Why Slash Hated Playing Guns N' Roses' Most Famous Song For So Long (& Why He Changed His Mind)

More often than not, if there is a conversation about the greatest rock bands ever, Guns N' Roses will get their flowers. They are one of the most successful and influential bands of all time, and their work can be found in various forms of media, including major motion pictures, like Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Their career may have a smaller discography than some, but it has earned them a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, though it came at a price. They've had enough drama to make a great biopic and have seen their music reach highs and lows.

While not every band can push through difficult times, Guns N' Roses are built differently. They are resilient, even if that means ensuring a song remains intact while one member of the band tries to undermine it. If Slash had gotten his way, there's a chance the band's biggest song would never have seen the light of day, or if it did, it could have sounded different from what fans have come to know and love. Thankfully, the rest of the members didn't allow it to happen.

Slash Famously Hated Playing "Sweet Child O' Mine"

There Was Nothing Sweet About it

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Guns N' Roses exploded onto the scene with their 1987 debut record Appetite for Destruction. The album featured smash hits such as "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City," and, of course, "Sweet Child o' Mine." The origins of "Sweet Child o' Mine" stem from a rehearsal in which Slash came up with the riff while messing around. Even though he may have thought it was a joke, it wasn't, and eventually the riff was transformed into a song, but it did not resonate with Slash.

The origins of "Sweet Child o' Mine" stem back to a rehearsal in which Slash came up with the riff while messing around.

At the time, Slash felt that Guns N' Roses had an image to uphold. They were supposed to be a "bad boy" rock band, and this uptempo song didn't seem to fit it. The chord progression really bothered him, and eventually spawned a theory that he tried to "sabotage" the song by making the intro sound bad. If that theory were true, it obviously didn't work because the song became beloved. Even with their "villainous" nature at stake, it even grew on Slash, and looking back on it, it seems the legendary guitarist is thankful that the rest of the band pushed for the song.

Why Guns N' Roses' Iconic Guitarist Changed His Mind About "Sweet Child O' Mine"

The Right Emotions Have Been Evoked

While the song did make the album, there was one more aspect of "Sweet Child o' Mine" that was disliked by lead singer Axl Rose, which was how the radio edit of the song cut out Slash's slow solo. However, being on the radio in general was a huge accomplishment, and the track grew in popularity. It was the success of the song that helped change Slash's perspective on it over the years. It ended up reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and has appeared on Billboard charts as recently as 2024.

The achievements of "Sweet Child o' Mine" played a major role in making Appetite for Destruction one of the greatest debut rock albums ever, with the recording going 18x platinum in the United States and selling over 30 million copies worldwide. Slash now recognizes the song's massive cultural footprint and its overall impact on the band's career trajectory. With over one billion views on YouTube and over two billion streams on Spotify, it has become a rock and roll anthem that evokes emotions from fans everywhere the Guns N' Roses plays.

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Although Guns N' Roses went through a famous breakup, the band has thankfully reunited and fans have enjoyed many more years from them. It's a good thing Slash grew to like the song because the band has played it nearly one thousand times. If you're lucky enough to see their concert, chances are you will hear them perform "Sweet Child o' Mine," and witness Slash's solo from the song the way it was meant to be done. It's hard to imagine a world where the song doesn't exist in the band's catalog, but fortunately we don't have to. It is a prime example of why sometimes rock stars have to trust their bandmates.