Fragmenty wywiadu z Pamelą Manning - dawną groupie zespołu.
It is possible to see you in the most iconic Guns N’ Roses live performance photographs. Can you tell us about Guns N’ Roses of these days? How were their dialogue and energy among each other?
Well, I had been dancing with Guns N’ Roses on stage even before Guns N’ Roses. I came out in a cute outfit, it had guns on them some cute cut-off jeans, and a cowboy hat, Axl had chaps where his butt would hang out the back. It was like playing house to me but we played rock star; it was all about music, how cool you can look. It was also was a shock factor back in the 80′s, anything to get attention.
So that’s what we would do, pretty much – do anything to get attention back in the day. If that meant being wild and crazy on stage, well, that is what you got! “My way, your way, anything goes tonight!” and “Take me down to the Paradise City, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.” And so when I was on stage I had a blast with the band; our energy was magic! We would feed off each others’ energy, yet we would all be in sync with each other. It was so automatic, the music was the main energy. You tap into that stream and you got Guns N’ Roses: that is what fed the audience, the energy that went with the band. After the show we would talk about how the audience’s reaction was.
And I am also a drummer, so Steven would teach me some drums, and we would move on to more creative stuff; we’d sit around and play some more music. “Barbi (Rocket Queen) Von Greif, not Adriana (sexual recording) who was my roommate at the time, we were in a band together for a short time. I was the drummer and she was the singer, and Barbi wanted to name the band Rocket Queen.
Guns & Roses were a music inspiration to us; heck, we inspired each other. This is how we all met up; it was all about music, not hanging with the guys. I did wind up dating Izzy, but Barbi broke us up, not being a true friend to me, as she wanted him. One day he asked me to let him play with Barbi, and when I said no, well, you can guess the rest. That was the end of Izzy and I.
Axl has always been a true friend to me, telling me his deepest secrets and, yep, I have kept them today. I can’t and will not talk about the deep secrets he told me. That is just not me. But wow, if you only knew… I am sure some would understand him a little better. People judge him, and I can understand why. He has not been the best example, but I think if Axl would stop bottling all the secrets, he could be a great spokesperson and could help many.
It was like with any band, sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll, but the drug thing… I never liked drugs or alcohol, so I can’t relate in that department. But I had some good times.
How do you find Guns N’ Roses of today? What things are different and better between the past one and the present one?
I had heard from Mark Cantor that last time Guns & Roses was in town that Axl was asking about me, and thought I would show up at his gig. Well, that never happened. Then about 2 years ago now, I had heard Guns N’ Roses were playing L.A., but I had lost all contact with the guys. A friend of mine wanted to meet Axl, so she invited me to go with her, yet I had not known her for very long, yet went along. Well when we got into the concert, I always had VIP and did not feel like going to a concert and not saying hi to Axl, so I made my way to find a way to get in and all I got was “None shall pass.” I finally got a hold of Axl’s manager and he let us all back stage, but only to a waiting room. Then at the end of the night we were told, “Axl has gone home; everyone must leave.” I smelled a rat and someone was not telling the truth!
So alone I walked around and found a staircase that led downstairs, unguarded. I ran downstairs, and guess what: the first person I run into was Axl and the rest is history, Axl asked me to join him in the van and off we went to a private party. We get out to the van with the band and I am handed a rose. I thought this was cool, Axl introduces me to the band and tells them all about me. He put me in the limelight to all his friends, made me feel special. Yet there was a lot of adjustments. He looks different… that was hard. We both changed in looks, but we still had the connection. So after being swept away, I had to call the rest of the group I left behind. I was sure they were looking for me, bad mistake, without getting into much words, the girl I introduced to Axl became my worst nightmare. I took photos of her and Axl, Axl took the photos with her because I asked him to. Well, she went to the press, blasted her photos all over the internet, and caused me & Axl a lot of problems. Later (next gig), Axl forgave me and puts me on VIP list but only me!
By now I had to learn a lesson: if you have a rock star friend, make sure your friends are not starstruck! What a pain that was! Anyway, my relationship with Axl is great now. We have no other problems because we keep the problems out, and it’s great to have been there, growing up with Guns & Roses. It’s like anything; time passes, people change. Some you keep, some you don’t. Axl has stayed in my life, Steve Adler is still in my life; both he and his wife are dearly loved by me, and I’m very close to them to this day. We spend time together when we can. Both Slash and Duff are pleasant to me; since my last interview I had heard a lot of really nice things Slash has said about me, and now I feel bad because our last meeting was at a funeral for a friend and he was kinda rude to me, and I blamed it on his wife because I was told it was all her. But now I realize it’s just someone trying to make trouble. I forgive him and I am sure I will meet up with him again in the future as well. Duff I never talked to much, but he has a nice-looking wife and seems to be very cool and together now. I would like to get to know him a little more than before if God wills. But my part is not to concentrate on rock stars and their lives, but to make a difference in others’ lives if I can. Today if I can, I take advantage of who I know to help make a difference. That would be cool, it’s better than boasting.
Your most famous photographs of those times are with Axl Rose in Guns N’ Roses stage. How is Axl Rose as a person rather than the media’s opinion?
Axl as a person, to me: Deep, quick thinker, devoted, generous at times, sentimental at times. Yet if he cuts you out of his life, I’m not sure there is room to get back in. He believes in God, loves kids, more of a loner even if he is surrounded by so-called “friends.” He has adjusted in life and says he is happy. He makes it a point to enjoy life. I like the deep conversations with him. He gets it, and it’s great to have a friend who just gets it (whatever you’re talking about) when we connect. The downside to Axl is the big ego but that goes with rock stardom and that power. It’s crazy; when I am around him, he lifts one finger and people listen – pretty scary to me! He can pretty much do what he wants in his world. Except for the other people in the music business who try to control him. He finds ways to escape that too, not totally escape, but that is another story.
To me, Axl needs to learn to trust again. I know this is a hard one when trust gets destroyed. Axl has a hard time with his past; there is a lot that gets in his way, and he doesn’t want to go back there! I totally understand that! Friends get hurt, people who want to be in his life, but he had to make choices he might not like for his own good. But if he made the other choices it would be worse; it’s kinda like that song “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash. If you get in his way he warns you before he does anything, yet the people who don’t listen… well, they will get the Axl wrath! I pray for him and hope I been a good influence in his life. It’s nice to still have the friendship and I am thankful for that.
What do you think about the other members’ solo careers? Slash, Duff, Izzy…
Slash is doing well. I don’t keep up with Slash because we have not talked in some time, but he has jammed around town. Yet I had not made it out, maybe some day I will. As for as his new band, I heard it’s good. I am not working in rock ‘n roll like the old days, so I don’t keep up on who is playing with whom, but I think it’s great that they all are doing their own thing. The fans like it, that is what matters. They are making money; some are making a difference like Steven Adler, enjoying their music family and friends. It’s cool, and I am all for it.
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Lutego 11, 2017, 04:02:52 pm