In 1989, members of Motley Crue and Guns n’ Roses came to blows at the MTV Video Music Awards. It was interesting, considering Guns N’ Roses opened for Motley Crue in 1987 and the bands seemed to get along pretty well.
The story begins in 1988 when Guns N’ Roses’ guitarist Izzy Stradlin allegedly assaulted Vince Neil’s wife, Charisee at a Los Angeles Club.
Izzy Stradlin is Arrested on a Domestic Flight
In August 1989, Stradlin was arrested on a domestic flight in the United States when he was drunk and belligerent and relieved himself in the aisle of the aircraft. The arrest served as a wake-up call for the guitarist to get sober.
Nearly two weeks after the incident, he, along with frontman Axl Rose and bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler appeared at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards.
Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin performed with Tom Petty. Guns N’ Roses were up for several awards that night and won Best Metal Video for “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. Ironically, Motley Crue presented the award to the band, which was accepted by Duff McKagan and Steven Adler.
Later in the show, as Izzy Stradlin left the stage after performing with Tom Petty, Vince Neil jumped in front of the guitarist and punched him in the face, cutting his lip. Neil was held back by his bodyguard before things could escalate further.
“He made a move, so I clocked him.” – Vince Neil
In an interview, Vince Neil described his version of events, “He kicked her in the stomach, while she was pregnant. I was pissed! I said, next time I see the guy, I’m going to kick his ass. He made a move, so I clocked him and that was it.”
In the book, The Last of the Giants, by Mick Wall, it was claimed that an incensed Axl Rose chased Neil who ran away. Vince Neil claimed in his book, The Dirt, that as everyone was ushered outside, “Axl came snarling after us like an overdressed Doberman. ‘Come on, motherf–er; I’m going to f–ing kill you!’ he yelled at our backs.”
Axl Rose and Vince Neil Feud in the Press
While the two frontmen went their separate ways that night, they continued to snipe at each other in the press. Axl Rose famously talked about the feud during a 1990 interview with Kurt Loder on the MTV show, Famous Last Words.
Kurt Loder – “Have you patched up your differences with Vince Neil and the boys you had a scuffle with last year backstage?”
Axl Rose – “No way, no, no way. I haven’t patched up anything.”
Kurt Loder – “What’s the dispute there?”
“I’m easy to find… We can have it out.” – Axl Rose
“Well, I’ve read in the interviews of theirs that they feel that I’m just standing up for Izzy and stuff but Vince should be careful what golf courses he’s mouthing off about Axl on and who he’s playing golf with. When he goes out playing golf and mouths off about Axl and he happens to be playing golf with people that work for me. Stories come back.
He likes to put in magazines that he broke Izzy’s nose or how Alan Niven wasn’t even our manager or anything like that… We didn’t want to take it to court because it would be too much trouble and too much hassle… I put in a magazine any time he wants it, anywhere, Atlantic City, I don’t care. He tried to turn around and say the same thing but the invitation is there. I’m easy to find… We can have it out.”
“I want to put an end to this and what I want is Axel.” – Vince Neil
A few years later, Vince Neil was interviewed by MTV and talked about his feud with Axl Rose. “He said a lot of bad things about me the last few years and a lot of threats … I want to put an end to this and what I want is Axel. If you’re watching this, I want to challenge you to a fight. I’m gonna give you the time and then give me the place and there’s no backing out now buddy. It’s time to put up or shut up.
I’d like to do it at an arena where people can come and see. I’d like to have it televised. I want the whole world to see this fight and I think it’ll be great. I’m really psyched for it because I need to put an end to this… So let’s do it.”
It was reported that Neil wanted to rent out the forum in Inglewood and stage the fight there, while both Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen offered to put up the money to stage the fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
It seemed like Vince Neil’s challenge wouldn’t garner a response from Axl Rose but he did make his displeasure known about Neil on the Use Your Illusion 2 track, “Shotgun Blues”, which was said to be a diss track about the Motley Crue frontman.
Izzy Stradlin Apologizes to Vince Neil
Following the dust up at the VMA’s, it was said that Izzy Stradlin called up Vince Neil to apologize for his behavior.
Shortly after the release of Guns N’ Roses’ long-awaited album, Chinese Democracy in 2009, Vince Neil criticized the record calling it was a flop and said, “A buddy of mine went to go play guitar for him,” referring to Motley Crue collaborator DJ Ashba, “They rehearsed for 3 months and Axl never turned up once. Rule number one, show up. He’s been doing that for many years and finally I think fans said, ‘Screw this.'”
In 2014, Axl Rose was named the World’s Greatest Singer, according to Concert Hotels. Vince Neil responded to the news on Twitter, writing, “News just said Axl Rose is the greatest singer of all time? Lol.” Neil deleted the tweet shortly afterwards.
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