STEVEN ADLER Says AXL ROSE Is Driving GN'R Name 'Into The Ground' With His 'Band Of Hacks'

Original GUNS N' ROSES drummer Steven Adler says that the band's lead singer, Axl Rose, is driving the GN'R name "into the freakin' ground" by continuing to tour with a bunch of "hacks" that "shouldn't even be [called] GUNS N' ROSES."

Although Slash recently confirmed that the original lineup of GUNS N' ROSES would not perform at its upcoming induction into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, the guitarist and Adler have both made it clear that they are not to blame — and in fact would like to see it happen.

"[Slash is] my brother. I know he's up to it," Adler told Loudwire in an interview conducted earlier today. "He wants to do it. I want to do it. Just from what I hear, Izzy [Stradlin]'s not gonna show up and Axl will probably want to play with his hack band — his band of hacks. 'Axl and His Hacks' — it shouldn't even be GUNS N' ROSES. He's just driving that name into the freakin' ground. 'Axl and His Hacks.'"

Rose was ambivalent in a recent interview about the Hall Of Fame, and told Billboard.com in 2009 that he could never see himself playing with Slash again, saying, "One of the two of us will die before a reunion. However sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is."

Adler told Loudwire, "My grandmother always said, 'Time heals all wounds.' Slash and Axl are one to each other. It's not like one of them slept with one of them's wives or anything — and even that's forgivable after a while. There is no reason to be upset."

The 27th annual Hall Of Fame ceremony will be held on April 14. In addition to GUNS N' ROSES, other artists being inducted include the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, the BEASTIE BOYS, the FACES/SMALL FACES, DONOVAN and LAURA NYRO.

The ceremony will be taped for broadcast by HBO, which plans to air it in early May.