Why did Axl and Slash break up?

[Carlos Gunner]

Can anybody please explain to me the real reasons why Slash and Axl stopped talking to each other and broke up their relationship?
I have never read the real reasons for this.
What I heard is Slash does not want to go deep into this topic, and I guess I never really knew why.
It almost feels like they do not want to talk about it.
Tell me if you know.

[DeN]

yeah, I ask myself the same question since the nineties.

since they totally excluded fans from any kind of explanation at the time of the reunion, we'll never know. 

[PermissionToLand]

Slash cheated on Axl.

Seriously though, Slash went deep into this in his autobiography. Read that if you want to know his perspective. It's a great book. We're still waiting for Axl's book, if he'll ever write one.

[DeN]

could be a good summary : https://www.quora.com/Could-anyone-explain-me-the-feud-between-Axl-Rose-and-Slash

[Carlos Gunner]

thank you guys

[Wooody]

Slash cheated on Axl.

Seriously though, Slash went deep into this in his autobiography. Read that if you want to know his perspective. It's a great book. We're still waiting for Axl's book, if he'll ever write one.

He's writing one, but as for music, he might never finish it

[shadowofthewave]

Just my opinion based on everything that's been said:

Slash quit the band as a power move to get more leverage back in GNR. Axl had control of the name, was dictating who the members would be (firing Gilby/hiring Paul) and wanted Slash to sign a contract. Slash thought he could negotiate for more power in the band if he left. But Axl moved on with the new band. Around 2000/2001 Slash was interested in making peace but Axl was pissed off at the things Slash had said about him in the press. Marc Canter said the day after Rio 2001 Axl said he would let Slash play a few songs on CD if he apologized publicly but Slash said no. This tension was heightened by Slash's autobiography, where Slash said Axl used blackmail to get control of the GNR name, something Axl has denied as recently as 2016. From reading Axl's statements over the years, it seems he was angry not just because of the things Slash said, but why he said them. Axl felt Slash was badmouthing him to the press to get more publicity for himself. In Axl's 2012 rock hall letter he basically said he would not even speak to Slash unless Slash apologized publicly. Why he changed his mind just a couple of years later after holding onto to this position for so long, is unclear.

[Carlos Gunner]

Just my opinion based on everything that's been said:

Slash quit the band as a power move to get more leverage back in GNR. Axl had control of the name, was dictating who the members would be (firing Gilby/hiring Paul) and wanted Slash to sign a contract. Slash thought he could negotiate for more power in the band if he left. But Axl moved on with the new band. Around 2000/2001 Slash was interested in making peace but Axl was pissed off at the things Slash had said about him in the press. Marc Canter said the day after Rio 2001 Axl said he would let Slash play a few songs on CD if he apologized publicly but Slash said no. This tension was heightened by Slash's autobiography, where Slash said Axl used blackmail to get control of the GNR name, something Axl has denied as recently as 2016. From reading Axl's statements over the years, it seems he was angry not just because of the things Slash said, but why he said them. Axl felt Slash was badmouthing him to the press to get more publicity for himself. In Axl's 2012 rock hall letter he basically said he would not even speak to Slash unless Slash apologized publicly. Why he changed his mind just a couple of years later after holding onto to this position for so long, is unclear.

I see, that explains a lot, it seems like they stopped talking to each other because of power and economical advantage.

[PermissionToLand]

This tension was heightened by Slash's autobiography, where Slash said Axl used blackmail to get control of the GNR name

I don't recall that in the book at all. What are you talking about?

[shadowofthewave]

This tension was heightened by Slash's autobiography, where Slash said Axl used blackmail to get control of the GNR name

I don't recall that in the book at all. What are you talking about?

I didn't read the book. Axl said in the chats and at the China exchange that Slash wrote in his book he refused to go onstage unless they signed the name over to him.

[cineater]

I kind of go with everybody was young, stressed out, on drugs and alcohol.  Lord only knows what they said or thought they heard or what went on in their heads.  Let whatever anger they have going on, go.  It's poison.

[DeN]

that's basically what the guy on my link on Quora wrote :



"Essentially it was the result of a power play and clashing personalities. Axl Rose is direct, aggressive, honest. Slash is avoidant, passive and prone to lies.

Ownership of the band was the issue. Axl started the band and considered it his. Not for monetary but for reasons of control. The rest of the band accepted this implicitly in lieu of his dominant personality. They were all paid equally for their work, but he had the final say in business matters.

During the Use Your Illusion tour he wanted this arrangement in writing. Possibly suggested to him by the bands new entourage of lawyers. Moths to the flame. The general atmosphere in the band was that they did whatever Axl wanted, apparently dreading his wrath on a serious level. But it didn’t help that the slimebag manager Doug Goldstein presented the agreement as a threat “if you don’t sign this there is a chance Axl won’t go on stage”. Not something approved by Axl Rose if we are to believe the man himself.

The agreement basically read:

The partnership is the original members, ie. Axl, Slash and Duff. The partnership is equal, but if it is dissolved, ie. one of the members leaves the band, the rights to the name goes to Axl.

Seems innocuous enough. However what you don’t expect is that when the statue of limitations expires a few years later, around 94–95, Axl Rose becomes the member to leave the band. Officially dissolving the band and refounding it with himself as dictator.

For years Slash had been busy either touring or partying hard and he is taken aback at this. He feels humiliated. The lead guitarist in the biggest band in the world has been hoodwinked by his singer. When he discovers there is no legal recourse he decides to use his real leverage. His de facto position in the band, which is invaluable. By this time Guns N’ Roses had long since become the Axl and Slash show, and they both knew it.

So Slash simply stonewalled him. Like an angry wife he witheld access to his guitar. “From now on we do things my way or we don’t do it at all”. Axl balked but was willing to compromise. But Slash was not having anything but total submission. That was obviously not going to happen. Slash played his last card, he left the band. Thinking Axl Rose would finally accept reality and come crawling back. Probably then Slash would be willing to compromise imo, but he must have miscalculated the stubborness of his singer. By now he had crossed the brink. He would go on without Slash. Finally he could tailor the bands new album entirely to his own satisfaction.

What certainly didn’t help was that Slash used his position as media darling to paint Axl the bad guy. This probably infuriated Axl more than anything else.

In early 2006, on the Eve of Axl’s comeback running GN’R as a sole original member, Slash showed up at his house. His own band, Velvet Revolver was not doing so well at the time. He no doubt realized that he had only changed one mad singer for another. So why not return to the jucier gig? Axl didn’t come to the door, if he was even home. His maid did, and she relayed the story that Slash offered to apologize and make amends. He declared Axl had “won the war”.

Axl took it like a sneaky attempt to disrupt his comeback (personally I don’t think that was Slash’s intent) and became even more hostile. He described Slash as a cancer, one best avoided. Any hope for a reunion seemed slimmer than ever.

It would take another 10 years before reconciliation happened. A combination of “we’re too old for this bullshit” and “this cash is too good to pass up”. "

[Carlos Gunner]

that's basically what the guy on my link on Quora wrote :



"Essentially it was the result of a power play and clashing personalities. Axl Rose is direct, aggressive, honest. Slash is avoidant, passive and prone to lies.

Ownership of the band was the issue. Axl started the band and considered it his. Not for monetary but for reasons of control. The rest of the band accepted this implicitly in lieu of his dominant personality. They were all paid equally for their work, but he had the final say in business matters.

During the Use Your Illusion tour he wanted this arrangement in writing. Possibly suggested to him by the bands new entourage of lawyers. Moths to the flame. The general atmosphere in the band was that they did whatever Axl wanted, apparently dreading his wrath on a serious level. But it didn’t help that the slimebag manager Doug Goldstein presented the agreement as a threat “if you don’t sign this there is a chance Axl won’t go on stage”. Not something approved by Axl Rose if we are to believe the man himself.

The agreement basically read:

The partnership is the original members, ie. Axl, Slash and Duff. The partnership is equal, but if it is dissolved, ie. one of the members leaves the band, the rights to the name goes to Axl.

Seems innocuous enough. However what you don’t expect is that when the statue of limitations expires a few years later, around 94–95, Axl Rose becomes the member to leave the band. Officially dissolving the band and refounding it with himself as dictator.

For years Slash had been busy either touring or partying hard and he is taken aback at this. He feels humiliated. The lead guitarist in the biggest band in the world has been hoodwinked by his singer. When he discovers there is no legal recourse he decides to use his real leverage. His de facto position in the band, which is invaluable. By this time Guns N’ Roses had long since become the Axl and Slash show, and they both knew it.

So Slash simply stonewalled him. Like an angry wife he witheld access to his guitar. “From now on we do things my way or we don’t do it at all”. Axl balked but was willing to compromise. But Slash was not having anything but total submission. That was obviously not going to happen. Slash played his last card, he left the band. Thinking Axl Rose would finally accept reality and come crawling back. Probably then Slash would be willing to compromise imo, but he must have miscalculated the stubborness of his singer. By now he had crossed the brink. He would go on without Slash. Finally he could tailor the bands new album entirely to his own satisfaction.

What certainly didn’t help was that Slash used his position as media darling to paint Axl the bad guy. This probably infuriated Axl more than anything else.

In early 2006, on the Eve of Axl’s comeback running GN’R as a sole original member, Slash showed up at his house. His own band, Velvet Revolver was not doing so well at the time. He no doubt realized that he had only changed one mad singer for another. So why not return to the jucier gig? Axl didn’t come to the door, if he was even home. His maid did, and she relayed the story that Slash offered to apologize and make amends. He declared Axl had “won the war”.

Axl took it like a sneaky attempt to disrupt his comeback (personally I don’t think that was Slash’s intent) and became even more hostile. He described Slash as a cancer, one best avoided. Any hope for a reunion seemed slimmer than ever.

It would take another 10 years before reconciliation happened. A combination of “we’re too old for this bullshit” and “this cash is too good to pass up”. "

I agree it was mostly about Slash and Axl, I think the reunion of 2016 could have worked as well without Duff too.
A battle of the egoes of Slash and Axl.

[DeN]

well, I'm not sure it was the alpha and omega of their feud, but it is what we know at the moment

[PermissionToLand]

I didn't read the book. Axl said in the chats and at the China exchange that Slash wrote in his book he refused to go onstage unless they signed the name over to him.

That's leverage, not blackmail.

What certainly didn’t help was that Slash used his position as media darling to paint Axl the bad guy. This probably infuriated Axl more than anything else.

The media was begging Axl for interviews but he wasn't giving them. That was his choice. Slash was generally diplomatic about Axl in interviews.

Here are some snippets of Slash talking about Axl to the media from 1996:

"Howard Stern: Yeah, he works with Axl, how can he think you're crazy? That's a good point.

[laughter]

Stern: Axl's insane.

Slash: No."

https://www.a-4-d.com/t2469-1996-09-30-the-howard-stern-show-interview-with-slash

"Well at this point now that Axl and I are really civil. We went out to dinner recently and had a bottle of wine together and like sat and talked about what we were interested in and so on and so forth. You know, more complicated I guess than it normally would be, but Axl is a very complicated guy. He does like to talk about the stuff, I like to just plug in and jam and that's sort of the thing that's the difference between guitar players and he is sort of a visionary, and it sounds like Spinal Tap, and I just like to play my guitar. But we did sit down a couple times and have a really good meeting and so at this point I start rehearsal in a week and a half or so and we just take it from there. That's the way I see it. If you were to talk to him it'd probably be like a little bit more... yeah, I don't know, planned out than that but I'll just show up and we'll go from there. It'll work out, though."

https://www.a-4-d.com/t3451-1996-08-dd-mtv-headbangers-ball-interview-with-slash?highlight=1996

Also, VR was at their peak success in early 2006.