July 24, 2006 15:30

Guns N’ Roses speak after being bottled off

Axl has words for Newcastle

Guns N’ Roses have spoken out amid reports that their gig at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena last Wednesday (July 19) ended with the band being bottled off the stage by a booing crowd.

The band, plus former member Izzy Stradlin, finished their set early after being overwhelmed by the volume of bottles that hit the stage.

In an statement, Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose explained: “Getting hit wasn’t a big deal. We stopped the song and gave a warning. We came back and started the song over and completed it. We then said goodnight. The house lights went down and I got hit a second time, in the mouth, by a solid object thrown by someone in the audience.

“After having warned the crowd that we would leave, and having played more than two hours, we left the stage and called it a night with the full support of everyone in the band, our guests and management."

He added that his bandmates had supported the decision.

"Izzy (Stradlin) was the first to immediately support the decision verbally to me personally before I had physically left the stage," he explained. "Tommy (Stinson- bass) and Frank (Ferrer- drums) came to my dressing room to say how much they appreciated the decision to not continue under those conditions, and express their support for not tolerating anyone throwing items at the stage with a negative intent. This has been G N’ R’s policy since playing Donnington in 1988.”

The band are set to to play the last four dates of their sold out UK tour this week, the dates are:

Birmingham NEC (July 25)
Nottingham Arena (27)
London Wembley Arena (29/30)

For ticket availability go to NME.COM/Gigs.