UK Lottery Winner Wants to Reunite Original Guns N' Roses Lineup

Although it's not the same as when Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels jokingly offered $3,000 to The Beatles if they'd reunite in 1976, a British lottery winner wants to pay the original lineup of Guns N' Roses to reunite.

Adrian Bayford won £148 million (almost $233,000 US) on August 10 in the EuroMillions lottery. His dream, he said, is to reunite the estranged rockers -- he'd happily spend some of his fortune to make it happen.

Bayford, 41, runs a music shop in Haverhill, Suffolk, England.

Asked if he'd like to splash out on a big gig, he told The Sun, "I think I would just have to get Guns N' Roses together — the original line-up, mind. I am a real fan."

Of the gang that recorded Appetite For Destruction, drummer Steven Adler was fired in 1990 and guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit in 1991. Five years later Slash quit and was followed by bassist Duff McKagan in 1997. Slash hasn't performed with Axl Rose in almost 20 years.

Earlier this week, the current lineup of Guns N' Roses announced that they will be playing a 12-date residency at the Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in October.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.