Why do you love that band?

[FreddieJames]

Axl the person is a total yo-yo a lot of the time.  But when you see him on stage performing, there's just no one like him.

I think that was really driven home by Slash of all people.  Even think back to when things were as bleak as can be.  Slash is writing books and Axl is calling him cancer.

But whenever Slash was asked about great frontmen, he always had Axl right there.  Because he knew.  He knew despite all Axl's drama and bullshit, once you are onstage, the guy is money.

I always feel that in the last 20 years or so Axl has acted (publicly that is) quite normal. Especially for a 'rock star'. When he was on Jimmy Kimmel he was normal, when he performed he was normal, on Twitter he's normal, on the award show where he got an award from Nicolas Cage he was normal. He has a tendency of blaming others for specific things, but since we have no clue what's going on behind the scenes the man might be right   Who knows?  

I feel that he -unfairly- is still seen as how he was when he wasn't even thirty years old.... The man never got a chance to be seen as a different person cause the media keeps projecting old shit on him in recent times.

The only thing I don't find normal is his fashion sense, but that's always been the same. Hence people asking about his kilts  

[DeN]

music, attitude, kilts

Hahahaha

Its so funny you say that.  When my buddies were talking to me about getting tickets for the show this summer, 3 of them, unprompted and with no connection to each other, asked me if he was still rocking the kilts.

it's that or the bicycle shorts...

[arnarsi]

I simply love them for many different reasons.  Their music is the best music I could possibly listen to.  Their songs are rock that I dig in so many ways.  They make songs that include great riffs, solos and Axl's vocal is the perfect fit.  I love how they can write songs that can escape the typical formation of songs you hear so often.  They don't care if there is a specific form, they even have songs that have different chapters, like you are into suddenly a new song like Locomotive and Patience.  Some songs don't even include a chorus.  They lyrics are the best damn lyrics written and written by someone (in most cases) that is really able to express them so well that you really feel it all the way. 

Then you have their history, personalities and their appearances.  All this combined with their epic, masterpiece music makes them the best band I have ever heard and I will ever hear.

[D-GenerationX]

I always feel that in the last 20 years or so Axl has acted (publicly that is) quite normal. Especially for a 'rock star'. When he was on Jimmy Kimmel he was normal, when he performed he was normal, on Twitter he's normal, on the award show where he got an award from Nicolas Cage he was normal. He has a tendency of blaming others for specific things, but since we have no clue what's going on behind the scenes the man might be right   Who knows?  

Well, I certainly would not go back 20 years.

In that time frame he was still no showing concerts, fighting designers over spilled drinks, calling people cancer.  Not exactly the pinnacle of great behavior.

But the past 5 years or so, absolutely.  And the very fact he was willing to patch it up with the guys is, in itself, a tremendous example of his growth.

[Factory Girl]

Axl the person is a total yo-yo a lot of the time.  But when you see him on stage performing, there's just no one like him.

I think that was really driven home by Slash of all people.  Even think back to when things were as bleak as can be.  Slash is writing books and Axl is calling him cancer.

But whenever Slash was asked about great frontmen, he always had Axl right there.  Because he knew.  He knew despite all Axl's drama and bullshit, once you are onstage, the guy is money.

I always feel that in the last 20 years or so Axl has acted (publicly that is) quite normal. Especially for a 'rock star'. When he was on Jimmy Kimmel he was normal, when he performed he was normal, on Twitter he's normal, on the award show where he got an award from Nicolas Cage he was normal. He has a tendency of blaming others for specific things, but since we have no clue what's going on behind the scenes the man might be right   Who knows?  

I feel that he -unfairly- is still seen as how he was when he wasn't even thirty years old.... The man never got a chance to be seen as a different person cause the media keeps projecting old shit on him in recent times.

The only thing I don't find normal is his fashion sense, but that's always been the same. Hence people asking about his kilts  

Yeah, but Axl is a very private person and since he doesn't put himself out there most people still think of him as the 30 year old crazy guy wearing kilts and bandana.

[EmilyGNR]

Axl the person is a total yo-yo a lot of the time.  But when you see him on stage performing, there's just no one like him.

I think that was really driven home by Slash of all people.  Even think back to when things were as bleak as can be.  Slash is writing books and Axl is calling him cancer.

But whenever Slash was asked about great frontmen, he always had Axl right there.  Because he knew.  He knew despite all Axl's drama and bullshit, once you are onstage, the guy is money.

I always feel that in the last 20 years or so Axl has acted (publicly that is) quite normal. Especially for a 'rock star'. When he was on Jimmy Kimmel he was normal, when he performed he was normal, on Twitter he's normal, on the award show where he got an award from Nicolas Cage he was normal. He has a tendency of blaming others for specific things, but since we have no clue what's going on behind the scenes the man might be right   Who knows?  

I feel that he -unfairly- is still seen as how he was when he wasn't even thirty years old.... The man never got a chance to be seen as a different person cause the media keeps projecting old shit on him in recent times.

The only thing I don't find normal is his fashion sense, but that's always been the same. Hence people asking about his kilts  

Yeah, but Axl is a very private person and since he doesn't put himself out there most people still think of him as the 30 year old crazy guy wearing kilts and bandana.

He also doesn't defend himself against all the idiots and haters that talk crap about him online, on a more or less daily basis.

[FreddieJames]

I always feel that in the last 20 years or so Axl has acted (publicly that is) quite normal. Especially for a 'rock star'. When he was on Jimmy Kimmel he was normal, when he performed he was normal, on Twitter he's normal, on the award show where he got an award from Nicolas Cage he was normal. He has a tendency of blaming others for specific things, but since we have no clue what's going on behind the scenes the man might be right   Who knows?  

Well, I certainly would not go back 20 years.

In that time frame he was still no showing concerts, fighting designers over spilled drinks, calling people cancer.  Not exactly the pinnacle of great behavior.

But the past 5 years or so, absolutely.  And the very fact he was willing to patch it up with the guys is, in itself, a tremendous example of his growth.

Yeah, but my point is that a lot of people have fights with other people. Who knows what Tommy Hilfiger said or did. I mean, based on Tommy's appearance I would say the man's a rich kid from a rich world. We all know how they act. What he said about Slash is quite rude, but I wouldn't say it's a weird thing to say about someone you've had many business issues with. You don't want to know what I call some people who rub me the wrong way  I just don't think how he acts is out of the ordinary, certainly not for someone living his life.

And the no showing at concerts is something I might have missed. Have tickets actually been sold where he did not show up? Or cancelled? (serious question, I wasn't that active about 10 years ago)

[Voodoochild]

I love this band because the music kick ass. It's just that, the songs are awesome.

I don't really relate that much to the lyrics, to be honest. But if I'm able to write and contribute here right now, is because I spent part of my teenage years reading and translating GNR lyrics in 1989 and later. In late 90s and early 2000, I started to read the Internet searching for news on the band (one of the places was this very one here). I actually learned how to speak English because of the band, never had any lessons in my life.

Also learned how to play guitar in 1995 because I started to try to learn by ear Slash's solos (Ain't it Fun, Breakdown and Rocket Queen were my favorites). Also never had any actual lesson, by the way. Later I got really interested in the new licks and tones that Robin brought to the band, specially his approach to some of the old tunes like SCOM.

Keep in mind that I don't have a perfect English, but that's more than enough for me to be able to talk to people at work and in the many travels around the world I already did. Also not that good in the guitar, but at least I can play some stuff I like.

So yeah, Guns N' Roses actually changed my life big time.

[sky dog]

Brilliant vocal melodies mixed with guitars that can be described as both authentic hard rock and an organic entity layered beautifully to form a song.

Guitar solos for the history books.

They do both hard and softer songs just right.

Axl can be a lyricist up there with the very best. His best work is just amazing.

Live energy and presence on the stage. They are very charismatic people.

One of the best lyricists of all time, I would list him in the top 5 .

I don't know about that Emily but he is damn good and HONEST....wears his heart on his sleeve.

As for the OP, I do have to have lyrics that punch me in the gut, make me laugh, make me cry, make me angry, etc. Axl does that. Then, when you mix it with a bad ass rock and roll band...win/win for me.

[Bazfreak]

I'm a fan because GNR was the band that actually got me into Rock N Roll...I was around 10 years old , the band had already split in mid 90's but they were still huge with a lot of airplay,,I remember listening to the Illusions on K7 tapes  .
In fact I was influenced by my brothers who are 5 years older than me...good times.  

Skid Row and GNR were always my fav bands.

[LIGuns]

AFD had been out for awhile when I finally heard the album all the way through and not just WTTJ and SCOM. Due to the vocal diversity on WTTJ,  ISE than Nightrain I was unsure if there were 1,2 or 3 singers in the band..I was hooked by how unique they were and how the songs felt genuine and not generic..

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Not an easy answer, but ill give it a shot.

The music, a combination of classic rock meets punk.   The nostalgia element as AFD was the soundtrack to my high school years and UYI to my college years. The cinema level music videos. The determination of Axl to continue after the original core members left and here we are back full circle. Axl putting on 3+ hr concerts. And he won't compromise his art. Slash's iconic   Guitar solos. The fact they keep moving forward.

I'm sure there's more, but that's what is in my head at the moment.

[draguns]

This band means a lot to me for many reasons. First and for most, they came at a time when I was fighting for my education and future.  Back in the 80s, kids with disabilities were not supposed to be in public school.  I fought that. I had a lot of anger  and they assuage it. I won that battle. I still somewhat have that anger since to this day I have to fight for everything that I have, but GNR helps me for relief of it.

Another reason is for their determination. They  stuck with it and became successful. Any obstacle that came their way, they overcame it.

A third is for Axl's old rants, which piqued my interests in public speaking.

Last and definitely not least, it's the music. For me, nothing beats hearing Axl's voice, with Slash solos, and Duff bass playing. Also Izzy's coolness and Steven's swing groove.  Matt's playing on  UYI was good and I like Dizzy's keyboards on Estranged.