Easygoing Features

The last time Guns N’ Roses performed in Ireland it wasn’t pretty. Basically, the band (cough, Axl, cough) wasn’t too friendly when it came to their fans.

At their September 2010 gig at the O2, the band took hours to come on stage, sang a little bit of ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ then made a speedy exit.

Basically, Slane back in the day notwithstanding, they don’t have a great track record when it comes to performing here. But despite all that, they’re going to attempt to play a full set at the O2 tonight.

Will they make it on stage? Will Axl actually turn up? And more importantly, will he sing? Who knows, but in anticipation of the gig, here are our top five Guns N’ Roses songs…

5. You Could Be Mine:

This song is synonymous with the film Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Hilarious then, that Guns N’ Roses originally weren’t supposed to have anything to do with the movie. But there were so many references to the band within the film (like a Guns N’ Roses t-shirt, a box of roses…etc…) that eventually it just made sense to enlist Axl and co to record a song.

This is the result. Best part? When the terminator casts a glance at Axl Rose and labels him a “waste of  ammo.” We imagine there’s a lot of people out there right now who feel the same about him…

4. Paradise City:

This is the kind of song that you never listen to, but you suddenly know all the words to it when it comes on in the pub after you’ve had a few drinks. Released in 1988, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. Not bad, right?

Anyway, mostly known for the iconic lines: “Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.”

3. Welcome to the Jungle:

Welcome to the Jungle was Guns N’ Roses second single and was released back in the day, in October 1987. It’s pretty much a classic. No matter what you do, the riff to this will get stuck in your head and you will find yourself mentally using it as a soundtrack as you go about your daily life. Even shopping is fun when you have Welcome to the Jungle as a backing track.

2. Sweet Child O’ Mine:

There’s not a lot that can be said about this track. Guns N’ Roses at their best. Axl doesn’t look like a complete and utter mess, Slash has a top hat, those iconic opening bars. Perfect.

Released in 1988, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 making it Guns N’ Roses’ first and only number one single in the States. Now you can’t attend a pub without hearing some random drunk person butchering it at some point during the night.

1. November Rain:

One of the most expensive music videos of all time, November Rain is another one of Guns N’ Roses' classic tunes. The video itself was so epic for its time that it ended up winning the MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography. The video centres on Axl Rose marrying his then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour and the tragedy that then unfolds (angst, a funeral, the works…)

November Rain was the first time that the band had played with an orchestra and it is one of the band’s longest songs. Despite all that, it didn’t reach number one in the States.

With all the work and money that went into the video, we imagine that Axl wasn’t too pleased with that…