Former Guns N’ Roses manager Alan Niven has revealed the financial cost of ending his professional relationship with Axl Rose. He shared details about a multi-million dollar settlement in an interview with Louder Sound.
Niven explained how he voluntarily gave up his lucrative commission rights to avoid further dealings with the band’s frontman.
“I paid millions to get Axl out of my life,” Niven said. “And here’s how: I had a 17 per cent commission in perpetuity. That means that anything released, mastered or negotiated during the term of my contract was commissionable forever.”
He detailed the terms of his original contract and the circumstances surrounding his departure from the band.
“My original contract was renewed in ’89 for a further three or so years. It would expire in 93,” he continued. “At the time it was renewed I was offered a raise to 20 per cent. I turned it down. Axl fired me in ’91. That means that the sales of Appetite, …Lies and Use Your Illusions were all commissionable – forever.”
Niven then revealed the specific amount he accepted to terminate his commission rights.
“To get Axl out of my life, I sold those rights back to the band for $3.5 million,” he said. “I did not want to deal with him again. Now that’s a decent chunk of change, but Geffen had only paid royalties on about five million albums total at that time. Imagine how much I had still coming. [Appetite… alone has sold 30 million copies.]”
The former manager acknowledged that his decision came at a significant financial cost.
“The settlement I took is not anywhere close to what I was due and had earned,” Niven concluded. “And after you pay the taxman his third, and your partners [‘the Stravinski Brothers’ credited on Appetite were Niven and two silent partners], it’s not quite the same golden egg. But that’s how burnt out and disillusioned I was.”
Niven’s departure from Guns N’ Roses marked the end of a turbulent but highly successful period in the band’s history. During this time, he oversaw some of their most iconic releases.
Classic Rock reported that Niven managed Guns N’ Roses during their most pivotal years from 1986 to 1991. He oversaw the release of landmark albums including Appetite For Destruction and Use Your Illusions. His tenure coincided with the band’s meteoric rise to global stardom. This made his commission rights extraordinarily valuable as these albums continued to generate massive sales worldwide.
The manager’s relationship with the band was marked by significant achievements in the music industry. Wikipedia noted that Niven was instrumental in renegotiating the band’s contract with David Geffen. This was a feat that no other manager had previously achieved. This successful renegotiation likely contributed to the tension that eventually led to his dismissal by Axl Rose. It demonstrated Niven’s considerable influence within the band’s business operations.
Niven continued his career in music management with other notable acts following his departure from Guns N’ Roses. GN Revolution documented that he went on to manage Great White. He later worked with Izzy Stradlin’s project, The JuJu Hounds, after his split from Guns N’ Roses. This transition showed his ability to maintain his position in the rock music management scene despite the costly decision to sever ties with one of the world’s biggest rock bands.
The financial sacrifice Niven made reflects the intense personal and professional pressures that characterized Guns N’ Roses’ internal dynamics during their peak years. His willingness to forfeit millions in future earnings rather than continue working with Axl Rose underscores the challenging nature of managing one of rock’s most volatile and successful bands during their most creative and tumultuous period.
