Guns N’ Roses have been a powerhouse in the music scene for more than four decades. Despite the band’s now iconic status, the story behind their name is one of discord and change.
In 1983, two years before Guns N’ Roses would officially form, Axl Rose created Hollywood Rose alongside Izzy Stradlin and Chris Weber. They performed for a couple of years until 1985 saw a line-up shift, with Slash and Steven Adler joining when Izzy and Chris left, while Axl continued as the frontman.
That same year, L.A. Guns was born, founded by Tracii Guns, Rob Gardner, and Ole Beich, with Mike Jagosz on vocals. However, Mike’s departure led to a unique proposition in 1984 – flatmates Izzy and Tracii decided Axl should sing for both bands.
But harmony was short-lived. In March 1985, Axl clashed with the manager of L.A. Guns.
Speaking in 2019, Tracii Guns said: “Axl got into an argument with our manager and our manager fired Axl. But we all lived together so it was all really weird. That same night [that] he got fired, we started Guns N’ Roses and I called Izzy the next day and said ‘Hey, we are gonna start this new band called Guns N’ Roses, do you want in?'”.
The name Guns N’ Roses might seem like a no-brainer now, but it wasn’t always so clear-cut, with Heads of Amazon and AIDS also in the running as potential monikers. The band’s initial roster featured Axl Rose, Rob Garner, Izzy Stradlin, Tracii Guns, and Ole Beich.
However, this line-up was short-lived. Ole got the boot after their debut performance, Tracii exited following a tiff with Axl, and Rob also departed. Enter Slash, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler – completing what most fans deem the ‘classic’ Guns N’ Roses ensemble.
This legendary five-piece dropped their first album, Appetite For Destruction, in 1987, but it was the dual release of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II in 1991 that catapulted them to global stardom. These albums brought us hard rock anthems including November Rain and You Could Be Mine.
Despite numerous changes in the line-up, epic tours, a slew of awards, and an array of hits – not to mention the 15-year hiatus before the 2008 Chinese Democracy album – Guns N’ Roses have weathered the storm of time. Initially receiving a lukewarm welcome, Appetite for Destruction is now hailed by many, including Rolling Stone, as a pivotal rock album that “[changed] hard rock’s sensibilities at the time”.
The band is also credited with reviving the power ballad in heavy metal music. They have smashed numerous world records, earned recognition for individual band members as top musicians in their field, and inspired a host of rock bands, including Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, Nickelback, and The Strokes.
Aerosmith’s Joe Perry praised the band in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Artists in 2010, saying: “Guns n’ Roses are still an example of how a band can move rock forward”, “Sometimes you think, ‘How can you top anything by the Yardbirds, or Zeppelin, or the 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”.