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Guns N’ Roses have responded after frontman Axl Rose went viral for an on-stage meltdown.
During the opening moments of Welcome To The Jungle at Estadio Huracán in Buenos Aires at the band’s latest concert, Rose, 63, appeared to lose his temper mid-song.
He turned his rage toward the band’s new drummer, Isaac Carpenter, and eyewitness footage shows the frontman flinging his microphone directly at Carpenter’s kit.
He then ripped off his leather jacket and stormed off stage before the band had even finished the first song.
Later in the set, Rose was seen climbing the drum riser again – this time to kick the bass drum.
‘So, I’ll just try and wing this,’ Rose told the crowd earlier in the performance, a cryptic comment that’s only fueled speculation about whether the meltdown stemmed from technical issues, onstage tension, or both.
A few days on, the band has now issued a statement on social media about the incident.
‘During the opening song at our recent Buenos Aires concert, Axl’s in-ear monitor pack had only the percussion in his ears versus his entire mix,’ it read.
‘The issue was fixed by our tech team by the third song, and we had a great night.’
They then clarified that the singer’s frustrations were not directed at Carpenter, who joined the group in March after Frank Ferrer’s exit.
‘The situation had nothing to do with Isaac Carpenter’s playing, who is top notch and a great drummer,’ they added.
A few days ago, a source told the Daily Mail that Rose was so upset because technical difficulties made it hard for him to hear.
‘There were technical difficulties with Axl’s in ear monitors,’ the source said. ‘He could only hear the percussion instruments – and nothing else.’
‘The tech team was able to fix the issue by the third song and the show went on smoothly,’ the source added.
The moment has reignited questions about the band’s internal dynamics following a recent shake-up.
Long-time drummer Ferrer, who’d held the sticks since 2006, exited in March in what was initially described as an ‘amicable’ parting.
Ferrer later suggested otherwise, expressing ‘disappointment’ that his tenure had ended.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘The outpouring of love I have felt from the incredible fans of Guns N’ Roses and my peers over the past 24 hours has been tremendous,” he wrote, tagging the band’s official page.
‘I will have immense gratitude and love always for Axl and the band while at the same time, disappointment that this chapter came to an end.
‘It has been an incredible 19 years. Guns N’ Roses has given me life-changing memories and experiences. A huge thanks to management, the crew, and fans for giving me memories that I will cherish for my lifetime. I hope I see you all again soon!’
The band’s original drummer was Rob Gardner, before Steven Adler took over and played on their debut 1987 album Appetite For Destruction, featuring the tracks Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Sweet Child O’ Mine.
Ferrer replaced Brain, real name Bryan Mantia, who became Guns N’ Roses drummer in 2000.
Carpenter, best known for his work with AWOLNATION and Duff McKagan’s side project Loaded, joined the lineup just a day after Ferrer’s departure.
For fans, the Buenos Aires incident has already raised doubts about how smoothly the new arrangement is working out.
The timing is especially delicate. Just last week, Slash hinted to Guitar World that the band is edging toward recording its first proper album in nearly two decades.
‘There’s so much material at this point—it’s a matter of having the discipline to sit down and f**ng get into it,’ he told an interviewer, before conceding that planning anything in Guns N’ Roses has always been ‘impossible.’
Sixteen years after Chinese Democracy, and more than three decades since The Spaghetti Incident?, Guns N’ Roses remain locked between nostalgia and dysfunction – still capable of filling stadiums and still liable to combust at any moment.
If Saturday night’s outburst proves anything, it’s that even in 2025, the infamously volatile 80s band has never really calmed down.
A version of this article was originally published on October 20, 2025.
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Hi, I’m Alicia Adejobi, Metro’s acting entertainment editor.
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