A charity recording featuring Axl Rose, Slash, Elton John, and Ringo Starr sits in limbo, potentially costing the Teenage Cancer Trust $2 million. Zak Starkey, The Who’s drummer and the project’s organizer, has publicly pleaded with Rose to return the master tape of their T. Rex cover “Children of the Revolution.”
The collaboration reads like a fantasy football lineup for classic rock. Rose handles vocals while Slash delivers the guitar solo, Duff McKagan adds bass, Elton John contributes piano, and Ringo Starr drums alongside his son Zak.
The recording emerged from a chance encounter after both Guns N’ Roses and The Who performed at Brazil’s Rock in Rio festival in 2017.
First New GNR Studio Material Since Reunion Hangs in Balance
This track would mark the classic lineup’s first wholly new studio output in eight years.
If released, “Children of the Revolution” would represent something unprecedented: the first completely new studio material from the reunited Guns N’ Roses classic lineup. Every post-2016 GNR release has drawn from pre-reunion archive sessions, making this charity project unexpectedly historic.
Starkey last received the master in 2018 but lacks the high-quality WAV file needed for official release. According to his Instagram posts, Rose was mixing the track as recently as April 2024, but the master hasn’t been returned since.
Christie’s Auction Could Maximize Charitable Impact
Starkey plans a comprehensive auction package beyond just the recording.
The drummer envisions selling more than just the track. His Christie’s auction package would include:
- Original gold-leaf artwork
- A Marc Bolan Gibson guitar signed by all participants
This approach bypasses traditional label marketing channels that typically reduce charitable proceeds through industry fees.
The recording was intended for a broader Marc Bolan tribute featuring members of The Smiths, The Pretenders, Richard Ashcroft, and Iggy Pop. Without the master tape, this star-powered charity initiative remains incomplete.
Rose hasn’t publicly responded to Starkey’s appeals, leaving the project’s timeline uncertain. For now, $2 million in potential cancer research funding waits on industry logistics—a frustrating reality that even rock royalty can’t seem to streamline.
