Mick Wall, one of the foremost authorities on rock music, has been rreporting on Guns N Roses since log before they were a household name. In fact, he was so close to them that when he covered some of their more scandalous behavior, they were angry enough to scold him on their most recent album in "Get In The Ring." Here, he draws on exclusive interviews with the band spanning several years to give the dedicated fan as well as the newcomer a full range of the GN'R experience.
Capturing their essence of Guns N' Roses' charisma and success, Wall has also traced some of the most outrageous and candid pronouncements ever made on the world of rock 'n' roll. In their own words, we hear the band members' version of events preceding the St. Louis riot, and why drummer Steven Adler finally left the band for good. We also find out exactly why the Indiana-born Billy Bailey changed his name to W. Axl Rose and how, if it weren't for a car accident, their new keyboard player Dizzy, would have joined the band three years earlier.
This brutally honest account covers the early days in L.A., when the Gunners were iving in other people's garages and scrounging for cash. Axl and Slash talk about Steve's losing battle with drugs, and the endless delay in the release of the Illsuioins albums.
Alan Nivens, GN'Rs recently fired manager, speaks candidly about his tour of duty withthe rising band, and about the members that he does and doesn't miss. Wall follows GN'R tours in Rio, England, and the United States, giving gritty backstage — as well as front-row — drama.
Here are some of their unguarded quotes on a full range of topics:
Axl on money: "We stopped counting after $100 million."
Slash on sex: "It's usually around six in the morning and the only girls left hanging around look like something out of the Evil Dead. The trick is just to take 'em up to your room and start drinking until they start to look good."
Duff on drugs: "Sure, sure, of course…Everybody in this band has had his bouts with drugs. You got any?"
