Axl Rose has apologized to Cleveland, Ohio, for snubbing this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, at which his band Guns N Roses were inducted. The singer had initially issued a 1,065 word letter declining the prestigious honor and claiming the ceremony "doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected".
In Rose's absence, former Roses members Slash, Duff Mckagan and STEVEN ADLER attended the ceremony and performed several hits from Appetite For Destruction, including 'Sweet Child O Mine', 'Paradise City' and 'Mr Brownstone', with Alter Bridge front Myles Kennedy. Rose has now taken to the Roses website to apologize for his no-show, saying, "I would like to apologise to Cleveland, Ohio, for not apologising to them beforehand for not attending [the ceremony] in their city.I seriously didn't plan on or expect the overwhelmingly positive response and public support for my decision regarding the [Hall] . I'm truly humbled, blown away and unbelievably relieved!". Strangely, he went on to thank the fans and journalists for their "outpouring of solidarity" over his spurning of the event and told a bizarre story about buying a homeless woman a slice of pizza, despite her requesting soup.