Former Guns N’ Roses Manager Files Suit to Force Memoir’s Release

Alan Niven, the former manager of Guns N’ Roses, has filed a lawsuit against the band, accusing them of attempting to block the publication of his forthcoming memoir, Sound N’ Fury: Rock N’ Roll Stories.

The book, which chronicles Niven’s decades-long career in the music industry, was originally slated for release in July 2025 before being pushed back to September. It is now scheduled for publication on March 31, 2026, via Amazon.

According to a complaint filed on Nov. 3 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Niven alleges that Guns N’ Roses — particularly frontman Axl Rose — have issued threats to both him and his publisher, ECW Press, in an effort to prevent the book’s release.

Inside the Lawsuit

Niven, a veteran manager who also worked with Mötley Crüe and Great White, outlines in his lawsuit that Sound N’ Fury recounts stories from his time in the music business, including distributing the first Sex Pistols singles in the U.S., cooking dinner for King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, championing a young musician named Frank Feranna (later known as Nikki Sixx), and twice reinventing the band Great White.

The memoir also includes stories about the classic Guns N’ Roses lineup — the same five members Niven represented during the band’s early rise to fame.

The legal filing claims that publication was halted after Guns N’ Roses invoked a confidentiality clause from a 1991 buyout agreement with Niven. “Now, however, due to GNR’s threats, Sound N’ Fury languishes in a warehouse,” the complaint reads.

In a letter from May 2025, the band allegedly cited that confidentiality clause and used it as the basis for pressuring ECW Press to stop the release.

Niven Argues Agreement Is Invalid

Niven’s lawsuit disputes the band’s claims, stating that the 1991 agreement was “not signed by all of its members,” making it invalid as a binding contract. The suit also points out that individual band members have publicly commented on Niven over the years, with one even encouraging him to write the book.

The filing adds that Niven has long spoken openly about his tenure with the group, and the memoir has already received positive attention — including a favorable review from The Los Angeles Times and strong preorder numbers — before the publication delay.

A Tumultuous Partnership

Niven managed Guns N’ Roses from their breakout success in the late 1980s through 1991, a period often described as the band’s creative peak. However, his working relationship with Axl Rose was notoriously strained.

“It was Axl’s battle to take complete control and most of the money,” Niven writes in Sound N’ Fury. “The more control he gained, the less they were productive and the worse the material got. Whatever, it’s all in the rear-view mirror.”

What’s Next

The lawsuit seeks to lift the band’s alleged block on Sound N’ Fury and allow its release next spring. Neither Guns N’ Roses nor representatives for Axl Rose have publicly commented on the case.