Senior Music Editor at Screen Rant, Sarah’s love of sound and story drive the beat. A globetrotting brand whisperer and award-winning journalist, she’s built cross-cultural narratives around the world—but music has always been her true north. She launched DJ Mag North America, successfully introducing the iconic UK brand to the U.S. market. Previously, she carved a space for EDM inside the pages of VIBE, blending electronic and hip-hop culture long before it was trendy.
Today, February 6, marks the 64th birthday of William Bruce Rose Jr., the man the world knows as Axl Rose. While he is eternally cemented in history as the fiery architect of Guns N’ Roses (a band with countless record-smashing music victories that are too long to list), the man underneath all the ink and bandanas is far more complex than the “bad boy of rock” headlines suggest.
And despite some fans claiming the still-touring legend and his compatriots should retire, Axl has proven he’s not slowing down: broken hips and hearing-loss be damned! Beyond the notorious lateness and the riot-inciting world tours of the early ’90s lies a man of surprising contradictions.
From his quiet life as a devoted “cat dad” to his fascination with past-life regressions and a legendary sense of self-aware humor regarding his own reputation, Axl Rose remains one of the last true enigmas in music. As he hits another milestone year, it’s time to look past the “Welcome to the Jungle” screams and into the bear-shaped honey jars and sci-fi novels that define the real Axl.
Career “Easter Eggs”: From Small Screens To Big Cameos
While Axl Rose is primarily known for commanding stadiums, he has a history of popping up in unexpected places.
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The Voice of San Andreas: In 2004, Rose stepped into the recording booth for the legendary video game
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
He voiced the character Tommy “The Nightmare” Smith, the classic rock DJ for the fictional radio station K-DST. - An Uncredited Funeral Appearance: Long before he was a global superstar, Axl made a brief, uncredited appearance in the 1988 Clint Eastwood film The Dead Pool. He can be seen playing a musician attending a funeral, a role filmed just as Guns N’ Roses was beginning its meteoric rise.
- Therapy in the Limelight: The woman playing the therapist in the iconic “Don’t Cry” music video wasn’t an actress. She was Suzzy London, Axl’s actual therapist at the time, who often traveled with the band to provide support during their high-pressure tours.
Spiritual Enigmas: Past Lives & “Yoda”
Axl’s personal interests go far deeper than the standard rock-and-roll lifestyle.
- Past Life Regressions: In the early 1990s, Axl became a staunch believer in past-life regression therapy. He reportedly believed that he and his ex-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour had shared multiple lives together throughout history.
- The Entourage “Yoda”: For years, Rose’s inner circle included a personal psychic named Sharon Maynard, whom his entourage affectionately referred to as “Yoda.” She was known to consult on major decisions for the singer.
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Literary Influences: Far from just a songwriter, Axl is a well-read fan of the sci-fi and horror genres. His favorite titles reportedly include Philip K. Dick’s A Scanner Darkly and Stephen King’s The Stand.
Happy Birthday, to the man who invented the one city this author would be thrilled to live in… “Paradise City,” of course.
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