Download: The Boo-ing was at Tommy for being a prick

[bombingrun]

I've heard a few different accounts of what happened at download with flying bass guitars and boo's at certain times. 

I was standing right down the front and here's my account:

The show was amazing but the turning point for everything was when Axl was really pissed off at almost tripping up on things so he asked some roadies to come out and sort the stage.  They taped a few leads to the ground on the centre walkway that extends forwards, this was to try and keep them out the way.  Later Axl almost slipped and fell on the same spot, a few of us kinda of laughed down the front and Axl smirked seeing the funny side - but then he was obviously pissed off and gave the roadies the middle finger.  At the end of the song Axl said "Due to to technical probs we're going to take a break"

Roadies then all came running on stage taping rubber mats all over the place so Axl wouldn't slip, Ron came on and did his solo.  The whole band came back on and launched into Better with all the conviction they could muster up but when Axl appeared he just stood on one spot for the enitire song looking really stuborn as if to say"if you can't sort the stage out i won't put on a show!".   

He sang the song brilliantly but the stage energy was non-existent.  I think this is one of the things that pissed Tommy off cos he kept looking at Axl as if to say, "why are you not putting everything into this?". It must've really got to him cos in the last verse he launched his bass at the ground whilst looking really pissed of at Axl then turned round and threw it at the camera man as hard as he could.    A lot of us down the front started boo-ing... this was not boo-ing about anything apart from Tommy being a complete wanker.  The camera man didn't deserve it, and to be honest I wish the camera man would've stood up and punched the fuck out of Tommy, instead he was pro and just got on with his job.

Afterwards Tommy appologised to the camera man and blamed the incident on being hit with a bottle of piss, but I think that was just an excuse to cover what he was really fucked off about.  Anyway it provided the fire for a great show

[Tomorrows]

Both Tommy and the camera man are lucky he didnt get seriously hurt. I mean, if you want to throw something at someone our of frustration, chuck a shoe not a fucking bass guitar.

Oh well, itll hopefully generate some of that "most dangerous band in the world" garbage and get some free publicity. Axl was a total trooper yesterday and gets my thumbs up - hope he continues to stick things out and make something of the concerts that get off to a bad start. Seems like Tommy is the baby of the band nowdays, which is better than that being the lead singer.

[bombingrun]

Yeah, you're right.  It will generate the "most dangerous band in the world" style publicity, however i'd like to to think that GNR are passed all that now and could earn respect without resorting to cheap gimmicks.

[estranged.1098]

That's an interesting theory. After what Tommy did at WTTJ in Lisbon I wouldn't doubt anything.


Did anyone here see a bottle hitting Tommy?

[nycangel]

That's an interesting theory. After what Tommy did at WTTJ in Lisbon I wouldn't doubt anything.


Did anyone here see a bottle hitting Tommy?

what did tommy do in lisbon?

[Mattattack]

Right on Tommy! Being a prick is part of being a Rock Star. Hopefully Tommy's behavior rubs off on Axl.

[Ellroy]

Because Tommy threw a bass that makes him the baby of the band? Please. The dude had a bad few minutes, that's all. Why does there even need to be a "baby" in the band? There doesn't and there isn't.

[SWINGTRADER]

I think Tommy Stinson is forgetting who people are there to see. ?I know he's in the band ?and has a say , ?but to walk off stage and throw shit just because he feels Axl isn't giving 100% ?is totally childish. ?That is something you bring up behind ?closed doors ?not in public. ?He hasn't established himself in GNR yet ?to be pulling shit like that. ?If Tommy ever pulls shit like ?that again ?I hope Axl punches him right in the ?face in front of everybody. ?For now I am going to take Tommy's word for it ?and ?say he reacted like that because of the Bottles being thrown. ? I see an Axl/ Stinson fight in the near future. ?Those 2 do not seem to be getting along much. ? Even before the tour started ?you can tell ?things weren't right ?with him and Axl when ?listening to ?Tommy interviews. ?You can hear the tension in his voice whenever the DJ brought up GNR in the conversation.

[mikepatton]

Ironically in June 1992 in Sevilla Spain when Faith No More opened for GNR--during the FNM set Mike Patton and the boys demanded the crowd throw garbage at the stage, and one guy threw a bottle of piss to which Patton infamously drank it..After FNM finished their set the stage was covered in garbage....(Patton and the rest of Faith No More claim this as their best concert ever).fast forward to the GNR set after the stage had been cleaned from 50,000 people throwing garbage and Axl fell on his ass a couple times after more people threw stuff on stage..This lead to a rant........CLASSIC...............were there any rants at Donington..I am feeling sentimental for another axl rant

[bazgnr]

http://www.nme.com/festivals/news/23300

Sounds like there were several issues going on during the show...

[KillYourIdols]

This is all speculation...

and I seem to remember that Robin on 010101 launched his guitar in to the amp...so who gives a fuck.

[Mandy.]

The Boo-ing was at Tommy for having the attitude many bass players lack.

[philspectorshotme]

tommy suffered through more shit than the donnington crowd (and drank more than the donnington crowd) during the replacements heyday. im quite confused as to what exaclt went on, because by all accounts he should be perhaps the most experienced person in the band (including axl).

and his bass smash on jungles explosion at rir is the moment of the tour. absolutely beautiful.

[warrocks]

I see an Axl/ Stinson fight in the near future. ?Those 2 do not seem to be getting along much. ? Even before the tour started ?you can tell ?things weren't right ?with him and Axl when ?listening to ?Tommy interviews. ?You can hear the tension in his voice whenever the DJ brought up GNR in the conversation.

man, Tommy's been with axl long enough. they're friends and know each other well. Tommy seems to be a guy who isn't afraid to tell axl to fuck off if there's something wrong or doesn't agree with him. put it this way; Tommy is axl's wife now, they have fights like any other couple but they communicate and find ways to make things work and are happy, totally different from ex axl's wife ? ( you know what i mean lol)

[SLCPUNK]

It's a live show.

Stuff happens.

It's called life.

[nycangel]

i totally agree, axl and tommy fight, and they they make up. tommy had a bad day, everybody does, i really dont see this becoming a bigger problem then what it already was, and nobody has told me what happened at lisbon with tommy during WTJ, can someone please tell me what happened?

[holtzmn73]

This is all speculation...

and I seem to remember that Robin on 010101 launched his guitar in to the amp...so who gives a fuck.

That was 12-29-01 at the Joint, Axl was having troubles with his mic and at the end of Oh My God Robin took off his guitar and threw it at his amps and then stomped off the stage.

[Kujo]

I wasnt there so I dont fucking know what happened obviously. However from the accounts stated here, it sounds like Tommy is doing what he was brought into this band to do, and thats keep Axl in check as much as possible. If Axl starts to show his ass at all Tommy wont hesitate for a minute to call him on it. Granted he shouldnt have directed his anger at the cameraman though.

Tommy Stinson does not have to establish himself anywhere. He was the punk legend in his teens that a certain other bassist always thought he was but wasnt. I said it after the NYC shows, Robin will be the new star but this band will live or die by Tommy Stinson.

[Tomorrows]

i totally agree, axl and tommy fight, and they they make up. tommy had a bad day, everybody does, i really dont see this becoming a bigger problem then what it already was, and nobody has told me what happened at lisbon with tommy during WTJ, can someone please tell me what happened?

He smashed his guitar about 3 minutes in, walked off stage - band kept playing. Axl disappeared from the stage a few moments (between verses, not sure if he talked to Tommy or it was for something else) and came back. Tommy followed a few seconds later with a fresh guitar.

[nycangel]

thank you!