The band has released six studio albums: Appetite For Destruction in 1987, G N' R Lies in 1988, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II in 1991, "The Spaghetti Incident?" in 1993 and, after 15 years and with frontman Axl Rose and keyboardist Dizzy Reed being the only members left from the previous lineup, Chinese Democracy in 2008. They also released three EP's in 1986, 1988, and 1993 and two live albums, in 1999 and 2014.
The group was formed in early 1985 by Hollywood Rose members Axl Rose (vocals) and Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar) and L.A. Guns members Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Ole Beich (bass) and Rob Gardner (drums). The band created its name by combining two of the members' names. Rejected names were "Heads of Amazon" and "AIDS." A short time later, Beich was fired and replaced by Duff McKagan, and Guns was replaced by Slash after not showing up to rehearsal. Slash had played with McKagan in Road Crew and with Stradlin during a short stint in Hollywood Rose. On their first tour (from Sacramento, California to Duff's home town of Seattle), Gardner quit and was replaced by Slash's friend, Steven Adler.
Stemming from the LA rock underground, the ugly lyrics matched the sleaze of the music--driven by heavy blues licks--covering misogyny, violence, city life, sex, liquor, and hard drugs. They also, however, tended to show sensitivity and a desire to break free from the city. Subsequent albums revealed influence from bands in the vein of The Rolling Stones and Queen.
Their 1987 breakthrough, Appetite for Destruction, (18-times platinum and the highest-selling debut album of all-time), coupled with the success of the hit single "Sweet Child O' Mine" in 1988, took the world by storm. "Appetite" was full of raunchy hard rock with blistering, anthemic guitar riffs and snarling vocals.
The followup EP, "G N' R Lies", contained four songs from their debut EP, three new acoustic songs, and an acoustic version of "You're Crazy". The album sold well and got into the top 10 alongside Appetite. By the end of the 1980s, they were one of the most popular bands in the world.
Steven Adler (original drummer) was kicked out of the band due to his drug abuse and replaced by Matt Sorum.
Following the release of G N' R Lies, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II made history by making the number 1 and 2 spots on the American Billboard Album chart. The albums were filled with songs that pushed Guns into a different direction, far from the Appetite era. They surprised critics who expected hard rock songs but found more "epic" tracks featuring a wider range of instruments (pianos, brass instruments, various effects, etc). The main response was that instead of releasing two albums that included "filler tracks", they could have released one CD.
The band then started a world tour to support the albums. During this tour, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit the band due to differences with Slash, Sorum and McKagan due to his newfound sobriety and Stradlin's anger at Rose's management of the band.
They played 192 shows in the 28-month tour, which set attendance records and concluded with a show in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 17, 1993. This show marked the last time original members Slash and McKagan and newcomers Clarke and Sorum would play a live show with Rose.
Axl began work on a new album of original material in 1993. In 1994, Gilby Clarke left the band, and was replaced with Paul Tobias. That same year, the band recorded a cover version of The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" for the movie Interview with the Vampire. According to Slash's 2007 autobiography, the first version of guitar track was rejected by Axl, who wanted Slash to copy Keith Richards' playing on the original. Reluctantly, Slash agreed and recorded another version closer to the original. Slash was further infuriated when he discovered Tobias' guitar copying his own solo note by note layered in the final mix of the song. This would be the last recording by the original version of the band, and five years would go by before any new material came out under the Guns N' Roses name.
Slash drifted in and out of the band for the next couple of years, beginning a side project called Slash's Snakepit. In August 1996, GN'R returned to the studio, even though McKagan and Sorum were simultaneously touring with their side project, Neurotic Outsiders. Eventually, only Slash and Rose were left to continue working. During this period, Slash commented in an interview, "My relationship with Axl right now is sort of at a standstill." Additionally, Axl had approached guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) about jamming and possibly joining Guns N' Roses.
In 1996 and 1997, Slash, Sorum and McKagan all left the band, leaving Rose as the only remaining charter member of the band. The three later formed rock supergroup Velvet Revolver with former Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland and guitarist Dave Kushner.
In 1998, a "clean" (i.e., profanity removed) version of Use Your Illusion was released (in the USA only), mainly so the album could be sold in Wal-Mart and K-Mart stores. The album, titled "Use Your Illusion" was a 1 CD compilation of the 2 albums.
Also in 1998, Axl put a new version of the band together and returned to the studio. This version of the band has been touring and recording sporadically ever since. The new band's membership has changed frequently, but its core members have included guitarist Robin Finck, effects man Chris Pitman, bassist Tommy Stinson (formerly of The Replacements)— as well as Paul Tobias, drummer Josh Freese and longtime GN'R keyboardist Dizzy Reed.
In 1999, the band released one new song, "Oh My God", on the soundtrack of the film End of Days. The track featured additional guitar work by [arist]Dave Navarro and Gary Sunshine, Rose's personal guitar teacher. The song's release was intended to be a prelude to their new album, now officially entitled Chinese Democracy. Geffen also released Live Era '87-'93, a collection of live performances from various concerts during the Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion tours. Also in 1999, during an interview with Kurt Loder for MTV, Axl said that he had re-recorded Appetite for Destruction with the new band, replacing two songs with "Patience" and "You Could Be Mine".
In 1999, guitarist Robin Finck departed the band in order to rejoin his former band, Nine Inch Nails, on tour. In 2000, virtuoso guitarist Buckethead joined Guns N' Roses as a replacement for Finck. Josh Freese was replaced with Bryan "Brain" Mantia (formerly of Primus). Robin Finck returned to Guns N' Roses in late 2000 to complement Buckethead on lead guitar.
The revised lineup finally 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. The band played a mixture of old hits and new songs from their forthcoming album.
The new lineup played a further two shows in Las Vegas at the end of 2001. In 2002, rhythm guitarist Paul Tobias left the band because of his frustrations with life on the road. He was replaced by Richard Fortus (formerly of The Psychedelic Furs and Love Spit Love). The band then played several shows in August 2002, headlining festivals and concerts throughout Asia and Europe. They made their way to New York for a surprise appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.
In 2002, the band's first North American tour since 1993 was organized to support Chinese Democracy. However, the opening show in Vancouver was canceled by the venue when Rose arrived late due to his plane being held up by bad weather conditions at Los Angeles airport. A riot ensued. This tour was met with mixed results. Some concerts did not sell well, while shows in larger markets such as New York sold out in minutes. Due to a second riot by fans in Philadelphia, tour promoter Clear Channel canceled the remainder of the tour.
The band went on hiatus until they were scheduled to play at Rock in Rio IV in May 2004. However, Buckethead left the band in March of that year, causing them to cancel. Also in March 2004, Geffen released Guns N' Roses' Greatest Hits, since Rose had failed to deliver a new studio album in more than 10 years. Rose expressed displeasure with this album as its track listing was established without his consent and went as far as trying to block its release by suing Geffen. This failed, however, and the album went triple platinum in the USA.
In February 2006, demos of the songs "Better", "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S." and "There Was a Time" were leaked through a fan site. The band's management requested that all links to the MP3 files and all lyrics to the songs be removed from forums and web sites. Despite this, radio stations began adding "I.R.S." to playlists, and the song reached #49 on the Radio & Records Active Rock National Airplay chart in the final week of February - the first time an internet leak had done so.
On May 5, 2006, Axl appeared on the Friday Night Rocks with Eddie Trunk radio show (during an interview with ex-Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach) and said the new Guns N' Roses album would be released before the end of the year. Later in May, the band launched a European tour, headlining both the Download Festival and Rock In Rio - Lisbon. Four warm-up shows preceded the tour at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City and became the band's first live concert dates since the aborted 2002 tour. The shows also marked the debut of virtuoso guitarist and composer Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, replacing Buckethead. During the tour, Bach and Izzy Stradlin made frequent guest appearances. By the tour's end in 2007, the band had played to over 750 000 people in over 23 countries.
On April 5, 2008, a picture of Finck appeared on Nine Inch Nails web page under the title "Welcome Back!" starting the rumor of his possible reunion with Trent Reznor. On April 11, Finck expressed his happiness on playing again with NIN. On April 20, on Guns N' Roses' web site, Axl expressed surprise about the news.
Chinese Democracy had been given the tentative release date of March 6, then reported September 17, 2007. However, both dates passed with no sign of the album. After further release dates were discussed, the album finally came out on November 23, 2008, to mostly positive critical reviews & underselling industry expectations.
Slash, McKagan and Sorum still played together in Velvet Revolver. However, Izzy Stradlin, original GN'R rhythm guitarist and co-composer of many of the band's most successful songs, has not joined them. He did, however, play a few dates as a guest with GN'R in the summer of 2006. Keyboard player Dizzy Reed, while not a founding member of the band (joining in 1990 in the Use Your Illusion period), remained in the previous lineup. in 2014, Bassist Tommy Stinson had previous commitments to The Replacements, leading former bassist Duff McKagan to fill in. After the 2014 tour, bassist Tommy Stinson, guitarists DJ Ashba & Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, and keyboardist Chris Pitman all left the band.
Slash and McKagan rejoined in 2016, as did keyboardist Melissa Reese, as the group embarked on the "Not in This Lifetime..." stadium tour. The tour also featured several guest appearances, including from former drummer Steven Adler, AC/DC guitarist Angus Young, former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, and Rose Tattoo singer Angry Anderson. The tour was a massive success, becoming the third highest grossing concert tour of all-time by its end in 2019.
The band continued with the Guns N’ Roses 2020 Tour and in 2021 released two new singles “Absurd” and “Hard Skool”, both reworkings of ‘’Chinese Democracy’’ era tracks. The singles are the first songs released featuring Slash and Duff McKagan since 1994.
GN'R's current lineup includes Rose (lead vocals), McKagan (bass), Fortus (rhythm guitar), Slash (lead guitar), Melissa Reese[/bandember] (synth & programming), Frank Ferrer (drums) and Reed (keyboard and percussion).
Discography
Appetite for Destruction (1987) #1 US Billboard, 18x Platinum
G N' R Lies (1988) #2 US Billboard, 5x Platinum
Use Your Illusion I (1991) #2 US Billboard, 7x Platinum
Use Your Illusion II (1991) #1 US Billboard, 7x Platinum
The Spaghetti Incident? (1993) #4 US Billboard, Platinum
Live Era '87-'93 (1999) #45 US Billboard, Gold
Greatest Hits (2004) #3 US Billboard, 3x Platinum
Chinese Democracy (2008) #3 US Billboard, Platinum
The above figures represent US sales only and do not constitute worldwide figures, which are much higher.
9 Garden Of Eden
Guns N' Roses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a mass of confusion, like the lies they sell to you
You got a glass-jawed toothache of a mental disease
And they be running 'round back, see them line up on their knees
'Cause the kiss-ass sycophants, throwing penance at your feet
When they got nowhere to go
Watch them come in off the streets
Inside they're slamming to the crunch
Go on an throw me to the lions
And the whole damn screaming bunch
'Cause the pissed-off rip-offs, they're everywhere you turn
Tell me how a generation's ever supposed to learn
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop
It's rock n' roll
I read it on a wall, it went straight to my head
It said, "Dance to the tension of a world on edge"
We got racial violence, and who'll cast the first stone?
And sex is used any way it can be
Sometimes, when I look out, it's hard to see the day
It's a feeling, you can have it, it's not mine to take away
Lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
And there's no one who's gonna believe this
But we're lost in the Garden of Eden
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop
It's rock n' roll
Suck on that
Looking through this point of view
There's no way I'm gonna fit in
No, you tell me what my eyes see
Don't you tell me who to believe in
I ain't superstitious, but I know when something's wrong
I've been dragging my heels with a bitch called hope
Let the undercurrent drag me along
Lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
And there's no one who's gonna believe this
But we're lost in the Garden of Eden, come on
Most organized religions make a mockery of humanity
Our governments are dangerous and out of control
The Garden of Eden is just another graveyard
Said, if they had someone to buy it
Said, I'm sure they'd sell my soul
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop
It's rock n' roll
Lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, there's no one who's gonna believe this
But we're lost in the Garden of Eden
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop
It's rock n' roll
"Garden of Eden" by Guns N' Roses is a song that portrays a critical and confusing solution to problems in the world, especially on the east coast. The lyrics describe mental and physical diseases that make people kneel due to their weaknesses. It also talks about the sycophants who try to plea for mercy, but it is all in vain. The song talks about the fact that the youth is caught up in moral decay, with religious and political leaders misleading the people further. The whole idea is to dance to the tension of a world on edge and enjoy Rock and Roll.
The writer read it on a wall that "Dance to the tension of a world on edge," indicating that the youth should learn to enjoy their lives in the present moments despite the chaos around them. The Garden of Eden mentioned refers to a disordered and chaotic world that goes against nature, leading to oppressed individuals for their sexual and racial identities.
Rock and Roll is introduced as the only solution for the chaos around us. The whole song tries to emphasize that we need to learn to accept each other for our differences, live together and enjoy our individuality. It is a lyrical masterpiece that is relevant even to-date as we live in a world that continues to experience social injustices and disorientation.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a critical solution, and the east coast got the blues
The situation is very serious and urgent, and people on the East Coast are feeling depressed and hopeless.
It's a mass of confusion, like the lies they sell to you
Everything is chaotic and unclear, just like the false information that is being fed to the masses.
You got a glass-jawed toothache of a mental disease
Your mind is fragile and vulnerable, and you are suffering from a painful mental illness.
And they be running 'round back, see them line up on their knees
People are scrambling and groveling for a way out, even if it means giving up their dignity.
'Cause the kiss-ass sycophants, throwing penance at your feet
Those who suck up to those in power are offering meaningless apologies and trying to appease those in charge.
When they got nowhere to go
These people have no other options or alternatives.
Watch them come in off the streets
Even the homeless and destitute are coming out to find answers.
While they're banging out front
People are making noise and causing a commotion outside.
Inside they're slamming to the crunch
But inside, everyone is struggling and dealing with their own problems.
Go on an throw me to the lions
People are willing to risk everything, even their lives, to stand up for what they believe in.
And the whole damn screaming bunch
Everyone is angry and frustrated, and their cries for justice are loud and clear.
'Cause the pissed-off rip-offs, they're everywhere you turn
People who are angry and feel cheated can be found everywhere, and they are not going to back down.
Tell me how a generation's ever supposed to learn
How can young people learn from this broken and corrupt society?
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
The situation has spiraled out of control, and it's not something that can be easily extinguished.
It's not a problem you can stop
This is not a problem that can be solved quickly or easily.
It's rock n' roll
This is the rebellious spirit and raw passion of rock music that fuels people's desire for change.
I read it on a wall, it went straight to my head
A message I read on a wall deeply affected me and made me think.
It said, "Dance to the tension of a world on edge"
The message encouraged me to embrace the anxiety and tension in the world and find a way to move forward despite the chaos.
We got racial violence, and who'll cast the first stone?
There is violence and conflict rooted in racism, and no one seems willing to take the first step toward healing and reconciliation.
And sex is used any way it can be
People are using sex as a means of control or personal gain, regardless of the harm it may cause others.
Sometimes, when I look out, it's hard to see the day
The situation seems so bleak and hopeless that it's hard to imagine a brighter future.
It's a feeling, you can have it, it's not mine to take away
This overwhelming sense of despair is something that everyone experiences in their own way, and I cannot change that.
Lost in the Garden of Eden
We are all lost in a world that is supposed to be perfect, but it has been corrupted and twisted beyond recognition.
And there's no one who's gonna believe this
Even though the situation is dire and we are all struggling, there are people who refuse to acknowledge or believe that anything is wrong.
Most organized religions make a mockery of humanity
Many religions have lost sight of their true purpose and have become a source of oppression and division, rather than love and unity.
Our governments are dangerous and out of control
Those in power have become corrupt and do not have the best interests of the people in mind.
The Garden of Eden is just another graveyard
This idealized world we were promised is nothing more than a cemetery of lost hope and dreams.
Said, if they had someone to buy it
If anyone was willing to take the Garden of Eden off our hands, they could have it.
Said, I'm sure they'd sell my soul
The powers that be would sell anyone's soul if it meant they could profit from it.
Suck on that
This is the harsh truth that people need to hear, whether they want to or not.
Looking through this point of view
From my perspective and experiences, I cannot fit into this broken system.
There's no way I'm gonna fit in
I cannot conform or assimilate into a society that does not value human life or dignity.
No, you tell me what my eyes see
Others may try to tell me how to interpret the world around me, but I trust my own observations and experiences.
Don't you tell me who to believe in
I will not let anyone sway my beliefs or values for their own gain.
I ain't superstitious, but I know when something's wrong
I may not believe in superstitions, but I can sense when something is amiss or unjust.
I've been dragging my heels with a bitch called hope
I have held onto the hope that things will improve, even though it feels like I am only delaying the inevitable.
Let the undercurrent drag me along
I have resigned myself to the forces beyond my control and will go with the flow.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Saul Hudson, Izzy Stradlin, Duff Rose Mckagan, Darren A. Reed, Matt Sorum, W. Axl Rose
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joshuasizemore4862
[Intro]
It's a critical solution, and the east coast got the blues
It's a mass of confusion, like the lies they sell to you
[Verse 1]
You got a glass-jawed toothache of a mental disease
And they be running 'round back, see them line up on their knees
'Cause the kiss-ass sycophants, throwing penance at your feet
When they got nowhere to go, watch them come in off the streets
While they're banging out front inside they're slamming to the crunch
Go on an throw me to the lions and the whole damn screaming bunch
'Cause the pissed-off rip-offs, they're everywhere you turn
Tell me how a generation's ever supposed to learn
[Bridge]
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem, you can stop, it's rock n' roll
[Verse 2]
I read it on a wall, it went straight to my head
It said, "Dance to the tension of a world on edge"
We got racial violence, and who'll cast the first stone?
And sex is used anyway it can be
Sometimes, when I look out, it's hard to see the day
It's a feeling, you can have it, it's not mine to take away
[Chorus]
Lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
And there's no one who's gonna believe this
But we're lost in the Garden of Eden
[Post-Chorus]
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem, you can stop, it's rock n' roll
Suck on that
[Verse 3]
Looking through this point of view, there's no way I'm gonna fit in
No, you tell me what my eyes see, don't you tell me who to believe in
I ain't superstitious, but I know when something's wrong
I've been dragging my heels with a bitch called hope
Let the undercurrent drag me along
[Chorus]
Lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
And there's no one who's gonna believe this
But we're lost in the Garden of Eden, come on
[Guitar Solo]
[Verse 4]
Most organized religions make a mockery of humanity
Our governments are dangerous and out of control
The Garden of Eden is just another graveyard
Said, if they had someone to buy it, said, I'm sure they'd sell my soul
[Pre-Chorus]
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem, you can stop, it's rock n' roll
[Chorus]
Lost in the Garden of Eden
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
(And we ain't talkin' about no poison apple
Or some missin' rib, ya hear?)
Said, there's no one who's gonna believe this
Said, we're lost in the Garden of Eden
[Outro]
This fire is burning, and it's out of control
It's not a problem, you can stop, it's rock n' roll
@UncleAxl
Producers: ok Axl we need a new video but we only have five dollars, one camera and two crackheads.
Axl: SAY NO MORE!
@DemonOfRazgriz8492
Pretty accurate
@Ancoses
At first I didn’t understand
I was like “there’s only one axl” 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@arodmitton
Slash: Can I at least wear my hat?
Producers: No
@bobbastion7335
..............hold my tiny silver spoon.
@fajaradi1223
But ... But ... But ...
How we will pay the lighting guy?
@sunrayu
I love how at the beginning Slash was out of the frame, and when the staff dragged him into view he was still going at his guitar like nothing's happening. That was awesome.
@avax2727
Yeah they had to move no into frame lmaooo
@thetraveler9229
And he (staff) also stumbled!! Lol
@jamesriver3745
me too! It's funny because I never even noticed back in the day!