Axl Rose Rejected $50,000 Offer To Leave Guns N Roses Before They Made It, According To Kim Fowley
Monday, 04 March 2013
Written by Elliott Batte
Guns N Roses frontman Axl Rose reportedly turned down a hefty $50,000 offer to leave the band before they blew up, according to claims from record producer and songwriter Kim Fowley.
The iconic frontman was allegedly offered a ‘suitcase’ full of money by a manager who was looking for someone who was ‘weird and strange and difficult, but possibly platinum’. After being recommended by Fowley, Rose attended a meeting where he was offered $50,000 to walk away from GnR - but declined, as he thought that it was ‘not enough for Guns N' Roses’, despite the band still being unsigned at the time.
Fowley told AntiMusic:”I was working for a rich manager of a difficult band who had drug issues and alcohol issues. He said, 'I don't know about this band I'm investing in. Something tells me these guys might not make it. Do you know anyone else who's weird and strange and difficult, but possibly platinum?’”
After setting the manager up with Rose, many were expecting the budding star to take the cash within the blink of an eye, but Fowley says that Rose’s response left the room stunned but impressed.
”Axl says, 'With all due respect, sir, whoever you are – that's not enough for Guns N' Roses. We're going to be bigger than that. It's just a matter of time. I'll say no politely and I'll go away and I'll make more money than this on our initial signing with my guys’.”
After everyone in the rooms applauded his decision, Fowley went on to tell of Roses’ own proposal to the manager - he allegedly told him: ”Why don't you help these guys out? They're deserving. They're probably not as great as we are – but if you're going to piss it away, you might as well piss it away on them because you're already working with them.”
Rose managed to get the last laugh, too: after Guns N’ Roses signed their first deal, they were given $75,000 - meaning he was right when he told the manager he would make more than $50,000 with his first deal.
What do you think of the story? Got a bit more respect for Rose now? Let us know your opinion in the comment section below.
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