8 Hard Rock Songs Probably Written Out Of Spite
6. Guns ’n’ Roses - Right Next Door To Hell
Famously of sweet nature and even temperament, Axl Rose and his band finding a place on this list might be a bit shocking…
Only joking, as we could probably find ten entries just by scouring Guns ’n’ Roses' back catalogue.
This song sprawls all over the place lyrically, but the chief inspiration for the chorus was a neighbour of Axl’s called Gabriella Cantor, after an altercation in October 1990.
Given the sort of behaviour Guns ’n’ Roses were known for, you can’t imagine they made for the nicest neighbours. Even dedicated GNR fans might concede that, while Axl’s neighbourhood would be a nice place to visit, you wouldn’t want to live there.
But the incident that inspired this track goes well beyond a noise complaint. Cantor claimed that Rose hit her with a wine bottle. According to the singer, she tried to attack him after a history of harassment.
Whatever the truth of the situation, it’s fair to say Axl had the last word on this one. After falling out with a neighbour, most of us would have to settle for a passive aggressive note through the door. Axl wrote a song and made it the lead track on his band’s new album.