10 Stars Of Rock & Metal With Famous Second Bands

With the release of their debut album, Appetite For Destruction (1987), Guns N Roses propelled themselves into the limelight and soon became the biggest rock band in the world. They mixed the Motley Crue-style sleazy LA rock of the eighties, with the traditional rock influences of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. And although they were led by the controversial big mouthed singer Axel Rose, Guns N Roses also found that the image of guitarist Slash would become a key focal point for the band.

Slash would become one of the most famous guitar players in the world, guesting with the likes of Michael Jackson, while Guns N Roses became superstars who were selling out stadiums by the time they released their Use Your Illusion albums (1991). But the band were always heading for destruction with the untenable ego of Axl Rose at the helm, and in 1996, after a tempestuous few years, Slash quit to concentrate on a solo career.

In 2002, Slash reunited with original Guns N Roses bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum to create a new band after the three had reignited their chemistry playing together at a tribute concert. Velvet Revolver was born, and after initially struggling to find a vocalist who was the right fit for their music, they eventually teamed up with ex-Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. Velvet Revolver would go on to release the albums Contraband (2004) and Libertad (2007), enjoying a highly fruitful five-year period together, before Weiland eventually quit to return to his former band.