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Appetite for Destruction
Studio album by Guns N' Roses
Released July 21, 1987
December 9, 2008 (reissue)
Recorded Rumbo Studios, Canoga Park, California; Take One Studio, Burbank, California; Can Am Studio, Tarzana, California[1]
Genre Hard rock, heavy metal[2]
Length 53:50
Label Geffen
Interscope (reissue)
Producer Mike Clink
Professional reviews
Guns N' Roses chronology
Appetite for Destruction
(1987)		 G N' R Lies
(1988)
The original cover

Appetite for Destruction is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. Released in 1987 (see 1987 in music), it was well-received by critics and topped the American Billboard 200 chart. As of September 2008, the album has been certified diamond (plus 18x platinum) by the RIAA,[3] accumulating worldwide sales in excess of thirty-three million as of October 2008.[4] The album is the best-selling debut album of all-time worldwide.[5]

Contents

Origins

Axl Rose stated in 1988 that many of the songs featured on the album had been written while the band had been performing on the Los Angeles club circuit, and a number of songs that would be featured on later Guns N' Roses albums were considered for Appetite for Destruction, such as "Back Off Bitch," "You Could Be Mine" and "Don't Cry".[6]

While the songwriting credits are credited to all five band members, many of the songs began as solo tracks that individual band members wrote separate from the band, only to be completed later. These songs include "It's So Easy" (McKagan) and "Think About You" (Stradlin). "Rocket Queen" was an unfinished Slash/Adler song that was written from their earlier band Road Crew, whereas "Anything Goes", written by Hollywood Rose and included in their compilation album The Roots of Guns N' Roses, was later re-written for Appetite.

Other songs on the album reflect the band's reaction to the debauchery of the L.A. rock and roll underground, like "Welcome to the Jungle" (Rose wrote the lyrics while in Seattle about when he encountered a man on the sidewalks of New York City shortly after arriving there from Indiana).[7] Some of the songs focus on the band members' younger years, like "Out ta Get Me", which focuses on lead singer Axl Rose's constant trouble with the law as a youth in Indiana.[8] The band also based songs on their assorted female companions, reflected in the songs "Sweet Child o' Mine," "Think About You," "My Michelle," "You're Crazy," and "Rocket Queen."

Song information

For info on other songs, see the individual song articles linked in the track listing.

Out ta Get Me

This is the fourth track on the album.

Its lyrics focus on lead singer Axl Rose's constant trouble with the law as a youth in Indiana. Slash describes it as being written even more quickly than "Welcome to the Jungle", which means it was written in under three hours.[8] The song was covered by Marq Torien of hair metal band BulletBoys[9].

You're Crazy

"You're Crazy" is the tenth track on the album. It was originally written as an acoustic song, but was revamped for Appetite for Destruction[10] (this version is one of the fastest songs in the band's catalog). The slower, acoustic version was later recorded for G N' R Lies; this version has also been performed live with electric guitars (as heard on their live album).

A working title for the song was "Fucking Crazy".[10]

Anything Goes

"Anything Goes" is the penultimate track on the album. It was one of the earliest-written songs by the band, having been written in 1981.[11] It was originally named "My Way, Your Way."[12]

Packaging

The album's original cover art, based on the 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, replacing it with an image depicting a cross and skulls of the five band members (designed by Billy White Jr., originally as a tattoo), each skull representing one member of the band: Izzy Stradlin, top skull; Steven Adler, left skull; Axl Rose, center skull; Duff McKagan, right skull; and Slash, bottom skull. The photographs used for the back of the album and liner notes were taken by Robert John. The original cover was supposed to be on the 2008 re-pressing of the vinyl, though the record label replaced it with the "Skulls" art at the last minute.[13] The re-pressing of the vinyl, though, is the first Guns N' Roses release to have the Parental Advisory label printed on the artwork; previously, like on the CD, this was a sticker on the cellophane wrap and later (on the CD and cassette releases) on the case itself.

Achievements

  • In 1989 Rolling Stone ranked Appetite for Destruction as the 20th best album of the 1980s.
  • The same magazine later ranked it at sixty-one on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[14]
  • In 2001, Q magazine named Appetite for Destruction as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time.[15]
  • In 2004, Q magazine also named Appetite for Destruction as one of the greatest Classic rock Albums Ever.[16]
  • In 2003, VH1 named Appetite for Destruction the 42nd Greatest Album of All Time.[17]
  • In 2002, Pitchfork Media ranked Appetite for Destruction 59th on their Top 100 Albums of the 1980s.[18]
  • It was ranked 18 in Spin magazine's "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005".[19]
  • Kerrang! magazine recently compiled a 100 Greatest Rock Albums Ever list of which Appetite for Destruction was ranked #1.[20]
  • In 2004 the album was voted number 1 by fans in Metal Hammer magazine's greatest albums of all time list.
  • Rolling Stone devoted their cover to the album's 20th Anniversary, July 2007.[21]
  • The album was ranked 32 on Rock Hall of Fame's 'definitive 200' album list, developed by the NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.[22]
  • Nike dedicated an SB Dunk (shoe design) to the album.
  • In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at #10 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s". [23]

Track listing

All songs credited to Guns N' Roses; "It's So Easy" co-credited to West Arkeen and "Anything Goes" co-credited to Chris Weber.[24] Actual writers and composers listed.

Track Title Lyrics Music Length
1. "Welcome to the Jungle"   Axl Rose Slash 4:34
2. "It's So Easy"   Duff McKagan, West Arkeen McKagan, Arkeen 3:23
3. "Nightrain"   McKagan, Rose Izzy Stradlin, McKagan, Slash 4:29
4. "Out ta Get Me"   Rose, Stradlin Slash, Rose, Stradlin 4:24
5. "Mr. Brownstone"   Stradlin, Slash Slash, Stradlin 3:49
6. "Paradise City"   Rose, McKagan Slash 6:46
7. "My Michelle"   Rose Rose, Stradlin 3:40
8. "Think About You"   Stradlin Stradlin 3:52
9. "Sweet Child o' Mine"   Rose Slash 5:55
10. "You're Crazy"   Rose, Stradlin Slash, Stradlin 3:17
11. "Anything Goes"   Stradlin, Rose Stradlin, Rose, Chris Weber 3:26
12. "Rocket Queen"   Rose Slash, McKagan 6:13

Personnel

Guns N' Roses
Additional personnel
  • Andy Udoff – engineering assistance
  • Jeff Poe – engineering assistance
  • Robert Williams – paintings
  • Michael Hodgson – art direction, design
  • Robert John – photography
  • Jack Lue – photography
  • Greg Freeman – photography

Chart positions

Album

Year Chart Position
1988 The Billboard 200 1
1989

Singles

Year Song Chart Peak position[25]
1988 "Sweet Child O' Mine" Billboard Hot 100 1
Mainstream Rock Tracks 7
"Welcome to the Jungle" Billboard Hot 100 7
Mainstream Rock Tracks 37
"Nightrain" Billboard Hot 100 93
1989 Mainstream Rock Tracks 26
"Paradise City" Billboard Hot 100 5
Mainstream Rock Tracks 14

See also

Marshall Amplifier's recreation of the sound used on Appetite for Destruction [1]

References

  • Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-201-2. 
  • Davis, Stephen (2008). Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N' Roses. Gotham Books. ISBN 978-1-592-40377-6. 

Notes

  1. ^ "Appetite for Destruction". GnRsource. http://gnrsource.com/songinfo/afd.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  2. ^ Buckley 2003, p. 929, "It remains among the few LPs of the '70s able to stand toe to toe with modern metal masterpieces such as Metallica's Master of Puppets and Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction"
  3. ^ "Search Results". Recording Industry Association of America. 2008-12-19. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Guns%20N%20Roses&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=CertificationDate&perPage=50. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
  4. ^ "Guns N' Roses To Release New Album - Axl Rose Is The Only Original Remaining Member". Sky News. 2008-10-23. http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Showbiz-News/Guns-N-Roses-To-Release-New-Album---Axl-Rose-Is-The-Only-Original-Remaining-Member/Article/200810415127112. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
  5. ^ Wall, Mick (2008). W.A.R.: The Unauthorized Biography of William Axl Rose. St. Martin's Press. pp. 368. ISBN 978-0312377670. 
  6. ^ Axl/Slash Interview, 1988
  7. ^ Ellin, Doug (2007-07-27). ""Welcome to the Jungle"". TV.com. http://www.tv.com/entourage/welcome-to-the-jungle/episode/1036057/summary.html. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  8. ^ a b Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. pp. 109
  9. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzfqxqlkldhe
  10. ^ a b Song info at GNRSource.com (archived copy, current version unavailable as site undergoes reconstruction)
  11. ^ Song info at GNRSource.com (archived copy, current version unavailable as site undergoes reconstruction)
  12. ^ #Davis 2008 pg 166, "Crash into "Anything Goes," originally titled "My Way Your Way" by Hollywood Rose, writted by Izzy and Chris Webber."
  13. ^ Album cover info at musicstack.com
  14. ^ ""Appetite for Destruction - Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"". Rolling Stone. 2003-11-03. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6597908/61_appetite_for_destruction. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  15. ^ "In our Lifetime #2". Q magazine. 2001-10-01. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage2.html#50%20Heaviest. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  16. ^ http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/q_mojo_se.htm#Classic%20Rock
  17. ^ "VH1 Ranks 100 Best Rock Albums". The Associated Press. 2001-01-04. http://babellist.xnet2.com/0101/msg00062.html. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  18. ^ Top 100 Albums of the 1980s
  19. ^ Barger, Al (2005-07-03). "Spin magazine's 100 Greatest Albums 1985-2005". Blog Critics magazine. http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/07/03/052023.php. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  20. ^ "Guns N' Roses news:". Here Today Gone to Hell. 2004-03-04. http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=964. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  21. ^ Hiatt, Brian (2007-07-27). "How Guns N' Roses Mixed Drugs, Punk, and Classic Rock to Make 'Appetite for Destruction'". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/15690883. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  22. ^ http://www.rockhall.com/pressroom/definitive-200
  23. ^ Q August 2006, Issue 241
  24. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Appetite for Destrucion > Overview". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wiftxqu5ldde. Retrieved 2008-12-19. 
  25. ^ "Artist Chart History - Guns N' Roses - Singles". Billboard 200. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?exp=y&Ntt=guns+n+roses&Ntk=Keyword&an=bbcom&nor=10&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&N=37. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
Preceded by
Hysteria by Def Leppard
 Billboard 200 number-one album
August 6 - August 12, 1988
September 24 - October 14, 1988
February 11 - February 17, 1989		 Succeeded by
Hysteria by Def Leppard
Roll with It by Steve Winwood
New Jersey by Bon Jovi
Guns N' Roses
Axl Rose · Dizzy Reed · Tommy Stinson · Chris Pitman · Richard Fortus · Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal · Frank Ferrer · DJ Ashba
Ole Beich · Rob Gardner · Tracii Guns · Steven Adler · Izzy Stradlin · Gilby Clarke · Matt Sorum · Slash · Duff McKagan · Josh Freese · Paul Tobias · Buckethead · Robin Finck · Bryan Mantia
Studio albums
EPs
Other albums
Use Your Illusion · Live Era: '87–'93 · Greatest Hits
Singles
Videos
Tours
Related articles
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