From childhood trauma to rock legend: How pain fueled a superstar’s rise

He is widely recognized as one of the greatest rock singers of all time, praised by outlets like Rolling Stone and New Musical Express. In 2012, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N’ Roses — but in true Axl fashion, he declined to attend the ceremony and requested to be excluded from the museum’s displays.

Over the years, the rock icon has remained fiercely protective of his music and his legacy, eventually leading Guns N’ Roses back to stadium tours with classic albums performed in full. While he admits that years of touring have taken a toll on his legendary voice, he continues to deliver powerful shows.

Axl Rose has mostly kept his personal life private, but his relationships in the late ’80s and early ’90s were turbulent. In 1989, he said he didn’t want children because his career wouldn’t allow him time for them: “I don’t want kids because I can’t give them enough time, but if I had a son, I’d like the boy to share everything with me.”

At the time, he was dating Erin Everly, whom he met in 1986. She was his first serious relationship and dreamed of a family. The couple married, but their relationship was rocky. Everly supported them financially at first, working as a model while Rose struggled as a musician. He penned “Sweet Child o’ Mine” for her, and she even starred in the song’s music video.