My Piece of the Action

Slash's mistake

It was only a week later that Slash called Raven up to inform her that they had just played at Gazzari's- a glammy, plastic band, posh sort of place that you needed an invitation to get into that was just so un- Guns N' Roses it wasn't funny or right.

"Geffen set it up and it was so out of place for us." Slash proclaimed, "anyway- we just found out that Paul Stanley was there- on the mixing board!" He exclaimed, "just think of it- Paul Stanley mixed Guns N' Roses at Gazzari's!" When Raven gave no response to this, he added "have you heard the radio ad for Gazzari's?" Indeed, she had. The ad involved the owner of the club, Bill Gazzari, saying in a thick American East Coast accent "All my bands got foxy guys in 'em. If they don't got foxy guys they don't play on my stage." Slash had a point. It was a very glammy, cliché idea.

"Yeah. You've got a point there, Slash. That's pretty cringe- worthy." She finally responded.

A week later, Izzy came around and he asked her if she'd like to come to the band's next gig, in about an hour at Raji's- a twenty by twenty foot room with a foot high stage that stank of beer and piss and had a shitty, outdated PA system and the worst public toilets Raven had ever seen- so Guns N' Roses' natural habitat-
Any excuse to get out of the house was good enough for her. Raven accepted, leaving her father to babysit Renan for an hour or two while she went out with her favourite band. She managed to squeeze through to near the front and waited while the boys were backstage getting ready. It was overwhelmingly hot and stuffy and the guy she was standing next to, shoulder to shoulder, smelled musty and as though he'd peed himself.

A plume of flaming red hair and the noise of a guitar told Raven that this dingy, dimly lit club was about to become a whole lot more rowdy. Everyone in the room seemed to get louder as Axl Rose made it to centre stage and Steven took his position on drums.

"Hello L.A.!" Axl's voice called out over the shitty PA. Starting off with Heartbreak Hotel, an Elvis Presley cover, then playing Jumpin' Jack flash by the Rolling Stones, Axl then announced that they would do one of their own songs, and Raven registered the opening riff for Mr. Brownstone. She leapt into the air and screamed her delight.

"I get up around seven

Get outta bed around nine

And I don't worry about nothin', no

'Cause worryin's waste of my fuckin time!" Axl began the song, and as it progressed, Raven looked around the room. She skimmed her eyes over the people, then did a double take. Paul Stanley was part of the crowd, and the pretty woman beside him could only be his wife. Raven turned back to the stage just as Axl came to the chorus

"We've been dancin' with-

Mr. Brownstone-

He's been knocking

He won't leave me alone

Ahh no, no

Won't leave me alone." Axl was dancing around the stage, belting out the lyrics, Slash kept vomiting over the back of his amps, but still hit every note on his guitar. That's dedication. Duff's skin shone with sweat from the overwhelming heat of Raji's, Steven was bouncing in his seat and grinning as usual, and Izzy was in his full personality- a cigarette nailed to his lip, hair hanging limp around his face, black paperboy cap on his head and wearing the usual button up shirt and vest with the shirt undone so that his chest could be seen beneath. He seemed to be the only one onstage or off not sweating.

Raven cheered as the song ended. Guns N' Roses played one more song, Nice Boys, by Rose Tattoo which suprised Raven because it's an Australian band's song. About half way through, a guy in the front shouted something inaudible up at the band, and Axl stopped singing to shout back, there was a minute of just the instruments and Axl, having the shits, yelling back at this one extra enthusiastic crowd member. He ended up bashing the guy in the head with the base of the microphone stand and then doing the tail end if the song. The band then left the stage with a farewell from Axl. Raven shoved her way to backstage, which was just a corridor behind the stage that led to the exit, where the five men were sitting against the wall.

"Hey, you guys did great out there!" Raven grinned, making the fight Axl had an exception in her head, because if she mentioned it, Axl might get angry- well angrier.

"Well... that was interesting." Paul Stanley's voice rang from behind her, sounding unimpressed.

"What's it to you Stanley?" Axl snarled, Paul looked taken aback,

"Well all I'm saying is you could've picked a better venue. Maybe you wouldn't have gotten into that fight." He said, talking down to them. Paul Stanley had definitely fucked up there. When Axl Rose is angry, you should never criticise him or mention those who cause his anger, because-

"This is my band, asshole. You need to get your hooked nose outta my buisness and your fat ass outta my way or you'll be one sorry bastard!" Honestly, Paul was lucky that was all Axl did, him standing there in his expensive clothing with his superior attitude.

"You wanna rewrite my songs, tell me where to play, turn your nose up at my music and toy with my sound." Axl explained, a storm raging in his green eyes, "you need to fuck off!" He told him, tone deadly calm. "Before I make you."

Paul Stanley grimaced, hooked his arm through his wife's and said "nice doing buisness with you, Mr. Rose." And made his exit. Raven saw this as the wisest move she'd seen Paul make thus far. Axl turned back to them and said,

"Now let's get the fuck outta here." And that marked the end of Guns N' Roses and Paul Stanley working together.

Another week passed and it was around midday, Raven was sitting reading a book and Renan was stacking colourful blocks on the carpet at her feet. He could sit up and push himself up if she sat him on the floor and he was only just starting to drag his way across the floor army soldier style. He had also been making use of his walker. There was a knock at the front door and Raven's father went to get it.

"Oh hello, Axl, Raven is in the loungeroom- ah- are you okay?" He questioned as Axl brushed past him to go to Raven. The fiery redhead flopped onto the couch. He wore a black baseball cap today, and a white shirt, and he looked pretty angry.

"Ax... what happened?"

In response, Axl dropped a copy of L.A. weekly on her lap.

"Page 4." He muttered, turning to the page, she began to read the article. It had to do with Slash and Paul Stanley. Apparently Slash had told the media that Paul had meddled with their sound and tried to get them to rewrite their songs. He'd called Stanley a number of profanities that the magazine refused to mention.

"Oh." Raven said, understanding Axl's dilemma. Slash offending Paul Stanley at such a critical stage in their career could be damaging to their image, certainly.

"I am so mad at him." Axl told her, Renan commando crawled over to him and Axl scooped him up, his whole attitude changing.

"Who's a big boy?!" Axl seemed calmed and cheered up by the baby's attention and little Renan giggled racously as Axl lifted him up and smiled widely at him. Renan had on a pair of dark pants and a stripy t-shirt. He reached out and grabbed hold of Axl's hat, putting it on, giggling still, which was really cute. Axl smiled toothily, stood up, holding Renan up with one arm, and tickled him with the other.

"You know you shouldn't steal, Ree?" Axl smiled gently as Renan giggled and grabbed a hold of Axl's t-shirt. Raven smiled at them. At least someone could make Axl happy again.

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it... what did you think of Paul Stanley and Axl? What about Slash?
Please comment and vote.
I'll update soon. Sorry for my inactivity.