Guns N’ Roses has sold millions of albums over the years and Axl Rose is one of the reasons for that. Axl has surely made a lot of money being the lead vocalist of one of the greatest bands in history.
Guns N’ Roses lead vocalist Axl Rose has quite a varied lifestyle that includes fame, wealth, and just about everything in between. Exactly what you’d expect from a rock and roll performer of his status.
Behind the scenes, Axl’s life was also closely tracked, and his legal troubles, on-stage tantrums, and love life were all thoroughly recorded. But after Guns N’ Roses’ 1993 album “The Spaghetti Incident” came out, Axl vanished from the public eye as the band disbanded. He then reappeared in the early 2000s with a brand new lineup for the group.
Axl was once more in the spotlight in 2016 as the original GN’R band made a partial comeback. What is the singer currently doing, and how much is he earning in 2023?
We will explore the life of Axl Rose, from his rise with Guns N’ Roses in the 80s, to his reemergence in the 2000s, and take a peek into the lifestyle he has built as one of rock’s greatest frontmen.
Early Life Of Axl Rose
Recognized as one of rock’s most iconic singers, Axl’s charisma, stage presence, and vocal prowess were crucial in launching Guns N’ Roses as one of the most prominent rock bands of the late 80s and early 90s. Born William Bruce Rose Jr. on February 6, 1962, Axl had a complicated childhood. He was the result of an unplanned pregnancy, and he was born when his mother was just 16.
At the age of two, his parents divorced. This reportedly caused his father to abduct and molest Axl as a child before disappearing for good. Later, Axl’s mother remarried a man named Stephen Bailey and changed her son’s name to William Bruce Bailey. For a long time, Axl believed Stephen was his real father until he learned of the truth when he was 17.
Axl never met his biological father again and later learned that he was murdered in Illinois in 1984. Despite being away from his abusive biological father, Axl’s stepfather was reportedly no better. The singer has said his stepfather physically abused him and his siblings. Axl recalls their upbringing being strict and oppressive, and they were forbidden from listening to music. Still, Axl found comfort in music and even sang as part of a choir since he was five.
The discovery of his true origins affected a young Axl, who became a delinquent in his hometown of Lafayette, Indiana. In the early 80s, Axl was arrested more than twenty times for various infractions such as assault and battery and public intoxication. He was repeatedly locked up and served up to three months in jail. A psychiatrist determined that Axl’s behavior during his late teens was a sign of psychosis.
In 1982, he relocated to Los Angeles around the same time when the glam metal scene was taking shape. During this time, he joined various bands, one of which was named AXL. Eventually, he adopted the name of the band as his own at the behest of his bandmates. By 1986, the singer had legally changed his name to W. Axl Rose.
Axl Rose’s Time In Guns N’ Roses
In 1985, Guns N’ Roses formed as the result of the merging of two bands: L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. Axl was the singer of the latter band, and he retained his position once Guns N’ Roses formed.
The band signed to Geffen Records in 1986. The following year, they released their debut album, “Appetite for Destruction”, which became their big breakthrough in the music industry. The album established the band as a revolutionary force in rock n roll and turned Axl into an instant superstar and rock icon.
The band followed it up with 1988’s GN’R Lies, which consisted of new acoustic songs and the tracks from their 1986 EP Live Like a Suicide.
Three years later, in 1991, GN’R released two albums on the same date, “Use Your Illusion I and II”, which debuted in the top 2 spots of the Billboard 200. The band then embarked on some of the biggest tours in their career. However, following the release of their 1993 all-covers album “The Spaghetti Incident”, the band began to crumble, and Axl became reclusive for the rest of the decade.
The Return Of Axl Rose
In 2001, Axl reemerged in public with all-new members of Guns N’ Roses. The revitalized band performed at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City and continued working on their long-awaited new album, Chinese Democracy. It was eventually released in 2008, 15 years after their last album.
As a member of Guns N’ Roses, Axl was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, although he refused to attend the ceremony.
At the time, his highly publicized feud with former guitarist Slash was still a thing. However, the two eventually settled their differences in 2015. Slash and former bassist Duff McKagan subsequently rejoined Guns N’ Roses, and the band embarked on the massively successful “Not In This Lifetime” tour.
The partially reunited lineup has also released two new songs: “Absurd” and “Hard Skool”, the first new recordings by the band since 2008 and their first to feature Slash and Duff in 20 years.
Axl Rose Net Worth: Earnings Revealed
While Axl isn’t that lucky when it comes to love, he’s definitely doing better when it comes to luxuries. The singer’s net worth is estimated to be 200 million dollars. Fronting one of the world’s biggest bands comes with its perks, and it’s safe to say that Axl is living the kind of life that many could only dream of.
The GN’R singer owns a mansion in Malibu, California that he purchased back in 1992 for 3.6 million dollars. The house covers 4,333 square feet and has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Its location offers sweeping views of Malibu and the Pacific Ocean, making it quite a peaceful and relaxing abode for the rock star whenever he’s not touring the world.
Additionally, Axl owns a variety of exotic rides that would make any car lover drool. His garage includes a Porsche 918 Spyder, a Bentley Continental GT, a Rolls Royce, a Cadillac Escalade, a Range Rover, and even a Ferrari.
For all the controversies and troubles Axl Rose has been involved in throughout his career, it’s amazing to see him doing quite well with a lifestyle reserved for the world’s elite. At 61 years of age as of this article’s posting, Axl Rose continues to live a true rockstar’s life, one that’s befitting of a legend and an all-time great.
Axl Behind The Scenes
During the peak of their popularity, Guns N’ Roses was also known to be as wild as the image they promoted in public, and Axl also partook in the sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll culture that was popular among bands at the time. However, contrary to popular belief, the singer didn’t abuse illegal substances as much as his other bandmates, although he did intentionally overdose on painkillers in 1986 as he tried to deal with stress.
Although Axl wasn’t a heavy drug user, he was still known for his disruptive behavior both on and off stage. There have been numerous incidents throughout his career when he has stopped concerts due to unruly crowd behavior.
During a concert in Atlanta in 1987, Axl assaulted multiple security guards and was detained by local police. And in 1991, during a show in St. Louis, Axl lunged into a fan who was capturing the concert on camera. After the altercation, Axl stopped the concert, slammed the microphone, and stormed off stage, prompting the rest of the band to follow.
In the early 90s, Axl gave several interviews where he mentioned being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Additionally, a psychiatrist also found out that he has a high IQ.
During this same period, Axl became a believer in homeopathic medicine and entered past life regression therapy. These sessions allowed the singer to reveal the disturbing details of his childhood, including being molested by his father at the age of two.
Axl Rose’s Love Life
Axl’s romantic relationships during the early years of Guns N’ Roses were also well documented. In 1986, he entered into a relationship with Erin Everly, the daughter of The Everly Brothers’ Don Everly.
The Guns N’ Roses hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine” was written by Rose for her. They tied the knot in Las Vegas in 1990, but less than a month later, Axl filed for divorce. They later made amends and Everly became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage. The relationship ended for good in November 1990, and their marriage was annulled in January the following year.
Soon after, Axl began a relationship with Stephanie Seymour, one of the most famous supermodels during that time. Seymour was featured in the music videos for “November Rain” and “Don’t Cry”. The couple were engaged in February 1993 but called it off less than a month later.
Also Read: Jeff Koons Net Worth: How Much Does The World’s Richest Artist Make?
