From Steven Adler, the original drummer for Guns N’ Roses, comes My Appetite for Destruction, the inside story of GNR. Offering a different perspective from the bestselling Slash, Adler chronicles his life with the band, and own intense struggle with addiction, as seen on Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab and Sober House.
My Appetite for Destruction
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Browse the best books of summer including blockbusters, beach reads, and editors' picks in our Summer Reading Store. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Great for the die-hard GNR fan…This is a cautionary tale, all the way.” (Penthouse )
From the Back Cover
Forty years, twenty-eight ODs, three botched suicides, two heart attacks, a couple of jail stints, a debilitating stroke . . .
Now, Steven Adler, the most self-destructive rock star ever, is ready to share the shattering, untold truth.
Once upon a time, Steven Adler—along with four uniquely talented but very complicated and demanding musicians—helped form Guns N’ Roses. They emerged from the streets, primal artists who obliterated glam rock and its big hair to resurrect rock’s truer blues roots . . . and took “sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll” to obscene levels of reckless abandon. By the late 1980s, GN’R was the biggest rock band in the world, grabbing headlines and awards while selling out huge arenas. But there was a price to pay. For Adler, it was his health and sanity, culminating in his brutal public banishment by his once-beloved musical brothers—a humiliating act of betrayal that caused him to plunge into the dark side and spend most of the next twenty years in a drug-fueled hell.
In My Appetite for Destruction, Adler digs deep, revealing the last secrets—not just his own but GN’R’s as well.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
76 of 84 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The story of Steven Adler's life as a member of Guns N Roses, one of rock and roll's most volatile, decadent and out of control bands, is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. His new book, My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N' Roses, due for release July 27th, really hits home--but not for being a thrill-inducing rock and roll story. Actually it's just the opposite. Adler's candor and self-reflection make this book a different kind of rock star memoir entirely.
Steven Adler absolutely does not try to pretty up his story; there's no attempt to make himself look heroic or, as so often happens in rock star biographies, victimized. Adler puts aside his own ego to tell a story that is bitingly poignant in its brutal honesty.
Adler also proves that sometimes coming clean is the harder part of getting clean. Something he does well in My Appetite For Destruction. At times you feel distinctly, painfully, the breakdown, the regrets, the realization of all that was lost.
Steven opens up with an admission that he had locked himself away in his trailer to do drugs directly after opening for the Rolling Stones in 1989; his dreams had finally come true, but he was in no shape to enjoy it. He couldn't walk around backstage, meeting, greeting, basking in the amazing, historic moment--the drugs were calling, and he had to answer. It was just one of those moments that he can't take back; he'll never get a chance to do it over. It's the kind of regret that will haunt him forever after.
In the band Guns N Roses you had five men whose dreams all came true, but the joy in their rise to fame was finished before it had begun, lost in the pursuit of the next fix.
They were living in a fog of heroin, cocaine, alcohol and women that never allowed them to really feel what was happening to them, the highs and lows muted by drugs--except Axl Rose, of course, who had an affliction of his own which, rather than forcing him to get control of his manic abusiveness, acted as a license to further brutalize his bandmates, and Steven in particular.
Being the youngest and most insecure of the group, Steven seemed to generate a specific attention from Rose, much as the schoolyard bully will hone in on the kid he believes is the weakest on the playground, and particularly if he knows that no one will come to that kid's defense.
The glowering burn of Axl's hatred, although it eventually extended to every member of the band, began with Steven and finally culminated in Adler's humiliating eviction from the band.
The rest of the band just shuffled on in true rock and roll style, stepping over the body of yet another fallen comrade. Guns N Roses had to make a choice and they could not be Guns N Roses without Axl's distinct vocals. They all seemed to realize that Axl's was a war of attrition--and he was determined to outlast them all. And he did. He claimed ownership of the band's name and began touring with Guns N Roses, as the only original member.
And yet...
In telling the story of his life, sharing his years in the world's most glamorized and volatile rock band, Steven Adler never seems to lose that part of himself that seemed to make him a target for Axl's wrath, his boyish enthusiasm, his pure joy in traveling and meeting people who he admired. He was, and is, first and foremost, a rock music fan.
Steven comes clean on everything--from emotional, physical and sexual abuse to sharing groupies. He shares his hurt, confusion and anger over seeing his dreams devastated, but he holds himself as responsible for that as anyone else. Only after reading can you truly understand that holding a grudge just wouldn't be a part Steven Adler's nature.
In many cases I wouldn't blame him for harboring resentments, but he seems to be able to step back from the situation and look at it with maturity and a positive attitude. Even in the face of Axl's abuse and Slash's betrayal, he regards his former bandmates in a brotherly fashion, five men who shared an amazing experience, an unbreakable bond that Steven feels should never be let go lightly.
My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N' Roses is a book that should be read by fans of the band and anyone planning to go into the music business. Adler talks about the people who supported the band, who helped them along the road to success, who were thrown by the way-side as the band climbed the ladder to fame. Those who took advantage of their enthusiasm and naivete. He shares the stories of his friendships with other rock stars and growing up with Slash; two neighborhood kids raised by their grandmothers who had two things in common, they couldn't stay out trouble, and they wanted to be rock stars.
He also discusses Axl and others whose need to control the band finally destroyed them. And those rock stars that he had admired who betrayed his youthful adoration. He talks about the bands he met along the way, Motley Crue, Poison, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith and others.
Steven suffered a stroke and many relapses before wrestling his demons into submission. He talks about his rehab attempts and failures, and finally, meeting his wife and finding a support network of people who love him just as he is, and just as it should be.
Steven Adler absolutely does not try to pretty up his story; there's no attempt to make himself look heroic or, as so often happens in rock star biographies, victimized. Adler puts aside his own ego to tell a story that is bitingly poignant in its brutal honesty.
Adler also proves that sometimes coming clean is the harder part of getting clean. Something he does well in My Appetite For Destruction. At times you feel distinctly, painfully, the breakdown, the regrets, the realization of all that was lost.
Steven opens up with an admission that he had locked himself away in his trailer to do drugs directly after opening for the Rolling Stones in 1989; his dreams had finally come true, but he was in no shape to enjoy it. He couldn't walk around backstage, meeting, greeting, basking in the amazing, historic moment--the drugs were calling, and he had to answer. It was just one of those moments that he can't take back; he'll never get a chance to do it over. It's the kind of regret that will haunt him forever after.
In the band Guns N Roses you had five men whose dreams all came true, but the joy in their rise to fame was finished before it had begun, lost in the pursuit of the next fix.
They were living in a fog of heroin, cocaine, alcohol and women that never allowed them to really feel what was happening to them, the highs and lows muted by drugs--except Axl Rose, of course, who had an affliction of his own which, rather than forcing him to get control of his manic abusiveness, acted as a license to further brutalize his bandmates, and Steven in particular.
Being the youngest and most insecure of the group, Steven seemed to generate a specific attention from Rose, much as the schoolyard bully will hone in on the kid he believes is the weakest on the playground, and particularly if he knows that no one will come to that kid's defense.
The glowering burn of Axl's hatred, although it eventually extended to every member of the band, began with Steven and finally culminated in Adler's humiliating eviction from the band.
The rest of the band just shuffled on in true rock and roll style, stepping over the body of yet another fallen comrade. Guns N Roses had to make a choice and they could not be Guns N Roses without Axl's distinct vocals. They all seemed to realize that Axl's was a war of attrition--and he was determined to outlast them all. And he did. He claimed ownership of the band's name and began touring with Guns N Roses, as the only original member.
And yet...
In telling the story of his life, sharing his years in the world's most glamorized and volatile rock band, Steven Adler never seems to lose that part of himself that seemed to make him a target for Axl's wrath, his boyish enthusiasm, his pure joy in traveling and meeting people who he admired. He was, and is, first and foremost, a rock music fan.
Steven comes clean on everything--from emotional, physical and sexual abuse to sharing groupies. He shares his hurt, confusion and anger over seeing his dreams devastated, but he holds himself as responsible for that as anyone else. Only after reading can you truly understand that holding a grudge just wouldn't be a part Steven Adler's nature.
In many cases I wouldn't blame him for harboring resentments, but he seems to be able to step back from the situation and look at it with maturity and a positive attitude. Even in the face of Axl's abuse and Slash's betrayal, he regards his former bandmates in a brotherly fashion, five men who shared an amazing experience, an unbreakable bond that Steven feels should never be let go lightly.
My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N' Roses is a book that should be read by fans of the band and anyone planning to go into the music business. Adler talks about the people who supported the band, who helped them along the road to success, who were thrown by the way-side as the band climbed the ladder to fame. Those who took advantage of their enthusiasm and naivete. He shares the stories of his friendships with other rock stars and growing up with Slash; two neighborhood kids raised by their grandmothers who had two things in common, they couldn't stay out trouble, and they wanted to be rock stars.
He also discusses Axl and others whose need to control the band finally destroyed them. And those rock stars that he had admired who betrayed his youthful adoration. He talks about the bands he met along the way, Motley Crue, Poison, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith and others.
Steven suffered a stroke and many relapses before wrestling his demons into submission. He talks about his rehab attempts and failures, and finally, meeting his wife and finding a support network of people who love him just as he is, and just as it should be.
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
By T. Lexington
Format:Hardcover
Steven Adler finally puts pen to paper and records his sordid tale of Rock n' Roll debauchery for posterity. This Hell raising drummer's autobiography is the latest in a line of Rock n' Roll retrospectives that document the excesses of the L.A. glam rock/metal scene circa 1985. Here we find Steven Adler in his drug-fueled and sex-crazed prime.
While "Hammer of the Gods" remains the standard of Rock n' Roll memoirs, Steven Adler's book holds up nicely alongside others recounting the hazy Rock scene of the 80's such as "Walk This Way" "Slash" and "The Dirt." Yes, Steven's book is ghostwritten but so are the others written by his peers. No, Steven's book isn't Shakespeare but neither are the others written by his peers. It is in that context which this book should be judged.
In his own book, Vince Neil writes how tales of drugs, raging parties and sexual debauchery are the things that people really want to read about. That's especially true when talking about a band like Motley Crue or GN'R. While nothing in Adler's book tops Zeppelin's shark fish incident or Motley's sexual escapade with those two girls in Dallas, they come close.
In this book read how Steven:
* Met Slash at age 13
* Tried to join the Navy
* Had orgies orchestrated by Nikki Sixx and Steven Tyler
* Had a three-way with Izzy and some groupie
* Saved Nikki Sixx's life after the Crueman's O.D.
* Bangs Tommy Lee's sister
* Is thrown out of GN'R
It's great that Steven Adler has persevered through all the challenges, trials and tribulations that have come his way. I hope that this book and his guest drumming on Slash's solo album pave the way for future gigs, money and success.
GN'R fans express regret that the band broke up and fantasize about how cool it would have been if they just held it together and continued to rock. But even cooler is how the band imploded in a downward spiral of sex and drugs while somehow managing not to die while still leaving a musical legacy...very Rock N' Roll
While "Hammer of the Gods" remains the standard of Rock n' Roll memoirs, Steven Adler's book holds up nicely alongside others recounting the hazy Rock scene of the 80's such as "Walk This Way" "Slash" and "The Dirt." Yes, Steven's book is ghostwritten but so are the others written by his peers. No, Steven's book isn't Shakespeare but neither are the others written by his peers. It is in that context which this book should be judged.
In his own book, Vince Neil writes how tales of drugs, raging parties and sexual debauchery are the things that people really want to read about. That's especially true when talking about a band like Motley Crue or GN'R. While nothing in Adler's book tops Zeppelin's shark fish incident or Motley's sexual escapade with those two girls in Dallas, they come close.
In this book read how Steven:
* Met Slash at age 13
* Tried to join the Navy
* Had orgies orchestrated by Nikki Sixx and Steven Tyler
* Had a three-way with Izzy and some groupie
* Saved Nikki Sixx's life after the Crueman's O.D.
* Bangs Tommy Lee's sister
* Is thrown out of GN'R
It's great that Steven Adler has persevered through all the challenges, trials and tribulations that have come his way. I hope that this book and his guest drumming on Slash's solo album pave the way for future gigs, money and success.
GN'R fans express regret that the band broke up and fantasize about how cool it would have been if they just held it together and continued to rock. But even cooler is how the band imploded in a downward spiral of sex and drugs while somehow managing not to die while still leaving a musical legacy...very Rock N' Roll
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a harrowing and often hilarious account of the highs and lows of rock 'n roll at its most extreme. For G & R fans, this is a must-read; for rock 'n roll lovers, a fun glimpse into an insane world. Steven Adler is listed as the author and the tale is definitely his, but it is clear from the fast-paced, well-written, and often humorous writing that award-winning author Larry Spagnola, whose own gonzo life may end up in a similar book someday, is the narrative voice here. Well done... long live G & R!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
What a mess.
This book was ok. You can tell that years of drug use makes you unable to tell a good story or be a good writer. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Nikki Balboa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Read
Very good read. learned quite a lot about the band. Good to get a different viewpoint. Would reccommend to friend.
Published 1 month ago by Edward Reed
4.0 out of 5 stars
My appetite for a review
It is a really good autobiography, it really shows you his perspective of things. I enjoyed reading this book, it has deep confessions of his youth. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Stefany Pate
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice
comply with expectations, recommended, as per described on add, nice price and excellent item, willing to do business again, thanks a lot
Published 2 months ago by Eliut Salinas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kept my interest
Very good book. Well written. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks for sharing Steven :) I recommend it to all who enjoy Rock n Roll biographies and autobiographies.
Published 3 months ago by Christa sellers
4.0 out of 5 stars
About Steven's ups and downs
Good insight to stevens side of G&R..They all say Axle sucks.Even Slash said it.Crazy to read about all the troubles they all had to go through
Published 3 months ago by Eric Spero
1.0 out of 5 stars
Beware, this is horrible
I read Slash's book about a month ago, and figured I'd follow it up with this, especially since it was on sale for so cheap. Read more
Published 3 months ago by K. Dailey
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting, but read with caution
Adler's book is pretty depressing. I feel bad for the guy since he's had a hard life of drugs and alcohol, and would probably be dead if it weren't for his mother. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Victoria Ellis
4.0 out of 5 stars
Honest and Entertaining
Steven Adler tells the great American rock tale of having it all and losing it to drugs. Then coming back. Good for you Steven. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Roger Mast
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wow! Steve Is An Animal!
I have yet to finish this book, but if the first chapter does not encourage you to read the entire book, you wasted you money. I enjoyed what I have read so far.
Published 4 months ago by Taco_Edge of Excess
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
|
|
