May 10th, 2013 | 11:00 am by Jordan Runtagh

Rockers Off Their Rockers: 25 Musicians Who Went Kind Of Cray-Cray

25 Musicians Who Went Crazy

They say that there’s a fine line between genius and insanity, which might explain why some of our all-time favorite musicians have a tendency to go off the rails every now and then. Whether obsessive, reclusive, ego-maniacal, or just plain weird, the biggest names in the pop occasionally…errr, flip their lid. Sometimes it’s just a momentary lapse of reason (looking at you, Mariah Carey and Kanye West), sometimes it’s wayyyy too many drugs (love you, James Brown), and other times it’s just wayyyy too many yes-men.

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October 25th, 2012 | 10:38 am by Zara Golden (@zaragolden)

Tuned In: Axl Rose Really Loves Halloween, And Other Things We Learned From His Interview With Jimmy Kimmel


Last night was a good one for late night watchers, who had musical performances from the Lumineers, No Doubt, the Whigs and Two Door Cinema Club to chose between, as well as President Barack Obama on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the rarely seen Axl Rose on Jimmy Kimmel Live. This being Rose’s first live interview (as you’ll remember, Vh1′s That Metal Show sat down with the rock star last fall) in nearly two decades, we suspect the choice of which channel to chose was an easy one for rock fans. Axl arrived on-time (“It’s a miracle!” Rose laughed) and to a very excited audience. And while he didn’t have much to offer as to why he chose to break the wall of silence — though we suspect the timing might have something to do with Guns N Roses’ upcoming Las Vegas residency — but Axl gamely answered all Kimmel’s questions otherwise, and generally seemed the be enjoying himself. Read more…

October 1st, 2012 | 5:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Axl Rose Agrees To Jimmy Kimmel Interview (But Don’t Forget That Metal Show Got Him First!)

The notoriously press-shy Axl Rose made tsunami-sized waves today when it was revealed that he plans to swing by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 24 for his first live television interview in more than 20 years. Well, the “live” part might be true, but let’s not forget that VH1 Classic‘s own Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson scored Axl’s first televised interview in 20+ years last November when W. Axl himself appeared on That Metal Show. (Watch above!)

Of course, a lot has happened to Axl since he appeared on TMS last fall; there was the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame debacle, a legendary concert at the Ritz, and even a rumored dalliance with Lana del Rey. So, it’s not as if Jimmy will be struggling to come up with questions for the frontman of Guns N’ Roses. We just wanted to remind hard rock and heavy metal fans that VH1 Classic was the first TV network to score an interview with the media-phobic frontman since his band’s mid-90s meltdown, but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t already set our DVRs to tape JKL! on October 24.

Axl Rose Doing ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ in TV Return [The Wrap]

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July 27th, 2012 | 5:49 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Last Lap: The US Olympic Swim Team Performs Their Own Lip Dub Of “Call Me Maybe”

AXL ROBES
We’re not exactly sure where this picture of Axl Rose wearing a Missoni robe came from, or who his galpal is, but one thing we are sure of is that this picture sort of gives us the creeps. [Dangerous Minds]

YOUR CARLY RAE OF THE DAY
Your favorite US Olympian swimmers (Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, etc.) are the latest squad of athletes to go cray for Carly Rae Jepsen (who, we should point out, is Canadian). We’ll overlook their lack of patriotism this time around. [Vulture]

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April 12th, 2012 | 9:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Eddie Trunk On The Axl Rose Controversy: “Knowing What I Know About The Hall, I Like Him Even More For Standing Up To This Whole Thing”

The buzz surrounding the rock royalty that will be in attendance for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame’s 2012 induction ceremony this weekend is currently being overshadowed by the buzz surrounding the one person who will NOT be in attendance. Of course, we’re talking about the one and only W. Axl Rose, who gave the Hall the proverbial middle finger last night with his open letter declaring his refusal to be inducted alongside his former bandmates in Guns N’ Roses.

This declaration has sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community of hard rock supporters, so we thought who better to reach out to help us contextualize these developments than the host of That Metal Show himself, Mr. Eddie Trunk. Eddie has been communicating with his fans through his official @EddieTrunk Twitter account ever since the news broke, but we were able to get him on the phone earlier afternoon for an extended conversation about these controversial events. We caught up with him when he was playing blackjack (and winning!) at the Revel Casino in Atlantic City, and as you might expect, he had LOTS to share about Axl, the likelihood of an eventual GNR reunion, his interest in creating an institution to rival the RRHOF, and his disdain for the Hall’s inductee selection process.

EDDIE ON WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS SURPRISED BY AXL’S DECISION:
“I’ve got to say, I was not surprised at all. Anybody who has followed, listened or watched me knows that not only do I have disdain for the Hall and the way they treat rock bands, but I never thought there was a chance in hell that Guns N’ Roses would play. Reading his letter, of course there’s deeper things there. Axl’s a complicated guy, everybody knows that. I thought it was extremely remote that Axl would ever show up.”

EDDIE ON WHY AXL DECIDED TO BOW OUT OF THE CEREMONY:
“When we sat down to talk to him about it on That Metal Show, he seemed like it was at that point he wanted to take a look at it and see what was involved in it. Judging from his letter, he clearly did look at it, had conversations with them, and saw that it wasn’t for him. Here’s why I think that this happened: He had issues with the Hall. Listen, if he doesn’t even want to be inducted, obviously something really went wrong there in the discussions. Purely speculating, I can tell you that this is a guy, for right or wrong, completely wants to promote and embrace his current band. This induction is NOT about his current band; they’re not included. He saw this for what it really was. If he stands up on stage with Slash and those guys, it’s going to throw a huge gallon of gas on this reunion outcry, and it’s the last thing he wants. I know the fans want it, but I can tell you this: I know all of the original members of GNR better than Axl, and none of them, with the exception of maybe Steven Adler, ever talk about a reunion. They’re all focused on their other projects.”

EDDIE ON THE “REAL” REASON THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME IS INDUCTING GNR IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY:
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April 12th, 2012 | 12:00 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Read Axl Rose’s Open Letter To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Wherein He Declines To Be Inducted Alongside His Former Guns N’ Roses Bandmates

Axl Rose Gives The Finger To The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame

May the bridges I burn light my way!

Ever since it was announced that Guns N’ Roses would be inducted as part of the 2012 Class of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, the question on everyone’s lips has been “Will the original lineup of GNR reunite for a one night only performance?” Well, as it turns out, we have been asking the wrong question all this time.

Last night, Axl Rose shocked the world when he sent an open letter addressed to “The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Guns N’ Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern.” Not only will he not be performing alongside Slash, Duff, Steven and Izzy, but he won’t even be attending the ceremony AT ALL. But that’s not it. He’s even instructed the RRHOF Committee not to induct him into the Hall, period. As he writes, Axl “strongly request(s) that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf.”

Here’s the complete text of the letter, courtesy of the L.A. Times:

To: The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Guns N’ Roses Fans and Whom It May Concern,

When the nominations for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame were first announced I had mixed emotions but, in an effort to be positive, wanting to make the most of things for the fans and with their enthusiasm, I was honored, excited and hoped that somehow this would be a good thing. Of course I realized as things stood, if Guns N’ Roses were to be inducted it’d be somewhat of a complicated or awkward situation.

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April 2nd, 2012 | 12:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Slash On Why The Guns N’ Roses Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Reunion Probably Won’t Happen: “Axl Hates My Guts”

The Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame is set to induct heavyweight acts like Guns N’ Roses, the Beastie Boys, and Red Hot Chili Peppers on April 14, but there’s one open question that’s overshadowing the whole affair: Will Axl Rose bury twenty-plus years of beef and reunite with Slash, Duff, Steven Adler, Izzy Stradlin and the rest of the original lineup of GNR for a one-night only performance? As much as we’d like to report otherwise, we would strongly advise you against holding your breath.

When Axl turned up on That Metal Show last year, he was diplomatic about the prospects of the reunion, intimating that he had recently broken bread with Izzy and Duff. Then last month, former GNR drummer Matt Sorum didn’t slam the door on reunion rumors, but also confessed that “I’m not the guy to ask, I just hope it works out.” However, in an interview with Rolling Stone that was just published, Slash all but crushed GNR fans’ hopes for a reunion.

“This is a subject I’m dead sick of talking about,” he told RS. “Everyone has been asking me what’s going to happen, and they know as much as I do. I feel you’re totally obligated to be present and I would love to f***ing play, but it’s just something that’s not gonna happen for whatever reason.” When pressed for further explanation, he added “[Axl] hates my guts. It’s over a lot of different stuff; I don’t even know. There’s just no communication between us. I talk to Duff and Steven, but when it comes to old Guns N’ Roses, there really isn’t anybody that makes decisions [besides Axl].”

We really wish this was a late April Fool’s Day joke, but sadly, it appears as if this is one reunion that’s never going to happen.

Slash: ‘Axl Rose Hates My Guts’ [Rolling Stone]

[Photo: Getty Images]

January 30th, 2012 | 2:15 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Guns N’ Roses Bringing Their Arena Rock Prowess To 6 Club Gigs In February

Despite his oft-professed dislike of the media, Axl Rose clearly recognizes the value of good publicity. After seeing Van Halen score tons of positive headlines after playing the 280-person capacity Cafe Wha? earlier this month, Guns N’ Roses has announced that they will be playing a total of six shows at club-sized venues during the month of February.

While it’s fair to say that the current incarnation of G’N'R can no longer fill stadiums they way they did in their early Nineties heyday, tickets for these six dates —three in NYC, one in Chicago, one in Silver Springs and one in Atlantic City— are sure to be some of the hottest tickets of what’s shaping up to be an outstanding year for live music. According to Rolling Stone, the last time that Guns N’ Roses played at Webster Hall was in 1988 (!), so old school headbangers and curious millenials alike will no doubt be ponying up big bucks to see the 2012 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductees in such an intimate environment. And who knows, maybe Axl will bring out some of his former band members for a tune-up before the RRHOF induction ceremony in April? We sincerely doubt that will happen, but if there’s one thing that we have learned about Axl after all these years, it’s to expect the unexpected!

Complete list of dates after the jump:
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December 21st, 2011 | 4:00 pm by Kat George (@kat_george)

Will Axl Rose Bring The Original Guns N’ Roses Band Members Back Together For Their Induction To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?

Next April will see legends Guns N’ Roses inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and there’s been some speculation as to whether or not the band will get back together for the event. Even with Steven Adler’s misgivings and Axl Rose’s beef with several band members, both haven’t entirely ruled out the possibility of a reunion, although they have remained generally cagey. Now, Axl Rose has stirred up even more speculation telling the L.A. Times that while he would chose to snub Adler and Izzy Stradlin in a reunion, he would consider playing with Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, stating, “The only thing that would make it would be Duff and Slash, really… It’s nothing against Izzy and it’s nothing against Steven, or anything like that. Steven may want it, but these guys I’m working with right now, they work really hard and it’s hard work. I’ve toured with the other guys and I’ve also seen what they’ve done since, and I just know the difficulties. So it’s not really even a full reunion.” We think it would be nice to see the boys lay down their arms and get together for the award ceremony, even if they choose not to tour — they earned the accolades together, after all!

Axl Rose talks playing the Forum, Hall of Fame gig, reunion [LAT via NME]

[Photo: Getty Images]

December 8th, 2011 | 7:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Steven Adler Discusses the Likelihood of a Guns N’ Roses Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Reunion: “Unfortunately, I Don’t Foresee It”

Guns N’ Roses is headed for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in April, and since Wednesday’s announcement, nary a critic has debated their worthiness for inclusion. Instead, the conversation around G N’R this week has mainly revolved around speculation as to whether or not Axl and Slash will be able to put aside 20 years worth of acrimony and actually show up in the same place at the same time. No one has been able to get either Axl or Slash to go on the record with their intentions, but Rolling Stone was able to get former G N’R drummer (and Celebrity Rehab cast member) Steven Adler to dish on whether or not they’ll be getting the band back together for one last night, as well as what he thought about Axl’s recent interview on VH1 Classic’s That Metal Show.

“Unfortunately, I don’t foresee it,” Adler explained to Rolling Stone‘s Andy Greene. “You figure that time could heal all wounds, but some people just REALLY hold a crazy grudge.” Greene pressed Adler further on the issue, and being the eminently quotable guy that he is, Adler delivered:

If the Police could do a reunion … One of the biggest jerks I ever met was Sting,” Adler dished. “If he can do it, then anyone can do it. It’s not that big a deal. And the Eagles! They did it! They severely hated each other. It’s just rock and roll. It’s not like anyone has f***ed anyone’s wife or stole their wife, like the Rolling Stones with Brian Jones and Keith Richards. None of that crap happened.”

During Axl Rose’s interview with That Metal Show, he pretty much said the same thing. At the time of the interview, the band was only on the short list of nominees and they had not been informed of their eventual induction, but Axl still weighed in:
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