Appetite for Destruction - 1987

Appetite for Destruction is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released in July 1987 on Geffen Records. It was well received by critics and topped the American Billboard 200 chart. As of September 2008, the album has been certified 18 times Platinum by the RIAA, accumulating worldwide sales in excess of 28 million as of October 2008. The album is featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Packaging

The album's original cover art, based on the Robert Williams' painting "Appetite for Destruction", depicted a robotic rapist about to be punished by a metal avenger. After several music retailers refused to stock the album, the label compromised and put the controversial cover art inside, replacing it with an image depicting a cross and skulls of the five band members (designed by Billy White Jr., originally as a tattoo), each skull representing one member of the band: Izzy Stradlin, top skull; Steven Adler, left skull; Axl Rose, center skull; Duff McKagan, right skull; and Slash, bottom skull. The photographs used for the back of the album and liner notes were taken by Robert John, Marc Canter and Jack Lue. The original cover was supposed to be on the 2008 re-pressing of the vinyl, though the record label replaced it with the "Skulls" art at the last minute. The re-pressing of the vinyl, though, is the first Guns N' Roses release to have the Parental Advisory label printed on the artwork; previously, like on the CD, this was a sticker on the cellophane wrap and later (on the CD and cassette releases) on the case itself.
In albums which were issued on double sided media (i.e., vinyl records and audio cassettes) the two sides were not conventionally labeled "A" and "B", but "G" and "R". Tracks 1-6 which comprise side "G" all deal with drugs and hard life in the big city ("Guns" side). The remaining tracks, which comprise side "R", all deal with love, sex and relationships ("Roses" side).
In an interview with That Metal Show in 2011, Axl stated his original idea for the cover art was to be the photo of the Space Shuttle Challenger exploding, which was on the cover of Time Magazine in 1986, but Geffen refused it saying it was "in bad taste"

Track listing

All songs credited to Guns N' Roses; "It's So Easy" co-credited to West Arkeen and "Anything Goes" co-credited to Chris Weber.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Welcome to the Jungle"	4:34
2.	"It's So Easy"	3:23
3.	"Nightrain"	4:29
4.	"Out ta Get Me"	4:25
5.	"Mr. Brownstone"	3:49
6.	"Paradise City"	6:46
7.	"My Michelle"	3:40
8.	"Think About You"	3:52
9.	"Sweet Child O' Mine"	5:55
10.	"You're Crazy"	3:17
11.	"Anything Goes"	3:26
12.	"Rocket Queen"	6:13
Total length:		53:52

Personnel

Guns N' Roses W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, percussion on "Welcome to the Jungle", synthesizer and whistle on "Paradise City" Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, co-lead guitar on "Nightrain" and "Think About You", percussion on "Paradise City" Slash – lead guitar, co-rhythm guitar on "Nightrain" and "Think About You", acoustic guitar on "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Think About You", talkbox on "Anything Goes" Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals Steven Adler – drums Additional personnel Mike Clink – production Steve Thompson – mixing Michael Barbiero – mixing George Marino – mastering Victor Deyglio, Dave Reitzas, Micajah Ryan & Julian Stoll – engineering assistance Andy Udoff – engineering assistance Jeff Poe – engineering assistance Robert Williams – paintings Michael Hodgson – art direction, design Robert John – photography Jack Lue – photography Greg Freeman – photograph