The Untold Truth Of Guns N' Roses

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

Guns N' Roses started attracting local attention immediately, partly for their high-energy performances and partly for their offstage antics. Despite the hype, some labels were wary of the band's unpredictable reputation. 

GNR ultimately signed with Geffen in 1986 and started working on their first studio album, "Appetite for Destruction." The band drew on the sex, drugs, and rock n' roll that was all around them, especially the first two. They already had several songs from the various members' times in other bands. For example, "Rocket Queen" originated with Duff McKagan and Steven Adler in Road Crew, and "Anything Goes" was co-written by Chris Weber in Hollywood Rose. 

Adler maintains that the band was tight-knit and relatively clean-living while recording "Appetite" with producer Mike Clink, starting in January 1987. He said that they all lived and partied together and that although he smoked weed and drank "a little alcohol," he didn't use heroin. He said that Slash and Izzy Stradlin occasionally used the latter, but overall, they all focused on making "the greatest record ever."

Others remember it differently. Engineer Micajah Ryan told Billboard that the bandmates all recorded at different times. Axl Rose, in particular, liked to track his vocals alone. According to GNR accomplice Marc Canter, while working on the EP that preceded the album, the band was "completely out of control" (via Loudwire), including the usually relatively sober Rose. They were also regularly arrested for public drunkenness, resulting in 5 a.m. calls to management.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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