It would certainly be an accurate statement – really more of an understatement – to say that Axl Rose is not universally beloved. Whether it was making fans wait for hours before beginning Guns N’ Roses concerts in the ‘90s to going through bandmates like Kleenex later in his career, it is fair to say that the red-haired rocker has not made many friends over the years.

The latest reason not to like Rose involves (allegedly) his holding on to a master tape of an all-star recording session. According to drummer Zak Starkey (recently formerly of The Who, but that’s another rock and roll pissing match entirely), Rose refuses to return the master tape of a song that was intended to be part of an album which would raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Slash, Duff McKagan, Elton John and Ringo Starr all contributed to a cover of T. Rex’s “Children of the Revolution,” and Rose was supposed to record a vocal track to finish the production. However (again, according to Starkey), Rose has procrastinated and failed to record his part and return the master tapes for over a year, allegedly costing the Teenage Cancer Trust over $2 million dollars.

Starkey posted on Instagram that the album-in-limbo includes contributions from “more than one Beatle, a Smith, a Pretender, an Ashcroft, an Iggy and many more.” He added that he hopes the charity album can be released “without greedy bean counting majors wanting 75 percent (I won’t say which label, but fuck me, this is for sick kids).” Starkey also appealed directly to Rose, posting, “C’mon, bro…”

Ticket Alert

Combine the influences of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Waylon Jennings, Hank Jr. and the like, let it simmer for a while in deep East Texas and what do you get? You get Whiskey Myers, a band that manages to straddle the fence between rock and country without compromising its balls. There are still a few tickets available for the band’s show on Saturday, September 27, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, but don’t wait around too long.

Austin’s Band of Heathens made a name for itself playing at Antone’s and the clubs on 6th street, quickly becoming one of the foremost exponents of the Americana music form. The Heathens will begin their 20th anniversary celebration with a show at the Heights Theater on Saturday, November 22. The band promises a two-set evening, so it will be all Heathens all the time.

Is there anyone funkier than George Clinton? No. The answer is no. To paraphrase the Bard, “Funk, thy name is Clinton.” The mastermind behind Parliament, Funkadelic, P-Funk and the Brides of Funkenstein will tear the roof off the mothersucker on Friday, November 28, at the House of Blues. Get your tickets now if you want the funk and / or gotta have the funk.

Concerts This Week

Shinedown’s “Dance, Kid, Dance” tour will make a stop at Toyota Center tonight, with Bush and Morgan Wade opening. Not content with garden variety merch like t-shirts, caps and hoodies, Shinedown has introduced a signature line of hot sauces, each named after one of the band’s songs: Symptom Chipotle Garlic Sauce, Devour Pineapple Jerk Sauce and Attention Attention Mango Habanero Sauce.

George Thorogood has never wandered far from his formula of loud guitars, salacious vocals and a Bo Diddley beat, but who can blame him? If it ain’t broke, as they say. You can catch Mr. Bad to the Bone tonight at the House of Blues.

Whether performing as a solo artist, a member of Matchbox 20 or Carlos Santana’s sidekick, Rob Thomas has been a hit machine for well over two decades. When his “All Night Days” tour hits the Smart Financial Centre on Saturday, fans will have a number of up-close-and-personal VIP options to choose from, including a premium package featuring a photo op with Thomas, the chance to watch a few songs from the wings and an autographed guitar.

The biggest concerts in town this week are The Weeknd’s two shows at NRG Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. As the record holder for most Spotify streams at over one billion for his song “Blinding Lights,” it’s no wonder he can fill up a stadium two nights in a row. ‘Cause Knowledge is Power: So what’s the deal with leaving an “e” out of Weeknd? There are several theories surrounding the singer’s professional name, but the most likely explanation is that the spelling was chosen so as to avoid any legal difficulties with a Canadian band known as The Weekend.

For those unfamiliar with Steel Panther, the band might best be described as an American little brother to Spinal Tap. The Panther of Steel skewers just about every heavy metal cliché that exists, but it is done with love, so the ribbing never comes off as nasty. But their song lyrics? Now those are nasty. Get ready to throw those devil horns and sing along with “Boomerang Poontang,” “Always Gonna Be a Ho” and “Bukkake Tears” when the band plays Warehouse Live Midtown on Sunday.