DEF LEPPARD GUITARIST PHIL COLLEN THINKS THE GUNS N’ ROSES REUNION IS “F-ING LAME”
It sounds like Def Leppard guitarist, Phil Collen, won’t be purchasing a ticket for the Guns N’ Roses reunion tour.
When the subject was reportedly broached during a recent interview with the Daily Telegraph, Collen dismissed the whole idea as “really f—ing lame.”
Which is not to say that guitrist dislikes the band’s music or its members — quite the contrary, in fact. “I love Guns N’ Roses, I think they’re really cool, I’d love to see Slash and Axl and Duff play together,” he insisted. “That’s great.”
The problem, as Collen sees it, is that a band that’s allowed personality conflicts to completely alter its course over the past 20 years can command reportedly outrageous guarantees simply by agreeing to get back onstage together again. Meanwhile, bands that have stayed together for years — like Def Leppard, for example — are left feeling taken for granted. “I think it’s f—ing lame considering we’ve been hardcore,” continued Collen. “Our integrity’s still intact, we’ve never split up. We’ve gone through if someone had a little sniffle or something, we soldier on.”
During their time together, Def Leppard have been through far worse than sniffles. “Someone dies, someone loses an arm, someone gets cancer, we soldier on,” said Collen. With Guns N’ Roses, “if someone has a little barney backstage, they can’t deal with each other. I know it’s difficult, but I do think it’s pretty lame when you compare anyone else to us.”
additional source: ultimateclassicrock.com
See – I just can’t put GNR in the same league as the Stones or Zeppelin. To me they have ONE truly iconic, legendary album and that’s not enough (in my opinion) to put them in a league like that. Yes, they were wildly popular and I acknowledge they’ve been influential, but I think their “status” is as much or maybe even more about their notorious image and personality issues than the actual music.
I think I see Phil’s point, but that’s show business and life’s not fair. You don’t necessarily get rewarded for gutting it out through good and bad. Def Leppard haven’t been the band I wish they were since 1983, but they’ve had PLENTY of success. They made a concerted effort to be “safe” and polished a long time ago, and it paid off with a steady career. Guns’ fans have been starving for a reunion for a long time, and as much as I might also dislike the “lameness” of the cash grab – if I were them I’d do it too. It’s ironic how in today’s music industry most bands are trying to scrap a living together, but something like this comes along and suddenly deep pockets are throwing stupid money at them – and charging stupid money for tickets. And just like before, nobody really knows if it’ll be the greatest thing rock has seen in a long time, or blow up after a couple of shows.