Dreams do come true, but perseverance is always required to achieve everything we set out to do. The Los Angeles-based band Guns N’ Roses released their debut album, “Appetite For Destruction,” in 1987. It’s one of the most important records in the history of rock, yet its success wasn’t immediate. It wasn’t until 1989 that the album began to bear fruit, followed by a tour that allowed them to gain recognition, along with significant promotional efforts.
After the band’s perseverance, “Appetite For Destruction” would start breaking records a year later, currently standing as the most successful debut album in music history, with over 30 million sales worldwide.
As an interesting fact, Paul Stanley of Kiss was almost involved in producing the album. However, the band refused as he wanted to change several things about drummer Steven Adler’s kit.
What can we hear?
A rock revolution; a band that marked the movement following Glam Rock and Glam Metal and, at the same time, aimed to modernize traditional Hard Rock. They drew influence from bands like Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and even the Rolling Stones, particularly in the way both Izzy Stradlin and Slash approached the riffs in each of the album’s songs. They modernized the style with heavier distortions, speedier guitar solos, natural harmonics, and, above all, two guitars doing entirely different things, giving the album a very characteristic stereo effect.
We especially hear an influence from Aerosmith, possibly their biggest inspiration, not only in the enjoyable guitar riffs but also in Axl Rose’s vocal style. It was highly innovative for its time, with a broad vocal range showcased in high falsettos and exhibitions of very good low vocal technique, as heard in songs like “Mr. Brownstone.”
Duff McKagan’s bass is always present with a very clean tone. He’s a bassist who doesn’t hold back and uses the entire range of his instrument. A perfect example is his intro in “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” which is possibly one of the most recognized worldwide. He has excellent rhythmic interplay with drummer Steven Adler, who fulfills his role with a great sound that makes his drums sound huge, almost as if they were recorded in a stadium, as evidenced in the intro of “Rocket Queen.”
A hit-making machine
In “Appetite For Destruction,” we hear some of the hits that made them multi-millionaires, such as “Welcome To The Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “Nightrain,” among others. But that’s not all; during the recording of this album, the band had already composed songs like “November Rain,” “Don’t Cry,” and “You Could Be Mine,” written by Axl Rose for his previous band “Hollywood Rose.” However, they were not included in the album due to their ballad-like style. These songs would later be released on the albums “Use Your Illusion I” and “Use Your Illusion II” in 1991.
We enjoy the tracks that weren’t as popular, though saying that might sound a bit odd since practically every song on the album has millions and millions of plays. Songs like “You’re Crazy,” “Anything Goes,” and “Think About You” strike us as very interesting, especially the latter, where we can hear a very ’80s influence in the clean guitars of the chorus.
On the other hand, another noteworthy aspect of the band’s proposition is Steven Adler’s percussive ingenuity on the drums. In songs like “Anything Goes” or “Nightrain,” he doesn’t limit himself to using only the basic pieces of his kit but adds a cowbell and even a sort of guiro.
What’s your favorite lesser-known track from iconic albums like “Appetite For Destruction”? Share with us and let’s celebrate those hidden gems together!
