Axl Rose has been the only constant member since he started the band in 1985 after moving to Los Angeles from Lafayette, Indiana three years prior. After being a part of other bands like Rapidfire and Hollywood Rose, and taking part in medical studies at UCLA as he struggled for money, Rose finally formed Guns N’ Roses along with bandmates Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler.
Quickly building a devoted fan following after touring LA’s club circuit, they released their debut album Appetite for Destruction in 1987, with hit singles “Paradise City,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Mr. Brownstone,” and the classic “Sweet Child o Mine,” which remain their four most played songs of all time. The album remains the best-selling debut of all time in the U.S., with 18 million copies sold to date.
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Their follow-up album, G N’ R Lies, came out in 1988, and was followed by the infamous nearly three-year long “Use Your Illusion” Tour in 1991. The tour was a financial success as well as a controversial hot topic, as Rose earned his “rock star” reputation with shows that included riots and chronic lateness. The same year, Guns N’ Roses came out with their albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, which debuted at No. 1 and No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
After taking an eight-year hiatus from touring, Axl Rose kicked off his decade-long “Chinese Democracy” tour with Guns N’ Roses in 2001 at Rock in Rio 3. They released their much anticipated sixth and latest album Chinese Democracy in 2008, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and was the most expensive rock album to ever be produced. Guns N’ Roses was then awarded rock’s highest honor when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
In 2016, Rose, along with Slash and McKagan from the band’s original lineup, reunited for the Not in This Lifetime... Tour, which went on to become the second highest grossing concert tour of all time, bringing in a whopping $563.3 million!
Later the same year, Rose stepped in as the frontman for rock band AC/DC, touring with them on the Rock or Bust world tour, and has since joined the band full-time.
Today, you can find Axl Rose espousing his political views and encouraging political activism on Twitter in typical rock star fashion! Happy Birthday Axl Rose!
