I would have to say right after UYI was released and before Izzy left. Songs like Coma, Estranged, Locomotive, Civil War, Breakdown, Don't Damn Me and Nov Rain proved that Axl wasn't just a cock rockin' angry David Lee Roth/Vince Neil et al type frontman. He had an emotional depth and an ability to express it that the other hard rockers did not have. The live performances were still stripped down and rockin' as well. Now, after Izzy left, that is a different story-obviously things got a little bloated for awhile
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