The Back to the Beginning concert earlier this month — a historic farewell to Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath at Villa Park in Birmingham — brought together some of rock’s biggest names. But not everyone was impressed with what they saw, especially when it came to Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose.
Alan Niven, the band’s former longtime manager, has spoken out publicly about Axl’s performance at the tribute event, and his words were anything but sugar-coated.
“Not the Strongest Performance I’ve Ever Seen”
In a new interview with Ultimate Guitar, Niven didn’t hold back when asked about the set Guns N’ Roses delivered.
“I did my very best to avoid watching the whole thing,” Niven admitted. “But there was such incredible coverage, it was unavoidable.”
He continued:
“It was interesting to me that one of the things that was very easy to see initially was Axl at the piano. And my first question is, ‘Can someone please explain to me what happened to his hair?’”
While the hair remark has made headlines, Niven went deeper, questioning the overall energy of Rose’s performance:
“It’s not the strongest performance I’ve ever seen.”
“Clustered” Environment Behind the Scenes
To be fair, Niven acknowledged that large-scale events like Back to the Beginning don’t always provide the ideal setting for artists to shine:
“I figured out that something like two-thirds of the acts got 15 minutes, and the rest got 25… They’re pulling people on and off stage at an amazing rate.”
“That is not the optimum way to sound great or get into a groove. That anybody sounds good in that circumstance is an achievement.”
Emotional Distance from GN’R Today
Niven also revealed he finds it difficult to watch modern-day Guns N’ Roses at all:
“I very rarely watch contemporary Guns N’ Roses. It’s usually under duress if I do, because it’s complicated for me emotionally — even after all these years.”
A Critique of Rock’s Aging Icons
Perhaps the most cutting remark came when Niven reflected on the image of a 60-year-old Axl singing “Out Ta Get Me”:
“To have a 60-year-old running across the stage, complaining that they’re ‘out to get me,’ and then he gets back into his limo and drives up to his Malibu mansion… I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to be comprehending.”
“Axl, no one was ever out to get you once you started being productive. They were out to get him when I first came into their orbit. But from there on, he was protected.”
Divided Opinions, Enduring Legacy
While Niven’s comments will undoubtedly stir debate, they reflect a broader conversation about legacy artists, aging performers, and the pressures of staying relevant on today’s stages.
Despite the criticism, Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses continue to draw massive crowds worldwide — and their participation in Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell celebration only solidifies their place among the rock elite.
