“November Rain”: Requiem for a Hair Band

Guns N’ Roses’ 1992 hit “November Rain” was more than just an epic, nine-minute power ballad for the ages. It was a swan song for the band—and for all the hair bands who’d been dominating MTV and rock radio. As Nirvana’s grunge anthem “Smells Like Teen Spirit” burst onto the scene and birthed an icon, GN'R—who’d been one of the most popular acts in the world—began to unravel and lose the glow of the spotlight.

In the next two episodes, we’ll chronicle the making of “November Rain” and its wildly expensive video as well as the events that led to the group’s demise—from the drug abuse to the lavish spending to singer Axl Rose’s theatrics on stage and off. We’ll also explore the tension between Rose and Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, whose infamous feud reached a fever pitch at the now-legendary 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.

This is the extraordinary tale of heavy metal taking its last, glorious gasp as grunge and alternative swept America. With special guest Andy Morahan, director of the “November Rain” video.

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