†Guns N` Roses†

                                                          Guns N`Roses

This is a posed photo of the original band. The original band members were: SLASH, lead guitar; Axl Rose, lead vocals; Duff McKagan, bass; Izzy Stradlin, rhythm guitar; Steven Adler, drums. In the photograph at right: the hardworking band that once called themselves family.

SLASH was born in Hampstead (London), EnThe L.A. rock music scene at the time was split down the center between rough-and-ready punk rock and hair spray-soaked glam rock/heavy metal, and Rose wanted to form an outfit that borrowed equally from each genre.Stradlin and Rose plowed through several outfits that went nowhere (Hollywood Rose being one) before hooking up with fellow streetwise rockers Slash( real name Saul Hudson), Duff Mckagan , and Steven Adler. After slugging it out on the Sunset Strip and honing their act, the newly christened Guns N`Roses signed a recording contract with Geffen Records after issuing an independent live EP (1986's Live Like a Suicide). Their full-length debut, Appetite for Destruction, was released a year later, and at first the public didn't know what to make of the album or the band. Slowly but surely, rock's fickle audience came around, and by summer 1988, Guns N`Roses was fast becoming one of the world's top rock bands (on the strength of such hit singles/MTV-saturated videos as "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and "Paradise City").gland on July 23, 1965, and he was raised in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, England. His given name is Saul Hudson. His mother is a Black American, and his father is a white Englishman. Both parents are artistic and work in theentertainment field. His mother is a clothing designer for entertainers. She designed some of David Bowie's unforgettable costumes. His father provides art direction for record albums. Two notable clients are Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.

In the mid-1970's, his parents separated. SLASH moved in with his beloved grandmother until he could sort out the situation at home. About this time SLASH discovered BMX (bicycle motorcrossing), joined up with a group of kids, and rode with a passion. It's not surprising to hear that SLASH would ride without brakes! SLASH eventually became a professional BMX biker winning awards and money for his great riding.

Soon the bike was put aside. SLASH devoted at least 12 hours a day to playing guitar. His schoolwork suffered when he skipped classes and sat in the bleachers all day playing guitar. School may have suffered, but his social life got better! The other kids now thought SLASH was cool, and he was no longer a social outcast. SLASH joined band after band jamming with other young musicians. Eventually, SLASH gave up on school and dropped out in eleventh grade. Another education was waiting for him in the L.A. band scene. SLASH met Steven Adler, formed the band Road Crew, and was looking for a good singer. Then he met Izzy Stradlin who played him a tape of W. Axl Rose singing. SLASH went to see Axl perform and immediately wanted to steal him from Izzy, but the two Indiana natives were fast friends. SLASH found his bass player in Duff McKagan when Duff answered an ad SLASH had placed in the paper. All the players changed combinations, but the result was Guns N'Roses! With a lot of talent and a lot of drive, the band became an international success story.

Slash:Guns N`Roses: When they first began. SLASH's best friend in the band was Steven Adler. They had gone to school together and Steven's instrumenents and albums got SLASH really interested in music. The two formed several bands together before GNR; the best known is Road Crew. Steven, SLASH and Izzy became heavy drug users while Duff abused alcohol. Axl got the band to clean up by threatening to dissolve GNR. Everyone straightened out except Steven. Steven continued to play erratically. It was a hard time for SLASH when Steven's performance became steadily worse, and he had to be fired. Steven retaliated by suing the band for his share of the "Appetite for Destruction" record sales.

He takes much better care of his health in his mid-thirties. SLASH was married to Renee Suran, and he became a one-woman man. When that marriage ended in divorce, SLASH eventually married Perla Ferrar. They are expecting their first child in the fall of 2002. Days of living on the streets or in ratholes in L.A. are a thing of the past. SLASH lives very comfortably, but his street smarts haven't deserted him. It seems he can go anywhere and fit in. It's nice to have these cute pictures to remember that younger, wilder SLASH.

AXL: William Bruce Rose was born on February 6, 1962, in Lafayette, IN, and suffered sexual abuse from his biological father and physical abuse from his eventual stepfather at an early age (Rose changed his name to William Bailey after his mother remarried). Rose was also an outcast in school, where he was picked on for being "different," but found solace in singing with his school and church vocal choir and eventually rock music. His rough teenage years were eased a bit when he befriended a Keith Richards-worshipping chap by the name of Jeff Isbell, who shared Rose's interest in music. Isbell left Indiana for the streets of Los Angeles in the early '80s with hopes of forming a rock band, and Rose followed shortly thereafter, changing his name to W. Axl Rose (while Isbell soon adopted the name Izzy Stradlin.

   The L.A rock music scene at the time was split down the center between rough-and-ready punk rock and hair spray-soaked glam rock/heavy metal, and Rose wanted to form an outfit that borrowed equally from each genre.Stradlin and Rose plowed through several outfits that went nowhere (Hollywood Rose being one) before hooking up with fellow streetwise rockers Slash( real name Saul Hudson), Duff Mckagan , and Steven Adler. After slugging it out on the Sunset Strip and honing their act, the newly christened Guns N`Roses signed a recording contract with Geffen Records after issuing an independent live EP (1986's Live Like a Suicide). Their full-length debut, Appetite for Destruction, was released a year later, and at first the public didn't know what to make of the album or the band. Slowly but surely, rock's fickle audience came around, and by summer 1988, Guns N`Roses was fast becoming one of the world's top rock bands (on the strength of such hit singles/MTV-saturated videos as "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and "Paradise City").