The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 557

Number 557

Guns N' Roses

"Sweet Child of Mine"

(1987)
.

Genre:Hard Rock

Gazza here, well FRAG me running i get another turn! Whenever i think of me mates Guns n Roses, it reminds me of my favourite film Harley Davidson & The Marlboro Man I'm telling ya its ^%$^%#&^$^* awesome! I hear there is going to be a

sequel called Harley Davidson with Marlboro Man & The Budweiser Boys. Man i can't ^%$^&#%$@ wait for that one. There could be nothing better than Ridin', Smokin' & Drinkin' sleepin'. Amen, father truckers. ~ Gazza

Art by SLUR07

Guns N' Roses' debut, Appetite for Destruction was a turning point for hard rock in the late '80s -- it was a dirty, dangerous, and mean record in a time when heavy metal meant nothing but a good time. On the surface, Guns N' Roses may appear to celebrate the same things as their peers -- namely, sex, liquor, drugs, and rock & roll -- but there is a nasty edge to their songs, since Axl Rose doesn't see much fun in the urban sprawl of L.A. and its parade of heavy metal thugs, cheap women, booze, and crime. The music is as nasty as the lyrics, wallowing in a bluesy, metallic hard rock borrowed from Aerosmith, AC/DC, and countless faceless hard rock bands of the early '80s.
Art by flakjack

It's a primal, sleazy sound that adds grit to already grim tales. It also makes Rose's misogyny, fear, and anger hard to dismiss as merely an artistic statement; this is music that sounds lived-in. And that's exactly why Appetite for Destruction is such a powerful record -- not only does Rose have fears, but he also is vulnerable, particularly on the power ballad "Sweet Child O' Mine." He also has a talent for conveying the fears and horrors of the decaying inner city, whether it's on the charging "Welcome to the Jungle," the heroin ode "Mr. Brownstone," or "Paradise City," which simply wants out. But as good as Rose's lyrics and screeching vocals are, they wouldn't be nearly as effective without the twin-guitar interplay of Slash and Izzy Stradlin, who spit out riffs and solos better than any band since the Rolling Stones, and that's what makes Appetite for Destruction the best metal record of the late '80s. ~ [Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide]

What happened??

1993:Axl Rose began work on a new album of original material in 1993, writing a song called "This I Love". The album's producer was supposedly Mike Clink. Nothing came out of the rumors, and Guns N' Roses remained on hiatus. In 1994, Gilby Clarke was released from the band as Axl felt his songwriting skills were inadequate for their future projects. That same year, a cover version of The Rolling Stones's "Sympathy for the Devil" was recorded for the movie Interview with the Vampire. The addition of Axl's friend Paul Tobias in place of Clarke did not sit well with remaining band members. During recording, Tobias recorded an echo of Slash's solo at Axl's request. Slash was infuriated when he heard the song's final mix and discovered that Tobias' guitar had been placed on top of his.

In early 1995, Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde told Kerrang that he had joined the band for a week's worth of rehearsal and jamming on Rose's personal request. While Wylde considered the experience as a highly positive one, he was ultimately frustrated by the time consuming contract negotiations, opting to go on tour with Osbourne.
Slash then drifted in and out of the band for the next year or so, beginning a side project called Slash's Snakepit.

art by ccdrums30

In August 1996, the band regrouped with Rose temporarily acting as the rhythm guitarist. At the time, Sorum hinted that the band were considering a new, unknown player for the slot, possibly referring to Paul Tobias. After two weeks of jamming and song writing, McKagan and Sorum began touring with their sideproject, Neurotic Outsiders, returning to work with Rose and Slash mid-tour for a week in early September. After that, Slash and Rose were left alone to continue working. The guitarist commented on the situation in October, saying "I have only been back in the band for three weeks and my relationship with Axl right now is sort of at a stand still." A few weeks later, Rose announced Slash was no longer a part of the band.
Slash was replaced by former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck.

art by sickglamour

The next year, Sorum was fired from the group following a verbal dispute with Rose regarding negative comments Paul Tobias had made about Slash. In mid 1997, McKagan opted out of his contract and officially left the band in early 1998. This left Rose as the only remaining member from the groups heyday. Slash, McKagan and Sorum later formed rock supergroup Velvet Revolver with former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland and guitarist Dave Kushner. They released their first CD, Contraband, in 2004, to a good reception. In 1998, Axl formally returned to the studio accompanied by guitarist Robin Finck, rhythm guitarist Paul Tobias, bassist Tommy Stinson (formerly of The Replacements), drummer Josh Freese (of The Vandals), keyboardist Dizzy Reed and effects man Chris Pitman. In that same year, the clean (i.e. any profanity removed) compilation album Use Your Illusion was released (in the USA only), mainly so the album could be sold in Wal-Mart and K-Mart stores. ~ [Source Wikipedia]

For Ozzy Osbourne see Number 744, #516 & MM Vol 2 #138

For more Guns N' Roses see Number 795

Whats does Rolling Stone think about the Gunners?

With Appetite for Destruction, the biggest-selling debut in history, Guns n' Roses gained stardom in the late '80s with '70s-derived hard rock and a hedonistic rebelliousness that recalled the early Rolling Stones. Combining heavy-metal technique with punk attitude, Guns n' Roses provoked charges of multifarious bigotry but leavened their outrage with songs that bespoke the inchoate emotions of hard rock’s primarily young, white male audience.

Raised in a working-class Indiana family, high school dropout Axl Rose had, by age 20, compiled a police record that included charges for public intoxication, criminal trespass, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. An ELO and Queen fan, the singer became friends with guitarist Izzy Stradlin, and the two joined forces in L.A. in the early ’80s to form a band. Crafting their name from those of two groups they’d played in, Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns, they formed Guns n’ Roses with English-born biracial guitarist Slash, whose parents, both in the music industry, had moved to L.A. when he was 11. With bassist Duff McKagan, whose own past included stealing a purported 133 automobiles, and drummer Steve Adler, the Gunners accrued notoriety (alluding to the band’s heroin and alcohol abuse, their posters featured the legend “Addicted: Only the Strong Survive”)~ Source: from The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Simon & Schuster, 2001)

For ELO see Number 790, #384

For Queen see Number 805, Number 799, Number 747, #539

For Rolling Stones see Number 767, Number 689, #396

What do the other ^%#&@# think about song?

Hippy: 1 Star (Oh my poor ears!!!!!!! Wheres my pipe man)

Tez: 3 Stars (I would know how to pop Slash's top hat off ~ smirk)

Jasmine: 3 Stars (Louder the better, but i was surprised to find their video's in color)

Gazza: 5 Stars (YESSSSSSSSSS! #$@%##$&#^%$#)

Crowbarred:

(Ha! censored the old bastich! ^%$#%$ love it ~ Gazza)