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Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
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Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' long-dormant feud flared up with the publication of Keith's memoir, Life, in October, in which he mocked Jagger's "tiny dodger" and made many other shocking swipes. The Glimmer Twins will probably make peace in time for their next world tour, but rock history is filled with bands whose members just couldn't keep the peace. Here's a look at 10 more of them.
Simon & Garfunkel: Paul and Art Take Their Feud Public
Simon and Garfunkel at the 1990 Rock Hall Induction Ceremony.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's rocky relationship hit a low point in the mid 1980's when Simon erased Garfunkel's vocals from a planned reunion disc and released it as a solo set. Art took the high road at their induction ceremony into the Hall of Fame in 1990. "I want to thank most of all the person who has most enriched my life by putting these great songs through me," he said. "My friend Paul here." With a smirk on his face, Paul walked up to the podium. "Arthur and I agree about almost nothing," he said. "But it's true, I have enriched his life quite a bit, now that I think about it." Eleven years later Paul was inducted as a solo artist. "I want to thank Art Garfunkel and say that I regret the ending of our friendship, and I hope that some day before we die we will make peace with each other," he said, then added, pausing for comedic effect, "No rush." In 2003 they hit the road for the highly lucrative Old Friends reunion tour. The duo had an American tour booked for the summer of 2010, but they had to yank it when Garfunkel was diagnosed with vocal chord paresis. He recently told Rolling Stone that he hopes to reschedule it for next summer.
Aerosmith: The 'American Idol' Meltdown
Over their 40-year career, the members of Aerosmith have variously survived heroin addiction, cancer, horrific onstage accidents (Steven falling off the stage and breaking his shoulder last year being the most memorable) and the (temporary) defection of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. American Idol, however, might be their downfall. "It's a reality show designed to get people to watch that station and sell advertising," Perry recently told a Calgary newspaper, adding that band first heard that frontman Steven Tyler was going to be a judge through the media. "It's one step above Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I'll tell you one thing, when we put this band together, this is not something that he would do. It's his business, but I don't want Aerosmith's name involved with it. We have nothing to do with it." Aerosmith wrapped a tumultuous tour in September; the group has said it's contemplating hiring a new singer.
The Who: Roger and Pete Battle It Out In The Press
In 1975 Pete Townshend vented his frustrations with the Who to the NME: "We've become a golden oldies group," he said. "I can tell you that when we were gigging in this country at the early part of this year I was thoroughly depressed. I honestly feel that the Who were going on stage every night and copying what the Who used to be." Frontman Roger Daltrey blasted back a few months later. "It really took a lot of my Who energy out after reading that," he said. "Pete's talked himself up his own ass. There are quite a lot of disillusioned fans and disenchanted kids right about now. The Who weren't bad on that tour, but I think we've done some gigs where Townshend was bad." The two patched things up for an album and tour later that year.
Roger Daltrey Planning Who Tour, New Collaborations 
The Kinks: Fifty Years Of Brotherly Hate
Ray and Dave Davies have been blasting each other in the press ever since they formed the Kinks in the early sixties, but in recent years their conflict has gotten especiallly nasty. "Ray's an asshole," Dave recently told the Daily Mail . "You've heard of vampires, well, Ray sucks me dry of ideas, emotions and creativity. It's toxic for me to be with him. He's a control freak." The brothers haven't performed together since 1996, and that's unlikely to change anytime soon.
The Beatles: John and Paul Feud Through Song
When the Beatles split in 1970, John Lennon and Paul McCartney began feuding in the press, but they saved the harshest words their for songs. "The freaks was right when they said you was dead," Lennon sang on 1971's "How Do You Sleep." "The only thing you did was 'Yesterday' ... The sound you make is Muzak to my ears. How do you sleep?" George Harrison played guitar on the track, so it was clear what side he was taking. Lennon and McCartney reconciled in later years, even recording together in a coke-fueled, infamously disastrous session in 1974 — but they remained distant up until Lennon's death in 1980.
Pink Floyd: Dave Steals Roger's Pig
Waters and Gimour performing at Live 8, 2005.
In 1987 Roger Waters toured separately from the rest of Pink Floyd, while the group went to court over the rights to the band's name. "If one of us was going to be called Pink Floyd, it's me," Waters told Rolling Stone at the time. "That's my pig [on their stage]. That's my plane crashing," he said, referring to the props for the Wall tour. He also took pot shots at Floyd's 1988 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. "[David] Gilmour's lyrics are very third-rate," he said. "They'll never be as good as mine." Gilmour felt he had every right to continue without Waters — something a judge later agreed on. "I am an extremely stubborn person," Gilmour told Rolling Stone. "I will not be forced out of something I consider to be partly mine." In 2005 Waters and Gilmour finally made peace and performed a four-song set at Live 8.
The Everly Brothers: Rock's First Sibling Rivalry
Don and Phil Everly are the original feuding brothers of rock and roll. Tensions reached a boiling point in the summer of 1973 at a gig in Buena Park, California. Phil Everly threw his guitar down and stormed off the stage during a performance of "Cathy's Clown," leaving Don to tell the stunned audience the group was finished (they reformed 10 years later). But unlike many rock stars, they've largely abstained from bashing each other in the press. In 2003, Paul Simon, who counts the Everlys as his biggest influence, talked them into touring with Simon & Garfunkel. "It was hilarious that the four of us were doing this tour, given our collective histories of squabbling," Simon told Rolling Stone. "Don and Phil hadn't seen each other in about three years. They met in the parking lot before the first gig." When the tour ended, the brothers went their separate ways and haven't performed together since
Oasis: Liam Finally Pushes Noel Too Far
It's unclear exactly happened backstage at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris in August 2009, but nobody disputes that Noel and Liam Gallagher had such a horrific fight that they refused to take the stage. Some reports suggested that Liam smashed one of Noel's guitars in the midst of a vicious brawl, but neither side has ever confirmed that. Fans wrote it off as yet another fight — until Noel posted a note on the band's web site later in the week. "I have been forced to leave the Manchester rock 'n' roll pop group Oasis," he wrote. "I feel you have the right to know that the level of verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable." Over a year later there's no sign they plan on patching things up, and Liam just released his first solo track.
Guns N' Roses: Axl Calls Slash a 'Cancer'
Axl Rose hasn't had any kind words for Slash since the original Guns N' Roses line-up dissolved in the mid Nineties, but he was harsher than ever before in a 2009 interview with longtime friend Del James. "Personally I consider Slash a cancer and better removed, avoided — and the less anyone heard of him or his supporters, the better," he said. Slash didn't appreciate the remark. "I lost my mom to cancer," he said. "That was a little bit of hard rhetoric at that particular time, but it's typical Axl stuff."
Van Halen: Van Halen's One-Night Reunion Goes Bad
Alex Van Halen, Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony backstage at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards.
In 1996, Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth attempted to see if they could tolerate being together for just one night when they made a surprise appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Turns out they couldn't. Problems arose when Eddie Van Halen told the press that he couldn’t tour
before he had hip replacement surgery. "Tonight's about me, man," Roth said. "Not your fucking hip!" Van Halen's response: "If I ever see you again you better be wearing a cup, pal!" Eleven years later Dave and Ed finally made peace and launched a reunion tour, but by that point they'd manage to drive original bassist Michael Anthony out of the band.
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
The Beatles: John and Paul Feud Through Song
When the Beatles split in 1970, John Lennon and Paul McCartney began feuding in the press, but they saved the harshest words their for songs. "The freaks was right when they said you was dead," Lennon sang on 1971's "How Do You Sleep." "The only thing you did was 'Yesterday' ... The sound you make is Muzak to my ears. How do you sleep?" George Harrison played guitar on the track, so it was clear what side he was taking. Lennon and McCartney reconciled in later years, even recording together in a coke-fueled, infamously disastrous session in 1974 — but they remained distant up until Lennon's death in 1980.
It's unfortunate that the infamous SNL incident did not occur.
For you younger fans or people that don't remember, SNL made some joke offer in 1976 that if the Beatles would reunite for the music segment of the show, they'd give them 3k(chump change). What SNL didn't know is that they were actually watching the segment and were considering going down there for shits and giggles to reunite but decided against it at the last second.
Considering the fact Lennon was killed four years later, a reunion on SNL would have been an amazing final chapter to the band.
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
^ I never heard that story. Yeah imagine if that had happened!
I also never knew about the Simon and Garfunkel one either. Seems being a tool at hall of fame inductions is par for the course with a lot of these spats.
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
That statement about GN'R is a primary example of what pisses off, and continues to piss Axl off about the media.
Slash talks shit for 10+ years, and the Axl cancer statement is what is used for GN'R.
It's always the second guy into the fight, the one who retaliates who gets caught and/or remembered in sports. And apparently in music as well. At least in this situation. Let's face it, Slash is a media darling. Axl is not. So Axl's always gonna get the short end of the stick with them.
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
Slash has never said anything that derogatory towards Axl.
The cancer comment is more humorous than anything.
""Personally I consider Slash a cancer and better removed, avoided — and the less anyone heard of him or his supporters, the better,"
^that statement coming from a person who mentions him every time he surfaces.
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
It's a case of quantity over quality in terms of Slash's comments on Axl. He's burned him repeatedly over the years. None of it may have been all that bad, but it was consistent, so it sunk in pretty easily to the general public. On the other hand Axl kept quiet then exploded, so it was more of a shock to the system.
At least that's the way I see it.
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
I agree with faldor. Slash never made a "deep cut" on Axl, but he's skewed public perception of Axl since 1996, and frankly destroyed the man's public relations department for the rest of his career, like he's Hitler reborn.
That's a far bigger hit in the long run on Axl, then Axl calling Slash a cancer. Slash arguably cost Axl millions of dollars in record sales, and business arrangements due to blacklisting, and perception of "difficulty" in Axl's reliability.
- Mikkamakka
- Rep: 217
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
Had Slash called Axl a cancer, when the red one lost his mother back in the mid 90s, Axl would have blacklisted him for another thousand years and it would be the ace in the HTGTH zealots cards.
I'm sorry, but talking about your problems with someone, or abusing him with disgusting and very hurtful words are two different things. As sensitive as Axl is, he's the biggest asshole ever when it comes to others' feelings.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Rolling Stone The 11 Greatest Rock Feuds Of All Time
I agree with faldor. Slash never made a "deep cut" on Axl, but he's skewed public perception of Axl since 1996, and frankly destroyed the man's public relations department for the rest of his career, like he's Hitler reborn.
Rubbish dude.
It amazes me how people want to pin Axl's media rep on slash when it dates from back into the day when they were still buddies. I'd place the following things above anthing slash has ever said:
* St Louis Riot
* Every Late Start
* Every on stage rant that adds to his angry man image
* Telling key media figures to "suck his fucking dick"
* knocking out photographers at the airport
* Going recluse for the better part of 10 years
For the record I think Axl is fucking kickass and I love the band, and I personally have no issue with any of the above things, i'm just saying if Axl's camp is upset about his image, what did they do to fix it? Instead fans call out Slash - who at worst instance pretty much just gave up appoligising for GNR cancels and late starts - i think it would make more sense to look closer to home.
Slash has also made a bunch of favourable comments about Axl's talent, and about how Chinese Democracy is a good album. But everyone forgets that.
