Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler. The current lineup consists of Rose, Slash, McKagan, guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese.
Despite the departures of Adler, Stradlin, and Slash and the absence of new product, Rose carried on with the band into the early 21st century. The “new” Guns N’ Roses played a handful of live shows in 2000 and 2001, with Rose leading a lineup that included former members of Primus and Nine Inch Nails. Meanwhile, Slash, Stradlin, and Matt Sorum (who had replaced Adler on drums prior to the Use Your Illusion recording sessions) recruited former Stone Temple Pilots lead singer Scott Weiland to form Velvet Revolver. Velvet Revolver’s debut album, Contraband (2004), topped the Billboard charts and received solid marks from both fans and critics. Rose returned to the studio to continue working on the next Guns N’ Roses full-length album, a process that began in 1994 with a completely different set of musicians. As the production entered its second decade, comparisons were made to the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson’s lost-and-found masterpiece Smile, and many expressed doubts that the album would ever be released.