L.A. Guns Biography
This US hard rock band was originally formed in 1983 by guitarist Tracii Guns (20 January 1966, USA), vocalist Axl Rose, bass player Ole Beich, and drummer Rob Gardner. Guns, Rose and Gardner subsequently appeared in the original line-up of Guns N'Roses, before Guns left to re-form his own band with Gardner, Beich and vocalist Michael Jagosz. The quartet recorded an EP in 1985 before Guns established a new line-up with two members of Faster Pussycat, Paul "Mars' Black (b. Paul Martin Marmorstein, 17 March 1959, San Francisco, California, USA; vocals) and Mick Cripps (bass), Nickey Alexander (drums), and Robert Stoddard (guitar; ex-Dogs D'Amour). Further line-up changes saw Cripps switching to guitar with the recruitment of bass player Kelly Nickels (ex-Faster Pussycat), the departure of Stoddard, and the replacement of Black by ex-Girl vocalist Phil Lewis (b. 9 January 1957, London, England). Working on material that was a hybrid of metal, glam and blues-based rock 'n' roll, they signed with PolyGram Records in the USA. However, with new drummer Steve Riley (b. 22 January 1956, USA; ex-W.A.S.P.) arriving too late to appear on 1988"s self-titled debut album, the band continued to use the services of Nickey Alexander (formerly "Nicky Beat' of punk legends the Weirdos). The following year's Cocked & Loaded was a marked improvement on its predecessor; the band had matured as songwriters and Lewis" vocals were stronger and more convincing. Hollywood Vampires saw them diversifying musically, but retaining the essential energy and rough edges for which they had become renowned.
Touring as support to Skid Row in Europe, it at last looked as though Guns would no longer have to look longingly at the phenomenal success his former band had achieved in his absence. However, it was not to be. As the band disintegrated, Guns went on to form a new outfit, Killing Machine, while Lewis formed Filthy Lucre. However, L.A. Guns soon re-formed when both these bands failed. 1995's Vicious Circle, featuring new drummer Michael "Bones" Gershima, continued the vampiric metaphors of the band's previous album with the track "Crystal Eyes", a song also included on Hollywood Vampires. Greeted as a strong return, it was arguably the best-recorded work to date by either Guns or Lewis, but following its release the band fell apart again. Lewis, Cripps and Gershima were the first to leave, with Nickels following shortly before the recording of American Hardcore. Guns and the returning Riley were joined on this album by Johnny Crypt (bass) and "Roxy' Chris Van Dahl (vocals). The latter was replaced on the 1998 Wasted EP by Ralph Saenz. Nickels returned to the line-up for 1999"s Shrinking Violet, which also featured new singer Jizzy Pearl. The classic L.A. Guns line-up of Guns, Lewis, Cripps, Nickels and Riley reunited on 1999's Greatest Hits And Black Beauties, which featured new songs and re-recorded versions of some of their old material. The following year they re-recorded Cocked & Loaded in its entirety before Nickels announced his departure. He was replaced by Muddy on the band's first proper studio album of the new millennium, Man In The Moon. 2002's Waking The Dead was recorded by Guns, Lewis, Riley and new bass player Adam Hamilton, but the band's ongoing personnel problems reached a new low the same year when they parted company with Tracii Guns. Stacey Blaces was recruited to help record the covers album Rips The Covers Off (2004) and the all-new Tales From The Strip (2005).
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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