Axl Rose says Guns N’Roses did not go on late at Reading or Leeds, and anyone who says they did is publishing "intentionally false" material, reports RockRadio.
The band appeared an hour after their scheduled start time at Reading on Friday night and guitarist DJ Ashba later admitted they’d done it on purpose because they felt event promoter Melvin Benn was a "money-grabbing prick."
They were also half an hour late at Leeds on Sunday. At both shows they weren’t allowed to play as long as they wanted to, with their power being cut at Reading, resulting in a sit-down protest on stage during which Rose stated the band wouldn’t appear at Leeds.
Now Rose says: "Our start times at the festivals had nothing to do with us – we went on within our contracted and documented changeover time period. Whatever other nonsense anyone’s choosing to write would appear intentionally false. Having the fans or our show penalised over how the event was run seems a bit draconian and more than unfair.
"A simple question: if you are aware of our changeover time, the length of our show and the nature of how festivals run… why book us?
"Is it a cash-grab with no respect for fans or band, and an unwanted inconvenience for the cities and law enforcement?
"If we’re not wanted, we’re fine with going elsewhere. God forbid we should force ourselves on anyone. It’s not that kind of party."
He states it wasn’t GN'R’s choice to play Reading or Leeds: "I wasn’t even consulted about being booked for these shows until after the fact. Nor did I choose to work with anyone other than our manager, who was involved in arranging the dates.
"I had what I feel were legitimate, and now proven justified, apprehensions. Amazingly, we’re often legally obliged to honour such arrangements, even if it’s against our will or better judgement. That’s how this business often works for the artist – in my opinion it benefits managers, agents, promoters and ticket vendors.
"Yet we gave it 100% and it seemed as if the fans and our camp were having fun and making the most of things."
Finally, Rose suggests someone wanted the shows to fail, asking: "Why, and it would appear intentionally, risk having it go bad for everyone? That would be recklessness and negligence at the fans’ and our expense."
Meanwhile, the Daily Star claims that Rose sacked his entire road crew after Reading, then had to reinstate them because there wasn’t time to find new staff to cover at Leeds.
Kim Dawson of the Dailystar.co.uk writes: Axl Rose should rename his band Guns N' Snoozes after it was revealed he was busy napping when due on stage at both Reading and Leeds Festivals.
Furious Sweet Child O' Mine singer Axl Rose sacked his entire tour crew after Guns N' Roses Reading slot over-ran on Friday and landed him a whopping fine.
In fact, he had been kipping backstage in his dressing room after arriving on site at 6pm.
With his team under strict orders not to disturb him, it meant he eventually hit the stage an hour late. And disaster hit again on Sunday in Leeds when the plug was pulled early for a second time.
A source said: "Axl has a very firm rule that he is not to be woken up whenever he is asleep. That proved costly at Reading."
Determined to finish Paradise City, the 48-year-old sang through a megaphone after his mic was turned off.
Then offstage he kicked off. The source continued: "Axl was furious. He refused to take responsibility and blamed his team so he sacked them.
"Then he realised it was too late to fly in anyone else from America so he had to rehire them for Leeds."
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