Ah, the old days. When something as innocuous as profanity on a televised award show was enough to get people up in arms. In the days of award show publicity stunts, someone dropping an “F” bomb during an acceptance speech isn’t particularly jaw-dropping (especially with tape delays), but when Slash and Duff McKagan from Guns ‘n Roses let a few choice words slip while accepting their two at the 1989 American Music Awards, tongues wagged. Fortunately, the censor was around to cut away to a commercial break before any more profanity could spew from the members.
Looking back, I was also way too naive at the time to realize that the two Gunners were ridiculously sloshed, a fact that I find funnier than their temporary evasion of ABC’s censors. I’m sure Slash and Duff look back on those salad days fondly-back before Axl went batshit, before Duff’s pancreas almost exploded and before Slash had to wear a pacemaker.
Kids, living a rock ‘n roll lifestyle has it’s consequences. Maybe that’s why there are so few real bad-ass rock & roll stars these days?