10 Rock Bands That Were Successful After Major Lineup Changes

7. Guns N' Roses

Perhaps no other band, with the exception of possibly Nirvana, has ever made such a big impact in so little time as Guns N' Roses. 1987's "Appetite For Destruction" is one of the greatest rock debuts ever. Consisting of gigantic hits "Welcome To The Jungle", "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City", the album rocketed GNR into the stratosphere. Unfortunately substance abuse and rampaging egos brought them crashing back down to Earth. During the 1980s glam rock scene, the standout bands had a colorful lineup of characters behind the music as image became increasingly important. Their most successful peers of this era, bands like Motley Crue, Poison and Bon Jovi, were heavy on style and presentation. Initially a glam band themselves, Guns toned down their feminine appearance and just focused on churning out grimy yet melodious hard rock tunes. When the band entered the studio in 1990 to record the follow up albums, "Use Your Illusion 1 & 2", drummer Steven Adler was let go due to his severe drug usage (an unfortunate recurring theme in this article). Matt Sorum, formerly of The Cult, came in to replace him and added a new dynamic to the band. Adler, who was such a key part of GNR's sound, was no longer irreplaceable. Sorum proved to be a great fit, both musically and personally. During the Use Your Illusion tour, amidst riots, infighting, chaos and controversy, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit the band. In a twist on the usual drug abuse tale, Stradlin was newly sober and cited his inability to be around the hard-partying Guns. Although Axl originally wanted Dave Navarro, Gilby Clarke took over. The band would embark on several more hugely successful tours before settling into a lengthy hiatus. Axl would reform the band with replacements for all the original members (including virtuoso guitarist Buckethead) several times with little success. The rumor-riddled and long-awaited album "Chinese Democracy" was finally released with a whimper in late 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA0GIS7hinc