Happy 25th Birthday 'Appetite for Destruction'

Guns n' Roses released Appetite for Destruction 25 years ago today. While our very own Kim has requested to write a special piece on the anniversary of the album, I thought it would only be appropriate for me to wish a happy 25th birthday to the best debut album of all time as well. In honor of those 25 great rocking years, here's Guns n' Roses playing "Welcome to the Jungle" back in 1988 at the Ritz in New York City.

Comments

[Brian C.]

GREATEST ALBUM EVER!!!!!!

[Metalboy!]

ONE of the Greatest!

So much so, I played it for a month straight when I got it two weeks after it came out. If it wasn't glued in my Sony Walkman or car stereo, I kept it in my pocket to play in other people's cars, their houses or at parties. Everywhere I played it, it just floored people and most of them wound up buying it immediately.

And then I put it away as I just completely fried it. I still haven't heard it all the way through since October 1987!

In hindsight, I like Pretty Boy Floyd's "Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz", Crue's "Too Fast For Love", Poison's "Look What The Cat Dragged In" and Cinderella's "Long Cold Winter" much better.

I know Guns' "Appetite" is better. I just LIKE those albums more!

[Jimbo]

METALBOY! so true!! ONE of thr best along with PBF's 'leather Boys..." and Crue's 'too fast.." BUT it has to be the Leathur Records version! My GnR story,,around 87? when the Crue's Theatre of Pain was the biggest thing,I flew into LA from Boston,,, I walked into Guitar Center on Sunset and asked what the 'happening' band was..dude said 'go see Guns N Roses at the Trub. tonight' after walking into a PACKED club some female band called Feline was rippin the place up,,,GNR came on and I was like,,WTF?..where are the glam,big haired (except for Axh#%le) dudes,,wheres the big drum kit??.whos the 'punk' playing bass?..why's the drummer smiling so much,,why is the singer wearing assless chaps? female backup singers wearing thongs,,backs to the crowd ( I did like that!) well.I thought they sucked and walked out halfway through,,,and said they'll never get signed!! hmmmmmmmm

[fletch]

I dubbed AFD off of a friend's cassette, but my blank cassette wasn't as long as AFD, so Rocket Queen was cut out after the intro- and I played it to death. In college, I bought the AFD CD and heard the entire CD from WTTJ to RQ and I still don't know whether I like the "album" with (or without) Rocket Queen. Both "versions" bring back glam memories.

Side note: A former comrade of mine, who is about 15 years older than me, has made quite a name name for herself in the Pennsylvania Republican political and social welfare circles. Once, when she found out that I was a GNR fan, she told me, that AFD was the first "CD" she ever bought and was also the first "full-length album" she had purchased since college.

[GNR]

I first had the single cassette CD and "Its So Easy" was the B-Side. It was great until the line "why don't you just fuck off" was uttered in the song... then the old man took it and that was that. :)

I absolutely love every song on the album. Each one holds a memory or place for me. Its easy to identify with the video ones. But stocking groceries with my buddies back in high school while singing "panties round your knees, with your ass in the breeze (or debris), doing that grind with the push and squeeze, tied up tied down, up against the wall, be my rubber maid baby and we can do it all" I didn't know exactly what that was at the time, but I know I wanted to do it.

[Gene]

I had that record and Faster Pussycat's on one cassette at the time..played it to death. Loved both those bands so much...of course..GNR blew up big time. AFD just was so gritty, filled with emotion and attitude...it changed the scene for sure..

[kari]

GNR Live at the Ritz was them at their BEST!!! Nothing could top that show!