Could the original Guns N' Roses line-up be re-forming?
- Published
The rumours have been going on for years. But this week, they've gone into overdrive.
Ever since Slash left Guns N' Roses in October 1996, there have been whispers that the guitarist (and the other original members) would re-form.
Of course Axl Rose has kept the group going with a revolving door of different band members.
But fans have always wanted the classic line-up of Slash, Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, Steven Adler to get back together.
Slash, Duff McKagan and Axl Rose perform together in the 1980s
2008 - The first rumours
Three former Guns N' Roses members - Slash, Duff McKagan and Use Your Illusion era drummer Matt Sorum - formed Velvet Revolver in 2002 with Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland and former Wasted Youth guitarist Dave Kushner.
When Weiland left the band in 2008 he told Classic Rock magazine that Guns N' Roses had been "close to re-forming" in 2004 after a Greatest Hits album was released.
But he said there was too much "stuff being said".
2009 - 'One of the two of us will die before a reunion'
Speaking to Billboard Magazine, external in 2009 to promote Guns N' Roses' long-awaited sixth studio album Chinese Democracy, Axl Rose said there was no love lost between him and Slash.
"What's clear is that one of the two of us will die before a reunion and however sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is," Axl Rose said.
"Those decisions were made a long time ago and reiterated year after year by one man.
"To add insult to injury almost day after day, lapsing into year after year, for more than a decade, is a nightmare.
"Anyone putting his own personal entertainment above everything else is sickening."
November 2010 - Axl isn't happy over Slash videogame image
Axl Rose played guitar on stage with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates in 2008
The idea of a Guns N' Roses reformation featuring the original members seemed further away than ever in late 2010.
Axl Rose announced that he was suing the makers of the videogame Guitar Hero III for featuring an image of Slash on the cover.
The singer claimed that Activision Blizzard had broken an agreement not to feature imagery of the guitarist.
A judge threw the case out in 2013.
February 2011 - 'No concrete plans'
Axl Rose performing in Las Vegas in December 2011 - nice teeth
Axl Rose dismisses rumours of a reunion tour with Slash after the guitarist said he'd get back together if the singer phoned him to apologise.
Rose said on Twitter that there were "no concrete plans nor were there ever for a tour, or a re-launch, or certainly not to replace anyone in the band".
While Guns N' Roses finished touring Chinese Democracy in late 2011 - things went pretty quiet for a few years.
April 2012 - Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction
Matt Sorum, Steven Adler, Duff McKagan and Slash on the red carpet without Axl Rose and original rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin
Former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, Gilby Clarke, Steven Adler and Matt Sorum reunited at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They performed classics like Mr. Brownstone, Sweet Child o' Mine and Paradise City but it was without Axl Rose.
Slash talked to Digital Spy, external about Axl not being part of the day: "All things considered, I don't think any of us wanted to be a part of it initially - didn't think any of us were going to go.
"When it finally came down to the wire at the very, very, very last-minute - I'm talking about the 11 hours and 30 seconds mark - Axl had pulled out."
April 2014 - 'We had a good time'
Duff McKagan performs live with Guns N' Roses in Los Angeles with Axle Rose and DJ Ashba (who left the band in July)
After original bassist Duff McKagan rejoined Guns N' Roses for some concert dates last year, he said he wasn't against the idea of recording with the original line-up again.
He told Blairing Out: "I never say never to anything these days. I've learned. You never know what's around the corner.
"And all that aside, I'm just glad he and I were able to get together and talk about some stuff, then laugh about a lot of other stuff that happened."
May 2015 - 'Never say never'
Slash told CBS News "never say never" when asked about a Guns N' Roses reunion earlier this year.
"I've got to be careful what I say there," the guitarist said.
"I mean, if everybody wanted to do it and do it for the right reasons, I think the fans would love it. I think it might be fun at some point to try and do that.
"There's no animosity. Over time we all just got sick and tired of the black cloud."
August 2015 - Axl and Slash 'bury the hatchet'
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators perform live in New York in May 2015
The serious rumours of the original Guns N' Roses line-up reforming started earlier this year when Slash revealed on Swedish TV that he'd made up with Axl Rose.
"It was probably way overdue," he said. "It's very cool at this point. [We dispelled] some of that negative stuff that was going on for so long."
October 2015 - 'I just heard that'
Earlier this week former frontman of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver Scott Weiland again stoked the reunion flames.
He told Alternative Nation, external that he'd heard that the original line-up was close to re-forming.
"I think that Guns N' Roses are getting back together," he said.
October 2015 - Slash refuses to comment
The classic Guns N' Roses line-up from the 1980s and early 1990s
Speaking to Telegram in a new interview, Slash refused to comment on the subject of reforming the classic line-up.
The guitarist is usually more than happy to say something about Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses - so his refusal to answer is a different approach from Slash.
Other websites - like Dish Nation, external - have gone further saying that there's now a secret agreement between the five to tour in 2016.
For more stories like this one you can now download the BBC Newsbeat app straight to your device. For iPhone go here, external. For Android go here, external.