KISS THE RING ☆ Taylor Hawkins

14. Better move on

Toronto, 1991.

The Use your Illusion Tour had started a few months ago and already seems to be at the peak of its success. The program covered 27 countries for a total of 192 shows, for sure it wasn't a matter of staying a few months away from home, in short. Diane knew this well, but she didn't care that much. After her most recent disappointment and after getting back on her feet, she wasted no time and almost immediately went to look for another gig: luckily Guns n'Roses would've had to leave for a long tour and they needed some backing vocals. After attending the double date of Rock in Rio in January, Diane realized that she had finally found her place in the world. No more drama, just music and people she could genuinely enjoy. Coincidentally, Guns n'Roser were rivals with Motley Crue, but this, thought the backing singer, was really a twist of fate: above all because she had tied more with the cause of that hatred between the two bands, Izzy Stradlin. Legend has it that, returning from a bunch of concerts in Russia, Vince learned from his wife Sharise that Izzy had tried to flirt with her and, after the she refused and slapped the guitarist, he punched her in the stomach. . The rest of the story is predictable, Izzy took a punch in the face by the blond singer and from there the hatred between the two groups began to take root. Of course, Axl took the matter to heart and never missed a chance to remind Diane, throwing shit on shit over the Crues, even more after the redhead told him about her Odyssey.

"I tell you and I repeat it, sweet Roxy Red:
stay away from those guys as much as possible."

"Thanks, Fred the Red. I'll keep that in mind."

Many things could be said about that tour: the ballet shows in the corridors of the hotels kindly offered by Axl, the Duff's inevitable squalid jokes in the backstage, the competitions with the airport trolleys in Canada waiting for their suitcases, the jams with the SkidRow screaming at the top of their lungs Paranoid by Black Sabbath, Izzy's madness and the desire to get dreadlocks, Slash and his miniature Viking bought in Norway accompanied by Matt and his helmet with horns and also the rides on motocross. But what remained in the redhead's heart were all the colleagues (and idols!) she got to know thanks to the group: Soundgarden, Faith No More, Lenny Kravitz, Aerosmith and fucking Motorhead! Now she was sure that she had found her place in the world. Her life with Tommy, her life from few months ago was just a distant memory.

"I try and feel the sunshine you bring the rain. You try and hold me down with your complains." The lights went on illuminating all the components on stage, causing the audience to burst into a great roar. "You cry and moan and complain, you whine an tear up to my neck in sorrow the touch you bring." Beginning to accompany Axl with her voice, the redhead turned to her neighbor, Matt, who turning towards her, made a face at her showing her his tongue and then returned to beating on the toms and on the hi-hat of his drums. "But it's been 14 years of silence. It's been 14 years of pain. It's been 14 years that are gone forever and I'll never have again."

During You could be Mine, Izzy approached the backing singers, letting himself be caught by the gaze of only one. Diane stood there, between the other two, with her long red waves covering most of her torso, moving like the daughter born from the love between Patti Smith and Stevie Nicks. She looked like she had bewitched him, in fact, Izzy was more than sure she had cast some kind of red magic spell on him. She never denied that confession that the guitarist made her. "You're a fucking goddess, Diane Larkin." He yelled at her, making her laugh during the song.

"So, Roxy Roller, what's going on between you and the handsome dark man?" Duff asked, throwing himself like a dead weight next to the redhead who looked at him amused, he returned the smile and handed her one of the two beers he was holding before toasting with her and bringing the neck of the bottle to his lips to take a sip. "I love all the nicknames you guys are giving to me, they're very original." She admitted, nodding to the bass player as if to say <<chapeau>>. "Hey, Nick Gilder. Not hot air." The blonde tucked some locks behind his ears, still too hot from the stage lights, before returning to glue his mouth to the bottle. "But anyway... nothing in particular." She shrugged, keeping a wry smile on her lips. "Diane, he's totally into you. Everyone knows that." Slash entered the conversation who, in turn, threw himself on the other side of the sofa, clutching the redhead between their sweaty bodies. "Saul!" She screamed, complaining just about their being filthy. "Don't scream, you don't want to attract his attention."Now she was as sweaty as they were. She whimpered in disgust, then burst into nervous laughter. "Come on Roxy Red, make some space for me too." Axl, noticing the scene on the sofa, decided to join them, lying on their legs as if it was a perfectly normal thing. In the distance Matt and Izzy watched the scene with amusement. The redhead looked at the guitarist who, shrugging her shoulders, gave her a big smile before putting a cigarette to his lips and leaving the dressing room.