecting on the debacle in a 2013 interview with Howard Stern, Hetfield didn't mince words. 'Guns N' Roses stood for everything we didn't like,' he said. But on Saturday, old grievances seemed to melt away. Metallica delivered a blistering six-song set, including Black Sabbath covers like 'Hole in the Sky' and 'Johnny Blade.' Guns N' Roses followed with a punchy 25-minute tribute, performing four Black Sabbath tracks as a five-piece — the band's first time playing without keyboardist Dizzy Reed and multi-instrumentalist Melissa Reese in 35 years. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ozzy Osbourne (@ozzyosbourne) Then came the night's emotional climax: Osbourne, 76, took the stage solo for five songs. 'Are you ready?' Osbourne shouted. 'Let the madness begin!' Seated in a black leather throne, the 'Crazy Train' singer, who has been living with Parkinson's disease, rallied the audience with trademark charm. He was later joined by original Black Sabbath bandmates — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward — for a final four-song farewell. It was the first time in 20 years the original lineup had performed together. As the last notes rang out, a cake was brought on stage and fireworks erupted above Villa Park, signaling the end of a historic night. 'This is the last song ever,' Osbourne told the crowd. 'Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle — thank you from the bottom of our hearts. I love you.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ozzy Osbourne (@ozzyosbourne) 'Wow!! What an EVENT!! Extremely overwhelming!! … MET OZZY!! (Crazy we'd never met b4!!),' he said after the concert. 'Was hard as I imagine for anyone to watch his struggles while at the same time everyone was rooting for him n' massively respecting the challenges he took head on n' HE DID IT!!!!' Osbourne responded in kind. 'My first time meeting Axl Rose,' he wrote on Instagram, 'at my age you don't get to meet many legends, seriously an utter gentleman.'
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ozzy Osbourne's Black Sabbath performance was 'mindblowing', son says
The son of Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, Louis Osbourne, has described the band's final appearance as "mindblowing". Posting to his Facebook page on Sunday, he spoke of his father's "emotional" performance - referencing the 76-year-old's battle with Parkinson's disease. He wrote: "The audience showed him all the love that you'd expect and him back to them. An emotional end to a phenomenal 57 year career."Ozzy was joined by the full original Sabbath line-up for the first time in 20 years in Birmingham for what the band said was their last ever show. The event included metal and rock legends Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Slayer, the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood and Aerosmith's Steven wrote: "I don't really know where to start about the show yesterday. It was hugely emotional for us. "I was sobbing at times. It was everything we wanted it to be and more. I had been anxious for months about this as I've been worried about my dad's ability to perform with his Parkinson's disease. "I just wanted it to be a dignified send off for him. But as soon as he started singing we knew he was gonna nail it."Ozzy sang while seated on a black throne in front of 40,000 fans. His son said: "I know he was frustrated as you could see he wanted to get up and tear up the stage like old times. But he did great. "Just perfect. I then sat in his dressing room and witnessed him meeting Axl Rose for the first time and Axl telling him how much he inspired him. Then James Hetfield thanking him for everything and how he had shaped his entire career."Louis said Ozzy seemed "unfazed" by the interactions and when asking the rock legend if he had a good time, he responded with "yeah". Louis said he ended the night by stopping at the house where his dad grew up in the city, finishing the post with: "You couldn't write it! My pride and love are off the scale. What a day! Mindblowing!" Black Sabbath roadie Graham Wright told BBC Radio WM how the atmosphere was behind the scenes, as he watched the show from the back of the stage. He said: "All four of them were 150% up for it. It was incredible - it was goosebump time. I was lost for words."Ozzy was great. After the show in the dressing room, there was hugging and tears. It was in the city, some pubs had to turn away customers after running out of beer - while others hit full capacity sooner than they thought. David Longmate, the owner of well known rock bar Subside, called the experience "mental".He said: "That was by far the busiest weekend we have had in our 18-year history. "We did a one out, one in policy virtually all day and night. We hit capacity on Friday night for the masses of fans attending the Sabbath pre-show. "We were packed from 4pm on Friday until 4am on Saturday."He told the BBC the bar ran out of draft beer by 03:30 BST on Saturday, but they were able to restock by Sunday, adding: "We were so busy trying to make sure everyone was safe and getting served - it was absolutely mental."Meanwhile The Flapper, a well-known rock pub and music venue, had to turn away customers during their live stream of the concert.. Manager Sam Campbell told the BBC: "The Sabbath show was a great boost for The Flapper - it was great at highlighting Brum independents and music venues."We had to close our doors early evening due to being at capacity for the live stream - and ran out of a few beer brands."The vibes were immaculate and the party continued into the early hours after the livestream had finished."Was nice to have Birmingham on the map for the weekend." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Medal designer's 'surreal' Black Sabbath experience
A 20-year-old student who designed a medal for Black Sabbath has said it was "surreal" to be invited to their final Williams from Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire was also invited to attend the band's after-party by Sharon design was chosen in a contest organised by Birmingham City University's jewellery school, which he attends and presented to the band when they were given the freedom of Williams said: "Even though I'm not a huge heavy metal fan there was a lot of bands there that I like." The medal he designed was full of references to Birmingham, including local bands, and Mr Williams said it was "really nice to see its not just you that likes the designs".He was there when the medals were presented to the band at a ceremony to mark the giving of the freedom of the city and he went up on stage to meet said it was great to see them examining the details on the medals talking to each other about experience of meeting all the members of the band was "mind-blowing," he said. At the end of the ceremony he said hello to Ozzy Osbourne's wife, Sharon and when she discovered he had not going to be at the farewell concert, she arranged tickets, back stage passes and an invitation to the after-show party."If it wasn't surreal before, it certainly was then," he the after-party he met guests including Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose, who he said was "a cool guy" and he presented Sharon Osbourne with a pearl necklace to say thank you for the was also in the room when Ozzy's daughter, Kelly, was proposed Williams, who is studying for a Higher National Diploma in Jewellery and Silversmithing, said he was now looking for other competitions to sign up for. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
