ROSES - STONE ROSES TURNED DOWN SLASH

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist SLASH offered to join British band the STONE ROSES after their guitarist left, but was knocked back by scathing frontman IAN BROWN. After JOHN SQUIRE announced his departure from the Manchester rockers in 1996, the band were stunned to receive an offer from guitar great Slash. However, Brown refused to entertain the idea of employing a rock rival - and has been regretting it ever since. Brown says, "I wish we'd taken him on. But at the time we were like, 'No, we hate Guns N' Roses, f**k off. Is he going to bring his python with him?' "But now I think it would have been amazing." Slash currently plays with rock supergroup VELVET REVOLVER.