The Tapes Archive

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

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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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