Rock fans rejoice. Iconic band Guns N’ Roses have announced that they have added new dates to their ‘Not in this Lifetime’ tour in the US this fall.
The tour, which first kicked off back in spring 2016, will now visit North Carolina, Kansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Salt Lake City before its epic two-night finale at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The line-up will feature some of the original , including singer and band writer Axl Rose, bassist Duff McKagan and guitarist Slash. These additional dates will give loyal fans who have missed out on tickets another chance to see the much-loved band.
Having formed over 30 years ago, Guns N’ Roses are well known for their unique sound and controversial lyrics. They have had a huge and long lasting influence on music and rock culture, with their fan base spanning a number of generations.
Let’s look back on how this legendary band rose to fame and the legacy they have created:
“Rags to riches or so they say…”
Formed in 1985, the band achieved their first record deal within eight months. In a time when pop and dance music were all the rage, their raw rock and roll sound came crashing into the US charts, quickly developing a small but quickly growing following. Their lyrics about sex, drugs and drinking caused controversy but were popular with rebellious teens and young adults.
The band regularly played on the club scene until the release of their debut album, Appetite for Destruction, in July 1987. Appetite for Destruction sold over 30 million copies worldwide, with tracks including Sweet Child O’ Mine and Paradise City making it to number one in the Billboard charts. Its original artwork featuring a dagger-toothed monster was a social statement about the industrial systems impact on the environment, however it was deemed too controversial and was redesigned to feature five skulls, one for each of the original band .
In the early 1990’s the band released Use Your Illusion and Use Your Illusion II, followed by Chinese Democracy in 2008. During this time, Guns N’ Roses underwent a number of changes to their . In 1990, Steve Adler was let go and replaced with drummer Matt Sorum, then Izzy Stradlin dropped out and was replaced with various different guitarists, until Paul Tobias ed a couple of years later. Both Slash and McKagan left temporarily due to differences in the band’s vision and the chaos surrounding them.
Many more changes to the band ensued, with a number of fallouts and disagreements along the way. However, original band Rose, Slash and McKagan have now ed forces with Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer and Melissa Reese for their latest tour.
Guns N’ Roses have achieved many successes in recent years. Their 2018 tour took over $500 million in revenue, while their November Rain video has been watched by over one billion people on YouTube. GN’R’s music remains loved by many despite their controversies and regroupings, they have created an impressive legacy not just in rock and the music industry but also in society.
The Guns N’ Roses Legacy
From bringing in dishevelled hairstyles and encouraging more rock guitarists to try out Gibsons, the band have become influencers in many ways. One of the band’s most famous tracks, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, bought power ballads back into popularity. They had fallen out of favour amongst musicians in the 1980’s and were seen as cheesy, however the band’s success helped to prove that love ballads could still appeal to rock audiences.
GN’R have paved the way for many young rock artists. Nick Valensi from the band The Strokes often recounts about how he grew up listening to Guns N’ Roses, he claims that their music was a huge inspiration for the band’s music, including their debut album Is This It. Also, Fall Out Boy’s bassist, Pete Wentz, has said that GN’R inspired him to pursue a career in music and has revealed that their sound influenced the album Take This to Your Grave.
Their popularity is also evident in the huge range of merchandise and memorabilia created with their branding, with everything from clothing and mugs to hats and posters selling out online. Even the gaming industry has capitalised on their success, the Guns N’ Roses slot is featured alongside slots based on other legends of the music industry, such as Elvis and Michael Jackson. The game allows players to choose from five of the band’s best hits, with the chosen soundtrack playing in the background during gameplay. It has a number of rock themed features, including the Encore free spin, the Legend spin and the Crowd Pleaser bonus game. Fans will also notice a nod towards a popular GN’R album with the Appetite for Destruction Wild.
So, what’s next for Guns N’ Roses?
With their Not in this Lifetime tour now being extended, Guns N’ Roses do not seem to be going anywhere just yet. Band member Slash has even hinted that they may focus on recording a new album after the completion of their 2019 tour.
They also have a number of other appearances in the US, with a performance planned at Louder than Life in Louisiana in September, Austin City Limits Festival in Texas in October, followed by a much-anticipated set at the Exit 111 Festival in Manchester, also in October this year. You can find details and links for tickets on their official Guns N’ Roses website.
