Guns N’ Roses Pt. 2: Real life Rocket Queen, Raging Press, Recovered Memories, and the Riverport Riot

Summary

DISGRACELAND Episode Summary: "Guns N’ Roses Pt. 2: Real life Rocket Queen, Raging Press, Recovered Memories, and the Riverport Riot"

Introduction

In the 50th episode of DISGRACELAND, host Jake Brennan delves deeper into the tumultuous history of Guns N’ Roses, focusing on the band's internal struggles, Axl Rose's personal demons, and the infamous Riverport Riot. This episode paints a vivid picture of the intersection between rock stardom and destructive behavior, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the band's rise and the chaos that nearly tore them apart.

Aftermath of "Appetite for Destruction"

Following the release of their groundbreaking debut album, Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses skyrocketed to fame. Constant touring, radio support, and MTV airplay propelled the band to international stardom. However, this meteoric rise came with significant downsides. By the fall of 1989, despite their growing fame, the band was grappling with the deaths at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival, which were heavily blamed on the band by the press. Brennan notes, “Two Dead at Donington screamed the headlines” ([17:29]).

Inner Turmoil and Substance Abuse

The band's internal dynamics were fraught with substance abuse and personal conflicts. Members like Duff McKagan and Steven Adler struggled with alcoholism and heroin addiction, respectively. Slash faced his own battles, including a near-fatal overdose. Izzy Stradlin, the band's guitarist, became synonymous with the heroin-fueled rockstar image, influencing others in the metal scene to follow suit. Brennan highlights, “Heroin and Guns N Roses went hand in hand” ([24:15]).

GNR Lies EP Controversy

Unable to produce a full-length follow-up album amidst their chaotic lifestyle, Guns N’ Roses released an EP titled GNR Lies. This record was a satirical take on the tabloid culture that was surrounding the band. The EP included the controversial track “One in a Million,” which featured shocking and offensive lyrics. Axl Rose's deliberate use of the N-word ignited backlash, with Brennan explaining, “When you first hear the N word in the lyrics, there is a split second where your brain stops listening” ([21:45]). The song was intended as a critique of the media but was widely condemned, leading to radio bans and public outrage.

Axl Rose's Personal Struggles and Therapy

Amidst the chaos, Axl Rose sought therapy to confront his traumatic past, revealing recovered memories of being sexually abused by his father. This revelation added another layer to his volatile persona. Brennan states, “Axl Rose doubled down on therapy and through analysis uncovered what is believed by some in the psychotherapy community to be called, 'recovered memories.'” ([28:50]). These personal struggles fueled Axl's anger and antagonism towards the press, further straining the band's relationships.

Riverport Riot: Events Leading, Main Event, Aftermath

The crescendo of Guns N’ Roses' internal and external conflicts culminated in the infamous Riverport Riot on July 2, 1991, in St. Louis, Missouri. Brennan provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the riot:

• Pre-Show Tensions: The band was under immense pressure to perform, especially with a high-profile opening slot for The Rolling Stones. Substance abuse among band members had deteriorated their performance quality ([19:16]).

• Axl's Ultimatum: In a dramatic on-stage rant, Axl Rose threatened the band and announced that without significant changes, Guns N’ Roses would cease to exist. “[...] unless certain people in this band get their shit together, these will be the last Guns N’ Roses shows you will fucking ever see” ([25:30]).

• Performance Breakdown: The ensuing performance was disjointed, marred by Axl's erratic behavior and the band's inability to play cohesively. Axl's violent outburst against a fan, whom he mistook for a press member, escalated the situation. “[...] Axl grabbed the mic, pissed and quickening his pace toward the side of the stage, said, 'Well, thanks to the lame ass security, I'm going home.'” ([28:20]).

• Riot Erupts: Axl's departure from the stage ignited chaos. Fans reacted violently, leading to a full-scale riot with injuries, arrests, and extensive property damage. Brennan describes, “In the end, it was a bloody riot that Axl Rose's deep well of anger had incited” ([29:26]).

• Legal Consequences: Axl was later charged with multiple counts of assault and fined $50,000, an outcome he deemed justified for the chaos he unleashed.

Conclusion: The Complex Legacy of Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses

Jake Brennan concludes the episode by reflecting on the intricate and often contradictory legacy of Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses. While the band achieved monumental success and created iconic music, their journey was marred by personal trauma, substance abuse, and violent confrontations. Brennan draws parallels between Axl and other legendary but troubled artists, emphasizing that their genius is often intertwined with their personal struggles. “Rock stars are messy. It's part of what makes them great artists,” Brennan asserts ([30:28]).

Notable Quotes

• Jake Brennan on "One in a Million": “When you first hear the N word in the lyrics, there is a split second where your brain stops listening and you involuntarily ask yourself, did he really just say that? And then, as if to answer your internal monologue, Axl immediately follows up the N word with, that's right. As in, yeah, motherfucker, I just said that.” ([21:45])

• Axl Rose's On-Stage Announcement: “I just want to say I hate to do this on stage, but I tried every other fucking way. And unless certain people in this band get their shit together, these will be the last Guns N’ Roses shows you will fucking ever see.” ([25:30])

• Jake Brennan on Axl's Behavior: “Axl Rose's past, both as a civilian and a celebrity, is filled with intense drama, violence, riots, beef, arrest, scandal, and so much more.” ([29:56])

Final Thoughts

This episode of DISGRACELAND provides an unflinching look at the darker side of rock stardom through the lens of Guns N’ Roses. By examining the band's internal conflicts, Axl Rose's personal battles, and the catastrophic Riverport Riot, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities that underpin the music and legacy of one of rock's most iconic bands.

Transcript

[Jake Brennan]

Foreign Elvis it's hot guys. Summer is here in full force down in the part of the country where I'm at. I'm emptying out my closet. I'm reorganizing and donating a bunch of clothes I don't wear anymore. What do I wear? What? What am I constantly going back to my Quince short sleeve T shirts. Quince's base layer T shirts are gonna great. They're lightweight and they look good if I'm going out to dinner or if I'm just chilling at home working throughout the day. I rock the black, I rock the green, I rock the navy. These are high quality T shirts like everything else at Quint, high quality and reasonably priced. Quint works directly with top artisans to cut out the middlemen and give us luxury pieces without the markups. I've even turned my wife onto quint. Quint has 100% European linen shorts and dresses for $30, luxe swimwear, Italian leather plat sandals and so much more. And again, the best part, everything with Quince is half the cost of similar brands. Give your summer closet an upgrade with quints. Go to quints.com Disgraceland for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com Disgraceland to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com Disgraceland for decades he was untouchable, a mogul, a visionary, a king of hip hop. Sean Diddy Combs built an empire from the ground up. But now it is all coming undone. Jesse Weber hosts Law and Crimes the Rise and Fall of Diddy the Federal Trial A front row seat to the biggest trial in entertainment history. Sex trafficking, racketeering, prostitution, allegations by federal prosecutors that span decades and witnesses who are finally speaking out each week. Law and crime is breaking down the courtroom drama as it happens. From explosive testimony to behind the scenes legal strategy to the questions on everyone's mind. How far will he fall or will he walk free? But with a reputation in ruins, the spotlight is harsher, the stakes are higher, and for Diddy, there may be no second chances. You can listen to the Rise and Fall of Diddy the Federal Trial exclusively on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple podcasts or Spotify. Right now, Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis, the story of Axl Rose and his band Guns N Rose. Their immense success and destructiveness is so wild and intense that two episodes were needed to properly tell this story. If you're just getting hip to this. Now I suggest you hit pause and go back to Disgraceland. Episode 49, Part 1 of the Guns N Roses Story, where we discuss Axl Rose's upbringing, the origins of the band and the influence the city of Los Angeles had on their music, as well as the tragic events at the Donington Monsters of Rock Festival in 1988. In this episode, we dive deeper into the band's inner dynamics. Axl's state of mind and highly antagonistic relationship with the press, and of course, more of the band's great music. That music I played you at the top of the show, that wasn't great music. That was a preset loop from my melotron called mellow stuffed shirts mk1. I played you that loop because I can't afford the rights to Rush Rush by Paula Abdul. And why would I play you that specific slice of former La Laker Cheerleader Cheese? Could I afford it? Because that was the number one song in America on July 2, 1991, and that was the day Guns N Roses took the stage at the Riverport Theater in St. Louis, Missouri. And all hell broke loose. On this, our 50th episode, Cheerleader Cheese, Rocket Queen, recovered memories and Guns N Roses. I'm Jake Brennan and this is Disgrace. Neither girl was doing it. For Axel, it was hot. Sure, for a 17 year old who couldn't get laid, maybe, but for anyone who knew anything about sex, it was kind of lame. These girls sounded like they were faking it, forcing it for the microphones. They were having sex with Axl on the floor, both at different times. He was doing his best, but he was in his head, distracted, too, concerned with getting a good take than giving a good lay. The microphones must have distracted the girls too. Axel didn't really know. He just wanted them to be natural, to do what they would normally do. But it was a lot to ask of anyone and a lot to ask for everyone who was in the studio with him while he tried recording a real life female orgasm administered by him for the benefit of the Guns N Roses song Rocket Queen that his band was recording for their debut album. Too many oh yeah babies. Enforced breathiness, too many quizzical squeals and ill placed moans. Axl didn't want this to sound like a cheesy porno flick, or worse, like something out of a goddamn Zucker Brothers movie. He wanted it to sound real hard, like his band. But Axl couldn't blame the girls, and they were giving it the old sunset try. But sex is sometimes messy. It's physical. And given the circumstance demanding, the mics were constantly being bumped into, carefully placed by the studio engineer to perfectly capture the sound. Axle wanted, every time the mics were disturbed, the engineer to come back into the live room in the middle of the sex act to readjust the mics. Nothing to see here. Keep doing what you're doing. I'm just gonna. Yep, that's it. Right. Right there. Okay, all set. Get back to it and I'll. Yeah, I'm just gonna head back in there. The engineer would then head back into the control room, where various bandmates with rolling eyes and snickering cocaine tongues would do their best to keep it in their pants. It's not like the girls were oblivious to what was going on. The candles in the dimly lit studio couldn't hide the awkwardness of the situation. The interruptions from the engineer happened continuously, and as a result, the rhythm was busted up constantly. And as anyone who is experienced with sex can tell you, rhythm is the key to good sex. And Axl wasn't just going for good sex. He was going for great sex. It needed to sound authentic, and it wasn't, and he was getting pissed. He needed a pro, not a prostitute, but a professional. A girl who was dialed in turned up sex minded nearly 100% of the time. The type of girl who walked in a room and you just got the vibe immediately. To Axel, these girls were rare. Most groupies acted like they wanted sex, and sure, some most definitely did. But what most wanted was to just get up close to the rockstar gods, see what they were all about, coax their personalities out through their vulnerabilities and worm their way into some sort of relationship via their own natural maternal instincts. And before you knew it, if the groupie was lucky, in any case, good, she'd be dating her rock God. And then who knew what could happen? Her whole world would open up. Sex was just the price of admission. Axel wasn't looking for this type of girl. He was looking for that rare woman. The kind with the torturous libido. The kind that thought about basically one thing in any social situation. Which guy am I gonna fuck? The kind that didn't care about your feelings, or hers, for that matter. The kind of girl who exuded sex and not just because of her looks. With this type of girl, the attraction was different. Less physical, More chemical. Scientific. Wherever she went, she exploded into the room. And her presence, her pheromones, set off tiny little explosions in the minds of whichever men were lucky enough to be around her. What in the hell they imagined would sex with this woman be like this type of girl's vibe? Her essence was that combustible explosive like a rocket drawing everyone in like a queen. Like a rocket queen. Axl knew just the girl. Only problem was she was dating one of his best friends and the drummer in his band, Steven Adler. She was a 19 year old stripper who went by the name Adriana. Who knew if that was her real name? Did it matter? No. All that mattered was that she was pissed that her wannabe rock star boyfriend Steven Adler was dipping his little Vic Firth in whatever whore he could get his hands on around the Strip. So when Axl laid it on her, what he wanted to do, have sex with her in the studio and record the act to overdub onto a song that Steven was actually playing drums on. Adrianna jumped at the chants, revenge is a dish best served hot. And in front of a live studio audience with the tape rolling, Axl's inclination was correct. The of the the results speak for themselves. The song Rocket Queen is one of their best recorded tracks and the recorded sex act in the middle does indeed sound authentic. Almost as important, the rumors about the recording sessions spread like wildfire, and the infamous reputation of the band spread even further. People in the industry in the Sunset Strip metal scene took note. This wasn't a band of posers. These guys were the real deal and their singer was crazy. And there were other rumors too, mainly involving heroin. The band were savage junkies and they were going to be lucky to live to see the release of their debut album. Or so went to thinking, and if heroin didn't kill them, then AIDS would. Word started spreading that Slash, the band's guitarist, was openly worrying to anyone who would listen about a coming LA metal scene AIDS epidemic. And if he or David Lee Roth or Gene Simmons caught the deadly at the time HIV virus, that it would be an instant death sentence for him, his band, and the entire Los Angeles heavy metal community. With or without Dangerous Sex, the band was doing their best to make truth of the death rumors. Bassist Duff McKagan was drowning himself in vodka, stuffing himself with pills, and there simply weren't enough of either to satiate his appetite. Same goes for heroin and Steven Adler. He was consumed by the drug and rendered incompetent as a drummer on numerous occasions. The fact that he had other assets like his electric Nice Guy Eddie personality likely kept him in the band. Despite his terrible addiction. Heroin was just as gripping on other members of the band as well. Axl did his time with the drug, but got hip quick and quit. Slash was another story. While recording their first album, he was so blitzed on smack that during a photo shoot, the photographer needed to dispatch an intern to crouch behind Slash in order to hold him up like a life size rock and roll muppet just so he could stand long enough to have his picture taken. Slash was also found one morning literally passed out in the gutter on Hollywood Boulevard, sleeping off a dope binge. He'd overdosed once already and was quickly brought back to life. But still, rumors spread that the guitarist of the most promising band on the strip had died of a heroin overdose. It was a surprise to pretty much nobody. Heroin and Guns N Roses went hand in hand, and it was in large part because of the band's other guitarist, Izzy Stradlin. It's hard to see it now just how cool Izzy Stradlin was. Sure, you see him in the videos and in the pictures and he looks cool enough, but next to Slash and Axl, he definitely reads supporting role, but that's just image. Talking to those who knew the band back then and who knew and came in contact with Izzy Stradlin, there was no doubt about it. He was the coolest dude they'd ever met. Nowadays, we throw around the word influencer like it actually means anything real. Aside from ad dollars today, all an influencer is is someone who can best represent a highly curated, stylized and staged version of themselves online. Their authenticity is heralded as an attribute, which is ironic because digital life is so often disconnected from one's authentic life. Social media influencers are highly selective in determining what parts of their lives they let the public in on. And if they can calibrate their content correctly, the result for them is a massive following and voila. Influence. Because of the nature of how an influence influencer becomes an influencer, it is therefore impossible for an influencer to not care. Which is also ironic, given that the very essence of cool is to not care. And back in the pre Internet days of rock and roll, cool meant influence. And in the Sunset Strip scene at the time, nobody was cooler and thus more influential than Izzy Stradlin. His attitude to cut whatever vibe was in the room, you knew he was there and that he was somebody. Even when he was a nobody, you were only slightly intimidated by him, but it was more his vibe than his physicality. You wanted to know what kind of trip he was on, where he got his junky lean, those stone cold second hand threads and that minimalist jewelry, his scraggly snarl and dyed jet black hair set against his relative youth gave him a weird pirate intern look. He looked like Keith Richards. Mini Me, like his cool was cut from the same cloth as Keith's. With his disaffected gaze and casual grasp of whatever the hell happened to be going on around him. He was there, wherever, but far away at the same time and still demanding everyone's attention. Izzy Stradlin wasn't waiting for his man. He was the man. And he truly did not care about anything but his guitar and by extension his band, sort of, but not really. He didn't really care about his bandmates or his girlfriends or his own well being. And as a result, he shot a lot of heroin. He didn't care who knew and he didn't care about getting arrested for dealing it. He was too cool to care. So along with being cool, heroin became part of Izzy Stradlin's identity. And because of his influence, lots of other musicians, scenesters and kids in the metal scene throw the time started doing heroin. Axl later, when discussing with the reporter Gnr's early days during the time of heroin's resurgence in Los Angeles, said, well, it was Izzy that brought it back. This is entirely screwed up and strikes me as something so shallow and simple that it could only happen in la, Los Angeles. Sex, drugs, hard rock and roll, unquestionable cool influence, and a no fucks given attitude. Each element combined to form one of the most successful debut albums of all time, Guns N Roses, aptly titled Appetite for Destruction. So the convenience of being able to pay for almost everything these days digitally, yeah, it's easy. But guys, I don't know about you, it's also very easy to lose track of what I'm spending my money on. Okay, I looked at my credit card statement a couple weeks ago and the amount of garbage I realized I was spending money on was staggering. I don't think I spend a lot of money on takeout food, but I do. I don't think I spend a lot of money on buying garbage that I don't need on a random Sunday afternoon walking through town with my family. But I do. Did I really need that Uber XL ride both to and from the airport? Probably didn't. I realized all this from using Monarch Money, which is an award winning budgeting app. Helps you not only manage your money, but like I said, for me, it helps me track what I'm spending on and identify where I can save. I use it weekly now every Saturday morning as part of my routine when I'm drinking my coffee, paying my bills. I track my weekly spending with my Monarch Money app and I can do it by category. And because of this, I'm saving a ton of money now. Monarch Money is the real deal. Over a million households are using it, not just the Brennan household. Wall Street Journal named it the best budgeting app of 2025 and it has over 30,000 five star reviews. Get control of your overall finances with Monarch Money. Use Code disgraceland@monimal money.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% of your first year@monimal money.com with code DISGRACELAND.

[David Spade]

Hey, what's up Flies? This is David Spade Dana Carvey. Look at I know we never actually left, but I'll just say it. We are back with another season of Fly on the Wall. Every episode, including ones with guests, will now be on Vimeo. Every Thursday you'll hear us and see us chatting with big name celebrities. And every Monday you're stuck with just me and Dana. We react to news, what's trending, viral clips follow and listen to Fly on the Wall everywhere you get your podcasts.

[Unknown Speaker]

Summer break is here, and while kids are excited to hit pause on school, as a parent you might be wondering how to keep their minds active without killing the summer VI Whether your child is trying to catch up, stay sharp or get a head start for the fall, IXL can make learning a seamless part of summer. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're brushing up on math or diving into social studies. It covers math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. With content that's engaging, personalized and yes, actually fun. It's the perfect tool to keep learning going without making it feel like school. Studies show kids who use IXL score higher on tests. This has been proven in almost every state. IXL uses smart technology to tailor support to each child's level personality and learning pace, so make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and listeners of this podcast can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixllearning.com office audio visit ixllearning.com audio to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Jake Brennan]

Guns N Roses, with the release of Appetite for Destruction, were firmly on their way to becoming the biggest band on the planet. With constant touring and the eventual support of radio and MTV behind their early videos and singles stories in Rolling Stone and Spin Magazine, not to mention fawning Praise from the heavy metal press. The band, by the time the fall of 89 rolled around, were by all accounts massive. But despite Axl Rose's band's growing fame, things were not right. The deaths at Donington by themselves were hard enough to swallow. These were kids fans, and they were dead. And the press had blamed the band. Two Dead at Donington screamed the headlines. That was one more than Altamont. Axel couldn't let it go. His rage intensified. It seemed that whatever he did, the press was out to get him. And the notoriety caused his band's popularity to grow even more. And the more his own fame and celebrity grew, the more shit he seemed to have to take from the press. He tried retreating into himself, but MTV had begun playing the band's videos in heavy rotation. Their popularity skyrocketed, and with it a need for the record label to satisfy the demand of the growing Guns N Roses fan base. A new album was needed quickly to capitalize on their success. But a proper full length was impossible to put together with the band's touring schedule, not to mention the near debilitating heroin habits of Izzy, Slash and Steven, and the general growing dysfunction of the band as a unit. So it was decided that an EP called Gnr Lies would be released as a stopgap. The concept was tabloid trash, a world that the band was becoming all too familiar with. The artwork was a National Enquirer like cover that poked fun at the press and its growing fascination with the band. And the music was a mix of covers and unreleased tunes that the band had been working up live to. Axl, GNR Lies scanned the world of celebrity decadence and tawdry gossip against the tough talking hard, living unseen street reality. As a record, it was bipolar, just like Axl's Los Angeles, just like him. Axl saw himself as a voice for this reality, just as he believed Eazy E saw himself as a voice for his reality down in South Central. So Axl was going to spare none of the details and none of the reality he'd come to learn and to live around in Los Angeles. On the song One in a Million, he sang out shockingly offensive slurs. When you first hear the N word in the lyrics, there is a split second where your brain stops listening and you involuntarily ask yourself, did he really just say that? And then, as if to answer your internal monologue, Axl immediately follows up the N word with, that's right. As in, yeah, motherfucker, I just said that. So what? Understandably, the press lost its collective mind Axl was quickly labeled a racist as well as a homophobe. The backlash was immediate. Radio refused to play the song. Billboard magazine excoriated the band. Certain promoters refused to market the record. Comedians, celebrities, politicians, fellow musicians, all called out Axl publicly. Axl claimed that the song was about a real life experience he had at a bus station in Hollywood. It was reality, and therefore, in his mind, worthy of documenting. However, the actual reality was that Axl was leveling a haymaker at the press, who he must have known would react intensely in response to his highly offensive lyrics. It was the 16 year old in Lafayette, Indiana, lashing out, but this time at a bigger strawman and under a much bigger spotlight. But somehow none of it mattered. The album was an immense seller, and despite the public outcry and notoriety of the band, or perhaps because of it, Mick Jagger wanted Guns N Roses to open for the rolling stones at LA's Coliseum. It was a big deal to open for the Stones, even for a band as massive as Guns N Roses at the time, and their payday was immense. The band was stoked, most of them anyways. After GnR's soundcheck and having to entertain Mick and Eric Clapton with his David Bowie dust up story, Axl bailed, split for his girlfriend Aaron Everly's apartment in Beverly Hills, and there was nothing there for him. Backstage after sound checking, his band wasn't talking to each other. All of them, with the exception of himself and Duff, were completely consumed by heroin. And Duff was drunk all the time. Axel told Izzy the night before that he was quitting the band. It was too much, too dark, too destructive. And by all accounts, this day, this night, was shaping up to be more of the same. So Axel bounced. The Coliseum filled up. Gnr sat backstage doing drugs, drinking Jack, listening to Prince. With each tick of the clock, their management grew more worried. Where was Axel? Their set was at 9, it was now 6. Axl had previously demonstrated his ability to pull a no show, and being late to the stage had already become a regular occurrence. But this was different. This was the Stones. This was an opening slot and they were lucky to have the gig. Showing up late, going on late or worse, no showing would not only be the ultimate sign of disrespect, it would very likely break up the band. But that didn't matter to Axl, who, ensconced in his girlfriend's apartment, had already broken up the band. In his mind, he wasn't gonna head down to South Central to the Coliseum to do the gig. Fuck slash, fuck. Izzy Fuck Steven Duff, his management, and fucking fuck Mick fucking Jagger and his fucking David Bowie stories. Axl was done. 6 o' clock became 6:30. By this time, Gnr management started talking about a plan. How are they going to not only find their lead singer, but how are they going to get him to the gig? Izzy spoke up out of his heroin haze. He wanted to do this gig. Keith and Ronnie were his heroes, and he didn't want to look like an asshole. He's at errands, he blurted out to anyone and to no one in particular. Management quit dialing Axel's path and quickly dialed Aaron's. The phone rang and rang. Nothing. And they tried again. More ringing, more of the same. Nothing. No answer. Six thirty became seven. They tried errands again and again. And seven became seven thirty and again. Eight o'. Clock. One hour to showtime. One more call. And finally they heard a voice. Aaron's. He's not fucking coming. He's quitting. You hear that? He's done. In the background, they heard yelling and music. Axl on a tear. They tried reasoning it was gonna be all right. Tell him that. Tell him Slash is gonna clean himself up after the gig. So is Izzy. It's all gonna be fine. We're gonna send a car to pick him. And she hung up on them. Management wasted no time. They, along with the production chief who had a buddy on the force, quickly dialed LAPD and told them who they were, who they were looking for, and what they needed. Two uniformed cops who knew how to not ask questions to quickly head over to this address in Beverly Hills and to grab both occupants, to cuff them if necessary and deliver them to the backstage coliseum within the next 60 minutes. The banging on Aaron's door startled both her and Axel. The cops meant business. It was clear. Axl knew he'd been beat. He grabbed his leather and hopped in the back of the cruiser. Sirens blazing, it blasted through LA traffic, down Sunset, over to La Cienega, onto the 10, down the off ramp, through the throngs of fans crowding the streets, surrounding the Coliseum, into the gated production lot, to the backstage with minutes to spare before Axl would jump on stage in front of 80,000 people and drop one hell of a bomb. The hometown crowd was with them from the moment they took the stage. The roar from the audience was massive and the energy was so intense that Axl and the band were in and out of the first song. In what felt like seconds in the break, before the next song, Axl took a beat. He held the microphone in his left hand grabbed the mic stand with his right and strutted to the tip of center stage. He saddled the mic into its stand and began addressing the crowd. I just want to say I hate to do this on stage, but I tried every other fucking way. And unless certain people in this band get their shit together, these will be the last Guns N Roses shows you will fucking ever see. Slash and Izzy could not believe what they were hearing. Getting called out on stage in front of nearly a hundred thousand people, five of whom were Rolling Stones. And to their horror, Axl wasn't done. Because I'm tired of too many people in this organization dancing with Mr. Goddamn brownstone. The band kicked into the song or staggered into it. It sucked. Everyone, but Axl was too shell shocked to focus on playing, not to mention stoned out of their gourds. And the rest of the set sucked too. The Stones, on the other hand, killed it. Mick Jagger, cute bastard that he is, dedicated their latest single, Mixed Emotions to Axl. Button your lip, baby. Button your lip. The gig sucked, but in a way, for Axl, it was a triumph. He made his point and he had to. Something had to give. He couldn't take the pressure of leading around a band of junkies on top of everything else, his relationship with Aaron, the demands of the record label, and increasingly the press, who as of late had become an insanely prickish thorn in his side. Axl split after their set, half joking to David Lee Roth on the way out of the backstage area that if he wanted the gig, he could fucking have it. We'll be right back after this. Word, word, word.

[Unknown Speaker]

Ready to level up? Chumba Casino is your playbook to fun. It's free to play with no purchase necessary. Enjoy hundreds of online social games like blackjack, slots and solitaire anytime, anywhere with fresh releases every week. Whether you are at home or on the go, let Chumba Casino bring the excitement to you. Plus get free daily login bonuses and a free welcome bonus. Join now for your chance to redeem some serious prizes. Play Chumba Casino today. No purchase necessary. VGW Group VOIP board prohibited by law 21 TNCs apply.

If you're an experienced pet owner, you already know that having a pet is 25% belly rubs, 25% yelling drop it. And 50% groaning at the bill from every pet visit. Which is why Lemonade Pet Insurance is tailor made for your pet and can save you up to 90% on vet bills. It can help cover checkups, emergencies, diagnostics, basically all the stuff that makes your bank account get nervous. Claims are filed so super easily through the Lemonade app and half get settled instantly. Get a'@lemonade.com pet and they'll help cover the vet bill for whatever your pet swallowed after you yelled drop it.

The summer is heating up with Marvel Studios the Fantastic Four.

[Jake Brennan]

Light em up Johnny.

[Unknown Speaker]

On July 25th.

[David Spade]

Time to save the planet.

[Jake Brennan]

What's the plan? Trust me, I hate that plan.

[David Spade]

It's a bad plan. Come on. Terrible. That's a stupid plan.

[Unknown Speaker]

Prepare for Fantastic we will face this.

Together as a family.

Marvel Studios the Fantastic Four First Steps Only in theaters July 25th. Rate PG13 Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Get tickets now.

[Jake Brennan]

In regards to giving up on dancing with Mr. Brownstone, unlike Slash, Izzy got the message. It was a combination of Axl's threat and seeing his hero, Stone's guitarist Keith Richards up close and personal cheating death throughout middle age. What were the odds that a second Chuck Berry obsessed guitarist in One of the world's greatest rock and roll bands would also escape heroin's mortal grip and live to see his 40s? Izzy didn't know the answer, but he knew his odds weren't good. So he gave up dancing with every kind of intoxicant. But as a result, he now barely interacted with his bandmates and elected to travel via his own tour bus with his smoke show of a girlfriend rather than fly with the traveling party, including groupies on the band's chartered plane. Steven Adler either refused or was simply unable to give up heroin, and he was unceremoniously kicked out of the band. Duff, depressed from splitting with his wife, had retreated into his own bummed out, alcoholic nightmare, while his new bandmates, drummer Matt Sorum and newly added keyboard player Dizzy Reed, did their best to fit into the highly dysfunctional band, a band that was under immense pressure to deliver a follow up album that would outperform their massively successful debut. The recording of said follow up was wrought with tension. Axl's bandmates seldom appeared in the studio at the same time as he did, for fear of running up against his violent mood swings and thus sandbagging whatever slogging progress they'd made up to that point. The album was recorded piecemeal and at times by remote committee, the exact opposite of Appetite for Destruction, which was a short, frenetic shotgun blast of a musical statement made by five guys living the same life, dealing with the same problems and trying to get to the same place at the same time. That simplicity of intent was gone now. Axl was trying to make a grand creative statement while various members of his band were at times trying to work around dysfunctions, addiction, newfound fame and an increasingly volatile and uncompromising lead singer. Guns N Roses new album or albums Plural use youe Illusion 1 and Use youe Illusion 2 marked a new era with the majority of the band checked out in one way or another. It became the Axl Rose show and it was a glorious shitshow to watch unfold. The combination of insane rock star behavior and creative excess involving video dolphins, public spatting with Warren Beatty, mountain lion pets, and stage attire that ran the gamut from protective baseball gear to kilts and two type bicycle shorts, the pure rock and roll days of the Ritz show were long gone. These days, Guns n Roses were a worldwide phenom. The greatest rock and roll band on the planet. Guns n Roses were the real deal and very nearly coming apart at the seams because of it. Life at the moment for Axl and the rest of the band was tense. But backstage at the Riverport Amphitheater on July 2, 1991, things were calm. While Izzy fingered his guitar, a slash, oblivious, fucked with the FM dial on a transistor radio and nursed a bottle of Jack Daniels. Duff mixed up his hundredth vodka cranberry, his head somewhere else entirely. Matt warmed up with a drum pad, an endless triple stroke drum roll, 8th note triplets, then 16th note triplets that were both only slightly out of time with Izzy's riff. Matt dropped the beat indiscriminately to sip cold domestic from a can, and this being St. Louis, the domestic was Clydesdale piss from the brewery of Messrs Anheuser and Busch and Dizzy was nowhere in sight, off somewhere chasing Skurret, taking advantage of his new fame, and Axl was quiet, sipping champagne, pre show jitters. Time was the only time the band could stand each other's presence. They waited, bonded by the incredibly rare reality they were about to go through together. Something very few people on the planet ever experience. The adoration of 20,000 screaming fans who all want to either be you or fuck you. The exact type of rare experience that can bond you together and overcome even the deepest divisions. Axl had one in a million on his mind. It had been a while since they performed it and who needed the headache? Axl took this as a defeat of sorts. Despite the controversy surrounding the song's lyrics, it was still a good song. Axl toyed with the idea of sneaking it into the set that night, but the thought of it was short lived. It was Nearly showtime, the only time of day that mattered. Gnr took the stage to a packed and rabid house, and by now the band had their stage show wired tight. Axl insisted they fly by the seat of their spandex and Levi's without a set list to keep it fresh. But the band did rely on a handful of sequential songs guaranteed to drive audiences wild. Welcome to the Jungle. And then a downshift into the anthemic ballad Civil War. After that, a drum solo from Matt so Axl could suck on an oxygen mask backstage. And then a guitar solo from Slash and into the theme from the Godfather. And finally, into the barn burning Rocket Queen to close the show. The crowd recognized the song the instant the drums picked up. They knew this was the closer. Their last moments of the show. To dig in and enjoy, to stay transported, taken away to that special place from the realities of the real world. From their shitty jobs, their parents, their schools. They pumped their fists, danced, sang along, and did their best to rage with their rock gods on stage in front of them. From the blinding stage lights, Axl could only see them swaying en masse. Flashback to Donnington. He ripped into the first verse. He wondered about security up front. It was lax. To Axl, the security staff seemed more interested in the band than in protecting the crowd. Pigs. His anger shot up through his chest and into his throat. His breath quickened and the words to the second half of the verse came out rushed and erratic. Axl honed in on a civilian in the first couple rows. Was that a fan or a member of the press snapping photos? The press were only allowed a certain amount of sanctioned pictures per show, and the band was to be photographed during set times, at the beginning of their set and from the confines of the camera, well, up in front of the stage only, not from within the audience. Axl boiled. Fucking press. Give them an inch and they take a goddamn mile. The press did whatever the hell they liked, wrote whatever the hell they wanted, spread whatever fucking rumors they felt like spreading, and they had carte blanche to fuck with you. Just like Mick Jagger and David Bowie and Warren fucking Beatty. Just like the West Hollywood sheriff's deputies, and most definitely just like the hick cops back in Lafayette. And they were all out to get him, to take advantage of him, just like his father had done during the manic rise of his band. Over the past couple of years, Axl Rose doubled down on therapy and through analysis uncovered what is believed by some in the psychotherapy community to be called, quote, unquote, recovered memories. Recovered memories are exactly what they sound like. They are memories recovered from deep in your past. Oftentimes they're of events so traumatic you've blocked them out. Other times, they are memories from your infancy or even from the womb. In Axl's case, it was a combination of the former two. Axl claimed that through therapy, he had discovered that his father, his real father, the father whose name he was never to mention in his house, had raped him. As a 2 year old, Axel bravely went public public with the information. As he tried to sort out his emotions in real time, the public watched him burn fast and loud with his band across the world stage. The press took note, of course, and continued to pile on with psychotherapy. Axl felt himself making progress, but toward what he didn't exactly know. A torrent of pain, shame and high pitched anger raged inside of him, stronger and more intensely than ever before before. And on stage in St. Louis that night, just as he was every night, he was about to blow. As he sang out the chorus to Rocket Queen, Axl focused on the dude in the audience taking pictures. It was worse than he thought. Dude wasn't taking photos, he was videotaping. Axl got three lines deep before it all became too much to take. He stopped singing and screamed into the mic, hey, take that. Take that now. Get that guy and take that. Axl had stopped singing completely and was pointing at the dude with the camera, imploring security to stop him. Axl could see now dude wasn't a member of the press. He was a biker. Nobody did anything. Axl raged at the inaction. Here he was helpless again. The band, confused, continued to the chorus behind him. Fuck this, Axl thought. Press member, bike or whatever, it didn't matter. When not one member of the venue's security team moved to help him, Axl literally flew into action. He barked into the mic, I'll take it, God damn it. Before slamming the mic down and diving headfirst into the audience to solve the problem himself. The band, almost on cue, resolved the chorus and began muddling through an instrumental version of the second verse while their singer went at it wildly, throwing punches in the first few rows. Axl, unaware of who he was fucking with, began manically flailing and seriously pissing off members of the Saddle Trams motorcycle club. Local security knew where their bread was buttered and went at Axl instead of the bikers. Axl resisted kicking, punching at everyone in sight. But when it became clear that security wasn't helping, GnR's roadies entered the fray and pulled Axl back up on stage, but not before he landed a full fisted punch in the grill of one of the crowd members who got up into his face. Once he was back on stage, Axl grabbed the mic, pissed and quickening his pace toward the side of the stage, said, well, thanks to the lame ass security, I'm going home. And with that, he slammed the mic into the stage and stormed off. Slash leaned into a mic and added a casual, we're out of here. And that was it. Show over. The crowd was stunned, confused, confused. No one moved. No one knew what was going on. GnR's roadies quickly went about breaking down the band's gear, a clear signal that the show was definitely done and the party was over. Guns n Roses weren't coming back. Beer cans began raining down on the stage from the audience. The boos started, at first a smattering and then the chorus of an angry mob. The roadies were pissed, and rightly so. They began to taunt the audience, inciting them even more. Drunk, angry and violent, the audience turned on itself. The saddle tramps went alpha, erupting on anyone who got in their way. While making their exit, a naked man ran around the floor frantically, blood pouring from a wound in his head. The police descended to restore order and were openly challenged by fans. Beatings commenced. Batons, steel toed kicks to the skull. A chant of Fuck you pigs rose up from the audience. The crowd started ripping up the chairs and the floor, pulling them apart in the launching them to the stage. The cops reeled out the fire hose and attempted to use it to beat back the crowd. But the water pressure was so weak that the audience began moving toward the water to cool off and thus toward the stage. One of the giant video screens on the side of the stage was pulled down. The massive 60 ton sound and light rig lurched uncomfortably from side to side as idiotic fans swung from its cables. Riverport was about to make Donington look like a walk in the park until the cops broke out a tear gas like substance and got a hold of the situation. In the end, it was a bloody riot that Axl Rose's deep well of anger had incited. 65 people badly injured, 25 of them police officers, dozens arrested and hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage. Axel was eventually charged with four. Four counts of assault and one for property damage. The jury found him guilty and the judge fined him $50,000. It was worth it, Axl thought. They all had it coming. Axl Rose's past, both as a civilian and a celebrity, is filled with intense drama, violence, riots, beef, arrest, scandal, and so much more. It's impossible to detail all of it in two 30 minute podcasts without sounding like you're piling on or being exploitative. On the other hand, the physical abuse allegations by ex wives Erin Everly and supermodel Stephanie Seymour must be mentioned, even though claims by both were denied by Axl and eventually settled out of court. There is no clean explanation of Axl Rose or of Guns N Roses. Rock stars are messy. It's part of what makes them great artists. All of the psychosis, the inner turmoil, the anger, it often leads to great music. You know this, we talk about it all the time. In this case, Axl Rose is no different than James Brown, Sid Vicious, John Lennon, Eazy E, and too many others to list. Like them, he made great music. And like them, his behavior is hard to forgive. And like them, from his earliest days, he was scarred by severe trauma. What that does to someone in their formative years is unexplainable. And that's a disgrace. I'm Jake Brennan and this is Disgraceland. Disgraceland was created by yours truly and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode can be found on the show notes [e-mail] if you're listening as a Disgraceland All Access member, thank you for supporting the show. We really appreciate it. And if not, you can become a member right now by going to Disgracelandpod.com membership members can listen to every episode of Disgraceland Ad Free. Plus you'll get one brand new exclusive episode every month, weekly unscripted bonus episodes, special audio collections, and early access to merchandise and events. Visit disgracelandpod.com membership for details, rate and review the show and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook Disgracelandpod and on [e-mail] Disgracelandpod Rocka Rolla He's a bad, bad man.