It’s the reformation that many say will never happen. Much like they said The Stone Roses will never get back together, or The Beach Boys will never settle their differences. But 2011 proved the year where the impossible became possible and the recent announcement that iconic rock band Guns N Roses would be inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame has sent tongues wagging at the possibility that one of longest running feuds in music could finally be put to rest.
Of course, the elephant in the room, despite only the original lineup being invited to the awards ceremony, is that frontman Axl Rose and original guitarist Slash hate each other. Their feud is part of rock n roll folklore after the two friends parted ways due to creative conflicts and an ill-timed cover of Rolling Stone’s classic ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ that put tension between the two members at fever pitch.
But that was fifteen years ago and given the impending induction many have been contemplating if a reunion really could be on the cards, including Slash. In a recent interview with Esquire Magazine the guitarist said “When I see footage of Guns N’ Roses, I see that f—ing hunger and attitude. You could not f— with those five guys. It was just raw. It was this lean, hungry thing on its way up. It was as sincere as any rock ‘n’ roll that I’ve ever heard, and I’m proud of that.”
“The split between Axl and I was a quiet one. But because there was so much attention on the break-up – and are we going to get back together – it got built up into this monster that led to a kind of animosity that wasn’t the focus for me. Neither one of us wants to be down each other’s throats for no reason. At this point, I’m trying to put it to rest.”
If lineup that recorded classic rock album ‘Appetite for Destruction’ do reunite, it will be the first time in over two decades that they’ve performed together. But it takes two to tango and Axl has usually been the most vocal and venomous about his former bandmate. During a recent interview he laughed in glee as he accused Slash of regularly pissing his pants from drinking too much at parties when they were younger.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Axl had mixed feeling about a reunion saying “It’s nice to get recognition and have some form of acceptance but in regards to joining others the price is too high and just not worth it. All these managers, they all believe in one thing: sell a reunion tour and get their commission.”
“I’ve got mixed emotions about what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame actually is, but at the same time, there’s a lot of people — the fans — that it just means something to them, and they’re happy. It’s like you won the Heisman Trophy or something. I really don’t want to spoil it for everybody else — or take the beating. There is no plan yet. There really is no plan.”
When pressed about what led to the original lineup’s demise Axl replied “It was really a fight with me and Slash, Izzy was doing the same thing, but the fight with me and Slash started the day I met him. He came in, popped my tape out and put his in and wanted me in his band. And I didn’t want to join his band. We’ve had that war since Day 1.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland, Ohio on April 1st.
