| Guns
N' Roses' debut
Appetite for Destruction was a turning point for hard-rock in the
late '80s -- it was a dirty, dangerous and mean record in a time when heavy
metal meant nothing but a good time. On the surface, Guns N' Roses may
appear to celebrate the same things as their peers -- namely, sex, liquor,
drugs, and rock & roll -- but there is a nasty edge to their songs,
since Axl Rose doesn't see much fun in the urban sprawl of LA and
its parade of heavy metal thugs, cheap women, booze and crime. The music
is as nasty as the lyrics, wallowing in a bluesy, metallic hard-rock borrowed
from Aerosmith, AC/DC and countless faceless hard-rock bands
of the early '80s. It's a primal, sleazy sound that adds grit to already
grim tales. It also makes Rose's misogyny, fear and anger hard to dismiss
as merely an artistic statment -- this is music that sounds lived-in. And
that's exactly why Appetite for Destruction is such a powerful record
-- not only does Axl have fears, but he also is vulnerable, particularly
on the power-ballad "Sweet Child o' Mine." He also has
a talent for conveying the fears and horrors of the decaying inner city,
whether it's on the charging "Welcome to the Jungle,"
the heroin ode "Mr. Brownstone," or "Paradise
City," which simply wants out. But as good as Axl's lyrics and
screeching voice are, they wouldn't be nearly as effective without the
twin-guitar interplay of Slash and Izzy Stradlin, who spit
out riffs and solos better than any band since the Rolling Stones,
and that's what makes Appetite for Destruction the best metal record
of the late '80s.
// Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All-Music
Guide
Go here
if you want some more info about 'Appetite'!
|
-
An MCA Company