singer axl rose said that many of the songs on the album were written while the band was performing on the los angeles club circuit, and a number of songs that would be featured on later guns n' roses albums were considered for "appetite for destruction", such as "back off bitch", "you could be mine", "november rain" and "don't cry". "november rain" was not put on the album because "sweet child o' mine" is already on it. they only wanted one ballad.