Flashback: Guns N’ Roses Play Final Show Before Mysterious Hiatus
Slash caused a huge stir this past weekend when he didn’t challenge a Swedish reporter’s assertion that he was back on speaking terms with Axl Rose. “It was probably way overdue, you know,” he said. “But it’s very cool at this point to dispel some of that negative stuff that was going on for so long.” He never actually said, “Axl and I are talking again,” and it’s quite possible he was merely saying that his own negative feelings have dissipated in recent years, but the remark was more than enough to generate headlines all over the world.
One reason the comments got the Guns N’ Roses fan community so excited is that they came not long after word arrived that guitarists DJ Ashba and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal had left the group. Throw in the fact that original bassist Duff McKagan filled in for Tommy Stinson on a South American tour last year, and it’s hard to not think that maybe something is indeed coming together. A reunion tour would generate unimaginable amounts of money, possibly enough for Axl to get over his negative feelings towards Slash. Also, it’s been nearly a week, and nobody in the band has uttered a word of denial.
As we wait to see what happens, here’s a look back to Guns N’ Roses playing “Welcome to the Jungle” and “It’s So Easy” at the group’s last gig with DJ Ashba and Bumblefoot. It was held June 7th, 2014, at the Joint in Las Vegas. Axl has been extremely quiet in the nearly 15 months since that night. Has he spent that time reconciling with Slash and preparing one of the biggest reunion tours in history? Has he simply made enough money from touring with Guns N’ Roses over the past few years that he can afford to leave the spotlight and live his life in peace and solitude? We have absolutely no idea, but let’s all hope that Axl somehow found it in his heart to overlook whatever he believes Slash did back in the 1990s and they are indeed friends again. We’ve had the new Guns N’ Roses for quite a few years now. We’re ready for the old one to come back.