The Most Insane Things Guns N’ Roses Members Ever Did

Guns N’ Roses is undoubtedly the face of the hard rock music scene. Charismatic Axl Rose, legendary lead guitars by Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler comprised the original lineup in 1986. These notorious rascals dominated the the hard rock scene with hits such as “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, “Welcome to the Jungle”, and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”. Although very busy with their stage careers, the boys always found ways to have fun. And by fun we mean drug-fueled activities, bizarre encounters, and even some close calls with death! Here is ILCR’s top 10 from the heaping file of crazy happenings.

 

10. The boys landed a record deal while drowned in drugs

Guns N’ Roses were at Troubador in the City of Angels, when they were courted for a deal by Geffen Records. They were asked by the record to play live to gauge their ability. Little did they know, the band was drunk with drugs while performing, with the exception of Axl.  Unexpectedly, they landed the deal a month later, the drugs apparently doing miracles.

9. Axl Rose punched a female cop in the face

While on a show in Atlanta on November 1987, Axl saw a cop and what he made out to be his friend being roughed up. Clearly pissed, Rose jumped off the stage in the middle of a performance and punched the cop in the face. He was escorted out the venue while a roadie stood in for him. He wrote an apology addressed to the officer, but when he came face to face with her, Axl Rose said “F*ck you, you f*cking jag-off cop”. Axl Rose was jailed shortly afterwards.

8. Axl Rose punched a fan after being told he looked like Bon Jovi

Axl Rose punched somebody yet again, this time after being told he looked like Bon Jovi. It was in Chicago, December 1987, when he told the fan off that Bon Jovi can go suck his D.

Bon Jovi shares the same sentiments as well. He was quoted saying,

“You know what pisses me off? I was reading this British rock magazine this month and there was a story about Axl Rose and the $13 million GUNS N’ ROSES record that was never made. That motherf*cker hasn’t made a record in 13 years and he gets all that attention. You know what I’ve done in 13 years? A lot. But they have continued to write about the freak show aspect of him.“

7. The band trashed a dressing room because of Axl Rose

GNR had a bad time on October 1986. Supposed to open for Alice Cooper, Axl Rose was a no-show until later in the performance and would not be permitted to join in. The band had to improvise lyrics. After the show, the band got so frustrated that they collectively trashed a dressing room. Anger management was not big back then.

6. The band started a massive riot

The band had a gig in St. Louis in 1991. The Riverport Amphitheater was packed to the gills, and it all was well until Axl Rose spotted a fan who snuck in a camera. Infuriated, Rose jumped of the stage and confronted the fan. He then proceeded to walk out, the band following suit later.

It was the fans’ turn to get angry, realizing they had been cheated on their money. They stormed the stage and were vandalizing everything they laid their hands on, some stealing prime equipment.

Rose was inherently the winner of the blame game and was sued for $2 million in damages and 20 personal injury charges. They haven’t been back to St. Louis since then.

5. The band stole from each of the girls they were sleeping with and sold drugs

These guys were in serious need of dough for drugs. Band members stole from the girls they slept with. This was done when a band member was doing his girl, the others went straight for the belongings and sacked them clean.

They were also involved in peddling drugs as well. GNR had to lie low for a while when the LAPD sniffed them out.

4. Axl Rose punched David Bowie

Punching people is probably one of Axl Rose’s hobbies. On the set of GNR’s “It’s So Easy” music video shoot, David Bowie came by to say hi. Rose didn’t like the way Bowie was talking to his girlfriend, and prompted to punch him and throw him out.

Ziggy Stardust didn’t let the matter escalate and apologized to Rose afterwards. The two reconciled by spending the whole night clubbing.

3. Axl Rose slept with a member’s girlfriend, recorded it, and added it to a track

On 1987, GNR was busy recording Rocket Queen. Adriana Smith, 19 year old girlfriend of drummer Steven Adler, was cheated on by him. Bent on revenge, she got drunk and had sex with Axl Rose. The two decided to rub salt to the wound by recording the audio and adding it to the track. Smith’s vocal participation can be heard on the 2:30 mark.

2. Drummer Steven Adler saved Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx

On December 23rd, 1987, GNR was on tour with Alice Cooper and Mötley Crüe. Slash and Adler were drowning themselves with angel dust alongside Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx. Per Adler’s account, he went out to shoot up and  came back greeted by Sixx’s slumped, unconscious body .

When his attempts of reviving him by splashing water on his face didn’t pay off, Adler proceeded to hit him in the face with his arm cast. Nikki Sixx apparently came back to the world of the living after several blows.

1. The band almost perished in a deadly car crash

GNR was headed home to Los Angeles from their first tour in 1985, when they were involved in a deadly car accident. The boys were in bassist Duff’s car when another vehicle broadsided them. Call it a miracle, but the members sustained minimal injuries, the worst being Steven Adler’s broken ankle.

Slash wrote later in his autobiography of how the car was totaled, and the terrifying thought of them dying together just as the band was recently formed.