It is shocking to me that 30 years have passed since Guns 'N Roses unleashed 'Appetite For Destruction' on the world. I remember when it was new and even 3 decades later, it remains legendary.

You may be too young to remember or maybe you weren't even born yet, but the rock and roll world was a completely different place back in 1987. After Quiet Riot hit it big with "Cum On Feel The Noise" in 1983, rock and roll grew a lot of hair and spandex immediately afterward. By 1987, Bon Jovi had 3 albums out and had exploded into super-stardom with "Slippery When Wet" the year prior. Poison, RATT and many other bands were finding amazing success and filling arenas.

By the mid-to-late 80's, rock and roll had become kinda soft and pretty. Rock bands were played on Top 40 radio stations back-to-back with artists like Madonna.

Guns 'N Roses changed all that. "Appetite for Destruction" was big, bad and nasty. There were parental guidance stickers all over the front. The first album cover was so controversial that it had to be changed at the last minute before stores would sell it. There was an air of danger about Guns 'N Roses and we liked it.

From the very first riffs of "Welcome to the Jungle", you could tell there would be no fluffy over-produced made-for-Top-40-radio junk here. Slash, Axl, Duff and the Guns guys were raw, aggressive and uncompromising. It was a reminder of what rock and roll had been and what it should be.

Listen to the album today and you'd never guess it is now 30 years old. 'Appetite' remains as valid as it was back in 1987. Very few artists or albums can claim that.

Here's where it gets good. Check out Loudwire's exclusive Guns 'N Roses documentary.

 

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