HOLLYWOOD ROSE was a formative incarnation of the mighty GUNS N' ROSES. During 1985 singer W. Axl. Rose (a.k.a. William Bruce Bailey) split away from the fledgling L.A. GUNS. Together with guitarist IZZY STRADLIN' (real name Jeffrey Isbabelle) he forged ROSE, being joined by guitarist Chris Weber and drummer Johnny Kreis (a.k.a. 'Johnny Christ'), the latter located via a wanted advert in 'The Recycler'. Bass guitar was initially in the hands of Rick Mars and subsequently Andre Roxx. One of the formative ROSE tracks, the Rose / Stradlin' composition 'My Way - Your Way', would evolve into 'Anything Goes' on 'Appetite For Destruction'.

This unit then evolved into HOLLYWOOD ROSE, debuting live at The Orphanage, to cut a five song demo featuring the tracks 'Killing Time', 'Anything Goes', 'Rocker', 'Shadow Of Your Love' and 'Reckless Life'. By coincidence, a 1984 gig at at the Music Machine supporting STRYPER would also see BLACK SHEEP on the billing, this band featuring no less than a pre-GUNS N' ROSES Slash on guitar. However, following this gig HOLLYWOOD ROSE broke up, Axl Rose joining up with L.A. GUNS whilst Izzy Stradlin' hooked up with LONDON.

Bringing in new personnel guitarist Tracii Guns, Steve Darrow on bass and drummer Robbie Gardner, HOLLYWOOD ROSE was re-activated, re-debuting with a New Year's Eve show at the Dancing Waters. The branches of the family tree then separated once again as Guns and Gardner re-forged L.A. GUNS and Axl Rose struck up with new guitarist Slash in a new look GUNS N' ROSES. Using the notoriety already fostered by their previous bands, flyers for the inaugural GUNS N' ROSES gig on 6th June 1985 at The Troubadour in Los Angeles proclaimed "L.A Guns and Hollywood Rose presents the band Guns n' Roses".

In June of 2004 the Cleopatra label collected together archive demos for release as 'The Roots Of Guns n' Roses'. The album collected together the five original demos alongside alternate takes on these same tracks remixed by former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist GILBY CLARKE and CINDERELLA's Fred Coury.

That same month Axl Rose attempted to sue the label to prevent release. In November 2004 and April 2005, the court made two related rulings in favor of Cleopatra and against Rose. Finally, in May, Judge Gary Allen Feess, Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, awarded Cleopatra Records' request for attorneys' fees and costs in the amount of $24,176.38.