Guns N’ Roses have been known for decades for contributing to the rock music world. However, they are also known for their in-band disputes. And we all know the clash between the frontman Axl Rose and lead guitarist Slash. Slash left the band as a result of their feud or clash. Moreover, it was not only Slash who was sick of Rose because the rhythm guitarist of the band Izzy Stradlin also left the band during GN’R’s Use Your Illusion tour.
Furthermore, Axl Rose accused the guitarist of sabotaging his career and he also said that in Slash’s autobiography he portrayed Rose as irresponsible which he did not like. However, Slash also accused Rose of threatening band members to leave the band if they did not sell him the name Guns N’ Roses during Use Your Illusion tour.
And of course, Rose denied Slash’s accusation but since Rose owns the name, Slash’s accusation might even be true. So what is the truth? We will discuss Slash’s accusation in detail further below in the article.
Axl Rose’s threat to leave the band
As per the reports, Rose threaten to leave the band not only once but quite a few times. He threatened his bandmates during the Use Your Illusion tour and even before the tour back in the 80s. It is well known that most of the band members back then used to take drugs excessively. And since Slash and Izzy were heroin addicts, Rose threatened to leave the band if they did not quit taking drugs.
Slash then promised Rose that he would stop using heroin, however, the drummer of the band Steven Adler could not quit his habit so he was fired from the band. Although he was welcomed back to record their third studio album Use Your Illusion, he was not able to perform because of heroin use; so he was fired again and got replaced by Matt Sorum.
Now, some may think why did not they just kick Rose out of the band? well, it would have been hard for them to find a vocalist who would match him. In 1992 during the tour, Rose once again threatened to leave the band unless other band members sell the band’s name and right to him.
Slash told Rolling Stone back in 2008, “Axl refused to go onstage one night during the Use Your Illusion tour in 1992 unless the band signed away the name rights to the band. Unfortunately, we signed it. I didn’t think he’d go on stage otherwise.”
However, Rose denied the accusation and said that not a single thing Slash said was true. He defended himself by saying he would have faced legal trouble if that was the case. Rose said, “Not one single solitary thread of truth to it. Had that been the case, I would have been cremated years ago legally.”
He also said that they were saying it just for some clout. He said, “The Illusions lineups comments that I’ve read in the media or in Slash’s books were, in my opinion, predominantly public gamesmanship, strategy, and politics on their part.”
Although they were against each other, they were able to put their past aside and get together once again. Back in 2016, after 23 years, Slash and Axl Rose performed together.
