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Guns and Roses: Dirty, Gritty and a Band Everyone Liked!

Do we really need to go into the depth of Axl’s childhood? Or who Slash is? We all know GnR, and if you don’t, then you need to be schooled. Goth or not, we all know Goth is relative and there are people who listen to things other than VNV. If you don’t, then I pity you. “Goth” is all about expansion and experience. You cannot deny that everyone once sang Sweet Child O Mine loudly and badly.

I am not going to make this a boring history of GnR article. I am going to say that GnR is probably the band that shaped myself. When kids were listening to NKOTB, I got my hands on Appetite for Destruction. I remember listening to It’s So Easy and thinking this it is. This is revolutionizing rock and roll. You may not agree, but in an industry that was filled with glam metal (which I love) and Pop, GnR came out and were themselves. Axl was the perfect frontman. He was wild and uncaring with the middle finger to the world.

Guns and Roses came straight out of LA with Axl, Slash, Duff, Steve and Izzy. They were formed in 1985, and signed to Geffen in 1986. Appetite for Destruction was released in 1987 and shot to number one on the Billboard charts. Soon followed was Lies and then the Use Your Illusions 1 and 2. The Spaghetti Incident was released in 1993, and pretty much flopped. The long anticipated Chinese Democracy was released in 2008 and soared to number 3, but overall failed expectations.

GnR’s lineup has changed many times over the years. Axl has proven he is his own worst enemy with stories of a diva attitude, drinking and a ton of heroine. Rumors have gone around about a GnR reunion with the original line up. In a 2009 interview Axl said: “What’s clear is that one of the two of us will die before a reunion and however sad, ugly or unfortunate anyone views it, it is how it is. Those decisions were made a long time ago and reiterated year after year by one man. I could see doing a song or so on the side with Izzy or having him out [on tour] again. I’m not so comfortable with doing anything having more than one of the alumni. Maybe something with Duff, but that’s it, and not something I’d have to really get down into, as I’d get left with sorting it out and then blamed on top of it. So, no, not me.”

I suppose this all has yet to be seen because it seems all they have encountered is lawsuits and bad blood.

In July of 2014 Dizzy Reed, current member of GnR, has said a new album is almost finished. They just need to figure out what songs will go onto it. He even mentioned there were enough songs to make two records. No confirmed tour as of yet, but record production seems to start and stop.

I for one would love to see them bury the hatchet and reunite with the old members, but am glad to see Axl still going, albeit badly. GnR will always have an influence in music. They were grimy, gritty and raw, and that is what made them awesome. They have seemed to surpass time and fashions. I just hope they do not turn into elevator music anytime soon.

Goth or not, everyone likes at least one GnR song.

Guns and Roses on 12/19/87 in Chicago, Il. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)
Guns and Roses on 12/19/87 in Chicago, Il. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)

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