Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony revealed what he thought about Guns N’ Roses’ first album during his latest appearance on Appetite for Distortion. He also talked about Van Halen and Guns N’ Roses’ common contributions to the rock music genre.
Guns N’ Roses released their debut studio album entitled ‘Appetite for Destruction’ on July 21, 1987, and it received very positive reviews from music critics and rock music lovers. Even though it had well-crafted sounds and lyrics, the record achieved international popularity and commercial success in the following year. The album produced their greatest hits, such as ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ ‘Paradise City,’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine.’
Thanks to their extraordinary talent as musicians and songwriters, the band members proved that they would be a very successful and influential band in rock music. In addition, as a member of Van Halen’s core lineup Michael Anthony stated he saw this potential after the host wanted him to share his ideas about GN’R and ‘Appetite for Destruction.’ The bassist unveiled that he found their style striking and impressive.
Moreover, Anthony highlighted that the music industry is where people’s demands and tastes change quickly, eventually causing the end of the road for many bands. The bassist went on to say that Van Halen and Guns N’ Roses managed to become The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Humble Pie’s successors and preserved their popularity and success over the years. Therefore, both groups kept rock alive and will continue to do that for years.
When asked about Guns N’ Roses’ debut, Anthony responded:
“Well, when I first heard ‘Appetite for Destruction,’ I went, ‘Whoa, these guys are good!’ In a world where the music changes so fast, I consider ourselves one of the last bands that were signed and were on the tails of bands like The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Humble Pie because you had punk and new wave and all that stuff entering into the scene when Van Halen was coming out. I think we did a pretty good job doing what we did and keeping rock alive, and Guns N’ Roses, they basically were doing the same thing.“
You can check out the interview below.
