Yet Another Episode in the Life of a Guns N' Roses fan

So, by now you've probably heard by now that with days to spare before the ceremony, W. Axl Rose has spectacularly pulled out of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction in an open letter posted yesterday.

To: The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Guns N’ Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern,
 When the nominations for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were first announced I had mixed emotions but, in an effort to be positive, wanting to make the most of things for the fans and with their enthusiasm, I was honored, excited and hoped that somehow this would be a good thing. Of course I realized as things stood, if Guns N’ Roses were to be inducted it’d be somewhat of a complicated or awkward situation.

Since then we’ve listened to fans, talked with members of the board of the Hall Of Fame, communicated with and read various public comments and jabs from former members of Guns N’ Roses, had discussions with the president of the Hall Of Fame, read various press (some legit, some contrived) and read other artists’ comments weighing in publicly on Guns and the Hall with their thoughts.

Under the circumstances I feel we’ve been polite, courteous, and open to an amicable solution in our efforts to work something out. Taking into consideration the history of Guns N’ Roses, those who plan to attend along with those the Hall for reasons of their own, have chosen to include in “our” induction (that for the record are decisions I don’t agree with, support or feel the Hall has any right to make), and how (albeit no easy task) those involved with the Hall have handled things… no offense meant to anyone but the Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn’t appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or respected.

For the record, I would not begrudge anyone from Guns their accomplishments or recognition for such. Neither I or anyone in my camp has made any requests or demands of the Hall Of Fame. It’s their show not mine.

That said, I won’t be attending The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction 2012 Ceremony and I respectfully decline my induction as a member of Guns N’ Roses to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf. Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of “Guns N’ Roses”.

This decision is personal. This letter is to help clarify things from my and my camp’s perspective. Neither is meant to offend, attack or condemn. Though unfortunately I’m sure there will be those who take offense (God knows how long I’ll have to contend with the fallout), I certainly don’t intend to disappoint anyone, especially the fans, with this decision. Since the announcement of the nomination we’ve actively sought out a solution to what, with all things considered, appears to be a no win, at least for me, “damned if I do, damned if I don’t” scenario all the way around.

In regard to a reunion of any kind of either the Appetite or Illusion lineups, I’ve publicly made myself more than clear. Nothing’s changed.

The only reason, at this point, under the circumstances, in my opinion whether under the guise of “for the fans” or whatever justification of the moment, for anyone to continue to ask, suggest or demand a reunion are misguided attempts to distract from our efforts with our current lineup of myself, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Frank Ferrer, Richard Fortus, Chris Pitman, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and DJ Ashba.

Izzy came out with us a few times back in ’06 and I invited him to join us at our LA Forum show last year. Steven was at our show at the Hard Rock, later in ’06 in Las Vegas, where I invited him to our after-party and was rewarded with his subsequent interviews filled with reunion lies. Lesson learned. Duff joined us in 2010 and again in ’11 along with his band, Loaded, opening in Seattle and Vancouver. For me, with the exception of Izzy or Duff joining us on stage if they were so inclined somewhere in the future for a song or two, that’s enough.

There’s a seemingly endless amount of revisionism and fantasies out there for the sake of self-promotion and business opportunities masking the actual realities. Until every single one of those generating from or originating with the earlier lineups has been brought out in the light, there isn’t room to consider a conversation let alone a reunion.

Maybe if it were you it’d be different. Maybe you’d do it for this reason or that. Peace, whatever. I love our band now. We’re there for each other when the going get’s rough. We love our fans and work to give them every ounce of energy and heart we can.

So let sleeping dogs lie or lying dogs sleep or whatever. Time to move on. People get divorced. Life doesn’t owe you your own personal happy ending especially at another’s, or in this case several others’, expense.

But hey if ya gotta then maybe we can get the “no show, grandstanding, publicity stunt, disrespectful, he doesn’t care about the fans” crap out of the way as quickly as we can and let’s move on. No one’s taking the ball and going home. Don’t get it twisted. For more than a decade and a half we’ve endured the double standards, the greed of this industry and the ever present seemingly limitless supply of wannabes and unscrupulous, irresponsible media types. Not to imply anything in this particular circumstance, but from my perspective in regard to both the Hall and a reunion, the ball’s never been in our court.

In closing, regardless of this decision and as hard to believe or as ironic as it may seem, I’d like to sincerely thank the board for their nomination and their votes for Guns’ induction. More importantly I’d like to thank the fans for being there over the years, making any success we’ve had possible and for enjoying and supporting Guns N’ Roses music.

I wish the Hall a great show, congratulations to all the other artists being inducted and to our fans we look forward to seeing you on tour!!

Sincerely,
 Axl Rose

P.S. RIP Armand, Long Live ABC III

You can naturally guess the reaction to this. And the extreme reactions from some people have led me to think, "Wow, and I thought I was pissed off". I'm going to attempt to be the voice of reason here... just no that I'm not letting Axl off the hook. As much as I love the guy, I think this is a bad move. But some people are going a little overboard.

First off, people need to stop acting like Axl is the first and only person involved in this whole situation that did/said something stupid.

Slash dismisses two of the people being inducted as "other guys" who shouldn't even be there. In my opinion, that's worse... he can think it, but to publicly state it in such a way. At least Axl never discredited anybody who is being inducted.
Steven calls Axl's current line-up a bunch of hacks, then apologises, which members of the band accept and all's well. Until a couple of days later, when he explains that he actually meant to scabs, and that's what they are. Not better, Steven!
Then Matt Sorum takes to Twitter to promise the details of the event if he gets a certain amount of followers in time. We all know that he didn't have any exclusive details to give, and was just trying to get attention there.
I honestly believe that if these guys had just kept their fucking mouths shut, that wouldn't have happened.

But, I do wish he was able to act like a fucking grown-up for just one night. Ignored all of the bullshit and held his head up high just for those few hours. He could go back to ignoring everyone else after that and for the first time in years when it comes to something involving all of those guys came out looking like the good guy. A few hours. How the fuck is that too much to ask... he didn't even have to perform. And no, he shouldn't have done it "for the fans". That's all bullshit from a bunch of entitled assholes who think that just because you buy a record, t-shirt or gig ticket they are then able to dictate what the band do for all time. Here's the deal you make when you exchange money for those things... you get the music. You get the t-shirt. You get the gig. You do not get the right to demand they do whatever you want. I may disagree with him on this occasion (and God knows it's not the only occasion, contrary to popular belief), but none of that is related to any future gigs/music. In my opinion, the "fans" who are throwing their toys out of the pram and saying they'll never go to see him perform again etc., are being just as childish and petty as he is.

What he should do it for is the music. The music he created with those six other guys all of those years ago and is still with us and just as relevant today as it was then. Yes, I know that "people get divorced", but plenty of divorcees are able to put their differences aside for special occasions. Especially when they are occasions to honour their children (or in a band's case, their music). To be the only original member of a band left, and then refuse to be associated with said band for something like this, just bewilders me. Either you're a part of it, or you're not. Inducting a band without any one member of the line-up that got them there would be fucking meaningless. If on Saturday they talk about every member except Axl Rose, then they're not really inducting Guns N' Roses at all.

For the record, though, I think the Hall Of Fame - whilst they can induct whichever bands they want - should have clearer rules when it comes to bands that have had multiple line-ups. Either limit it to one line-up, the members when the band was the most popular or give everyone who's been in the band the option. For example, this year they are inducting the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and along with them Josh Klinghoffer who joined the band as a full member two years ago. The one album he's been on has hardly set the world alight. And yet they never even asked Dave Navarro, nor any member of Guns N' Roses who joined post-1990. Seems a bit hypocritical, and arbritary to me, and a disagreement over that could have been another factor in Axl's decision. Or of course the decision to let Green Day be the people to induct them (a band I love and think are a great choice for the record, but Axl could feel differently). Even so, none of this is any excuse for him to throw the whole thing into disarray just days before the ceremony. At the moment it looks like Duff's the only one to have grown up in the last 25 fucking years...