“It used to be, like, 25 minutes long!”: How Axl Rose took inspiration from Elton John to create a classic Guns N’ Roses ballad that was years in the making

Guns N' Roses.

Guns N’ Roses’ 1992 hit November Rain is one of the greatest power ballads of all time – and in the creation of singer Axl Rose’s magnum opus, his biggest influence was Elton John.

Elton’s 11-minute masterpiece Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding – the opening track from his 1973 double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – is widely considered to be a key inspiration for November Rain.