1991.09.24 - Los Angeles Times - Guitarist Stradlin May Stop Touring With Guns N' Roses

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Guitarist Stradlin May Stop Touring With Guns N' Roses

By CHUCK PHILIPS
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Just as Geffen Records announced that Guns N' Roses' two new albums sold a record 2.5-million copies each during their first week of release, there were reports Monday that rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin may stop touring with the Los Angeles hard-rock band.

Neither Geffen Records nor Doug Goldstein, the group's manager, would comment on reports of Stradlin's rumored action--rumors that began after the guitarist failed to show up for a video shoot Sept. 15 in Los Angeles.

Bryn Bridenthal, vice president of publicity for Geffen, said at that time that Stradlin was taking advantage of the first break in a two-year, worldwide tour to take a vacation in Europe and didn't want to return just for the video.

But Tom Atencio, the co-manager of rock group Jane's Addiction, said Monday that David Navarro, the group's guitarist, has been contacted about sitting in for Stradlin if the guitarist decides to stop touring. Guns N' Roses is scheduled to resume touring in the U.S. late next month.

"This isn't the Steven Adler situation all over again," a source close to the band said Monday, referring to the 1990 decision by Guns N' Roses to fire former drummer Adler because of what band members maintained was excessive drug use. Adler subsequently sued the band.

"This is totally Izzy's decision, and it appears to be based on whether he wants to spend the next two years of his life on the road in such a highly volatile situation."

Even if Stradlin decides to stop touring, he presumably would continue to write and record with the band.

The guitarist plays a prominent part on the new "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" albums--singing lead on some songs, including "14 Years," as well as writing or co-writing a dozen songs on the album.

Geffen estimated that the albums sold more than 2.5 million copies each in the U.S., which--if correct--would make the albums enter the U.S. sales charts at No. 1 and 2 when the rankings are announced later this week by Billboard magazine. "Illusion II" and "Illusion I" already entered No. 1 and 2 respectively in the British charts, a company spokesperson said Monday.

Jane's Addiction's Navarro would be available for touring because that group's Sept. 26 in Honolulu will be its last, Atencio said. "David Navarro has been approached by Guns N' Roses to play on tour but has made no decision as of yet."

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For the Record

Los Angeles Times Wednesday September 25, 1991 Home Edition Calendar Part F Page 5 Column 1 Entertainment Desk 2 inches; 66 words Type of Material: Correction
Wrong numbers-- An article in Tuesday's Calendar reported that Guns N' Roses' two new albums, "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II," sold an estimated 2.5 million copies each during their first week in record stores. The figures, which were released by officials at Geffen Records, the Los Angeles hard-rock band's record label, actually reflected the number of albums shipped to U.S. retailers, not sold to consumers, a company representative said Tuesday.
https://tinyurl.com/y9xtz3kz

And from MTV, September 22 or 23:



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Kurt Loder: ... computer newswire released a story today contending that Guns guitarist Izzy Stradlin wants out of the band or at least out of touring, which he dislikes, and that Jane’s Addiction guitarist, Dave Navarro, whose own group is scheduled to fold when its current tour ends, has been asked to take Stradlin’s place in Guns N’ Roses should he in fact leave the group. Stradlin is heavily featured as a songwriter and even lead singer on the two new Guns albums, but he doesn’t appear with the rest of the band at the end of its video for You Could Be Mine and nor did he take part in the filming of the group’s new clip for the song Don’t Cry. A Jane’s Addiction representative told MTV News that guitarist Navarro has been asked to fill in for Stradlin on stage when Guns N’ Roses resume their US tour next month but not become a full-fledged member of the band. A Geffen Records spokeswoman denied that Navarro would be joining the band, but without comment on whether or not he might be playing with it. We will keep you posted.