A big, brash history of Guns n' Roses charismatic, talented and idiosyncratic leader

"An archetypal rock biography that captures the runaway-train spirit of the singer and his band--You don't have to be a Guns N' Roses fanatic to dig this energetic, comprehensive, few-holds-barred portrait of modern metal's most charismatic figure."--Kirkus Reviews

Even in the rock world, a figure like Axl Rose doesn't come along very often. Mercurial and brilliant, deluded and imperious, Rose defies easy description. W.A.R. reveals Rose's childhood influences (and how he got his name), tracks the birth of G n' R and delves into the stories behind their monster albums Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion. But with those successes came excesses--drugs, infighting and a lead singer who morphed from eccentric to seemingly unhinged.

Journalist Mick Wall had unprecedented access to Rose and G n' R during their heyday and gives a more richly detailed portrait of the band than you've ever read before. W.A.R. has fresh views on:

--the death of two fans at the Donington Park concert in England

--Rose's fallout with all the other original G n' R band members, including Slash

--fights with Kurt Cobain, Vince Neil and fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger

--Rose's no-shows at concerts throughout his career

--the lead singer's becoming a recluse at his Malibu mansion for most of the last fifteen years

--the much-gossiped-about and long-awaited album Chinese Democracy