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Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N' Roses
With 90 million of the band's records sold worldwide since 1987, Guns N' Roses prolonged rock music past its sell-by date with controversial albums and immense, often riotous, world tours. But the band's complete story has never been fully told - until now.In his sixth major rock biography, Stephen Davis - author of the legendary Hammer of the Gods - details the riveting story of a band that originated in the gutters of Sunset Strip and went on to become the biggest, baddest band on the planet.Davis brilliantly captures the birth of Guns' raw power, which - despite rape charges, drug-induced rampages and a general appetite for destruction - launched the band into the pantheon of rock gods such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. With a wealth of detail, Davis looks at Axl's unrelenting quest to release the long-awaited, mystery-shrouded Chinese Democracy album, as well as the further adventures of some of the Gunners under the banner of the hard-rocking band Velvet Revolver.In Watch You Bleed, for the first time, millions of Guns N' Roses fans will learn the whole truth - sometimes funny, sometimes tragic - about the last of the great rock bands.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
77 people are currently reading
1815 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Davis
248 books128 followersStephen Davis is is a rock journalist and biographer, having written numerous bestsellers on rock bands, including the smash hit Hammer of the Gods. He lives in Boston.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
January 9, 2009
I have a tendency toward hyperbole, but believe me when I say that this is the most amateurish, poorly written book that I've ever read in my entire life. This includes novelizations of video games. No, I don't expect Joycean prose in a Gun's N' Roses biography, but I do expect a little talent and professionalism from the author. The only reason to read this book is if you are a moron or if you really want to know how many times Izzy accidentally ejaculated on Slash's leg.
The best way to display the author's lack of talent is to quote a couple of my favorite parts:
On an awesome show G N'R played:
"Slash and Izzy conjure the stygian murk of the La Brea Tar Pits via distortion, reverb, and feedback."
I'd bet it took Mr. Davis all night to come up with this poetic descripion. And his editor still sent it to the printer!
On Slash getting a response to an ad for a bass player:
"It was Duff. Duff McKagan."
It was Bond. James Bond. Come on!
Another irritating thing was the author's tendency to use the word "Zeppelinesque" as a descriptor for everything. If Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Hanoi Rocks are all "Zeppelinesque", then does the word even mean anything?
The lack of research done for the book is staggering. Stephen Davis apparently did what any high school freshman researcher would do when stumped by the Encyclopedia Brittannica: leaf through a bunch of magazines. Spin, Rolling Stone, Hit Parader, you name it-- he thumbed through them all looking for quality material.
I can best sum up in words that Axl Rose nearly used:
"Thanks to lame-ass book authorship, I'm going home!"
The best way to display the author's lack of talent is to quote a couple of my favorite parts:
On an awesome show G N'R played:
"Slash and Izzy conjure the stygian murk of the La Brea Tar Pits via distortion, reverb, and feedback."
I'd bet it took Mr. Davis all night to come up with this poetic descripion. And his editor still sent it to the printer!
On Slash getting a response to an ad for a bass player:
"It was Duff. Duff McKagan."
It was Bond. James Bond. Come on!
Another irritating thing was the author's tendency to use the word "Zeppelinesque" as a descriptor for everything. If Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Hanoi Rocks are all "Zeppelinesque", then does the word even mean anything?
The lack of research done for the book is staggering. Stephen Davis apparently did what any high school freshman researcher would do when stumped by the Encyclopedia Brittannica: leaf through a bunch of magazines. Spin, Rolling Stone, Hit Parader, you name it-- he thumbed through them all looking for quality material.
I can best sum up in words that Axl Rose nearly used:
"Thanks to lame-ass book authorship, I'm going home!"
December 30, 2008
this band was a big part of the development of my identity when i was 12. i was listening to Appetite for Destruction the first time i ever got drunk (and subsequently very hungover). To this day, i still feel the tinge of a hangover whenever i hear "Nightrain."
with the release (and inevitable disappointment) of Chinese Democracy, my obsession with "Guns" has somewhat been reawakened--part nostalgia-trip, part sincere appreciation for them as probably the last great rock band (as cheesey as that may be). and in that sense, this book is kind of perfect. anything you could ever want to know about guns-n-roses is in this book.
there are, however, some glaring errors on davis' part, such as saying paul stanley is the bassist for KISS. but whatever. he does his job well enough for my purposes.
with the release (and inevitable disappointment) of Chinese Democracy, my obsession with "Guns" has somewhat been reawakened--part nostalgia-trip, part sincere appreciation for them as probably the last great rock band (as cheesey as that may be). and in that sense, this book is kind of perfect. anything you could ever want to know about guns-n-roses is in this book.
there are, however, some glaring errors on davis' part, such as saying paul stanley is the bassist for KISS. but whatever. he does his job well enough for my purposes.
January 7, 2009
Not the most accurate book. It was interesting getting some back story on Axl. But it seems like the author simply wrote down the VH1 Behind the Music transcript, magazine articles, and MTV interviews. As a fan, I didn't learn anything new which was disappointing. At the end of the book it seems very rushed as if he just wanted to get it over with and out the door to make a quick buck. This book could have been a lot shorter and without the play by play of old concerts which was annoying because it was so boring. And describing the music as Zeppelinesque this and Jimmy Page that, doesn't help. Very Lame!
May 15, 2011
It would have been nice to read an unauthorized, uncensored biography of the last truly great rock n roll band by someone who actually regarded them as such. Stephen Davis didn't seem to be a fan, or even an admirer of Guns. It is almost as if he'd written the entire thing after getting scorned like a wimp photographer who got kicked out of the dressing room before a show. He sure implemented many of his own personal evaluations of their work, stating that Appetite for Destruction was the only noteworthy album to come from the band, and that the epic albums Use Your Illusion I & II were average at best. As a diehard fan, this made me want to tear the book in half, piss on it, and mail it directly to Stephen's home.
But before I dissuade a fellow Guns fan from reading, let me share with you the positive aspects to the book that I found. Watch you Bleed really hones in on Axl Rose more than any other band member. Where he came from, his troubled upbringing, his journey to Hollywood with Izzy Stradlin, the first gig, the drugs, the women, his psychological demons and their continuous growth.
The most fascinating thing about Axl obviously is his voice, the range, the anger, the harmony, the words. If you've ever wondered where it all came from, what drove Axl to lead GnR into fame, this is the book for you. I HAVE to recommend it for that reason to a Guns fan. Many singers have to practice, sing outside of their own voice, spend hours, days, months in the studio over-producing the vocal tracks to get them just right for a record. Rehearse rehearse rehearse for tours. Axl? He sings how it comes out and would never do it any other way. All of his songs come from a place, a memory, an emotion. And to perform, he has to take himself back to that place.
Stephen Davis did a wonderful job in describing this part of Guns, but offers miniscule detail regarding the other members. This isn't really the saga of Guns N' Roses more than it is the saga of Axl Rose. Thankfully, Slash and Steven Adler have their own books out to satisfy the other hardcore Guns fans out there like myself.
Rock on.
But before I dissuade a fellow Guns fan from reading, let me share with you the positive aspects to the book that I found. Watch you Bleed really hones in on Axl Rose more than any other band member. Where he came from, his troubled upbringing, his journey to Hollywood with Izzy Stradlin, the first gig, the drugs, the women, his psychological demons and their continuous growth.
The most fascinating thing about Axl obviously is his voice, the range, the anger, the harmony, the words. If you've ever wondered where it all came from, what drove Axl to lead GnR into fame, this is the book for you. I HAVE to recommend it for that reason to a Guns fan. Many singers have to practice, sing outside of their own voice, spend hours, days, months in the studio over-producing the vocal tracks to get them just right for a record. Rehearse rehearse rehearse for tours. Axl? He sings how it comes out and would never do it any other way. All of his songs come from a place, a memory, an emotion. And to perform, he has to take himself back to that place.
Stephen Davis did a wonderful job in describing this part of Guns, but offers miniscule detail regarding the other members. This isn't really the saga of Guns N' Roses more than it is the saga of Axl Rose. Thankfully, Slash and Steven Adler have their own books out to satisfy the other hardcore Guns fans out there like myself.
Rock on.
January 4, 2009
I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard Appetite for Destruction. 1987: My art-school friend, a skinhead named Katrine, & I went to NYC on a whim & were hanging out in a nearly deserted nightclub, that despite the lack of people, had a very heavy druggie atmosphere. No one was to be found because they were all going into the bathroom to do coke! Anyway, the dj put Appetite on continual rotation. It played over & over & over again, all night, while everyone was scamming their drugs. WTF was this?!? You just felt it in your bones. Something had changed forever in the musical landscape. The evening ended with us missing the last train to Chappaqua & sleeping on the steps of Grand Central until the 5:45. And Appetite has had a special place in my heart for all these years.
The genesis of Welcome to the Jungle is a classic stroke of genius. The planets aligned, Axl found himself in the Bronx during the birth of hip-hop no less & this "innocent in the city" scenario, always a fruitful archetype, proved to be the start of something utterly inspired. The rest of the story is all about the come down.
Reading this Guns story in black & white is the next best thing to sex, drugs & rock-n-roll.
The genesis of Welcome to the Jungle is a classic stroke of genius. The planets aligned, Axl found himself in the Bronx during the birth of hip-hop no less & this "innocent in the city" scenario, always a fruitful archetype, proved to be the start of something utterly inspired. The rest of the story is all about the come down.
Reading this Guns story in black & white is the next best thing to sex, drugs & rock-n-roll.
September 17, 2012
Very comprehensive book at least from the band formation to the early nineties which is both a bad and a good thing. You would probably struggle to find another book about GNR with anywhere close to that amount of information. It often gets down to the level of detail where it describes, for a particular concert, what each person is wearing on stage, what songs they played, what tantrums Axl threw, how many hours late they were, how the crowd reacted etc. This can be a bit tedious although some die hard fans might want this level of info.
There are also many attempts, especially early on, at metaphorically describing how the band members played on stage. But there is only so many times you can describe Axl as dancing like a snake.
The amount of text is heavily weighted to the aforementioned era and only the last few pages or so deal with the post-break-up, Chinese Democracy era i.e. when the band effectively became an Axl solo project.
The book does give a good insight into the hedonistic ways of the band, particularly when they were starting out.
There are also many attempts, especially early on, at metaphorically describing how the band members played on stage. But there is only so many times you can describe Axl as dancing like a snake.
The amount of text is heavily weighted to the aforementioned era and only the last few pages or so deal with the post-break-up, Chinese Democracy era i.e. when the band effectively became an Axl solo project.
The book does give a good insight into the hedonistic ways of the band, particularly when they were starting out.
December 22, 2008
90% gleaned from secondary research. if you are any kind of gunners fan, you will have read all of this in creem or hit parader back in the day. now take that one to heart. huh!
April 22, 2017
Maybe not the best book in the world, but I found it interesting. However, I rarely read biographies and so this made a refreshing change.
Watch You Bleed is a compilation of previously published magazine interviews and second hand information weaved into chronological order that details the rise and fall of the original GnR. It is an entertaining read, though perhaps a bit long. For major fans, it's not likely to hold any revelations or new information.
I'm giving 4* because I enjoyed reading it (despite the writer's hyperbole, which only made me smile). Though I'm aware he got some facts wrong.
Watch You Bleed is a compilation of previously published magazine interviews and second hand information weaved into chronological order that details the rise and fall of the original GnR. It is an entertaining read, though perhaps a bit long. For major fans, it's not likely to hold any revelations or new information.
I'm giving 4* because I enjoyed reading it (despite the writer's hyperbole, which only made me smile). Though I'm aware he got some facts wrong.
Read
August 21, 2015Guns n Roses were a BIG part of my formative years providing the soundtrack to my teenage years of truanting, underage drinking, smoking cigarettes and other stuff that I thought rebellious but now look back on with a wry smile realising just how tame they were. Still many an impromptu road trip was made with either Appetite for Destruction or one of the Use Your Illusion albums blaring from the tape deck, GnR were dangerous, widely touted as the most dangerous band alive and any one looking for a soundtrack to their teenage rebellion need look no further. Stephen Davis's account of the band's rise to fame and their early years brought back some of that sense of danger you glimpsed when listening to those first albums and by anyone's standards it is a thorough documenting of dysfunctional, destructive and highly talented group of individuals who somehow managed to transcend the corporate apathy of the late 80's manufactured music scene and tap back into the primal roots of rock n roll. While Davis's highly detailed account is exclusively gleaned from archive material and interviews with hangers on(Axl effectively shut down the chances of any blow by blow accounts by making all of his entourage sign non disclosure agreements in the 90's) he still manages to paint an impressive and scary portrait of a band who through sheer dumb luck and dedication rose to the top of the music world then imploded via the excess, mania and conflict that had got them there. The detailing of the early days in LA with the band living in a squat and basically being little more than a drug peddling, police baiting, gang of degenerates whose only redeeming feature was their detailed documenting of their squalid existence truly makes for fascinating reading and is unlike any other rock biography I have read. The frankly shocking accounts of their everyday lives, addiction and debauchery(if anyone qualifies for the use of this word it is early GnR) is fascinating, horrifying at the same time and goes a long way to explaining why their music when it was finally recorded had such vibrancy and connection with audiences worldwide. In an age of manufactured and finely tuned commercialisation of the music industry these guys were the real deal. While they would go on to eventually piss all over this legacy becoming more bloated, pompous and self involved than any other band in human history in these first screams of infancy they in effect saved rock n' roll for generations to come. Part of what makes the portraits on offer so fascinating is that Davis doesn't pull any punches or offer judgement in his portrayal of those involved, Axl hitting girlfriends, Slash literally winding up in the gutter, Duff drinking until his pancreas exploded, Izzy selling heroin to all comers and Steven Adler nodding out while playing the drums(an impressive feat) its all in there and in a strange way it makes them come across as real people rather than the cartoonish figures that the media portrayed. Was Axl a misogynist? Certainly. A racist ? Possibly. A psychopath? Undoubtedly. By painting a portrait of them with all their colours and faults we get a greater insight into their actions, fucked up as they were, and whilst by no means sympathetic to the bands at times complete asshole actions you do get an understanding of who they were and how it translated into what they became. Axl comes across as someone who lived so close to the edge of insanity and serious criminal outcomes it is a wonder that anyone who crossed paths with him came off as lightly as they did, reading the summation of his outrages you realise that for him it was not just a band but very much a struggle for sanity occasionally supplemented by drugs that unleashed his ego and insecurity in its most manic form. Slash comes across as a likeable person who adopted a cartoonish persona to deal with his failings and found solace and comfort in drugs. Interestingly it was the two lesser figures Duff Mc Kagan and Izzy that come out as the true heroes of the story to my eyes, Duff emerging as having far more depth and nouse than you ever might have gleaned from his puffy stoned looking visage in band photos(he was an early investor in Microsoft and Starbucks!). Izzy, the one that was always pointed out as the inveterate drug user and most malign influence, comes out as the smartest of the bunch realising very early in the piece the direction things were heading in and giving up on the drugs and eventually extracting himself from what was about to become a fully fledged mouth piece for Axl Rose's ego and the worst excesses of 'Yes Men' business modeling. A talented musician and one of the most influential members in terms of musical direction he also seems to have taken the musical inspiration with him leaving the remaining members to slowly drop out one by one leaving only Axl and his cadre of clones to try and recreate something that once had been at his finger tips during the stalled Chinese Democracy sessions which lasted for the better part of twenty years. Reading Davis's account you realise that the band unlike their heroes Aerosmith and the Stones could not possibly have found longevity in the same way, they were not friends that met up and chased a dream but rather a bunch of misfits that stumbled out of the gutter ever so briefly and rather than reaching for the stars dragged the rest of us down with them to revel in the filth for a moment. Looking at Youtube videos of the current incarnation of the band only proves that had it gone on it would have become more lounge act than honest rock n' roll. While Axl doubtless seems to have found some semblance of normality the figure on offer is not driven by the same anguish, pain and torment and to continue to act so comes across as false as a bald guy with a lush head of hair trying to recapture something that was of the moment. While Slash and Duff have variously tried to recapture the moment in various solo and group incarnations of the band they too will never be able to capture the raw, no fucks given spirit of their youth we all grow up in the end I guess even rock stars.
July 10, 2021
Readers/buyers guide: Whatever you do, get the oldest printing you can.
The author has greatly expanded the newer editions to include the anecdotes that totally happened man, of everyone who ever bought him a beer. Did you know that the band's lawyer put together this awesome harmonica part for a song that was just barely cut? Do you care?
In a sort of guilty pleasure type of way I love the mythologizing storytelling style of these types of books and what band has better stories than GNR? Obviously, to each their own. All the hits are included here.
Also, I think the earlier copy I read had color photos so obviously try to check ahead for that.
*EDIT: I'm rereading and omg, if anyone can make GNR's wild stories sound boring and reading them a chore, it's this guy. We can watch the concert footage online too. Your obvious summaries are not impressive.
The author has greatly expanded the newer editions to include the anecdotes that totally happened man, of everyone who ever bought him a beer. Did you know that the band's lawyer put together this awesome harmonica part for a song that was just barely cut? Do you care?
In a sort of guilty pleasure type of way I love the mythologizing storytelling style of these types of books and what band has better stories than GNR? Obviously, to each their own. All the hits are included here.
Also, I think the earlier copy I read had color photos so obviously try to check ahead for that.
*EDIT: I'm rereading and omg, if anyone can make GNR's wild stories sound boring and reading them a chore, it's this guy. We can watch the concert footage online too. Your obvious summaries are not impressive.
December 10, 2008
Didn't know much about these guys. I guess I know something now. I am not quite sure that all the details of 'The Saga Guns & Roses' are reliable
December 28, 2008
Very good book about a great band, but there were quite a few mistakes. Makes me question the sincerity of the whole thing...?
December 22, 2022
Needed a palate cleanser after the academic/theology book. I liked learning more about Guns, but the book was not well put together. I really like learning about their early years, growing up and coming together. But eventually it just ran into kind of a diary of the events that happened 1987-1992. I liked it but found myself eager to just get done eventually. Also, there are weird editing mistakes and probably could have cut out 100 pages and made a better book - lots of misspellings and anecdotes that were repeated.
Anyway, a few take-aways:
- funny reading this shortly after the Elvis biography, Axl had a similar arc but compressed in a shorter time period. Mostly thinking of the bloated band for Use Your Illusion with horns, back-up singers, harmonica, etc and a traveling entrourage of 80+ people - and Slash wondering who was paying for all the extravagance...
- I knew Axl was a douche, but he was sincerely a bad guy. On the one hand, he recognized he suffered from bipolar disorder. And like Elvis, he leaned on weird mystics to give him spiritual guidance. But physical violence against his girlfriends / wives was common and just seemed like it was accepted, which is way worse than being a prima donna and making fans wait a couple hours every show.
- I had no idea the Blind Melon guy sang on some GNR songs and was actually cool! Until he OD'd and died. So much heroin in those circles.
- Also weird to learn about Duff's early days since I listen to him and his wife on Sirius XM frequently now. He seems like a well-grounded, cool dude but was drinking a gallon of vodka a day at one point. I also think it's cool that he was from Pacific NW and he brought some punk influence to the band, and that Slash was focused on blues rock. They got away from it eventually, but the confluence of metal/punk/blues was awesome with their early aggression.
- I also now want to go back and listen to early Aerosmith after learning how much they influenced Guns. Their later stuff sucks.
- Fun to go back down memory lane since their peak was when I was in high school. Back in the days when having a #1 song, #1 album and #1 MTV video was meaningful (good old days.) I remember vividly when the Use Your Illusions came out. I had no idea that most of the stuff was written earlier in their career. The producer for Appetite was a genius for keeping the ballads off that album.
- I never bought Use Your Illusion I and assumed I was missing out, but one of my favorite parts of reading these rock bios is going deep into Spotify while reading the book and listening to the songs while reading about how they were written. For this one, I also re-visited the videos they made which I LOVED in high school.
In general, glad I read this but I would hire a better editor. I still haven't read Hammer of the Gods, but I assume he had a better editor for that one since I have heard it referenced so many times. THis one I only heard of because it was a Kindle Deal of the Day....
Anyway, a few take-aways:
- funny reading this shortly after the Elvis biography, Axl had a similar arc but compressed in a shorter time period. Mostly thinking of the bloated band for Use Your Illusion with horns, back-up singers, harmonica, etc and a traveling entrourage of 80+ people - and Slash wondering who was paying for all the extravagance...
- I knew Axl was a douche, but he was sincerely a bad guy. On the one hand, he recognized he suffered from bipolar disorder. And like Elvis, he leaned on weird mystics to give him spiritual guidance. But physical violence against his girlfriends / wives was common and just seemed like it was accepted, which is way worse than being a prima donna and making fans wait a couple hours every show.
- I had no idea the Blind Melon guy sang on some GNR songs and was actually cool! Until he OD'd and died. So much heroin in those circles.
- Also weird to learn about Duff's early days since I listen to him and his wife on Sirius XM frequently now. He seems like a well-grounded, cool dude but was drinking a gallon of vodka a day at one point. I also think it's cool that he was from Pacific NW and he brought some punk influence to the band, and that Slash was focused on blues rock. They got away from it eventually, but the confluence of metal/punk/blues was awesome with their early aggression.
- I also now want to go back and listen to early Aerosmith after learning how much they influenced Guns. Their later stuff sucks.
- Fun to go back down memory lane since their peak was when I was in high school. Back in the days when having a #1 song, #1 album and #1 MTV video was meaningful (good old days.) I remember vividly when the Use Your Illusions came out. I had no idea that most of the stuff was written earlier in their career. The producer for Appetite was a genius for keeping the ballads off that album.
- I never bought Use Your Illusion I and assumed I was missing out, but one of my favorite parts of reading these rock bios is going deep into Spotify while reading the book and listening to the songs while reading about how they were written. For this one, I also re-visited the videos they made which I LOVED in high school.
In general, glad I read this but I would hire a better editor. I still haven't read Hammer of the Gods, but I assume he had a better editor for that one since I have heard it referenced so many times. THis one I only heard of because it was a Kindle Deal of the Day....
March 6, 2023
I picked this book up at one of those free library kiosks, thinking it would be fun. I forgot that Stephen Davis is one of the worst writers in the world. First there’s the constant hyperbole about a band that really doesn’t need it (they made billions of dollars and achieved their place in history for better or worse - no need to keep hyping them! They won!). Secondly, there’s the way he gets basic facts wrong – like the location of the former Ritz in New York, the year of the Challenger explosion, and the name of the great Italian composer Ennio Morricone (“Enrico Morricone”). Doesn’t this idiot even have an editor? But here’s the worst part - he feels compelled to drop the N bomb every time he talks about “One In A Million”. And twice he reminds us what NWA means by spelling the whole word out. Yeah, we get it - you like saying that word. So not only is he a pisspoor writer who probably made most of this book up, but he’s got some nifty racism going on too. Let’s not even get into how he presents W Axl Rose’s violent physical abuse of women with a kind of “oh well, that’s just Axl being Axl” attitude.
I’d give it zero stars if I could. The only redeeming quality is that the Guns N’ Roses story is actually quite an interesting tale in the way car crashes are interesting, full of sordid Hollywood hijinks. There is a lot in here that is a matter of public record so you know that it really happened. But you are better off reading any other book about the band.
I’d give it zero stars if I could. The only redeeming quality is that the Guns N’ Roses story is actually quite an interesting tale in the way car crashes are interesting, full of sordid Hollywood hijinks. There is a lot in here that is a matter of public record so you know that it really happened. But you are better off reading any other book about the band.
September 3, 2025
I love to listen to the music. I already admittedly knew that these guys were far from angels. Realizing just how FAR from angels they were is brutal. Seedy indeed. Nasty and ruthless indeed ( but did I mention that they’re still so great to listen to?!😂)
April 23, 2019
An interesting book on a band that was in some ways out of time...the Glam metal scene they burst from was already dying as their star ascended making way for bands with little in common with GnR in many ways..the speed metal and grunge scenes kind of bookended their career peaks.
although Guns n Roses possibly shared very little with the eighties scene being more of a classic seventies rock sound with punk sensibilities...this book ends with a career dip recalling the Spaghetti incident covers project that didn't really inspire and Axl's touring of the Chinese Democracy.
The Chinese Democracy did....against all odds...get released eventually but to be honest had the book got that far in it would totally have felt as if it was a book about a band in decline..and I say that despite the fact I don't hate that album...
It's interesting to read the journey Axl above all others had taken the F#ck up abusive singer of a band whose delusions of grandeur(or where they delusions)..late showings etc don't make for a story where you can get behind him....however compare that to where we are now and Axl seems to have mended many fences and is playing shows consistently and on time..whatever demons bought up in this book these do seem to have been exorcised...
I do wonder at times over the research in this book, generally It seems strong...but an early concern was raised in my head when Paul Stanley was described as the Bass Player of KISS...if the facts surrounding a monumentally successful(though derided) band like KISS are wrong what about the small players on the scene?
Anyhow generally I enjoyed this it was a reminder of albums I haven't needed to play in a while but which when recalled through this book bring back strong memories of great songs....as such ..time to dig them out again...
although Guns n Roses possibly shared very little with the eighties scene being more of a classic seventies rock sound with punk sensibilities...this book ends with a career dip recalling the Spaghetti incident covers project that didn't really inspire and Axl's touring of the Chinese Democracy.
The Chinese Democracy did....against all odds...get released eventually but to be honest had the book got that far in it would totally have felt as if it was a book about a band in decline..and I say that despite the fact I don't hate that album...
It's interesting to read the journey Axl above all others had taken the F#ck up abusive singer of a band whose delusions of grandeur(or where they delusions)..late showings etc don't make for a story where you can get behind him....however compare that to where we are now and Axl seems to have mended many fences and is playing shows consistently and on time..whatever demons bought up in this book these do seem to have been exorcised...
I do wonder at times over the research in this book, generally It seems strong...but an early concern was raised in my head when Paul Stanley was described as the Bass Player of KISS...if the facts surrounding a monumentally successful(though derided) band like KISS are wrong what about the small players on the scene?
Anyhow generally I enjoyed this it was a reminder of albums I haven't needed to play in a while but which when recalled through this book bring back strong memories of great songs....as such ..time to dig them out again...
June 2, 2020
The De facto account of the rise and fall of Guns N Roses..a must read if you want to understand how the band accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. Also goes into the tension between members in detail. Highly recommend for all GNR fans.
September 21, 2016
Явно не съм приключила с Гънс. :)
Липсваше ми гледната точка на Изи и Аксел, но не мога да кажа, че тази книга ми помогна да я намеря. Разочарована съм. Стивън Дейвис е автор на една от признатите за най-добри биографии на групи - тази на Лед Зепелин, затова наистина очаквах повече.
Основният минус на тази книга е, че ѝ липсва уважение, няма дори капчица. Въпреки краткото си съществуване, наркотиците и алкохола, дрязгите между членовете и т.н., т.н., Guns N' Roses си остават легендарна група, една от най-ярките прояви на хард-рока от 90-те и очаквах да прочета обективна биография, която не ги оправдава, но е написана с любов и разбиране. Защото те го заслужават. Всичките членове на групата оцеляха, надявам се сега да са по-силни, по-здрави и много по-щастливи. Това, че отново се събраха, зарадва много фенове (включително и мен), но все пак не е най-важното. Защото човек, дори когато е публична личност, не може да живее за хората, даден му е само един живот. А Гънс много рано в живота си проумяват старата максима, че най-много сълзи се изплакват по ��бъднати мечти.
Имам любими парчета от всичките им албуми, от първия до последния. Приемам, че новото остарява, хората на изкуството понякога се развиват в посока, която не харесва на феновете, но изкуството би трябвало да е форма на самоиразяване, ако го правиш само за да удовлетвориш нечии очаквания, то се превръща в халтура и това си личи. Какъвто, впрочем, е и случаят с тази книга. Дано следващия път г-н Дейвис се заеме с тема, която действително му е на сърце, та да разбере разликата!
Липсваше ми гледната точка на Изи и Аксел, но не мога да кажа, че тази книга ми помогна да я намеря. Разочарована съм. Стивън Дейвис е автор на една от признатите за най-добри биографии на групи - тази на Лед Зепелин, затова наистина очаквах повече.
Основният минус на тази книга е, че ѝ липсва уважение, няма дори капчица. Въпреки краткото си съществуване, наркотиците и алкохола, дрязгите между членовете и т.н., т.н., Guns N' Roses си остават легендарна група, една от най-ярките прояви на хард-рока от 90-те и очаквах да прочета обективна биография, която не ги оправдава, но е написана с любов и разбиране. Защото те го заслужават. Всичките членове на групата оцеляха, надявам се сега да са по-силни, по-здрави и много по-щастливи. Това, че отново се събраха, зарадва много фенове (включително и мен), но все пак не е най-важното. Защото човек, дори когато е публична личност, не може да живее за хората, даден му е само един живот. А Гънс много рано в живота си проумяват старата максима, че най-много сълзи се изплакват по ��бъднати мечти.
Имам любими парчета от всичките им албуми, от първия до последния. Приемам, че новото остарява, хората на изкуството понякога се развиват в посока, която не харесва на феновете, но изкуството би трябвало да е форма на самоиразяване, ако го правиш само за да удовлетвориш нечии очаквания, то се превръща в халтура и това си личи. Какъвто, впрочем, е и случаят с тази книга. Дано следващия път г-н Дейвис се заеме с тема, която действително му е на сърце, та да разбере разликата!
August 27, 2017
I'm a big fan of Guns N' Roses so choosing to read this book and learn about their self-destructive history was pretty natural. I knew Axl Rose was nuts but this showed exactly HOW nuts!! The history lessons in the book were pretty good for the most part, but I gave it two stars because Stephen Davis screwed up some really basic rock and roll history facts that severely damage his creditability. For example, according to Davis, Scorpions is an English band. Not true. They're from Germany. Also, Davis states that Paul Stanley plays bass in KISS?! You can't be serious! He plays guitar. There were one or two other things that I can't remember, but come on! I won't read another Stephen Davis book because I can't trust him. I would recommend reading Slash's autobiography instead.
May 12, 2019
This book was hugely disappointing as the writing was horrible. It attempts to present “situational happenings” in chronical order. You end with an incident in January 1989 and then in the next chapter you are reverted back to December of 1988. It seems to be a giant collection of random articles put together in the best order possible. And throw in some added over the top dramatic description of music from the author and you are left wanting to vomit. Now, in fairness, I finished the book so it had to have some interesting attributes.
My recommendation; don’t bother. Read Slash and Duff’s autobiographies …. Same stories, better writing, and less confusion in the chronology .
My recommendation; don’t bother. Read Slash and Duff’s autobiographies …. Same stories, better writing, and less confusion in the chronology .
March 4, 2021
I loved the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s glam rock, “hair bands.” When I was in high school, I wanted to move to LA and be a part of the scene. I was not a fan of grunge when it took over. Interesting that in college I became a riot girl feminist type. I read this book when it came out. It was passed around by my friends, who insisted I read it because it profiled GNR’s crazy life, not unlike the life we tried to mimic in NYC in our 20’s and 30’s. This book shed a different light on the band members as individuals, and on the scene, than was portrayed by popular culture at the height of their popularity. This book made them more legitimate in my opinion.
February 19, 2020
I know this is a dark, seedy read but I clung to every word Stephen Davis poured out! Having a life so different than the ones these band mates had, I found every unsavory and somewhat disturbing experiences fascinating. How anyone could live through what these guys did and turn out to be okay humans, is a miracle. Davis captured these guys lives in a way that kept me both horrified and entertained!
October 25, 2018
Not sure why I read this as I am in no way a fan of these guys.
I noticed it at the library and I idly read a few pages.
Then I ended up reading the whole thing over the last week or so.
It feels like it was quickly banged out rather than crafted.
This book does at least confirm what is doubtless true about A. Rose: he should have used the name A. Hole or A. Spoilt Child.
I noticed it at the library and I idly read a few pages.
Then I ended up reading the whole thing over the last week or so.
It feels like it was quickly banged out rather than crafted.
This book does at least confirm what is doubtless true about A. Rose: he should have used the name A. Hole or A. Spoilt Child.
November 9, 2017
Every member of Guns N Roses is a story in itself so when you first pick up this book get ready for a massive sensory overload. You won't be disappointed.
Jeez, just imagine being there - Some how they made it - i wouldn't have.
Jeez, just imagine being there - Some how they made it - i wouldn't have.
November 23, 2019
This book really shines during the early years of Guns n' Roses, the second half is good too.
January 14, 2024
The story of Guns N' Roses is a fascinating one, not least in the deep, violent complexities of Axl Rose, but this book does a pretty uneven job of detailing them. When it's good, it can be very good, but all too often it's drawn out - half the book seems to be spent on Appetite For Destruction - repetitive - another barely coherent, expletive-riddled interview, another overblown description of a concert - and arguably worst of all, the author just can't resist interjecting his opinions, in a sledgehammer-unsubtle manner that feels blinkered and just a little bitter, and quickly becomes tiresome. It's almost as if Led Zep entirely defines his idea of rock, and anything that doesn't exactly fit the template is rubbish, and must be loudly pilloried as such, especially if it was in the 80s.
There are also factual errors of a kind you'd think "one of America's pre-eminent rock journalists" wouldn't be making, like getting an album title wrong, or stating Phil Collins was ex-Genesis in the 80s, when he didn't actually leave the band until 1996. It just feels careless, not least in how the blurb's statement of a focus on Chinese Democracy and Velvet Revolver ultimately proves to be a brief, choppy one in a final chapter that sees the book petering out to nothing. The irony is, a messy, badly paced, fitfully superb, frequently frustrating biography that ultimately goes nowhere is actually, arguably, a pretty accurate mirror of GnR. Doesn't make for the most satisfying read, though.
There are also factual errors of a kind you'd think "one of America's pre-eminent rock journalists" wouldn't be making, like getting an album title wrong, or stating Phil Collins was ex-Genesis in the 80s, when he didn't actually leave the band until 1996. It just feels careless, not least in how the blurb's statement of a focus on Chinese Democracy and Velvet Revolver ultimately proves to be a brief, choppy one in a final chapter that sees the book petering out to nothing. The irony is, a messy, badly paced, fitfully superb, frequently frustrating biography that ultimately goes nowhere is actually, arguably, a pretty accurate mirror of GnR. Doesn't make for the most satisfying read, though.
June 8, 2018
I really found it difficult to rate this, and I'm still undecided as to whether to keep it. I finished it, I read amusing bits out loud to my boyfriend, and I could not avoid listening to all the music it put into my brain. So I guess it scraped out three stars, but I really considered giving it just two.
I enjoyed Stephen Davis's books on Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith and still have both. But in those books, you get a feel that Davis cared about the bands -- you don't get that feeling in this book. Plus, unlike the other two groups, I was around, and paying attention, for this band's rise, and I read most of the magazine interviews quoted here back when they were originally printed. (Which is probably why I didn't read this bio until a decade after it was published -- and also after I'd read Slash's, Duff McKagan's, and Steven Adler's memoirs). I even spotted a few small errors (with regard to other bands mentioned, mostly).
So it's hard to tell if the problem is the book or me. Even for someone who read so much other stuff about the band, this does provide some new information (mostly about the members who haven't published their own books). It's not totally without merit, but it's also not that impressive.
I enjoyed Stephen Davis's books on Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith and still have both. But in those books, you get a feel that Davis cared about the bands -- you don't get that feeling in this book. Plus, unlike the other two groups, I was around, and paying attention, for this band's rise, and I read most of the magazine interviews quoted here back when they were originally printed. (Which is probably why I didn't read this bio until a decade after it was published -- and also after I'd read Slash's, Duff McKagan's, and Steven Adler's memoirs). I even spotted a few small errors (with regard to other bands mentioned, mostly).
So it's hard to tell if the problem is the book or me. Even for someone who read so much other stuff about the band, this does provide some new information (mostly about the members who haven't published their own books). It's not totally without merit, but it's also not that impressive.
May 13, 2022
I have a feeling this book was written by someone who loves Izzy (nothing wrong with that, Izzy is awesome) but who also hates Axl (which is not ok for a biographer). It was very sensationalised, even for Guns' standards. But the author did it unfairly. We all know everyone did bad (self)distructive stuff back then, but the bad actions of some band-members were amplified and dramatised while actions of others were wrapped in gauze and played down. The good qualities of almost all members were barely mentioned, if at all. It read very much as an episodic report and there was not a whole lot of humanising the characters (yes, they came across as characters and not in a good way). The book did offer a lot of 'juice' but that was it, and if we consider what I am certain is unfair treatment of the members, one has to wonder how much of this 'juice' was true.
June 7, 2017
I read some of the reviews prior to embarking on this book and saw where several people took issue with the fact that the author appears to how interviewed a minimal amount of people and depended on already published information to compile this publication. I say big whoop. Die hard GnR fans might have an issue with that though. I don't consider myself a huge fan but I do like their music. My husband found this book (literally) and thought I would enjoy it and brought it home. I thought the book was interesting. Since I was a teen during the 80s, I remembered a lot of the bands, and things that were referenced in it in relation to music and current events. I was glad I read it and even though I probably wouldn't have purchased the book I enjoyed it.
January 14, 2020
An average music biopic that reads like a uni dissertation. The run up to Appetite and the year that followed are the most interesting, (but with factual errors), but the end to the book is too hastily finished. “Then they went to this place and played, and then here and then here etc.”
Too many quotes taken from magazine articles and not enough genuine interview / insight. That said, very interesting story and a decent way to get a better understanding of the run up to the release of the last great hard rock album.
Too many quotes taken from magazine articles and not enough genuine interview / insight. That said, very interesting story and a decent way to get a better understanding of the run up to the release of the last great hard rock album.
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