Album O' The Week: Appetite For Destruction

Thursday is Album of the Week and this one is one that should spark miles of posts. I was going to stay away from an AOTW like this, but if we do one every month, we'll have plenty of time to hit ones that are lesser known. This week's album is Appetite for Destruction by GnR. I'm not being lazy here guys, I have some valid points for choosing this one. I'll outline some now.
1. No definitive rock and roll collection is complete without this record. I don't care if you're a classic rock person, alternative person, punk person, etc. This album is a crossroads for alot of it, and it has more than a dash of hair metal.

1a. This is one of the greatest rock and roll records ever. Easy. The whole thing is a ride from start to end, and it doesn't let go. The sound on this record hasn't been imitated.

2. It's tragic. This band would have been as big as any if they would have stayed together (read: If Axl hadn't gone fucking banannas). As big as the Stones, Beatles, Kiss, Aerosmith? You betcha, and much bigger than a couple of those. They were that good.

3. Steve has mentioned before if they were actually "hair metal". My answer is they were and weren't. They transcended alot of stuff that was hairmetal (the big roaring choruses, the makeup) but grasped stuff that was (the hair, the lewdness). That's what the great bands do.

4. It still has buzz. I don't know how many times "Chinese Democracy" has been rumored to being "close to completion" or how many lineups have been posted and dissected, but it all comes from buzz off of this record ("Lies" was great, but not in the same stratosphere) that was released---get ready to feel old here---18 years ago.

Post away, children.