We all know the record. It’s the highest selling debut of all time. With it’s instantly recognizable album cover of skull caricatures. It’s forever ingrained in the pantheons of hard rock and metal. Of course, it’s Guns N Roses ‘Appetite for Destruction. Which turned 31 on July 21. It’s spawned numerous legendary hits as well as a renegade sunset strip band’s career.
Like a lot of records at the time, ‘Appetite’ was not an immediate success. It took several shots at a hit single before ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ shot the album up to number one. Which was roughly a year after it’s release. I think that’s why the band decided to release the 30th anniversary this year. Because to a lot of people ‘Appetite’ came out in 1988. When you put the album in a retrospective point of view it’s easy to understand why it was such a smash hit. The people were getting tired of the spandex and zebra striped leather. Then here comes this band that sounds like those spandex groups, but they look like complete ratty punks. It was a new attitude at the time. Way more dangerous and taboo than your average 80’s hard rock band. And yes, they did write superior songs.
But at the end of the day, when you look at the album as a whole now, it’s just another basic 80’s hard rock album. Except it’s well above average. I’m not trying to compare Guns N Roses to Britny Fox or anything. I just think that Guns N Roses didn’t hit their special stride until the ‘Use Your Illusion’ records. Those are the records that make Guns the unique, memorable band that they are. But GnR is riding the ‘Appetite’ wave currently. With their 30th anniversary re-issue. Sure, there’s the basic remaster and bonus disc version. But this reissue gets crazy. Pretty sure Axl’s been going to the Gene Simmons school of marketing. Because there’s a box set version of the remaster that contains: 9 discs, tattoos, rings of each skull caricature, a huge ass booklet, posters, the list goes on and on. And on all of the nine discs, there’s very limited live material. It’s mostly discs of sub-par, unreleased songs and various versions of the songs that already exist. You do get some live at the Apollo material I believe so that’s cool. But overall, the band is asking 600$ for this thing. I don’t fuckin’ think so. Axl better hand deliver it and cook me dinner if I’m paying for that.
Either way the album has stood the test of time. Going over double diamond platinum. And it does contain some of the most memorable riffs of all time: ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Mr. Brownstone’, ‘Rocket Queen’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’. I didn’t put ‘Paradise City’ because I think it’s mega overrated. Anywho, there’s a reason why it’s most successful debut album of all time. But I think it’s the deep cuts: ‘It’s So Easy’, ‘Out ta Get Me’ and ‘Anything Goes’ that really make the album pop. And whether or not it sounds like a basic, above average 80’s hard rock record; it still stands the test of time. And it is ‘Appetite’ that GnR is most associated with. It does define the raw power of Gun N Roses better than any of their other albums. It’s success is truly a force to be reckoned with.
The super delux remaster. It’s outta control!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or1J4ZGCA6U
The song that blew it all up. Unfortunately it would go on to be one of the most overplayed songs of all time. Sucking the life out of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaYQjyrXEMc
A deep cut gem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKYc-GcU2Sk
