Axl Rose Gets A Helping Hand From Duff McKagan For Guns ‘N Roses Reunion
Looks like Axl Rose is getting by with a little help from a friend. The Guns N’ Roses frontman is being helped out by former bassist Duff McKagan, who has promised to rejoin the band for five shows.
According to current Guns N’ Roses bassist Tommy Stinson, Duff McKagan is only helping Axl Rose out because Stinson is doing a small stint with the band Replacements for a reunion tour he locked.
McKagan had tweeted a few days ago that he may be rejoining Axl Rose’s band, and now the news of the brief reunion is official and straight out of the Guns N’ Roses camp. The founding bassist will play with Guns N’ Roses during five dates in South America throughout the month of April.
Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil! See y’all in the next few weeks, Si? GNR. pic.twitter.com/nO0GvreaH7
— Duff McKagan (@DuffMcKagan) March 31, 2014
As for Tommy Stinson’s dates to rejoin the Replacements, the current Guns N’ Roses guitarist told Billboard of the commitment:
“I had those Replacement shows come up the same time the (South American) tour came up, and it got to be a scheduling issue right out of the gate. I didn’t want to f–k anyone up in Guns by saying, ‘Hey, I can’t do this tour’ or anything like that. Luckily someone was able to reach out to Duff and he was amenable to the idea and was into doing it. It’s Duff being the kind of good sport he is, trying to help Axl (Rose) out. So I’m like, ‘Thanks dude, for covering my a– on this one.’ I think people are gonna be really stoked about it. It’s gonna be fun for everyone.”
After the news broke of Duff McKagan rejoining the band, and helping out lead Axl Rose, the bassist released a statement through his publicist:
“It’s pretty great to play these songs again, and looking forward to playing some gigs with my pal again. South America is always a radical place for rock n roll…and I’m honored to be doing this thing, in that place.”
For those who aren’t aware Guns N’ Roses original bassist Duff McKagan left the band in 1997. In 1999 Axl Rose debuted the “new” Guns N’ Roses. Axl was the only original member to be a part of the new era. During a Rock in Rio set in 1999 Axl made a statement about the former members of Guns N’ Roses:
“I know that many of you are disappointed that some of the people you came to know and love could not be with us here today. Regardless of what you have heard or read, people worked very hard (meaning my former friends) to do everything they could so that I could not be here today. I am as hurt and disappointed as you that unlike Oasis, we could not find a way to all get along.”
Looks like at least Rose and McKagan found a way.
[Image Credit: Nikola Spasenoski / Shutterstock.com]
