Though Guns N' Roses' long-running Not in This Lifetime tour has been dubbed a "reunion" tour by many, that label isn't entirely accurate.
Yes, the tour reunited Axl Rose—the hard-rock juggernaut's sole constant member through the years—with Slash, the band's long-estranged superstar guitarist, and bassist Duff McKagan. Original guitarist Izzy Stradlin and drummer Steven Adler, however, were not invited to join the tour full-time.
While Adler has made occasional guest appearances onstage with the band during the tour, Stradlin has not appeared with the band. According to former Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven however, this was not supposed to be the case.
Appearing on the Appetite for Distortion podcast, Niven said "He [Stradlin] did get as far as flying out and doing a soundcheck, and then he left after the soundcheck, he didn't want to have anything to do with it."
According to Niven, the soundcheck with Stradlin took place last year, "Somewhere out in the Midwest." "Obviously had it gone well and everybody had been happy, and there had been a little bit of brotherhood, I’m sure he would have stayed with it," Niven continued, "But something must have really upset him, because he left after the soundcheck, and never turned up for another one or an appearance. I would think right now he is probably a little pissed off.”
You can listen to Niven's interview below. The passage in question begins at around the 1:43:45 mark.
The current incarnation of Guns N' Roses will head to Europe this summer for a lengthy tour of stadiums and festivals. You can see their itinerary below.
Guns N' Roses Summer 2018 Tour Dates
6/03 - Berlin, Germany - Olympiastadion
6/06 - Odense, Denmark - Dyreskuepladsen
6/09 - Donnington, UK - Download Festival
6/12 - Gelsenkirchen, Germany - Veltins Arena
6/15 - Firenze, Italy - Firenze Rocks
6/18 - Paris, France - Download Festival
6/21 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
6/24 - Mannheim, Germany - Maimarktgelände
6/26 - Bordeaux, France - Matmut Stadium
6/29 - Madrid, Spain - Download Festival
7/01 - Barcelona, Spain - Estadio Olympico
7/04 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Goffertpark
7/07 - Leipzig, Germany - Festwiese
7/09 - Chorzow, Poland - Stadion Slaski
7/13 - Moscow, Russia - Otkritie Arena
7/16 - Tallinn, Estonia - Tallinn Song Festival Ground
7/19 - Oslo, Norway - Valle Hovin
7/21 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium
