Why "Appetite for Destruction" From Guns N' Roses Made the World Better a Place

Feature: Why "Appetite for Destruction" From Guns N' Roses Made the World Better a Place

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 08:25:33

Where would the world be without Appetite For Destruction?

It's actually hard to imagine what it would be like without the legendary debut from Guns N' Roses.

On a microcosmic level, Kanye West and Jay-Z wouldn't have been able to borrow the title "Welcome to the Jungle" for last year's Watch the Throne, Jim Carrey would've had nothing to lip sync to in Clint Eastwood's The Dead Pool, there would be no Rock of Ages, and Avenged Sevenfold wouldn't exist. Those are just a few examples of thousands. It's the ultimate rock 'n' roll album, but it's also a life-changing piece. It also just turned 25 this past weekend, and it carries the same weight, if not more.

There's nothing quite like the first time you hear the opening delay on "Welcome to the Jungle". It's one of the most epic—to use the parlance of our times—intros ever. It didn't just herald the beginning of Guns N' Roses's storied career; it heralded a changing of the guard.

Guns N' Roses didn't fit in the Los Angeles scene at the time. They were too punk and authentic metal for it. The teased hair of the Sunset Strip was singed immediately when Axl Rose screamed, "You're in the jungle baby, you're gonna die".

July 21, 1987 was the moment a trend ended and a new regime began. Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler possessed an attitude that no one else had at the time and nobody has matched since. They could tour with The Rolling Stones or Metallica and blow the audience away.

Take the bass line at the beginning of "It's So Easy". It practically steamrolls through the gates of hell with a bottle of Jack Daniels in both hands. At the same time, "Nightrain" remains the quintessential party anthem. Do you think Project X or The Hangover could've happened without tunes like this defining a prior generation? There's no way.

"Out Ta Get Me" stands out as heavier than a sledgehammer. Driving the roller coaster though is Rose. In history, there's never been a vocalist with that range and storytelling ability. He hits notes on "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City" that'd make Adele and Robert Plant Jealous. At the same time, he opens up on the heartbreaking "My Michelle", which could be a movie in its own right and is Bob Dylan-esque in terms of vibrancy.

The record transcends all boundaries. Go to a Guns N' Roses in L.A. to this day and you get everyone from Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria to Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen, Wiz Khalifa, Amber Rose, Lana Del Rey, and others. Now, that's quite the diverse crew. It all comes back to Appetite for Destruction too.

Think of all the times you've heard samples of moaning after "Rocket Queen" or placements for "Sweet Child O' Mine"—whether it's The Wrestler, Step Brothers, State of Grace, or even covers of it in Big Daddy or Life As We Know It. Let's not forget how many bands owe entire careers to the record. Simply put, our culture would not be the same.

And, Mr. Rose is still out there kicking ass and taking names today. These songs crush live as part of the band's set as evidenced by the recent tours. They're truly timeless.

So where would the world be without Appetite for Destruction? It's too scary to think about so just crank the record up and drift back to the "jungle".

—Rick Florino
07.25.12