Appetite For Destruction: The Days Of Guns N' Roses

by Danny Sugerman

Details the unlikely rise of five under-educated, drug-using, rebellious kids to the top of the charts as Guns 'n' Roses, a rock group whose first album sold fifteen million copies

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Music Biography

246 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1991

About the author

Daniel Stephen Sugerman (aka Danny) was the second manager of the Los Angeles based rock band The Doors, and wrote several books about Jim Morrison and The Doors.

Reviews

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love it.

While I always love to read books about this great band, I kind of had a tough time with this one. I liked reading all about their rise to fame. That was interesting. But the constant comparisons to Jim Morrison and to Greek Gods weirded me out a little. I just wanted a straight up bio and it was a bit fawning. I love Greek Mythology but got a bit tired of all the Mythological references and symbolism.

It is an easy read for the most part but was not my favorite musician bio out there.

[TeeKay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book hoping for a straight up band biography including various anecdotes from their Appetite years. My expectations were not met in this sense.

Only about half of the book actually focuses on the band, and most of that half concerns Axl. The other half of the book is more of a sociological and philosophical essay relating to rock music in general, Greek Gods, drugs and various other famous authors. The philosophical and esoteric stuff is surely great for those who are interested in it, but it wasn't what I was looking for, and certainly was not suggested in the synopsis of this book.

Overall this book was OK, but I wouldn't recommend for anyone looking for a straight forward band bio.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little too much detail into their sex lives, I am scarred for life.

[Eva Blackhawk · Rating 1 out of 5]

rock n roll will always be cool- the take feels very generic. upsetting racial undertones, shallow analysis

[Karl · Rating 1 out of 5]

One percent of the book is about Gun and Roses. Ninety-nine percent of the book is off subject.

[Helen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not like it - felt like I was reading an English paper on Greek mythology, drugs, alcohol and shamans and dead poets. There was maybe ten pages actually about Guns n Roses.

[Speck Rejk · Rating 2 out of 5]

I counted the name, "Dionysus " used at least 67 times in this , the most pretentious book ive read .
Worth it to read about the band , which is 1/3 of the book , the rest of which is philosophical gobbledy gook you could instinctually figure if youve had the slightest encounter with rock. That 1/3 which doesnt say a word about recording/writing and has no 1st hand interviews, and very little from the nonsinging part of the band quickly devolves into axl worship.
Worth it to read the sparce parts with actual physical happenings with the band , but skip any page where gnr isnt mentioned because it its just about mythology, sometimes going for more than 5 pages without mentioning gnr! Has a couple good glossy photos. Very non-down to earth , which is the opposite of gnr.
--
(Page by page..)

So far, this is not down to earth gnr history, and is talking about mythology

P30
P46
Alright, im starting to skip any pages that dont talk about gnr- rilly ridiculous. Dionysus is mentioned more than axl

Ok. Just skip the first 2 chptrs and youll be fine. Still , more detail and investigation went into jung then the band members

P66
Ya, just skip the first two chaptrs , and its grraat

P80
Pleeze Stop mentioning Dionysuss😫😫

P92 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️


Most pretentious book ive ever read

P147
Wouldve liked to see kurts reaction to axl also liking frances

P182-
At this point we’re not even pretending to talk about gnr- you can go 5 pages without even mentioning the band. If slaveowners were such meanies and so perturbed, um, Why did they even LET the africans play music and dance loudly ?!?

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does not measure up to Sugerman's other literary efforts namely his bio of Jim Morrison and his account of his drug addiction (Wonderland Avenue). Perhaps it is because the reader can't make the leap of faith and put Guns and Roses in the same league as The Doors. Form a band, crank up an amp, grow your hair down to your ass, do a lot of drugs, wear shades wherever you go, use two swear words per sentence and choregraph a few arrests. Make sure your fans know the details of your decadence. Add to the myth by cranking out books like this.
Getting wasted and writing great music used to be hip and cool back in 1960s LA. But the next generation took it to an extreme ... can you keep track of all these guys? Guns and Roses, Motley Crue, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Poison ...
This rock n roll decadence/destruction story really starts to get boring. The only decent entry in this genre that displayed any genuine emotion was Anthony Kiedis' Scar Tissue.
Perhaps the flaw is that Sugerman is a roadie, not a performer so he may lack insights into the music.
Don't mean to diss the late Danny but his other books were far superior.

[Carac Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Appetite for Destruction: The Days of Guns N' Roses" tells the story of how GNR climbed above the hair metal bands in Hollywood to become America's most dangerous and genuine rock n roll outfit.

But that's only half the book. The other half is an essay on the classic roots of rock, the gods of ecstasy, our psychological need for chemical escape and how Axl Rose is the shaman driving the dance.

It's a good accompanying title if you're reading any of the big rock titles: Sugarman's own "No One Here Gets Out Alive" or "Hammer of the Gods" or "Slash".

Carac

[Cyssah Olyver · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are many interesting information about the band, but nothing new. Most things people have probably alredy read in any magazine. Considering their relation to drugs and behavior towards people around them, I find it surprisingly that they became so famous and also that it lasted for so long. They were so lucky for having good songs.