L.A. Guns
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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| Name = L.A. Guns
| Img = Paul Black L.A. Guns 2008.jpg
| Img_capt = Paul Black 2008.
| Img_size = 250
| Landscape = Yes
| Background = group_or_band
| Birth_name =
| Alias =
| Born =
| Died =
| Origin = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], [[USA]]
| Instrument =
| Genre = [[Hard rock]], [[glam metal]]
| Occupation =
| Years_active = 1983-present
| Label =
| Associated_acts =
| URL
| Current_members =Original [[Paul Black]], [[Mick Cripps]], [[Tracii Guns]], [[Robert Stoddard]], [[Nickey Alexander]]
current [[Phil Lewis]], [[Stacey Blades]], [[Scott Griffin (bassist)|Scott Griffin]], [[Steve Riley (drummer)| Steve Riley]] </br>'''and'''</br>[[Marty Casey]], [[Tracii Guns]], [[Alec Bauer]], [[Jeremy (Carson) Guns]], [[Chad Stewart]]
| Past_members =
| Notable_instruments =
}}
L.A. Guns is an American rock band. The music of L.A. Guns is frequently associated with the L.A. [[glam metal]] scene which grew up around the [[Sunset Strip]] in the 1980s, in particular the [[sleaze rock]] subgenre, of which [[Guns N' Roses]] (which once featured three of the original L.A. Guns members) was the most prominent exponent, generally preferring an [[anti-social]], [[white trash]] image to elaborate make-up and costumes.
==History==
=== Foundation, merge with Hollywood Rose and reformation (1983-1984)===
In 1983, [[Tracii Guns]] formed the band known as L.A. Guns with singer [[Michael Jagosz]], bassist [[Ole Beich]], and drummer [[Rob Gardner]]. Michael Jagosz was sent to prison for a short time and was replaced by singer Axl Rose. Axl soon quit to form [[Hollywood Rose]] and was replaced by [[Michael Jagosz]] after he had returned from his time in prison. After a while, Tracii Guns, Rob Gardner, and Ole Beich combined L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose, with members [[Axl Rose]] and [[Izzy Stradlin]]. When this happened the new band became known as [[Guns N' Roses]], which explains the name, Guns for L.A. Guns, and Roses for Hollywood Rose. Tracii quickly left the band due to differences with [[Axl Rose]], and was replaced by Slash.
=== Reformation (1985)===
The second lineup of L.A. Guns was formed by [[Mau Maus (band)|Mau Maus]] and The Joneses drummer [[Paul Black|Paul Mars Black]] who switched to lead vocals and guitarist [[Mick Cripps]] (who switched to bass) and teamed up with drummer [[Nickey "Beat" Alexander]] who was jamming with Tracii Guns. This lineup is considered to be the original version . Originally this lineup was going to call itself "Faster Pussycat", a name brought in By Paul Black and Mick Cripps. After much debate, this new group re-adapted the name L.A. Guns in order to utilize the backing and promotional material left over from the former lineup which had been disbanded for over a year. Tracii left L.A. Guns at the end of the year to play with a Penthouse playmate who was signed with Atlantic records. He moved to New York and informed the band he would not be returning right before their record label showcase at the Troubadour in Hollywood. Guns and Roses were called to fill in for the guitar-less L.A Guns and played to a sold out L.A. Guns crowd. Shortly after this show, GNR inked a record deal with Geffen records.
=== Paul Black led L.A. Guns 1985-1987===
After Tracii left the band [[Paul Black]] recruited ex [[Dogs D'Amour]] first singer, [[Robert Stoddard (musician)|Robert Stoddard]] to be the new L.A. Guns guitarist. This lineup quickly picked up where they left off. They demoed and gigged in 1985 and 1986, with Black contributing to most of the material that would be recorded on their debut album. Several record labels were already interested in signing this line-up but the band wanted a fuller sound. At the end of 1986 after his stint with the playmate fell apart Tracii was brought back in to make L.A. Guns a 5 piece band for the first time. A record deal with Polygram records was secured after paul introduce a song called Love and Hate. The label wanted this to be the first single. However, the new five piece line up would not survive.
Paul was replaced by [[Phil Lewis]] of the British band, [[Girl (band)|Girl]]. Mick then switched back to guitar replacing Robert and former member of Faster Pussycat, [[Kelly Nickels]], was added on bass. L.A. Guns then recorded their first album, released in 1988 on [[Vertigo Records]], ''L.A. Guns''. The gold award debut album spawned the singles "''One More Reason''" which was penned by Paul Black and "''Sex Action''" also written by Black and originally call Love and Hate. Black also contributed "No Mercy" , "Nothing To Lose", "Bitch is Back", "One Way Ticket", and "Winters Fool" for the first record and "Never enough" the first single for the 2nd record "Cocked and Loaded". Black also made many other contributions to the L.A. Guns repitroire which would Later appear on a record called "Black List" which features Paul Black Singing the original L.A. Guns songs with the original band recorded during his time in the band.
=== Classic lineup (1988-1995) ===
On the first album's supporting tour, Nickey was replaced by former [[W.A.S.P. (band)|W.A.S.P.]] drummer [[Steve Riley (drummer)|Steve Riley]] leaving only 2 original members. This lineup remained until 1992. In 1989, they released their second album ''[[Cocked & Loaded]]''. It contained the smash radio and video hits, "Never Enough" and "''The Ballad of Jayne''" which brought the album to gold sales status (over five hundred thousand sold), and eventual platinum status. This was the commercial peak of their career. The album also contained the hits, "''Never Enough''" and "''Rip & Tear''". The band also released two home videos coinciding with these two albums, "''One More Reason"'' (1989) and "''Love, Peace, & Geese''" (1990) and participated in world-wide touring as headliners and as support for such acts as AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Def Leppard and Ted Nugent.
During 1991, the band released their third album ''[[Hollywood Vampires]]'' on [[Polydor Records]]. The album did re-achieve the gold status of ''Cocked & Loaded'' and their debut album and did spawn a few hits such as "''Kiss My Love Goodbye''" and "''It's Over Now''" Although it still wasn't as well noticed as the first two albums. And in 1993, their first album, L.A. Guns, reached gold status as well. Tracii Guns participated in the [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] [[Contraband (band)|Contraband]] the same year. The L.A. Guns released a five song [[EP]] titled ''[[Cuts]]'' in 1992 and then in 1994 their fourth album ''[[Vicious Circle (L.A. Guns album)|Vicious Circle]]'', drummer [[MC Bones|Michael "Bones" Gershima]] played on parts of these recording as this was around the time Phil Lewis fired drummer Steve Riley in January 1992. Riley later returned to the band for the successful ''Vicious Circle'' club tour. After this, the L.A. Guns were dropped from Polygram (Vertigo/Polydor) Records. Phil Lewis and Mick Cripps then left the band.
===Experimentation (1996-1998)===
July 1996 saw Tracii Guns and Steve Riley recruit vocalist [[Chris Van Dahl]] and guitarist [[Johnny Crypt]] after seeing them perform with their band [[Boneyard (band)|Boneyard]]. Six months into recording sessions, Kelly Nickels left the band and Johnny was asked to switch to the bass to avoid having to seek out and deal with yet another member. In 1996, the new L.A. Guns released their sixth record, titled ''[[American Hardcore]]''. This new album built on the heavy music from ''Vicious Circle'' and projected a darker image for the band. They toured throughout 1996 and into 1997 when Tracii let Chris go in hopes of regaining Phil Lewis and the band's former glory. Phil refused, and so Chris was replaced by singer [[Ralph Saenz]]. Tracii, Steve, Johnny, and Ralph toured for the remainder of '97 and in early '98 released the six song EP ''[[Wasted (L.A. Guns EP)|Wasted]]''.
Halfway through the band's 1998 Rock Never Stops tour, Ralph quit to form his own band, leaving Tracii to do another singer change. [[Joe Lesté]] from [[Bang Tango]] and [[Jizzy Pearl]] from [[Love/Hate]] were considered as candidates. Tracii and Steve picked Jizzy and quickly geared up to tour. L.A. Guns toured clubs with Jizzy in late 1998 and early 1999 when they released ''[[Shrinking Violet (album)|Shrinking Violet]]'', produced by former Guns N' Roses guitarist [[Gilby Clarke]]. This release was followed shortly by Johnny Crypt's departure.
Johnny Crypt a.k.a. '''Johnny Crystal''': See [[Ripper]]
===Reunion (1999-2003)===
Tracii and Steve had been talking with their former bandmates, Phil, Mick, and Kelly about a reunion album and tour. When Johnny found out about the reunion he left on February 6, 1999. The reunion album ''[[Greatest Hits and Black Beauties]]'' was released on [[Deadline Records]] around the same time as ''Shrinking Violet''.
As of September 1, 1999, Jizzy and Chuck were fired from the band as the classic lineup of Tracii Guns, Steve Riley, Phil Lewis, Kelly Nickels, and Mick Cripps prepared for the full blown reunion. L.A. Guns set out on the reunion tour in October of 1999 and recorded a live album in their hometown of Hollywood, enlisting Gilby Clarke as producer, the album called ''[[Live: A Night on the Strip]]'' was released the following year.
After the reunion, Mick and Kelly couldn't commit to the summer 2000 tour, so they were replaced by guitarist [[Brent Muscat]] and bassist [[Muddy (bassist)|Muddy]], respectively. [[Ratt]] and L.A. Guns teamed up with [[Warrant (American band)|Warrant]] for a remainder-of-the-summer tour, which L.A. Guns dropped off in August due to booking problems.
In August 2000, L.A. Guns re-recorded and re-released ''Cocked & Loaded'' retitled ''[[Cocked & Re-Loaded]]'' on Deadline Records. Mick Cripps again rejoined the band briefly in late 2000 to record an album with the band, entitled ''[[Man in the Moon (album)|Man In The Moon]]'', which was released on Spitfire Records in April of 2001. Mick played keyboards on the album, but did not tour to support it. Muddy later left the band after a short promo tour for ''Man In The Moon''. He was replaced by [[Adam Hamilton]] for the winter of 2002 ''Man In The Moon'' club tour.
In 2002, [[Andy Johns]] was hired to produce the next release, ''[[Waking the Dead]]''. This album features [[Adam Hamilton]] as the new bass player. Hailed by fans as one of the strongest and heaviest material [[LA Guns]] has ever recorded, the album features "''OK, Let's Roll''" - dedicated to [[Todd Beamer]] and the people who rushed the cockpit of Flight 93 during the events of [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].
=== L.A. Guns without Tracii Guns (2002-present) ===
During September 2002, founding guitarist Tracii Guns became very interested in a new project, entitled [[Brides of Destruction]], with Mötley Crüe bassist [[Nikki Sixx]]. Guns saw the project as an opportunity to recapture the mainstream credibility he had held in the late '80s and therefore became lead guitarist for the outfit. In 2004, Brides of Destruction embarked on a World Tour, and the future of L.A. Guns was in doubt until both Steve Riley and Phil Lewis told the "''Hairball John Radio Show''" that the band would continue despite Guns' involvement in Brides of Destruction.
With a new guitarist named [[Stacey Blades]], L.A. Guns released the covers album ''[[Rips the Covers Off]]''. They had gone through several guitarists since Tracii Guns departed in October 2002. The band released the album ''[[Tales from the Strip]]'' in August 2005, which was met with critical acclaim from both sides of the Atlantic, hailed as the best L.A. Guns album in years. It is the only L.A. Guns album not to feature Tracii Guns (with the exception of the Japan-only live album).
==== A second L.A. Guns forms (2005) ====
In 2005 a remastered set of demos, which were recorded around the time L.A. Guns wrote their first album (before Phil Lewis joined) was released, featuring Paul Black on vocals. The album was called "Black List" and received great reviews. It also showed Paul Black to be responsible for much of L.A. Guns success showing him as a main contributer of the music on the first 2 records. This was supprising to many L.A. Guns fans since Black was denied his credits on the on the first two record and this information was never made public Until the "Black List" release. Soon after this, as the [[Brides of Destruction]]'s second album did not maintain the success of the first, [[Tracii Guns]] put together a "solo" band and focused his attention on that.
The line-up for the Tracii Guns Band – featuring former L.A. Guns members [[Paul Black]], [[Nickey "Beat" Alexander]] and [[Tracii Guns]], as well as [[Jeremy Carson]]. The band is now also going under the L.A. Guns name because of its three founding members Paul Black, Tracii Guns and Nickey Alexander.
In an odd twist on [[October 10]] [[2006]], Phil Lewis joined Paul Black and Tracii Guns onstage at "''Cathouse 20th Anniversary''" (a [[Hollywood]] club, ran by [[Riki Rachtman]] and [[Taime Downe]]), the two frontmen [[duet]]ed a version of the band's song "Rip and Tear".<ref>[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/TheFeed/post/653451/LA_Gunners_Unite_At_Cathouse.html L.A. Gunners Unite at Cathouse]</ref>
==== Recent events ====
On [[August 29]] [[2006]], Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns released "''[[Loud and Dangerous: Live From Hollywood]]''", a live compilation featuring the bands current line up, including a [[DVD]] of some recent live tracks as part of the package.
On January 2, 2007, the Phil Lewis version of L.A. Guns released a cover of the song "[[Crazy Bitch]]" - originally by fellow L.A. [[sleaze rock]]ers [[Buckcherry]]. As of March 2007, bassist [[Adam Hamilton (musician)| Adam Hamilton ]] has been replaced by [[Scott Griffin (bassist)|Scott Griffin]].
In December 2007, the Tracii Guns band's dressing room was robbed during a show at McGuffy's in Dayton, OH. Items taken included wallets, "a Blackberry and a bottle of [[Jack Daniels]] whiskey." [http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/botb/entries/2007/12/08/la_guns_robbed.html]
On March 4, 2008, Paul Black's version of LA Guns was announced as one of the acts on the second [[Rocklahoma]] festival.
In May Paul Black once again parts ways with L.A. Guns. He is replaced by Marty Casey.
==Members==
{{Main|L.A. Guns Band Members}}
===Current line-up I===
*[[Phil Lewis]] - vocals
*[[Stacey Blades]] - guitar
*[[Scott Griffin (bassist)|Scott Griffin]] - bass
*[[Steve Riley (drummer)|Steve Riley]] - drums
===Current line-up II===
*[[Marty Casey]] - vocals
*[[Tracii Guns]] - guitar
*[[Alec Bauer]] - guitar
*[[Jeremy Guns]] - bass
*[[Chad Stewart]] - drums
==Discography==
===Studio Albums===
*''[[Collector's Edition No. 1| No.1 Collector's Edition]]'' (1984)
*''[[L.A. Guns (album)|L.A. Guns]]'' (1988) - Platinum certified (1,000,000 copies sold)
*''[[Cocked & Loaded]]'' (1989) - Platinum certified (1,000,000 copies sold)
*''[[Hollywood Vampires]]'' (1991) - Gold Certified (750,000 copies sold)
*''[[Cuts (EP)| Cuts]]'' (1992)
*''[[Vicious Circle (L.A. Guns album)|Vicious Circle]]'' (1995)
*''[[American Hardcore]]'' (1996)
*''[[Wasted (L.A. Guns EP)|Wasted]] '' (1998)
*''[[Shrinking Violet (album)|Shrinking Violet]]'' (1999)
*''[[Cocked & Re-Loaded]]'' (2000) Rerecording of ''Cocked & Loaded''
*''[[Man in the Moon (album)|Man in the Moon]]'' (2001)
*''[[Waking the Dead (album)|Waking the Dead]]'' (2002)
*''[[Rips the Covers Off]]'' - <small>Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns</small> - (2004)
*''[[Tales from the Strip]]'' - <small>Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns</small> - (2005)
===Live Albums===
*''[[Live! Vampires]]'' (1992) - [[Japan]] only
*''[[Live: A Night on the Strip]]'' (2000)
*''Live Ammo (2004)
*''[[Loud and Dangerous: Live from Hollywood]]'' - <small>Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns</small> - (2006)
*''[[Hellraiser's Ball Caught In The Act (CD Version)]]'' (2008)
===Compilation===
*''[[Best Of: Hollywood A Go-Go]]'' (1994) - Japan only
*''[[Hollywood Rehearsal]]'' (1997)
*''[[Greatest Hits and Black Beauties]]'' (1999)
*''[[Black City Breakdown (1985-1986)]]'' (2000)
*''[[Ultimate LA Guns]]'' (2002)
*''[[Fully Loaded]]'' (2003)
*''[[Hollywood Raw]]'' (2004)-Old Demos and No.1 Collectors Edition CD Re-Issue
*''[[Black List]]'' (2005)
*''[[20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best Of L.A. Guns]]'' (2005)
===Other===
*''[[Holiday Foreplay]]'' (1991) Promo only
*''"I Do"'' (2007) Single - <small>Tracii Guns' L.A. Guns</small> -
===Music Videos===
*One Way Ticket - 1988
*One More Reason - 1988
*Sex Action - 1988
*Electric Gypsy - 1988
*Bitch is Back - 1988
*Cry No More - 1988
*Never Enough - 1989
*The Ballad of Jayne - 1989
*I Wanna Be Your Man - 1989
*Rip and Tear - 1989
*Malaria - 1989
*Some Lie 4 Love - 1991
*Kiss my Love Goodbye - 1991
*Over The Edge - 1991
*Long Time Dead - 1994
*Tie Your Mother Down - 2005
==Videography==
===VHS Home Videos===
*''[[One More Reason]]'' (1989)
*''[[Love,Peace & Geese]]'' (1991)
===DVDs===
*''[[Hellraisers Ball]]'' (2005)
*''[[The Hollywood Years-Live and Loaded]]'' (2007)
*''[[Loud and Dangerous-Live From Hollywood]]'' (2007)
==Closely related bands==
*[[Axl Rose]], [[Tracii Guns]], [[Izzy Stradlin]], [[Ole Beich]], and [[Rob Gardner]] were the original lineup of [[Guns N' Roses]]. All of them except Izzy Stradlin were also in L.A. Guns.
*[[Tracii Guns]], [[Paul Black]], [[Mick Cripps]], [[Brent Muscat]], [[Kelly Nickels]], and [[Chad Stewart]] have all at one time or another played with both [[Faster Pussycat]] and L.A. Guns.
*During the 1990s, [[Mick Cripps]] formed an [[Experimental rock|experimental]]/[[gothic rock]] band [[Burning Retina]]. Drummer [[Nickey "Beat" Alexander]] and bassist [[Kelly Nickels]] have also both played in this band.
*[[Robert Stoddard (singer and guitarist)|Robert Stoddard]] was the original vocalist for the [[Dogs D'Amour]], L.A. Guns vocalist [[Paul Black]] has also recorded an album with Dogs D'Amour guitarist Jo Almeida.
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{CommonsCat|L.A. Guns}}
*[http://www.laguns.net Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns official site]
*[http://www.lagunslive.com/ Tracii Guns' L.A. Guns official site]
*{{MySpace-music|lagunsofficial|Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns}}
*{{MySpace-music|losangelesguns|Tracii Guns' L.A. Guns}}
*{{dmoz|Arts/Music/Bands_and_Artists/L/L.A._Guns/}}
*[http://longtimedead.org/laguns/ RIOT ON SUNSET] - L.A. Guns Fansite
*[http://www.fabryka.darknation.pl/php-files_en/readarticle.php?article_id=21 Fabryka Industrial Rock webzine] Interview with Burning Retna: (2006, Mick Cripps in the line-up)
*[http://www.MartyCasey.org - Marty Casey's official site]
*[http://www.geocities.com/metal_order/LA_GUNS.html Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns Live In Concert - Austin, TX February 14, 2008]
[[Category:1980s music groups]]
[[Category:Glam metal musical groups]]
[[Category:Guns N' Roses]]
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[[Category:Los Angeles musical groups]]
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