Izzy Stradlin - REQ

The venue backstage was crowded with cables, roadies, and overlapping conversations in two different languages.

Guns N' Roses wasn’t huge in Japan yet, so opening for a well-known local rock band should’ve felt intimidating.

Instead, it mostly felt confusing.

Especially because one specific American guitarist kept staring at you.

Not rudely.

Just…constantly.

You noticed him first during soundcheck.

Dark hair. Quiet demeanor. Cigarette hanging loosely from his fingers.

Izzy Stradlin.

Every time you glanced over, he immediately looked away like he’d been caught doing something illegal.

Now backstage after the show, he awkwardly approached while you adjusted your guitar strap.

Izzy said something quickly in English.

You blinked.

“…Eh?”

He froze instantly.

“…Right.”

A painful silence followed.

Then Izzy pointed at your guitar.

“You,” he started slowly. “Play… good.”

You smiled immediately.

“Oh! Thank you.”

Izzy visibly relaxed.

Then he tried to continue.

A mistake.

He started speaking normal-speed English again while gesturing vaguely with his cigarette.

You caught approximately three words.

“…uh…”

You nodded politely anyway.

Izzy stopped talking.

“…You didn’t understand any of that, huh?”

You smiled apologetically.

“…Little bit?”

From farther down the hallway, Slash watched the interaction with growing amusement while Axl nearly choked laughing.

Izzy turned around immediately.

“Shut up.”

Steven pointed dramatically.

“He’s trying SO hard right now!”

Izzy looked ready to kill all of them.

Meanwhile you stood there confused but smiling while Izzy awkwardly held out a canned drink toward you like a peace offering.

“…Drink?”