Blackie Lawless lying through his teeth about Welcome to the Jungle influence?

[aznsquirt]

Apologies if this has been discussed here before.

Heard this clip from an interview with Blackie on the Appetite for Distortion podcast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCDNo1VSWU

Here's what he says:

""And then later, after their first album came out, I was in a club one night in Hollywood, and Axl came up and introduced himself," Lawless said. "And I didn't really know them from the record [Appetite for Destruction] yet. I just knew them from our old crew telling me about them. And [Axl] said, 'I just wanted to tell ya, you know, we're huge fans.'

"But he says in reality, 'We have this song called "Welcome to the Jungle," and it seems to be doing good, it’s getting a lot of airplay.' And he says, 'I just wanted to let you know, your record Inside the Electric Circus gave us the idea for "Welcome to the Jungle." '

"And I said, 'Well, what do you mean by that?' He says, 'Well, we looked at the idea of circus, and there's animals in the circus, and jungle, you know, and there's chaos and all that.' And he says, 'We just kind of looked at it, and that's where the idea came from.' "

Well, the problem with this of course is that while Inside was released a year before Appetite for Destruction, GnR had been performing Welcome to the Jungle as far back as July 1985, and the earliest evidence I can find of W.A.S.P. performing Inside The Electric Circus is Jan 1986.

So, either there's a very old demo of ITEC going back to early 1985, Axl lied to him, Blackie is misremembering, or lying through his teeth.

I think we know the most likely option, yeah?

[MetalSludgeCEO]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

Their song "Underwater World" contains the lyric """"Welcome to the Jungle"""""

It was actually recorded in early 1984, and released in August 1984... which also shoots down Blackie's story.

While I believe Axl was a fan, or Gn'R were fans of W.A.S.P., Blackie trying to claim his band somehow was the inspiration for this song is kinda whack.

$tEvil

-----------------------------

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdq8_pTcOQ4

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFB-9RrmT8


Underwater World by Hanoi Rocks


Beneath the streets, in the cars, on the trains or in the underground I'll be waiting
You can spare a dime, or you're gonna be mine, and we're going dancing tonight
In the tunnels underground, the subway rats run all around and hungry
So come and hide and step inside, we're going on a midnight ride
On the subway underground, it gets a little rough
This ain't no tunnel of love
Hurricanes running through my veins, I know that you're lost and alone
And I feel no pain
In my sea of drains
In my, my underwater world
Welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
Sink or swim, you dive right in, and you know this ain't no place to mess around
In my swamp underground, the quicksand slowly sucks you down
Down here I call the shots, like it or not, what you got I'm getting
You have to come down to my slum, well, welcome chum, now sit down and shut up
So, welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
I lay you wide open
For all the world to see
My, my, my underwater world
My, my, my underwater world

[jens]

Laughable at best.
It's not even a good story. "We also fuck like beasts and beast live in the jungle, yeah man!!!" would've been more believable.

[Sleek]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

They lifted a lot from Hanoi. I would say that "Paradise City" owes its inspiration to "Back to Mystery City", for sure.

I meannn:

"I know you'd call this a paradise, dear...

Oh, there's a million girls waiting for me, Down in Mystery City..."

[aznsquirt]

On a side note, I was listening to an interview with Raz Cue (early manager of LA Guns/GnR), and he claims that at one point during the transitions between bands that there was talk of a new band being formed with Axl/Tracii Guns/Don Costa/Tony Richards.

Fuck, I would love to have heard that.

[diablomozart]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

Their song "Underwater World" contains the lyric """"Welcome to the Jungle"""""

It was actually recorded in early 1984, and released in August 1984... which also shoots down Blackie's story.

While I believe Axl was a fan, or Gn'R were fans of W.A.S.P., Blackie trying to claim his band somehow was the inspiration for this song is kinda whack.

$tEvil

-----------------------------

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdq8_pTcOQ4

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFB-9RrmT8


Underwater World by Hanoi Rocks


Beneath the streets, in the cars, on the trains or in the underground I'll be waiting
You can spare a dime, or you're gonna be mine, and we're going dancing tonight
In the tunnels underground, the subway rats run all around and hungry
So come and hide and step inside, we're going on a midnight ride
On the subway underground, it gets a little rough
This ain't no tunnel of love
Hurricanes running through my veins, I know that you're lost and alone
And I feel no pain
In my sea of drains
In my, my underwater world
Welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
Sink or swim, you dive right in, and you know this ain't no place to mess around
In my swamp underground, the quicksand slowly sucks you down
Down here I call the shots, like it or not, what you got I'm getting
You have to come down to my slum, well, welcome chum, now sit down and shut up
So, welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
I lay you wide open
For all the world to see
My, my, my underwater world
My, my, my underwater world

god what a great song...my fave hanoi rocks tune...d.m.

[HueyRamone]

I love good ol Heavy metal that's full of KISS-style schtik and showbiz, like Inside the Elec Circus

and I dont much care for GnR.

But this is just laughable. Axl's jungle is the cement jungle of pimps, homeless, runaways, etc.

Why the fuck would he be looking at Blackie's lion tamer bullshit as inspo?


This is a believable as that they wanted Blackie as the villain in T2. So they wanted to hire a large longhair non-actor to play an evil policeman who could blend into society, eh?

[Tommy2Tone84]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

Their song "Underwater World" contains the lyric """"Welcome to the Jungle"""""

It was actually recorded in early 1984, and released in August 1984... which also shoots down Blackie's story.

While I believe Axl was a fan, or Gn'R were fans of W.A.S.P., Blackie trying to claim his band somehow was the inspiration for this song is kinda whack.

$tEvil

-----------------------------

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdq8_pTcOQ4

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFB-9RrmT8


Underwater World by Hanoi Rocks


Beneath the streets, in the cars, on the trains or in the underground I'll be waiting
You can spare a dime, or you're gonna be mine, and we're going dancing tonight
In the tunnels underground, the subway rats run all around and hungry
So come and hide and step inside, we're going on a midnight ride
On the subway underground, it gets a little rough
This ain't no tunnel of love
Hurricanes running through my veins, I know that you're lost and alone
And I feel no pain
In my sea of drains
In my, my underwater world
Welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
Sink or swim, you dive right in, and you know this ain't no place to mess around
In my swamp underground, the quicksand slowly sucks you down
Down here I call the shots, like it or not, what you got I'm getting
You have to come down to my slum, well, welcome chum, now sit down and shut up
So, welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
I lay you wide open
For all the world to see
My, my, my underwater world
My, my, my underwater world

Yes! f*cking this! LA bus depot my ass. They stole that from HR

Blackie has always lied

[keyofgee]

I remember reading that axl said that when he first arrived in LA, a homeless man told him "welcome to the jungle, now you're gonna die".. But, that could be just news hype. So much of it back this was and still is.

[TravisBicklesMohawk]

I remember reading that axl said that when he first arrived in LA, a homeless man told him "welcome to the jungle, now you're gonna die".. But, that could be just news hype. So much of it back this was and still is.

An aside from the fact that Axl has repeatedly stated that arriving in LA was a complete nightmare compared to his quiet home town. Thus, Welcome to the Jungle was born.

[aznsquirt]

I remember reading that axl said that when he first arrived in LA, a homeless man told him "welcome to the jungle, now you're gonna die".. But, that could be just news hype. So much of it back this was and still is.

This story actually took place in NYC, not LA (according to Axl).

[Ryan81]

The quote when the guy yelled "do you know where you are...you're in the jungle" at Axl was in either New York or St. Louis. The song was written when Guns was up in Seattle on the "Hell Tour" which was early June of 1985.

The title Welcome To The Jungle could very well have been taken from the Hanoi song. I do believe that Axl was a pretty big W.A.S.P fan though because in the 2006 Eddie Trunk interview he brought them up a couple of times. Also, Sebastian said the first time he rode with Axl he was blasting I Wanna Be Somebody in his BMW.

[Mister Freeze]

Welcome to the jungle, we got fun n' games

We got everything you want, you shall be on your knees

We are the people that are blind, in Texas that you need

I'm a wild child, come and love me, we got your disease

In the jungle... the electric circus jungle... gonna fuck you like a...

banana-na-na-na-na-na-na... beast... beast... oh, ah... I wanna watch you bleed.

[Vince Neil Eats]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

Their song "Underwater World" contains the lyric """"Welcome to the Jungle"""""

It was actually recorded in early 1984, and released in August 1984... which also shoots down Blackie's story.

While I believe Axl was a fan, or Gn'R were fans of W.A.S.P., Blackie trying to claim his band somehow was the inspiration for this song is kinda whack.

$tEvil

Just read Sami Yaffa’s book. He claims the GNR guys told him Jungle was influenced by Underwater World also.

-----------------------------

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdq8_pTcOQ4

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFB-9RrmT8


Underwater World by Hanoi Rocks


Beneath the streets, in the cars, on the trains or in the underground I'll be waiting
You can spare a dime, or you're gonna be mine, and we're going dancing tonight
In the tunnels underground, the subway rats run all around and hungry
So come and hide and step inside, we're going on a midnight ride
On the subway underground, it gets a little rough
This ain't no tunnel of love
Hurricanes running through my veins, I know that you're lost and alone
And I feel no pain
In my sea of drains
In my, my underwater world
Welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
Sink or swim, you dive right in, and you know this ain't no place to mess around
In my swamp underground, the quicksand slowly sucks you down
Down here I call the shots, like it or not, what you got I'm getting
You have to come down to my slum, well, welcome chum, now sit down and shut up
So, welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
I lay you wide open
For all the world to see
My, my, my underwater world
My, my, my underwater world

[Son_of_Sam_I_Am]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

Their song "Underwater World" contains the lyric """"Welcome to the Jungle"""""

It was actually recorded in early 1984, and released in August 1984... which also shoots down Blackie's story.

While I believe Axl was a fan, or Gn'R were fans of W.A.S.P., Blackie trying to claim his band somehow was the inspiration for this song is kinda whack.

$tEvil

Just read Sami Yaffa’s book. He claims the GNR guys told him Jungle was influenced by Underwater World also.

-----------------------------

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdq8_pTcOQ4

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFB-9RrmT8


Underwater World by Hanoi Rocks


Beneath the streets, in the cars, on the trains or in the underground I'll be waiting
You can spare a dime, or you're gonna be mine, and we're going dancing tonight
In the tunnels underground, the subway rats run all around and hungry
So come and hide and step inside, we're going on a midnight ride
On the subway underground, it gets a little rough
This ain't no tunnel of love
Hurricanes running through my veins, I know that you're lost and alone
And I feel no pain
In my sea of drains
In my, my underwater world
Welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
Sink or swim, you dive right in, and you know this ain't no place to mess around
In my swamp underground, the quicksand slowly sucks you down
Down here I call the shots, like it or not, what you got I'm getting
You have to come down to my slum, well, welcome chum, now sit down and shut up
So, welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
I lay you wide open
For all the world to see
My, my, my underwater world
My, my, my underwater world

Good job.

[Tommy2Tone84]

I remember reading that axl said that when he first arrived in LA, a homeless man told him "welcome to the jungle, now you're gonna die".. But, that could be just news hype. So much of it back this was and still is.

An aside from the fact that Axl has repeatedly stated that arriving in LA was a complete nightmare compared to his quiet home town. Thus, Welcome to the Jungle was born.

His quiet hometown where he was repeatedly abused as a young kid? The story of him getting off the bus might be partially true. But he stole the title from Hanoi’s Underwater World.

[Ozzy Stradlin]

This, exactly.

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

Their song "Underwater World" contains the lyric """"Welcome to the Jungle"""""

It was actually recorded in early 1984, and released in August 1984... which also shoots down Blackie's story.

While I believe Axl was a fan, or Gn'R were fans of W.A.S.P., Blackie trying to claim his band somehow was the inspiration for this song is kinda whack.

$tEvil

-----------------------------

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdq8_pTcOQ4

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpFB-9RrmT8


Underwater World by Hanoi Rocks


Beneath the streets, in the cars, on the trains or in the underground I'll be waiting
You can spare a dime, or you're gonna be mine, and we're going dancing tonight
In the tunnels underground, the subway rats run all around and hungry
So come and hide and step inside, we're going on a midnight ride
On the subway underground, it gets a little rough
This ain't no tunnel of love
Hurricanes running through my veins, I know that you're lost and alone
And I feel no pain
In my sea of drains
In my, my underwater world
Welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
Sink or swim, you dive right in, and you know this ain't no place to mess around
In my swamp underground, the quicksand slowly sucks you down
Down here I call the shots, like it or not, what you got I'm getting
You have to come down to my slum, well, welcome chum, now sit down and shut up
So, welcome to the ocean
Welcome to the sea
Welcome to the jungle
Deep inside of me
I lay you wide open
For all the world to see
My, my, my underwater world
My, my, my underwater world

[str]

I also think the idea, (title) for the song "Welcome to the Jungle" was taken from Hanoi Rocks.

They lifted a lot from Hanoi. I would say that "Paradise City" owes its inspiration to "Back to Mystery City", for sure.

I meannn:

"I know you'd call this a paradise, dear...

Oh, there's a million girls waiting for me, Down in Mystery City..."

Don't forget "Lost In The City" :
https://youtube.com/watch?v=9V8gT7Rgfvw ... Y2l0eSA%3D

[DemonFilth2001]

Doubt Axl ever heard Hanoi until after he'd been in L.A. for quite some time. Most hadn't heard of them until Vince killed their drummer.

[VinnieVincentsVag]

Blackie = shit

[Ozzy Stradlin]

Doubt Axl ever heard Hanoi until after he'd been in L.A. for quite some time. Most hadn't heard of them until Vince killed their drummer.

It’s quite well documented that Axl & Izzy were big Hanoi Rocks fans, and put out their back catalog via Uzi Suicide in the late 80s, because of it.

[SW]

Doubt Axl ever heard Hanoi until after he'd been in L.A. for quite some time. Most hadn't heard of them until Vince killed their drummer.

Wrong as always.

https://www.loudersound.com/features/th ... ff-mckagan

"And Hanoi Rocks were a big influence on us, too. Slash and I had tickets to see them at The Palace [Avalon Hollywood], and the week before the concert was due to take place the car accident happened. Razzle [Nicholas Dingley, drummer in Hanoi Rocks] died and the band broke up. That was during the winter of ’84. Afterwards there was a wide-open space. It felt like whatever happened next was going to be on our shoulders. But then again, at that time every 20 year old kid who was in a band in LA probably thought that.”

[Hellsinkey]

Doubt Axl ever heard Hanoi until after he'd been in L.A. for quite some time. Most hadn't heard of them until Vince killed their drummer.

Wrong as always.

https://www.loudersound.com/features/th ... ff-mckagan

"And Hanoi Rocks were a big influence on us, too. Slash and I had tickets to see them at The Palace [Avalon Hollywood], and the week before the concert was due to take place the car accident happened. Razzle [Nicholas Dingley, drummer in Hanoi Rocks] died and the band broke up. That was during the winter of ’84. Afterwards there was a wide-open space. It felt like whatever happened next was going to be on our shoulders. But then again, at that time every 20 year old kid who was in a band in LA probably thought that.”

Izzy also said in an interview that his favourite band was: "Smack (from Finland)". Duff dug them too. I also thought Axl might have gotten a thing or two from Smack's singer Claude. They played live in L.A. before G'N'R got a record deal.