On June 24, longtime manager Alan Niven<\/a> will celebrate the release of his first memoir, Sound N’ Fury: Rock N’ Roll Stories<\/em><\/a>. Ahead of that, he joined Loudwire Nights<\/a><\/em> on Thursday (June 19) to discuss what it was like writing the book.<\/p>\n Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.<\/p>\n “For decades I avoided it,” Niven admitted to host Chuck Armstrong<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I hate rock and roll books. I did try writing a manuscript and I found it tedious, depressing, a chore. I kept thinking of all the hiccups, the failures, the mistakes and what could have been as opposed to what was. I didn’t enjoy it in any way, shape or form.”<\/p>\n He eventually sent his partially finished manuscript to a friend, hoping they’d respond and say, “Don’t publish this.” But that’s not what happened.<\/p>\n “I got this message back from Slash<\/a>,” he shared.<\/p>\n “[He said,] ‘Great. Finish it.’ And I’m like, oh no, what I wanted was an excuse to shelve it and someone else to blame.”<\/p>\n Niven’s memoir isn’t simply a tell-all\u00a0of his life; it’s a collection of different experiences he’s had with the many bands he’s worked with, most notably when he managed Guns N’ Roses<\/a> from 1986-1991.<\/p>\n In one of the most unforgettable stories \u2014 the aptly-titled chapter, “Stoned In L.A.” \u2014 Niven opens up about why he didn’t want Guns N’ Roses to tour with\u00a0the Rolling Stones<\/a>.<\/p>\n As he retold the story to the Loudwire Nights<\/em><\/a> audience, he recalled going to see Metallica<\/a> with Bill Elson, who was the booking agent for the Stones. At the show, they met up with Cliff Burnstein and Peter Mensch, who co-founded Q Prime Management and managed Metallica and who would be overseeing the tour.<\/p>\n “My first gut reaction was a freaking ping of cramp in my stomach,” he said about the offer for Guns N’ Roses to open for Stones.<\/p>\n “There’s no way that I can see [Steven] Adler<\/a> and Slash living through a Rolling Stones tour, that environment, that pressure. The condition they were in at the time, that’s not going to happen.”<\/p>\n As the story goes, Niven did the unthinkable: He turned down the tour.<\/p>\n “Mick Jagger<\/a> is pretty rich as it is,” he said. “I don’t feel an obligation to fill his coffers that he keeps in the islands in the Caribbean.”<\/p>\n Niven’s decision led to the opportunity for his band to open for the Stones for only a handful of shows, all at the L.A. Coliseum.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Slash Dives Into Latest Solo Album, ‘Orgy of the Damned’<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The total payment for these shows? One million dollars.<\/p>\n “It was perfect,” Niven said.<\/p>\n “It was hometown, which means that our expenses are minimalized [and] we could keep some sort of stability in dealing with people’s addictions and states of mind and we weren’t having to race across the country. It was optimal. It was the best.”<\/p>\n Alan Niven\u00a0joined\u00a0<\/em>Loudwire Nights on Thursday, June 19;\u00a0the show replays online here<\/a>, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET<\/a> or on the Loudwire app<\/a>; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station<\/a>\u00a0and listen to interviews on-demand<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The bands that are touring in 2025, who is opening and how to get tickets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Loudwire](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/loudwire.png?w=100\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhen Guns N’ Roses Said ‘No’ to the Rolling Stones<\/h3>\n
What Else Did Alan Niven Discuss on Loudwire Nights<\/em>?<\/h3>\n
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Listen to the Full Interview\u00a0in the Podcast Player Below<\/h3>\n
2025 Rock + Metal Tour Guide<\/h2>\n