Think of stadium rock in the 1980s and one band instantly springs to mind: Guns N’ Roses. Spurred by an egotistical frontman - and three indisputably excellent albums - the band rocketed to stardom and a life of sex, drugs and rock and roll. As with so many bright stars, the Gunners burnt out almost as quickly, enjoying only five years at the top. Their hedonistic lifestyle defined them, but, ultimately proved to be their undoing.
A product of the Los Angeles rock scene, Guns N’ Roses was born in 1985 as the amalgam of two existing bands: Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns. Hollywood Rose singer Axl Rose and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin teamed up with L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns, bassist Loe Beich and drummer Rob Gardner. A flyer advertising their first show at The Troubadour nightclub, on 26 March 1985, displayed the new name after reportedly rejecting the names Heads of Amazon and AIDS. The band played several shows around California with fluctuating line-ups. Beich was replaced on bass by Duff McKagan and after Guns and Gardner failed to show for several concerts, guitarist Slash and drummer Steven Adler replaced them.
On 6 June 1985, Guns N’ Roses played the Troubadour with the line-up that would take them to stardom: Axl, Slash, Izzy, Duff and Steve. Two days later, the band played in Seattle, hitch-hiking to the gig after their van broke down, getting paid just $50 and being seen by only 13 people.
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