Axl Rose’s wild streak began long before he became the iconic frontman of Guns N’ Roses. Growing up in Lafayette, Indiana, Rose was already known for his rebellious behavior, which led to multiple arrests. Between 1980 and 1982, he spent at least 10 days in Tippecanoe County Jail on charges ranging from public intoxication to car theft.
Even as a teen, Rose was no stranger to youth detention centers, where he spent numerous weekends. His trouble with the law didn’t stop there, though. In 2006, Rose found himself in a Swedish jail cell after biting a hotel security guard during a brawl in Stockholm.
Despite his fame, Rose’s tendency to get into trouble never really faded. Whether in Indiana or overseas, his reputation as a hell-raiser was well-earned, making him one of rock’s most unpredictable figures.
A Troubled Past in Lafayette
Before Axl found fame, he was arrested more than 20 times in Lafayette, Indiana. In a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone, Rose claimed he spent three months in jail, with authorities trying to brand him as a “habitual criminal”, a charge that could mean life in prison. Conditions at Tippecanoe County Jail, where Rose was held, were notoriously bad. In 1980, inmates protested with a hunger strike, and the next year, a rat bit an inmate, showing the jail’s poor state.
In March 1981, an inmate at the same jail alleged he was sexually assaulted by other prisoners. Fearing for his own safety and convinced the police were targeting him, Rose skipped town while out on bail and moved to California. “They told me not to leave, but I left anyway,” he recalled in the interview.
It wasn’t until 1986, when Guns N’ Roses signed with Geffen Records, that Rose’s legal troubles were finally addressed. The label’s lawyers handled his outstanding arrest warrants in Indiana. Reflecting on that time, Rose said, “My lawyer took care of it. I just didn’t go back for a long time. … I try to avoid all police in general.”
Axl Rose’s Continued Run-Ins with the Law
Despite Axl Rose’s claim that he tried to avoid the police, his actions over the years suggest otherwise. He was accused of statutory rape, inciting riots during Guns N’ Roses tours, and assaulting a Los Angeles neighbor with a wine bottle. Despite these incidents, Rose mostly avoided jail, though he did spend 10 hours in a New York City jail on riot charges. His most notable arrest came in June 2006 in Sweden.
After a night of heavy drinking in Stockholm, Rose got into a fight with another hotel guest. When a security guard tried to intervene, Rose bit and punched him. The police arrested him and held him at Kronoberg remand prison for just under 12 hours. He pleaded guilty to violence against a civil servant and vandalism, paid a $5,500 fine, and was released.
Kronoberg prison, like Tippecanoe County Jail, had a poor reputation. In 2019, when rapper ASAP Rocky was held there, reports described the facility as filthy with inedible food, even after renovations. Conditions may have been worse when Rose spent time there.