In his late teens, he was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, which helped explain years of emotional turmoil. His rebellion intensified, and he was frequently in trouble with the law. Axl himself has said he had “around 20 arrests,” though exact records are unclear. Facing possible habitual offender charges, he decided it was time to escape Indiana.
Music had always been his sanctuary. He sang in the church choir at age five, performed with his siblings as the “Bailey Trio,” studied piano, and joined school choruses. Teachers remembered him as bright and charismatic.
At the time he took the name Axl Rose which is a combination of a former band name and his biological father’s surname.
By 1985, Guns N’ Roses had formed with bandmates Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler.
The release of Appetite for Destruction in 1987 changed everything. After a slow start, relentless touring and the breakout success of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” pushed the album to No. 1. Today, it stands as the best-selling debut album in US history.
For Axl, fame brought chaos. His intensity, perfectionism, and unpredictable temper fueled notorious moments, including the 1991 St. Louis riot. Speaking of his younger years, he said much of his volatility came from unresolved trauma: “My mental circuitry was all twisted… because of what happened to me back in Indiana.”
His relationships were equally turbulent, including a short-lived, highly publicized marriage to Erin Everly. Despite personal pain, he created songs that became anthems for a generation.
In 2012, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Guns N’ Roses, but he declined to attend it, which many labeled as the most Axl Rose move imaginable. Continue reading…
