Rose is known for his rants during concerts, and for the riots that he caused for deliberately cutting off shows and concerts ahead of time. He was also notorious for several arrests due to alleged possession of drugs and being intoxicated with alcohol. Rose is also currently controversial due to the decade-long delay in the release of his album Chinese Democracy.
Childhood Years
Born William Bruce Rose, Jr. in Lafayette, Indiana, Rose was a product of a broken family. His father, William Rose, abandoned them when he was but two years old. According to Rose, therapy has revealed to him repressed memories of sexual abuse at the hands of his father.
His mother remarried to L. Stephen Bailey, which resulted in Rose carrying his step-father 's family name. At the hands of Bailey, Rose witnessed domestic violence inflicted on his mother even though the household was a deeply religious Pentecostal household.
Even though Rose expressed his musical
interests through Church, he would later on speak of being disillusioned of his religious upbringing. In an interview, he would claim to "[teaching] Bible school while... being beaten and [his sister] was being molested". Rose also said that his church was full of hypocrites suffering from self-righteousness, who abused and molested children.
As a child, Rose and his two siblings sang in church as the "Bailey Trio". He also studied classical piano, on which he would later on write the famous GnR song "November Rain".
Teenage Years
Axl Rose found out about his true family background when he was 17. He learned of his birth name, William Bruce Rose Jr., and his father 's name. As a result, Rose readopted his birth name but refused to be called "William", as he did not want to be identified with his biological father.
Teenage years were rebellious times for Axl Rose, with over 20 counts of public drunkenness as well as assault in his record. However, it was also when he was 17 that he first met Izzy Stradlin, the future rhythm guitarist of Guns and Roses. The two bonded for a while, before Stradlin left Indiana and moved to Los Angeles. Rose followed suit later on, as per legal advice.
Guns N'Roses
After arriving in Los Angeles, Rose started playing in several bands, most significant of these being L.A Guns and Hollywood Rose while retaining several jobs. In 1985, Rose and Tracii Guns formed Guns and Roses from the remnants of L.A Guns and Hollywood Rose, along with Ole Beich and Duff McKagan, who would form part of the line-up that the world would later on know.
Several changes in lineup occurred until 1986, when the Guns and Roses that the world knew was formed. Guns and Roses was born with Saul "Slash" Hudson on lead guitar, Izzy Stradlin on rhythm guitar, McKagan on bass, Steven Adler on Drums and, of course, Rose on vocals.
Although they released a four-song EP "Live Like a Suicide" in December 1986, it was not until the release of "Appetite for Destruction" on July 21, 1987 that Guns and Roses would be officially recognized by the mainstream. The success of the debut album continues until this day, being certified 15 times platinum with sales of upwards of 27 million copies.
From 1986 onwards, Guns and Roses released several albums, most notable of which were the two Use Your Illusion albums. It was in the recording of these albums that Steven Adler was kicked out due to drug abuse and replaced by Matt Sorum. It was also during the tour for these albums in 1991 that Axl Rose wrestled ownership of the Guns N' Roses name from the bandmates, from which strained relationships occurred between Rose and the other Gunners.
By 1997, Sorum, Slash and McKagan had left the band. Stradlin had also left the band in 1991. Only Dizzy Reed -- who had joined as keyboardist during the recording of the Illusion albums -- and Rose remained as original members.
Current Events
After the departure of the original members, Guns and Roses underwent several lineup changes. The band now currently consists of Reed, Rose, Robin Finck, Tommy Stinson, Chris Pitman, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer and Ron Thal.
The world also currently awaits the release of Chinese Democracy, the band 's first original album since the two Illusion albums, which had been constantly postponed since the late 1990 's .
By, Attila Z Jancsina
Monday, November 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The History of the Electric Guitar
When most people think of electric guitars, they think of rock music. But electric guitars are more versatile than you’d think. You can find them in jazz, blues, country music, New-Age compositions, and even contemporary classical pieces. Electric guitars are intimately associated with many famous musicians of the twentieth century—and may be the iconic musical instrument of our time.
The demand for electric guitars came during the Big Band Era in the 20’s and 30’s. The big brass bands of the time were very loud, and other instruments had to be artificially amplified to stand up to their powerful sound. Performers experimented with attaching microphones to acoustic guitars. The first manufactured electric guitars were made in 1931 by the Electro String Instrument Corporation.
The first time an electric guitar is known to have been used in performance was in 1932. Bandleader Gage Brewer of Wichita, Kansas, received two electric guitars directly through Electro String Instruments, possibly for publicity purposes. Brewer wrote about the guitars in an article in the Wichita Beacon before the performance.
The earliest known recording of an electric guitar performance was produced in 1938. George Barnes, a jazz guitarist, recorded two songs with the guitar, called “It’s a Lowdown Dirty Shame” and “Sweetheart Land.”
The earliest electric guitars were essentially hollow-bodied acoustic guitars equipped with Tungsten pickups. The problem with hollow-body electric guitars is that the hollow space within the guitar produces vibrations when the strings are plucked or strummed. These vibrations account for the unique tone of an acoustic guitar, but they produce harsh feedback when they interact with the pickups in an electric guitar. Early electric guitar players used to stuff rags and newspapers into their hollow-body instruments in an attempt to get rid of the feedback.
One of the earlier solid-body guitars was an aluminium instrument known as the “Frying Pan” or “Pancake Guitar.” These guitars were said to have produced a sound similar to that of modern electric guitars.
Several other well-known luthiers experimented with solid-body guitars during the early history of the electric guitar. In 1940, during his time at Gibson Guitars, Les Paul attempted a solid-body instrument called the “log guitar,” so called because it was a simple post equipped with neck, strings, and pickups.
The electric guitar did not hit commercial success until the 1950’s, when Fender released its first solid-body model: the Esquire. The Esquire was followed by the Telecaster and finally, in 1954, the Stratocaster. The “Strat” was hailed in professional musical and luthier circles alike, and became a signature instrument of such famous musicians as Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and many others.
The electric guitar produced an aggressive sound very different from the melodic and lyrical tones of its ancestor, the acoustic. The sound of the electric guitar became characteristic of rock and roll in the 60’s and 70’s. It was a high-profile instrument during this time, appearing on stage with hundreds of famous bands and musicians.
This created demand among the general public for affordable electric guitars. In the 60’s and 70’s, electric guitars were very expensive—too pricey for a buyer who wasn’t a famous musician. Although some companies attempted to fill the gap with cheap imitations, the sound of these guitars did not compare to the real thing.
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that Japanese manufacturers stepped forward with affordable electric guitars capable of professional-quality sound. This put pressure on American companies such as Gibson and Fender to provide their own affordable lines. Electric guitars became more and more successful in the consumer market as quality improved, and prices went down as new manufacturers entered the market. Soon, electric guitars were more accessible than they had ever been.
Today, the electric guitar is one of the most prolific instruments in popular music. You can find it in a wide variety of genres, from metal to New Age. You can also buy an electric guitar like the rock stars have—without paying the prices they pay. Because it’s so common in contemporary music and in the hands of amateur musicians, there’s little doubt that the electric guitar is one of the most successful instruments of the twentieth century.
By: Paul Smith
The demand for electric guitars came during the Big Band Era in the 20’s and 30’s. The big brass bands of the time were very loud, and other instruments had to be artificially amplified to stand up to their powerful sound. Performers experimented with attaching microphones to acoustic guitars. The first manufactured electric guitars were made in 1931 by the Electro String Instrument Corporation.
The first time an electric guitar is known to have been used in performance was in 1932. Bandleader Gage Brewer of Wichita, Kansas, received two electric guitars directly through Electro String Instruments, possibly for publicity purposes. Brewer wrote about the guitars in an article in the Wichita Beacon before the performance.
The earliest known recording of an electric guitar performance was produced in 1938. George Barnes, a jazz guitarist, recorded two songs with the guitar, called “It’s a Lowdown Dirty Shame” and “Sweetheart Land.”
The earliest electric guitars were essentially hollow-bodied acoustic guitars equipped with Tungsten pickups. The problem with hollow-body electric guitars is that the hollow space within the guitar produces vibrations when the strings are plucked or strummed. These vibrations account for the unique tone of an acoustic guitar, but they produce harsh feedback when they interact with the pickups in an electric guitar. Early electric guitar players used to stuff rags and newspapers into their hollow-body instruments in an attempt to get rid of the feedback.
One of the earlier solid-body guitars was an aluminium instrument known as the “Frying Pan” or “Pancake Guitar.” These guitars were said to have produced a sound similar to that of modern electric guitars.
Several other well-known luthiers experimented with solid-body guitars during the early history of the electric guitar. In 1940, during his time at Gibson Guitars, Les Paul attempted a solid-body instrument called the “log guitar,” so called because it was a simple post equipped with neck, strings, and pickups.
The electric guitar did not hit commercial success until the 1950’s, when Fender released its first solid-body model: the Esquire. The Esquire was followed by the Telecaster and finally, in 1954, the Stratocaster. The “Strat” was hailed in professional musical and luthier circles alike, and became a signature instrument of such famous musicians as Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and many others.
The electric guitar produced an aggressive sound very different from the melodic and lyrical tones of its ancestor, the acoustic. The sound of the electric guitar became characteristic of rock and roll in the 60’s and 70’s. It was a high-profile instrument during this time, appearing on stage with hundreds of famous bands and musicians.
This created demand among the general public for affordable electric guitars. In the 60’s and 70’s, electric guitars were very expensive—too pricey for a buyer who wasn’t a famous musician. Although some companies attempted to fill the gap with cheap imitations, the sound of these guitars did not compare to the real thing.
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that Japanese manufacturers stepped forward with affordable electric guitars capable of professional-quality sound. This put pressure on American companies such as Gibson and Fender to provide their own affordable lines. Electric guitars became more and more successful in the consumer market as quality improved, and prices went down as new manufacturers entered the market. Soon, electric guitars were more accessible than they had ever been.
Today, the electric guitar is one of the most prolific instruments in popular music. You can find it in a wide variety of genres, from metal to New Age. You can also buy an electric guitar like the rock stars have—without paying the prices they pay. Because it’s so common in contemporary music and in the hands of amateur musicians, there’s little doubt that the electric guitar is one of the most successful instruments of the twentieth century.
By: Paul Smith
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Jobs Of Celebrities Before They Were Famous
Anyone who is becoming disillusioned with their online job search and has found themselves looking enviously onto the effortless lives of celebrities can take comfort in the fact that they haven’t always had it this easy. Even the most glamorous celebs have crumpled discarded CVs that they’d rather we never see. Fortunately, the internet has made it rather easy to research celebrities’ embarrassing occupations before they were famous…
Without further ado, here’s a list of 10 celebrities’ jobs from before they were famous:
Sir Bob Geldof – Pea Canner
The outspoken former frontman of the Boomtown Rats and face of the ‘Make Poverty History’ movement took on all kinds of dead-end jobs before finding his calling in music. He worked as a road navvy, a hot dog vendor, a slaughterman and finally an exciting career in pea canning before getting a job as a music journalist in Canada.
Sylvester Stallone – Porn Star
Stallone’s tough reputation may have begun in one of his first pre-celebrity jobs – a lion cage cleaner! Years later, after dropping out of Miami University, Stallone pursued his acting dreams, but the ‘Rocky’ star had a long way to go before he was famous and his place in Hollywood history – one of his first films was called ‘Party at Kitty and Stud’s’, which is exactly as high brow as it sounds. This silver screen ‘classic’ was a hardcore pornographic film, which has since been repackaged on the back of Stallone’s success as a softcore release entitled ‘Italian Stallion’ – a reference to Rocky Balboa’s nickname.
Rod Stewart – The Grave Digger
After trying out for a football career with Scottish giants Celtic and London minnows Brentford, a young Rod Stewart decided the glamorous career of a footballer wasn’t for him and opted for the not-so-glamorous career as a grave digger. He wasn’t there for too long though, before pursuing a career in music. The Maggie May songwriter took up street singing, travelling around Europe… indeed he was actually deported from Spain for vagrancy for his art!
Madonna – Dunkin’ Donuts Worker
Madonna is now one of the best selling female music artists of all time, but somehow this will have seemed an unlikely scenario for her 20 year old self upon arriving in New York with just $35 to her name. Over the course of these tough months before she became famous, the ‘Like a Prayer’ singer made ends meet by taking on a range of low paying jobs including a stint serving customers at ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’. An exhibitionist even in those days, she also took on some nude modelling work to supplement the limited fast-food income before finding her celebrity job calling…
Michael Dell – Dishwasher
At the age of 12 the founder of Dell computers, Michael Dell was washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant for $2.30 an hour. With Dell Inc. now worth over $16 billion, I would hope that the CEO is allowing himself a better salary than he earned at the restaurant.
Helen Mirren – Amusement Park Promoter
Long before she was famous and had won her oscar, SAG Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards, Dame Helen Mirren had the slightly less glamourous role of attracting punters to use the rides at an amusement park in Southend on Sea. It’s unclear whether she won as many accolades in this period of her life…
Paul Daniels - Accountant
The magician and entertainer Paul Daniels was in the army, serving in Hong Kong during his national service. On his return he began training as an accountant in the civil service before leaving to run a small mobile grocery business owned by his parents. While performing magic in the evenings, the door to show business was eventually opened to him.
Jack Nicholson – Mailroom Worker
The veteran actor and star of classics like A Few Good Men, The Shining and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was reportedly discovered working in MGM’s mailroom. Before that, the three times Oscar winner had worked in a toy store and as a lifeguard.
Jerry Seinfeld – Lightbulb Retailer
Before he became famous as a comedian and sitcom star, Jerry sold lightbulbs over the phone. After no doubt being on the end of several aggressive customers, Jerry made fun of his former career on his hit sitcom by telling a cold-caller that it was a bad time and asking if he could call them back later when they’re at home trying to relax.
Brad Pitt – Man in a Chicken Suit
Now regarded as one of the most desirable men on the planet, you’d be hard pushed to see that in Brad Pitt when he handed out flyers outside El Pollo Loco Restaurant in Los Angeles dressed in a chicken suit! Even the role of refrigerator delivery man, although a step up, is a far cry from his current status! As the most embarrassing celebrity job in the list, we can’t imagine Brad looks back fondly on his occupations before he was famous!
So, aside from a slight feeling of smugness, what have we gained from seeing what these celebrities’ occupations before they were famous? Not much, but it’s clear that celebrities come from all walks of life and you never know when you might be spotted. Hopefully that’ll give you the impetus to return to your online job search with renewed vigour, afterall sir Bob Geldof wasn’t stuck canning peas forever!
By: Gail Kenny
Without further ado, here’s a list of 10 celebrities’ jobs from before they were famous:
Sir Bob Geldof – Pea Canner
The outspoken former frontman of the Boomtown Rats and face of the ‘Make Poverty History’ movement took on all kinds of dead-end jobs before finding his calling in music. He worked as a road navvy, a hot dog vendor, a slaughterman and finally an exciting career in pea canning before getting a job as a music journalist in Canada.
Sylvester Stallone – Porn Star
Stallone’s tough reputation may have begun in one of his first pre-celebrity jobs – a lion cage cleaner! Years later, after dropping out of Miami University, Stallone pursued his acting dreams, but the ‘Rocky’ star had a long way to go before he was famous and his place in Hollywood history – one of his first films was called ‘Party at Kitty and Stud’s’, which is exactly as high brow as it sounds. This silver screen ‘classic’ was a hardcore pornographic film, which has since been repackaged on the back of Stallone’s success as a softcore release entitled ‘Italian Stallion’ – a reference to Rocky Balboa’s nickname.
Rod Stewart – The Grave Digger
After trying out for a football career with Scottish giants Celtic and London minnows Brentford, a young Rod Stewart decided the glamorous career of a footballer wasn’t for him and opted for the not-so-glamorous career as a grave digger. He wasn’t there for too long though, before pursuing a career in music. The Maggie May songwriter took up street singing, travelling around Europe… indeed he was actually deported from Spain for vagrancy for his art!
Madonna – Dunkin’ Donuts Worker
Madonna is now one of the best selling female music artists of all time, but somehow this will have seemed an unlikely scenario for her 20 year old self upon arriving in New York with just $35 to her name. Over the course of these tough months before she became famous, the ‘Like a Prayer’ singer made ends meet by taking on a range of low paying jobs including a stint serving customers at ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’. An exhibitionist even in those days, she also took on some nude modelling work to supplement the limited fast-food income before finding her celebrity job calling…
Michael Dell – Dishwasher
At the age of 12 the founder of Dell computers, Michael Dell was washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant for $2.30 an hour. With Dell Inc. now worth over $16 billion, I would hope that the CEO is allowing himself a better salary than he earned at the restaurant.
Helen Mirren – Amusement Park Promoter
Long before she was famous and had won her oscar, SAG Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards, Dame Helen Mirren had the slightly less glamourous role of attracting punters to use the rides at an amusement park in Southend on Sea. It’s unclear whether she won as many accolades in this period of her life…
Paul Daniels - Accountant
The magician and entertainer Paul Daniels was in the army, serving in Hong Kong during his national service. On his return he began training as an accountant in the civil service before leaving to run a small mobile grocery business owned by his parents. While performing magic in the evenings, the door to show business was eventually opened to him.
Jack Nicholson – Mailroom Worker
The veteran actor and star of classics like A Few Good Men, The Shining and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was reportedly discovered working in MGM’s mailroom. Before that, the three times Oscar winner had worked in a toy store and as a lifeguard.
Jerry Seinfeld – Lightbulb Retailer
Before he became famous as a comedian and sitcom star, Jerry sold lightbulbs over the phone. After no doubt being on the end of several aggressive customers, Jerry made fun of his former career on his hit sitcom by telling a cold-caller that it was a bad time and asking if he could call them back later when they’re at home trying to relax.
Brad Pitt – Man in a Chicken Suit
Now regarded as one of the most desirable men on the planet, you’d be hard pushed to see that in Brad Pitt when he handed out flyers outside El Pollo Loco Restaurant in Los Angeles dressed in a chicken suit! Even the role of refrigerator delivery man, although a step up, is a far cry from his current status! As the most embarrassing celebrity job in the list, we can’t imagine Brad looks back fondly on his occupations before he was famous!
So, aside from a slight feeling of smugness, what have we gained from seeing what these celebrities’ occupations before they were famous? Not much, but it’s clear that celebrities come from all walks of life and you never know when you might be spotted. Hopefully that’ll give you the impetus to return to your online job search with renewed vigour, afterall sir Bob Geldof wasn’t stuck canning peas forever!
By: Gail Kenny
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