[Current & Culture] "Songs of Guns and Roses": The Former Outlaws Are Coming

Anticipating the Return of the Legendary Rock Villains
Seven Essential Guns N' Roses Tracks Recommended by a Devoted Fan

The American hard rock band Guns N' Roses (hereafter referred to as Guns) is coming. They are scheduled to perform in Songdo, Incheon on May 1. Although their heyday was relatively short, spanning from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, the impact they left on popular culture is far too significant to dismiss them as a bygone band.

Information about how Guns was formed, their activities, and their members can easily be found through a quick search, so in this column, I will carefully select and recommend seven of their songs. As a devoted Guns fan who has collected every album and listened to them dozens of times since buying their debut album as an original LP with all my allowance money, you can trust these recommendations.

1. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

If I had to choose the best debut album among the countless rock bands active in the 1980s, I would pick Guns’ "Appetite For Destruction" without a moment’s hesitation. This is the opening track of that album. From the abrasive, nerve-jangling guitar riff to Axl Rose’s decadent vocals, it is perfection.

2. SWEET CHILD O'MINE

I often watch guitar-related videos on YouTube, and guitar shop owners say the two most dreaded songs to hear are Led Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven" and the intro to this song. The reason is that so many customers play them that they’re sick of it. That’s how famous and beloved this riff is. The bright, sky-blue mood of the song shifts to a heavier tone in the latter half, making for a masterful transition.

3. NIGHTRAIN

This is the favorite song of many Guns enthusiasts, myself included. The title doesn’t refer to a deer or a night train, but is actually named after a brand of alcohol. Just hearing the bouncy cowbell sound takes me right back to my high school days.

4. PATIENCE

If the band Extreme has "More Than Words," then Guns has this song. It’s a love song performed with only acoustic guitar accompaniment, without any electronic sounds or drums.

5. NOVEMBER RAIN

Is there another song as grand as this? A nine-minute rock ballad made with a full orchestra.

6. YOU COULD BE MINE

This song appears in the best installment of the Terminator series, the second film. It plays during the scene where the main character, John Connor, rides a motorcycle. Director James Cameron even created a scene where the Terminator pulls a shotgun out of a box of roses, imprinting the band’s name?"guns and roses"?into the movie. This is what truly exhilarating drumming sounds like.

7. SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU

A hidden gem of a blues track included on their cover album. Guns brilliantly revived this song, originally released in 1959 by the doo-wop group the Skyliners.

About thirty years ago, Guns was called "the most dangerous band in the world." Now, they may look too old and tired to play the villain, but I hope they show off as much of their former rebelliousness as possible on stage. Welcome to the jungle!

Lee Jaeik, SBS Radio Producer and Novelist