Why Guns N' Roses? Naming a Rock Group
How Talented Punk Metal Musicians Became Best Band in Los Angeles
Dec 1, 2008
W. Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin grew up together in the relatively small town of Lafayette in the American mid-western state of Indiana. Izzy left for Los Angeles first, and Axl followed a few months later. They formed a band together called Rose, before adding Hollywood before the Rose. However this didn’t last long and the band soon split.
Rose Meets Guns
Axl then joined a band called LA Guns, which was led by guitarist Tracii Guns. Slash (Saul Hudson), an integral member of the classic Guns N’ Roses line-up was briefly a member of the band, but he didn’t like playing second fiddle to a less skilled guitarist, so he soon left.
Axl and Izzy got a special gig for Hollywood Rose on New Year’s Eve, 1984, and Axl persuaded Tracii Guns to guitar for them. The success of the show persuaded the band to continue with the line-up that played on the night, but Axl wasn’t happy with continuing as LA Guns, and Tracii didn’t think Hollywood Rose appropriate.
If Not Hollywood Rose or LA Guns, How About Guns N’ Roses
The two leaders compromised on Guns N’ Roses, and that was the birth of the band that would dominate the world for the next ten years.
Their first gig was at the Troubador in Los Angeles on March 26th, 1985, with a flyer for the gig proclaiming that “LA Guns and Hollywood Rose presents the band Guns N’ Roses”.
The Arrival of Duff McKagan
Bassist Ole Beich departed early the next year, and Guns N’ Roses advertised for a new member. A young bassist called Michael “Duff” McKagan was the only applicant for the empty position. Punk loving Duff had recently moved to LA from Seattle, but had already briefly joined Slash and a drummer called Steven Adler in a group called Road Crew.
Duff was eager for action, and feeling that Guns N’ Roses wasn't active enough he took it upon himself to book them some gigs up the West Coast.
The Classic Line-up is Formed
However, Tracii Guns and drummer Rob Gardener pulled out a few days before the inaugural tour, and so Duff invited his old Road Crew mates, Slash and Steve.
So the five piece that would become world superstars by the end of the next year set off up the West Coast for what became a nightmare few weeks. Their van broke down and they had to hitch, and they got ripped off after reaching the gigs and playing.
But the music was good enough to give them inspiration, and it wasn’t long before the whole world knew the name Guns N’ Roses.
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