Slash refused to forgive Axl Rose for the Guns N’ Roses incident

Every collaboration between a frontman and lead guitarist is notoriously explosive, whether it’s Mick Jagger and Keith Richards or bands rising from grassroots backgrounds. Guns N’ Roses, who were sometimes compared to The Rolling Stones for infusing gritty swagger into the glossy rock of the 1980s, precisely reflect this relationship. Axl Rose, the band’s vocalist, and Slash, the lead guitarist, have had a turbulent yet memorable relationship.

There have been numerous flashpoints in Axl Rose and Slash’s relationship, and a variety of causes have contributed to their conflict. However, tensions increased substantially in the late 1980s, following the release of their 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction. Guns N’ Roses, like many other bands of the era that were unexpectedly pushed into global prominence, adopted an extreme lifestyle. Their newfound affluence and the benefits of A-list celebrity status further fueled their hellraising to new heights.

Despite the group’s foray into excess, the popularity of their debut necessitated a swift follow-up. In 1988, they published their second EP, “Self-titled,” followed by their sophomore LP, “G N R Lies.” Despite being only 33 minutes long, the record was a huge hit, much like its predecessor, with the only single being the acoustic ballad ‘Patience’. During this time, the band was on top of the globe, with both albums ranking in the top five on the charts.

They may have flown critically and commercially, but things were not going well within the group. Rose’s racist lyrics in her song ‘One in a Million’ sparked significant uproar. Despite his friend and bandmate Slash’s Black mother, the lyrics had a number of surprising moments. These include the phrases: “Police and [N-words], that’s right / get out of my way / don’t need to buy none of your / gold chains today” and others “Immigrants and faggots / they make no sense to me / they come to our country and think they’ll do as they please / like start some mini Iran / or spread some fucking disease” . Rose quickly became one of the most despised men in music.

While Rose disputed that the material was racist, presenting weird justifications for using the ‘N-word’ and citing NWA and John Lennon’s use of it, he later admitted that he used the phrase to taunt Black persons who attempted to rob him. Strangely, he also stated that his extreme homophobia stemmed from his “pro-heterosexual” stance and “bad experiences” with homosexual guys.

Despite Rose’s insufficient explanations, the song made Slash feel very uncomfortable. The singer’s usage of the ‘N-word’ just added to his discomfort. With this incident, drugs, Rose assaulting security guards in Atlanta, and the tragedy of two fans being crushed to death at the Monsters of Rock festival compounding the ill will, the wheels began to come off. In February 1989, the group decided to take a vacation from touring and recording, and each man’s condition deteriorated during this time.

They were eventually invited to open for The Rolling Stones, one of their ultimate idols, during four shows at the Los Angeles Coliseum in October. On the first night, however, this dream would take a turn for the worst. While on stage, Rose declared that the gigs would be the band’s final appearances unless a specific member stopped “dancing with Mr Brownstone,” a reference to their song of the same title. While most were using, it was clearly geared at Slash, who had a severe addiction at the time.

In the 2004 VH1 documentary Behind the Music, Slash admitted that he never forgave Rose for this. He claimed, “I know it was directed at me since I was so stressed up at the time. That was probably one of the things that made me loathe Axl the most, and I probably never forgave him for it, without even thinking about it.”

Rose subsequently stated that he was serious about his position because he did not want to see his bandmates die, and that Slash’s mother and brothers shook his hand following the announcement. However, ‘One in a Million’ and other incidents in the intervening years added to a building bitterness, and Slash abruptly departed the band in 1996. He did not re-join until 2016.