GUNS N' ROSES MEMBERS JAM AT LOCAL CLUB
- Michael Donahue, The Commercial Appeal, 1.10.92

Excerpt:

Rascals has to be the coolest spot in town.

The bar at 2128 Madison played host to none other than Axl Rose and his band, Guns N' Roses, early Wednesday morning.

Rose and the other band members, who played a dynamite show Tuesday night at The Pyramid, stopped by the bar about 3 a.m., said Charlie Barnett, who co- owns the bar with Scott Fruhman.

Not only did Guns N' Roses hang out for several hours, but all the members of the band jammed with Son of Slam, a local band, Barnett said.

Fruhman met Guns N' Roses crew and members of the band in Los Angeles. So, when the band came to town, the members naturally visited Rascals, Barnett said.

Some of the crew and band members held a private party Monday night at Rascals. But after Tuesday's concert they "wanted to come in and party" again, Barnett said. There was a "limited crowd" in the club that morning.

Rose, who didn't attend Monday night's party, showed up at Rascals after the concert wearing a full-length fur coat, Barnett said. And he didn't order anything to drink. "He was a nice guy. I went over and shook his hand and told him I appreciated him coming. He was just as cool as he could be."

As Son of Slam played, one Guns N' Roses member after another got up to jam. "Axl was sitting in the crowd. He saw everyone playing with the band. He was digging it. I saw him take his coat off. Before I knew it he was on stage jamming."

There was only one incident at the club, Barnett said.

One man wanted to take a picture of Axl. But Guns N' Roses security took the film out of the man's camera and escorted him out of the club.

Guns N' Roses is one of a growing number of hot bands that have frequented Rascals, which is kind of an 'in' place for rock groups, Barnett said.

Members of Warrant, Tesla, Black Crowes, Soundgarden, Lynyrd Skynyrd and U2 have been at his bar, he added. He recalled when U2 visited. "Nobody recognized them. They drank beer, tipped the waitress $20 and left."

Warrant was responsible for local band Roxy Blue being signed to a major label, Barnett said. "Warrant was in town. They came in to party at the bar. They liked Roxy Blue (playing that night) so well, they told their management about them."

So, if you go to Rascals, don't be surprised who you bump into. "We're not a yuppie bar. We're not the classiest joint in town. We don't sell Dom Perignon. We're just an old beer bar."