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The Tapes Archive

#52 Axl Rose (Gun N' Roses) 1987 Interview

The Tapes Archive
The Tapes Archive
In this episode, we have Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose. At the time of this interview in 1987, Rose was 25 years old and was promoting an upcoming tour of Japan. Appetite for Destruction hadn’t even cracked the top-selling 50 albums, and it would be at least another seven months before the band really took off. In the interview, Rose talks about growing up in Indiana, the making of Appetite for Destruction, whether he murdered a dog, and which band is the biggest sellout. 
The interview is conducted by Steve Harris. To learn more about Steve, who is new to The Tapes Archive team, please check out our podcast-only interview with him which is out now.
In the interview, Rose talks about:

Going back home to Indiana

How closed off Indiana is

What he draws from conservatism

How he left home at age 16

Whether he murdered a dog

Guns N’ Roses’ early success in England

How the crowds are different in the United States 

Gaining more confidence as a live band

Fred Coury, Cinderella, playing for Steven Adler

How he stays fit for concerts

Whether he’s ready for a long tour

People he aspires to be

Mötley Crüe

The recording process for Appetite for Destruction

What would he change on the album

Producers who were considered before Mike Clink

Paul Stanley of KISS as a potential producer

His vision for the record

What success means to him

Whether it bothers him to be compared with Faster Pussycat and Poison

How long it took to get the right lineup for Guns N’ Roses

The tepid response so far to Appetite for Destruction

The limited radio and video play the band was getting

What happens if Appetite for Destruction sells poorly

Slash drinking and driving

What he will do if he leaves the music biz

Working with Izzy Stradlin

When he is happiest

When he is most frustrated

Why he feels Guns N’ Roses is not getting played on the radio

What band he thinks is the biggest sellout

His hopes that Sweet Child O’ MIne will be a hit

Whether he objects to being labeled as heavy metal 

His love for the band Queen

Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and Pete Townshend

His thoughts on fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp

How he and Izzy cannot wait to play Japan

Some ‘80’s racist comments that were not considered racist at the time

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