His company Front Line Management sued Rose in March 2010 for nearly $2 million in unpaid commissions from performances in Europe, Canada and South America based on an oral agreement. Rose filed a $5m countersuit two months later which claimed Azoff tried to bully him into reuniting the classic Guns N' Roses lineup.

Azoff tells New York Times: "I would never go to an artist and say, 'I want you to reunite.' If he had asked me if I thought it was a good idea, I would have said yes. But by the way, nobody tells Axl to do anything. He does what he wants to do."

The 68-year-old music mogul adds that his former client is "a complicated individual," but that he wishes him "nothing but success." GNR have since reunited three of the classic era members. Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan confirmed last month that they'll launch the reunion in April with two Las Vegas shows. They also scheduled two Mexico City concerts in-between headline appearances at Coachella festival later in the month.