Axl Rose, the incendiary frontman of Guns N’ Roses, isn’t just one of rock’s greatest vocalists—he’s also one of its most fascinating personalities. From his explosive stage presence to his no-holds-barred interviews, Rose has never been one to mince words.
Whether discussing music, fame, or his infamous feuds, his quotes are as unfiltered as his screams in “Welcome to the Jungle.” Below, we’ve compiled the 20 best Axl Rose quotes that capture his rebellious spirit, sharp wit, and unapologetic honesty.
See American Gun laws in a wider space
1. On Guns N’ Roses’ Internal Dynamics
“We have a saying in Guns N’ Roses: ‘When somebody’s gonna get yelled at, they’re gonna get the corn.’”
2. On His Vocal Range
“I sing in five or six different voices that are all part of me. It’s not contrived.”
3. On His Relationship With Time
“I usually don’t really go by or live my life by a clock, and outside of touring, I don’t really ask anyone else to.”
4. Advice for Aspiring Artists
“Take business classes. I don’t care what else you’re gonna do; if you’re gonna do art or anything, take business classes.”
5. On Social Media & Privacy
“I really don’t understand what appears to be the general population’s lack of concern over privacy issues in publicizing their entire lives on the Internet.”
6. On Staying Private
“I like to be real private; you don’t always want everyone around you—even when they like you.”
7. On Chinese Democracy
“It wasn’t trying to tell China to have a democracy… I went to stay there for about three months, and everywhere I went, the people are so shielded from what’s going on in the world.”
8. On His Personal Life
“I go to movies, go out with friends, go to car shows. I have a zoo.”
9. On the Grunge Movement
“I really liked the Seattle movement.”
10. On the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
“I don’t really know what the Rock Hall actually is. In my experience with the people who run it, I don’t see it having to do with anything other than them making money.”
11. On the Guns N’ Roses Reunion
“It didn’t happen by chance or whatever. It was always looked at as a possibility, but it never seemed right or felt right.”
12. On His Songwriting Process
“I write the vocals last, because I wanted to invent the music first and push the music to the level that I had to compete against it.”
13. On Appetite for Destruction
“It was the only thing written with lyrics and melody fitting the guitar parts at the same time.”
14. On the Music He Listens To
“I mainly listen to the music that’s playing during movies… I like the blend of orchestra with modern instrumentation.”
15. On Singing for AC/DC
“I wasn’t looking at it like, ‘I’m singing for AC/DC.’ I was looking at it like, ‘Y’know, if I can, and if they think I’m able to do it.’”
16. On His Feud With Slash
“Slash and I hadn’t talked in 19 years, and when we did talk, I was like, ‘You wrote a lot of stuff that didn’t even happen. It’s not real.’”
17. On Mick Jagger
“Mick Jagger is one of the greatest athletes who ever lived, just for how much he puts into it onstage.”
18. On the Appetite for Destruction Era
“There was a much more self-destructive nature in ‘Appetite.’ It was a going-for-it-at-all-cost thing that worked then.”
19. On Performing Through Pain
“I could beat my mic stand into the stage, but I was still in pain… It’s taken a long time to turn that around and give a strong show without it being a kamikaze show.”
20. On Queen & Freddie Mercury
“Queen has always been my favorite band. Freddie is the greatest singer, ever, is the way I look at it.”
Read California Gun laws.
