Guns N Roses - Appetite for Destruction
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.15 You Save: $4.84 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.73 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Appetite for Destruction
Free Music Review: Awesome....
Hit: 5 Stars
My lord. There are so many lame people in this world eh rock fans? It almost makes me sick to see the various people dissing on this ablum... from people who think brittany spears is 'da shiet' all the way to people who think kurt cobain is their god and because he didnt like axl they feel like they should conform to his thoughts and diss the band as a whole. "kurt cobain is cool because he died! axl is lame duff is lame slash is lame steven is lame and izzy is lame!" Gee people like that... o well, you always have pricks online. on to the review...
this band blew away everyone who heard em back in the late 80's.. they were truely one of a kind! not heavy metal, (sorry.. but its not) its not glam rock (poison) and its not just normal rock. its guns n roses rock!
song ratings.
welcome to the jungle: great song to get into gnr. gets old after awhile though... 8.5 out of 10
its so easy: its kinda a love or hate song.. alot of people dont think its that great because it lacks any real guitar solo. i love how angry axl sounds, and you punks who say you dont like gnr cuz of axls "high annoying voice" should hear this one. 8.5 out of 10
Nightrain: Awesome song. Awesome guitar solo. Great feelin in it. 9.0 out of 10
Mr. Brownstone: A timeless unique song that has a style i have never ever heard eleswhere! (can anyone tell me a band or song like it?! please do!) Its so... laid back and alive at the same time. i love the drums. i love the bass. (another song without axl high pitched.. not that its bad. just for idiots who use that as a excuse). 10 out of 10.
Paradise City: You know.. this song.. everyone really really loves it. but i dont think its THAT great. It just doesnt pull of the hard to soft well enough. o well... everyone eles loves it. i guess i just never got into it enough. still good but not up to gnr level (perfection!). 8.5 out of 10.
My Michele: O man.. this is the song that started my gnr crazyness. it just has this awesome riff that repeats over and over and its just perfect. very dark but then changes into a lighter song. i kinda wish it stayed dark tho... you eventally get tired o it.. but not for awhile. 9.0 out of 10.
Out Ta Get Me: This song.. i didnt like it.. and then i really liked it.. and now i dont really like it. axl screams during the chorus... but its not really a scream.. its like a bad kinda yell. flat sounding. =/. slash and izzy are great on guitar tho.
7.5 out of 10.
Think About You: This song is underrated! its not their best work but i love the.. weird but awesome kinda.. middle eastern sound (?) in the 2nd chorus thing. where axl is like "i think about youuuuu.. you know... that i do." like 1:50 into the song. I give it a 8 out of 10. its kinda like sweet child o mines lil brother or something.
Sweet Child O Mine: In my opinion this is the best gnr song. better than brownstone. and its even better than the gnr use your illusion 'trilogy' (dont cry, novemeber rain, and estranged). and some people like those songs especally nov. rain and estranged becuase theyre both these really deep thought out love songs.. but sweet child o mine is like the joy in love.. its so uplifting.. heartwarming if i do say so myself. and the lyrics are beautiful. the guitar is unforgettable and the song has axl at his best. the bass is also amazing! (listen for it!). i love the ending the most tho.. the notes really high.. and then "where do we go now!? and the drop "oh oh oh oh oh oh no!" and the raise "sweet chiiiiiiiild o and its just... it gives me the chills! 10 out of 10!
Your Crazy: This is the fastest song on the album. The chorus is pretty good. you get a good feeling from it. good to jump around to.. good to listen to loud. 8.0 out of 10.
Anything Goes: the only filler on the album? mabey. but i think people only look at it as a filler because all the other songs are so damn good! i think if some other average band put this song out people would give it more credit. i like axls way of saying "toni-EI-EI-EI-AYAYA". lol. also it has a killer intro/outro with the guitar. i think this is a really good song. 8.0 out of 10.
Rocket Queen: This song takes some getting used to.. its kinda like my michele.. thats probably the closest song to compare it to.. but its alot different too. i love this song like crazy. and the last part is so cool. take a listen! 10 out of 10.
and thats my review. i love this ablum so much. even if all the songs arent perfect.. theres no fillers.. and no songs that feel fake. so buy it! buy it! buy it! lol. best piece o crap out there. its a shame gnr went down how they did... o well. (and no... axl rose and his "new guys" do not count as gnr...! but heres to hoping chinese democracy.. if ever out.. is good. doesnt hurt to hope right?)
-jack (email me at jacktopia@aol.com)
ps. kurt cobain obsessed who "HATE" gnr. if kurt hated everything gnr stood for then why did he TOTALLY RIP OFF THE CHORUS of "Its So Easy" in "Turn Around" (off the incesticide album) LISTEN TO IT YOU LOSERS! and no i dont hate nirvana or kurt cobain. i just hate the people who think theyre 'hardcore' nirvana fans because they think courtney love hired someone to kill him (NO LOSER!) or the even crazyer 'forever 27' theory... or that kurt cobain hated publicity or mtv.. if he hated publicity and mtv then why would he make music videos? make a widespread cd? he coulda kept it local. easyly. and you wanna know why kc killed himself? because he was a weak minded bi-polar creep who couldnt handle life so he just killed himself! he was weak! christ... and anyone who likes kurt cobain and doesnt like alice in chains or pearl jam needs to seriously rethink themselfs. sorry bout that rant... and im sure a bunch of kc fans will attack me. but let em. jacktopia@aol.com. bring it..
Free Music Review: Appetite for (self) Destruction
Hit: 5 Stars
The age-old question for rock stars struggling with trying to hang onto their "cool", their "cred" and their "cojones" has always been, "Is it better to burn out or to fade away?". At least now we know the answer. If Guns and Roses had released this album and then perished in some unspeakably awful but glorious way (saving the world from drug addiction by consuming the world's entire supply of drugs for example) they would be universally acknowledged as the greatest band ever. Yes we'd wail and gnash our teeth and cry, "But surely the rest of their career would have changed the face of music as we know it!!". With hindsight we'd rather remember them as foul-mouthed hedonists at the height of their powers than as schizophrenic weirdos, still promising another album after a decade of silence. Appetite for Destruction is the greatest rock record ever, and one of the greatest albums in the history of music. No other band has managed to cut such a collection of visceral, spiteful, hateful and yet life-affirming tunes onto tape without self-destructing from the sheer energy driving the band. This album is the sound of a band who know they've come from nothing and will return to nothing and only have one shot at the big time, and this is their shot - but by god do they know they deserve it and know they're going to make it. While Axl screams and spits in your face, the band make a noise that sounds like society crumbling and a nation of parents turn away in horror. Each song here is about either a drug, a girl, something that Axl doesn't like or , more commonly, a mixture of all three. Axl has all the demons of past wrongs and paranoic fantasies breathing down his neck yet he never takes the easy step made by lesser talents (Korn, Limp, Papa Roach) of descending into self hate. Instead he focusses his anger outward, taking swipes at the things he hates - like a lone wolf trapped in a corner he comes out fighting, and , reunited with his pack, leads them to victory. At least I presume what that silly coda at the end of "Rocket Queen" is about; some sort of self congratulatory release from all the preceding tension. It's the most incongruent thing on the album and sadly it points toward a future of pointless bickering and egotism which would ultimately tear the band apart.
But we're not here to talk about that, instead we're here to celebrate the finest record ever. Everyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s (except those who grew up in Utah or Iran) gets a chill down their spine when they hear the opening note of "Welcome to the Jungle". The staccato guitar riff that teases you with the false opening then comes crashing back in with the siren. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up, your pulse increases, your breathing becomes shallow and out atavistic fight of flight mechanism kicks in and says "Something's about to go down here..." By the time Axl chimes in with his first "Huh!" of the album you've ahd to decide whether to stay and join the party, or run for the safety of your Duran Duran records...
Given that there isn't a single human being out there who hasn't heard this record (or at least there shouldn't be, and anyway, are they really likely to be reading this review?) I don't feel I need to describe the music much. The first time you heard G'n'R is one of those things that everyone knows and everyone remembers, and it won't really come as a surprise to you to hear that there's a lot of swearing in bits, some of it is quite mysogenistic, and that "Mr Brownstone" is slang for heroin.
The question I'd like to pose is "Is it relevant today?". The answer is a huge overwhelming "Yes!". The album perhaps lost a little relevance during the internet boom of the nineties while wages were rising, crime was falling and most people were on balance pretty happy* In 2003 though, unemployment and fear are the only things rising, and the people are increasingly unhappy - the smell of revolution is in the air, and any good revolution needs a soundtrack. G'n'R are as relevant now as they ever were. Fed up with hypocracy? Listen to "My Michelle". Nostalgic for the past? "Sweet child o' mine". Want to pump yourself up before tossing that trashcan through the window of Radioshack? "It's so easy" was made for moments like that. The songs cover the gamut of human emotion, and only get richer with each listen. 17 years later, Axl still speaks directly to each one of us, our hopes our fears, our desires and our inner needs. And we all have needs.
"Iusedtodoalittlebutalittlewouldn'tdoandsoalittlegotmoreandmore
Ijustkeeptryingtogetalittlebetterjustalittlebetterthanbefore..."
The poetry of Axl's lyrics has long been overlooked too. He shares many characteristics with today's bad boy of the moment, Eminem, and both share an incredible lyrical prowess. So they're also both violent, mysogenistic, homophobic, paranoid and fond of drugs - i guess it's no surprise that genius walks hand in hand with madness. Perhaps Em can learn something from Axl. At least Eminem has now put out 3 decent albums - perhaps he should call it quits and walk away while he's still on top of the game.
Guns and Roses, sadly, cannot turn back time and make the same decision, but perhaps we can forget the years that followed, drop onto the couch, crack open a bottle of jack, crank the stereo and let Axl, Slash, Steve, Izzy and the other one (Matt?) remind you why it feels so damn good to be alive. Come on - you know all the words...
*Yeah well, give me some latitude to generalize...
Free Music Review: A must-own Rock and Roll Template
Hit: 5 Stars
"Yowsah," "OH YAAAIEEEYAAAHAAA!," and "EIIEEEYYYIEEE" were all immortalized on the "right-place-right-time" Hollywood success-story-turned-classic-debut of rock and roll soulmates Guns N Roses. But there's much more than meets the eye.First something needs to be gotten out of the way. While most people see this as a great album (a rare case of "decent album gets praise" in music), the naysayers (and there will always be those) who deride GNR and 'Appetite' for "no talent"(?!?!?!?) seem to be not so much fans of Bach, but rather Grunge and modern day bland-o-rama rock. There is no deeper insult than a follower of 3-chord latency like Crap Cobain and the highly-virtuosic Blink 182 (that is sarcasm) tearing apart the mighty gunners for not having enough of what their own heroes have none of at all.
Slash may have sloppy technique, but every now and then a fluke of a person comes along where that doesn't matter, because the person is composed of 100% soul, feel, and pure emotion. Cynics be warned: That means there's a legitimate comparison between the late jazz/bebop revolutionary Thelonious Monk and Slash. And maybe I relate to Axl so well because I'd rather speak my controversial-albeit-educated opinion, like the one in the last sentence, rather than just keep bottling up unique conceptualization for the umpteenth year in my short human lifespan.
I personally think that, although it destroyed the band, "Use Your Illusion II" is their best, and for good reason, as it is one of the best of all time. It is more diverse and on a grander scale than "Appetite," but non-haters of GNR be advised: we're all Guns fans (or whorshippers) here, so it is a minor discrepancy. Let us give praise to the highly powerful masterpiece that is "Appetite For Destruction!"
This album is EXHAUSTING. And in the best way possible. If you actually listen to it start to finish (as I do), by the time it's over, you've worked off all that violent anger and rage that might have gotten you in trouble, and you've just burned as many calories by sitting in a chair that you would have if you'd have run a marathon. There are, as most people know, the three mega-singles "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," and "Sweet Child of Mine." It's pointless to analyze them to death, as you usually can't help but hear one of them on a daily basis while going throughout your lives - from a bar, to a stadium, scrolling across the radio dial, and in the privacy of your own home. For one of the very few times in music history, a band that has taken over the world has actually left behind GOOD songs that although you would be hard pressed to avoid them through the course of your daily routine, there is no need to.
And ok, maybe Slash could have learned some more scales - but the over 6 minute epic "Paridise City" has so much passion and fire, how can you not simply be exploding with emotion at the double-time finale of his mega-solo? Isn't it great that pioneers of "alternative music" wish Slash had learned the lydian scale, while the former individuals could only fumble to even pronounce it? Sad, sad irony. And Axl's voice? He's the ONLY singer I've ever heard that can belt out a jagged-edged scream that stays scarily dead on pitch and has all of the sincere energy of an opera singer all in one breath.
Other songs on the album can be characterized as band staples, just as popular as the singles, although never marketed as such. That's when you KNOW you've got a huge album on your hands. "It's So Easy," "Mr. Brownstone" (revealing their signature blues-metal funk), and "You're Crazy" all drill their way through your brain like a trainwreck that magically never seems to come off the tracks.
My own favorites, "Nighttrain" and "Rocket Queen" have such massive groove, you don't know whether you want to snap your fingers and dance (which I don't anyway) or bang your head into a wall (that sounds better!). Many twists, turns, solos, screeches, and smashes await the listener who dares to enter the world that is "Appetite For Destruction."
It's about an hour of heavy rock, sucking the energy out of any lifeform it encounters along the way, and yes it's 80's influenced, but it's GOOD dammit. Axl's very talented, probably the most of the whole bunch; his untirable voice combined with his decent piano chops (and I'm a piano major), coupled with his unfortunate past, all meld together to create the quintissential musical potential. All combined, the GNR albums proved to be templates for rock and roll, albeit a late entry into the rock and roll game. Nonetheless, it's some of the greatest stuff of the past 50 years. Most people have an album where they say nothing has come along since then. If I had to choose, I would say Guns N Roses in general was the last great thing about rock and roll. Every band that has come along since then (with the exception of Dream Theater) has copied and pasted one watered down note (much less a measure) from the "Appetite..." catalog, and called it a career. YES, Guns could have been EVEN BETTER, but NO, they were nothing short of MAGICAL as it was. And all this talk of past tense reminds me that there's always a wing and a prayer for a reunion before they all turn 60.
Can over 15 million people be wrong? yes
are they wrong here? nope
Free Music Review: THE Best!
Hit: 5 Stars
There's a reason that this album from Guns N' Roses is one of the highest selling ever...it's phenomenal! I realize that some don't like Guns N' Roses, though I'm not too put off, now that I've thought about it. There's a good deal about this album that bothers some listeners. It's too misogynistic, or too aggressive, or they don't like Axl's attitude. Oh well...for everyone to love it, it would have to be watered down far too much, and I like my Appetite as is. If your delicate sensibilities can't handle it, then bugger off and listen to some britpop for all I care. That said, on to the review!
Opener "Welcome to the Jungle" has become iconic as the battle cry for hard rock, and for good reason. It's got a great lyrics and a killer groove supplied by bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. But while this song is a piece of rock history, it's hardly the best or heaviest track on the album.
Followed up "It's So Easy" takes on darker themes with lyrics about sexual conquest, though it doesn't approach them in the style of the day, which was very childish with a "boys will be boys" vibe a la Mötley Crüe and Poison. Rather, it plays as a heavier track that, while dealing with similar thematic elements, illustrating Guns' ability to take familiar ideas and deal with them in a completely new way.
Fan favorite "Nightrain" follows, with some of the tightest playing on the album and an absolutely killer guitar solo from Slash. In addition, Axl's vocals are on form, and work well with the instrumentation.
"Out Ta Get Me" follows, featuring some of the best riffs on the album, before the killer groove of "Mr. Brownstone" takes over. At this point you may be thinking "all killer...no filler?," and you'd be correct. This trend continues, as nearly every song has a strong guitar solo, awesome groove, and great vocal work.
"Paradise City" marks the midpoint of the album and, despite being a classic, it's actually not one of my favorites. Sure, it's great, but I think it could have done without the synth, as it makes it sound a bit dated and takes away from an otherwise killer song. But despite its instantly recognizable guitar intro and catchy chorus, what people generally forget about this song is that it's actually one of the heavier ones on the album, and you'll notice that no casual fans actually know the words in the verses.
The second half, which plays out as a series of songs dedicated to all manner of women (crazy, tender, cherished, troubled, kinky) begins with the subdued tones of a guitar melody of "My Michelle," before breaking out into a heavy, groovy melodic riff to back some of the best vocals on the album. This is an aggressive track...not necessarily in its tempo, which is midpaced, but it just has about as much attitude as a rock n' roll song can have. One of my personal favorites from the album.
"Think About You" is probably one of the two least known tracks from Appetite for Destruction. One of two genuinely positive songs (in a row, no less!), it's one of the more upbeat tracks on Appetite. This leads in to the famous "Sweet Child O' Mine," which is the closest thing you'll find on this album to the mid/late 80s trend of including a power ballad on every release. This is NOT a power ballad. Compare it to "Home Sweet Home" (Motley Crue) or "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" (Poison) or any of the others, and you'll see that this is a completely different approach. It's faster paced than the typical power ballad, doesn't even think about going acoustic, and has one of the best guitar solos you'll ever hear in a rock n' roll song.
"You're Crazy" picks up the pace near the end of the album, adding a bit of the frantic to the mix, before "Anything Goes" brings a heavy dose of groove back to the album. This all leads in to one of the true album highlights. "Rocket Queen" has one of the best grooves on the album, along with some great lyrics and an overall strong performance. The song slows and softens with a little over two minutes remaining, into a great finish.
There are a lot of things that make a band successful. Guns N' Roses was a combination of punk, hard rock, and classic rock influences, personified in bands like the New York Dolls, Thin Lizzy, and The Rolling Stones. An unlikely mix, in that the variety of influences could lead to very inconsistent albums. Lesser musicians would have failed miserably in attempting to combine these elements, and a lesser band would not have had the right combination of instrumental talent and songwriting skill, on one hand, and attitude and aggression, on the other, to pull it all together in what has become one of the two "must have" albums in hard rock (along with AC/DC's Back in Black). Not many bands had the guts to go against the grain, as so many were copying corporate formulas for success near the time of Appetite's release, but Guns seem to know no other way, which makes this one of the most honest albums around.
If "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," and "Sweet Child O'Mine" were never written, this would STILL be one of the best hard rock albums ever released.
Buy it for those songs, if you must, but worship it for the power of "Nightrain," the animosity of "My Michelle," and the groove of "Rocket Queen," because a truly great album is so much more than its hits.
THIS is such an album.
Free Music Review: 20 years later and they still got an appetite!
Hit: 5 Stars
Although I've owned "Appetite for Destruction" for quite some time, I never, really considered reviewing it. However, since it celebrated its 20th anniversary on July 21st, I guess now would be an appropriate time to bring it up.
Even though AfD is a great album, it actually took some time to really grow on me. However, between Axl Rose's banshee vocals, Slash's crazy guitar work and the rest of the band playing their hearts out, it's easy to see that, when combined with such excellent songs, this album made an impression on American musical culture. What with the famous album cover and an amount of underlying drug references, little things only add up for this stunningly impressive, late '80s album.
Starting off with "Welcome to the Jungle" we heard a guitar riff that combines the sleazy guitar tone of Ratt with the brute force of, say, a much heavier band like Megadeth. And with the opening chord sounding like part of the National Anthem (IMO, at least), the jungle-percussion section midway through, and Axl's definitive cry, "You know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby! You're gonna die!", it's easy to see how such an awesome riff-rocker solidified itself among countless, other legendary songs of the time. 10/10
"It's So Easy" starts off with a bassline and some no-frills snare drumming. The haunting guitar riff compliments Axl's voice, which, in this song, has a deeper, more Mick Jagger-esque sound. And with the catchy verses and nightmarishly nihilistic lyrics, this song definitely fills in the boots of "Welcome to the Jungle". 10/10
"Nightrain" is a song whose adventurous lyrics stand as a double-entendre for drugs. Axl's voice is back up in the higher register as Slash wails his heart out on the pentatonic scales on his guitar. And as a matter of fact, this song is ideal to play in the night time. 10/10
"Out Ta Get Me" sort of reminds me of a musical version of "The Outsiders". Unfortunately, the song doesn't do it for me, as I don't ever seem to want to listen to it. 7/10
"Mr. Brownstone" has another drug references, but the music and the humor mask it enough that it doesn't really bother you. The salsa section used twice in here is a great moment for me, the guitar solo rocks, and the ending of the song is fun, as well. 10/10
"Paradise City" ends the first half of the disc as a six and a half minute epic in the vein of "Free Bird" and "Stairway To Heaven". Everybody is at the top of their game here, Axl giving some of his most powerful and spirited vocal work on the entire album, Slash shredding out one of the greatest guitar solos of all time, and Duff McKagan throwing in some nice bass work at the right time. What a classic this song is. 10/10
"My Michelle" is the complete opposite of the anthemic epic that was before it; Between the progressive, opening guitar work and the speedy choruses, Axl sings about dating a girl who lives a sterotypical hard life. Actually, the ending kind of reminds me of something that could be said in a movie. Although it's not the definitive song on the album, it's another, solid track. 8/10
"Think About You" is a beautiful song, a "half-ballad" as I would say, for it contains balladic lyrics with a rocking beat. The acoustic guitars in the chorus complement the electric ones, however, the ending seems to come out of nowhere. Nevertheless, a great song. 10/10
"Sweet Child o' Mine" was voted as one of the ten best songs of its decade, so that alone should give you some insight that it's a great song. The legendary guitar riff, which sounds like a melodic alarm, starts this six-minute love song off, which boasts some of Axl's most poetic lyrics around. The lengthy guitar solo is another bit of history you're going to love, and the repetition of "Where do we go now?", only adds to the beauty of the song. A true classic. 10/10
"You're Crazy" is a fast and furious song about staying away from that girl that only "wants you for your body", which Axl describes as being "CRAZY! oh my...". A good song to thrash around to, yet it keeps the melody a lot of the songs have. 10/10
"Anything Goes" a fun song that has plenty of double-entendres, sounds like somebody combined AC/DC with Alice Cooper. I love the swing section at the end, which displays some of Steven Adler's drumwork. 10/10
"Rocket Queen" is a lengthy, darker song at over six minutes. The last verse is based a lot on being friends with somebody, however, even with that and the fact that this is the last song on the album, "Rocket Queen" doesn't seem as introspective as you might think. Still, a great way to close the album. 9/10
There you have it, my review for "Appetite for Destruction". In my opinion, and in the opinions of many others, it's considered one of the absolute best albums of the '80s, up there with AC/DC's "Back in Black", U2's "The Joshua Tree" and Prince's "Purple Rain". A relentless burst of guitar solos, Axl's legendary vocal work, and an overall vibe that's very different than later songs such as "November Rain" or "Don't Cry" makes Appetite For Destruction a five-star album in my book. Even if Axl's neck-deep in feuds with countless other, famous figures, the music itself is more than fine, and hopefully makes a great addition to your music library. Thanks for the time, and peace.