![Early Axl Rose Demo Surfaces Online](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2012/03/Axl-Rose-FP.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Early Axl Rose Demo Surfaces Online
A demo tape from an early-80s L.A.-based metal band called Rapidfire has been posted online, featuring the earliest known recordings of a young singer named Axl Rose.
The snippet above features a Rapidfire song called 'Ready to Rumble,' which was recorded on May 25, 1983. Former Rapidfire guitarist Kevin Lawrence posted the track to YouTube. It is purportedly Rose's first studio recording, and while it's readily identifiable as Axl, he's singing in a range a bit lower than the signature howl he would later employ with Guns N' Roses, sounding at times a little bit like Gregg Allman.
According to our friends at Brave Words, Rapidfire appeared at the legendary L.A. venue Gazzarri’s on the Sunset Strip three days later, on May 28, 1983. It was at that show that Rose was first seen by Slash, who was in the audience. The two would go on to play together in a band called Hollywood Rose, which morphed into Guns N' Roses after replacing several members. Their 1987 debut album 'Appetite for Destruction' launched them to superstardom.
More From Ultimate Classic Rock
![Watch Axl Rose Sing With Billy Joel at Final MSG Residency Show](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/07/attachment-GettyImages-2163711788.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![LA’s Record Plant Studio to Close After 55 Years](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/07/attachment-recordplantla1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Guns N’ Roses Skeletons Lead New Batch of Rock Funko Pops](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/06/attachment-Funko24.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Axl Rose, Slash and Dee Snider Guest on New Michael Schenker LP](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/06/attachment-Axl2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Duff McKagan Still Insists ‘Simpsons’ Beer Was Named After Him](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/06/attachment-Duff-Duff.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Duff McKagan’s Abandoned 1999 Solo LP Left Him ‘F—ing Pissed’](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/06/attachment-Duff-McKagan-2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Duff McKagan Had ‘Punk Rock Guilt’ After ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2024/06/attachment-Duff-Sweet-Child.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Steven Adler Announces Summer 2024 Tour Dates](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2023/04/attachment-steven-adler-guns-n-roses-michael-loccisano-getty-images.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
![Slash Says Guns N’ Roses Are ‘Trying’ to Make a New Album](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2023/09/attachment-slash-3.jpeg?w=980&q=75)