For more than 20 years, the idea of Axl Rose sharing a stage again with Slash was considered impossible. Not unlikely. Impossible.
The two had not spoken since the mid-90s. They blamed each other for everything wrong with the band. Lawyers were involved. Public insults were thrown. Axl even said Slash was “a cancer” and that a reunion would NEVER happen “in this lifetime.”

And yet… in 2016 it happened.
Guns N’ Roses reunited for the Not in This Lifetime Tour, one of the biggest rock tours in history.

So how did it actually happen?

Let’s break down the real timeline and forces that led to the reunion.

1. The Ice Breaks — Slash Reaches Out (2015)

The first spark happened quietly, privately.

In late 2015, Slash mentioned in an interview that he and Axl had begun communicating again.
He didn’t give details, but said:

“We’re cool now.”

This single sentence was a shock to the rock world.

Inside the band’s circle, what really happened was this:

• Slash wanted closure after years of hostility.
• Axl, who had mellowed with age, didn’t slam the door.
• The first conversation was awkward and short… but calm.
• Both realized the feud had run its course.

This thawing was the emotional foundation for everything else.

2. Duff McKagan Becomes the Bridge

Duff had already reconnected with Axl years before. They played together occasionally, texted, and kept a healthy friendship.

Duff became the neutral middle man:

• He communicated with both sides.
• He softened misunderstandings.
• He helped Axl understand Slash’s intentions.
• He helped Slash understand Axl’s mindset.

Without Duff, the reunion likely never would have happened.

3. Axl’s Reputation Had Shifted

By the mid-2010s:

• Axl was no longer the unpredictable, explosive figure he had been in the 90s.
• He showed professionalism fronting AC/DC as a substitute for Brian Johnson.
• He proved he could rehearse, be punctual, and deliver consistently.

Even people who once doubted him were impressed.

This shift made Slash (and promoters) more confident that a reunion could WORK.

4. The Right Place, the Right Time, the Right People

Key people involved in making the reunion happen:

• Live Nation (major promoter, HUGE financial incentive)
• Fernando Lebeis (Axl’s manager, helped smooth negotiations)
• Slash’s management team
• Duff, acting as emotional glue

Meetings took place quietly, under NDAs.
Nobody leaked anything.
They planned everything in absolute secrecy.

5. The Money Was Record-Breaking

This is the part people avoid, but it’s REAL:

The reunion was expected to earn hundreds of millions — and it did.
Over $500,000,000 in touring revenue.

This wasn’t the reason the reunion happened, but it was a MASSIVE factor in why it happened then.

Promoters essentially said:

“If you guys can be in the same room, we’ll build the biggest stadium tour the world has seen in 20 years.”

And they did.

6. Axl Wanted to Reclaim the Legacy

Axl had spent a decade holding the GNR brand alone.
But he knew:

• Guns N’ Roses’ true magic was the chemistry between him, Slash, and Duff.
• A reunion would re-cement the band’s legacy permanently.
• Fans deserved to see the classic lineup again.

Axl was finally emotionally READY.

This timing mattered more than money.

7. Slash Realized There Was No Guns N’ Roses Without Axl

Slash had a successful career — solo albums, Slash’s Snakepit, Velvet Revolver — but NOTHING reached the artistic or cultural height of GNR.

He missed:

• the scale
• the danger
• the magic
• the emotional weight

Reuniting was not about nostalgia —
it was a return to a chapter that had never fully closed.

8. The Announcement — January 2016

Before the Coachella lineup dropped, fans noticed:

• Slash and Duff began following Axl on social media
• Trucks with GNR logos were spotted near rehearsal studios
• A countdown appeared on the official site

Finally, in early January 2016:
Guns N’ Roses announced Slash and Duff were officially back.

Fans lost their minds.
It felt like something supernatural had happened.

9. The First Show — Axl Breaks His Foot

In classic rock fashion, the reunion started with chaos.

Axl broke his foot during the very first warm-up concert at The Troubadour.
He performed the following shows sitting on Dave Grohl’s throne.

And yet…

THE SHOWS WERE INCREDIBLE.

The chemistry was REAL.
There was no bitterness on stage.
Axl, Slash, and Duff were laughing, interacting, feeding off each other like it was 1988 again.

The world realized:

This wasn’t just a reunion for money.
It was a reunion of souls.

So Why Did Axl Reunite in 2016? (The Real Answer)

Because all the stars aligned:

• The feud had softened.
• Age and maturity brought perspective.
• Duff acted as the bridge.
• Slash wanted closure and reconnection.
• Axl wanted to reclaim the legacy.
• The band missed the power of their unity.
• The world wanted it.
• The business opportunity was enormous.

But most importantly:

Axl Rose reached a moment in life where the past didn’t control him anymore.

He was finally at peace with Guns N’ Roses — and with Slash.

That’s why 2016 was possible.
It couldn’t have happened in 1999, 2002, or 2008.
It had to be exactly when it was.