They say that bad press is better then no press at all. Ginger mopped rocker Axl Rose must take this expression literally as the comedy bandwagon that is the never-ending album-promising Guns N’ Roses finds itself disappointing more people again.

While we don’t constantly refresh the official Guns N' Roses website in hope for some kind of nugget of information that would bring us towards light at the end of the tunnel, we do however keep tabs on Rose’s wacky and at times comic book antics – which now includes 'festival-cancelling' as well as 'album-delaying' and 'employing a man who wears a bucket on his head.'

Let’s envisage the picture. You are Axl Rose, not only one of America's biggest rock bands ever, but one of the world's. At the peak of their popularity, Guns N’ Roses were selling out stadiums across the world and albums were flying off the shelf to the disapproval of pensioners and every other moaning person in society. Sadly it all went tits up a bit afterwards.

After selling roughly 90 million albums, the idea of sticking to the winning formula they created obviously wasn’t being flashed at them in the form of a 20-foot-high neon sign saying 'Keep this up and soon every red necked bumpkin rocker around the world will be praying at the alter of Axl Rose and his merry band of drug taking, groupie shagging, hard drinking rocker chums.'

Obviously it was better for some of the band to bugger off and form Velvet Revolver. Don’t get us wrong by any means, they still inspire us to put on our tight leathers and swig Jack Daniels all day, but it’s kind of like comparing Coca Cola to Asda’s 19p value stuff. Though they did hire a bloke to play with a KFC bucket on his head to everybody’s amusement. Finger licking it certainly weren’t.

But when Axl Rose is not biting chunks out of security guards, kicking support bands off tour while calling them inoffensive names or being arrested, he likes to promise us all that he’s not trying to cure his gingerness and is actually making the never ending Chinese Democracy album. Started at a point which time has now swallowed up and shat out, this new record from the Guns N’ Roses boys has yet to come out in to the public.

However, Axl being the cheeky scamp that he is likes to promise us the album is coming out, change his mind, promise it’s the final time and then call our bluff again by telling us the album he’s trying to pass off as not being a heap of shit is quite not ready and is in the final stages of completion. Yeah right. 

The next chapter in the Guns N’ Roses laugh fest takes us to South Africa and its biggest outdoor rock festival. Clever thinking was probably done by the Axl and his merry men. They could reassure us the album wasn’t coming out till 2036 and play a few new tunes to make the hardcore fans literally wank themselves stupid there and then. Would this go to plan?

Don’t be daft, moron, this is Guns N’ Roses we’re talking about!

Because these Guns N’ Roses critters are hard rock and roll types, bassist Tommy Stinson probably thought. “Fuck yes I’m hard. Do I need to use a fucking safety rail to get down from the plane to the ground? Fuck no! I live life on the extreme. I don’t need to shitting help, me. Coz I’m rock n roll forever.” Or something like that.

As luck would have it, Stinson fell down the stairs, sprained his wrist and was unable to perform. What a cock. 

This forced those crazy Guns N’ Roses tykes to cancel their performance and disappoint scores of fans who will probably never get to see them live, unless if it’s at a festival. Or if the money's right. Money's gotta come from somewhere to finance this supposed album he’s banging on about. Chinese Arse Around or something.

Oh, just to top it off – as a result of this injury the Japanese dates are off too. Bummer man. Pass the whisky.

Read more: 

Guns N' Roses Cancel Festival Gig - BBC