The story behind one of the legendary rock band’s biggest hits and its guitarist’s surprising initial reaction
It’s hard to imagine 80s rock without the iconic riff From Sweet Child O Minea track that became one of the band’s biggest hits Guns N’ Roses. However, the guitarist Bar he recently revealed that, contrary to what many might assume, he wasn’t a fan of the song when it was created. The statement surprised fans and musicians, as the opening solo is considered one of the most memorable in rock history.
During an interview with World of guitar , Bar shared details about the song’s writing process and his initial reaction to the result. According to him, the famous riff was born as a joke during a rehearsal. As he experimented with note sequences, the other band members began to follow him and the idea quickly turned into a song.
TO Barit sounded like the sound “too happy” and it clashed with the heavier, darker style he preferred.
“I have to admit, I had something to do with it. It was a riff that came to mind and I didn’t know what to do with it. I didn’t think much about it at the time, but it inspired the whole song,” he began. Bar. “I always say this, but to me we were like a hard rock band like Motorhead, so any kind of ballad was inconceivable.”.
The legendary guitarist of 60 years old added: “We played that song once as an opener for Ted Nugent, and when it came time to play it, I was like, ‘Oh, fuck…’.” And, of course, I had to remember how to play the riff correctly, alone, in front of everyone, every time we played. I was a little drunk at the time and you never knew what was going to happen.”.
Bar: “It was a riff I created and I didn’t know what to do with it”
Despite initial resistance, the band decided to continue with the composition. Axl Rosesinger of Guns N’ Roseshe wrote the lyrics inspired by his girlfriend at the time, Erin Everly. The soft melody and romantic lyrics contrasted with the aggressive tone of the album’s other songs.Appetite for destructionreleased in 1987. This difference ended up becoming one of the strong points of the song, which won over the public and stood out in the charts.
Bar he admitted that, over time, he began to recognize the value of the song. Even though it wasn’t his favorite at first, he understood the impact it had on him. Sweet Child O Mine had on the band’s career and on the music scene of the time. The song helped establish Guns N’ Roses as one of the biggest rock bands in the world, and its riff became a trademark of the group.
The revelation of Bar offers an interesting perspective on the creative process and internal conflicts that can arise during music production. Songs that become classics often face resistance or doubt in their early stages. The case of Sweet Child O Mine shows how collaboration between band members and openness to new ideas can lead to memorable works.
About the iconic solos of Sweet Child O Mine, Welcome to the jungle ANDNovember Rain – other classics Guns – Slash admits he doesn’t remember their conception: “I don’t remember ever sitting down and discovering any of them. Especially Jungle. I remember starting to play, and it seems very structured to a certain extent, but the chord changes were exactly like that. Sometimes it’s interesting to remember. When you’re on stage, your mind wanders, and I go back and think about things like that.”
Today, Sweet Child O Mine It is considered one of rock’s most iconic songs. Its success has spanned generations, being covered by several artists and featured in film soundtracks, commercials and events.
The guitar solo by Bar is often mentioned in lists of the best riffs of all timeand the song continues to be one of the highlights of the band’s shows.
*use of artificial intelligence in research on the topic
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
