Over the weekend, Axl Rose affirmed that he’ll no longer throw his microphone into the crowd at the end of Guns N’ Roses‘ shows after a fan in Australia claimed that she sustained injuries from being hit in the face with it. During their most recent show, the singer made a “Tossers Anonymous” joke in mockery of the incident.
If you’ve ever been to a Guns N’ Roses show, particularly in the last 30 years, then you know it’s a tradition for Rose to toss the mic into the crowd for a lucky fan to catch after the final song concludes. And if you haven’t been to one of their concerts and aren’t aware of the act, you probably still know to cover your face when you see something flying at it.
Nevertheless, the fan who was injured by the mic last week shared a photo of her face after the show — she had two black eyes, and remarked that she could have lost an eye, broke her teeth or even been killed if it had hit her from a different angle.
As the story circulated, Rose issued a statement on social media addressing what happened, nothing that he and the band obviously don’t want any of their fans to get hurt at any of their shows.
“Regardless in the interest of public safety from now on we’ll refrain from tossing the mic or anything to the fans during or at our performances,” he added. “A big thanks to everyone for understanding.”
A lot of fans reacted negatively to his statement, pleading with him not to cease the tradition, as it’s been a part of the band’s shows for so long. Never one to bite his tongue, the frontman has decided to make light of the situation, and made a joke about it during the band’s Dec. 8 performance in Wellington, New Zealand.
“I’m sure you’ve heard about this — at the end of the show, I won’t be tossing the mic,” Rose said to the crowd after the band finished playing “Estranged,” and they reacted with a roar of laughter. “You’ve heard of AA [Alcoholics Anonymous], right? I have to go to TA — Tossers Anonymous.”
“Yes, it’s true. It’s a 12-step thing. I don’t know them all, I’m only in the beginning, but the first step, you know you gotta admit you have a problem,” he continued. “So, my name is Axl, and yes, I’m a tosser.”
Then, the band broke into the Appetite for Destruction outtake “Shadow of Your Life.” Check out the fan-filmed footage below.
Guns have one more 2022 performance slated for Dec. 10 in Auckland, New Zealand. Their first scheduled show is set to take place in London in June, which you can get more information about here.
Axl Rose Makes ‘Tossers Anonymous Joke’ After Mic-Toss Incident
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Get in the ring, motherf–kers.