The piano used in “Hey Jude” is the same one Freddie Mercury used when recording “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
It is the Bechstein from Trident Studios in London, an instrument that was also played by other greats of the era. Both songs were recorded on that piano, seven years apart.
The story of Axl Rose and Vince Neil is one of the most famous rivalries in 1980s and early 1990s rock, pitting Guns N’ Roses against Mötley Crüe.
It all began in 1988 at The Cathouse club in Los Angeles. Izzy Stradlin had an altercation with Sharise Ruddell, Vince Neil’s wife (according to reports, he harassed or shoved her). Vince found out and held a grudge.
In September 1989, at the MTV Video Music Awards, Vince Neil seized the moment: when Izzy Stradlin came off stage after Guns N’ Roses performed with Tom Petty, Vince punched him in the face. It was a quick, hard punch. Axl Rose flew into a rage, chasing after Vince and shouting threats like “I’m going to kill you!” but he didn’t get to fight because he was stopped. Vince said it was revenge for what happened with his wife. The Guns N’ Roses guys called it a “sucker punch.”
From there, a war of words began in the press. Axl accused Vince of being a coward and publicly insulted him. Vince responded and challenged Axl to a fight. In 1991, Vince appeared on MTV and issued a formal challenge: he invited him to box in a televised event, in a stadium, with an audience and everything, to put an end to the feud once and for all. He even proposed dates and locations (such as the Great Western Forum).
Axl sent indirect messages challenging him to meet at Tower Records or Venice Beach, but he never showed up.
In the end, they never actually fought. The rivalry remained limited to insults, threats, and statements in the media. Over time, it cooled off. Izzy Stradlin even called Vince to apologize. Vince divorced Sharise in 1993.