Guns N' Roses founded in Los Angeles in March 1985. The initial lineup of the band included Axl Rose on vocals, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, lead guitarist Tracii Guns, bassist Ole Beich and drummer Rob Gardner.1)
Before settling on a name, Guns N' Roses seriously contemplated the names “Heads of Amazon” and “AIDS.” 2)
Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin were members of a band called Hollywood Rose before forming the band. Stradlin shared a room with Tracii Guns, a member of the band L.A. Guns, in 1984. The two bands merged, and the titles of the two bands were used to form the fusion band Guns N' Roses. 3)
Ole Beich, the band's original bassist, left after only a month. Beich was sacked after their first engagement in March 1985. He was replaced by Duff McKagan, who lasted a little longer than Beich! 4)
The band officially hired drummer Steven Adler and lead guitarist Slash on June 4, 1985. Surprisingly, both guys had previously appeared in Hollywood Rose alongside Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin. This appears to be an unofficial Hollywood Rose reunion! 5)
Guns N' Roses has sold over 100 million records globally to date. Only 45 million of those records were sold in the United States. 6)
Early in their career, the band was known for their crazy lifestyle and outrageous conduct (to the point where previous hard-partyers and labelmates Aerosmith had to avoid spending time with them if they wanted to stay sober!). Guns N' Roses was even dubbed “the most dangerous band in the world.” 7)
Guns N' Roses are responsible for the most costly rock album ever made. Chinese Democracy has become the stuff of legends, costing a whooping $14 million. 8)
By 1986, Guns N' Roses had begun to receive record label offers. During this period, Geffen Records offered them a deal with a $75,000 advance. After turning down an offer from Chrysalis Records worth twice as much, the band accepted. Chrysalis, unlike Geffen, insisted on modifying the band's appearance and musical sound. 9)
Guns N' Roses performed at the Monsters of Rock Festival at Castle Donington, England, in August 1988. During the band's performance, the audience began slam-dancing with such intensity that two persons were crushed to death! 10)
Guns N' Roses released their first hits in 1987. Despite the fact that they are an American band, their first song was released in the United Kingdom. “It's So Easy” was released there on June 15, 1987, but not elsewhere. In reality, Guns N' Roses' debut US single, “Welcome to the Jungle,” was published in October.11)
The song “Welcome to the Jungle” was featured in The Dead Pool, a 1988 film starring Clint Eastwood as the hard-nosed officer “Dirty” Harry Calahan. Guns N' Roses even made a cameo in the film! 12)
Guns N' Roses embarked on a 16-month international tour following the success of Appetite for Destruction. They opened for bands like The Cult, Iron Maiden, and Aerosmith, and their popularity skyrocketed along the way. In the instance of Aerosmith, they were approached for a feature by Rolling Stone, but to their surprise and rage, their opening act was the one who made the magazine's cover! 13)
Due to his drug habits, drummer Steven Adler struggled to perform in 1990. When the band recorded “Civil War,” Adler's poor drumming meant that the song required many takes.14)
That same year, Steven Adler was sacked from the band and replaced by Matt Sorum. 15)