The Tapes Archive

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

Listen Later

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

    • Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    The Tapes ArchiveBy Osiris Media
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    73 ratings

    More shows like The Tapes Archive

    View all
    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,244 Listeners

    The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    228,410 Listeners

    Helping Friendly Podcast by Osiris Media

    Helping Friendly Podcast

    492 Listeners

    Under the Scales by Osiris Media

    Under the Scales

    1,430 Listeners

    Timesuck with Dan Cummins by Dan Cummins

    Timesuck with Dan Cummins

    22,189 Listeners

    This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von by Theo Von

    This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

    28,165 Listeners

    Brokedown Podcast by BrokedownPod / Osiris Media

    Brokedown Podcast

    227 Listeners

    Bluest Tape by Harvey Couch, Jeff Kollath

    Bluest Tape

    70 Listeners

    No Simple Road by Osiris Media / No Simple Road Media

    No Simple Road

    440 Listeners

    The Road to Now by RTN Productions

    The Road to Now

    609 Listeners

    Deconversion Therapy by deconversiontherapy

    Deconversion Therapy

    573 Listeners

    The Big Picture by The Ringer

    The Big Picture

    5,714 Listeners

    Rock N Roll Archaeology by Pantheon Media

    Rock N Roll Archaeology

    252 Listeners

    Touchdowns All Day with Jon Barber & Max Dawson by Jon Barber/OsirisMedia

    Touchdowns All Day with Jon Barber & Max Dawson

    357 Listeners

    Inside the Musician's Brain by Christopher Pandolfi / Osiris Media

    Inside the Musician's Brain

    259 Listeners

    After Midnight: Phish's Big Cypress Festival by Osiris Media

    After Midnight: Phish's Big Cypress Festival

    391 Listeners

    The Shawn Ryan Show by Shawn Ryan

    The Shawn Ryan Show

    46,070 Listeners