Guns N’ Roses front man Axl Rose ends 30-year tradition after microphone mishap

Singer Axl Rose (left) photographed at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium with guitarist Slash. Photo / Supplied

Axl Rose is ending his 30-year stage tradition of throwing his microphone to fans at the end of gigs. His decision comes after a woman was last week left bloodied and bruised from the stunt after a Guns N’ Roses concert in Adelaide, Australia.

Axl, 60, said online on Saturday about the “public safety” move: “It’s come to my attention that a fan may have been hurt at our show in Adelaide, Australia possibly being hit by the microphone at the end of the show when I traditionally toss the mic to the fans. If true obviously we don’t want anyone getting hurt or to somehow in any way hurt anyone at any of our shows anywhere.

“Having tossed the mic at the end of our show for over 30 years we always felt it was a known part of the very end of our performance that fans wanted and were aware of to have an opportunity to catch the mic.

”Regardless in the interest of public safety from now on we’ll refrain from tossing the mic or anything to fans during or at our performances.

”Unfortunately there are those that for their own reasons chose to frame their reporting regarding this subject in a more negative irresponsible out of nowhere light which couldn’t be farther from reality. We hope the public and of course fans get that sometimes happens.

The Adelaide woman copped a hit when Axl Rose threw his microphone into the crowd. Photo / Supplied

”A BIG THANKS to everyone for understanding.”

Footage showed the moment fans kept hurrying to grab Axl’s microphone in Adelaide after it hit Rebecca Howe in the face.

She told the Adelaide Advertiser about her shock over their behaviour: “There was this huge kerfuffle as this man tried to get the microphone … he held it up like a victory, ‘I got it, I got it’, while I was trying to keep my composure.

”An off-duty police officer pulled me to the side because I was in shock and hyperventilating, my mind went, ‘Oh my God, my face is caved in’. I had blood dripping down the front of me.”

Photographs of Ms Howe since her injury show she had severe bruising under her eyes and two cuts across her nose.