Guns N’ Roses

Source: Wikipedia

Guns N' Roses[a] is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1985
from L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. After signing with GeFen Records in 1986, the band's
"classic" lineup featured vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy
Stradlin, bassist DuF McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler.

Guns N' Roses gained a local following before releasing their debut album Appetite for
Destruction (1987), which initially struggled until the breakout success of the "Welcome to
the Jungle" music video. The album sold over 30 million copies worldwide, becoming the
best-selling debut album in the U.S., and spawned hits like "Paradise City" and "Sweet
Child o' Mine". Their follow-up, G N' R Lies (1988) combined earlier material with new
acoustic songs and reached number two on the Billboard 200, sold ten million copies
globally, and featured the hit "Patience" and the controversial "One in a Million". In 1990,
Adler was replaced by Matt Sorum due to drug issues, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed joined.
Their 1991 twin albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II debuted at numbers two
and one on the Billboard 200 and sold a combined 35 million copies worldwide. The
Illusion albums contained successful singles like "You Could Be Mine", "Don't Cry", and
"November Rain", as well as a series of high-budget music videos.

After finishing the record-setting Use Your Illusion Tour (1991–93), Guns N' Roses released
the punk covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993), which debuted at number four on
the Billboard 200 and sold over 1 million copies in the United States. They then entered a
turbulent phase amid lineup turmoil; several members left, leaving only Rose and Reed
from the Illusion years by 1998. The band was rebuilt with new recruits, including Robin
Finck, Buckethead, Tommy Stinson, Brain and Chris Pitman among others. The various
lineups worked on the long-delayed industrial and electronic-influenced Chinese
Democracy (2008), which cost an estimated $14 million, making it the most expensive rock
album produced. Gaining notoriety for its protracted development, the album debuted at
number three on the Billboard 200 and sold 2.6 million copies worldwide. In November
2004, GeFen released Greatest Hits (2004), which has sold over 6 million copies in the
United States. It became one of the longest-charting albums in the history of the Billboard
200.[1] After years of animosity, Slash and McKagan rejoined the band in 2016 for the
quasi-reunion Not in This Lifetime... Tour, which became one of the highest-grossing
concert tours of all time. The current lineup consists of Rose, Slash, McKagan, rhythm
guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Isaac Carpenter, and keyboardists Reed and Melissa
Reese.

Guns N' Roses is one of the best-selling musical acts of all time, with estimated worldwide
sales of over 100 million records. The band was inducted into the Rock 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
of punk, blues, and metal helped shift late-'80s rock away from glam rock. They are
regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of their era, with Appetite 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 like
Rolling Stone and VH1.

History

Formation (1985–1986)

Main articles: Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns

The original lineup of Guns N' Roses in March 1985. From left to right: Rob Gardner, Izzy
Stradlin, Axl Rose, Tracii Guns and Ole Beich.

In 1983, guitarist Tracii Guns introduced Chris Weber to Izzy Stradlin, who soon formed a
band with Stradlin's childhood friend, Axl Rose. After several lineup changes, the group
became Hollywood Rose.[2] Guitarist Slash replaced Weber in the group before the band
dissolved in 1984.[2] Rose later joined Guns's band L.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-oF show with bassist Steve Darrow, Tracii Guns, and
drummer Rob Gardner.

Guns N' Roses was formed in March 1985 by Rose, Stradlin, Guns, Gardner, and bassist Ole
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 by DuF 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 the
Troubadour 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, with
Steven 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.

—Original guitarist Tracii Guns[2]

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 from Sacramento to McKagan's
hometown of Seattle, Washington.[19][20] When both vans broke down en route, the band
hitchhiked 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 like The
Troubadour and The Roxy.[6][25] In March 1986, they signed with GeFen Records, turning
down a more lucrative oFer from Chrysalis, which had sought to alter their image.[6] GeFen
oFered full creative control and a $75,000 advance.[26][27]
Guns N' Roses classic lineup, from left to right, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler, Axl Rose, DuF
McKagan, & Slash

In December 1986, the band released the EP Live Live ?!*@ 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 of Rose Tattoo's "Nice Boys" and Aerosmith's "Mama Kin", along
with two originals: "Reckless Life" and "Move to the City".[31] Though marketed as live
recordings, the tracks were studio demos overdubbed with crowd noise.[31] Released on
GeFen's Uzi Suicide imprint, only 10,000 vinyl copies were pressed.[32]

To test producers for their debut album, the band recorded "Nightrain" and "Sweet Child o'
Mine" with Spencer ProFer.[33] Nine songs were tracked during these sessions, including
"Heartbreak Hotel", "Don't Cry", "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Shadow of Your Love".[33]
They also recorded demos with Nazareth guitarist Manny Charlton.[33][e] Paul Stanley of
KISS was considered but rejected after proposing changes to Adler's drum setup.[33][f]
Mutt Lange and Tom Werman were also approached, but GeFen declined due to
cost.[33][36]

Ultimately, Mike Clink was selected, having previously worked with Triumph.[37] The band
recorded "Shadow of Your Love" with Clink as a test.[33] After rehearsals, they entered
Rumbo 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)

Slash in 2010.

Axl Rose on stage in Tel Aviv, Israel, 1993

Guitarist Slash (left) and lead singer Axl Rose (right) were the band's most public faces
during its late 1980s-early 1990s heyday.

Appetite for Destruction

Guns N' Roses' debut album Appetite for Destruction was released July 21, 1987.[40] The
album underwent an artwork change after the original cover design by Robert Williams,
which depicted a surrealist scene in which a dagger-toothed monster vengefully attacks a
robot rapist, was deemed too controversial.[41][42][43] The band stated the original
artwork was "a symbolic social statement, with the robot representing the industrial
system that's raping and polluting our environment".[41] The revised cover was done by
Andy Engell, based on a design by tattoo artist Bill White Jr., who had designed the artwork
for a tattoo Rose had acquired the previous year.[44] The artwork featured each of the five
band members' skulls layered on a cross.[41]

The band's first single was "It's So Easy", released on June 15, 1987, in the UK only, where it
reached number eighty-four on the UK Singles Chart.[45][46] In the U.S., "Welcome to the
Jungle" was issued as the album's first single in October, with an accompanying music
video.[47]

Initially, the album and single lingered for almost a year without performing well, but when
GeFen founder David GeFen was asked to lend support to the band, he obliged, personally
convincing MTV executives to play "Welcome to the Jungle" during the network's after-
hours rotation.[48][49] Even though the video was initially only played once at 4 a.m. on a
Sunday, heavy metal and hard rock fans took notice and soon began requesting the video
and song en masse.[50] The song, written in Seattle, was about Los Angeles. The music
video took place in New York. According to Rose, the inspiration for the lyrics came from an
encounter he and a friend had with a homeless man while they were coming out of a bus
into New York.[51] Trying to put a scare into the young runaways, the man yelled at them,
"You know where you are? You're in the jungle baby; you're gonna die!"[51][52] The song
was featured in the 1988 Dirty Harry film The Dead Pool, starring Clint Eastwood, and
members of the band had a cameo appearance in the film.[53][54]

"Sweet Child o' Mine" was the album's second U.S. single, a love song co-written by Rose
as a poem for his then-girlfriend Erin Everly, daughter of Don Everly of the Everly
Brothers.[55][56][57] Due to the growing grassroots success of the band and the cross-
gender appeal of the song, "Sweet Child o' Mine" and its accompanying music video
received heavy airplay on both radio and MTV, becoming a huge hit during the summer of
1988 and reaching the top of the charts in the U.S.[56] Slash later commented, "I hated that
song with a huge passion for the longest time, and it turned out to be our hugest hit, so it
goes to show what I know."[55] The song was released in Japan as part of the EP Live from
the Jungle, which also featured a selection of live recordings from the band's June 1987
dates at London's The Marquee, the group's first shows outside the United States.[58][59]
The song is the highest charting Guns N' Roses song, and is the band's only song to reach
number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[60]

Steven Adler in 2012

Matt Sorum in 2012.

Steven Adler (left) was the band's drummer from 1985 to 1990, when he was replaced by
Matt Sorum (right). Sorum was fired from the band in 1997.

After the success of "Sweet Child o' Mine", "Welcome to the Jungle" was re-issued as a
single and reached No. 7 in the U.S. By the time "Paradise City" and its video reached the
airwaves, peaking at No. 5 in the U.S., Appetite for Destruction had reached No. 1 on the
Billboard 200.[61] To date, the album has sold in excess of 30 million copies
worldwide,[62][63] including 18 million units sold in the United States, making it the best-
selling debut album of all time in the U.S., in addition to being the eleventh best-selling
album in the United States.[64][65][66][67]

Guns N' Roses toured extensively in support of their debut album, embarking on the 16-
month-long Appetite for Destruction Tour.[68][69] In addition to headlining dates in Europe
and the U.S., the band opened North American shows for the Cult, Mötley Crüe, and Alice
Cooper throughout the second half of 1987. During the 1987 tour, drummer Steven Adler
broke his hand in a fight, and was replaced for 8 shows by Cinderella drummer Fred
Coury.[70] Bassist DuF McKagan missed several shows in May 1988 to attend his wedding;
Kid "Haggis" Chaos from the Cult filled in.[71] Don Henley of the Eagles played drums for
the band during the 1989 AMA show while Adler was in rehab.[72]

The band proceeded to tour the United States, Australia and Japan, while serving as
opening acts on North America shows by Iron Maiden and Aerosmith.[73][74] Tim Collins,
Aerosmith's then-manager, remarked, "By the end of the tour, Guns N' Roses were huge.
They basically just exploded. We were all pissed that Rolling Stone magazine showed up to
do a story on Aerosmith, but Guns N' Roses ended up on the cover of the magazine.
Suddenly, the opening act was bigger than we were."[75][76]

G N' R Lies
Izzy Stradlin was the band's rhythm guitarist from 1985 until 1991.

Guns N' Roses' second album, G N' R Lies, was released in November 1988.[77] It included
the four recordings from the band's 1986 EP Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide as well as four new
acoustic tracks.[78] "Patience", the only single, reached number 4 in the U.S., while the
album reached number 2.[79][80] The album cover, a parody of tabloid newspapers, was
modified after initial pressings to remove the headlines "Wife-beating has been around for
10,000 years" and "Ladies, welcome to the Dark Ages".[81]

The song "One in a Million" raised accusations of racism, xenophobia and homophobia.
The song's lyrics include the following: "Police and niggers, that's right, get out of my way,
don't need to buy none of your gold chains today" and "Immigrants and faggots, they make
no sense to me, they come to our country and think they'll do as they please, like start
some mini Iran or spread some fucking disease".[82][83][84][85][86] Rose denied that he
was a racist and defended his use of the word "nigger", claiming that "it's a word to describe
somebody that is basically a pain in your life, a problem. The word nigger doesn't
necessarily mean black." He cited the rap group N.W.A. and the John Lennon song "Woman
Is the Nigger of the World" as other examples of musicians using the word.[87] Several
years later, Rose conceded that he had used the word as an insult towards black people
who had tried to rob him, and because the word is a taboo.[88] In response to the
allegations of homophobia, Rose stated that he considered himself "pro-heterosexual" and
blamed this attitude on "bad experiences" with gay men.[87][89][g]

During a November 1987 show in Atlanta, Rose assaulted multiple security guards and was
held backstage by police. The band continued the concert with a roadie performing lead
vocals.[91][92][h] Riots nearly broke out during two August 1988 shows in New York.[94] At
England's Monsters of Rock festival, held that same month, two fans were crushed to death
during the group's set by the slam-dancing crowd.[50][95][96] During the first of four
October 1989 dates opening for the Rolling Stones at the L.A. Coliseum, Rose announced
that the shows would be the group's last if certain members of the band did not stop
"dancing with Mr. Brownstone", a reference to the band's song of the same name about
heroin.[97] "That was serious", the singer remarked. "I'm not gonna be a part of watching
them kill each other, just killing themselves oF. Everybody was pissed at me, but
afterwards Slash's mom came and shook my hand and so did his brothers."[98] Events
such as these helped earn Guns N' Roses the moniker "the most dangerous band in the
world".[97][99]

International success and band turmoil (1990–1993)

Use Your Illusion I and II

Main articles: Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II

The band's logo typeface

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.[100] 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.[101] Adler claimed at the time he was sick from taking opiate blockers to help
with the addictions.[101] He was fired on July 11, 1990 as a result, and later filed a lawsuit
against the band.[101][102][i] In 2005, he recalled:

Doug Goldstein called me into the oFice 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.[101]

Martin Chambers of the Pretenders and Adam Maples of Sea Hags were considered as
replacements.[105] Jussi Tegelman, from the Finnish band Havana Black, assisted on
drums in studio sessions before a permanent replacement was found.[106][107][108] The
position was filled by drummer Matt Sorum, who had played briefly with the Cult.[109]
Slash credited Sorum with preventing the band from breaking up at the time.[109]

DuF 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 diFerence. The first time I realized what Steve did for the band was when he
broke his hand in Michigan ... So we had Fred Coury come in from Cinderella 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."[110]

A few months prior, keyboardist Dizzy Reed became the sixth member of the group when he
joined as a full-time member.[111][112][j]

In May 1991, Guns N' Roses fired their manager, Alan Niven, replacing him with Doug
Goldstein.[114] According to a 1991 cover story by Rolling 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.[114]

The band released the recordings as two albums, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion
II, on September 17, 1991.[115][116] The tactic paid oF when the albums debuted at No. 2
and No. 1 respectively in the Billboard charts, making Guns N' Roses the only act to
achieve this feat until hip hop artist Nelly in 2004 and the first to have the top two albums
since Jim Croce in 1974.[117][118][119] The albums sold 770,000 units (Use Your Illusion II)
and 685,000 units (Use Your Illusion I) in their first week,[120] and spent 108 weeks on the
chart.[117] They have sold a combined 35 million copies worldwide,[121] including 14
million in the United States.[64]

Guns N' Roses accompanied the Use Your Illusion albums with many videos, including
"Don't Cry", "November Rain" and "Estranged", some of the most expensive music videos
ever made.[122] The ballad "November Rain" reached number 3 in the US and became the
most requested video on MTV, eventually winning the 1992 MTV Video Music Award for best
cinematography.[123] At 8:57, it was at the time also the longest song in US chart history to
reach the top ten.[124][k] During the awards show, the band performed the song with Elton
John accompanying on piano.[125][126]
Use Your Illusion Tour

Main article: Use Your Illusion Tour

Before the release of the albums, Guns N' Roses embarked on the 28-month-long Use 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.[127] The Use Your Illusion
Tour is considered the "longest tour in rock history".[127] The Use Your Illusion World Tour
program included a guitar solo from Slash based on The Godfather theme; a piano-driven
cover of "It's Alright" by Black 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.[128]

On July 2, 1991, at the Riverport Amphitheater in Maryland Heights, Missouri, Rose

discovered that a fan was filming the show with a camera.[129] 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.[130] 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 oF the stage.[131] The angry crowd
rioted, injuring dozens. Footage was captured by Robert John, who was documenting the
tour.[132] The police were unable to arrest Rose until almost a year later, as the band went
overseas to continue the tour.[133] Charges were filed against Rose,[134] 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 staF 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 staF refused to
enforce a drinking limit.[135] Rose was eventually found guilty of property damage and
assault. He was fined $50,000 and given two years probation.[136][138]

Dizzy Reed joined the band as keyboardist in 1990.

Rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin abruptly quit the band on November 7, 1991, after a repeat of
the St. Louis incident nearly unfolded during a concert in Germany.[139][140][141] As
reasons for his departure, Stradlin cited a combination of Rose's personal behavior, his
mismanagement of the band, and diFiculties being around Slash, Sorum, and McKagan
due to his newfound sobriety and their continuing addictions.[141][142][143] 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".[144] The band had three weeks to find a
replacement or cancel several shows. Dave Navarro from Jane's Addiction was considered,
but according to Slash, "he couldn't get it together".[145] Stradlin was eventually replaced
by Los Angeles guitarist Gilby Clarke, whom Slash credited for saving the band.[146] At
many shows on the tour, Rose introduced Clarke to the audience, and Slash and Clarke
would play "Wild Horses", a Rolling Stones cover.[145] In 1993, Clarke broke his arm in a
motorcycle accident during the tour and was replaced by Stradlin for several weeks.[147]

In 1992, the band performed three songs at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.[148]
Because of the controversial song "One in a Million", activist group ACT 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.[148] Members of Queen dismissed the activists, with lead guitarist Brian
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?"[148] Slash later performed
"Tie Your Mother Down" with the remaining members of Queen and Def Leppard vocalist
Joe Elliott, while Rose performed "We Will Rock You" and sang a duet with Elton John on
"Bohemian Rhapsody".[149] 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 the grunge band Nirvana as the support act, but lead singer
Kurt Cobain declined.[150]

Later that year, Guns N' Roses embarked on the Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour with
heavy metal band Metallica, supported by Faith No More, Motörhead, and Body Count.
During a show in August 1992 at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, Metallica's lead singer
James Hetfield suFered second-degree burns to his hands and face after malfunctions
with pyrotechnics.[151] 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 of stage 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.[152] The cancellation led to another audience
riot, in which 10 audience members and three police oFicers were injured. Police made at
least a dozen arrests related to the incident.[153][l]
External image

image icon Guns N' Roses receiving an MTV Video Music Award in 1992.

The Use Your Illusion tour ended in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 17, 1993.[155] The tour
set attendance records and lasted for 28 months, in which 192 shows were played in 27
countries.[156] 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.[157]

"The Spaghetti Incident?"

Main article: "The Spaghetti Incident?"

Gilby Clarke replaced Izzy Stradlin as rhythm guitarist, playing from 1991 to 1994.

Initially, the band planned to release an EP of covers in 1992 or 1993, but decided to record
a full album.[158] Their fifth studio album, "The Spaghetti Incident?",[159][m] a collection
of punk and glam rock covers, was released on November 23, 1993.[158] The album
features covers of songs of punk artists such as U.K. Subs, the Damned, New York Dolls,
the Stooges, Dead Boys, Misfits, Johnny Thunders, the Professionals, FEAR, as well as T.
Rex, Soundgarden and the Skyliners.[158] The lead single, "Ain't It Fun" featured Hanoi
Rocks singer Michael Monroe as a guest vocalist. [161] The album debuted at number 4 on
the Billboard charts, and sold 190,000 copies its first week.[162]

Many of the tracks were recorded during the same sessions as the Illusions albums, which
were originally intended to produce three or four albums.[106] Stradlin's guitar parts were
reportedly re-recorded entirely by Gilby Clarke.[163][164][n] Slash described the recording
as "spontaneous and unpainted",[164] and recording the songs served as "a purpose to
alleviate the pressure of making the Illusions records".[163] 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".[165]

The album includes a hidden track, a cover of "Look at Your Game, Girl", originally by cult
leader Charles Manson.[166] The track was kept secret and left oF advance tapes sent to
reviewers.[166] The inclusion of the song caused controversy, with law enforcement and
victims rights groups expressing outrage.[167][162] Rose stated "we wanted to downplay it.
We don't give any credit to Charles Manson on the album". Label president David GeFen
commented: "[If] Rose had realized how oFensive people would find this, he would not
have ever recorded this song".[168] Slash mentioned that the song was "done with naive
and innocent black humor on our part".[167] Rose stated he would donate all performance
royalties from the song to a nonprofit environmental organization.[169][168] The band was
going to remove the song before learning that royalties would be donated to the son of one
of Manson's victims.[167][170] GeFen Records stated their share of royalties would be
donated to the Doris Tate Crime Victims Bureau.[167]

The band did not tour in support of "The Spaghetti Incident?".[158] Although well received
critically; it is the band's worst selling studio album, having sold 1 million copies by
2018.[165]

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.[171] In May
1994, Gilby Clarke said work on the next Guns N' Roses album had ended.[172] 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."[173] The album was
described by McKagan as consisting of "up-tempo rock songs" with "no ballads".[174]
Sorum said that It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, the debut album from Slash's band Slash's
Snakepit, "could have been a Guns N' Roses album, but Axl didn't think it was good
enough".[171]

In 1994, all of the then-current members of the band contributed to Gilby Clarke's debut
album, Pawnshop Guitars.[175] In December 1994, GN'R released a cover of the Rolling
Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil".[176] The song appeared in the films Interview with the
Vampire and Fallen and was released as a single. Entertainment Weekly stated that the
"note-for-note remake works up a decent lather but seems utterly bankrupt".[177] The
recording featured Rose's childhood friend and Hollywood Rose collaborator Paul "Huge"
Tobias on rhythm guitar.[176]
Tobias's presence in the band created tension; Slash had 'creative and personal
diFerences' with Tobias.[178] A 2001 interview revealed Slash told his bandmates in
September 1996, "I'm going to confront it. Either Paul goes, or [I go]."[179]

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.

— DuF McKagan[180]

Guitarist Zakk Wylde played with the band for several weeks and was considered as a
potential second guitarist in 1995.

Gilby Clarke's contract was not renewed and he was gone from the band by 1995.[176]
Slash stated in his book that Rose fired Clarke without consulting anyone, claiming he was
a "hired hand".[181] 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".[182] Clarke mentioned
that before the final show of the Use Your Illusion Tour, Rose told him "Hey, enjoy your last
show".[182] Clarke later sued the band over the use of his likeness in Guns N' Roses
Pinball.[183]

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".[184] Rose
reportedly purchased the full rights to the Guns N' Roses name in 1997.[185][186] 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."[187] 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."[187]

In 1996, Rose, Slash, McKagan, and former member Izzy Stradlin guested on Anxious
Disease, the debut album by the Outpatience. This would be the last material the four
classic-era band members worked on together.[188]

The recording of "Sympathy for the Devil", coupled with tension between Slash and Rose,
led the former to quit the band oFicially in October 1996.[189] 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."[190] Slash stated, "Axl's whole visionary style, as far as his input in
Guns N' Roses, is completely diFerent from mine. I just like to play guitar, write a good riF,
go out there and play, as opposed to presenting an image."[185]

Slash was replaced by Nine Inch Nails touring guitarist Robin Finck in January 1997. He
signed a two-year contract with the band in August 1997, making him an oFicial
member.[191] Finck was originally recommended by Matt Sorum to Rose a year earlier as a
possible second guitarist to complement Slash.[179] 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.[192] Sorum later stated that Tobias was the "Yoko
Ono of Guns N' Roses".[179]

Rose auditioned multiple potential members, including multi-instrumentalist Chris

Vrenna[193] and guitarist Zakk Wylde,[194][195][196] alongside drummers Dave
Abbruzzese,[193] Michael Bland,[197] Joey Castillo[193] and Kellii Scott from Failure.[198]
Rolling Stone reported in April 1997 that the lineup of Guns N' Roses was Rose, McKagan,
Tobias, Finck & Vrenna.[199][o]

McKagan was the last of the Appetite lineup to leave, resigning as bassist in August
1997.[201] 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."[201] Josh Freese was
ultimately hired to replace Sorum on drums, joining in the summer of 1997.[202] After
being recommended by Freese, former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson joined in
1998, replacing McKagan.[203] 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-instrumentalist Chris
Pitman.[204][p]

In 1998, GeFen released an edited single disc version of the Illusion albums entitled Use
Your Illusion.[205] In November 1999, the label released Live Era '87–'93, a collection of live
performances from various concerts during the Appetite for Destruction and Use Your
Illusion tours.[206] Former guitarist Slash described the selection of songs of the album as
a "very mutual eFort",[207] 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."[208]

Tommy Stinson, Chris Pitman, Brain, Robin Finck & Josh Freese all joined the band in the
late 1990s.

New lineups and Chinese Democracy (1998–2008)

Main articles: Chinese Democracy and Chinese Democracy Tour

Background of new album

A new Guns N' Roses album had reportedly been in the works since 1994, with Rose the
only original member still in the band.[209] Several producers, including Youth, Moby, Mike
Clink, Eric Caudieux & Sean Beaven worked with the band during the late 90s,
incorporating new electronic and industrial elements to the
music.[210][211][212][213][214][191][215][q] Rolling Stone stated that the label planned
for the album to be released in late 1999.[215] By August 1999, the band had recorded over
30 songs for the album, which was tentatively entitled 2000 Intentions.[216] In November
1999, during an interview with Kurt Loder for MTV, Rose said that he had re-recorded
Appetite for Destruction with the then-new band, apart from two songs which he had
replaced with "Patience" and "You Could Be Mine".[217] During the interview, Rose
announced the title of the upcoming album, Chinese Democracy. Rose explained:

There's a lot of Chinese 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 diFerent sounds.
There's some heavy songs, there's a lot of aggressive songs, but they're all in diFerent styles
and diFerent sounds. It is truly a melting pot.[217]

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.[218] Later
that month, the band released a new song, the industrial styled "Oh My God", which was
included on the soundtrack of the film End of Days.[219] The track featured additional
guitar work by Dave Navarro and Gary Sunshine, Rose's personal guitar teacher.[220] Rose
claimed that former members DuF McKagan and Matt Sorum had 'failed to see the
potential' of the song and had no interest in recording or playing the piece.[220]

Buckethead was the band's lead guitarist from 2000 to 2004, while Richard 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.[221] In March 2000, avant-garde guitarist Brian Carroll, more commonly
referred to as Buckethead, joined Guns N' Roses as a replacement for Finck.[222][223]
Also in March 2000, drummer Josh Freese left the band. He was replaced by former Primus
drummer Bryan Mantia, known professionally as Brain.[223][224][r] Robin Finck returned to
the band in late 2000, to complement Buckethead on lead guitar.[225] With the album
nearing completion in mid-2000, producer Roy Thomas Baker convinced Rose to re-record
it, causing further delays.[226]

Title announcement and touring, tour cancellation and member departures

In an interview with Rolling 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".[227] 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."[227] Rolling Stone described
the album as "Led Zeppelin's Physical GraFiti remixed by Beck and Trent Reznor.[227] 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 than Chinese Democracy".[227] 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 "not industrial".[228]

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."[227] Also in the interview, Rose attributed the breakup of the old
lineup to drug addictions and 'an eFort from inside the band to destroy him', stating "There
was an eFort to bring me down. It was a king-of-the-mountain thing", and that he "needed
to take control to survive",[227] also describing the dissolution as "a divorce".[227]

Eight years after the previous Guns N' Roses concert, the band made a public appearance
in January 2001 with two well-received concerts: one in Las Vegas and one at the Rock in
Rio Festival in Rio de Janeiro.[209] The band played both songs from previous albums and
songs from then-unreleased Chinese 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 unlike Oasis, we could not find
a way to all get along.[229][230]
External image

image icon Rose and Buckethead during Guns N' Roses's performance at Pukkelpop 2002

The group played two shows in Las Vegas at the end of 2001.[231] Former guitarist Slash
claimed that he tried to attend a show and was turned away at the door by security.[232]
Due to his frustrations with touring, rhythm guitarist Paul Tobias left the band in 2002 and
was replaced by Richard Fortus (formerly of the Psychedelic Furs and Love Spit
Love).[233][s]

The band then played several shows in August 2002, headlining festivals and concerts
throughout Asia and Europe, including Pukkelpop, Summer Sonic Festival, and The Carling
Weekend.[235][236] At the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards on August 29, 2002, Guns N'
Roses closed the show in a previously unannounced performance, playing "Welcome to
the Jungle", "Madagascar", and "Paradise City".[209][237]

In November 2002, the band's first North American tour since 1993 was organized to
support Chinese Democracy, with CKY and Mix 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.[238] 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.[239] Due to a second
riot by fans in Philadelphia when the band failed to show up again, tour promoter Clear
Channel canceled the remainder of the tour.[238][240][t]

Guns N' Roses tour canceled. Typical. And freakishly expected. Haha. Really bad idea. I
wouldn't suggest they come back.

—Opening band CKY[240]

Greatest Hits and label conflict, lawsuits

In September 2003, Eddie Trunk played a previously unheard track, "I.R.S.", on his radio
show, given to him by baseball player Mike Piazza.[243] 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.[243] Rose had played several new songs at a strip club in Las Vegas two
months earlier to gauge the reactions of the crowd.[243]

In February 2004, GeFen 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
GeFen's." By March 2004, GeFen had pulled funding from Chinese Democracy.[209]
Around then, band manager Merck Mercuriadis stated that "The 'Chinese Democracy'
album is very close to being completed".[209] According to a 2005 report by The New York
Times, Rose had allegedly spent $13 million ($20,929,801 in current dollar terms) in the
studio by that point.[209][244] Mercuriadis rejected the budget claims made by The New
York Times, claiming the sources had not been involved in the project in several years.[245]
The album was frequently described as "the most expensive album ever
made".[246][247][248][u]

In March 2004, since Rose had failed to deliver a new studio album in more than ten years,
GeFen released Guns N' Roses' Greatest Hits.[209][251] Slash and McKagan joined Rose in
suing GeFen to stop the release of the album, which was compiled without authorization
from any current or former band members.[252][253] 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 the Nielsen SoundScan era.[251][254] McKagan and Slash also joined Rose in an
unsuccessful eFort to prevent the release of The Roots of Guns N' Roses.[255]

The band was scheduled to play at Rock in Rio Lisboa in May 2004.[256] However,
Buckethead left the band in March of that year, causing the band to cancel the
show.[257][258] Buckethead reportedly left the band because of the "inability to complete
an album or tour", according to his manager.[258] 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."[257]

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.[259][260] The
band's management requested that all links to the MP3 files and all lyrics to the songs be
removed from forums and websites.[261] Despite this, radio stations began adding "I.R.S."
to playlists, and the song reached No. 49 on the Radio & Records Active Rock National
Airplay chart in the final week of February.[262]

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.[209][263][264]

Lineup changes and resuming tour

Izzy Stradlin on stage with Guns N' Roses in 2006

Guns N' Roses' logo during the Chinese Democracy era

Following a recommendation from guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani,[265] guitarist Ron

"Bumblefoot" Thal joined Guns N' Roses in 2006, replacing Buckethead.[266][267] Thal
made his live debut with the band at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May
12, 2006, the band's first live show in over three years.[268]

Five warm-up shows before a North American tour were held in September 2006.[269] The
tour oFicially commenced on October 24 in Miami.[270] Drummer Frank Ferrer replaced
Brain, who took a leave of absence to be with his wife and newborn child.[271][v]
Coinciding with the tour, the song "Better" was featured in an internet advertisement for
Harley-Davidson in October 2006.[270] 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".[272] The ad with Better was mislabeled and
inadvertently uploaded online for a day before being replaced by the intended ad with
Paradise City.[272]

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".[273] 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."[241]
In December 2006, Rose released an open letter to fans announcing that Merck
Mercuriadis had been fired as the band's manager.[274] He revealed that the last four dates
of the North American tour would be cut so the band could work on post-production for
Chinese Democracy.[274] He also set a tentative release date for the album for the first
time since the album's announcement: March 6, 2007.[274]

On February 23, 2007, Del James announced that the recording stage of Chinese
Democracy was finished and the band had now moved onto mixing the album.[275]
However, this proved that March 6 release date would be impossible to achieve, and the
album once again had no scheduled release date.[276][277]

In February 2007, the 'final' version of "Better" leaked online to positive reviews.[276][278]
On May 4, 2007, three more tracks leaked from Chinese Democracy: An updated version of
"I.R.S.", "The Blues", and the title track.[276][279] All three tracks had previously been
played live.

Guns N' Roses embarked on the 2007 leg of the Chinese Democracy World Tour in Mexico
in June, followed by dates in Australia and Japan.[280] The songs "Nice Boys" and "Don't
Cry" (appearing as an instrumental Bumblefoot solo) were played for the first time since
the Use Your Illusion Tour. The tour ended on the twentieth anniversary of Appetite for
Destruction's release date, in Osaka.[281] 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.[282]