L.A. Guns

L.A. Guns are an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. Their sound is associated with hard rock, glam rock and glam metal, and they remain active. The group begins with guitarist Tracii Guns and drummer Rob Gardner, and its first recordings feature singer Mike Jagosz, bassist Ole Beich and Gardner. The band later briefly merges with Hollywood Rose in 1985, forming an early version of Guns N’ Roses before Guns leaves and L.A. Guns continues.

Early lineups and classic period

After the split, L.A. Guns reform with Paul Black, Mick Cripps, Robert Stoddard and Nickey Alexander. Black is soon replaced by Phil Lewis on vocals, Kelly Nickels joins on bass, and Alexander is later replaced by Steve Riley. This line-up becomes known as the “classic lineup”. The band signs with PolyGram and releases its debut album, L.A. Guns, in 1988. Cocked & Loaded follows in 1989 and includes “The Ballad of Jayne”, while Hollywood Vampires arrives in 1991; both records achieve Billboard chart success.

Lineup changes and 1990s releases

Steve Riley is fired in 1992 after a European tour. During the mid-1990s the band records Vicious Circle and American Hardcore, which have limited commercial impact. Ralph Saenz and later Jizzy Pearl front the group for the Wasted EP and Shrinking Violet in the late 1990s. The classic lineup reunites later in 1999 and releases Greatest Hits and Black Beauties, while also recording Live: A Night on the Strip.

2000s and split activity

Further changes follow, including brief involvement from Brent Muscat and Muddy, before Mick Cripps returns for Man in the Moon in 2001. The band releases Waking the Dead in 2002. Tracii Guns then leaves to focus on Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx, while L.A. Guns continues under Phil Lewis with changing guitar and bass lineups. Releases from this period include Rips the Covers Off, Tales from the Strip, Loud and Dangerous: Live from Hollywood and Hollywood Forever.

Later years

Tracii Guns forms The Tracii Guns Band in 2006, and that project later uses the L.A. Guns name, creating two versions of the band at the same time until 2012, when the Guns-led group becomes Tracii Guns’ League of Gentlemen. From 2016, Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns perform together in a new version of L.A. Guns. That line-up releases The Missing Peace, The Devil You Know, Checkered Past, Black Diamonds and Leopard Skin. In 2021, the name dispute around the band is resolved, with Guns and Lewis retaining the L.A. Guns name.

Members

Across its history the band includes, among others, Ole Beich, Rob Gardner, Tracii Guns, Michael Jagosz, Axl Rose, Nickey “Beat” Alexander, Paul Black, Robert Stoddard, Mick Cripps, Mattie B, Steve Riley, Phil Lewis, Kelly Nickels, Michael “Bones” Gershima, Chris Van Dahl, Johnny Crypt, Ralph Saenz, Joe Lesté, Jizzy Pearl, Stefan Adika, Chuck Garric, Brent Muscat, Mark “Muddy” Dutton, Adam Hamilton, Chris Holmes, Keff Ratcliffe, Keri Kelli, Charlie Poulson, Stacey Blades, Edan Serge Gillen, Jeremy Guns, Scott Griffin, Chad Stewart, Alec Bauer, Marty Casey, Kenny Kweens, Danny Nordahl, Dilana Smith, Doni Gray, Eric Grossman, Tony West, Scott Foster Harris, Steve Preach, Frankie Wilsey, Michael Grant, Shane Fitzgibbon, Johnny Martin, Jacob Bunton, Johnny Monaco, Ace Von Johnson and Scot Coogan.

Selected current lineup

The current lineup is listed as Tracii Guns on lead guitar, Phil Lewis on lead vocals, Ace Von Johnson on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Johnny Martin on bass and backing vocals, Adam Hamilton on studio drums, and Shawn Duncan on live drums.