September 27, 2012 15:52

Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose demands that 'defamatory' art exhibition is closed

Singer fires off cease-and-desist letter to LA snapper Laura London

Photo: PA

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has demanded that an LA photographer closes her art exhibition as it includes a defamatory picture of him.

TMZ reports that Rose is livid after learning that Laura London's 'Once Upon A Time… Axl Rose Was My Neighbour' collection includes a photo of what she claims is Rose's garage door spray-painted with the words 'Sweet Child Of Die'.

London has claimed that the controversial rocker daubed the door himself with the phrase after a spat with his former wife Erin Everly but, in a statement issued through his lawyers, Rose denied that the property pictured in the snap belonged to him.

The letter from his legal representatives reads:

Mr. Rose never spray-painted anything. Your salacious and inflammatory statements are plainly designed to garner attention and line your pockets with money.

TMZ also notes that while London has amended the description which originally accompanied the photograph since receiving the letter from Rose's lawyers, the picture itself still remains on display.

Rose hasn't enjoyed much luck with the legal system recently, however – last month, he suffered a huge blow in his bid to secure $20million (£13.3million) in damages from Activision, the makers of the Guitar Hero video games. The singer had claimed that Activision had fraudulently induced him into allowing them use of Guns N' Roses' 'Welcome To The Jungle' in Guitar Hero III, and that the game's makers had included a character modelled on his former bandmate Slash, despite telling him that the game wouldn't feature any reference to Slash or his band, Velvet Revolver.

On August 14, though, a judge dismissed Rose's claim that he had been fraudulently induced, but did set a trial date of February next year to hear his claim that Activision is in breach of contract.

Meanwhile, the current line-up of Guns N' Roses recently announced that they will be playing a 12-date residency at the Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in October.

The rockers will play a run of shows titled the 'Appetite For Democracy' residency and have promised to deliver a lengthy and career-spanning setlist at each of the shows. The shows begin on October 31 and then take place on November 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 21, 23 and 24.

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