Axl Rose, the frontmen of Guns N’ Roses, had a tumultuous childhood that eventually helped create his persona.
Born on February 6, 1962, as William Bruce Rose Jr., Axl’s upbringing in his hometown of Lafayette, Indiana, has been everything but easy. Born to a teenage mom and a troubled 20-year-old father who was murdered in 1984, Axl grew up believing that his mother’s new husband, Stephen L. Bailey, was his biological father.
The household he was brought up in was a rather strict and religious one, and most of the things other children his age took for granted, such as music and TV, were labeled “evil” and forbidden.
The family attended Pentecostal services several times a week, and Axl, who even taught Sunday school, later described the home as oppressive and fear-driven: “Everything was evil.”
Over the years, he has spoken openly of his childhood trauma and the way he was treated by his stepfather, as well as his mother’s indifference and probably inability to protect him because she had chosen her husband over her children.
Sadly, high school wasn’t any easier and Axl wasn’t able to find refuge there. Instead, he experienced bullying and was underestimated by everyone but himself. Even with everything that was going on around him, he was determined to succeed, telling his friends, “I’m going to make it.”
In his late teens, he was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, which helped explain years of emotional turmoil. His rebellion intensified, and he was frequently in trouble with the law. Axl himself has said he had “around 20 arrests,” though exact records are unclear. Facing possible habitual offender charges, he decided it was time to escape Indiana.
Music had always been his sanctuary. He sang in the church choir at age five, performed with his siblings as the “Bailey Trio,” studied piano, and joined school choruses. Teachers remembered him as bright and charismatic.
In December 1982, at age 20, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue music and immersed himself in the L.A. rock scene.
At the time he took the name Axl Rose which is a combination of a former band name and his biological father’s surname.
By 1985, Guns N’ Roses had formed with bandmates Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler.
The release of Appetite for Destruction in 1987 changed everything. After a slow start, relentless touring and the breakout success of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” pushed the album to No. 1. Today, it stands as the best-selling debut album in US history.
For Axl, fame brought chaos. His intensity, perfectionism, and unpredictable temper fueled notorious moments, including the 1991 St. Louis riot. Speaking of his younger years, he said much of his volatility came from unresolved trauma: “My mental circuitry was all twisted… because of what happened to me back in Indiana.”
His relationships were equally turbulent, including a short-lived, highly publicized marriage to Erin Everly. Despite personal pain, he created songs that became anthems for a generation.
In 2012, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Guns N’ Roses, but he declined to attend it, which many labeled as the most Axl Rose move imaginable.
Eventually, he returned to touring with the band, cementing his status as one of the greatest voices in rock music.
Many believe that it was the hardship he endured during his teenage years that helped shape him into a legend.
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