June 1, 2012 16:39

Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs

Security tell NME that they were instructed to turn away anyone with a Slash t-shirt

Photo: PA

The division between Guns N' Roses' current line-up and their former members is well documented, with the fallout between singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash particularly infamous.

However, the current line-up's management team have taken extreme steps to distance themselves from their classic version, by banning anyone coming to their UK tour from wearing a Slash t-shirt.

During the band's gig at London's O2 Arena last night (May 31), an NME source noticed that a member of the crowd was bare-chested under his jacket. When asked why, 18-year old James Revell said he was told to remove his top because no one was allowed in wearing a Slash T-shirt.

The source then asked security if this was the case and was told by a member of the venue's team: "We were told by the management not to allow anyone into the O2 Arena who is wearing a Slash T-shirt and we are asking anyone who is to remove it and if they refuse they will be turned away."

Then asked what about the people sitting at the back who cannot be seen from the stage, the security guard replied: "This is what we were told."

Speaking to NME today (June 1) about his ordeal, Revell described what had happened. He said: "I felt very angry because I was looking after my little brotther at the time and felt as though my freedom to wear what I want had been taken away from me, however i did not react angrily as I didn't want to spoil the show for him."

Then asked why he thought the band had acted in this manner he said: "I believe they asked me to do this because Axl Rose has some problem with Slash and if he saw me wearing the shirt he might have stormed off stage."

Revell then spoke of his anger about the request and revealed that the band were also so late onstage that he only saw three songs.

He added: "I have never experienced anything as insulting as that at a concert before and I had to sit there in my little brothers jumper and wait for Axl to turn up well over an hour late, which we could only stay to watch 3 songs as we had to catch a train back. I think that Axl Rose doesn't appreciate his fans or anyone for that matter, he needs to grow up and stop acting like a child."

As well as this, the band have been roundly criticised on their UK tour for their late starts, even taking to the stage at 11.15pm in Manchester on Tuesday (May 29).

Guns N' Roses end their UK tour tonight (June 1) with a second show at London's O2 Arena.

Guns N' Roses fan James Revell in the offending t-shirt

Video: Guns N' Roses At Reading Festival - The Fans' Reaction

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