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{{short description|American singer (born 1962)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox musical artist
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| image = Glasto2023 (239 of 468) (53009325175) (cropped).jpg
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| alias = {{unbulleted list|W. Axl Rose| William Bruce Bailey|Bill Bailey}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|2|6}}
|
| origin = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Hard rock]]
* [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]]
* [[glam metal]]
* [[blues rock]]
* [[industrial rock]]<ref>{{cite book|author1=Slash|last2=Bozza|first2=Anthony|title=Slash|date=October 30, 2007|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-135142-6|pages=110–111}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Adler|first1=Steven|author2=Lawrence J. Apopei|title=My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N' Roses|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1O3wuV4QBEAC|date=July 27, 2010|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-191711-0|pages=94–95}}</ref>
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* piano}}
| years_active = 1983–present
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
* musician
}}
| current_member_of = {{flatlist|
* [[Guns N' Roses]]
}}
| past_member_of = {{flatlist|
* {{nowrap|[[Hollywood Rose]]}}
* [[L.A. Guns]]
* [[Rapidfire]]
}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Erin Everly|1990|1991|end=annulled}}
| website = {{URL|axlrose.com}}
| module = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
| signature = Axl_Rose_signature_trans.png
}}
}}
'''W. Axl Rose''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|k|s|@l}} {{respell|AK|səl}}; born '''William Bruce Rose Jr.''', February 6, 1962)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Monitor|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=February 8, 2013|issue=1245|page=22}}</ref> is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist and lyricist of the [[hard rock]] band [[Guns N' Roses]], and has been the band's sole constant member since its inception in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://popspoken.com/entertainment/2016/10/guns-n-roses-coming-to-singapore-the-best-of-reactions|title=Guns 'N' Roses Are Officially Coming To Singapore: Super Epic Reactions From The Internet|publisher=Popspoken|date=October 13, 2016|access-date=May 12, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412104009/http://popspoken.com/entertainment/2016/10/guns-n-roses-coming-to-singapore-the-best-of-reactions|archive-date=April 12, 2017}}</ref> Possessing a distinctive and powerful wide-ranging voice,<ref name="rollingstone.com">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/axl-rose-responds-to-list-calling-him-worlds-greatest-singer-124867/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170619202559/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-responds-to-list-calling-him-worlds-greatest-singer-20140528|title=Axl Rose Picks His Favorite Singers|first1=Kory|last1=Grow|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=May 28, 2014|archive-date=June 19, 2017}}</ref> Rose has been named one of the greatest singers of all time by various media outlets, including ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', ''[[NME]]'' and ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lethem|first=Jonathan|title=100 Greatest Singers of All Time|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=November 27, 2008|access-date=June 3, 2011|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/axl-rose-19691231 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709154144/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-singers-of-all-time-19691231/axl-rose-19691231 |archive-date=July 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Michael Jackson tops NME's Greatest Singers poll|magazine=[[NME]]|date=June 21, 2011|access-date=July 10, 2011|url=https://www.nme.com/news/michael-jackson/57469|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627082454/http://www.nme.com/news/michael-jackson/57469|archive-date=June 27, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Unterberger |first1=Katie Atkinson, Katie Bain, Eric Renner Brown, Kyle Denis, Frank DiGiacomo, Thom Duffy, Ingrid Fajardo, Paul Grein, Lyndsey Havens, Jason Lipshutz, Joe Lynch, Taylor Mims, Melinda Newman, Isabela Raygoza, Andrew |last2=Atkinson |first2=Katie |last3=Bain |first3=Katie |last4=Brown |first4=Eric Renner |last5=Denis |first5=Kyle |last6=DiGiacomo |first6=Frank |last7=Duffy |first7=Thom |last8=Fajardo |first8=Ingrid |last9=Grein |first9=Paul |date=August 16, 2023 |title=The 50 Greatest Rock Lead Singers of All Time |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-rock-singers-bands-lead-vocalists/ |access-date=August 18, 2023 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
Born and raised in [[Lafayette, Indiana]], Rose moved to Los Angeles, California, in the early 1980s, where he became active in the local hard rock scene and joined several bands, including [[Hollywood Rose]] and [[L.A. Guns]]. In 1985, he co-founded Guns N' Roses, with whom he had great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Their first album, ''[[Appetite for Destruction]]'' (1987), has sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/19/2494907_american-masters-highlights-david.html|title='American Masters' highlights David Geffen's influence but only hints at a dark side|first=Sara|last=Smith|newspaper=[[The Kansas City Star]]|date=November 18, 2012|access-date=March 11, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309044138/http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/19/2494907_american-masters-highlights-david.html|archive-date=March 9, 2014}}</ref><ref name=Havelock>{{cite magazine|url=http://news.qthemusic.com/2012/08/column_-_still_hungry_25_years.html|title=Column - Still hungry? 25 years of Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction|first=Laurie|last=Havelock|magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|date=August 9, 2012|access-date=March 11, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311063307/http://news.qthemusic.com/2012/08/column_-_still_hungry_25_years.html|archive-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref> and is the best-selling debut album of all time in the U.S. with 18 million units sold. Rose's high-profile relationships with Erin Everly and [[Stephanie Seymour]] in the late 1980s and early '90s inspired multiple songs, including the number one hit "[[Sweet Child o' Mine]]". However allegations of abuse by Rose caused significant controversy,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/cover-story-bye-bye-love-vol-42-no-3/|title=Bye Bye Love|website=Peoplemag}}</ref> as did the band's next release ''[[G N' R Lies]]'' (1988) due to his inclusion of multiple slurs on the song "[[One in a Million (Guns N' Roses song)|One in a Million]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/guns-n-roses-most-offensive-song-in-music/|title=Guns N' Roses wrote the most offensive song in popular music|date=June 24, 2023|website=faroutmagazine.co.uk}}</ref>
Guns N' Roses' next releases, the twin albums ''[[Use Your Illusion I]]'' and ''[[Use Your Illusion II]]'' (1991), were widely successful; debuting at No.{{nbsp}}2 and No.{{nbsp}}1 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] and sold a combined 35 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tsort.info/music/faq_album_sales.htm|title=Which albums had the highest number of worldwide sales?|access-date=March 14, 2012|date=December 15, 2007|publisher=TSORT|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327070348/http://tsort.info/music/faq_album_sales.htm|archive-date=March 27, 2012}}</ref> Controversy followed Rose during the two-and-a-half-year [[Use Your Illusion Tour]], with riots (including his arrest for inciting the [[Riverport Riot]]), rants against the media and bandmates between songs, and feuds with other artists including [[Metallica]] and [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/axl-rose-feud-with-metallica/|title=Understanding Axl Rose's feud with Metallica - Far Out Magazine|date=October 26, 2022|website=faroutmagazine.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/axl-rose-kurt-cobain-rock-feud/|title=Rock Feuds: Axl Rose vs. Kurt Cobain|first=Corey|last=Irwin|date=May 18, 2022|website=Ultimate Classic Rock}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.939xindy.com/2021/06/21/few-tours-had-more-controversy-than-the-gnr-use-your-illusion-tour/|title=Few Tours Had More Controversy Than The GNR Use Your Illusion Tour|date=June 21, 2021|website=939X Indy's Rock Station - WNDX-FM}}</ref> The punk covers album ''[["The Spaghetti Incident?"]]'' (1993) failed to match the success of previous albums, with Rose's cover of a [[Charles Manson]] song gaining notoriety.
After the tour, in 1994, Rose disappeared from public eye while Guns N' Roses stalled on making a new album. The band started to fall apart due to personal and musical differences, primarily between Rose and lead guitarist [[Slash (musician)|Slash]]. By the time work on a new album was underway in 1998, only Rose and keyboardist [[Dizzy Reed]] remained from the previous tour lineup. In 2001, Rose, the only remaining original member, resurfaced alongside the new lineup of Guns N' Roses at [[Rock in Rio 3]], and subsequently played the decade-long [[Chinese Democracy Tour]] to promote the long-delayed ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' (2008), [[List of most expensive albums|the most expensive rock album]] to ever be produced.<ref name="AllMusic Biography">{{cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|title=Guns N' Roses Biography|website=AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/guns-n-roses-p4416/biography|access-date=December 18, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20111220091752/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/guns-n-roses-p4416/biography|archive-date=December 20, 2011}}</ref>
In 2012, Rose was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] as a member of Guns N' Roses, though he requested exclusion from the Hall. Rose's longstanding public feud with Slash ended when Slash and bassist [[Duff McKagan]] rejoined Guns N' Roses in 2016 for the record-breaking [[Not in This Lifetime... Tour]]. Also in 2016, Rose toured with [[AC/DC]] as a fill-in vocalist for two dozen shows. The NITL tour lineup of Guns N' Roses [[We're F'N' Back! Tour|continued touring]] in 2020, as well as occasionally released new singles.
== Early life ==
Axl Rose was born William Bruce Rose Jr. in [[Lafayette, Indiana]], the oldest child of Sharon Elizabeth (née Lintner), then 16 years old and still in high school,<ref name="watchyoubleed">{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Stephen|title=Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N' Roses|year=2008|publisher=Gotham Publishing|isbn=978-1-59240-377-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/watchyoubleedsag00davi}}</ref> and William Bruce Rose, then 20 years old.<ref name="Reitwiesner">{{cite web|last=Reitwiesner|first=William Addams|title=Ancestry of Axl Rose|publisher=William Addams Reitwiesner Genealogical Services|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://www.wargs.com/other/rose.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615223829/http://www.wargs.com/other/rose.html|archive-date=June 15, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="RollingStoneBio">{{cite magazine|title=Axl Rose: Biography|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/axl-rose/biography|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924233647/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/axl-rose/biography|archive-date=September 24, 2011}}</ref> His father has been described as "a troubled and charismatic local delinquent," and the pregnancy was unplanned.<ref name="watchyoubleed" /> His parents separated when Rose was approximately two years old, prompting his father to abduct and allegedly [[Child sexual abuse|molest]] him before disappearing from Lafayette.<ref name="watchyoubleed"/> His mother then married Stephen L. Bailey and changed her son's name to William Bruce Bailey.<ref name="RollingStoneBio"/><ref name="Tannenbaum88">{{cite magazine|last=Tannenbaum|first=Rob|title=The Hard Truth About Guns N' Roses|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=November 17, 1988|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-hard-truth-about-guns-n-roses-56711/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124161711/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-hard-truth-about-guns-n-roses-56711/|archive-date=November 24, 2022}}</ref> He has two younger siblings—a sister, Amy, and a half-brother, Stuart.<ref name="RollingStone00"/><ref name="Wall07">{{cite web|last=Wall|first=Mick|title=W. Axl Rose - Chapter Nine - You Are All Little People|publisher=MickWall.com|year=2007|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://www.mickwall.com/waxlrose9chap1.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218011204/http://www.mickwall.com/waxlrose9chap1.htm |archive-date=February 18, 2014}}</ref> (Stuart Bailey would go on to play guitar in several L.A. area bands in the early 90s (Dr. Whiskey,
the Assassins) as well as work as a musical supervisor in Hollywood.)<ref>[https://www.a-4-d.com/t3068-1994-11-dd-raw-magazine-four-bust-ups-and-a-single Four bust ups and a single]</ref><ref>[http://www.liner-notes.com/films/dbns/bailey.html Stuart Bailey]</ref>
As young children, both Rose and his siblings were regularly [[Physical abuse|beaten]].<ref name="The Band That Time Forgot">{{cite book |last=Stenning |first=Paul |author-link=Paul Stenning |title= The Band That Time Forgot |year=2005 |publisher=Chrome Dreams |isbn=978-1842403143}}</ref> Until the age of 17, Rose believed Bailey was his natural father.<ref name="Neely92">{{cite magazine|last=Neely|first=Kim|title=Axl Rose: The Rolling Stone Interview|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=April 2, 1992|access-date=June 3, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=56|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711163800/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=56|archive-date=July 11, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> He never met his biological father as an adult; William Rose Sr. was murdered in [[Marion, Illinois]], in 1984 by a criminal [[acquaintance]] who was convicted.<ref>{{cite book|title=Murder in the Heartland. 20 Case Files|chapter=Book 1. Missing Body|author=Spiller, Harry|publisher=Turner Publishing|page=171|year=2003|isbn=9781563119125|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IInuEAAAQBAJ&dq=william+rose+murdered+1984&pg=PT148}}</ref> Rose did not learn about the murder until years later.<ref name="Wall90">{{cite magazine|last=Wall|first=Mick|title=Stick to Your Guns|magazine=[[Kerrang!]]|date=April 21, 1990|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711164319/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=4|archive-date=July 11, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
The Bailey household was very religious; Rose and his family attended a [[Pentecostal]] church, where he was required to attend services three to eight times per week and even taught Sunday school.<ref name="James92">{{cite magazine|last=James|first=Del|title=I, Axl – Part III|magazine=[[RIP (magazine)|RIP]]|date=November 1992|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://hem.passagen.se/snoqalf/art-1992-RIP-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605042046/http://hem.passagen.se/snoqalf/art-1992-RIP-1.html|archive-date=June 5, 2011|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Rose later recalled an oppressive upbringing, stating, "We'd have televisions one week, then my stepdad would throw them out because they were [[Satanism|Satanic]]. I wasn't allowed to listen to music. Women were evil. Everything was evil."<ref name="James92"/> He accused his stepfather of physically abusing him and his siblings and sexually abusing his sister.<ref name="RollingStoneBio"/><ref name="Neely92"/> Rose found solace in music from an early age. He sang in the church choir from the age of five, and performed at services with his brother and sister under the name the Bailey Trio.<ref name="MTVRockumentary">{{Cite video|title=MTV Rockumentary: Guns N' Roses|medium=Television production|publisher=MTV|date=1989}}</ref> At [[Jefferson High School (Indiana)|Jefferson High School]], he participated in the school chorus and studied piano.<ref name="James89">{{cite magazine|last=James|first=Del|title=The Rolling Stone Interview with Axl Rose|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=August 1989|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720032323/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=3|archive-date=July 20, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> A second baritone,<ref name="Superteen89">{{cite magazine|title=The Quotable Guns N' Roses|magazine=Superteen|year=1989|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=68|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530014323/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=68|archive-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref> Rose began developing "different voices" during chorus practice to confuse his teacher.<ref name="MTVRockumentary"/><ref name="Superteen89"/><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Sullivan|first=John Jeremiah|title=The Final Comeback of Axl Rose|magazine=[[GQ]]|date=September 2006|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=https://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/200609/final-comeback-axl-rose|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927225056/http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/200609/final-comeback-axl-rose|archive-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref> He eventually formed a band with his friends, one of whom was Jeff Isbell, later known as [[Izzy Stradlin]].<ref name="Geffen98">{{cite web|title=Geffen - Izzy Stradlin Biography|publisher=[[Geffen Records|Geffen]]|year=1998|url=http://hem.passagen.se/snoqalf/art-1998-geffen.html|access-date=June 6, 2011|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031183629/http://hem.passagen.se/snoqalf/art-1998-geffen.html|archive-date=October 31, 2011}}</ref> He also befriended a girl called Anna Hoon, who would later introduce him to her younger brother, [[Shannon Hoon|Shannon]], [[front man]] for [[Blind Melon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jconline.com/story/news/history/2015/10/21/archives-lafayette-mourns-shannon-hoon/74064726/|title=20 years later: Lafayette mourns Shannon Hoon|first=Thomas|last=Maxfield|website=Journal and Courier}}</ref>
At the age of 17, while going through insurance papers in his parents' home, Rose learned of his biological father's existence, and he unofficially readopted his birth name.<ref name="Tannenbaum88"/><ref name="Neely92"/> However, he referred to himself only as W. Rose, because he did not want to share a first name with his biological father.<ref name="Tannenbaum88"/><ref name="Neely92"/> Following the discovery of his true family origins, Rose became a local juvenile delinquent in Lafayette; he was arrested more than twenty times on charges such as public intoxication and battery, and served jail terms up to three months.<ref name="Tannenbaum88"/><ref name="Kuipers91">{{cite magazine|last=Kuipers|first=Dean|title=Guns N' Neuroses|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=September 1991|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=7|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627233608/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=7|archive-date=June 27, 2011}}</ref> After Lafayette authorities threatened to charge him as a [[Habitual offender|habitual criminal]],<ref name="James89"/> Rose moved to Los Angeles, California, in December 1982.<ref name="Kuipers91"/> After moving to Los Angeles, he became so engrossed in his band AXL that his friends suggested he call himself Axl Rose.<ref name="Tannenbaum88"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-Hollywood Rose Guitarist: Axl Rose Was 'Very Ego Motivated'|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=November 19, 2004|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=29388|access-date=March 7, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050921111303/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=29388|archive-date=September 21, 2005}}</ref> He legally changed his name to W. Axl Rose prior to signing his contract with [[Geffen Records]] in March 1986.<ref name="Superteen89"/><ref name="Kuipers91"/><ref name="Sugerman91">{{cite book|last=Sugerman|first=Danny|title=Appetite for Destruction: The Days of Guns N' Roses|url=https://archive.org/details/appetitefordestr00suge_0|url-access=registration|publisher=St. Martin's Press|year=1991|isbn=0-312-07634-7}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== 1983–1986: early years ===
Shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles, Rose met guitarist Kevin Lawrence outside [[The Troubadour (Los Angeles)|The Troubadour]] in West Hollywood in March 1983 and joined his band Rapidfire. They recorded a five-song demo in May 1983 at Telstar Studios in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Axl Rose: Pre-GN'R Record to be Released|publisher=[[Ultimate Guitar Archive]]|date=February 3, 2006|access-date=June 3, 2011|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/axl_rose_pre-gnr_record_to_be_released.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008113201/http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/axl_rose_pre-gnr_record_to_be_released.html|archive-date=October 8, 2012}}</ref> which, after years of legal action, was released as an EP, ''Ready to Rumble'', in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/rapidfire-guitarist-fights-release-songs-axl-rose-era/|title=Rapidfire Guitarist Wants to Release Songs From Axl Rose Era|work=Loudwire|date=February 25, 2014 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129133458/http://loudwire.com/rapidfire-guitarist-fights-release-songs-axl-rose-era/|archive-date=November 29, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://muzyka.interia.pl/wiadomosc_dnia/news/wiadomosc,536468|title=Rapidfire: Wczesne lata Axla|publisher=Interia.pl|date=August 26, 2004|language=pl|access-date=August 2, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721020055/http://muzyka.interia.pl/wiadomosc_dnia/news/wiadomosc%2C536468|archive-date=July 21, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Christ|first=Shawn|url=http://www.musictimes.com/articles/16074/20141117/early-axl-rose-ep-first-band-rapidfire-available-download-features-guns-roses-frontman-1983-listen.htm|title=Early Axl Rose EP with First Band Rapidfire Available for Download, Features Guns N' Roses Frontman in 1983|magazine=Music Times|date=November 17, 2014|access-date=June 24, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802040843/http://www.musictimes.com/articles/16074/20141117/early-axl-rose-ep-first-band-rapidfire-available-download-features-guns-roses-frontman-1983-listen.htm|archive-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref> After parting ways with Lawrence, he formed the band [[Hollywood Rose]] with his childhood friend Izzy Stradlin,<ref>{{cite news|last=Spurrier|first=Jeff|title=Guns N' Roses: Bad Boys Give It Their Best Shot|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 6, 1986}}</ref> who had moved to Los Angeles in 1980,<ref name="Geffen98"/> and 16-year-old guitarist [[Chris Weber]].<ref name="AllMusic L.A. Guns biography">{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=L.A. Guns Biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 22, 2024 |url={{AllMusic|artist|la-guns-mn0000778906#biography |pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> In January 1984, the band recorded a five-song demo featuring the tracks "Anything Goes", "Rocker", "Shadow of Your Love", and "Reckless Life", which was released in 2004 as ''[[The Roots of Guns N' Roses]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=The Roots of Guns N' Roses Review |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 22, 2024 |url={{AllMusic|album|the-roots-of-guns-n-roses-mw0000744084#review|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> Guitarist [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] and drummer [[Steven Adler]], future members of [[Guns N' Roses]], joined Hollywood Rose before the band's dissolution.<ref name="Slash 84">{{Cite book|author=Slash | author2-link = Anthony Bozza|last2=Bozza|first2=Anthony|title=[[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]]|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|page=84|isbn=978-0-00-725775-1}}</ref> Rose then joined [[L.A. Guns]].<ref name="AllMusic L.A. Guns biography"/> While struggling to make an impact on the Hollywood music scene, Rose held down a variety of jobs, including the position of night manager at the [[Tower Records#Inception, expansion, and description|Tower Records/Video]] ___location on [[Sunset Boulevard]]. Rose and Stradlin also smoked cigarettes for a scientific study at [[UCLA]] for the reported wages of $8 per hour ({{Inflation|US|8|1984|r=0|fmt=eq}}).<ref name="Sugerman91"/>
In March 1985, encouraged by their manager Raz Cue,<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Days-Guns-Razs-Raz-Cue/dp/0982710313/ The Days of Guns, & Raz's Paperback – July 21, 2017 by Raz Cue (Author)] Amazon.com</ref> Rose and his former L.A. Guns bandmate [[Tracii Guns]] formed Guns N' Roses by merging their respective bands Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns with Stradlin, drummer [[Rob Gardner (musician)|Rob Gardner]] and bassist [[Ole Beich]].<ref name="Spitz99">{{cite magazine|last=Spitz|first=Marc|title=Just a Little Patience|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=July 1999|access-date=June 3, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=71|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711163900/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=71|archive-date=July 11, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> By June, after several lineup changes, the band consisted of Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist [[Duff McKagan]], and drummer Steven Adler. The lineup debuted at The Troubadour and proceeded to play the L.A. club circuit, eventually building a devoted fan following.<ref name="Spitz99"/> The band attracted the attention of several major record labels,<ref name="Spitz99"/> before signing with Geffen Records in March 1986.<ref name="James89"/> The following December, they released the four-song EP ''[[Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide]]'' on the Geffen imprint [[UZI Suicide]].<ref name="RollingStoneBio"/>
=== 1987–1989: breakthrough with ''Appetite for Destruction'' ===
In July 1987, Guns N' Roses released their debut album ''[[Appetite for Destruction]]''. Although the record received critical acclaim, it experienced a modest commercial start, selling as many as 500,000 copies in its first year of release.<ref name="Wiggins03">{{cite web|last=Wiggins|first=Keavin|title=Antitorial - Appetite for Destruction|publisher=Antimusic.com|url=http://www.antimusic.com/ksw/03/dec.shtml|date=December 2003|access-date=June 5, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610182300/http://www.antimusic.com/ksw/03/dec.shtml|archive-date=June 10, 2010}}</ref> However, fueled by the band's relentless touring and the mainstream success of the single "[[Sweet Child o' Mine]]"—Rose's tribute to his then-girlfriend Erin Everly—the album rose to the No.{{nbsp}}1 position. To date, ''Appetite for Destruction'' has sold over 30 million copies worldwide,<ref name=Smith/><ref name=Havelock/> 18 million of which sold in the United States, making it the best-selling debut album of all time in the U.S.<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web|title=Top 100 Albums|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-100-albums|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604050421/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-100-albums|archive-date=June 4, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
During the band's performance at the [[Monsters of Rock]] festival in [[Castle Donington]], England, in August 1988, two fans were crushed to death when many in the crowd of 107,000 began slam-dancing to "[[It's So Easy (Guns N' Roses song)|It's So Easy]]". Rose had halted the show several times to calm the audience.<ref name="Tannenbaum88"/> From then on, he became known for personally addressing disruptive fans and giving instructions to security personnel from the stage, at times stopping concerts to deal with issues in the crowd. In 1992, Rose stated, "Most performers would go to a security person in their organization, and it would just be done very quietly. I'll confront the person, stop the song: 'Guess what: You wasted your money, you get to leave.'"<ref name="Neely92"/> As a result of the deaths at Monsters of Rock, the festival was canceled the following year.<ref>{{cite news|last=Anthony|first=James|title=Tour Commandments: Pants projectiles are no excuse for cancelling shows|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=March 22, 2007|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2007/mar/22/thetourcommandmentsunderpan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224224719/http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2007/mar/22/thetourcommandmentsunderpan|archive-date=December 24, 2013}}</ref>
In November 1988, Guns N' Roses released the stopgap album ''[[G N' R Lies]]'', which sold more than five million copies in the U.S. alone.<ref name="RIAA" /> The band – and Rose in particular – were accused of promoting racist and homophobic attitudes with the song "[[One in a Million (Guns N' Roses song)|One in a Million]]",<ref name="Goldstein89">{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Patrick|title=Behind the Guns N' Roses Racism Furor|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=October 15, 1989}}</ref> in which Rose warns "[[nigger]]s" to "get out of my way" and complains about "[[faggot (slang)|faggots]]" who "spread some fucking disease". During the controversy, Rose defended his use of the racial slur by claiming, "it's a word to describe somebody that is basically a pain in your life, a problem. The word nigger doesn't necessarily mean black."<ref name="James89"/> In 1992, however, he conceded that the song reflected his initial and impressionable perspective when he first arrived in Los Angeles in his late teens, where he experienced culture shock to a lifestyle very much different from the conservative town he grew up in. Rose stated "I was pissed off about some black people [who] were trying to rob me. I wanted to insult those particular black people. I didn't want to support racism."<ref name="Neely92"/> In response to the allegations of homophobia, Rose said he considered himself "pro-heterosexual" but is "not against [homosexuals] doing what they want to do as long as it's not hurting anybody else and they're not forcing it upon [him]".<ref name="Neely92"/> He blamed this attitude on "bad experiences" with gay men, citing an attempted rape in his late teens and the alleged molestation by his biological father.<ref name="Neely92"/><ref name="James89"/><ref name="Sischy92"/> The controversy led to Guns N' Roses being dropped from the roster of an AIDS benefit show in New York organized by the [[Gay Men's Health Crisis]].<ref name="James89"/><ref name=Sugerman91/>
With the success of ''Appetite for Destruction'' and ''G N' R Lies'', Rose found himself lauded as one of rock's most prominent frontmen. By the time he appeared solo on the cover of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in August 1989, his celebrity was such that the influential music magazine agreed to his absolute requirement that the interview and accompanying photographs would be provided by two of his friends, writer [[Del James]] and photographer [[Robert John (photographer)|Robert John]].<ref name="WAR">{{Cite book|last=Wall|first=Mick|title=W.A.R. The Unauthorized Biography of William Axl Rose|publisher=St. Martin's Press|year=2009|isbn=978-0-312-54148-4|pages=161–162}}</ref> [[MTV]] anchorman [[Kurt Loder]] described Rose as "maybe the finest hard rock singer currently on the scene, and certainly the most charismatic".<ref name="Loder90">{{Cite video|people=Loder, Kurt|title=Famous Last Words: Axl Rose|medium=Television production|publisher=MTV|date=1990}}</ref>
=== 1990–1993: international success with ''Use Your Illusion'' ===
In early 1990, Guns N' Roses returned to the studio to begin recording the full-length follow-up to ''Appetite for Destruction''. Recording sessions initially proved unproductive due to Steven Adler's struggle with drug addiction, which made him unable to perform and caused sessions to be delayed for several days at a time.<ref name="Spitz99"/> Adler was fired the following July and replaced by [[Matt Sorum]] of [[the Cult]].<ref name="Spitz99"/> Keyboardist [[Dizzy Reed]] also joined the band that year at Rose's insistence.<ref name="Spitz99"/> Sorum and Reed played their first show with Guns N' Roses at [[Rock in Rio#Rock in Rio 2|Rock in Rio 2]] in January 1991. The group fired its long-time manager, [[Alan Niven]], in May of that year; Rose reportedly forced the dismissal of Niven against the wishes of his bandmates by refusing to complete the new album until Niven was gone.<ref name="Neely91">{{cite magazine|last=Neely|first=Kim|title=Guns N' Roses: Outta Control|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=September 5, 1991|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/guns-n-roses-outta-control-100543/}}</ref> He was replaced by roadie Doug Goldstein, whom Izzy Stradlin described as "the guy who gets to go over to Axl's at six in the morning after he's smashed his $60,000 grand piano out of the picture window".<ref name="Kent03"/>
In May 1991, still without an album to promote, the band embarked on the two-and-a-half-year [[Use Your Illusion Tour]], which became known for its financial success and myriad controversial incidents that occurred during shows, including late starts, on-stage rantings and even riots. Rose received much criticism for his late appearances at concerts, sometimes taking the stage hours after the band was scheduled to perform.<ref name="Neely92"/> In July 1991, 90 minutes into a concert at the [[Riverport Amphitheater]] near [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], after on-stage requests from Rose for security personnel to confiscate a fan's video camera, Rose himself dived into the crowd to seize it. After being pulled back on stage, he announced, "Well, thanks to the lame-ass security, I'm going home!" and departed, following which some 2,500 fans staged [[Riverport riot|a riot]], resulting in an estimated $200,000 in damages.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Neely|first=Kim|title=Fans Riot at Guns Show|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=August 22, 1991}}</ref>
[[Image:Axl Rose at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, Israel -- May 1993.jpg|thumb|Rose at [[Yarkon Park]] in Tel Aviv, Israel, in May 1993]]
In September 1991, with enough material completed for two albums, Guns N' Roses released ''[[Use Your Illusion I]]'' and ''[[Use Your Illusion II]]'', which debuted at No.{{nbsp}}2 and No.{{nbsp}}1 respectively on the ''Billboard'' 200, a feat not achieved by any other group.<ref name="Sugerman91"/> By the albums' release, however, Rose's relationships with his bandmates had become increasingly strained. His childhood friend Izzy Stradlin abruptly left the group in November 1991; he was replaced by [[Gilby Clarke]] of [[Kill For Thrills]].<ref name="Spitz99"/><ref name="Sischy92"/> Of his reasons for leaving, Stradlin said, "I didn't like the complications that became such a part of daily life in Guns N' Roses,"<ref name="Musician92">{{cite magazine|title=Izzy Stradlin Interview with Musician|year=1992|magazine=[[Musician (magazine)|Musician]] |url=http://www.chopaway.com/viewtopic.php?id=555|access-date=June 5, 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120311211209/http://www.chopaway.com/viewtopic.php?id=555|archive-date=March 11, 2012 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> citing the riot and Rose's chronic lateness as examples, as well as his new-found sobriety making it difficult to be around other bandmates' continued alcohol and substance abuse.<ref name="Geffen98"/><ref name="Musician92"/>
On April 20, 1992, Rose performed with [[Elton John]] at [[The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert]] at Wembley Stadium singing "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]" as a duet with John and also sang "[[We Will Rock You]]".
Another riot occurred in August 1992 at Montreal's [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]], during a [[Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour|co-headlining tour]] with [[Metallica]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/11/news/riot-erupts-at-concert-starring-guns-n-roses.html|title=Riot Erupts at Concert Starring Guns 'n' Roses|author=''The New York Times'' staff|date=August 11, 1992|website=The New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504045707/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/11/news/riot-erupts-at-concert-starring-guns-n-roses.html|archive-date=May 4, 2015}}</ref> Prior to Guns N' Roses' appearance, Metallica's set was cut short after singer-guitarist [[James Hetfield]] suffered second-degree burns in a pyrotechnics accident. However, Guns N' Roses was unable to go on stage early, because Rose once again was late arriving at the venue. Nearly an hour into their show, Rose complained of voice problems before walking off stage, following which a riot erupted in downtown Montreal, resulting in an estimated $400,000 in damages.<ref name="Spitz99"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.celluloidandvinyl.com/2006/11/06/top-10-on-stage-rock-meltdowns/|title=Top 10 on Stage Rock Meltdowns|access-date=July 19, 2007|author=amit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029184620/http://www.celluloidandvinyl.com/2006/11/06/top-10-on-stage-rock-meltdowns/ |archive-date=October 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Riots Erupts at Concert Starring Guns N' Roses|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 11, 1992|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/11/news/riot-erupts-at-concert-starring-guns-n-roses.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222013411/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/11/news/riot-erupts-at-concert-starring-guns-n-roses.html|archive-date=February 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Guns 'N' Roses returns to Montreal: No riot this time|publisher=[[CTV Montreal]]|date=January 28, 2010|access-date=June 18, 2011|url=http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100128/mtl_guns_roses_concert100128/20100128/?hub=MontrealHome|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100406044152/http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100128/mtl_guns_roses_concert100128/20100128/?hub=MontrealHome|archive-date=April 6, 2010}}</ref> In November of that year, Rose was convicted of property damage and assault in relation to the Riverport riot; he was fined $50,000 and received two years' probation.<ref name="Kent03">{{cite news|last=Kent|first=Nick|title=Is Axl Rose Finished?|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=January 3, 2003|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jan/03/popandrock.artsfeatures|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910130910/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jan/03/popandrock.artsfeatures|archive-date=September 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=November 10, 1992: Axl Rose is found guilty of property damage|publisher=ThisDayInRock.com|access-date=June 17, 2011|url=http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1992-axl-rose-is-found-guilty-of-property-damage/|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007102520/http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1992-axl-rose-is-found-guilty-of-property-damage/|archive-date=October 7, 2011}}</ref>
Guns N' Roses played its final show of the Use Your Illusion Tour on July 17, 1993, at [[River Plate Stadium]] in Buenos Aires;<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Bienstock|first=Richard|title=Last Gigs: Slash with Guns N' Roses|magazine=[[Guitar World]]|date=January 29, 2009|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/last_gigs_slash_with_guns_n039_roses|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612032002/http://www.guitarworld.com/last_gigs_slash_with_guns_n039_roses|archive-date=June 12, 2011}}</ref> it proved to be Rose's last live performance with the band for seven and a half years.<ref name="ClassicRock03">{{cite magazine|title=Welcome to the Jungle: A Timeline of Axl's Return to the Road|magazine=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]|date=February 2003|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=55|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531143437/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=55|archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> The following August, Rose testified in court against Steven Adler, who had filed a lawsuit contending that he had been illegitimately fired. When the judge ruled against Rose, he agreed to an out-of-court settlement of $2,500,000 and 15% of the royalties for everything Adler recorded prior to his departure.<ref name="Wall07"/><ref name="Kent03"/> In November of that year, Guns N' Roses released ''[["The Spaghetti Incident?"]]'', a cover album of mostly punk songs, which proved less successful than its predecessors. Rose had included the hidden track "[[Look at Your Game, Girl]]", a song written by convicted murderer [[Charles Manson]], which he intended as a personal message to his ex-girlfriend [[Stephanie Seymour]].<ref name="Kent03"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Wall|first=Mick|author-link=Mick Wall|title=W.A.R.: The Unauthorized Biography of William Axl Rose|url=https://archive.org/details/warunauthorizedb00wall|url-access=registration|access-date=August 10, 2015|date=February 5, 2008|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1-4299-2884-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/warunauthorizedb00wall/page/257 257]–}}</ref><ref name="Stickwith">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-08-ca-65317-story.html|title=Guns N' Roses to Stick With Manson Song on Album: Convict's royalties from 'Girl' will be paid to the son of one of those killed in a spree masterminded by the cult leader|last1=Philips|first1=Chuck|date=December 8, 1993|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 7, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20150509190452/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-12-08/entertainment/ca-65317_1_charles-manson-song|archive-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref> Controversy ensued, and the band subsequently pledged to donate any royalties to the son of one of Manson's victims.<ref name="Wall07"/><ref name="Manson cover">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-21-ca-59128-story.html|title=It's No Illusion: Guns N' Roses Does Charles Manson|last1=Hochman|first1=Steve|date=November 21, 1993|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=May 7, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20150509200759/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-11-21/entertainment/ca-59128_1_charles-manson|archive-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref>
=== 1994–2000: hiatus ===
Without consultation from his bandmates, Rose did not renew Gilby Clarke's contract with the band in June 1994,<ref name="Wall07"/> as he claimed Clarke to be only a "hired hand".<ref>{{cite book|author1=Slash|last2=Bozza|first2=Anthony|title=Slash|date=October 30, 2007|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-135142-6|page=576}}</ref> Tension between Rose and Slash reached a breaking point after the latter discovered that Rose had hired his childhood friend [[Paul Tobias|Paul "Huge" Tobias]] as Clarke's replacement.<ref name="Wall07"/> Although the band recorded material during this time, it was ultimately not used because, according to Rose, their lack of collaboration prevented them from producing their best work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=82|title=Guns N' Roses Launch "Chinese Democracy" Tour in China|date=August 14, 2002|work=Guns N' Roses press release|access-date=May 16, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317014050/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=82|archive-date=March 17, 2015}}</ref>
In August 1995, Rose legally left the band and created a new partnership under the band's name, a step he said he took "to salvage Guns not steal it".<ref name="PRTN">{{cite web|url=http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=3350|title=1995: Chinese Whispers / 1995 / GNR Evolution - Guns N Roses Forum|website=www.gnrevolution.com}}</ref> Rose reportedly purchased the full rights to the Guns N' Roses name in 1997.<ref name="gnrname">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/508988/axl-rose-buys-guns-n-roses-name/|title=Axl Rose Buys "Guns N' Roses" Name|first=Mark|last=Brown|date=January 30, 1997|work=[[MTV News]]|publisher=[[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]]|access-date=April 24, 2015|quote="Guns N' Roses leader Axl Rose has bought the rights to the name "Guns N' Roses," and can put out any music he wants under that moniker, played by anyone he chooses"|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630062052/http://www.mtv.com/news/508988/axl-rose-buys-guns-n-roses-name/|archive-date=June 30, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=7|title=Axl Rose Buys "Guns N' Roses" Name|first=Mark|last=Brown|date=January 30, 1997|work=heretodaygonetohell.com; Addicted To Noise|access-date=April 24, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216081305/http://heretodaygonetohell.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=7|archive-date=December 16, 2010}}</ref> Slash claimed he and other bandmates signed away rights to the name before the July 5, 1993 show in Barcelona, Spain with Axl delivering an ultimatum: they had to sign the name over to him or he would not perform.<ref name="RollingStone00">{{cite magazine|title=What Happened to Axl Rose: The Inside Story of Rock's Most Famous Recluse|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=May 11, 2000|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=32|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906062814/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=32|archive-date=September 6, 2011}}</ref> (In 2008, however, Rose said Slash's claims were false and that the alleged coercion would have rendered the contract legally untenable.<ref>{{cite news|title=Axl Rose: Why I Am Continuing To Use Name Guns N' Roses|work=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=December 14, 2008|access-date=February 18, 2012|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/axl-rose-why-i-am-continung-to-use-name-guns-n-roses/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311010855/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/axl-rose-why-i-am-continung-to-use-name-guns-n-roses/|archive-date=March 11, 2014}}</ref>)
Slash finally left Guns N' Roses in October 1996 due to his differences with Rose,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1429823/g-n-rs-blizzard-of-acrimony/|title=G n' R's Blizzard of Acrimony|date=November 8, 1996|work=MTV News|access-date=April 24, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519022453/http://www.mtv.com/news/1429823/g-n-rs-blizzard-of-acrimony/|archive-date=May 19, 2015}}</ref> while Matt Sorum was fired in June 1997 after an argument over Tobias's involvement in the band.<ref>{{cite news|last=Harkness|first=Geoff|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2001/jun/28/seven_questions_with/|title=Seven Questions with Matt Sorum of The Cult|work=Lawrence Journal-World|date=June 28, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914002401/http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2001/jun/28/seven_questions_with/|archive-date=September 14, 2008|access-date=July 3, 2015}}</ref> Duff McKagan departed the band in August of that year, leaving Rose and Dizzy Reed as the only remaining band members of the ''Use Your Illusion'' era.<ref name="RollingStone00"/>
As the stability of Guns N' Roses collapsed, Rose withdrew from public view. The band never officially broke up, although it did not tour or perform for several years and no new material was released. Rose continued to recruit new musicians to replace band members who either left or were fired. By the late 1990s, he was considered to be a recluse, rarely making public appearances and spending most of his time in his mansion in [[Malibu, California|Malibu]]. In various media reports, he was referred to as the "[[Howard Hughes]] of rock" and "rock's greatest recluse".<ref name="Spitz99"/><ref name="Sutcliffe01">{{cite magazine|last=Sutcliffe|first=Phil|title=Didn't You Used to be Axl Rose?|magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|date=May 2001|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=42|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530003051/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=42|archive-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref> Rose was said to spend his nights rehearsing and writing with the various new lineups of Guns N' Roses, working on the band's next album, ''[[Chinese Democracy (album)|Chinese Democracy]]''.<ref name="RollingStone00"/>
=== 2001–2011: touring in support of ''Chinese Democracy'' ===
[[Image:AxlRose cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Rose at the [[Download Festival]] in Donington Park, England, in June 2006]]
After a warmup show in Las Vegas a few weeks earlier, Rose resurfaced with Guns N' Roses at [[Rock in Rio 3]] on January 14, 2001, to commence the decade-long [[Chinese Democracy Tour]], though the majority of its scheduled concerts over the next two years did not take place. A surprise appearance at the [[2002 MTV Video Music Awards]] was followed by an incident in November when a riot erupted at Vancouver's [[General Motors Place]] after Rose failed to show up for a scheduled concert. When venue staff announced the cancellation, a riot broke out, resulting in an estimated $100,000 in damages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1457257/guns-n-roses-cap-night-of-spectacles-from-diddy-eminem-timberlake/|title=Guns N' Roses cap night of spectacles from Diddy, Eminem, Timberlake|first=Jon|last=Wiederhorn|date=August 29, 2002|work=MTV News|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802050634/http://www.mtv.com/news/1457257/guns-n-roses-cap-night-of-spectacles-from-diddy-eminem-timberlake/|archive-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref><ref name="ClassicRock03"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Lee|first=John|title=Singer Blames Venue for Roses Riot|publisher=BBC|date=November 11, 2002|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2444663.stm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110620144243/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2444663.stm|archive-date=June 20, 2011}}</ref> As the band's lineup continued to evolve, his constant bandmates were guitarist [[Richard Fortus]], bassist [[Tommy Stinson]], and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and [[Chris Pitman]].
After the tour was canceled by the promoter, Rose again withdrew from the public view. During this time, he joined Slash and Duff McKagan in a lawsuit against Geffen Records in an unsuccessful attempt to block the release of the ''[[Greatest Hits (Guns N' Roses album)|Greatest Hits]]'' compilation album,<ref>{{cite web|last=Wiederhorn|first=Jon|title=Axl Rose Sued By Ex-Guns N' Roses Bandmates|publisher=MTV|date=May 4, 2004|access-date=June 11, 2011|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1486792/axl-rose-sued-by-exguns-n-roses-bandmates.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120074606/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1486792/axl-rose-sued-by-exguns-n-roses-bandmates.jhtml|archive-date=January 20, 2011}}</ref> and lent his voice to the 2004 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'', as the DJ for the radio station, K-DST.<ref>{{cite web|last=D'Angelo|first=Joe|title=Axl Rose, Game, Charlie Murphy Lend Voices To 'San Andreas'|publisher=MTV|date=October 26, 2004|access-date=June 11, 2011|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1493045/axl-rose-game-lend-voices-san-andreas.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107095829/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1493045/axl-rose-game-lend-voices-san-andreas.jhtml|archive-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref> In a rare interview in January 2006, Rose said "people will hear music this year."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Bliss|first=Karen|title=Axl Rose Breaks His Silence on 'Chinese Democracy'|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=January 18, 2006|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-breaks-his-silence-on-chinese-democracy-20060118|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130202170144/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-breaks-his-silence-on-chinese-democracy-20060118|archive-date=February 2, 2013}}</ref> While Guns N' Roses toured extensively throughout 2006 and 2007, with several guest appearances by Izzy Stradlin, ''Chinese Democracy'' again failed to materialize.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|title=Axl Rose Sets 'Chinese Democracy' Release Date, Apologizes for Delay|publisher=MTV|date=December 15, 2006|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1548109/axl-sets-chinese-democracy-date.jhtml?rsspartner=rssyahoo|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107095847/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1548109/axl-sets-chinese-democracy-date.jhtml?rsspartner=rssyahoo|archive-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref> Rose did collaborate with his friend [[Sebastian Bach]] on his album ''[[Angel Down]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Angel Down Review|publisher=[[Ultimate Guitar Archive]]|date=November 20, 2007|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/sebastian_bach/angel_down/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009095156/http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/sebastian_bach/angel_down/index.html|archive-date=October 9, 2011}}</ref>
Fifteen years after its last album, in November 2008, Guns N' Roses released ''Chinese Democracy'' exclusively via the electronics retailer [[Best Buy]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Michaels|first=Sean|title=Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy Release Date Set|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=October 10, 2008|access-date=June 5, 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/oct/10/chinese-democracy-release-date-set|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024154511/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/oct/10/chinese-democracy-release-date-set|archive-date=October 24, 2014}}</ref> Rose did not contribute to the album's promotion; by December, he had reportedly been missing for at least two months and had not returned phone calls or other requests from his record label.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bingham|first=John|title=Axl Rose absence blamed for failure of Chinese Democracy to hit top spot|newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]]|date=December 2, 2008|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/3541076/Axl-Rose-absence-blamed-for-failure-of-Chinese-Democracy-to-hit-top-spot.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707105332/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/3541076/Axl-Rose-absence-blamed-for-failure-of-Chinese-Democracy-to-hit-top-spot.html|archive-date=July 7, 2014}}</ref> In a subsequent interview, Rose said he felt he had not received the necessary support from [[Interscope Records]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|title=Axl Rose Speaks|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=February 6, 2009|access-date=June 10, 2011|url=https://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/axl-speaks/interview.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623084212/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/axl-speaks/interview.shtml|archive-date=June 23, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> A year after the album's release, in December 2009, Guns N' Roses embarked on another two-and-a-half years of touring, including a headlining performance at [[Rock in Rio#Rock in Rio 4|Rock in Rio 4]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Montgomery|first=James|title=Guns N' Roses to Launch First U.S. Tour in Five Years|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1671133/guns-n-roses-us-tour.jhtml|publisher=MTV.com|date=September 21, 2011|access-date=September 28, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924184311/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1671133/guns-n-roses-us-tour.jhtml|archive-date=September 24, 2011}}</ref>
=== 2012–present: Hall of Fame and regrouping; AC/DC ===
[[file:ACDC with AxlRose WashingtonDC 17-SEP-2016 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Rose performing with [[AC/DC]] in 2016]]
Together with the other members of Guns N' Roses' classic lineup, Rose was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2012, their first year of eligibility.<ref>{{cite news|last=Michaels|first=Sean|title=Guns N' Roses and Red Hot Chili Peppers for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|newspaper=The Guardian|date=December 8, 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/08/guns-n-roses-rock-roll-hall-fame|access-date=February 18, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005153051/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/08/guns-n-roses-rock-roll-hall-fame|archive-date=October 5, 2013}}</ref> He did not attend the induction ceremony in April, however,<ref>{{cite web|title=Cleveland's Rock Hall welcomes new class|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/clevelands-rock-hall-welcomes-new-class/|work=[[CBS News]]|date=April 14, 2012|access-date=April 15, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415215813/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57414229/clevelands-rock-hall-welcomes-new-class/|archive-date=April 15, 2012}}</ref> as he had announced in an open letter three days prior.<ref name="CNN">{{cite web|last=Quan|first=Denise|title=Axl Rose refuses Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honor|publisher=CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/11/showbiz/axl-rose-hall-of-fame/|date=April 12, 2012|access-date=April 15, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414203300/http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/11/showbiz/axl-rose-hall-of-fame/|archive-date=April 14, 2012}}</ref> Rose, who had long been on bad terms with several of his former bandmates, wrote that the ceremony "doesn't appear to be somewhere I'm actually wanted or respected".<ref name="CNN"/> He subsequently joined his band in [[Artist-in-residence|residencies]] at [[The Joint (music venue)|The Joint]] in [[Las Vegas]] in 2012 and 2014, as part of the [[Appetite for Democracy (Tour)|Appetite for Democracy Tour]] celebrating the anniversaries of ''[[Appetite for Destruction]]'' and ''[[Chinese Democracy]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/guns-n-roses-taking-over-las-vegas-with-appetite-for-democracy-residency-20120813|title=Guns N' Roses to Take Over Las Vegas With 'Appetite for Democracy' Residency|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=August 13, 2012|access-date=August 17, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107003745/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/guns-n-roses-taking-over-las-vegas-with-appetite-for-democracy-residency-20120813|archive-date=November 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://lfpress.com/entertainment/music/2012/08/13/20098716-wenn-story.html|title=Guns N' Roses heading to Vegas|newspaper=London Free Press|date=August 13, 2012|access-date=August 17, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814203821/http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/music/2012/08/13/20098716-wenn-story.html|archive-date=August 14, 2012}}</ref> By mid-2014, the group's new album, recorded concurrently with ''Chinese Democracy'', and a remix album were completed and pending release, but no new material emerged.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.revolvermag.com/news/axl-rose-says-guns-n-roses-have-two-new-albums-completed.html|title=Axl Rose Says Guns N' Roses Have Two New Albums Completed|work=[[Revolver Magazine]]|date=June 4, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717092704/http://www.revolvermag.com/news/axl-rose-says-guns-n-roses-have-two-new-albums-completed.html|archive-date=July 17, 2014|access-date=June 26, 2015}}</ref>
[[file:Reformation des Guns N' Roses , photo exceptionnelle des trois précurseurs du groupe mythique.jpg|thumb|right|Rose (left) alongside [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] (center) and [[Duff McKagan]] (right) performing with [[Guns N' Roses]] in 2018]]
Rose and [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] reunited for the [[Not in This Lifetime... Tour]], one of the most-anticipated reunion tours in rock history.<ref name="Greene16"/> Alongside [[Dizzy Reed]] and returning member [[Duff McKagan]], who had previously made guest appearances with the band, they comprised two-thirds of the band's ''Use Your Illusion''-era lineup, with ''Chinese Democracy''-era members [[Richard Fortus]] and [[Frank Ferrer]] joining new member [[Melissa Reese]] to fill in the rest of the lineup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2016/04/guns-n-roses-classic-lineup-reunites-for-first-gig-in-23-years-setlist-video/|title=Guns N Roses' classic lineup reunites for first gig in 23 years: Setlist + video|work=Consequence of Sound|date=April 2, 2016|access-date=April 29, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427130152/https://consequence.net/2016/04/guns-n-roses-classic-lineup-reunites-for-first-gig-in-23-years-setlist-video/|archive-date=April 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6029516/duff-mckagan-reuniting-with-guns-n-roses-to-help-axl-out-says-tommy-stinson|first=Gary|last=Graff|title=Duff McKagan Reuniting With Guns N' Roses to 'Help Axl Out,' Says Tommy Stinson|magazine=Billboard|date=April 1, 2014|access-date=April 20, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502141446/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6029516/duff-mckagan-reuniting-with-guns-n-roses-to-help-axl-out-says-tommy-stinson|archive-date=May 2, 2016}}</ref> Rose shared a stage with Slash for the first time in nearly 23 years during the group's surprise performance at The Troubadour in April 2016, ahead of its headlining shows at [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival|Coachella]].<ref name="Greene16">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/six-questions-we-still-have-about-guns-n-roses-reunion-20160404#ixzz464xZmrOV|title=6 Questions We Still Have About Guns N' Roses' Reunion|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Andy|last=Greene|date=April 4, 2016|access-date=April 19, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419043801/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/six-questions-we-still-have-about-guns-n-roses-reunion-20160404#ixzz464xZmrOV|archive-date=April 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-slash-to-reunite-guns-n-roses-at-coachella-20151230|title=Axl Rose, Slash to Reunite Guns N' Roses at Coachella |first1=Kory|last1=Grow |first2=Brittany|last2=Spanos |date=December 30, 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=April 19, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417030317/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-slash-to-reunite-guns-n-roses-at-coachella-20151230|archive-date=April 17, 2016}}</ref> The tour was a massive success, and became the [[List of highest-grossing concert tours|third highest-grossing concert tour of all time]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-not-in-this-lifetime-believed-to-be-second-highest-grossing-tour-of-all-time/|title=GUNS N' ROSES' 'Not In This Lifetime' Believed To Be Second-Highest-Grossing Tour Of All Time|last=Blabbermouth|date=December 17, 2018|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET}}</ref>
[[File:Axl Rose live in London 2022.jpg|thumb|Rose performing in London in 2022.]]
On April 16, 2016, Australian [[hard rock]] band [[AC/DC]] announced that Rose would be joining them and performing as the lead singer for the remainder of the band's [[Rock or Bust World Tour]], after long-time lead vocalist [[Brian Johnson]] had to stop touring due to hearing problems.<ref name="RS April 2016">{{cite magazine|last1=Kreps|first1=Daniel|title=AC/DC Confirm Axl Rose Is New Lead Singer, Joining Band on Tour|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ac-dc-confirm-axl-rose-is-new-lead-singer-joining-band-on-tour-20160416|access-date=April 17, 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=April 16, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417151941/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ac-dc-confirm-axl-rose-is-new-lead-singer-joining-band-on-tour-20160416|archive-date=April 17, 2016}}</ref> Subsequent reports indicated that guitarist [[Angus Young]] would be continuing the band with Rose as its official lead singer.<ref>{{cite web |title=AC/DC Continuing With Axl Rose 'Never Really Came Up' |author=Martin Kielty |work=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=November 5, 2020 |access-date=September 28, 2021 |url= https://ultimateclassicrock.com/acdc-continuing-with-axl-rose/ |quote=}}</ref> This did not happen however; on September 30, 2020, AC/DC officially announced that Brian Johnson, along with [[Phil Rudd]] and [[Cliff Williams]] had returned to the band in 2018 and recorded an album, showing that Rose only stepped in to help finish the tour and that he was never brought in to replace Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://badfeelingmag.com/2020/09/30/ac-dc-reunite-with-vocalist-brian-johnson-tease-pwr-up-album/|title=AC/DC reunite with vocalist Brian Johnson, tease PWR/UP album|publisher=Bad Feeling Magazine|date=September 30, 2020|access-date=March 7, 2021}}</ref>
In 2018, Rose appeared in an episode of ''[[New Looney Tunes]]'' as himself, singing an original song "Rock the Rock".<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Hear Axl Rose's First New Song in 10 Years, 'Rock the Rock' |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=January 4, 2019 |access-date=October 19, 2021 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/axl-rose-new-song-rock-the-rock-775361/ |quote=}}</ref> In 2021, Rose again appeared as himself in a cartoon, this time ''[[Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=How 'Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?' Landed That Axl Rose Guest Spot |last=Greene |first=Andy |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 25, 2021 |access-date=October 19, 2021 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/scooby-doo-axl-rose-cameo-interview-1132969/ |quote=}}</ref>
Rose and Guns N' Roses continued touring after the Not In This Lifetime... Tour, with the [[Guns N' Roses 2020 Tour]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-2020-north-american-tour/ |title=Guns N' Roses Announce New 2020 Stadium Tour Dates |last=Lifton |first=Dave |date=February 3, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> The group released two singles in 2021, "[[Absurd (song)|Absurd]]" and "[[Hard Skool]]", the first release of newly recorded material since 2008. Hard Skool was heavily praised in comparison to Absurd, which was precorded in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |title=Guns N' Roses Share New Song "ABSUЯD" |last=Minsker |first=Evan |work=Pitchfork |date=August 6, 2021 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |url= https://pitchfork.com/news/guns-n-roses-share-new-song-absurd-listen/ }}</ref><ref name="HARDSK">{{cite web |title=GUNS N' ROSES To Release New Single 'Hard Skool' This Friday |author= |work=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |date=September 23, 2021 |access-date=September 23, 2021 |url= https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-to-release-new-single-hard-skool-this-friday/ |language= |quote=}}</ref>
In 2023, Rose and the band would release the two singles "[[Perhaps (song)|Perhaps]]" and "The General", the latter having a music video uploaded to YouTube on January 24. In addition, they performed live in [[Indio, California|Indio]], California on October.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blabbermouth |date=August 18, 2023 |title=Watch: GUNS N' ROSES Releases Official Music Video For 'Perhaps' |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/watch-guns-n-roses-releases-official-music-video-for-perhaps |access-date=May 13, 2024 |website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
[[File:Axl Rose Nottingham 2012.JPG|thumb|Rose performing "[[November Rain]]" at [[Nottingham Arena]] in [[Nottingham]], England, in May 2012]]
During Rose's late teens, a [[psychiatrist]] concluded that his delinquent behavior was evidence of [[psychosis]]. He was diagnosed with [[bipolar disorder]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaffner |first=Lauryn |date=February 6, 2021 |title=9 of the Nicest Things Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose Has Ever Done |url=https://loudwire.com/nice-things-axl-rose-has-done/ |access-date=February 9, 2023 |website=Loudwire}}</ref> In addition, the psychiatrist made note of his high [[Intelligence quotient|IQ]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Tannenbaum |first=Rob |date=November 17, 1988 |title=The Hard Truth About Guns N' Roses |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-hard-truth-about-guns-n-roses-56711/ |access-date=February 9, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |quote=Axl Rose grew up as Bill Bailey, the son of L. Stephen and Sharon Bailey. He was the local juvenile delinquent in Lafayette, Indiana, and was arrested, by his count, 'over 20 times,' serving as long as three months in jail and representing himself at trials '{{'}}cause I didn’t trust the public defenders for shit.' A psychiatrist who noted Bailey's high IQ decided that his behavior was evidence of psychosis.}}</ref> In a subsequent interview, Rose questioned the diagnosis altogether: {{blockquote|
I went to a clinic, thinking it would help my moods. The only thing I did was take one 500-question test—ya know, filling in the little black dots. All of a sudden I'm diagnosed manic-depressive. 'Let's put Axl on medication.' Well, the medication doesn't help me deal with stress. The only thing it does is help keep people off my back because they figure I'm on medication.<ref name="RIPJames89"/>}}
In contrast to his public image, Rose was not a heavy drug user, though he did not disavow the use of illicit substances entirely and occasionally dabbled.<ref name="Kent03"/><ref name="RIPJames89">{{cite magazine|last=James|first=Del|title=The World According to W. Axl Rose|magazine=[[RIP (magazine)|RIP]]|date=April 1989|access-date=June 11, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711164133/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=2|archive-date=July 11, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Rose intentionally [[overdosed]] on [[Analgesic|painkillers]] in 1986 due to [[Stress (biology)|stress]], stating: "I couldn't take it. And I just grabbed the bottle of pills in an argument and just gulped them down and I ended up in the hospital." Rose's experience at the hospital inspired the lyrics to the Guns N' Roses song "[[Coma (Guns N' Roses song)|Coma]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gnrsource.net/the-library/tv-shows/mtv-famous-last-words-with-kurt-loder-axl-rose/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221185017/http://www.gnrsource.net/the-library/tv-shows/mtv-famous-last-words-with-kurt-loder-axl-rose/|title=MTV Famous Last Words with Kurt Loder – Axl Rose | GN'R Source|archive-date=February 21, 2013|access-date=April 18, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the early 1990s, Rose became a staunch believer in [[Homeopathy|homeopathic]] medicine, and began regularly undergoing [[past life regression]] therapy.<ref name="RollingStone00"/> He went public with his "[[Repressed memory|uncovered memories]]" of being sexually abused by his biological father at the age of two,<ref name="RollingStoneBio"/><ref name="Neely92"/><ref name="Sischy92">{{cite magazine|last=Sischy|first=Ingrid|title=Axl: The Rose Grows|magazine=[[Interview (magazine)|Interview]]|date=May 1992|access-date=June 6, 2011|url=http://hem.passagen.se/snoqalf/art-199205-I.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605042402/http://hem.passagen.se/snoqalf/art-199205-I.html|archive-date=June 5, 2011|url-status=usurped}}</ref> which he said had stunted his emotional growth: "When they talk about Axl Rose being a screaming two-year-old, they're right."<ref name="Neely92"/> His dislike of touring was caused in part by the various illnesses he contracted over time. He expressed his belief that these health problems were caused by him unconsciously lowering his own resistance as a form of "self-punishment".<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Lonn M.|last=Friend|title=Guns N' Roses From the Inside|magazine=RIP|date=March 1992|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=9|access-date=April 17, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202728/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=9|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> During the recordings of ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'', Rose had a personal psychic who would look at photographs of potential employees to "read the [[Aura (paranormal)|auras]]" and decide if they should be hired.<ref name=":2">{{cite magazine|last=Zutaut|first=Tom|date=March 2008|title=GN'R Exclusive! Psychic Tests! Pet Wolves! Chicken Coops! CHINESE DEMOCRACY. The Unbelievable true story – told for the first time.|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/guns-n-roses-the-making-of-chinese-democracy|magazine=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|issue=116|access-date=May 19, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709055603/https://www.loudersound.com/features/guns-n-roses-the-making-of-chinese-democracy|archive-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jan/03/popandrock.artsfeatures |title=IS Axl Rose finished? |last=Kent |first=Nick |date=January 3, 2003 |website=The Guardian |access-date=December 26, 2018}}</ref>
In early 1986, Rose began a relationship with Erin Everly, the daughter of singer Don Everly of [[the Everly Brothers]]. He wrote the song "Sweet Child o' Mine" for her, and Everly appeared in the accompanying music video. Rose and Everly were married on April 28, 1990, in [[Las Vegas]].<ref name="Dougherty94">{{cite magazine|last=Dougherty |first=Steve |title=Bye Bye Love |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=July 18, 1994 |access-date=June 11, 2011 |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20103471,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521021957/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20103471,00.html |archive-date=May 21, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Less than a month later, Rose first filed for divorce.<ref name="Spitz99"/> The couple later reconciled, during which Everly became pregnant. The couple picked out baby names, Shiloh Blue if a boy, and Willow Amelia if a girl.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Bad to the Bone |date=November 1990 |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |issue=8 |volume=6 |issn=0886-3032|publisher=SPIN Media LLC|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yVNtVrHdIasC |last=Sugerman |first=Danny |page=97 |access-date=March 1, 2024}}</ref> She suffered a [[miscarriage]] in October 1990, which deeply affected Rose, who had wanted to start a family.<ref name="Spitz99"/><ref name="Dougherty94"/> Everly left Rose in November after an altercation; they annulled their marriage in January 1991.<ref name="Dougherty94"/>
In mid-1991, Rose became involved in a tumultuous high-profile relationship with supermodel [[Stephanie Seymour]]. During their relationship, Seymour appeared in the music videos for "[[Don't Cry]]" and "[[November Rain]]". Rose became deeply attached to Seymour's young son, Dylan, and tried to be a good father figure for the child, as there had been none in his own life.<ref name="Spitz99"/><ref name="Kent03"/> Seymour and Rose became engaged in February 1993, but separated three weeks later.<ref name="Dougherty94"/>
In response to an informal study that named him the 'World's Greatest Singer" based on a study of [[vocal range]]s, Rose told ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' in 2014, "If I had to say who I thought the best singers were, I'd say first that I don't know there's a definitive answer as in my opinion it's subjective, and second that my focus is primarily rock singers. That said, I enjoy [[Freddie Mercury]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[Dan McCafferty]], [[Janis Joplin]], [[Michael Jackson]], [[Elton John]], [[Roger Daltrey]], [[Don Henley]], [[Jeff Lynne]], [[Johnny Cash]], [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Jimmy Scott]], [[Etta James]], [[Fiona Apple]], [[Chrissie Hynde]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[James Brown]] and a ton of others (predominantly Seventies rock singers) and would rather hear any of them anytime rather than me!"<ref name="rollingstone.com"/> Rose later cited [[Queen (band)|Queen]] as his favorite band, and Mercury as his favorite singer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/axl-rose-quotes-2016/|title=20 Things We Learned During Axl Rose's New Q&A Session|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=June 8, 2016 }}</ref>
On April 28, 2015, Rose sent a letter to Indonesian President [[Joko Widodo]] asking Widodo to remove the option of the death penalty in the case of the [[Bali Nine]] on grounds of humanitarianism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://htgth.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=2379|title=Guns N' Roses News: Axl Rose's letter to Indonesian President|work=HTGTH |access-date=August 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306222558/http://htgth.com/news/shownews.php?newsid=2379|archive-date=March 6, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/read-axl-roses-letter-to-indonesian-president-regarding-bali-nine-20150428|title=Axl Rose Releases Letter to Indonesian President Regarding Bali Nine |magazine=Rolling Stone|date=April 28, 2015|access-date=August 9, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6546294/axl-rose-letter-pardon-andrew-chan-myuran-sukumaran-indonesia|title=Read Axl Rose's Letter to Indonesian President Asking for Execution Pardons|magazine=Billboard|date=April 29, 2015|access-date=August 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804173153/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6546294/axl-rose-letter-pardon-andrew-chan-myuran-sukumaran-indonesia|archive-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref> Rose then criticized Widodo for "ignoring the international outcry" after two were executed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/30/axl-rose-critical-of-indonesia-after-public-appeal-fails-to-stop-executions|title=Axl Rose critical of Indonesia after appeal fails to stop executions|last=Hunt|first=Elle|work=the Guardian|date=April 30, 2015|access-date=August 9, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807172939/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/30/axl-rose-critical-of-indonesia-after-public-appeal-fails-to-stop-executions|archive-date=August 7, 2015}}</ref>
Rose has used Twitter to criticize various figures in the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]], as well as other figures such as [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] CEO [[Tim Cook]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/05/11/axl-rose-small-hopeful-example-for-our-fractured-nation/wPwZY2XvDVelvZXzRqjIoI/story.html |title=Axl Rose — a small, hopeful example for our fractured nation? |last=Graham |first=Renée |date=May 11, 2018 |website=Boston Globe |access-date=May 16, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180516061144/https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/05/11/axl-rose-small-hopeful-example-for-our-fractured-nation/wPwZY2XvDVelvZXzRqjIoI/story.html |archive-date=May 16, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/axl-rose-calls-melania-trump-alleged-former-hooker-twitter-rant |title=Axl Rose Calls Melania Trump "Alleged Former Hooker" in Twitter Rant |last=Camp |first=Zoe |date=March 2, 2018 |website=Revolvermag.com |access-date=May 16, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303201453/https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/axl-rose-calls-melania-trump-alleged-former-hooker-twitter-rant |archive-date=March 3, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/axl-rose-apple-tim-cook-donald-trump-2256983 |title=Axl Rose compares Apple's Tim Cook to Donald Trump |last=Britton |first=Luke |date=March 8, 2018 |website=NME |access-date=May 16, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325051754/http://www.nme.com/news/music/axl-rose-apple-tim-cook-donald-trump-2256983 |archive-date=March 25, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/axl-rose-says-donald-trumps-white-house-is-gold-standard-of-what-can-be-considered-disgraceful/ |title=Axl Rose Says Donald Trump's White House Is 'Gold Standard Of What Can Be Considered Disgraceful' |date=January 4, 2018 |website=Blabbermouth |access-date=May 16, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105024253/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/axl-rose-says-donald-trumps-white-house-is-gold-standard-of-what-can-be-considered-disgraceful/ |archive-date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> On May 7, 2020, he used Twitter to criticize Treasury Secretary [[Steven Mnuchin]] for the Trump administration's handling of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], to which Mnuchin responded.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/07/politics/axl-rose-steve-mnuchin/index.html |title=Axl Rose and Mnuchin engage in not-so-civil pandemic Twitter war |date=May 7, 2020 |website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52582023?intlink_from_url=&link_location=live-reporting-story|title= Axl Rose and Steven Mnuchin in coronavirus Twitter spat|date=May 7, 2020 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-05-07/coronavirus-axl-rose-steven-mnuchin-twitter|title=Axl Rose called Steven Mnuchin an expletive on Twitter, sparking 2020's weirdest feud |date=May 7, 2020 |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref>
Rose was close friends with [[Lisa Marie Presley]],<ref>[https://people.com/music/axl-rose-honors-friend-lisa-marie-presley-hopes-shes-happy-together-with-elvis-and-son-benjamin/ Axl Rose Honors Lisa Marie Presley: 'I'd Like to Think They're Together — Her and Ben with Her Father']</ref>
and performed November Rain at her memorial service after her death in 2023.<ref>[https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/lisa-marie-presley-graceland-memorial-axl-rose-november-rain-1235203239/ Axl Rose Delivers Heartfelt Speech, Performs ‘November Rain’ at Lisa Marie Presley’s Graceland Memorial Service]</ref>
==Legal issues==
Rose was arrested over 20 times as a teenager in Indiana.<ref name="Tannenbaum88"/>
Rose and Slash were charged with [[statutory rape]] in 1985 after Rose accusedly had sex with a 15-year-old girl named Michelle.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Axl Rose Avoided Statutory Rape Charge From a 15-Year-Old Girl |author= |work=Ultimate Guitar |date=January 5, 2017 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/how_axl_rose_avoided_statutory_rape_charge_from_a_15-year-old_girl.html |quote=}}</ref> After sleeping together, they had an argument and the girl left the house while she was still naked.<ref name="medi_Insi"/> Rose recalled the events: "This hippy chick wandered in and started fucking with our equipment trying to break stuff. So eventually she wound up running down Sunset naked, all dingy, and didn't even know her own name."<ref name="medi_Insi"/> After Rose and Slash spent several weeks being fugitives hiding from police, the charges against them were dropped due to lack of evidence.<ref name="medi_Insi">{{cite book |last=Wall|first=Mick|author-link=Mick Wall|date=2016 |title= Last of the Giants: The True Story of Guns N' Roses|asin=B01ERWBODS|publisher=Trapeze |pages= 34–35}}</ref>
In November 1987, Rose was arrested onstage after assaulting a security guard during a show.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/278325/ATLANTA-DECLINES-TO-BEAT-DRUMS-FOR-FIERY-SINGER.html|title=Atlanta declines to beat drums for fiery singer|date=March 3, 1993|website=[[Deseret News]] |access-date=June 9, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150923230126/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/278325/ATLANTA-DECLINES-TO-BEAT-DRUMS-FOR-FIERY-SINGER.html|archive-date=September 23, 2015 |quote=Last time he was there in 1987 he brawled with security guards, punched an Atlanta cop and got arrested.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Axl Rose Assaults Security Guard – 25 Most Destructive Guns N' Roses Moments |last1=Hartmann |first1=Graham |website=Loudwire.com |date=July 20, 2012 |url= http://loudwire.com/axl-rose-assaults-security-guard-25-most-destructive-guns-n-roses-moments/|access-date=June 9, 2015|quote=If we know just one thing about Axl Rose, it's that the frontman loves himself a good physical confrontation. Perhaps the earliest of the Axl Rose incidents, the vocalist was arrested onstage during a 1987 show in Atlanta for punching a security guard. |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150521153929/http://loudwire.com/axl-rose-assaults-security-guard-25-most-destructive-guns-n-roses-moments/|archive-date=May 21, 2015}}</ref> Rose was held backstage and allowed to leave if he apologized to the guards, but refused and was arrested.<ref name="vult_Conc">{{cite web |title=Concert Promoters Share Their Guns N' Roses War Stories |author=Steve Knopper |work=Vulture |date=March 23, 2016 |access-date=August 12, 2021 |url= https://www.vulture.com/2016/03/concert-promoters-share-their-gnr-war-stories.html }}</ref>
In 1990, Rose was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly hitting his next-door neighbor on the head with an empty wine bottle.<ref name="LATIM">{{cite web |title=Singer Axl Rose Accused of Assault : Dispute: A neighbor alleges the Guns N' Roses rock star hit her with a wine bottle after an argument. He says she is the one who has caused problems. |author= |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 31, 1990 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-31-me-3311-story.html |quote=}}</ref> Rose stated that the neighbor swung a wine bottle at him after he responded to her yelling. There had also been frequent incidents between the two over loud music being played.<ref name="LATIM"/> The run-ins with his neighbor inspired the lyrics to the song "Right Next Door To Hell" on ''[[Use Your Illusion I]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=How Axl Rose's Neighbor Inspired 'Right Next Door to Hell' |author= |work=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=September 1, 2021 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-right-next-door-to-hell/ |quote=}}</ref>
In 1992, Rose was arrested for his role in the [[Riverport Riot]], which took place the previous year after Rose cut short a concert at a venue near St. Louis, Missouri.<ref name="nyti_AxlR">{{cite news |title=Axl Rose Pleads Not Guilty |agency=Associated Press |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 15, 1992 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/15/us/axl-rose-pleads-not-guilty.html }}</ref> Rose was found guilty of property damage and assault. He was fined $50,000 and given two years probation.<ref name="vari_AxlR">{{cite news |title=Axl Rose convicted of assault |agency=Associated Press |work=Variety |date=November 10, 1992 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |url= https://variety.com/1992/biz/news/axl-rose-convicted-of-assault-100475/ }}</ref>
Rose was arrested in 1998 at [[Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport|Sky Harbor Airport]] in [[Phoenix, Arizona]] for threatening an airport guard who was searching his luggage.<ref name="98arr"/> He was charged with a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.<ref name="98arr">{{cite web |title=News Flash: Axl Rose Arrested After Allegedly Threatening Security Worker |author=<!--Not stated--> |work=MTV News |date=February 11, 1998 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= http://www.mtv.com/news/3150/news-flash-axl-rose-arrested-after-allegedly-threatening-security-worker/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151128104129/http://www.mtv.com/news/3150/news-flash-axl-rose-arrested-after-allegedly-threatening-security-worker/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 28, 2015 |quote=}}</ref> Rose's publicist stated the incident was a "simple misunderstanding and that Rose was simply trying to protect a fragile memento he had been given."<ref name="98arr"/>
Rose was arrested in Sweden in June 2006 for biting a security guard in the leg.<ref>{{cite web |title=Axl Rose arrested for biting security guard |author= |work=TODAY.com |date=June 27, 2006 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://www.today.com/popculture/axl-rose-arrested-biting-security-guard-1C9432639 |quote=}}</ref> The guard had confronted Rose who was arguing with a woman in a hotel lobby. Rose was deemed too intoxicated to be questioned right away by police. He was fined $5,500 for the incident as well as ordered to pay $1,360 in damages to the guard.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Axl Rose Released From Stockholm Jail |magazine=Billboard |date=June 26, 2007 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57998/axl-rose-released-from-stockholm-jail}}</ref>
===Lawsuits===
In 1992, the audience member who Rose attacked during the Riverport Riot sued him for $210,000 in damages. Rose settled out of court for $160,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Axl Rose and Fan Settle Lawsuit |author= |work=Associated Press |date= |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://apnews.com/article/920ac91d7d87b70843b399029065c5cc |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=NOT A ROSY TIME FOR AXL FRIENDS |author= |newspaper=Washington Post |date=December 29, 1993 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/12/29/not-a-rosy-time-for-axl-friends/df5b2425-7520-43a6-be7a-b4330fd6052c/ |quote=60,000 }}</ref>
After separating in 1993, Rose sued Stephanie Seymour claiming she assaulted him at a 1992 Christmas Party.<ref>{{cite web |title=THE BLOOM IS OFF THE ROSE |author=<!--Not stated--> |work=The Buffalo News |date=September 1, 1993 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://buffalonews.com/news/the-bloom-is-off-the-rose/article_a44fb94b-a240-5fff-8c1f-bb20f1829a93.html |quote=}}</ref> Seymour filed a counter-suit claiming assault and battery by Rose.<ref>{{cite web |title=AXL ROSE, SEYMOUR ADD ASSAULT CHARGES TO ONGOING DISPUTE |author= |work=Greensboro News and Record |date=November 11, 1993 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://greensboro.com/axl-rose-seymour-add-assault-charges-to-ongoing-dispute/article_0b43b58d-8a3b-5438-a238-631396bc21ff.html |quote=}}</ref> Both lawsuits were eventually settled out of court.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stephanie Seymour's love life: Tragic tale of failed marriages, Axl Rose assault and divorce with Peter Brant |author= |work=MEAWW |date=January 19, 2021 |access-date=September 3, 2021 |url= https://meaww.com/stephanie-seymour-love-life-axl-rose-peter-brant-tommy-andrews-son-harry-brant-dead |quote=}}</ref> In 1994, Rose's ex-wife Erin Everly filed a suit accusing Rose of physical and emotional [[Domestic violence|abuse]] throughout their relationship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-08-me-31419-story.html|title=Ex-Wife Sues Axl Rose, Alleging Years of Abuse|date=March 8, 1994|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> The lawsuit was settled out of court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/1999/07/appetite-for-self-destruction-axl-rose/|title=Appetite for Self-Destruction|last=Spitz|first=Marc|date=July 1, 1999|website=Spin}}</ref>
In 2004, Rose unsuccessfully sued to prevent the release of ''[[The Roots of Guns N' Roses]]'', featuring early recordings from his band [[Hollywood Rose]].<ref name="ROOTS"/> Later that year, Rose was joined by former bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan in unsuccessfully suing to prevent the release of ''[[Greatest Hits (Guns N' Roses album)|Greatest Hits]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/report-guns-n-roses-may-sue-to-block-greatest-hits-album/|title=Report: Guns N' Roses may sue to block 'Greatest Hits' album|first=Borivoj|last=Krgin|date=February 18, 2004|work=BLABBERMOUTH.NET|access-date=February 14, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214153112/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/report-guns-n-roses-may-sue-to-block-greatest-hits-album/|archive-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref> Slash and McKagan then sued Rose over publishing and songwriting credits in 2006, which Rose claimed were due to a clerical error when switching publishers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1508091/slash-duff-sue-axl-over-guns-n-roses-publishing-royalties/|title=Slash, Duff sue Axl over Guns N' Roses publishing royalties|work=MTV News|access-date=February 14, 2015|date=August 22, 2005|first=Jennifer|last=Vineyard|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214050308/http://www.mtv.com/news/1508091/slash-duff-sue-axl-over-guns-n-roses-publishing-royalties/|archive-date=February 14, 2015}}</ref>
In 2010, former band manager [[Irving Azoff]] sued Rose, seeking $1.87 million in unpaid fees related to touring.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1634771/axl-rose-sued-by-management-company-for-nearly-2-million/|title=Axl Rose Sued By Management Company For Nearly $2 Million|last=Montgomery|first=James|date=March 26, 2010|work=MTV News|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083534/http://www.mtv.com/news/1634771/axl-rose-sued-by-management-company-for-nearly-2-million/|archive-date=May 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/958831/axl-rose-sued-by-manager-for-nearly-2-million#/news/axl-rose-sued-by-manager-for-nearly-2-million-1004078635.story|title=Axl Rose Sued By Manager For Nearly $2 Million|agency=Associated Press|date=March 26, 2010|work=Billboard.com|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515171218/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/958831/axl-rose-sued-by-manager-for-nearly-2-million#/news/axl-rose-sued-by-manager-for-nearly-2-million-1004078635.story|archive-date=May 15, 2015}}</ref><ref name="azoff">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/958191/axl-rose-slams-irving-azoff-in-5-million-countersuit|title=Axl Rose Slams Irving Azoff In $5 Million Countersuit|last=Gardner|first=Eriq|date=May 19, 2010|work=Billboard.com|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925220805/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/958191/axl-rose-slams-irving-azoff-in-5-million-countersuit|archive-date=September 25, 2015}}</ref> In a counter-suit, Rose alleged Azoff had deliberately mismanaged the band and sabotaged their record sales to force him to join his former bandmates for a reunion tour.<ref name="EWsuit">{{cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2010/05/19/axl-rose-manager-lawsuit|title=Axl Rose sues former manager over alleged 'sabotage'|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Simon|date=May 19, 2010|work=Entertainment Weekly's EW.com|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505075458/http://www.ew.com/article/2010/05/19/axl-rose-manager-lawsuit|archive-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/axl-rose-sues-his-former-manager-for-5-million/|title=Axl Rose Sues His Former Manager for $5 Million|work=The New York Times|first=Ben|last=Sisario|date=May 18, 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20150729090034/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/axl-rose-sues-his-former-manager-for-5-million/|archive-date=July 29, 2015}}</ref> Both cases were settled.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/axl-rose-settles-lawsuit/|title=Axl Rose Settles Lawsuit Against Former Manager Irving Azoff|last=Sciarretto|first=Amy|date=June 16, 2011|work=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430023654/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/axl-rose-settles-lawsuit/|archive-date=April 30, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/settlements-reached-in-lawsuits-between-axl-rose-and-former-manager/|title=Settlements Reached in Lawsuits Between Axl Rose And Former Manager|date=June 14, 2011|work=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505080345/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/settlements-reached-in-lawsuits-between-axl-rose-and-former-manager/|archive-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> According to Rose in 2011, part of the settlement agreement dictated that Rose and the current Guns N' Roses had to do a number of performances with Azoff's company [[Live Nation]] as the promoter.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-xpm-2011-dec-21-la-et-12-20-axl-rose-interview-20111221-story.html|first=Randall|last=Roberts|title=Axl Rose's appetite is for today's Guns N' Roses|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=December 21, 2011|access-date=June 8, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111224230131/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/21/entertainment/la-et-12-20-axl-rose-interview-20111221|archive-date=December 24, 2011}}</ref>
In November 2010, Rose sued [[Activision]], the publishers of the video game ''[[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]'', for $20{{nbsp}}million, claiming Activision had violated an agreement with him to not include any reference to Slash or his band [[Velvet Revolver]] in the game in return for a license to use the song "[[Welcome to the Jungle]]".<ref name="THR">{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/axl-rose-loses-20m-lawsuit-417262|first=Eriq|last=Gardner|title=Axl Rose Loses $20M Lawsuit Against Activision for Featuring Slash|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=January 13, 2013|access-date=June 8, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801163511/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/axl-rose-loses-20m-lawsuit-417262|archive-date=August 1, 2016}}</ref> Instead, Rose noted that an image of Slash was used on the game's front cover.<ref name="THR" /> Rose's claim was summarily dismissed in February 2013, when the judge ruled that Rose had not brought suit on the contract, which relied on oral promises, within the two-year [[statute of limitations]] that began with the game's October 2007 release.<ref name="THR" />
Rose threatened legal action in 2014 over the release of Rapidfire (his pre-Hollywood Rose band) recordings, keeping them from digital storefronts for a period of time.<ref>{{cite web |title=SWEET LAWSUIT O' MINE? Axl Rose's legal team put kibosh on Rapidfire digital music release |author= |work=Metal Sludge |date=November 26, 2014 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://metalsludge.tv/axl-rose-rapid-fire-who-wants-to-go-to-the-rainbow/ |quote=}}</ref>
In May 2016, Rose sent a series of DMCA takedown notices to Google, in an attempt to suppress a 2010 image of him that was taken by a ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' photographer and reposted by Gauntlet, under the headline "OMFG Axl Rose is Fat.", leading to a [[Streisand effect]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ohlheiser |first=Abby |date=October 26, 2021 |title=Axl Rose wants an unflattering 'fat' picture removed from the Internet |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/06/07/axl-rose-wants-an-unflattering-fat-picture-removed-from-the-internet/ |access-date=May 4, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendelsohn |first=Tom |date=June 7, 2016 |title=Axl Rose tests the Streisand Effect by demanding Google removes fat photos |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/axl-rose-fat-axl-dmca-request-analysis/ |access-date=May 4, 2024 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref>
In August 2016, former Guns N' Roses keyboardist [[Chris Pitman]] sued Rose for $125,000 in unpaid wages.<ref>[http://www.tmz.com/2016/09/13/axl-rose-lawsuit-guns-n-roses-engineer-unpaid-wages/ Axl Rose Sued], TMZ.com</ref> The two parties settled in November 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/axl-rose-settles-lawsuit-guns-n-roses-instrumentalist-chris-pitman/|title=Axl Rose Settles Lawsuit With Chris Pitman|website=Loudwire|date=November 27, 2016 }}</ref>
On November 22, 2023, Rose was sued by former ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'' Pet, model, and actress [[Sheila Kennedy]], who is claiming that he sexually assaulted her in his hotel room after meeting him in a New York nightclub in 1989. The suit is being filed in New York under the [[Adult Survivors Act]], state legislation which gives sexual assault victims the ability to sue their alleged abusers even if the statute of limitations has expired. The lawsuit was filed two days before the filing period closed. Kennedy previously mentioned being assaulted by Rose in her 2016 memoir ''No One's Pet'' and in the 2021 documentary ''[[Look Away (2021 film)|Look Away]]'', which covered women who claimed to be sexually abused in the music industry. Rose's attorney said the claim is "fictional" and that Rose has no recollection of ever meeting or spending time with Kennedy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/guns-roses-singer-axl-rose-accused-alleged-1989/story?id=105109739|title=Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose accused of alleged 1989 sexual assault by former model|author=Lances, Jill; Blackwelder, Carson; and Bernabe, Angeline Jane|website=ABC News|date=November 22, 2023}}</ref>
On February 21, 2024, Rose and his legal team filed to dismiss the lawsuit.<ref>[https://people.com/axl-rose-files-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-him-alleged-1989-sexual-assault-8606117 Axl Rose Files to Dismiss Lawsuit from Former Model Who Sued Him for Alleged 1989 Sexual Assault]</ref>
==Discography==
===With Guns N' Roses===
{{main|Guns N' Roses discography}}
*''[[Appetite for Destruction]]'' (1987)
*''[[G N' R Lies]]'' (1988)
*''[[Use Your Illusion I]]'' (1991)
*''[[Use Your Illusion II]]'' (1991)
*''[["The Spaghetti Incident?"]]'' (1993)
*''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' (2008)
===
*''[[The Roots of Guns N' Roses]]'' (2004)<ref name="ROOTS">{{cite news |title=Rose can't stop 'Hollywood Rose' |agency=Associated Press |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 10, 2004 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jul-10-et-quick10.5-story.html |quote=}}</ref>
===With Rapidfire===
*''Ready to Rumble'' EP (2014)<ref>{{cite web |title=Audio Sample Of AXL ROSE's Pre-GUNS N' ROSES Recordings With RAPIDFIRE Posted On YouTube |author= |work=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |date=May 28, 2013 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/audio-sample-of-axl-rose-s-pre-guns-n-roses-recordings-with-rapidfire-posted-on-youtube/ |language= |quote=}}</ref>
===
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
|-
! rowspan="1"| Year
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1"| Album
|-
|1988
|"[[Under My Wheels]]"<br /><small>([[Alice Cooper]] feat. Axl Rose, [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] and [[Izzy Stradlin]])<ref name="guest">{{cite news |title=Axl Rose's top 10 best guest appearances |author=Paul Brannigan |work=loudersound |date=June 3, 2016 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://www.loudersound.com/features/axl-rose-top-10-best-guest-appearances |quote=}}</ref></small>
| rowspan="1" |''[[The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years#Soundtrack|The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]]''
|-
| 1994
| "[[Dead Flowers (The Rolling Stones song)|Dead Flowers]]"<br /><small>([[Gilby Clarke]] feat. Axl Rose)</small>
|''[[Pawnshop Guitars]]''
|-
| 2007
| "[[Back in the Saddle]]"<br />"(Love Is) a Bitchslap"<br />"Stuck Inside"<br /><small>([[Sebastian Bach]] feat. Axl Rose)</small>
|''[[Angel Down]]''<ref name="guest"/>
|-
| 2024
| "Love to Love"<br /><small>([[Michael Schenker]])</small>
| ''My Years with UFO''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2024/09/axl-rose-michael-schenker-ufo-love-to-love/|title=Axl Rose Guests on Michael Schenker's New Version of UFO's "Love to Love"|publisher=Consequence|date=September 20, 2024|access-date=September 23, 2024}}</ref>
|}
===As session musician or writer===
*''[[The End of the Innocence (album)|The End of the Innocence]]'' by [[Don Henley]] (1989; "I Will Not Go Quietly")<ref name="guest"/>
*''[[Fire and Gasoline]]'' by [[Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones]] (1989; "I Did U No Wrong")<ref name="guest"/>
* ''[[Pigs (Asphalt Ballet album)|Pigs]]'' by [[Asphalt Ballet]] (1993; "Crash Diet")
*''Anxious Disease'' by [[The Outpatience]] (1996; "Anxious Disease" feat. Slash)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Outpatience's song "Anxious Disease" feat. Axl Rose and Slash resurfaces for streaming |work=Sleaze Roxx |date=July 12, 2017 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://sleazeroxx.com/the-outpatiences-song-anxious-disease-feat-axl-rose-and-slash-resurfaces-for-streaming/ }}</ref>
==
*''[[New Looney Tunes]]'' (2018, "Rock the Rock")<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.axs.com/watch-axl-rose-debuts-new-single-rock-the-rock-with-clip-from-upcoming-135853|title=Watch: Axl Rose debuts new single, 'Rock the Rock', with clip from upcoming 'Looney Tunes' series|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105120605/https://www.axs.com/watch-axl-rose-debuts-new-single-rock-the-rock-with-clip-from-upcoming-135853|archive-date=January 5, 2019|website=AXS}}</ref>
==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1988
| ''[[The Dead Pool]]''
| Musician at funeral
| Uncredited<ref>{{cite web |title=When Guns N' Roses Met 'Dirty Harry' |author=Corey Irwin |work=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=December 10, 2018 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://ultimateclassicrock.com/guns-n-roses-dead-pool/ |quote=}}</ref>
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]''
| ''K-DST'' DJ Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith (voice)
| Video game<ref>{{cite web |title=Axl Rose, Game, Charlie Murphy Lend Voices To 'San Andreas' |author=Joe DAngelo |work=MTV News |date=September 26, 2004 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= http://www.mtv.com/news/1493045/axl-rose-game-charlie-murphy-lend-voices-to-san-andreas/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170930175730/http://www.mtv.com/news/1493045/axl-rose-game-charlie-murphy-lend-voices-to-san-andreas/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 30, 2017 |quote=}}</ref>
|-
| 2011
| ''[[That Metal Show]]''
| rowspan="2" | Himself
|<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Axl Rose Interviewed on 'That Metal Show' |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/axl-rose-interviewed-on-that-metal-show-117260/ |quote=}}</ref>
|-
| 2012
| ''[[Jimmy Kimmel Live!]]''
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Axl Rose agrees to rare interview on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' |author=Andy Greene |work=NBC News |date=October 1, 2012 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/axl-rose-agrees-rare-interview-jimmy-kimmel-live-flna6214891 |quote=}}</ref>
|-
| 2018
| ''[[New Looney Tunes]]''
| rowspan="2" | Himself (voice)
| TV show<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gnrcentral.com/2018/12/29/warner-brothers-releases-statement-on-axl-roses-appearance-on-looney-tunes/|title=Warner Brothers Releases Statement on Axl Rose's Appearance on Looney Tunes -|date=December 29, 2018|access-date=December 31, 2018|archive-date=December 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231143826/https://gnrcentral.com/2018/12/29/warner-brothers-releases-statement-on-axl-roses-appearance-on-looney-tunes/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2021
| ''[[Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?]]''
| TV show<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Watch Axl Rose's Cameo Appearance on 'Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?' |last=Shaffer |first=Claire |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 23, 2021 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/axl-rose-scooby-doo-and-guess-who-1131907/ |quote=}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition]]''
| ''K-DST'' DJ Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith (voice)
| Video game<br>Archival recordings<br>Remaster of ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' only <ref>{{cite web |title=Axl Rose, Game, Charlie Murphy Lend Voices To 'San Andreas' |author=Joe DAngelo |work=MTV News |date=September 26, 2004 |access-date=September 27, 2021 |url= http://www.mtv.com/news/1493045/axl-rose-game-charlie-murphy-lend-voices-to-san-andreas/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170930175730/http://www.mtv.com/news/1493045/axl-rose-game-charlie-murphy-lend-voices-to-san-andreas/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 30, 2017 |quote=}}</ref>
|}
==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Axl Rose}}
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{Twitter}}
*{{allMusic}}
*{{IMDb name|741730|Axl Rose}}
{{Guns N' Roses}}
{{Hollywood Rose}}
{{L.A. Guns}}
{{2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rose, Axl}}
[[Category:Axl Rose| ]]
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