Former Guns N’ Roses Manager Says Axl Rose Takes 50% of Band Income

Former Guns N' Roses manager Alan Niven shared a rather stunning claim against Axl Rose regarding the band's income.

In an appearance on Appetite for Distortion, Niven said (h/t Classic Rock), "Here's another little snapshot that is illuminating and goes to forming a correct perception. Axl takes 50% of the income of Guns N' Roses now. 50%, okay? That, to me, is anathema. He is not Guns N' Roses."

Niven goes on to say that Rose "wants to be in control of everything all the time." He then takes a jab at GN'R's catalog output of 1993's "The Spaghetti Incident?" and 2008's Chinese Democracy and notes that Rose's control has resulted in, "A boring solo record and a sh-tty thing of punk covers."

Niven served as GN'R's manager from 1986 to 1991. He's authored a new book titled Sound N' Fury: Rock N' Roll Stories, which comes out on June 24 and is available for pre-order on ECWpress.com. In addition to stories about Guns N' Roses, Sound N' Fury also features tales involving The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, Elton John, Alice Cooper, and more.

In other Guns N' Roses news: The band is part of the epic lineup for "Back to the Beginning," the all-day concert on July 5 in Birmingham, England. The show will feature the original Black Sabbath lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward performing together for the first time in 20 years. This show will also serve as the final performance from Ozzy and Black Sabbath.

GN'R is part of a lineup of giants of the metal and hard rock world booked to pay tribute to Sabbath. That lineup also includes Metallica, Tool, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Halestorm, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Rival Sons.

Also listed on the bill providing "additional performances" are Andrew Watt, Billy Corgan, Chad Smith Dave Ellefson, David Draiman, Fred Durst, Lzzy Hale, Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis, KK Downing, Mike Bordin, Papa V Perpetua, Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Sleep Token ii, Tom Morello, Vernon Reid, Whitfield Crane, Wolfgang Van Halen, and Zakk Wylde.

While Morello is performing at the show, he's also the event's "musical director." He said in a recent interview with Australian Musician that when planning and booking first started, the goal was to create "the greatest day in the history of heavy metal." On top of the current lineup, Morello noted, " ... There's some huge superstars who are gonna be surprises on that day, too. So, the idea is to really acknowledge the importance of [Black Sabbath] in a way that the whole world will forever know it."