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It has been over a year since Guns N’ Roses played at the AT & T Park in San Francisco as part of their “Not In This Life” tour. Axl Rose and Slash reunited in December 2015 in order to headline Coachella 2016 before embarking on a tour. The band is still going strong and the future looks bright for Guns N’ Roses.
While rock fans around the world rejoiced, many want the full reunion of Rose, Slash, and Izzy Stradlin to happen. This September Alternative Nation reported that former Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven told an interviewer: “from my personal perspective if Izzy is not there, it’s not truly [a] Guns N’ Roses reunion.”
The line up of Guns N’ Roses has survived many changes over the years but none as tough as losing Stradlin and Slash. Stradlin first left Guns N’ Roses in 1991 after increasing tensions with the band. The guitarist has spoken of how getting sober had opened his eyes and made him take stock of the daily rigors of playing in the band. His relationship with Rose had also deteriorated at the time. He would return to GNR three times for limited periods.
Slash would leave the band in 1996 after disagreeing with Rose on the direction of the band. His return twenty years later was seen as one of the biggest events in rock history. Music In SF got hold of a rare interview with Axl Rose in 2016 where he discussed the reunion. Rose explained that he and Slash had started talking in the spring of 2015. How long the reunion will last nobody knows except Rose and Slash.
While the longevity of band’s current lineup could be in question there is no doubt that band’s brand will forever to be a success. The band has successfully navigated the digital realm and has continued to entertain fans through various mediums. The most famous example of this is the guitar simulator Guitar Hero that featured the iconic “Sweet Child of Mine”. The song featured on the second installment of the franchise was one of the most popular songs.
The third Guitar Hero, however, caused all sorts of problems for the band. Axl Rose sued Activision after the cover of the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock featured Slash. According to Wired, Rose claimed that his deal with Activision stipulated that no images of Slash could be used. A judge threw out the $20 million lawsuit.
The band has been much more successful on other digital collaborations. They partnered with online gaming outlet Slingo for a Guns N’ Roses video slot that uses many of the famous props, such as the Slash’s double neck guitars, as symbols in the game. There have been no legal disputes and Guns N’ Roses fans have been able to play alongside their favorite band. Although the band may end up splitting again there is no argument that the Guns N’ Roses will forever be linked through digital media.
No matter the twists and turns, Guns N’ Roses continue to survive as one of the greatest bands in rock and roll history. As Axl Rose and Slash continue to tour, rock fans should make sure they see one of the greatest pairings in music history before they go their separate ways again.
Photo by MrPanyGoff CC-BY-SA-3.0
