Guns N’ Roses Debut Live Cover of “Human Being” in Abu Dhabi — With a Fresh Twist
Guns N’ Roses delivered a surprise to fans during their May 27 concert in Abu Dhabi, performing a cover live for the very first time — and giving it a fresh new twist. The track in question? “Human Being,” originally by the New York Dolls, a song they recorded back in 1993 for their punk-influenced covers album The Spaghetti Incident?
While the studio version of “Human Being” already showcased the band’s deep-rooted appreciation for the punk rock scene, the live performance offered a new flavor. Axl Rose took a different vocal approach this time, opting to sing the entire song in his lower register — a bold shift that fans were quick to notice and praise.
“I’ve been wanting them to play this for so long. I thought his current voice suits this song so well, and damn, he sounds great,” one fan commented on Reddit following the show.
The New York Dolls, and especially guitarist Johnny Thunders, have been cited as major influences by GN’R bassist Duff McKagan. In a past interview with Kerrang!, McKagan praised Thunders’ raw emotion and songwriting prowess: “His influence spans the generations and – think what you will of him – but his songwriting is emotive and powerful. Those songs are what it’s all about. His music has risen to the top and it’s totally timeless.”
While The Spaghetti Incident? featured several punk covers, Guns N’ Roses had never performed “Human Being” live — until now. The choice to finally include it in a setlist, decades after recording it, made this performance an unexpected highlight of their ongoing tour.
But the surprises didn’t end there.
During the same set, the band also brought back one of their own deep cuts: “Used to Love Her” from the 1988 GN’R Lies EP. The song hadn’t been performed live since December 2018, according to data from Setlist.fm, making its return another treat for longtime fans.
Fan-shot videos of both tracks have started to surface online, capturing the crowd’s electric response and the band’s commanding stage presence. As they continue to work their way through their 2025 tour, it’s clear that Guns N’ Roses still know how to keep their shows unpredictable and engaging — even after decades on the road.
Up next for GN’R is a performance on May 30 in Shekvetili, Georgia. You can check out the full list of remaining 2025 tour dates on their official website.
Whether it’s reviving old favorites or debuting long-awaited covers, Guns N’ Roses are showing no signs of slowing down — and fans are loving every second of it.