Paul Stenning Comments On New GNR Book

Splat1.com recently interviewed Paul Stenning, the author of the unofficial GUNS N' ROSES biography "The Band That Time Forgot". A couple of excerpts from the interview follow:

Sp1at.com: Which former or current band members have you interviewed for the book? Did you ever try and speak to Axl?

Paul Stenning: "Believe me, I tried to reach Axl but there is no human way possible (short of flying to L.A. and stalking him) to get through to him, past all the suits, minders and people who are doing a very good job of protecting him. It makes sense to me that they're doing that, but unfortunately the 1% of people who want to talk to Axl and are not psychopaths or stalkers or indeed harmful (quite the contrary, in fact), and just want to get the real version of events from him, are also pushed out by the protectors. Once I couldn't get hold of Axl I decided that unless I could get Slash and/or Duff then it wasn?t worth doing interviews. I had Steven Adler and Gilby Clarke lined up but had to decline to use them because of an incident with Slash's publicist. I'll get to that in a minute, but let me just explain that I did not want to put out an unofficial book without it being balanced. I'm a very impartial person and like to cover every side of a story so with only one or two peoples' input it didn?t seem fair to me, especially as most would have an aversion to Axl and that would then create just another typical Axl Rose slagging platform.

"Anyway, thanks to Slash's [former] publicist (Arlett Verleecke) my plans to talk to Slash were scuppered. Because she thought I was associated with Mick Wall (which I'm not nor ever have been) she was incredibly rude and nasty with me when all I was trying to do was get the real events from Slash. That seriously changed my opinion of Slash, having this parasitic leech working for him. Axl I can understand but Slash hasn't got much to really protect or hide. Has he?"

Sp1at.com: Did you try and speak to Merck Mercuriadis, or any Sanctuary or Geffen workers for your book?

Paul Stenning: "I did, and the upshot was no one knows what's going on, at either label! They barely know how to get in touch with their own artist, and though they were helpful, they seriously couldn't tell whether GUNS N' ROSES was even still on their label. It's obviously not their fault, they're just holding out in hope for this album they've funded for years. Once I realised how clueless they all are, I decided I would do it all myself."

Sp1at.com: Was there any attempt by people in the GUNS N' ROSES camp to block the release of the book?

Paul Stenning: "You'd think there would have been, wouldn't you?! But strangely, and mercifully enough, there hasn't been. You know I think one of the reasons is because I have portrayed the band truthfully and with integrity which no other journalist has ever done before. I don't consider myself a rock writer above being a fan of music, I always prefer to print the words that come out of an artist's mouth directly, and maintain a good relationship with any band. I'm not in this field to stir shit or find a big story, that doesn't interest me. I seek to display the truth to those who want to read about a new band or a band they already like. It's my belief anyone surrounding Axl who has seen the book realizes it. In some magazines it got bad reviews and I'm really not surprised, because the mainstream music press cannot handle a tome that gives Axl Rose a good name, and portrays him respectfully and truthfully. It's far too easy to slag people off and drag their name through the dirt, but the people who have done, and continue to do this, to Axl have one thousanth of his talent and I'm pretty sure these days it doesn?t bother him anymore. If someone slags my book off, I don't take it personally, it's just another slur on the GN'R name and I now empathize even more with what it must be like to put out an integral product and have it slated. Fuck these people, the book is written for the true GUNS fan and that's why I'm delighted I've had so many people write to me telling me how much they enjoyed it. That is really who I wrote it for, fans who believe in Axl and the band and I think anyone associated with them sees that. Either that or the book is so miniscule on the grand scheme of things that they don?t give a shit!"