Last night at precisely the stroke of midnight, Guns N' Roses made an announcement sure to whet fans' Appetite.  The belated 30th anniversary celebration of 1987's Appetite for Destruction will arrive in a variety of formats from UMe on June 29 ranging from a $999.00 (!) Locked N' Loaded Edition to a straight single-disc remastered CD.

The classic line-up of Guns N' Roses solidified in June, 1985 in Los Angeles.  The group consisted of Axl Rose (vocals), Slash (lead guitar), Duff McKagan (bass) Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar) and Steven Adler (drums).  They began to gain attention by playing the club scene in L.A. and were signed to Geffen Records in March, 1986.  Their first EP, Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide, was released that December (it was made up of four songs from their demo tapes overdubbed with crowd noise).  The band then went into the studio with producer Mike Clink to record a group of songs that had mostly been written separately by its members before GNR's formation.  Appetite For Destruction was released in July, 1987.  A single release of "It's So Easy" had hit U.K. shelves in June, but didn't climb too high on the charts.

It would also take awhile for Appetite to catch on with listeners.  The group's first U.S. single "Welcome To the Jungle," was released in October, but it likewise didn't do much immediately.  However, its music video soon began to receive airplay and Guns N' Roses toured behind the album, garnering more attention.  It paid off as Appetite would first top the Billboard 200 on August 6, 1988, over a year after its initial release.  A little under two weeks later, "Sweet Child O' Mine" was released as a single and it would also climb to the top of the charts, becoming the band's first and only No. 1 song.  Two other singles from the album would also be released: "Paradise City" and "Nightrain."  In total, Appetite spent 147 weeks on the chart with 4 non-consecutive weeks at the top.  It has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

However, the album has remained controversial to some.  This began almost immediately when the original cover art had to be replaced before stores would stock the album.  Some critics were also divided the album's dark and hedonistic subject matter.  But it has gained in reputation over the years and is now seen as a seminal metal/hard rock album to most.  Rolling Stone placed it at No. 62 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list in 2012.

And Guns N' Roses itself continued to be both controversial and successful at the same time for the next few years.  They went on massively successful tours, and the two Use Your Illusion albums in 1991 were big hits.  However, there was also drug abuse, lawsuits, riots at concerts and frontman Rose's sometime volatile attitude.  More controversy came in 1993 when a cover of Charles Manson song was included as a hidden track on The Spaghetti Incident?.  The final track to feature many of the classic line-up was a 1994 cover of "Sympathy For the Devil" included in the films Interview with the Vampire and Fallen. By the end of the decade, Rose was the only member left.  He gathered a new group of musicians to tour off and on with and released the long-gestating Chinese Democracy in 2008.  The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 but Axl did not attend the ceremony where several of the former members performed.  In 2016, Slash and McKagan did rejoin the group and kicked off a series of shows which have continued into 2017.

The various versions of this reissue of Appetite for Destruction are as follows:

Locked N' Loaded (4CD/1BD/7LP/6x7"): Limited to 10,000 copies, this set is housed in an embossed, simulated-leather and wood cabinet.  It includes the Super Deluxe Edition with 4CDs featuring the album newly remastered for the first time ever; B-sides N' EPs newly remastered; the previously unreleased 1986 Sound City Session N' More recordings; a Blu-ray Audio disc with the album mixed by Elliot Scheiner, bonus tracks and music videos in brand new 5.1 surround sound along with the unearthed music video for "It's So Easy" originally shot in 1989 but never finished; and a 96-page hardcover book showcasing unseen photos from Axl Rose's personal archive and a wealth of memorabilia. This collectors' box also boasts an array of collectibles including seven 12-inch 180g audiophile vinyl discs, seven 7-inch singles on yellow vinyl, a dozen lithographs newly visualizing each song on Appetite, 5 custom hand-made metal-cast band skull face rings, 5 hand-made metal-cast band skull face lapel pins, buttons, patches, replica concert tickets and gig flyers, 5 metal skull face and signature-stamped guitar picks, a turntable mat, wall posters, replica '85/'86 club days banner, a Robert Williams painting litho, never-before-seen band lithos, a numbered certificate of authenticity and more.  Whew!

Super Deluxe Edition (4CD/1BD): This set is enough to fill all but the most gargantuan Appetites (for those, see above!).  It has 4 CDs featuring the album newly remastered for the first time ever; B-sides N' EPs newly remastered; the previously unreleased 1986 Sound City Session N' More recordings; a Blu-ray Audio disc with the Elliot Scheiner-mixed album, bonus tracks and music videos in brand new 5.1 surround sound along with the unearthed music video for "It's So Easy" originally shot in 1989 but never finished; swag including tattoos, replica ticket stubs, 5 band member lithographs, a Robert Williams painting lithograph; and a 96-page hardcover book showcasing unseen photos from Axl Rose's personal archive and a wealth of memorabilia.  It's housed in a simulated leather wrapped slipcase and book cover with embossed logos.

2-LP 180-gram Vinyl Edition: The original album on three sides of two vinyl LPs (the fourth side will feature an etching) cut from 192kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio plus a download sticker for 44.1kHz/16-bit CD quality audio download.

2-CD Deluxe Edition: This set features the newly-remastered album plus highlights from the Super Deluxe Edition, for a total of 18 bonus tracks (7 previously unreleased).

1-CD Remaster: The original album, newly-remastered, with no additional material.

If you would like to go back to Guns N' Roses' explosive start on June 29, we've got the full tracklisting and preorder links for the various iterations of the album below.

Appetite For Destruction: Super Deluxe Edition (Geffen/UMe, 2018)

1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
1LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
4CD/1BD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
Locked N' Loaded 4CD/1BD/7LP/6x7": GNR Official Store

CD 1: Original album remastered (originally released as Geffen GHS 24148, 1987)

1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It's So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out Ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O' Mine
10. You're Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

CD 2: B-Sides N' EPs Remastered (all tracks also included on 2CD edition)

1. Reckless Life
2. Nice Boys
3. Move To The City (Live)
4. Mama Kin
5. Shadow Of Your Love (Live)
6. You're Crazy (Acoustic Version)
7. Patience
8. Used To Love Her
9. You're Crazy
10. It's So Easy (Live)
11. Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Live)
12. Whole Lotta Rosie (Live)

Tracks 1-4 from Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide - Uzi Suicide Records USR-001, 1986
Track 5 from "It's So Easy" U.K. 12" single - Geffen GEF 22T, 1987
Track 6 from "Welcome To The Jungle" U.K. 12" single - Geffen GEF 47T, 1988
Tracks 7-9 from GN'R Lies - Geffen GHS 24198, 1988
Tracks 10-12 from "Welcome To The Jungle" U.K. 12" single - Geffen GEF 30T, 1987

CD 3: 1986 Sound City Sessions (previously unreleased - * included on 2CD edition)

 

1. Welcome To The Jungle *
2. Nightrain *
3. Out Ta Get Me *
4. Paradise City *
5. My Michelle *
6. Think About You
7. You're Crazy
8. Anything Goes
9. Rocket Queen
10. Shadow Of Your Love
11. Heartbreak Hotel
12. Jumpin' Jack Flash

CD 4: Sound City Sessions N' More (previously unreleased - * included on 2CD edition)

1. Shadow Of Your Love (from Mike Clink original album sessions) *
2. Move To The City (1986 Sound City Session)
3. Ain't Goin' Down No More (Instrumental - 1986 Sound City Session)
4. The Plague (1986 Sound City Session)
5. Nice Boys (1986 Sound City Session)
6. Back Off Bitch (1986 Sound City Session)
7. Reckless Life (1986 Sound City Session)
8. Mama Kin (1986 Sound City Session)
9. New Work Tune (1986 Sound City Session)
10. November Rain (Piano Version - 1986 Sound City Session))
11. Move To The City (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
12. You're Crazy (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
13. November Rain (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
14. Jumpin' Jack Flash (Acoustic Version - 1986 Sound City Session)
15. Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version) *

Blu-ray Disc: 96kHz 24-bit 5.1 Surround Sound & Remastered Stereo (previously unreleased)

5.1 Surround Sound mixed by Elliot Scheiner (*) and Frank Filipetti (**)

• Appetite For Destruction *
• Shadow Of Your Love **
• Patience *
• Used To Love Her **
• You're Crazy (GN'R Lies Version) **
• Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version) **

Promo Videos *

• Welcome To The Jungle
• Sweet Child O'Mine
• Paradise City
• Patience
• It's So Easy (previously unreleased 1989 video)

Additional Material

 

• 96-page Hardcover Book with Unreleased Photos from Axl's Personal Archive and a Bombardment of Memorabilia
• Simulated-Leather Wrapped Slipcase and Book Cover with Embossed GN'R Logos
• 5 Previously Unseen Band Member Lithos
• "Welcome To The Jungle" Video Invite Flyer - Originally Drawn by Slash
• Robert Williams Original Album Cover Painting Litho 12"x24"
• Temporary Band Member Tattoos
• 3 Replica Ticket Stubs
• 1 Wall Poster 24"x36"

 

Locked N' Loaded Additional Extras

• 10,000 limited, numbered copies in Simulated-Leather & Wood Cabinet with Embossed GN'R Logos and Handmade 3D Cross
• Seven 180-gram Audiophile 12-inch LPs Cut from 192kHz 24-bit Remastered High-Resolution Audio
  • LPs 1-2: Original Album with GN'R Logo Hologram on Side 4
  • LP 3: Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide + "Shadow of Your Love" (bonus track)
  • LP 4: B-Sides N' EPs
  • LPs 5-7: 1986 Sound City Sessions N' More
• Six replica 7" singles
  • It's So Easy b/w Mr. Brownstone (Geffen GEF 22 (U.K.), 1987)
  • Welcome To The Jungle b/w Whole Lotta Rosie (Live) (Geffen GEF 30 (U.K.), 1987)
  • Sweet Child O' Mine b/w Out Ta Get Me (Geffen GEF 43 (U.K.), 1988)
  • Paradise City b/w Used To Love Her (Geffen GEF 50 (U.K.), 1988)
  • Patience b/w Rocket Queen (Geffen 7-22996, 1988)
  • Nightrain b/w Reckless Life (Geffen 7-22869, 1989)
  • Shadow Of Your Love b/w Move To The City (1988 Acoustic Version) - new single on yellow vinyl
• 32GB Metal Cross USB Stick with High-Resolution Audio Formats from All 4 CDs (192kHz/24-bit, 96kHz/24-bit and 44.1kHz/16-bit AIFF files)
• 12 New Illustration Lithos - Visualizing Each Song on the Album
• 5 Metal Band Skull Face Rings
• 5 Metal Band Skull Face Lapel Pins
• 5 Metal Guitar Picks with Band Skull Faces & Signatures
• 5 GN'R Logo Buttons
• Replica '85/'86 Gig Banner 27"x40"
• Turntable Mat
• Microfiber Vinyl Cleaning Cloth
• 7-inch Large Hole Adapter
• 6 Replica Early Years Gig Flyers
• 6 Iron-on Stitched Logo Patches
• 2-inch Collectable Coin
• Bandana with Silver Metallic Ink
• Additional Wall Poster 24"x36"
• Numbered Certificate of Authenticity