Slash Reveals What Divided Him + Axl Rose in the '90s (And Why They Get Along Now)

Slash has revealed what he thinks really divided him and Axl Rose back when Guns N' Roses were at their peak in the '90s and why they get along great now.

The guitarist spoke with Guitar World earlier this year about his return to Guns back in 2016, how strange it felt picking back up where he left off and why he feels the dynamic of the band is so tight now.

What Slash Believes Caused a Rift Between Him and Axl Rose in the '90s

After years of escalating tension, Slash left Guns N' Roses in 1996. He was one of the last members from the Appetite for Destruction lineup to leave, followed by Duff McKagan the following year. Their departures left Rose as the only remaining member from that lineup.

"I think a lot of the stuff that was an issue for Guns in the early days – especially in the '90s – had to do with management issues and stuff that pitted me and Axl against each other. And it worked, it definitely worked," Slash recalled.

"But without that element, he and I get along great. Duff and I have always gotten along great and I love working with Richard Fortus. He and I make a really great guitar team, and he’s just a good guy. We all get along really well, and we have a good time doing what we do."

How Does Slash Think Izzy Stradlin Would Have Felt About the Reunion Tour?

In discussing how well he plays with Fortus, Slash also confirmed that Guns N' Roses considered having Izzy Stradlin join them on their Not in This Lifetime reunion tour. The interviewer suggested that Stradlin may not have enjoyed playing as many big shows as they have over the last few years.

"Well it was weird coming back into it for me," Slash admitted. "So we had just started to rehearse and the depth of the material at this point and the level of playmanship and all that kind of stuff, since the '90s, was where everybody had been growing as players."

READ MORE: Slash Says a New Guns N' Roses Album 'Is Coming'

"We were all really eager to get better and just keep evolving. But I don’t know where Izzy would have fallen in at that time. I have no idea, because we never really got a chance to jam at any of those initial rehearsals for the Not in This Lifetime tour."

It was reported that Stradlin had met with GN'R back when the reunion was first taking shape but ultimately declined participating. In a since-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), the guitarist said the band "didn't want to split the loot equally."

What Do Guns N' Roses Have Planned in 2026?

Guns have two shows left in 2025, one tonight and one on Nov. 8. As of now, they only have two performances scheduled for 2026 at Brazil's Monsters of Rock festival and the U.K.'s Download festival. Tickets are available on their website.