Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38575 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-02
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Review
Mick Wall is qualified to tell this story...he has assembled a catalogue of lawsuits, sackings and all-round appalling behaviour which, taken together, rivals the best moments of the Borgias or certain middle-European dictators. --Daily Telegraph

The Times, Books
'Axl Rose is one of the greatest frontmen that has lived. Mick Wall's Axl Rose explains why.'

Synopsis
Axl Rose is one of rock's most colourful figures and yet his story has never been properly told until now. Mick Wall knew the original line-up of Guns N' Roses before they were famous and has interviewed them many times. Drawing on exclusive unpublished material he has written a no-holds-barred study of the turbulent life and career of the group's singer and leader. Wall describes Axl's difficult childhood in Indiana and how, after escaping to LA, he and his fledgling band struggled to survive until they were signed up by Geffen in 1986.The first album, "Appetite for Destruction", turned them into stars but the band's lurid lifestyle took its toll - they embarked on a two-year tour that sounded the death knell for the original line-up. As their lives slipped out of control, the original members bar Axl all left. Axl himself turned into an increasingly reclusive figure, working on the long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" album. In 2006 he re-emerged into public view as Guns N' Roses embarked on a world tour. Scrupulously researched and vividly written, "W. Axl Rose" is an explosive biography of one of rock's biggest living legends.

Customer Reviews

The Truth?
From the seedy Sunset Strip clubs of 1980's Los Angeles emerged a rock band so blisteringly intense they would later be labelled 'the most dangerous band in the world.' Led by Indiana youngster W. Axl Rose, Guns 'N' Roses would blow up into the most relevant band of a generation and complete World domination would eventually be overshadowed by their offstage antics. General hellraising eventually gave way to big egos, power trips, cancelled shows and rumours of huge rifts between band members. At the centre of it all, the complex but undeniably talented Axl.

I've been a fan of Guns 'N' Roses ever since I was introduced to 'Appetite For Destruction' by a pal at middle school. I was slightly too young to catch them live during their 1987-1992 heyday but I've listened to their albums regularly ever since. Much has been written about the bands eventual splitting up and I was pleased to get my hands on former Kerrang! journalist Mick Wall's biography of Axl, hoping it would clear a few things up.

So does it?

No. Not really. Whilst the book is interesting enough, there's very little here that a Guns 'N' Roses fan wouldn't have heard already. Having being in the fortunate position of being granted access to Axl's inner circle, there are a few interviews and personal experiences Mick draws upon but ultimately no revelations or new information. For the most part, Axl is portrayed as a totally unreasonable ego-maniac who alienated his bandmates, management, friends, family and girlfriends. There is probably a lot of truth in this as it's difficult to ignore the fact that Axl has fallen out with virtually everyone he ever worked with but Mick Wall does often seem to have another agenda. Wall wrote a magazine article about an interview with Axl in which the singer had threatened Motley Crue member Vince Neil over an alleged dispute with Guns 'N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin. Wall claims to have checked with the singer before submitting the article but Axl was angry with what was printed and publicly humiliated Wall in the song 'Get In The Ring.' After this, Wall was not welcome in the Guns 'N' Roses camp so perhaps this book is a little bit of revenge? Whatever Wall's motives, this book is an interesting read although would probably be more appropriate for new fans who may want to learn more about the band's history. There is much written about the bands huge 1991-1993 world tour which ultimately spelled the end for the original lineup. The last part of the book is mostly speculation surrounding Axl's reclusive activities and the new lineup's much hyped 'Chinese Democracy' album which has been over a decade in the making. Again nothing is said here that we didn't already know.

On the whole, a good book but shouldn't be taken literally as the whole truth and maybe slightly disappointing to old G'N'R fans who were expecting new revelations.

Like this? Try: Guns 'N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Genius - the Truth at Last!!!
It's fairly clear perusing the other so-called customer reviews I've read that they have been written by brain-dead Axl apologists that wouldn't know a good book if it was thrown at them from the stage by Axl. Having been a massive Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver (and Axl and Izzy) fan since day one, but also a fan of well-written books by people that really know what they're talking about, I found Mick Wall's book an absolute masterpiece. He doesn't 'bad-mouth' anyone. If anything, I thought he was a little bit too fair and even-handed in places, in his attempt to really get at the truth behind this clearly troubled yet sometimes brilliant songwriter called Axl Rose. And get at the truth he does - and then some!
I read the whole book in three lengthy sit-downs and only then because I forced myself to stop reading and save some for later. It really is that good.
So forget whatever else the idiots who usualy write these things say, and trust an adult who actually knows how to read, Mick Wall has written by far the best book not just on Axl Rose, but on rock generally, that has been published for several years. Go get it or regret it forever.

Mick Wall is just making money out of bad mouthing Axl
I would rather read a book that was written by Axl Rose himself since Mick Wall's book of him hardly shows the man behind the ego that seemed to have wrested control of Guns n Roses from his one time band mates and penned songs that came with the videos shows the talent and genius of a tortured well traveled frontman.

He may have name checked Mick Wall in the song Get In The Ring but surely the author could have attempted to offer a peace deal and negotiate with him on penning his autobiography instead of making more money out of bad mouthing him and making a number of writing errors in the unauthorised story about him.