Guns N' Roses G N' R Lies

G N' R Lies (1988) is the second album from Guns N' Roses. Lies features Axl's one-of-a-kind vocals and whistling, and then a ton of acoustic guitar work. It's a bit of a departure from 1987's Appetite for Destruction, one of rock's greatest albums ever. That's not to take away from Lies, but staring down 10x platinum, ok, it takes a bit away from Lies.

Updated Oct 28 2022

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Guns N' Roses Lies album cover — G N' R Lies

Sunset Strip darlings, Guns N' Roses drop G N' R Lies, a half acoustic album featuring Patience, Used to Love Her, You're Crazy, and Aerosmith's Mama Kin.

80s & 90s Swag

G N' R Lies. Axl, Slash, and the rest of Guns N’ Roses break out their six strings and play Patience and some other tunes. Love the pumped in crowd noise. Easiest way to make a cheap(er) album. Say it was recorded "live" and do anything you want.

The Patience video

Always loved the backwards hat over the bandana, one of many signature looks from Axl.

Adler looks like he is just picking out wall sconces for his girlfriend in the Patience video. Then, at 2:54, dude wants to toss down a stick twirl, but sighs with impatience.

Juxtaposition!

So many women run through Slash's bed and fade out Marty McFly style. We should write more about this video, it's got so many things.

A far cry from Appetite and Use Your Illusion I and II.

- Track 1: Reckless Life is a Hollywood Rose cover.
- Track 2: Nice Boys is a Rose Tattoo cover
- Track 4: Mama Kin is an Aerosmith cover

G N' R Lies notes

Nice Boys

Coke-fueled, rock'n'roll - which of course, nice boys don't play. Love it.

I can't imagine Axl is lying when he says that he's not a nice boy, and he never was. From firing Chris Weber after his Dad lent Hollywood Rose money to record, to not performing in Montreal after Metallica singer, James Hetfield, suffered burns from the stage pyro.

Move to the City

Love the horns on Move to the City. Stradlin and Slash were a dynamite duo.

Mama Kin

Guns N' Roses nails the spirit of Mama Kin, even if it's slightly toned down from the full throttle rock rhinocerous that is G'N'R.

Patience

I can't think of a rock tune with a more memorable whistle part. ANY rock tune.

Love the change. Love how Axl goes into full blown Axl voice.

This tiiii-yi-yi-yi-yi-immmmmmme

The song was released on April 4th, 1989.

Used to Love Her

Ok, this was written after writing the notes on "You're Crazy" ...

NOTHING is more on-brand than Guns N' Roses' Used to Love Her.

Love, death, absence, women who bitch, elation - every theme is present here on Used to Love Her. Was Axl ever married?! Well, besides the November Rain video.

So many solos without a Marshall stack driving them at full power and distortion on Lies.

Slash chickenpicks the solo apart in that youtube video above

If Mr. Big's To Be With You off of Lean Into It had an archnemesis, it would probably be Used to Love Her.

You're Crazy

I dig the clean electric/acoustic combo with what sounds like a wire brush drumkit. Big difference from it's version on Appetite for Destruction.

You're Crazy has always sounded like a prequel to Buckcherry's Crazy Bitch.

Slash and Stradlin have a nice thing going on here in You're Crazy

Was that a triangle in the pre-chrous!?

Lyrically, Guns N' Roses couldn't be more on-brand than they are with You're Crazy.

Unleash the beast, Axl! No one does "snarl" better.

One In A Million

Axl loves to whistle.

Another interesting take on an acoustic track with the dirty electric guitar backing the acoustic six string. Especially when the solo is on the acoustic. I'm a huge fan of fast, acoustic guitar solos.

Speaking of One In A Million, Trixter dropped a decent tune by the same name. Totally different feel to it.