Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band. The band was founded in Los Angeles in 1985. In 1987, they became globally famous with their first album Appetite for Destruction (selling over 28 million copies worldwide).
Guns N' Roses was founded by singer Axl Rose, guitarists Tracii Guns and Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Robbie Gardner. The name Guns N' Roses was derived from the two bands that eventually formed Guns N' Roses: 'L.A. Guns' and 'Hollywood Rose'. At the first planned performance, Tracii and Gardner could not appear, after which McKagan did his best to find musicians. He was the one who added the then not unknown guitarist Slash and drummer Steven Adler as replacements, making the original lineup a fact. In this brand new formation, the five of them were still able to perform a few shows. Duff later indicated that they gained nothing from it, but that it strengthened the band 'Guns N' Roses'.
The band performed on 3 October 2010 at the GelreDome XS in Arnhem during their new European tour.
On 7 December 2011, it was announced that Guns N' Roses would be honoured and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 14 April 2012, simultaneously with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, Guns N' Roses has 11 entries:
Sunday Morning Classic: Appetite for Destruction
On 3 January 2021, the men of Guns N' Roses were our Sunday Morning Classic with the album Appetite for Destruction.
The rock of W. Axl Rose, Slash (Saul Hudson), Izzy Stradlin (Jeffrey Dean Isbell), Michael Andrew 'Duff' McKagan and Steven Adler mainly draws on the seventies of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Hanoi Rocks and Queen. Characteristic is of course Axl's voice.
He can go in all directions with it. Just listen to the big difference between Welcome To The Jungle and It's So Easy, but also to Mr. Brownstone. By the way, he plays the flute and the keyboard parts in Paradise City.
Equally characteristic is the much-praised solo work of Slash in Nightrain (named after a cheap wine), Rocket Queen, Paradise City and Sweet Child O' Mine) and the riffs in Welcome To The Jungle, Paradise City, Mr. Brownstone (part of the lyrics were written on a shopping bag), where compliments are also due to Izzy, a quiet force who contributed a lot to the songwriting. Also less praised, but worth mentioning, is the loose, groovy drumming (with cowbells) of Steven and the melodic bass playing of Duff, which comes through well in the mix, for example in Paradise City.
Appetite For Destruction has something magical and unique. It starts with the delay on the opening riff and the ominous, nocturnal 'scream' of Axl Rose in the opening track. It is the screeching sound of the replica of the 1959 Les Paul. It is the loose character of the rhythm. It is no coincidence that it proved difficult to replace Adler after his departure. It is in small details like the percussion in Mr. Brownstone (about the drug use of Izzy and Slash), the whistle in Paradise City. It is in the contrast between the romantic and melodic of Sweet Child O’ Mine and the raw, the untamable. It is the rebellious and free character that creates a great attraction and impact. It is in the interplay of the five boys, who could put their heart and soul into the memorable songs.
Apart from the best-known songs, there are also some less interesting tracks, especially on side B. For example, My Michelle will cause mixed reactions, mainly because of the chorus in which the vocal, bass and guitar parts sound very similar and lack some inventiveness to the ears of a group of listeners. The wild You're Crazy (which in its original, acoustic version is on G 'N R Lies) and Anything Goes are among the less popular songs. That cannot be said of Rocket Queen, if only because of the sex scene of Axl with Adriana Smith, Steven Adler's girlfriend, which can be heard halfway through the closing track.
Source: Jan Liebregts, NPO and Wikipedia Photo: Delusion23 and Ed Vill from Caracas, Venezuela
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