Guns N' Roses is one of thebest-selling musical acts of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of over 100 million records. The band was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Known for their volatile performances, media feuds, and provocative lyrics, Guns N' Roses cultivated a reputation as "The World's Most Dangerous Band". Their fusion ofpunk,blues, andmetal helped shift late-'80s rock away fromglam rock. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of their era, withAppetite for Destruction frequently ranked among the greatest albums of all time. Songs such as "Sweet Child o’ Mine" and "Welcome to the Jungle" are considered classics of the genre, and the band has been included in lists of the greatest artists of all time by publications likeRolling Stone and VH1.
In 1983, guitaristTracii Guns introducedChris Weber toIzzy Stradlin, who soon formed a band with Stradlin's childhood friend,Axl Rose. After several lineup changes, the group becameHollywood Rose.[2] GuitaristSlash replaced Weber in the group before the band dissolved in 1984.[2] Rose later joined Guns's bandL.A. Guns, recommended by Stradlin, who was living with Guns at the time.[2][3] On January 1, 1985, Rose and Stradlin briefly reunited as Hollywood Rose for a one-off show with bassist Steve Darrow, Tracii Guns, and drummerRob Gardner.
Guns N' Roses was formed in March 1985 by Rose, Stradlin, Guns, Gardner, and bassistOle Beich.[4] Guns recalled the formation of the band in a 2019 interview, stating: "Axl got into an argument with our manager and our manager fired Axl... So, that same night we started Guns N' Roses... I called Izzy the next day and said, 'Hey, we are gonna start this new band called Guns N' Roses, do you want in?'".[5] The name combined their previous bands names and was initially intended for a record label. Rejected names included "Heads of Amazon" and "AIDS".[5][6]
After two rehearsals, Beich was replaced byDuff McKagan.[7][8] Their first rehearsal with McKagan was recorded, and three songs - "Don't Cry", "Think About You" and "Anything Goes"- were aired during their first radio interview, two days before their debut show at theTroubadour on March 26, 1985.[b][9][10][11][12] Plans for an EP featuring those songs and a cover of "Heartbreak Hotel" were abandoned after Guns left the band following an argument with Rose.[11][3] He was replaced by Slash,[2] and Gardner soon departed, withSteven Adler taking over on drums.[13][14][15][c]
We had a singer (Mike Jagosz) that our manager didn't like, so we fired him. So then I asked Axl to join L.A. Guns and he was in the band for about six, seven months. The same manager ended up hating Axl and he wanted to fire him. We're all living together at this point and Axl and I sat down and went 'What are we going to do?' So we both said 'Fuck that', and came up with the name Guns N' Roses, which was going to be just a record label that we'd put singles out on.
The "classic" lineup - Rose, Stradlin, Slash, McKagan, and Adler - was finalized on June 4, 1985.[17] After two rehearsals, they played their first show on June 6.[17][18] Two days later, they embarked on a chaotic West Coast tour fromSacramento to McKagan's hometown ofSeattle, Washington.[19][20] When both vans broke down en route, the bandhitchhiked with only their guitars.[21][22] McKagan later called the "Hell Tour" a defining moment for the group.[19] They soon moved into a shared house and rehearsal space dubbed "The Hell House".[d]
Guns N' Roses gained traction on the Hollywood club circuit, performing at venues likeThe Troubadour andThe Roxy.[6][25] In March 1986, they signed withGeffen Records, turning down a more lucrative offer fromChrysalis, which had sought to alter their image.[6] Geffen offered full creative control and a $75,000 advance.[26][27]
In December 1986, the band released the EP LiveLive ?!*@ Like a Suicide to maintain momentum while they retreated from the club scene to focus on studio work.[28][29][30] The EP included covers ofRose Tattoo's "Nice Boys" andAerosmith's "Mama Kin", along with two originals: "Reckless Life" and "Move to the City".[31] Though marketed as live recordings, the tracks were studio demosoverdubbed with crowd noise.[31] Released on Geffen's Uzi Suicide imprint, only 10,000 vinyl copies were pressed.[32]
Ultimately,Mike Clink was selected, having previously worked withTriumph.[37] The band recorded "Shadow of Your Love" with Clink as a test.[33] After rehearsals, they enteredRumbo Recorders in January 1987.[33] Basic tracks were completed in two weeks, followed by a month of overdubs.[38] Drums were finished in six days, but Rose's vocals took significantly longer, as he insisted on recording one line at a time.[39]
Breakthrough and mass popularity (1987–1989)
GuitaristSlash (left) and lead singerAxl Rose (right) were the band's most public faces during its late 1980s-early 1990s heyday.
Appetite for Destruction
Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses’ debut album, was released on July 21, 1987.[40][41] The album’s original cover art, painted byRobert Williams and depicting a surreal scene of a monster attacking a rapist robot, was deemed too controversial by retailers.[42][43][44] The band described the artwork as “a symbolic social statement, with the robot representing the industrial system that’s raping and polluting our environment.”[42] A revised cover, created by Andy Engell from a design by tattoo artist Bill White Jr., featured skull caricatures of the five band members arranged on a cross.[45]
The band’s first single, "It's So Easy", was released exclusively in the UK on June 15, 1987, reaching number 84 on theUK Singles Chart.[46][47] In the United States, “Welcome to the Jungle” served as the lead single in October, accompanied by a music video.[48]
For nearly a year, the album and its singles struggled commercially. That changed when Geffen Records founderDavid Geffen personally urgedMTV to air the “Welcome to the Jungle” video during late-night rotation.[49][50] Although initially played only once at 4 a.m. on a Sunday, viewer demand quickly surged.[51] The song, written in Seattle but inspired by Rose’s experiences in Los Angeles, was partly based on an encounter with a homeless man in New York who shouted, “You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby; you’re gonna die!”.[51][52][53] The track later appeared in the 1988 filmThe Dead Pool, in which the band made a cameo.[54][55]
“Sweet Child o' Mine”, the album’s second U.S. single, originated as a poem Rose wrote for his then‑girlfriend Erin Everly.[56][57][58] Its broad appeal and heavy rotation on radio and MTV propelled it to number one on theBillboard Hot 100 — the band’s only chart‑topper.[57][59] Slash later remarked, “I hated that song with a huge passion for the longest time, and it turned out to be our hugest hit.”[56] In Japan, the track appeared on the EPLive from the Jungle, which also included live recordings from the band’s June 1987 shows at London’s Marquee Club — their first performances outside the U.S.[60][61]
Steven Adler (left) was the band's drummer from 1985 to 1990, when he was replaced byMatt Sorum (right). Sorum was fired from the band in 1997.
Following the success of “Sweet Child o' Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle” was reissued and reached number 7 in the U.S. “Paradise City” peaked at number 5, and Appetite for Destruction eventually reached number 1 on the Billboard 200.[62] The album has since sold more than 30 million copies worldwide,[63][64] including 18 million in the United States, making it the best‑selling debut album in U.S. history and the eleventhbest-selling album overall.[65][66][67][68]
Guns N’ Roses supported the album with the 16‑monthAppetite for Destruction Tour.[69][70] Alongside headlining dates in the U.S. and Europe, the band opened forthe Cult,Mötley Crüe, andAlice Cooper in 1987. During the tour, drummer Steven Adler broke his hand in a fight and was temporarily replaced byCinderella'sFred Coury for eight shows.[71] Bassist Duff McKagan missed several dates in May 1988 for his wedding, withKid "Haggis" Chaos of the Cult filling in.[72]Don Henley of theEagles played drums for the band at the 1989American Music Awards while Adler was in rehab.[73] The band continued touring across the United States, Australia, and Japan, and opened North American shows forIron Maiden andAerosmith.[74][75] Aerosmith manager Tim Collins later recalled, “By the end of the tour, Guns N’ Roses were huge... Suddenly, the opening act was bigger than we were.”[76][77]
G N' R Lies
Izzy Stradlin was the band's rhythm guitarist from 1985 until 1991.
Guns N' Roses released their second album,G N' R Lies, in November 1988.[78] The album combined the four tracks from the band’s 1986 EPLive ?!@ Like a Suicide* with four new acoustic songs.[79] Its sole single, "Patience" reached number four on the U.S. charts, while the album peaked at number two.[80][81] The cover artwork, designed as a tabloid-style parody, was altered after initial pressings to remove the headlines “Wife-beating has been around for 10,000 years” and “Ladies, welcome to the Dark Ages.”[82]
The song "One in a Million", which included the slurs "nigger" and "faggot", generated controversy and was widely criticized as racist, xenophobic, and homophobic.[83][84][85][86][87] Band manager Doug Goldstein said the lyrics were meant as satire reflecting the fears of an inexperienced teenager encountering diversity in Los Angeles, and that Rose defended the song as artistic expression, declining to further explain it.[88] Rose denied being racist and defended his language, arguing that certain terms were not intended to refer to race and citing other musicians’ use of similar wording.[89] He later acknowledged that the lyrics reflected his anger following an attempted robbery and conceded that the language was offensive.[90] Addressing accusations of homophobia, Rose described himself as “pro-heterosexual” and attributed his views to negative personal experiences with gay men.[89][91] Other members of the band expressed reservations about including the song before the album’s release, though it ultimately remained at Rose’s insistence.[92][93][94][g]
During a November 1987 concert in Atlanta, Rose assaulted several security guards and was detained backstage by police, while the band completed the performance with a roadie on vocals.[96][97][h] Near-riots occurred at two August 1988 shows in New York.[99] That same month, two fans were crushed to death during the band’s performance at England’sMonsters of Rock festival.[51][100][101] In October 1989, while opening for the Rolling Stones at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Rose warned that the shows would be the band’s last if members did not stop using drugs, referencing the song “Mr. Brownstone”.[102][103] Incidents such as these contributed to Guns N' Roses being labeled “the most dangerous band in the world.”[102][104]
International success and band turmoil (1990–1993)
In 1990, Guns N' Roses returned to the studio. Drummer Steven Adler was briefly fired due to his drug use but was reinstated after agreeing to a contract in which he pledged to stay clean.[105] During the recording session of "Civil War", Adler was unable to perform well due to his struggles with cocaine and heroin addiction, and caused the band to do nearly 30 takes.[106] Adler claimed at the time he was sick from taking opiate blockers to help with the addictions.[106] He was fired on July 11, 1990 as a result, and later filed a lawsuit against the band.[106][107][i] In 2005, he recalled:
Doug Goldstein called me into the office about two weeks later. He wanted me to sign some contracts. I was told that every time I did heroin, the band would fine me $2,000. There was a whole stack of papers, with colored paper clips everywhere for my signatures. What these contracts actually said was that the band were paying me $2,000 to leave. They were taking my royalties, all my writing credits. They didn't like me anymore and just wanted me gone. That's why I filed the lawsuit – to get all those things back.[106]
Martin Chambers of thePretenders and Adam Maples ofSea Hags were considered as replacements.[110] Jussi Tegelman, from the Finnish band Havana Black, assisted on drums in studio sessions before a permanent replacement was found.[111][112][113] The position was filled by drummerMatt Sorum, who had played briefly with theCult.[114] Slash credited Sorum with preventing the band from breaking up at the time.[114]
Duff McKagan was the band's bassist from 1985 until 1997, returning in 2016.
In response to an interviewer's suggestion that replacing Adler with Sorum had turned Guns N' Roses from a rock 'n' roll band to a heavy metal band, Stradlin responded: "Yeah, a big musical difference. The first time I realized what Steve did for the band was when he broke his hand in Michigan ... So we hadFred Coury come in fromCinderella for the Houston show. Fred played technically good and steady, but the songs sounded just awful. They were written with Steve playing the drums and his sense of swing was the push and pull that give the songs their feel. When that was gone, it was just ... unbelievable, weird. Nothing worked."[115]
A few months prior, keyboardistDizzy Reed became the sixth member of the group when he joined as a full-time member.[116][117][j]
In May 1991, Guns N' Roses fired their manager,Alan Niven, replacing him with Doug Goldstein.[119] According to a 1991 cover story byRolling Stone, Rose forced the dismissal of Niven against the wishes of some of his bandmates by refusing to complete the albums until he was replaced.[119]
The band released the recordings as two albums,Use Your Illusion I andUse Your Illusion II, on September 17, 1991.[120][121] The tactic paid off when the albums debuted at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively in theBillboard charts, making Guns N' Roses the only act to achieve this feat until hip hop artistNelly in 2004 and the first to have the top two albums sinceJim Croce in 1974.[122][123][124] The albums sold 770,000 units (Use Your Illusion II) and 685,000 units (Use Your Illusion I) in their first week,[125] and spent 108 weeks on the chart.[122] They have sold a combined 35 million copies worldwide,[126] including 14 million in the United States.[65]
Guns N' Roses accompanied theUse Your Illusion albums with many videos, including "Don't Cry", "November Rain" and "Estranged", some ofthe most expensive music videos ever made.[127] The ballad "November Rain" reached number 3 in the US and became the most requested video on MTV, eventually winning the 1992MTV Video Music Award for best cinematography.[128] At 8:57, it was at the time also the longest song in US chart history to reach the top ten.[129][k] During the awards show, the band performed the song withElton John accompanying on piano.[130][131]
Before the release of the albums, Guns N' Roses embarked on the 28-month-longUse Your Illusion Tour. It became famous for both its financial success and for the many controversial incidents that occurred at the shows. The tour included 192 dates in 27 countries, with over seven million people attending concerts.[132] The Use Your Illusion Tour is considered the "longest tour in rock history".[132] The Use Your Illusion World Tour program included a guitar solo from Slash based onThe Godfathertheme; a piano-driven cover of "It's Alright" byBlack Sabbath; and an extended jam on the classic rock-inspired "Move to the City", where the group showcased the ensemble of musicians assembled for the tour.[133]
On July 2, 1991, at theRiverport Amphitheater inMaryland Heights, Missouri, Rose discovered that a fan was filming the show with a camera.[134] After asking the venue's security to take away the camera, Rose jumped into the audience, had a heated confrontation with the fan, and assaulted him.[135] After being pulled from the audience by members of the crew, Rose said, "Well, thanks to the lame-ass security, I'm going home!", threw his microphone to the ground and stormed off the stage.[136] The angrycrowd rioted, injuring dozens. Footage was captured byRobert John, who was documenting the tour.[137] The police were unable to arrest Rose until almost a year later, as the band went overseas to continue the tour.[138] Charges were filed against Rose,[139] but a judge ruled that he did not directly incite the riot. In his defense, Rose stated that the Guns N' Roses security team had made four separate requests to the venue's security staff to remove the camera, that those requests were ignored, that other members of the band had reported being hit by bottles launched from the audience, and that the security staff refused to enforce a drinking limit.[140] Rose was eventually found guilty of property damage and assault. He was fined $50,000 and given two years probation.[141][143]
Dizzy Reed joined the band as keyboardist in 1990.
Rhythm guitaristIzzy Stradlin abruptly quit the band on November 7, 1991, after a repeat of the St. Louis incident nearly unfolded during a concert in Germany.[144][145][146] As reasons for his departure, Stradlin cited a combination of Rose's personal behavior, his mismanagement of the band, and difficulties being around Slash, Sorum, and McKagan due to his newfound sobriety and their continuing addictions.[146][147][148] Stradlin later commented, "Once I quit drugs, I couldn't help looking around and asking myself, 'Is this all there is?' I was just tired of it; I needed to get out".[149] The band had three weeks to find a replacement or cancel several shows.Dave Navarro fromJane's Addiction was considered, but according to Slash, "he couldn't get it together".[150] Stradlin was eventually replaced by Los Angeles guitaristGilby Clarke, whom Slash credited for saving the band.[151] At many shows on the tour, Rose introduced Clarke to the audience, and Slash and Clarke would play "Wild Horses", a Rolling Stones cover.[150] In 1993, Clarke broke his arm in a motorcycle accident during the tour and was replaced by Stradlin for several weeks.[152]
In 1992, the band performed three songs at theFreddie Mercury Tribute Concert.[153] Because of the controversial song "One in a Million", activist groupACT UP demanded that the band be dropped from the bill, urged other artists to shun GN'R, and the urged crowd to boo the group.[153] Members ofQueen dismissed the activists, with lead guitaristBrian May stating: "People seem so blind. Don't they realize that the mere fact that Guns N' Roses are here is the biggest statement that you could get?"[153] Slash later performed "Tie Your Mother Down" with the remaining members of Queen andDef Leppard vocalistJoe Elliott, while Rose performed "We Will Rock You" and sang a duet withElton John on "Bohemian Rhapsody".[154] Their personal set included "Paradise City" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". When the band returned to the US for the second leg of the Use Your Illusion Tour, Rose had wanted thegrunge bandNirvana as the support act, but lead singerKurt Cobain declined.[155]
Later that year, Guns N' Roses embarked on theGuns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour with heavy metal bandMetallica, supported byFaith No More,Motörhead, andBody Count. During a show in August 1992 atMontreal'sOlympic Stadium, Metallica's lead singerJames Hetfield suffered second-degree burns to his hands and face after malfunctions withpyrotechnics.[156] Metallica was forced to cancel the second hour of the show, but promised to return to the city for another performance. After a long delay, during which the audience became increasingly restless, Guns N' Roses took the stage. However, the shortened time between sets did not allow for adequate tuning ofstage monitors and the band members could not hear themselves. In addition, Rose claimed that his throat hurt, causing the band to leave the stage early.[157] The cancellation led to another audience riot, in which 10 audience members and three police officers were injured. Police made at least a dozen arrests related to the incident.[158][l]
TheUse Your Illusion tour ended inBuenos Aires, Argentina, on July 17, 1993.[160] The tour set attendance records and lasted for 28 months, in which 192 shows were played in 27 countries.[161] The show in Buenos Aires marked the last time that Sorum and Clarke played in the band, and the last time Slash performed with the band until 2016.[162]
Many of the tracks were recorded during the same sessions as theIllusions albums, which were originally intended to produce three or four albums.[111] Stradlin's guitar parts were reportedly re-recorded entirely by Gilby Clarke.[168][169][n] Slash described the recording as "spontaneous and unpainted",[169] and recording the songs served as "a purpose to alleviate the pressure of making theIllusions records".[168] The band wanted to increase the profile of some of their favorite bands and help them financially via royalties with the tracklist selection, and considered naming the album "Pension Fund".[170]
The album includes ahidden track, a cover of "Look at Your Game, Girl", originally by cult leaderCharles Manson.[171] The track was kept secret and left off advance tapes sent to reviewers.[171] The inclusion of the song caused controversy, with law enforcement and victims rights groups expressing outrage.[172][167] Rose stated "we wanted to downplay it. We don't give any credit to Charles Manson on the album". Label presidentDavid Geffen commented: "[If] Rose had realized how offensive people would find this, he would not have ever recorded this song".[173] Slash mentioned that the song was "done with naive and innocent black humor on our part".[172] Rose stated he would donate all performance royalties from the song to a nonprofit environmental organization.[174][173] The band was going to remove the song before learning that royalties would be donated to the son of one of Manson's victims.[172][175] Geffen Records stated their share of royalties would be donated to theDoris Tate Crime Victims Bureau.[172]
The band did not tour in support of"The Spaghetti Incident?".[163] Although well received critically; it is the band's worst selling studio album, having sold 1 million copies by 2018.[170]
Lineup changes and sporadic activity (1994–1998)
Between 1994 and 1996, the band sporadically recorded new material. According to Matt Sorum, in 1996, the band had recorded seven songs, with seven more in the writing stages, and intended to release a single album with 10 or 12 songs in spring 1997.[176] In May 1994, Gilby Clarke said work on the next Guns N' Roses album had ended.[177] Rose said the material was scrapped due to the lack of collaboration between band members: "We still needed the collaboration of the band as a whole to write the best songs. Since none of that happened, that's the reason why that material got scrapped."[178] The album was described by McKagan as consisting of "up-tempo rock songs" with "no ballads".[179] Sorum said thatIt's Five O'Clock Somewhere, the debut album from Slash's bandSlash's Snakepit, "could have been a Guns N' Roses album, but Axl didn't think it was good enough".[176]
Tobias's presence in the band created tension; Slash had 'creative and personal differences' with Tobias.[183] A 2001 interview revealed Slash told his bandmates in September 1996, "I'm going to confront it. Either Paul goes, or [I go]."[184]
The music was going in a direction that was completely indulgent to his friend[Huge] ... And another factor is this guy that Axl brought in and told us, 'This is our new guitar player' ... There was no democracy there. And that's when Slash really started going, 'Fuck this. What, this is his band now? or something?' ... It was ridiculous. I'd go down there to start rehearsal at 10, and Axl would show up at four or five in the morning. That sort of thing was going on for a couple of years.
Gilby Clarke's contract was not renewed and he was gone from the band by 1995.[181] Slash stated inhis book that Rose fired Clarke without consulting anyone, claiming he was a "hired hand".[186] Clarke was not involved in the recording of 'Sympathy for the Devil': "I knew that that was the ending because nobody told me about it".[187] Clarke mentioned that before the final show of theUse Your Illusion Tour, Rose told him "Hey, enjoy your last show".[187] Clarke later sued the band over the use of his likeness inGuns N' Roses Pinball.[188]
In August 1995, Rose legally left the band and created a new partnership under the band's name. Rose later stated that he took this step "to salvage Guns not steal it".[189] Rose reportedly purchased the full rights to the Guns N' Roses name in 1997.[190][191] Slash claimed he and bandmates signed over the name under duress: "Axl refused to go onstage one night during the Use Your Illusion tour in 1992 unless the band signed away the name rights to the band. Unfortunately, we signed it. I didn't think he'd go on stage otherwise."[192] Rose denied the claim, saying "(it) Never happened, all made up, fallacy and fantasy. Not one single solitary thread of truth to it. Had that been the case I would have been cremated years ago legally, could've cleaned me out for the name and damages. It's called under duress with extenuating circumstances."[192]
In 1996, Rose, Slash, McKagan, and former member Izzy Stradlin guested onAnxious Disease, the debut album bythe Outpatience. This would be the last material the four classic-era band members worked on together.[193]
The recording of "Sympathy for the Devil", coupled with tension between Slash and Rose, led the former to quit the band officially in October 1996.[194] Rose sent a fax notifying MTV of the departure, and Slash responded: "Axl and I have not been capable of seeing eye to eye on Guns N' Roses for some time. We tried to collaborate, but at this point, I'm no longer in the band."[195] Slash stated, "Axl's whole visionary style, as far as his input in Guns N' Roses, is completely different from mine. I just like to play guitar, write a good riff, go out there and play, as opposed to presenting an image."[190]
Slash was replaced byNine Inch Nails touring guitaristRobin Finck in January 1997. He signed a two-year contract with the band in August 1997, making him an official member.[196] Finck was originally recommended by Matt Sorum to Rose a year earlier as a possible second guitarist to complement Slash.[184] Slash's departure was followed by the departure of Matt Sorum in April 1997. Sorum was fired by Rose following an argument about Tobias's inclusion in the band.[197] Sorum later stated that Tobias was the "Yoko Ono of Guns N' Roses".[184]
McKagan was the last of theAppetite lineup to leave, resigning as bassist in August 1997.[206] McKagan had recently become a father and wrote about his decision to leave in his autobiography: "Guns had been paying rent on studios for three years now—from 1994 to 1997—and still did not have a single song. The whole operation was so erratic that it didn't seem to fit with my hopes for parenthood, for stability."[206]Josh Freese was ultimately hired to replace Sorum on drums, joining in the summer of 1997.[207] After being recommended by Freese, formerReplacements bassistTommy Stinson joined in 1998, replacing McKagan.[208] By the end of 1998, a new version of Guns N' Roses had emerged: Rose on lead vocals, Stinson on bass, Freese on drums, Finck on lead guitar, Tobias on rhythm guitar, Reed on keyboards, and multi-instrumentalistChris Pitman.[209][p]
In 1998, Geffen released an edited single disc version of theIllusion albums entitledUse Your Illusion.[210] In November 1999, the label releasedLive Era '87–'93, a collection of live performances from various concerts during theAppetite for Destruction andUse Your Illusion tours.[211] Former guitarist Slash described the selection of songs of the album as a "very mutual effort",[212] adding that "the live album was one of the easiest projects we all worked on. I didn't actually see Axl, but we communicated via the powers that be."[213]
A new Guns N' Roses album had reportedly been in the works since 1994, with Rose the only original member still in the band.[214] Several producers, includingYouth,Moby,Mike Clink,Eric Caudieux &Sean Beaven worked with the band during the late 90s, incorporating newelectronic andindustrial elements to the music.[215][216][217][218][219][196][220][q]Rolling Stone stated that the label planned for the album to be released in late 1999.[220] By August 1999, the band had recorded over 30 songs for the album, which was tentatively entitled2000 Intentions.[221]In November 1999, during an interview withKurt Loder forMTV, Rose said that he had re-recordedAppetite for Destruction with the then-new band, apart from two songs which he had replaced with "Patience" and "You Could Be Mine".[222] During the interview, Rose announced the title of the upcoming album,Chinese Democracy. Rose explained:
There's a lot ofChinese democracy movements, and it's something that there's a lot of talk about, and it's something that will be nice to see. It could also just be like an ironic statement. I don't know, I just like the sound of it. (The album has) a lot of different sounds. There's some heavy songs, there's a lot of aggressive songs, but they're all in different styles and different sounds. It is truly a melting pot.[222]
Band manager Doug Goldstein stated in November 1999 that the band had 'almost finished' recording the music, and the album was due out some time in 2000.[223] Later that month, the band released a new song, the industrial styled "Oh My God", which was included on the soundtrack of the filmEnd of Days.[224] The track featured additional guitar work byDave Navarro and Gary Sunshine, Rose's personal guitar teacher.[225] Rose claimed that former membersDuff McKagan andMatt Sorum had 'failed to see the potential' of the song and had no interest in recording or playing the piece.[225]
Buckethead was the band's lead guitarist from 2000 to 2004, whileRichard Fortus joined on rhythm guitar in 2002.
In August 1999, guitarist Robin Finck departed the band to rejoin his former band,Nine Inch Nails, on tour.[226] In March 2000,avant-garde guitarist Brian Carroll, more commonly referred to asBuckethead, joined Guns N' Roses as a replacement for Finck.[227][228] Also in March 2000, drummer Josh Freese left the band. He was replaced by formerPrimus drummerBryan Mantia, known professionally as Brain.[228][229][r] Robin Finck returned to the band in late 2000, to complement Buckethead on lead guitar.[230] With the album nearing completion in mid-2000, producerRoy Thomas Baker convinced Rose to re-record it, causing further delays.[231]
Title announcement and touring, tour cancellation and member departures
In an interview withRolling Stone in February 2000, Rose played several songs of the upcoming album to reporters, including "Chinese Democracy", "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S.", "The Blues", "There Was a Time" and "Oklahoma".[232] Rose mentioned that part of the delay of the new album was him 'educating himself about the technology that's come to define rock', stating that "it's like from scratch, learning how to work with something, and not wanting it just to be something you did on a computer."[232]Rolling Stone described the album as "Led Zeppelin'sPhysical Graffiti remixed byBeck andTrent Reznor.[232] Rose mentioned that the expense of the record would be negated by the recording sessions yielding multiple albums, including a record that is "more industrial and electronica-influenced thanChinese Democracy".[232] In a 2001 interview, Rose described the album as having "all kinds of styles, many influences as blues, mixed in the songs" and said that it was "notindustrial".[233]
Describing why he continued using the Guns N' Roses name, instead of labeling the upcoming album an 'Axl Rose solo album', Rose stated "there were other people in Guns N' Roses before them, you know. I contemplated letting go of that, but it doesn't feel right in any way. I am not the person who chose to try to kill it and walked away. ... Everybody is putting everything they've got into singing and building. Maybe I'm helping steer it to what it should be built like."[232] Also in the interview, Rose attributed the breakup of the old lineup todrug addictions and 'an effort from inside the band to destroy him', stating "There was an effort to bring me down. It was a king-of-the-mountain thing", and that he "needed to take control to survive",[232] also describing the dissolution as "a divorce".[232]
Eight years after the previous Guns N' Roses concert, the band made a public appearance in January 2001 with two well-received concerts: one inLas Vegas and one at theRock in Rio Festival inRio de Janeiro.[214] The band played both songs from previous albums and songs from then-unreleasedChinese Democracy. During the band's Rock in Rio set, Rose made the following comment regarding former members of the band:
I know that many of you are disappointed that some of the people you came to know and love could not be with us here today. Regardless of what you have heard or read, people worked very hard (meaning my former friends) to do everything they could so that I could not be here today. I am as hurt and disappointed as you that unlikeOasis, we could not find a way to all get along.[234][235]
The group played two shows in Las Vegas at the end of 2001.[236] Former guitarist Slash claimed that he tried to attend a show and was turned away at the door by security.[237] Due to his frustrations with touring, rhythm guitarist Paul Tobias left the band in 2002 and was replaced byRichard Fortus (formerly ofthe Psychedelic Furs andLove Spit Love).[238][s]
In November 2002, the band's first North American tour since 1993 was organized to supportChinese Democracy, withCKY andMix Master Mike joining. However, the opening show in Vancouver was canceled by the venue when Rose failed to turn up. According to Guns' management, "Axl's flight from L.A. had been delayed by mechanical troubles". A riot ensued.[243] The tour was met with mixed results, some concerts did not sell well, while shows in larger markets such as New York City sold out in minutes.[244] Due to a second riot by fans inPhiladelphia when the band failed to show up again, tour promoterClear Channel canceled the remainder of the tour.[243][245][t]
Guns N' Roses tour canceled. Typical. And freakishly expected. Haha. Really bad idea. I wouldn't suggest they come back.
In September 2003,Eddie Trunk played a previously unheard track, "I.R.S.", on his radio show, given to him by baseball playerMike Piazza.[248] The band management heard about the nationwide leak, and obtained a cease and desist order for all stations that had a copy of the track.[248] Rose had played several new songs at a strip club in Las Vegas two months earlier to gauge the reactions of the crowd.[248]
In February 2004, Geffen said, "Having exceeded all budgeted and approved recording costs by millions of dollars, it is Mr. Rose's obligation to fund and complete the album, not Geffen's." By March 2004, Geffen had pulled funding fromChinese Democracy.[214] Around then, band managerMerck Mercuriadis stated that "The 'Chinese Democracy' album is very close to being completed".[214] According to a 2005 report byThe New York Times, Rose had allegedly spent $13 million ($20,929,801 in current dollar terms) in the studio by that point.[214][249] Mercuriadis rejected the budget claims made byThe New York Times, claiming the sources had not been involved in the project in several years.[250] The album was frequently described as "the most expensive album ever made".[251][252][253][u]
In March 2004, since Rose had failed to deliver a new studio album in more than ten years, Geffen released Guns N' Roses'Greatest Hits.[214][256] Slash and McKagan joined Rose in suing Geffen to stop the release of the album, which was compiled without authorization from any current or former band members.[257][258] The lawsuit was thrown out and the album went triple platinum in the US, eventually going on to be the third-longest-charting album in theNielsen SoundScan era.[256][259] McKagan and Slash also joined Rose in an unsuccessful effort to prevent the release ofThe Roots of Guns N' Roses.[260]
The band was scheduled to play atRock in Rio Lisboa in May 2004.[261] However, Buckethead left the band in March of that year, causing the band to cancel the show.[262][263] Buckethead reportedly left the band because of the "inability to complete an album or tour", according to his manager.[263] Rose claimed "the band has been put in an untenable position by guitarist Buckethead and his untimely departure. During his tenure with the band, Buckethead has been inconsistent and erratic in both his behavior and commitment ... His transient lifestyle has made it impossible for even his closest friends to have nearly any form of communication with him whatsoever."[262]
In February 2006, demos of the songs "Better", "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S.", and "There Was a Time" were leaked on to the Internet through a Guns N' Roses fan site.[264][265] The band's management requested that all links to the MP3 files and all lyrics to the songs be removed from forums and websites.[266] Despite this, radio stations began adding "I.R.S." to playlists, and the song reached No. 49 on theRadio & Records Active Rock National Airplay chart in the final week of February.[267]
In August 2006, Slash and McKagan sued Rose over publishing and songwriting credits, which Rose's lawyer claimed were due to a 'clerical error' while changing publishers.[214][268][269]
Five warm-up shows before a North American tour were held in September 2006.[274] The tour officially commenced on October 24 in Miami.[275] DrummerFrank Ferrer replaced Brain, who took a leave of absence to be with his wife and newborn child.[276][v] Coinciding with the tour, the song "Better" was featured in an internet advertisement forHarley-Davidson in October 2006.[275] Keyboardist Dizzy Reed stated that the release was an accident, with two versions being made—one 'experimental edit' featuring a demo of "Better" and one with "Paradise City".[277] The ad with Better was mislabeled and inadvertently uploaded online for a day before being replaced by the intended ad with Paradise City.[277]
In November 2006, shows in Portland, Maine were cancelled, with the band claiming that the cancellations were "due to limitations imposed by local fire marshals".[278] Rose later apologized in a statement, stating "We have chosen to take the public heat for these events in order to have another shot at the future today with a new album."[246]
In December 2006, Rose released an open letter to fans announcing that Merck Mercuriadis had been fired as the band's manager.[279] He revealed that the last four dates of the North American tour would be cut so the band could work on post-production forChinese Democracy.[279] He also set a tentative release date for the album for the first time since the album's announcement: March 6, 2007.[279]
On February 23, 2007,Del James announced that the recording stage ofChinese Democracy was finished and the band had now moved onto mixing the album.[280] However, this proved that March 6 release date would be impossible to achieve, and the album once again had no scheduled release date.[281][282]
In February 2007, the 'final' version of "Better" leaked online to positive reviews.[281][283] On May 4, 2007, three more tracks leaked fromChinese Democracy: An updated version of "I.R.S.", "The Blues", and the title track.[281][284] All three tracks had previously been played live.
Guns N' Roses embarked on the 2007 leg of theChinese Democracy World Tour in Mexico in June, followed by dates in Australia and Japan.[285] The songs "Nice Boys" and "Don't Cry" (appearing as an instrumental Bumblefoot solo) were played for the first time since theUse Your Illusion Tour. The tour ended on the twentieth anniversary ofAppetite for Destruction's release date, inOsaka.[286] During this tour, the band featured vocalist Axl Rose, Robin Finck, Ron Thal and Richard Fortus on guitars, Tommy Stinson on bass, Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman on keyboards and Frank Ferrer on drums.[287]
Album release and promotion
Drummer Frank Ferrer joined the band in 2006.
In December 2007,Eddie Trunk reported that the album was done and handed over to Geffen Records, but delayed due to issues with the label.[288] The following month, reports that the delays were disagreements between Geffen and Rose on marketing emerged.[289] In February 2008, Rose's manager, Beta Lebeis, debunked Trunk's suggestion and stated the band is "in negotiations" with the record label, and the album had been finished since Christmas 2007.[290]
On March 26, 2008,Dr Pepper announced a plan to give everyone in America – except the band's former guitaristsSlash andBuckethead – a free can of Dr Pepper if the band releasedChinese Democracy before the end of 2008.[291][292][293] Rose stated he was "surprised and very happy" about the announcement, adding, "As some of Buckethead's performances are on our album, I'll share my Dr Pepper with him."[294][295][w]
On March 27, 2008, the day after Dr Pepper's announcement, the band members announced that they had hired a new management team, headed byIrving Azoff and Andy Gould.[301]
Amidst industry rumors in April 2008 that a release was coming soon, nine tracks purported to be fromChinese Democracy were leaked to a website on June 19, 2008, but were quickly removed due to a cease-and-desist letter from the band's label.[302][303] Six of the leaked tracks had surfaced previously in some form, while three were new.[303][304] On July 14, 2008,Harmonix, in conjunction withMTV Games, officially announced the release of a new song fromChinese Democracy. The song, entitled "Shackler's Revenge", was released through the new gameRock Band 2.[305][x] The song "If the World" debuted October 10, 2008, playing in the end credits of theRidley Scott filmBody of Lies.[307]
On October 22, 2008, after several months of speculation,[308][309] band management,Best Buy, and Interscope Geffen A&M Records issued a joint press release confirming that the much-anticipated release ofChinese Democracy in the US had been scheduled for November 23, 2008, as a Best Buy exclusive.[310][311] Several days before its official release, the band streamed the entireChinese Democracy album on the group'sMyspace page.[312][313][314] The album was streamed over three million times, breaking the Myspace record for most streamed album ever.[315]
Chinese Democracy, the band's sixth studio album and its first since 1993's"The Spaghetti Incident?" was released on November 22, 2008, in Europe and Australia, on November 23, 2008, in North America, and on November 24, 2008, in the United Kingdom.[308]Chinese Democracy debuted at No. 3 on theBillboard 200 but undersold industry expectations.[316][317] The album's divided reception led to it being included on several publication's year end worst-of lists,[y] as well of best-of lists.[z]
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and Appetite for Democracy (2009–2014)
DJ Ashba was the band's lead guitarist from 2009 to 2015, andRon "Bumblefoot" Thal was the band's lead guitarist from 2006 to 2014.
On February 6, 2009, Rose gave his first interview in nine years when he sat down withBillboard'sJonathan Cohen.[327] Rose said that there was no chance that he would ever agree with a reunion with Slash:
What's clear is that one of the two of us will die before a reunion and however sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is. Those decisions were made a long time ago and reiterated year after year by one man.[327]
Rose however stated that he was open to working again with Stradlin and McKagan:
I could see doing a song or so on the side with Izzy or having him out [on tour] again. I'm not so comfortable with doing anything having more than one of the alumni. Maybe something with Duff, but that's it, and not something I'd have to really get down into, as I'd get left with sorting it out and then blamed on top of it. So, no, not me.[327]
In June 2009, it was reported that managerIrving Azoff had been "fired, then re-hired, then fired".[333] A year later, Azoff's company Front Line Management sued Rose, claiming he "violated an oral agreement to pay 15% of earnings, or nearly $2 million, from a lucrative concert tour" and seeking $1.87 million in unpaid fees.[334][335][336] Rose filed a $5 million counter-lawsuit against Azoff, saying that Azoff sabotaged sales of Guns N' Roses' comeback album, attempted to force Rose to reunite with his estranged former bandmates,[337] failed to promoteChinese Democracy,[337][338] and filed suit for "commissions he didn't earn and had no right to receive".[336] The lawsuit wassettled in 2011.[339][340] Several years later, Guns N' Roses' management, led by Rose's former personal assistant Beta Lebeis and her family, stated that previous tensions led to an ultimatum of "no more managers".[341]
Guns N' Roses headlined the Friday night atReading Festival 2010 and closedLeeds Festival two days later.[342] Guns N' Roses was 58 minutes late coming on to the stage, and because of a curfew issued by Reading Council the band's set ended at midnight.[343][344] Rose orchestrated fan frustration toward the organizers, citing the strict curfew.[345][346] Further late showings caused issues; during a concert on September 1, 2010, in Dublin, the band was over an hour late arriving on stage.[347] Rose stopped the band in the middle of the second song, "Welcome to the Jungle", after multiple bottles were thrown on stage to warn the crowd.[347] After another bottle was thrown, the band left the stage during the fourth song of the set.[348] The band returned to the stage an hour later to finish the show.[349][350]
Former bassist Duff McKagan joined the band on stage for the first time since leaving the band on October 14, 2010, atThe O2 Arena, in London, England. He performed four songs with the group: "You Could Be Mine", "Nice Boys", "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", and "Patience".[351][352][353] The appearance was said to be a spur-of-the-moment decision, as he and Rose happened to be staying in the same hotel.[354] Rose told the audience, "There was this guy at the end of my hallway playing all this loud music and shit. What the fuck? Oh—it's Duff!".[354] McKagan later joined Guns N' Roses for two Seattle shows in December 2011 and had his bandLoaded open for Guns N' Roses.[355]
Guns N' Roses performed atRock in Rio 4 on October 2, 2011, during heavy rain,[356] playing "Estranged" for the first time since 1993.[357] GuitaristBumblefoot stated that due to the conditions, it was the "worst concert he's ever been a part of".[358] Two months later, during a performance in Nashville, Tennessee, "Civil War" also made a return after an eighteen-year absence.[359] On November 10, 2011, Rose gave his first TV interview in years toEddie Trunk,Don Jamieson andJim Florentine ofThat Metal Show, discussing his whole career and the band's future.[360]
Izzy Stradlin joined the band for a surprise performance at a wedding inSaint-Tropez, France, in July 2012.[361] Also in July 2012, the band touredIsrael for the first time since 1992.[362]NME reported that year that the band's tour security said they had been instructed by Guns N' Roses' management that anyone wearing a Slash T-shirt not be allowed into the tour venue.[363]
Rose did not attend and had asked not to be inducted, writing in an open letter that the Hall of Fame "doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected". Stradlin and Reed also declined to attend the induction.[367] At the ceremony, the crowd booed Rose's name and chanted "Fuck Axl".[368][367] Afterwards, Rose released a statement saying he did not understand the purpose of the Hall of Fame, how it was funded or how acts are chosen.[368] In an interview, Slash said that none of the band initially wanted to take part and were uncertain of how it would proceed.[369]
Up Close and Personal and Appetite for Democracy tours
The members of Guns N' Roses inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Top row: Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Dizzy Reed. Bottom Row: Slash, Matt Sorum, Steven Adler, Izzy Stradlin.
In early 2012, the band announced the upcomingUp Close and Personal Tour, with shows in the United States and Europe.[370] The shows themselves varied considerably in comparison to the previous Chinese Democracy Tour. All of the North American shows took place in smaller-scale clubs, not large arenas or stadiums.[371][372][373] All pyrotechnics were removed from the shows.[373]
On August 13, 2012, the band announced aresidency atThe Joint inLas Vegas entitled "Appetite for Democracy", celebrating the 25th anniversary ofAppetite for Destruction and the fourth anniversary ofChinese Democracy.[374][375] On November 21, 2012, the band's performance in Vegas was taped in3D and was screened across theaters in 2014 before being released asAppetite for Democracy 3D on July 1, 2014.[376][377][378] In October 2012, Guns N' Roses performed an acoustic set atNeil Young'sBridge School Benefit show.[379] The performance was widely panned by critics, and Rose claimed an onset ofstrep throat hampered his vocals.[380][381][382][383]The band launched a South American tour in early 2014, including shows in Brazil and Portugal.[384] For several shows, former bassist Duff McKagan rejoined the band to fill in for Stinson, who had previous commitments to touring withthe Replacements.[385] The group headlined theRevolver Golden Gods awards show, with McKagan on bass, on April 24, 2014. During the ceremony, Rose was awarded theRonnie James Dio lifetime achievement award.[386][387]
From May 21 to June 7, 2014, the band returned to Las Vegas for its second residency at The Joint, titledNo Trickery! An Evening of Destruction.[388][ab]
Progress on a follow-up toChinese Democracy
In an MTV phone interview withKurt Loder in 1999, Rose said he and the then-new band had recorded enough material for a double album.[222] In an informal chat withRolling Stone magazine in February 2006, Rose stated the band had 32 songs in the works.[390] While appearing on various fan message boards in December 2008, Rose stated several working titles of songs for a possible future album.[391] Former drummerBrain mentioned working on a 'club remix' of "Shackler's Revenge", stating that Rose planned to put out a remix album of songs fromChinese Democracy.[276] Several band members mentioned they had been collaborating on ideas and working on a new album throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s.[392][393][394] In October 2012, Rose said, "All the guys are writing, and we recorded a lot of songs over the years. We'll figure out what we feel best about".[395]
In August 2013, a new song entitled "Going Down" was leaked online.[396] The track features bassist Tommy Stinson on lead vocals, with Rose providing backing vocals.[396] Bumblefoot confirmed the song to be legitimate on his Twitter.[397]Spin described it as "a country-tinged, mid-tempo lighter-raiser with lyrics about how "you've got nothin' good to say / Keep your mouth shut."[396]
In an interview in June 2014, Rose commented on upcoming plans:
We recorded a lot of things beforeChinese was out. We've worked more on some of those things and we've written a few new things. But basically, we have what I call kind of the second half ofChinese. That's already recorded. And then we have a remix album made of the songs fromChinese. That's been done for a while, too.[398]
Slash and McKagan rejoin, tour and future (2015–present)
Both bassistDuff McKagan (left) and guitaristSlash (right) returned to the band in 2016.
On July 27, 2015, guitaristDJ Ashba left the band, citing his commitments to his family and his other band,Sixx:A.M.[399][400] Ashba released a statement saying "I have reached a point in my life where I feel it's time to dedicate myself to my band Sixx:A.M., my adoring wife and family, and to the many new adventures that the future holds for me."[401] Several days later, music journalistGary Graff reported that a 'confirmed source within the band' had told him that Ron Thal had left the band after the 2014 tour. No official announcement from Thal or the band was made.[402] Tommy Stinson then left the band, citing personal reasons making him unavailable to tour.[403]
On December 29, 2015, several days after a Guns N' Roses-related teaser was released to movie theaters,Billboard reported that Slash was set to rejoin the band and a "reunited" lineup will headlineCoachella 2016.[404][405] Rose was set to appear onJimmy Kimmel Live! the following week to talk about the future of the band, but his appearance was cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances".[406][407] Guns N' Roses was officially announced as the headliner of Coachella on January 4, 2016, withKROQ reporting Slash and Duff McKagan were rejoining the band.[408][409][410] The Coachella festival confirmed via press release that McKagan and Slash were rejoining.[411]
On March 25, 2016, the band announced theNot in This Lifetime... Tour.[412] The tour's name was a reference to a 2012 interview in which Rose, when asked about when a potential reunion would happen, responded "not in this lifetime".[413]A previously unannounced warmup gig at theTroubadour in Los Angeles took place on April 1, 2016.[414][415]Melissa Reese replaced Chris Pitman as the second keyboardist after Pitman quit.[416][162][ac] During the show at the Troubadour, Rose fell off a monitor and broke his foot.[417][418] Rose was givenDave Grohl's customized throne that Grohl had used to perform when he broke his leg at a concert.[419]
The band's first scheduled concerts with Slash and McKagan took place at the newly openedT-Mobile Arena on April 8 and 9, 2016.[420][421] At the performance at the first weekend of Coachella,AC/DC guitaristAngus Young joined the band on stage (Rose was set to join AC/DC as a touring vocalist).[422][423] During the band's show of July 6, 2016, in Cincinnati, former drummerSteven Adler joined the band on drums for "Out ta Get Me" and "My Michelle".[424] It was the first time since 1990 that Adler performed with the group.[425][ad] Adler would later join the band at shows in Nashville,[427] Los Angeles,[428] andBuenos Aires.[429] The tour featured additional guest performers, includingSebastian Bach,[430] more appearances by Angus Young,[431][432][433]Angry Anderson,[434][435]P!nk,[436]Billy Gibbons[437] andDave Grohl.[438]
On April 30, 2018, billboards in several large cities, as well as a website (GNR.FM), were spotted with the tagline "Destruction Is Coming".[452] The website was updated with a countdown clock to May 4, 2018, and a snippet of the song "Shadow of Your Love" playing.[453] Journalist Mitch Lafon stated the campaign was for a deluxe edition ofAppetite for Destruction.[454] A video announcement was inadvertently released a day early, detailing the "Appetite for Destruction: Locked N' Loaded" edition. The boxed set includes 73 songs on four CDs (49 of which were previously unreleased), seven 12-inch 180-gram LPs, remastered versions ofAppetite, an EP of B-sides, a 96-page book with unreleased photos, 12 lithographs, and assorted replica memorabilia.[455] "Shadow of Your Love" was released as a single on May 4, 2018, the band's first single in almost a decade.[456][457] To promote the release, a previously unseen music video for "It's So Easy" was released onApple Music,[458] as well as several promotional singles.[af] The box set was released on June 29, 2018, to universal critical acclaim.[462]
Continued touring, new recordings andUse Your Illusion remaster
Rose discussed Slash and McKagan rejoining in a June 2016 interview, stating "It was always looked at as a possibility, but it never seemed right or felt right". During the interview, Rose also reiterated his intention to release new Guns N' Roses music in the future.[463][464] Slash later commented on the tour, tellingAerosmith'sJoey Kramer in an interview withWZLX that "We all were pretty positive (the reunion) would never happen, so it's still sort of blowing our minds. ... But everybody's really getting along great and I think everybody's come a long way, and it's all cool."[465] Since 2017, various band members continued to discuss plans to release a new Guns N' Roses album.[466][467][468][469][470]
In 2020, the band announced aNorth American stadium tour, as well as several festival dates, billed as a new tour instead of a continuation of the Not in This Lifetime... Tour.[471] In September 2020, the band'sGreatest Hits album was re-released (with "Shadow of Your Love" added), including a vinyl pressing for the first time.[472]
Guns N' Roses performing at Glastonbury 2023.
In June 2021, Guns N' Roses announced they would return to the road with the We're F'n' Back Tour, touring the United States from July to October.[473] The tour was later announced to extend into 2022 with legs in Europe, Latin America, and Oceania.[474]
On August 6, 2021, after debuting the song onstage at Fenway Park a few days earlier, the band released the single "Absurd", their first new material released since 2008.[475][476] On September 24, another single, "Hard Skool", was released.[477] Both singles are reworkings of songs from theChinese Democracy sessions.[477] The "Hard Skool" physical release was announced as both an EP and a vinyl single with different track listings, with the former released on February 25, 2022, featuring "Absurd" and live tracks.[478][479]
Later in 2021, Slash stated that the band had been reworkingChinese-era songs for future release.[480] In 2022, he further confirmed that the band was working on more new songs that might be compiled later, stating "There's new Guns material coming out as we speak, and we'll probably keep putting it out until the entire record's worth of stuff is done".[481] He later said that two more of these singles would probably be released by June.[482]
On September 20, 2022, the band announced a remastered deluxe box set of the twoIllusion albums,Use Your Illusion (Super Deluxe Edition), released November 11, 2022.[483] The box set features both albums remastered, alongside two live concerts from 1991 (New York) and 1992 (Las Vegas), a blu-ray of the New York concert, photographs & memorabilia.[484] The box set was preceded with a live version of "You Could Be Mine" as the lead single.[485]
Guns N' Roses continued touring with theGuns N' Roses 2023 Tour.[486][487] On June 24, 2023, the band headlinedGlastonbury Festival for the first time.[488] The performance garnered mixed reviews[489][490][491][492] – with some publications calling it one of the worst headlining sets in festival history – prompting the band to respond, claiming technical difficulties resulted in a poormix.[493][494][495][496]
On August 18, 2023, the band released a new single, the piano-driven song "Perhaps".[497] The song's 'R-side' "The General" was released digitally and on the Perhaps vinyl on December 8, 2023.[498]
On November 24, 2025, the band announced a 2026 world tour, as well as the pending release of two new songs on December 4: "Nothin'" and "Atlas".[506][507]
Legacy, style, influence, and controversies
Guns N' Roses signed with a major record label within eight months of the band's inception, and topped national sales charts weeks after garnering late-night airplay on MTV.Appetite for Destruction is the highest-selling debut album of all time in the United States.[66][508][509]Apple Music said "Despite only releasing four album's worth of original material in their original incarnation, GNR had burned so brightly in such a short time that their legend remains stubbornly intact".[510]Appetite for Destruction is credited with "(changing) hard rock's sensibilities at the time",[511] and bringing a "danger, attitude and legitimacy" to rock,[512] leading to a decline in the late-80'sglam metal craze.[513][514][515][516] The band has been credited with helping re-popularizepower ballads in heavy metal music.[509][513][517]
"Guns were five dudes with this shared vision. We met and it was the exact five right guys… The moment we got in a room and played the first three chords, we all knew it. We didn't have illusions that we were going to be huge or anything. But people started coming to our gigs and then labels started coming to our gigs and we made the record we wanted to make. And, all of a sudden, it hit, and it seems like a whole generation of the world had an affinity for that record." – Duff McKagan[518]
Many music industry peers spoke highly of GNR.Joe Perry stated that the band was the first to remind him ofLed Zeppelin.[519]Ozzy Osbourne stated that GNR could have been "the nextRolling Stones" if the classic lineup had stayed together.[520]Tom Petty also favorably compared the band to the Rolling Stones.[521] Country musicianSteve Earle stated, in 1989, "Guns N' Roses are what every L.A. band pretends to be".[51] Gangsta rap groupN.W.A., of whom Guns N' Roses were early supporters and befriended, named a song "Appetite for Destruction" after the Guns album of the same name.[522][523]Alice Cooper praised the band’s raw energy, calling them “the most dangerous band in the world” during their late-1980s rise.[524]Elton John described “November Rain” as “one of the greatest songs ever written,” highlighting Axl Rose’s orchestral ambition.[525] While many contemporaries praised Guns N' Roses, several bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s expressed disdain.Nirvana frontmanKurt Cobain stated that his band was "not your typical Guns N' Roses type of band that has absolutely nothing to say" and refused to tour with them.[526][527][ah]Metallica’s co-headlining tour with Guns N’ Roses in 1992 was marked by tensions, with Metallica members criticizing Axl Rose’s behavior and late performances.[529]Smashing Pumpkins frontmanBilly Corgan said the group’s reputation represented the kind of mainstream rock excess that alternative music sought to move beyond.[530][531] Nine Inch Nails’Trent Reznor was similarly critical, later recalling that opening for Guns N’ Roses on the 1991Use Your Illusion Tour was “a miserable experience” and that he “ended up hating everything about Guns N’ Roses.”[532][533]
Guns N' Roses's early look and sound was influenced by Finnish bandHanoi Rocks.
Guns n' Roses are still an example of how a band can move rock forward. Sometimes you think, "How can you top anything bythe Yardbirds, orZeppelin, orthe Stones?" And then you hear Guns n' Roses, and it's inspiring. You can think that it's all been written, but it hasn't.
In 2002,Q magazine named Guns N' Roses in its list of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die".[631][632] The television networkVH1 ranked Guns N' Roses ninth in its "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" special,[633] and also 32nd on its "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[634]Appetite for Destruction was ranked 62nd greatest album of all time inRolling Stone magazine's special issue "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[635] In 2004,Rolling Stone ranked Guns N' Roses No. 92 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[630] "Paradise City" has also been voted 9th-best "Best Hard Rock Song" out of 100 candidates by VH1.[636]
Several of the band's members are considered among the best in their respective fields and the world's most acclaimed—Rose has been called one of the best vocalists of all time,[642][643] Slash ranked as one of the best guitar players of all time,[644][645] and McKagan hailed as one of the best bass players in rock by publications ranging fromRolling Stone andNME toTime andGuitar World.[646] Izzy Stradlin was ranked as one of the best rhythm guitarists of all time byUltimate Guitar,[647][648] and Steven Adler was ranked as the 98th greatest drummer of all time byRolling Stone.[649] Later members were also ranked among the best in their field: keyboardistDizzy Reed ranked among the greatest rock pianists byIROCKU,[650] drummerMatt Sorum ranked among the best rock drummers byDRUM!,[651] guitaristBuckethead was ranked among the fastest and most innovative guitarists of all time by publications such asAllMusic andGuitar World,[652][653][654] and studio drummerJosh Freese ranked among the top 10 drummers byGibson.[655]
Guns N' Roses has also received significant criticism throughout the years.[561][656][657][658] The band received criticism for drug and alcohol use in the 1980s and early 1990s.[51][657][659] Songs such as "One in a Million" and the band's cover ofCharles Manson's "Look at Your Game, Girl" were considerably controversial upon release.[660][661][662] In addition, some lyrics have been regarded assexist.[663][659][664][665][666][90] The band has also been criticized fortardiness and starting shows later than advertised.[667][668][669][670][671] Thelong periods of time between albums are another source of criticism.[672][673] The group’s live performances have occasionally ended in violence, most famously the 1991Riverport Riot in St. Louis, when Rose leapt into the crowd to confront a fan with a camera before shutting down the show. His departure from the stage sparked chaos that injured dozens and caused extensive property damage, leading to lawsuits and Rose's arrest.[674][675]
In October 2009,Ulrich Schnauss's record labelsIndependiente andDomino sued Guns N' Roses, alleging that the band had committedcopyright infringement by using portions of Schnauss' compositions in the track "Riad N' the Bedouins" on the albumChinese Democracy.[676] The band claimed the samples were obtained legitimately.[677]Chinese Democracy wasbanned in the People's Republic of China, due to perceived criticism in itstitle track of theGovernment of the People's Republic of China and reference to theFalun Gong.[678][679] TheChinese government said through the media that it "turns its spear point on China".[680][681] In November 2023, the band was sued for copyright infringement (and their manager Fernando Lebeis was sued for sexual harassment) by their former photographer Katarina Benzova, claiming they "falsely claimed ownership" over photos she took and she suffered repeated unwanted advances from Lebeis during the twelve years she worked for the band.[682]
^The Charlton recorded demos were released in 2018 as part of theAppetite for Destruction Super Deluxe edition.[34]
^Stanley later claimed he lost interest in producing after Slash made derogatory comments about him, Slash responded stating "We never were interested in working with him. But we sort of had him around because he was Adler's hero.[35]
^The song was not reissued on theAppetite deluxe set in 2018, which contained every other song fromLies, with Slash stating it was a collective decision by the band.[95]
^Rose was held backstage and allowed to leave if he apologized to the guards; but refused and was arrested.[98]
^In mid-1993, the suit was settled out of court; Adler received a back-payment check of $2,250,000 and 15% royalties for songs he recorded.[108][109]
^The title references an incidentSteven Adler had in 1989; while the band was temporarily staying at an apartment in Chicago. Adler stored his drugs in a refrigerator next to the band's takeout containers, which contained Italian food. McKagan explained that Adler's code word for his stash was 'spaghetti'. In his lawsuit against the band, Adler's lawyer asked the band to "tell us about the spaghetti incident", which the band found amusing and used as the title of the album.[165]
^Clarke later disputed the claim, stating "Izzy didn't play on a lot of them, so I got to just put my parts on songs that were recorded. So it was a little bit of both."[170]
^Though not considered an official member, Vrenna worked with the band for several months in studio.[205]
^Pitman, previously ofLusk, was recommended to the group by engineerBilly Howerdel.
^Rose and Caram Costanzo are the credited producers on the album.
^Mantia had previously worked with Buckethead in several bands, includingPraxis.
^Fortus is good friends with and had previously collaborated with bassist Tommy Stinson, who recommended him for the position. Fortus was considered to replace Finck in 1999 before Buckethead was hired.[239]
^Rose mentioned in 2006 that legal issues prevented him from speaking about the shows,[246] and stated in 2012 "I'm not saying I'm innocent" while apologizing to the city.[247]
^Ferrer had previously worked with Richard Fortus in the Psychedelic Furs and Love Spit Love and had been a member of several other bands, includingThe Beautiful.
^After the album was announced, Dr Pepper announced coupons for a free Dr Pepper on November 23, 2008.[296] However, due to "heavy volume" on the server throughout the entire day, it was impossible to submit for a free coupon.[297] The band condemned Dr Pepper for the failed promotion,[298] with Rose's lawyer demanding a full-page apology in several major newspapers.[299] Rose later said he was taken off-guard by his lawyer's actions, believing they should have been focused on the record release.[300]
^The entire album was eventually added to the game asDLC in April 2009.[306]
^Reese was recommended to the band by former drummer Brain, who had collaborated with her on several projects.
^Adler was originally going to take part in the April 1 show at the Troubadour, but had to pull out after having back surgery.[426]
^Ed Sheeran's÷ Tour passed the tour gross the following year, bumping theNot in This Lifetime... Tour to third.[451]
^"Welcome to the Jungle (1986 Sound City Session)",[459] "Move to the City (1988 Acoustic Version)"[460] and "November Rain (Piano Version, 1986 Sound City Session)".[461]
^Carpenter had previously performed with McKagan inLoaded.
^Nirvana drummerDave Grohl later explained “I think it represented something bigger. Nirvana didn’t want to turn into Guns N’ Roses. So Kurt started talking shit in interviews, and then Axl started talking back. It went back and forth like tenth-grade bullshit.”[528]
^abcdeDr. Rock (June 16, 2010)."Giving It Both Barrels: Dr Rock Takes On Tracii Guns Of The LA Guns".TheQuietus.com.Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. RetrievedJune 9, 2015.Guns: 'And then I lasted for about seven or eight months in that, and then Axl and I got into an extraordinary fight ... and we did two shows after that argument and then I left. It just wasn't fun anymore.'
^Cue, Raz (2017).The Days of Guns, & Raz's (1st ed.). Luck University Press. pp. 198–199.ISBN10 0-9827103. Archived fromthe original on October 23, 2022. RetrievedOctober 23, 2022.After that second practice, another rehearsal was set for a tentative 'in a few days.' Ole neglected to tell anyone of his newest girlfriend, so when the next practice got scheduled, there was no way to get ahold of him. After three days of no one hearing from him, and rehearsal scheduled for the following evening, Izzy said, 'If Ole doesn't want to be in the band, there's a guy who lives across the street from me who'll do the show.'
^Lerche, Otto (September 28, 2008)."Historien om Ole fra Guns N' Roses" [The story of Ole from Guns N 'Roses].politiken.dk (in Danish). Archived fromthe original on June 3, 2017. RetrievedJune 9, 2015.According to Rob Gardner, Tracii and Axl set aside the Danish bassist, and when he subsequently did not change, they threw him out. Ole Beich himself has more explanations of the breach. To some of his friends, he explains that he was thrown out because he went to a concert instead of practicing Guns N 'Roses. The concert was canceled, but the others were unsure of Ole's lack of commitment and threw him out.
^Davis, Stephen (August 26, 2008)."2".Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N' Roses. Penguin Publishing Group. pp. 58–.ISBN978-1-4406-3928-9. RetrievedJune 9, 2015.
^Stenning 2005, p. 66. "Jungle was re-released as a single and came out in the same months as the latest Dirty Harry movie 'The Dead Pool'. Featuring Guns' in a cameo role playing at a club in Miami."
^Tim Grierson; Kory Grow; Daniel Kreps; Tom Mallon; Brandon Soderberg (October 31, 2014)."Guns N' Roses, 'The Dead Pool' (1988)".Rolling Stone.Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. RetrievedApril 23, 2015.
^"Appetite for Destruction" (Press release). Guns N' Roses. Archived fromthe original on March 16, 2015. RetrievedJune 21, 2015.As of September 2008, the album has been certified 18 times Platinum by the RIAA, accumulating worldwide sales in excess of 28 million as of October 2008
^Williams, Juan (October 15, 1989)."ESSAY FIGHTING WORDS".The Washington Post.Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. RetrievedDecember 17, 2017.
^abNeely, Kim (April 2, 1992)."Axl Rose: The Rolling Stone Interview".Rolling Stone. Archived fromthe original on April 27, 2012. RetrievedDecember 17, 2017.RS:Does it bother you that so many people think you're misogynous, homophobic and racist Rose: "It can bother me. But the racist thing is just bullshit. I used a word that was taboo. And I used that word because it was taboo. I was pissed off about some black people that were trying to rob me. I wanted to insult those particular black people. I didn't want to support racism. When I used the word faggots, I wasn't coming down on gays. I was coming down on an element of gays".
^Hartmann, Graham (July 20, 2012)."Axl Rose Assaults Security Guard – 25 Most Destructive Guns N' Roses Moments".Loudwire.com.Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. RetrievedJune 9, 2015.If we know just one thing about Axl Rose, it's that the frontman loves himself a good physical confrontation. Perhaps the earliest of the Axl Rose incidents, the vocalist was arrested onstage during a 1987 show in Atlanta for punching a security guard.
^Upton, Mick (December 8, 1995)."Incident at Donington Monsters of Rock 1988"(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on December 29, 2009.On the 28 August 1988. two young men died and a third was seriously injured in a fatal crowd-related incident during an open air rock concert billed as the 'Monsters of Rock' at the Donington Park motor race circuit NorthWest Leicestershire.
^abHilburn, Robert (October 20, 1989)."Still the Greatest".Los Angeles Times. Archived fromthe original on November 5, 2013. RetrievedDecember 19, 2011.
^Wall, Mick (January 2002). "Eve of Destruction – The Interview".Classic Rock. p. 92.
^Wall, Mick (April 21, 1990)."Stick to Your Guns".Kerrang!.Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. RetrievedJune 1, 2011.
^abcdLing, Dave (April 2005)."Steven Adler interview".Classic Rock.Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. RetrievedNovember 18, 2006.Steven Adler: 'Slash called me to say we had to record Civil War. I was so sick, I just couldn't do it. I went in there and tried to play the song 20, maybe 30 times. But I was so weak, my timing was like a rollercoaster. Every time we played it back they'd all shout at me, "You're fucked up".'
^abChristensen, Mark; Friend, Lonn (January 24, 1991)."Slash: The Rolling Stone Interview".Rolling Stone.Wenner Media LLC. Archived fromthe original on September 24, 2015. RetrievedMay 19, 2015.The fact that Matt could play and fit in was what saved us. If we hadn't found somebody, it would have ultimately been the demise of the band.
^"Exclusive! Axl Rose Attacks His Enemies".Musician. No. 155. United States. September 1991.
^"Axl Rose Pleads Not Guilty".The New York Times. Associated Press. July 15, 1992.Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. RetrievedAugust 11, 2021.
^abTegnér, Anders (November 1993)."Guns N' Roses: Okej interview".Okej; Here Today... Gone to Hell!.Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. RetrievedMay 7, 2015.
^"The Guns 'N Roses Report".heretodaygonetohell.com; addict.com. January 13, 1997.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.Huge's presence didn't sit well with Slash, who reportedly has 'creative and personal' differences with the latest Rose writing collaborator, which played a part in his decision to leave the band.'
^Hotten, Jon (January 2002). "Mad bad and dangerous to know?".Classic Rock. No. 36. p. 80.
^Slash; Anthony Bozza (October 30, 2007).Slash. HarperCollins. p. 576.ISBN978-0-06-135142-6.
^abGiles, Jeff (October 11, 2014)."Gilby Clarke Opens Up About His Final Guns N' Roses Gig".Ultimate Classic Rock.Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. RetrievedApril 25, 2015.'My official end was actually at the last show of the last tour,' he continued. 'Axl was jokingly saying "bye" to everybody, but he was really saying "bye: to everybody. He even came up to me and said, "Hey, enjoy your last show."'
^abBrown, Mark (January 30, 1997)."Axl Rose Buys "Guns N' Roses" Name".MTV News.Viacom. Archived fromthe original on June 30, 2017. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.Guns N' Roses leader Axl Rose has bought the rights to the name 'Guns N' Roses,' and can put out any music he wants under that moniker, played by anyone he chooses
^Brown, Mark (January 30, 1997)."Axl Rose Buys "Guns N' Roses" Name".heretodaygonetohell.com; Addicted To Noise.Archived from the original on December 16, 2010. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.
^"G n' R Songwriter West Arkeen Dies".MTV News.Viacom. June 2, 1997. Archived fromthe original on June 30, 2017. RetrievedJuly 2, 2015.The album boast strong G n' R connections: Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan appear as guests (Rose sings backup on the title track), and former G n' R member Izzy Stradlin co-wrote one of the songs
^ab"Guns Go Clink".MTV News.Viacom. May 22, 1997. Archived fromthe original on June 30, 2017. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.sources say former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck will be the new primary axe-slinger. Finck is said to be replacing Slash who left the band last year over creative differences
^Harkness, Geoff (June 28, 2001)."SEVEN QUESTIONS with Matt Sorum of The Cult".Lawrence Journal-World. Ogden Newspapers of Kansas LLC. Archived fromthe original on September 14, 2008. RetrievedJuly 3, 2015.Axl were having some differences in the musical direction. In '97 I got into an argument with Axl about the state of the band. He'd brought in another guitar player, Paul Huge, and none of us really wanted to play with him. Axl really wanted him in the band and we didn't really want to play with the guy. Me and Duff were showing up, trying to be professional and get the work done but it just didn't seem to be going anywhere, and obviously it still hasn't
^Hodgson, Peter (January 5, 2012)."What Could Have Been: Zakk Wylde Talks Guns N' Roses". gibson.com. Archived fromthe original on April 23, 2014. RetrievedMay 19, 2014.It could have been one of the most interesting heavy music collaborations in rock history: Zakk Wylde as a member of Guns N' Roses ... And it very nearly happened in the mid-1990s
^"Appetite for Deconstruction".Rolling Stone. April 4, 1997.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.Rolling Stone's Random Notes Daily News reports that this is the current GN'R line-up: Vocals: Axl Rose, Bass: Duff McKagan, Rhythm Guitar: Paul Huge, Lead Guitar: Robin Finck (ex Nine Inch Nails), Drums: Chris Vrenna (ex Nine Inch Nails)
^"Whammy Bar: News & Notes".Guitar World. September 1998. pp. 27, 29, 31. RetrievedFebruary 1, 2020 – via the Internet Archive.Guns N' Roses, whose lineup gone through more changes than the Florida Marlins lately, has announced a new configuration that features ex-Nine Inch Nails Nails guitarist Robin Finck, ex-Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson and session drummer Josh Freese. No word yet on when a new Guns N' Roses album will surface.
^Skanse, Richard (October 29, 1999)."Track List Revealed for Live G n' R Set".Rolling Stone.Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015 – via heretodaygonetohell.com.'Believe it or not, it's still a very mutual effort,' Slash said of the long process of selecting material. 'All things considered, it's as close as we ever got.'
^Guitar World Presents: Guitar Legends – Slash #76 pg.17
^Bitzer, John (March 18, 1997)."Moby To Produce Guns N' Roses?".heretodaygonetohell.com; Allstarmag.com.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.
^"Axl Rose Finds A Producer ... Yet Again".MTV News.Viacom. April 22, 1998.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.Youth and the band are still months away from recording. Rose and cohorts are reportedly still in writing mode with no completed songs at this time.
^abSaidman, Sorelle (September 20, 1998)."Guns n' Roses Eye Producer".Rolling Stone.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.Sources at Geffen say the company is hoping for a mid-1999 release of the new album
^abSaidman, Sorelle (March 15, 2000)."Buckethead In, Freese Out".heretodaygonetohell.com; MTV.com.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.
^Raub, Kevin (March 14, 2000)."Josh Freese Leaves Guns N' Roses".heretodaygonetohell.com; Allstarmag.com.Archived from the original on May 5, 2015. RetrievedApril 24, 2015.
^Hyden, Steven (July 23, 2013)."Building a Better Democracy".Grantland.com. ESPN; Grantland.Archived from the original on June 16, 2015. RetrievedMay 17, 2015.Rose hired Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker to help shepherd the album to completion. Only Baker did the opposite — he talked Axl into rerecording all of the songs, in spite of the monumental expense
^Mancini, Al (December 31, 2001)."Slash Barred From Guns N' Roses Show".ABC News. American Broadcasting Company.Archived from the original on August 1, 2020. RetrievedMay 17, 2015.Speaking briefly with ABCNEWS Radio, Slash said he tried to get in, but couldn't. A security guard confirmed his account, blaming band frontman Axl Rose for the exclusion
^Krgin, Borivoj (August 19, 2002)."Guns N' Roses's Axl Rose to collaborate with Weezer?".Blabbermouth.net.Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. RetrievedMay 17, 2015.last week when they praised each other's bands before the 30,000+ in attendance at Summer Sonic Festival
^abTolleson, Robin (March 2009)."Guns 'N' Roses' Bryan "Brain" Mantia".Modern Drummer.Archived from the original on January 10, 2018.Axl is really interested in having everybody bring what they do into the picture. I just did a remix of 'Shackler's Revenge' — made it kind of more club. And I think he wants to put out a remx album of some of the other songs we did.
^Hettinger, Christian (November 28, 2008)."Axl Rose: Not a Pepper".Washington Post.Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. RetrievedJuly 11, 2015.The album came out, but the sodamaker's coupon-offering Web site malfunctioned. And though the promotion was extended, Alan Gutman, the band's Beverly Hills attorney, demanded a full-page apology
^Rose, W. Axl (December 13, 2008)."Axl answers fans' questions on GN'R fan sites (transcripts)". HereTodayGoneToHell.com.Archived from the original on June 15, 2009. RetrievedJune 23, 2009.Fan: Axl are you still thinking of suing Dr Pepper? Axl: Sure but the actions taken so far had nothing to do with me and I was taken off guard as I had specifically told our team who fucking cares now that we have a record to deal with.
^Nathan Brackett; Christian David Hoard (2004).The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. pp. 350–.ISBN978-0-7432-0169-8.Hard rock seemed so dumb until Guns N' Roses attacked it with smarts, snot, and vitrol, cutting through a decade of hair spray with one nasty punch
^Slash; Anthony Bozza (October 30, 2007).Slash. HarperCollins. pp. 110–111.ISBN978-0-06-135142-6.
^"Rose Tattoo's Pete Wells Dies".Billboard. March 28, 2006.Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. RetrievedMay 19, 2015.Rose Tattoo's influence later became apparent on U.S. rock combos like Guns N' Roses, who covered its track 'Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock'n'Roll)'.
^Stenning 2005, p. 96. "Axl was also succinct in admitting his other influences ... Along with ELO and Queen, Elton John was responsible for Guns N' Roses progression."
^Zutaut, Tom (March 2008). "GN'R Exclusive! Psychic Tests! Pet Wolves! Chicken Coops! Chinese Democracy. The Unbelievable true story – told for the first time".Classic Rock. No. 116. TeamRock.The first task set to [Zutaut] by [Axl] was to help with the drum sound for the album's title track. Axl had told the studio guys that he wanted the same drum sound as Dave Grohl on Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit
^Wall 2008, p. 127. "Controversy was more than just part of the act, it seemed."
^abPhillips, William; Cogan, Brian (2009).Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal Music. Greenwood Press. p. 19.ISBN978-0-313-34800-6. RetrievedJuly 10, 2015.Drugs were also certainly a major factory, especially in bands such as Guns N' Roses and Motley Crue, whose members notoriously struggled with both problems for year
^ab"Thank Heaven for Nirvana". Big O. February 13, 1992.Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 5, 2015.Guns N' Roses are promoting wrong values like sexism and the way they do drugs
^Ron, Thal (September 19, 2013)."Totally Driven Radio #46" (Interview). Interviewed by Bay Ragni. Philadelphia, PA, USA: www.TotallyDriven.TV.Archived from the original on April 4, 2018.
^內地封殺 GN'R 唱片 [Mainland blocked GN'R album].Apple Daily (in Chinese (Hong Kong)).Next Media. November 24, 2008.Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. RetrievedJune 26, 2015.
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