Customer Reviews

Appetite for Destruction: The Days of Guns N' Roses

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

What makes this book interesting is that its not just about the band, their music and off stage exploits, which is what most rock biographies are all about. Rather, this book is about defining the sociological and psychological impact of Rock N' Roll on modern American culture and the role that Guns N' Roses have played in shaping and defining such cultural perceptions. In this book, Sugarman compares the music and exploits of Guns N' Roses to everything from mythology to philosophy to psychology to modern historical events to convey this thesis. The truth is, what I really liked about this book, is that after finishing it, I felt that I not only learned about Guns N' Roses, but more so about the cultural importance of rock n' roll and the impact that it's had in shaping the modern American cultural landscape of the late 20th century.

Therefore, if you're interested in really learning about why G N' R is such an important band and your interest in music extends beyond what you hear on a CD, than I strongly recommend this book.

A word of caution...I have to say that this is not your typical sex, drugs and rock n' roll biography. If you're looking for a book that's just about the drunken exploits of Axl and the band,you'd best look else where. Not that this book does not cover off on these subjects, its just that there is much more to this book than that.

If you're looking for an insightful, revealing Guns N'Roses biography, then don't read this book.

The author spends too much time on embarrassing pseudo-intellectualisms by talking about Rimbaud, Percy Shelley, and Edgar Allen Poe (not to mention the author's unnecessary analysis of ancient gods of decadence) instead of getting down to the nitty-gritty and writing a real biography on Guns N'Roses.

Danny Sugerman, the author, is known as a leech in the music business. His main claim to fame is that he used to be the president of the Doors fan club and he wrote the first best-selling book on the Doors, "No One Here Gets Out Alive." Sugerman is still clearly obsessed with Jim Morrison because he repeatedly compares Axl Rose to Jim Morrison, and Guns N'Roses to the Doors. The only things these two bands have in common are that they were both formed in L.A., they sold millions of records, and the lead singer got arrested several times at the height of their fame.

After all the pointless comparisons to a dead rock group and dead poets, what we're left with is a book that tells very little about Guns N'Roses that isn't recycled from articles that were written before this book was published.

This book was published in 1991 and time has shown that the Axl Rose/Jim Morrison comparisons are even more laughable now.

This book provided only a handful of facts about GN'R that all GN'R fans dont already know. IF you are looking to learn certain things about the band, you will not find them in this book. This book does nothing more than give a very drawn out detail of how cool Danny Sugerman thinks Jim Morrison is. All of the comparsion between Axl and hindu gods s very boring, honestly. If you are a true GN'R fan, you should not buy this book.

Man this book is such a guilty pleasure for me. I love how Sugerman can weave Rimbaud/Baudelaire, William Blake, William Burroughs, Jim Carroll and Axl Rose. A lot of us were living on the nighttrain to the "Palace of Wisdom" back in 1989. That was my season in hell with GNFR as the soundtrack. Although Axl has revamped them as a karaoke group, it makes you wonder what might have been. Guns and Roses was truly onto something legendary if they didn't implode. But hey wasn't it inevitable. No one in music today is even close to the insanity of pre-illusion Guns. Only the Lizard King's Homer could mythologize the late 1980s of the Sunset Strip. RIP Danny

As a huge Guns 'N Roses fan, I was slightly disappointed that the book did not contain more biographical information on the band. However, I did learn many interesting facts about G 'N R that I had not previously known. Despite that, the bottom line is that this book contains so much more in terms of intellectual presentation. What the book lacked in G 'N R insight, it made up for with a brilliant blend of mythology, philosophical ideas, and historical references. This book has definately enhanced my knowledge in the areas that it touched upon, such as the effects of drugs and alcohol on the creative process, the origins of rock 'n roll, etc. If you are a Guns 'N Roses fan who merely wants the gossip on their private lives, this is probably not the book for you. On the other hand, if you want to expand your overall horizons, it is a must-read.

This book blows! I wanted a biography of the sex, drugs, n rock n roll that was gnr. What i got was a boring book on hindu gods and jim morrison.

I would highly recomend that any fan of Guns N'Roses do not buy this book. It is a complete waste of money. The book is boring and pointless. The author just rambles on and on, until you don't even know what he is saying anymore. If you are wanting a good book about Guns N'Roses, this is definately not it.

I have to agree with the consensus here. This book is not a useful biography of G&R.
As an intellectual analysis of the cultural significance of rock music in general, with special reference to G&R it's quite a good read, in the manner of an enthusiastic undergraduate media studies essay.
Sugerman's style is amusing at times, but usually for the wrong reasons, (eg his frequently 'creative' grammar and the excruciatingly over the top parallels between Axl and a pantheon of historical and legendary greats from gods to poets.
G&R are a great band, you're unlikely to be reading this or the book unless you agree, as to "undoubtedly the best rock band performing in the World today", I'm not sure I'd put it that strongly, especially as the book was written when the band had actually only produced one album!
Of course we now know that after Appetite for destruction the band survived to record more material. I dont think that hit the same heights again since that brilliant debut. So it would appear that G&R failed to live up to Sugerman's predictions for greatness by either burning out in a blaze of glory or by continuing to achieve increasingly spectacular musical triumphs.

This is the worst book i have ever read on a autobiography of a band. Just rambles on about nothing. Nothing new in this book to learn. This author should change professions.

I am a die-hard Guns N Roses fan.
I've been a fan since they were a club band playing on the Strip and I've seen them live about 50 times, before and after they made it. I bought this book because it was written by one of the guys who wrote the definitive book on another rock star I liked...Jim Morrison.

There's no "Insider's knowledge" to be gained here. It's all third party sources (he didn't even get the quotes right from the 89 concert with the Stones and Living Color in LA...I was there BOTH nights in question!). Instead you get comparisons to Morrison...psycho-babble about psychology and religion...and pretty much a waste of money. Although the jacket pics of Sugerman trying to look and dress like Morrison are actually quite laughable!

Take $5 out of your pocket and wipe with it for the same effect.

Thank God Sugerman is not writing anymore.