I still remember a buddy of mine who was the Program Director for a Top 40 buggle gum pop radio station in St. Louis (my home town) and I were out partying. (guy had comps for everywhere. free food, drinks, etc. was awesome. Cool story how he got the job being only 18yrs old)
He reaches into his glovebox and hands me a Demo of the album "Appetite for Destruction" that got shot to all the major market radio stations across the country. He said they'd never play anything on the demo in a million years (he was wrong) but the band was right up my alley. I took it, but didn't listen to it. (Gun's and Roses? What a wussie name. I almost tossed it out)
IIRC that was the same weekend (or close to it) that my two closest friends were watchin' HeadBangers Ball and saw the debut of Welcome to the Jungle. My friends looked at each other and said "I hope we don't like this band, because they got a really wussie name" (we all really hated the name)
They loved the song, told me about it, and I just HAPPENED to have the demo tape for the album, and the rest is history. We still hated the name, and hencforth only called 'em "Guns'".
Me and my buddies cranked Guns' from then on, and it was "our" band. It was almost a year (or more ish) before the band caught on and became mainstream. I still have the scars from the Aerosmith/'Guns concert. (4 guys tried to mug us after it. HUGE mistake) And my buddies were at the Riot in St. Louis 'Guns concert.
Appetite and Lies were 2 of my fav. albums for years.
(sigh) memories...
