August 4 - Welcome To The Jungle

In 1987, Guns N' Roses released their debut album, but it wasn't until a year later they really broke through with the Sweet Child O' Mine and it became impossible to escape them wherever you went. I remember seeing an early MTV taped show of theirs that really showed the ferociousness of their concerts - way before they became the bloated band they where just before they turned in to an Axl Rose solo outfit. But today is all about their debut album, Appetite for Destruction. And what a debut it was. Looking at the track list, there isn't a single filler track on it - it is simply put one of the strongest debut albums ever. The opening teasing guitar notes from Slash before the descending riff starts... Then it builds and builds until it settles into a fairly unsettling groove. It rolls on with vocals that focus more on rhythm than melody before the chorus sets in and releases some tension. Of course, there is a quiet break in there as well, just before Slash unleashes his guitar solo. It is a great song to open a great album. When I first heard it, it was my friend Geir who taped Appetite for Destruction on one side (spilling over onto the second side) of the 90 minute tape - and with David Lee Roth's Skyscraper on the other side. While Skyscraper isn't a bad album, it is rarely listened to now - but I still pull out Appetite for Destruction when I want to listen to some really good balls out rock and roll, and it all starts with Welcome to the Jungle!