Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin gave a rare quote to a media outlet in a new Wall Street Journal article.
The article states, “His low profile and absence from a reunion tour for a group he helped found, however, mystify his fans and associates. The band he formed after Guns N’ Roses, the Ju Ju Hounds, broke up after one album, and his solo efforts have flown under the radar, in part because he doesn’t tour.”
A quote from Stradlin is then provided via email.
“The current GNR tour has been a great success for the guys. My nonparticipation was simply not being able to reach a happy middle ground through the negotiation process,” Mr. Stradlin said in an email. “That’s life, sometimes things don’t work out.” He didn’t respond to further inquiries.
Fernando Lebeis, manager for Guns N’ Roses, declined to comment on the tour negotiations but said “Izzy is a dear friend.”
“He wrote half the stuff,” said Rick Nielsen, guitarist for rock band Cheap Trick. “It was Izzy’s fucking band,” said former Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven, who later worked directly for Mr. Stradlin. In his 2011 autobiography, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan wrote that “Izzy was probably the most significant force” in the group.
Stradlin had previously only commented on the reunion on Twitter, claiming his former bandmates ‘didn’t want to split the loot equally.’
