L.A WEEKLY REPORTS THAT THE GUNS N’ ROSES REUNION IS NOT HAPPENING, OR IS IT?

November 13, 2015Dana 22 Comments

Art Tavana of L.A. Weekly reports:

Former Guns N’ Roses manager Vicky Hamilton, who’s in the process of publishing her memoir, was texting with Slash last night. Here’s what she had to say in a Facebook post about all those GNR reunion rumors you’ve been hearing: “OK … was texting with Slash who is on tour [in India] … he says the GN’R tour isn’t happening … so that’s all I know … your guess is as good as mine …” Hamilton confirmed the text from Slash directly to the L.A. Weekly as well, “He said it isn’t happening.”

L.A. Weekly reports that they talked to five different real sources (not “friends” or sycophants at the Rainbow Room), and here’s what they report they know:

Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Slash, either through lawyers or managers, have been discussing the possibility of a GN’R reunion tour. We’ve been told that Steven Adler and Izzy Stradlin are not involved. Sources have told us that promoters like AEG and Goldenvoice have been courting the big kickoff show. But nothing is confirmed yet, and whatever talks may or may not be happening regarding a possible reunion could fall apart at any moment. Or, based on Slash’s text to Hamilton, maybe they already have.

Not a single original member or legal representative has confirmed or denied the rumors, which has resulted in mass hysteria among fans, bloggers and half the music industry in general. When we asked a former NIN tour manager what he thought about the reunion, his reaction was to freak out and walk away from us, quickly — as if we’d asked him for missile launch codes. The tour manager, who’s a close friend of bassist Duff McKagan, could have denied the rumors calmly; instead, his abrupt reaction sent a signal that something is happening. But it’s unclear what that something is…

…To be clear: Vicky Hamilton isn’t a direct source, either. She is no longer working for or directly associated with GN’R in any formal capacity. She’s a reliable source and very connected — a way more reliable source on this subject than, say, Scott Weiland. But for all we know, Slash could be trying to dispel rumors as details of an actual reunion are being hashed out.

From everyone we’ve talked to, the consensus is that Del James, a former GN’R road manager and close friend of Axl Rose (who once interviewed Axl for Rolling Stone), is the one person outside of Axl, Slash, Duff and their lawyers who might actually know what’s going on. But he’s not talking, and why would he? Would you? Axl could pull the plug on this at any time, because Axl is Axl, and nobody close to him wants to start a war with the man once nicknamed “Ayatollah” by his bandmates.

So everybody just calm down. There’s no Guns N’ Roses reunion. Unless there is. But there isn’t. Probably.

“But you never know,” says Hamilton.