As Soundwave 2016 organisers continue to drip feed the lineup to its nationwide army of fans, one rumour in particular has captured the minds, hopes, and Twitter accounts of hard rock fans everywhere.
During a recent appearance on Triple M, James Young, owner of Melbourne venue the Cherry Bar, claimed that a “very well informed heavy-hitter” had informed him that the original Guns N’ Roses would be reforming to play Soundwave.
“I heard the most amazing rumour this week, from a very well informed heavy-hitter in the Australian music industry, giving me the name of the headline act for Soundwave next year,” Young told Triple M last week.
“Now we know that a mystery band has come in and saved the festival, and now owns it, so they are going to have a big say.” According to Young, that band is none other than the original lineup of Guns N’ Roses.
“So what mega band could it be? I heard on Wednesday night that it would be Steven Adler, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Slash and Axl Rose – the reformation of the original 1987 Appetite For Destruction Guns N’ Roses!” Young said.
“Can you believe it?!” he added. Naturally, many couldn’t, despite some promising recent comments from band members saying the infamously acrimonious relationship between frontman Axl Rose and guitarist Slash had improved.
Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah has now broken his silence about the persistent rumours. Speaking to Music Feeds, Maddah said that fans should not expect Appetite for Destruction-era Gunners at Soundwave 2016.
“It’s been nice for me personally to share this fantasy for a few days along with the fans but it is not happening for SW16,” the festival founder said.
“I sure hope those guys do get back together again as there has never been, or as far as I am concerned ever will be such a potent force for rock’n roll than the original GNR in full flight.”
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“If it does happen it is going to take longer than six months for the band to be ready to tour. I think it’ll take a hundred lawyers six months just to get the five of them into a rehearsal room together.”
However, Maddah said that if that hard rock dream comes true, he wants to be involved: “But if by a miracle it does happen, then of course, I’ll throw everything I can to be involved and it would be my last act as a promoter as after that I’ll have nowhere to go!”
In the meantime, Soundwave organisers have begun slowly unveiling names, already confirming appearances from Welsh rockers Bullet For My Valentine, local heroes Dead Letter Circus, and most recently, LA’s Failure.
