KEY POINTS:
In case you missed the news, Guns N' Roses are coming back.
Yes, now that we have an arena that should have been built 15 years ago, we're getting the arena rock of that very period, what with the opening last month by Tommy Lee and the Monkees of Metal, next weekend's shows by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and now Axl Rose and his ring-ins.
No, this isn't the same Guns N' Roses which played here to 52,000 fans at the height of their powers back in the early 90s.
This is G N' R - with frontman Axl Rose retaining the brand - who haven't released anything substantial in 15 years.
There have been threats of a new album, titled Chinese Democracy, since 1996 after the departure of the rest of the original line-up.
The tour that's heading here is entitled Chinese Democracy too.
But there's still no finished album: "There is no official release date, as the band is currently mixing, but after some delays and scheduling difficulties, things appear to be moving along," says www.gunsnroses.com.
So it would appear the band are using the jaunt through Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand as a cashflow-generating warm-up for the northern summer, by which time they might actually deliver an album that has become the longest-running joke in rock.
It will be intriguing to see what the demand for it is like after all this time.
Though you've got to hand it to Mr Rose - a man who by the look of his hair is increasingly resembling a German tourist who has spent too long on the beach in Bali - that album title should put paid to any illegal copies coming out of China shouldn't it?
The press release announcing the Auckland show on Friday June 29 says: "2007 promises to be the time that Guns N' Roses reclaim their throne as the world's most dangerous band."
I remember back when that was true. I went and saw Guns N' Roses at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway the week before they last came to Auckland.
I interviewed Slash, who was a very nice man. Though I don't remember actually making eye contact throughout the encounter in his dressing home on the day before the show.
Yes, this being a racetrack, I was able to accurately report: Guns N' Roses' dressing room is the pits.
But the danger came the day of the show. Being a laminate-carrying member of the media I found a nice spot to sit on a hill to the left of the stage away from the Aussie fans. Well, you would wouldn't you?
Sitting there, I did wonder what the little pipe things were in the ground nearby. Unused Portaloo plumbing possibly?
No. The answer came a few songs in. It was during the band's version of Live and Let Die. Each time they hit the song's big chorus, those little pipe things turned into large explosions. I had stumbled into a pyrotechnics area and soon I was running down the hill, which looked like it was under mortar attack.
I feared a cover version of a Paul McCartney and Wings song- and a Bond theme at that- was the last song I would ever hear.
Which, you might agree, would have been a pity. Especially as I've always been very fond of Jet.
Yes, Guns N' Roses were once a very dangerous band indeed. But when they come back this time I promise I'll stay off their firing range.
And if they strike up Live and Let Die, I'll be the guy diving under his seat. Please drag me out when they stop shelling. Thanks.
