A former Guns N’ Roses manager has criticized Axl Rose’s performance at the Black Sabbath tribute show. He shared candid observations about the vocalist’s appearance and singing in an interview with Ultimate Guitar.
The former manager provided a detailed response when asked about Guns N’ Roses’ performance at the Black Sabbath tribute show and his thoughts on Axl’s performance.
‘I did my very best to avoid watching the whole thing,’ he said. ‘But there was such incredible coverage, it was unavoidable. And 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? And the second thing I thought was, It’s not the strongest performance I’ve ever seen.’
The manager went on to explain the challenging circumstances of the event format.
‘But the whole thing is such an incredible cluster, I figured out that something like two-thirds of the acts got 15 minutes, and the rest got 25,’ he continued. ‘And they’re pulling people on and off stage at an amazing rate.’
He emphasized how the rushed format affected performance quality.
‘And let me tell you, that is not the optimum way to sound great or to get into a groove or to be ready,’ he said. ‘It reminded me very much of when we would do television back in the day, where you had to be on at a certain moment, and you’ve got to be right on at that moment, and then you’re off, and then somebody else is on. Those things are not the perfect environment to assess somebody’s contemporary performance condition. Not even close. That anybody sounds good in that circumstance is an achievement.’
The criticism comes amid what was a historically significant event for both bands and the metal community at large.
Vinyl Me Please reported that Guns N’ Roses honored Black Sabbath by covering several classic tracks including ‘It’s Alright,’ ‘Never Say Die,’ ‘Junior’s Eyes,’ and ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.’ This highlighted their deep respect for the band and the lasting influence of Sabbath’s music on successive generations of artists. The performance represented a tribute from one legendary rock act to another, despite the challenging time constraints mentioned by the former manager.
The event also marked a significant personal milestone for both frontmen. Vinyl Me Please documented that the show featured the first-ever meeting between Ozzy Osbourne and Axl Rose. This moment was captured backstage and shared publicly by Osbourne, who called Rose a ‘legend.’ This underscored the significance and emotional weight of this historic night.
AOL noted that this final concert marked the original Black Sabbath lineup’s reunion after 20 years. The show was billed as Ozzy Osbourne’s final performance. It culminated in a museum-worthy four-song set to close out what was described as a marathon day of metal and rock. The high-stakes nature of the event, combined with its emotional significance as a farewell show, created unique pressures for all performers.
These circumstances help contextualize the former manager’s observations about the challenging performance environment. Even legendary acts faced difficulties delivering their best work under such compressed and emotionally charged conditions.
