Guns N’ Roses was formed in Los Angeles in March 1985 by singer Axl Rose and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin of Hollywood Rose, along with lead guitarist Tracii Guns, bassist Ole Beich, and drummer Rob Gardner of L.A. Guns. The band coined its name by combining the names of both previous groups. The classic lineup, as signed to Geffen Records in 1986, consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. The band has released six studio albums to date, accumulating sales of more than 100 million records worldwide, including shipments of 45 million in the United States, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time.
Flip through the gallery for 10 Things You Might Not Know About Guns N’ Roses!
Their debut album was released in 1987 and has sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide, including more than 18 million units sold in the United States. It has been certified 18× platinum by the RIAA making it the best-selling record released on Geffen and the best-selling debut album of all time in the U.S.
The album's original cover art, based on Robert Williams' painting "Appetite for Destruction," depicted a robotic rapist about to be punished by a metal avenger. After several music retailers refused to stock the album, the label compromised and put the controversial cover art inside
Welcome To The Jungle was featured in the 1988 Dirty Harry film The Dead Pool, starring Clint Eastwood & Jim Carrey, and members of the band had a cameo appearance in the film
Sweet Child O' Mine was co-written by Axl Rose as a poem for his then-girlfriend Erin Everly, daughter of Don Everly of the Everly Brothers
The Riverport Riot occurred on July 2, 1991 during the band's performance of "Rocket Queen," the 15th song in the set, when Axl Rose pointed out a fan who was taking pictures of the show. Rose was charged with having incited the riot, but police were unable to arrest him until almost a year later, as the band went overseas to continue the tour
When the band released their two ‘Use Your Illusion’ albums the following year after the riot, the liner notes featured a hidden message amidst the 'Thank You' section which read “F— You, St. Louis!
Axl Rose had originally wanted labelmates Nirvana to open their 1992 Use Your Illusion Tour, but frontman Kurt Cobain refused. Instead, Queen guitarist Brian May opened the shows with a band that included Cozy Powell on drums
The band’s current rhythm guitarist is St. Louis native Richard Fortus. Fortus joined Guns N’ Roses in 2001 and was an original member of Pale Divine
The band’s first studio album since 1993 was released on November 23, 2008 and debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 261,000 copies in its first week, well below expectations. It racked up an estimated $14 million in production costs, making it the most expensive album to ever be produced in music history
The band's classic lineup, along with later members Dizzy Reed and drummer Matt Sorum, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, their first year of eligibility. Axl Rose refused to attend the ceremony
