So, how’s the Chinese Democracy world tour going? You won’t believe this, but there’s already been a slight hiccup. Last week, while on his way to Taipei for a Guns N’ Roses show, Axl Rose mixed it up with paparazzi at LAX. The footage was released this weekend, and it’s kind of terrifying: While his entourage makes its way through the airport, Rose snarls at someone off-camera, “touch her again and I’ll break this guy’s f***** neckâ€; then, without further warning, he wades into the crowd with fists flying and drops a photographer to the ground with impressive efficiency. Afterward he yells “he hit my mother!â€, so we guess someone hit Axl Rose’s mother? That’s really weird.
But it gets weirder! Axl is now denying a completely standard statement (“unruly paparazzi,†etc.) about the incident that was released on the band’s MySpace page. Only, his denial is also on the band’s MySpace page (in fact, the two posts are basically right above each other). Confused? Well, in Axl’s opinion “this non sense may be some type of manufactured or publicity stunt.†Oh, ok, got it.
By the way, the Taipei show was the first gig the famously prone-to-cancellation G-n’-R were playing in support of Chinese Democracy. The tour is scheduled for Japan, Canada, and South America through April, provided Axl doesn’t have any more freak-outs. Attention, Chilean rock fans: maybe just make some backup plans for the spring?