LOS ANGELES (CNN) — Axl Rose sent a “Thanks, but no thanks” letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for its induction of Guns N’ Roses in Cleveland next weekend.
Bad blood between Rose and several former band mates from the original 1985 lineup is apparently at the center of his decision.
The Guns N’ Roses lead singer wrote that after being “polite, courteous and open to an amicable solution,” he concluded that the induction ceremony “doesn’t appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or respected.”
“Of course I realized as things stood, if Guns N’ Roses were to be inducted it’d be somewhat of a complicated or awkward situation,” said Rose, who tours with a version of the group that includes none of the original members from 1985.
Rose expressed frustration with what he called “a seemingly endless amount of revisionism and fantasies” from former band mates “for the sake of self-promotion and business opportunities masking the actual realities.”
He singled out original drummer Steven Adler for giving “interviews filled with reunion lies” five years ago.
“Until every single one of those generating from or originating with the earlier lineups has been brought out in the light, there isn’t room to consider a conversation let alone a reunion,” he wrote.
And don’t even try to induct him into the hall without his approval, he wrote.
“I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf,” Rose wrote. “Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of ‘Guns N’ Roses’.”
“We are sorry Axl will not be able to accept his Induction in person,” said Lauren Bishop, a spokeswoman for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Slash, the original lead guitarist who left the band in 1996, will attend, his rep told CNN.
Duff McKagen, the original bassist, has tweeted his intention to be there.
Rose closed his letter saying “as ironic as it may seem, I’d like to sincerely thank the board for their nomination and their votes for Guns’ induction.”
CNN’s Denise Quan contributed to this report.
