July 21, 1987 - Guns N' Roses and Appetite For Destruction
Happy New Year! Amazingly, my first release of this year didn't occur until July 21, 1987 when new American band Guns N' Roses released their debut album "Appetite For Destruction". This is the only full album I have by these guys, but it is a historic one as it would go on to be the best-selling debut album of all time. So who are Guns N' Roses? They are a 5-piece hard rock band from Los Angeles, California consisting of lead singer Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. I'm not the biggest Guns N' Rose's fan, but this album is pretty good and they do have a very distinctive sound. Let's check it out!
Side two, or the R side begins with "My Michelle" and the beginning makes it seem like we are going to have our first slower song, but they shift into another upbeat rock riff led by some more catchy guitar. Axl sings a decent high verse overtop this main riff, but the chorus is pretty unexciting as the "well, well, well, my Michelle" just doesn't as catchy as most of their choruses do. They play another solid verse, unimpressive chorus, and then move to a decent bridge. It's more upbeat like the verse and Axl sings some new lines to set up Slash's guitar solo. Once again Slash plays a groovy solo that matches the mood well but while it's solid, it's also not all that impressive. They play a final verse and chorus and Axl does a bit of "ma-ma-ma-ma-my Michelle" but it doesn't sound as good as his "sha-na-na" bit from the album's opener I think. The next song is "Think About You" and they kick right into a catchy main riff as Axl sings some quick vocals to go along with another solid rock and roll beat. They certainly stuck with what works for them and that is commercial, catchy rock music which makes it no wonder this album became so popular. After the first verse Slash does a short but cool solo and then it's right into another verse before we finally reach the chorus. Axl sings a catchy chorus verse and one guitarist is playing some pretty un-GNR stuff as we hear a much lighter guitar. It seems out of place for them, but it doesn't sound bad and after the chorus Slash takes off for his solo. It's another good but not great solo and it feels way too short as they return to the chorus very quickly before setting up a final verse. They jam out a couple choruses and Slash solos overtop of the second one before they slow things way down and attempt a light and epic ending to this song that also feels out of place. Track 9 is the third and final mega-hit off the album, "Sweet Child O' Mine", and Slash plays a cool and catchy guitar riff to lead the way, starting off the song by himself. Stradlin adds a solid rhythm guitar riff and Adler and McKagan fall in line with a simple but decent rhythm section. Axl begins a slow but still nice and high verse and he sounds pretty good singing along to this softer but very catchy main riff. The cool opening turns out to be one hell of a catchy chorus riff and Axl's yelps and other antics make this an unforgettable song already. Slash segues nicely back to the softer part and after another verse and chorus Slash plays some more cool guitar and they play another chorus. Axl really hits some high notes in this one and afterwards Slash begins probably his longest solo of the album. He has nearly two minutes to work with and he does a pretty great job at the slow build as the solo gets better as it goes on. It's slow and smooth at the beginning but he really turns it up and by the end Slash is shredding things pretty nicely! When the solo ends things get much quieter as they move into a new part as we hear "where do we go? Where do we go now?" repeated in the background. Axl does his own version of these lyrics with a bit more feeling and they nicely ramp this quiet part up, right back into another solo! It's a surprising and nice shift as Slash is going off again with some great guitar while Axl continues to wail and hold lots of long notes. His antics are unique but it's the guitar that really impresses me as this solo leads perfectly into a nice epic ending for another huge commercial success. It's back to the fast-paced rock for the next song "You're Crazy" as Stradlin and Slash both play some nice fast guitars that drive another upbeat main riff. Axl sings quickly along to match and they play a couple quick verses before reaching the chrous. It's got lots more high yelps from Axl and even one "you're fuckin crazy" as he certainly does have the charisma and energy of a frontman. It seems like they might return to the main riff, but they make a turn and segue nicely into a guitar solo. Slash does a solid job but this is a pretty short solo and then they do return to the main riff. After a final verse they jam out a couple choruses with Axl accenting all kinds of notes and end the song with a final "you're fuckin crazy". Track 11 is called "Anything Goes" and it was actually the first song these guys wrote as a band. They kick right into a decent rock beat but there is a constant noise that almost sounds like a squeegee on a windshield or a rubber duck being squeezed over and over. It's a really weird addition to the usual GNR setup and I don't like it at all. Aside from this odd choice the guitars and bass are pretty good in another upbeat main verse and thankfully the weird noise doesn't happen throughout the whole song. They move into a pretty simple and quick chorus and it flows right back into the main riff. Another verse and chorus later and it's solo time and Slash spices up this solo with some talk box effects! Slash plays some interesting talk box stuff and he and Stradlin play off each other nicely as it's kind of like a guitar vs. talk box battle! It's a pretty cool solo and it's nice to hear something a little different! This leads back into the chorus and they happily surprise me again when instead of jamming out the chorus until the end, they shift into a groovy new riff and play that for a few bars before Axl ends the song with a final "anything goes tonight". The last song on the album is called "Rocket Queen" and McKagan leads the way with a pretty cool bass riff as Slash and Stradlin play some quiet guitars in the background. It takes a bit for the song to really get going but McKagan's cool bass riff remains a driving force and the guitars even play the same riff briefly before the first verse begins. Axl leads another upbeat verse with his high vocals and the catchy guitars lead right into another catchy chorus. These guys are a record company's wet dream as they just pump out riffs and songs that are hard rock, yet also extremely accessible and commercial. They play another solid verse and chorus before Slash starts his solo, but he takes way too long to start playing some good guitar as I find he dawdles a bit. The end of the solo is better but still a little disappointing and they don't segue well as the return to the chorus seems to interrupt things. After the chorus they do a much better segue as they move into a groovy new riff. They jam this out for not too long before we hear some much lighter guitar and Axl starting up a new verse. This part isn't bad but it's a bit sappy for these party rockers. It does lead to another solo for Slash and he does a much better job playing overtop this slow backing riff and delivers a solid solo. Axl sings a final sappy few lines in an unwitting end to what was mostly a solid headbanger of an album.
That is the end of "Appetite For Destruction" and I thought it was a solid album for sure. I don't think it's the best debut album ever as the sales suggested, but on this album Guns N' Rose's definitely don't sound like this is their first album! Every song makes your toe start tapping or head start banging and the three mega hits are all pretty sweet songs. I think it's far and away the best album they ever made and Axl's antics wear thin pretty quickly. This is the only full album I have by these guys but it's certainly a worthy addition to the library.
The first side is known as the G side and begins with one of their most famous songs, "Welcome To The Jungle". Stradlin plays an iconic and pretty cool guitar riff to start it off and after a very long "ohhhhhh" from Axl, Adler plays in the rest of the band as they move into the main riff. Stradlin's rhythm guitar riff is pretty solid and Slash adds some cool licks overtop as Axl begins the first verse. Axl has a one of a kind voice that is pretty high and full of energy. He seems like someone who loves to be the center of attention and he does a pretty good job leading this catchy verse. It goes right into a short chorus where we hear Axl do a quick "sha-na-na-na" part that sounds pretty good, as well as "I wanna watch you bleed" before going right back to the main riff. After another solid verse and chorus Stradlin takes off with a cool new riff and Slash plays a short but solid solo overtop as Axl oohs and ahhs in the background. It's right back to the fiery main verse and after another round they slow things down as Stradlin plays a new light guitar riff. Axl sings a brief new verse that ends with a nice long yell and Slash delivers a longer guitar solo that isn't extremely flashy, but sounds pretty cool and fits the mood of the song perfectly. At the end of the solo Adler starts up a nice drum beat and McKagan plays some cool bass in another new part with the guitars dive bombing in and out. Axl asks "you know where you are? You're in the Jungle baby. You're gonna die" and he nicely ties this part right back into the catchy chorus. They play a few choruses before ending things on a solid note and this is certainly a cool, upbeat way to open the album. Up next is "It's So Easy" and McKagan plays a solid bass riff to begin things and the guitars come in to form another solid, upbeat rock riff. Axl sings in a much lower and less crazy voice on this song and he doesn't sound bad by any means, but it's certainly not as entertaining as all the energy he provided last song. They move into a very similar chorus that still has some decent music but I find Axl's lower voice just sounds too serious for this party-rock atmosphere. After another quick verse and chorus they slow things down and play a much lighter version of the chorus before snapping back to the upbeat main riff. Axl sings "why don't you just fuck off?" before Slash takes off for a guitar solo and once again it fits the mood of the song well and it's a decent solo, but not a great one. After another verse and chorus they slow things down again and I'm not sure why as it's not that dramatic or epic of a shift. Slash spices up the ending with a better solo and Axl yells in his more standard high voice as he repeats the name of the song overtop the closing solo. Track 3 is called "Nightrain" and Adler kicks it off with another pretty catchy drumbeat as Stradlin lays down another nice rock and roll backing riff. Axl sings a decent verse to match the mood as they jam through another upbeat and pretty catchy main riff. They play a couple verses before finally reaching the chorus and Axl hits some pretty high notes as he sings some quick lyrics inbetween each uttering of "I'm on the nightrain". Slash breaks away at the end of the chorus and plays a fairly long solo that sounds pretty good. He still isn't shredding his guitar, but he seems to have a great idea of what will sound nice and hard-rock. Axl picks things up at the end of the verse and it leads to the chorus as Stradlin, McKagan and Adler continue the chorus riff. Slash solos overtop of the chorus and as they jam it out for the final minute Axl let's loose with some nice yells as he and Slash are free-wheeling until the end of the song. This is easily Slash's best solo yet as he plays a bunch of great stuff, but the song fades out mid-solo and I'm almost certain he had some more great stuff to play! Boo! The next song is "Out Ta Get Me" and Stradlin lays down another catchy rhythm guitar riff as Slash plays some cool lead guitar overtop. They are great at coming up with commercial rock riffs and this is another upbeat and catchy main riff and Axl delivers a solid verse to match. Axl does like to swear a lot as he drops a couple f-bombs and somehow I don't believe him when he sings "I'm fucking innocent" in the chorus. His vocals sound like no one else around though and he is a charismatic frontman. After another go through Slash starts his guitar solo but Axl continues to ooh and ahh along with it and I find he just distracts from the guitar. He does finally take a break and give Slash time to really solo as we can hear his cool guitar much better in this second part. Slash ends his solo with a decent bridge that brings things back to the main riff and they jam out a final verse, chorus, and then play a final chorus in double time that ends with Axl saying "so you can suck me! Take that one to heart" in a funny ending to this song. Track 5 is "Mr. Brownstone" and the upbeat party-rock songs continue with Adler and McKagan playing a solid rhythm section while Stradlin and Slash both play some cool guitar in this main riff. Axl sings in a lower voice that still sounds nice and catchy and matches the bouncing mood of the music. After a couple verses Axl segues nicely into the chorus with a long held "he won't leave me alooooooone". It's a pretty fast chorus with Axl singing quickly to match the guitars and it sounds solid. This takes us to Slash's guitar solo and he plays some decent stuff but again it's nothing too flashy, it just fits the vibe of the song very nicely. Slash ties the end of his solo nicely back into the main riff and they play a final verse and chorus as Axl finishes off his final verse with a "Yowza!"
Side one wraps up with "Paradise City" and despite it being just under 7 minutes long, it would become a radio staple for decades to come. It begins with a pretty cool light guitar riff and Adler starts an epic drum beat before Axl and some other band members all sing the first chorus together: "Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty. Oh won't you please take me home?" It's a simple but very catchy chorus and Slash proceeds to play some nice guitar licks before a whistle signals a shift to the main riff. It's a pretty sweet guitar riff that drives the verse and Axl sings a solid verse to match that has him hitting a couple long and very high notes as he loves to do. They play the chorus often in this one and why not when it's so catchy? They jam through a couple solid verses and choruses before Slash goes off on his first solo. It's another solid but not amazing solo and it leads into a bridge part with more cool guitar as Axl sings some extended "so far away"s. They tie it back to the main riff and after belting out a couple more sing-along choruses Axl holds his final "hoooooome" and Adler plays a nice drum fill that segues into a fast-paced new part. McKagan, Adler and Stradlin form a nice new backing riff and Slash adds some pretty sweet guitar overtop as he's basically soloing throughout this whole part. Axl sings a faster version of the chorus to match the new speedy riff but while everyone else jams out the faster chorus, Slash continues to play some of his best guitar amongst it all. This continues for over a minute and the guitar is definitely the highlight before they end the song and side with a nice rock and roll flourish. A fitting finish for the G side.
Side two, or the R side begins with "My Michelle" and the beginning makes it seem like we are going to have our first slower song, but they shift into another upbeat rock riff led by some more catchy guitar. Axl sings a decent high verse overtop this main riff, but the chorus is pretty unexciting as the "well, well, well, my Michelle" just doesn't as catchy as most of their choruses do. They play another solid verse, unimpressive chorus, and then move to a decent bridge. It's more upbeat like the verse and Axl sings some new lines to set up Slash's guitar solo. Once again Slash plays a groovy solo that matches the mood well but while it's solid, it's also not all that impressive. They play a final verse and chorus and Axl does a bit of "ma-ma-ma-ma-my Michelle" but it doesn't sound as good as his "sha-na-na" bit from the album's opener I think. The next song is "Think About You" and they kick right into a catchy main riff as Axl sings some quick vocals to go along with another solid rock and roll beat. They certainly stuck with what works for them and that is commercial, catchy rock music which makes it no wonder this album became so popular. After the first verse Slash does a short but cool solo and then it's right into another verse before we finally reach the chorus. Axl sings a catchy chorus verse and one guitarist is playing some pretty un-GNR stuff as we hear a much lighter guitar. It seems out of place for them, but it doesn't sound bad and after the chorus Slash takes off for his solo. It's another good but not great solo and it feels way too short as they return to the chorus very quickly before setting up a final verse. They jam out a couple choruses and Slash solos overtop of the second one before they slow things way down and attempt a light and epic ending to this song that also feels out of place. Track 9 is the third and final mega-hit off the album, "Sweet Child O' Mine", and Slash plays a cool and catchy guitar riff to lead the way, starting off the song by himself. Stradlin adds a solid rhythm guitar riff and Adler and McKagan fall in line with a simple but decent rhythm section. Axl begins a slow but still nice and high verse and he sounds pretty good singing along to this softer but very catchy main riff. The cool opening turns out to be one hell of a catchy chorus riff and Axl's yelps and other antics make this an unforgettable song already. Slash segues nicely back to the softer part and after another verse and chorus Slash plays some more cool guitar and they play another chorus. Axl really hits some high notes in this one and afterwards Slash begins probably his longest solo of the album. He has nearly two minutes to work with and he does a pretty great job at the slow build as the solo gets better as it goes on. It's slow and smooth at the beginning but he really turns it up and by the end Slash is shredding things pretty nicely! When the solo ends things get much quieter as they move into a new part as we hear "where do we go? Where do we go now?" repeated in the background. Axl does his own version of these lyrics with a bit more feeling and they nicely ramp this quiet part up, right back into another solo! It's a surprising and nice shift as Slash is going off again with some great guitar while Axl continues to wail and hold lots of long notes. His antics are unique but it's the guitar that really impresses me as this solo leads perfectly into a nice epic ending for another huge commercial success. It's back to the fast-paced rock for the next song "You're Crazy" as Stradlin and Slash both play some nice fast guitars that drive another upbeat main riff. Axl sings quickly along to match and they play a couple quick verses before reaching the chrous. It's got lots more high yelps from Axl and even one "you're fuckin crazy" as he certainly does have the charisma and energy of a frontman. It seems like they might return to the main riff, but they make a turn and segue nicely into a guitar solo. Slash does a solid job but this is a pretty short solo and then they do return to the main riff. After a final verse they jam out a couple choruses with Axl accenting all kinds of notes and end the song with a final "you're fuckin crazy". Track 11 is called "Anything Goes" and it was actually the first song these guys wrote as a band. They kick right into a decent rock beat but there is a constant noise that almost sounds like a squeegee on a windshield or a rubber duck being squeezed over and over. It's a really weird addition to the usual GNR setup and I don't like it at all. Aside from this odd choice the guitars and bass are pretty good in another upbeat main verse and thankfully the weird noise doesn't happen throughout the whole song. They move into a pretty simple and quick chorus and it flows right back into the main riff. Another verse and chorus later and it's solo time and Slash spices up this solo with some talk box effects! Slash plays some interesting talk box stuff and he and Stradlin play off each other nicely as it's kind of like a guitar vs. talk box battle! It's a pretty cool solo and it's nice to hear something a little different! This leads back into the chorus and they happily surprise me again when instead of jamming out the chorus until the end, they shift into a groovy new riff and play that for a few bars before Axl ends the song with a final "anything goes tonight". The last song on the album is called "Rocket Queen" and McKagan leads the way with a pretty cool bass riff as Slash and Stradlin play some quiet guitars in the background. It takes a bit for the song to really get going but McKagan's cool bass riff remains a driving force and the guitars even play the same riff briefly before the first verse begins. Axl leads another upbeat verse with his high vocals and the catchy guitars lead right into another catchy chorus. These guys are a record company's wet dream as they just pump out riffs and songs that are hard rock, yet also extremely accessible and commercial. They play another solid verse and chorus before Slash starts his solo, but he takes way too long to start playing some good guitar as I find he dawdles a bit. The end of the solo is better but still a little disappointing and they don't segue well as the return to the chorus seems to interrupt things. After the chorus they do a much better segue as they move into a groovy new riff. They jam this out for not too long before we hear some much lighter guitar and Axl starting up a new verse. This part isn't bad but it's a bit sappy for these party rockers. It does lead to another solo for Slash and he does a much better job playing overtop this slow backing riff and delivers a solid solo. Axl sings a final sappy few lines in an unwitting end to what was mostly a solid headbanger of an album.
That is the end of "Appetite For Destruction" and I thought it was a solid album for sure. I don't think it's the best debut album ever as the sales suggested, but on this album Guns N' Rose's definitely don't sound like this is their first album! Every song makes your toe start tapping or head start banging and the three mega hits are all pretty sweet songs. I think it's far and away the best album they ever made and Axl's antics wear thin pretty quickly. This is the only full album I have by these guys but it's certainly a worthy addition to the library.
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