After the show, I found myself at the backstage after-party, still buzzing from the energy of the event. The room was dimly lit, filled with the hum of conversation and clinking glasses. Out of nowhere, Axl Rose walked in. Yes—**the** Axl Rose. Moments later, he came up to me at the bar, casually asking, “Hey, is there any good beer over here?”
Trying to play it cool while internally freaking out, I pointed him toward the Motörhead beer and told him it was actually really good. He laughed and said, “If Lemmy’s name is on it, it’s gotta be strong.” That broke the ice. I took the chance to compliment him on his song choices for the night’s set. He smiled, visibly proud, and said, “Man, I worked so hard picking the right ones. Took weeks to make sure everything felt just right.”
What really surprised me was how down-to-earth he was. We ended up talking for a few minutes about our mutual love for Black Sabbath. He lit up as soon as I mentioned Sabbath. “They’re the blueprint,” he said. “I wouldn’t be doing what I do if it weren’t for them.” We traded stories, talked riffs and records, and for a few surreal minutes, it felt like two fans just geeking out over the music we loved.
It was such an epic, spontaneous moment—one I never could’ve scripted or expected. Sharing beers, laughs, and metal memories with a rock legend like Axl Rose? That’s the kind of night you never forget. No cameras, no fanfare—just music, beer, and real conversation. A moment etched into memory forever.
