The recently initiated Gunners residency at Las Vegas’s Hard Rock Hotel was all going a little too smoothly, if you ask me. Rose turned up on time and the band didn’t kill eachother – so far, no one’s killed anyone actually! But wait a second…did that robot just rape that woman in the official artwork?
As the event has ties to the anniversary of the band’s mind-blowing album Appetite for Destruction, they chose the already banned album art from the 1987 release as the artwork and posters for the residency. No one seemed to put two and two together and maybe change the design, until it started making waves. Although the album art found its way onto the release eventually, albeit on the inside sleeve, The Hard Rock Cafe has decided to fully remove the image from its wall.
Shown in the cartooned artwork is a woman who has clearly just been violated by a robot. The casino has since released a statement that the “Hard Rock Hotel & Casino regrets that the Guns N’ Roses advertising for their current shows has offended any member of the community. The resort has decided to further modify the art and began the process of changing the materials.”
NME has also commented on statements made by Hannah Brook, executive director for Las Vegas’ Rape Crisis Center. Brook has strictly condemned the image, saying “This type of advertising is simply unacceptable. Not only for just the victims and the message of violence it brings, but also for the community in general” adding that “This is not the type of message we want to portray to tourists that are coming to our city. We want them to know it’s a safe place to come, and by putting a message out there with Las Vegas above it is concerning.”
The residency will continue as usual, with 12 shows locked in and the last one taking place November 24.
