No Bed of Roses

Guns ‘N’ Roses may be the hottest new band in the country--a No. 2 album on Billboard’s chart and a growing rep as the most charismatic group to emerge from the local rock scene since Van Halen. So why isn’t L.A.’s top album-rock station, KLOS-FM, playing the album’s hit single, “Sweet Child O’ Mine�?

“Our testing found it had a highly negative reaction with anyone over 25--they just don’t like the song,� explained program director Charlie West. “Those listeners are really important to us, so it wasn’t worth the risk of playing it.�

Says Geffen Records promo chief Al Coury: “I think they must’ve pulled the record because of the way the band behaved on ‘Rockline’ (a syndicated radio show hosted by KLOS deejay Bob Coburn).�

According to West, the band’s behavior was “disgraceful.� He added: “They couldn’t even straighten up long enough to do the show. The guitarist, Flash, vomited all over the studio--and Bob said they ripped a girl’s blouse and were pretty out of control. But that had nothing to do with my decision to pull the record.�

Retorted Coury, “Flash did vomit--he told us he’d eaten a bad artichoke. But he didn’t attack any girls or anything. And geez--he did vomit in a paper bag. It’s not like he threw up on the program director!�