Synopses & Reviews
From the
New York Times bestselling author, the complete story of the last rock supergroup from their drug-fueled blast-off in the 1980s to the turbulent life of legendary singer Axl Rose and his fifteen-year, multi-million dollar effort to make the perfect hard rock album.
With 90 million of the band's records sold worldwide since 1987, Guns N' Roses prolonged rock music past its sell-by date with controversial albums and immense, often riotous world tours. But the band's complete story has never been fully told until now. In his sixth major rock biography, Stephen Davis details the riveting story of a band that originated in the gutters of Sunset Strip and went on to set attendance records on the biggest stadiums on the planet.
Watch You Bleed documents the improbable story of W. Axl Rose, the biggest rock star of his generation. Taken from an abusive father in his infancy, he was raised as "Bill Bailey" in a strictly religious Indiana household by a stepfather who beat him for playing Led Zeppelin songs on the family piano. After quitting high school, and on the run from the police in his hometown, Axl arrived in Los Angeles in the midst of the street battles for supremacy among the top music genres of the eighties post-punk, thrash, hair metal, and glam. The book also charts the backgrounds of every band member, especially Slash, a Hollywood street kid whose designer mother dated David Bowie.
Davis brilliantly captures the birth of Guns' raw power, which despite rape charges, drug-induced rampages, and a general appetite for destruction launched the band into the pantheon of rock gods such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. With a wealth of detail, Davis looks at Axl's unrelenting quest to release the long-awaited, mystery-shrouded Chinese Democracy album, as well as the further adventures of some of the Gunners under the banner of the hard-rocking band Velvet Revolver. For the first time, millions of Guns N' Roses fans will learn the whole truth sometimes funny, sometimes tragic about the last of the great rock bands.
Synopsis
From a New York Times-bestselling author comes the complete story of Guns N' Roses from their drug-fueled blast-off in the 1980s to the turbulent life of infamous singer Axl Rose and his 15-year, multimillion-dollar effort to make the perfect rock album. Two 8-page b&w photo inserts.
Synopsis
The New York Times bestselling epic tale of the last great rock band From the bestselling author of Hammer of the Gods comes the complete story of Guns N? Roses ? from their drug-fueled blastoff in the 80s to the turbulent life of legendary singer Axl Rose, and his fifteen-year, multimillion dollar quest to make the perfect hard rock album.
Riotous world tours. Drug-induced rampages. One hundred millions albums sold. In his sixth major rock biography, Stephen Davis details the riveting story of the last great rock band. Watch You Bleed documents the life of every band member, including the improbable story of W. Axl Rose. Davis brilliantly captures the Guns? raw power ? from the gutters of Sunset Strip to the biggest stadiums on the planet. Based on exclusive interviews, private archives, and packed with stunning revelations, Watch You Bleed is the savage, definitive, and highly unauthorized story of Guns N? Roses. For the first time, millions of fans will learn the whole truth about this legendary band.
About the Author
Stephen Davis is one of Americas preeminent rock journalists. His many rock biographies include, most recently, Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend (Gotham Books, 2004) and the New York Times bestsellers Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith and Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga.