Which two bands merged to form Guns N' Roses?

The two bands that merged to form Guns N’ Roses were Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns. The group emerged in Los Angeles in March 1985 when Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin of Hollywood Rose joined forces with Tracii Guns, Ole Beich, and Rob Gardner from L.A. Guns.

The new band’s name deliberately combined the names of its predecessors. This original lineup was short-lived: bassist Ole Beich was soon replaced by Duff McKagan, Tracii Guns left after disagreements with Rose, and Slash took over as lead guitarist. Steven Adler later replaced Rob Gardner on drums.

The best-known lineup—Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler—was finalized in June 1985. That lineup recorded Appetite for Destruction, released in 1987, which made the band internationally famous. A common mistake is to say Slash’s band formed Guns N’ Roses; Slash joined shortly after the initial merger, while the founding connection was specifically between Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns.