Editing Axl Rose (section)

=== 1983–1986: early years ===
Shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles, Rose met guitarist Kevin Lawrence outside [[The Troubadour (Los Angeles)|The Troubadour]] in West Hollywood in March 1983 and joined his band Rapidfire. They recorded a five-song demo in May 1983 at Telstar Studios in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Axl Rose: Pre-GN'R Record to be Released|publisher=[[Ultimate Guitar Archive]]|date=February 3, 2006|access-date=June 3, 2011|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/axl_rose_pre-gnr_record_to_be_released.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008113201/http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/axl_rose_pre-gnr_record_to_be_released.html|archive-date=October 8, 2012}}</ref> which, after years of legal action, was released as an EP, ''Ready to Rumble'', in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/rapidfire-guitarist-fights-release-songs-axl-rose-era/|title=Rapidfire Guitarist Wants to Release Songs From Axl Rose Era|work=Loudwire|date=February 25, 2014 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129133458/http://loudwire.com/rapidfire-guitarist-fights-release-songs-axl-rose-era/|archive-date=November 29, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://muzyka.interia.pl/wiadomosc_dnia/news/wiadomosc,536468|title=Rapidfire: Wczesne lata Axla|publisher=Interia.pl|date=August 26, 2004|language=pl|access-date=August 2, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721020055/http://muzyka.interia.pl/wiadomosc_dnia/news/wiadomosc%2C536468|archive-date=July 21, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Christ|first=Shawn|url=http://www.musictimes.com/articles/16074/20141117/early-axl-rose-ep-first-band-rapidfire-available-download-features-guns-roses-frontman-1983-listen.htm|title=Early Axl Rose EP with First Band Rapidfire Available for Download, Features Guns N' Roses Frontman in 1983|magazine=Music Times|date=November 17, 2014|access-date=June 24, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802040843/http://www.musictimes.com/articles/16074/20141117/early-axl-rose-ep-first-band-rapidfire-available-download-features-guns-roses-frontman-1983-listen.htm|archive-date=August 2, 2015}}</ref> After parting ways with Lawrence, he formed the band [[Hollywood Rose]] with his childhood friend Izzy Stradlin,<ref>{{cite news|last=Spurrier|first=Jeff|title=Guns N' Roses: Bad Boys Give It Their Best Shot|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 6, 1986}}</ref> who had moved to Los Angeles in 1980,<ref name="Geffen98"/> and 16-year-old guitarist [[Chris Weber]].<ref name="AllMusic L.A. Guns biography">{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=L.A. Guns Biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 22, 2024 |url={{AllMusic|artist|la-guns-mn0000778906#biography |pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> In January 1984, the band recorded a five-song demo featuring the tracks "Anything Goes", "Rocker", "Shadow of Your Love", and "Reckless Life", which was released in 2004 as ''[[The Roots of Guns N' Roses]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title=The Roots of Guns N' Roses Review |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 22, 2024 |url={{AllMusic|album|the-roots-of-guns-n-roses-mw0000744084#review|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> Guitarist [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] and drummer [[Steven Adler]], future members of [[Guns N' Roses]], joined Hollywood Rose before the band's dissolution.<ref name="Slash 84">{{Cite book|author=Slash | author2-link = Anthony Bozza|last2=Bozza|first2=Anthony|title=[[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]]|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2007|page=84|isbn=978-0-00-725775-1}}</ref> Rose then joined [[L.A. Guns]].<ref name="AllMusic L.A. Guns biography"/> While struggling to make an impact on the Hollywood music scene, Rose held down a variety of jobs, including the position of night manager at the [[Tower Records#Inception, expansion, and description|Tower Records/Video]] location on [[Sunset Boulevard]]. Rose and Stradlin also smoked cigarettes for a scientific study at [[UCLA]] for the reported wages of $8 per hour ({{Inflation|US|8|1984|r=0|fmt=eq}}).<ref name="Sugerman91"/>

In March 1985, encouraged by their manager Raz Cue,<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Days-Guns-Razs-Raz-Cue/dp/0982710313/ The Days of Guns, & Raz's Paperback – July 21, 2017 by Raz Cue (Author)] Amazon.com</ref> Rose and his former L.A. Guns bandmate [[Tracii Guns]] formed Guns N' Roses by merging their respective bands Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns with Stradlin, drummer [[Rob Gardner (musician)|Rob Gardner]] and bassist [[Ole Beich]].<ref name="Spitz99">{{cite magazine|last=Spitz|first=Marc|title=Just a Little Patience|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=July 1999|access-date=June 3, 2011|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=71|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711163900/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=71|archive-date=July 11, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> By June, after several lineup changes, the band consisted of Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist [[Duff McKagan]], and drummer Steven Adler. The lineup debuted at The Troubadour and proceeded to play the L.A. club circuit, eventually building a devoted fan following.<ref name="Spitz99"/> The band attracted the attention of several major record labels,<ref name="Spitz99"/> before signing with Geffen Records in March 1986.<ref name="James89"/> The following December, they released the four-song EP ''[[Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide]]'' on the Geffen imprint [[UZI Suicide]].<ref name="RollingStoneBio"/>