Former Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan has dismissed suggestions the group’s hit Sweet Child O’ Mine was copied from Aussie rock group Australian Crawl.

Australian Crawl singer James Reyne recently pointed out that his group’s 1981 track Unpublished Critics bears similarities to Guns N’ Roses 1987 rock anthem, but insisted he would never act on his suspicions for fear of the legendary band’s heavyweight legal team.

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McKagan and fellow former Guns N’ Roses star Gilby Clarke have now spoken out to dismiss the claims.

“At that point, Guns were trying to be so original and different to do our own thing,” McKagan told US radio show Opie Radio.

“There’s just no way we would have referenced anything. So if there’s any similarity, it’s complete happenstance.”

Speaking on Florida radio channel The Gater, guitarist Clarke said: “Obviously, when I heard the songs back to back, it’s definitely ‘Wow’.”

“But, in all honesty, there definitely isn’t a connection,” he said.

“The band was always about being original, being the first.