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Guns N’ Roses Axl, Slash will reunite at Coachella

A reconfigured Guns N’ Roses will take the stage at next year's Coachella, followed by a possible US tour. While it's unclear exactly who will be in the band, both W. Axl Rose and Slash will be there, according to a new report in Billboard. Slash hasn't performed with Guns N' Roses since July 17, 1993.

Read more: Guns N’ Roses accused of plagiarizing “Sweet Child O’ Mine”

Rumors and speculation began to swirl after Slash revelaed he and Rose had mended their decades long rift. Earlier this month, the band's official website was wiped clean of all but their classic logo. The sounds of GN'R and Rose revving up the crowd can be heard over concert footage playing in front of some screenings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Read more: Guns N’ Roses biopic in the works

The band's classic lineup of W. Axl Rose (vocals), Slash (lead guitar), Izzy Stradlin (guitar), Duff McKagen (bass) and Steven Adler (drums) recorded GN'R's monstrously successful 1987 debut, Appetite For Destruction, featuring the hits “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Sweet Child O' Mine,” “Paradise City” and “It's So Easy.”

The band replaced Adler with Matt Sorum (ex-The Cult) and added keyboardist Dizzy Reed for Use Your Illusion I & II, which gave the world “Don't Cry,” “November Rain,” “Civil War,” “Estranged” and “You Could Be Mine.” After long and grueling touring in support of the two album set and the release of the covers album The Spaghetti Incident? (with touring guitarist Gibly Clarke standing in for Stradlin), Guns N' Roses all but disappeared. Rose eventually reemerged with a brand new Guns N' Roses and released the long-gestating Chinese Democracy album, with himself as the only remaining original member.

In 2002, Slash, Duff and Sorum reunited as Velvet Revolver with guitarist Dave Kushner and late Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland and released two successful albums. (Stradlin was very briefly a part of Velvet Revolver as well). Slash, Duff, Sorum, Adler and Clarke performed at Guns N' Roses' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2012, which Rose and Stradlin did not attend.

Duff and Izzy both guested with Rose's reconfigured version of the band over the years, but Axl and Slash have not been onstage together since a South American appearance in 1993. The Billboard report confirms only Rose and Slash for the Coachella shows. Though it's widely assumed Duff and Reed will participate in the band's activities next year, it's unclear who will fill the other remaining positions. Technically, guitarist Richard Fortus (who joined up with Rose in 2001) and drummer Frank Ferrer (since 2006) are still members of Guns N' Roses, as is bassist Tommy Stinston (since 1998).

Coachella Arts and Music Festival will take place is scheduled for April 15-17 and April 22-24 in Indio, California. 

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