L.A. Guns

History

Birth on the Sunset Strip and Evolution into Guns N’ Roses (1983-1987)

In 1983, guitarist Tracii Guns formed L.A. Guns on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip. The initial lineup consisted of vocalist Mike Jagosz, bassist Ole Beich, and drummer Rob Gardner. The band released their first EP, “Collector’s Edition No. 1,” through Raz Records in 1985.

In the fall of 1984, while Mike Jagosz was temporarily away from the band, Axl Rose of Hollywood Rose joined as vocalist for several shows.

In March 1985, Tracii Guns and Axl Rose decided to merge their two bands, creating Guns N’ Roses. The initial lineup featured Axl Rose (vocals), Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar), Ole Beich (bass), and Rob Gardner (drums). However, bassist Ole Beich was soon fired and replaced by Duff McKagan.

Duff McKagan organized a West Coast tour from Sacramento to Seattle to test the members’ commitment to the band—the infamous “Hell Tour.” By then, Tracii Guns had already been replaced by Slash after missing rehearsals, and Rob Gardner soon followed him out, replaced by Steven Adler. This five-piece lineup weathered the Hell Tour together and became known as the classic Guns N’ Roses lineup.

After leaving Guns N’ Roses, Tracii Guns rebuilt L.A. Guns in 1985. He recruited vocalist Paul Black as the new frontman, with guitarist Robert Stoddard, bassist Mick Cripps, and drummer Nickey Alexander joining the lineup. During this period, the band wrote songs like “Sex Action” and “One More Reason,” which would later be included on their debut album and become fan favorites.

Just before signing with Vertigo Records under PolyGram, Paul Black was fired from the band. He was replaced by Phil Lewis, a British vocalist who had previously played with glam rock bands Girl and Torme. Additionally, bassist Kelly Nickels from Faster Pussycat joined the group, while Mick Cripps switched to rhythm guitar.

Golden Era and Commercial Success (1988-1991)

The debut album was recorded from June to August 1987 at The Village Recorder studio in Los Angeles, produced by Jim Faraci. Released on January 4, 1988, the self-titled L.A. Guns peaked at number 50 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album achieved RIAA Gold certification in 1993. Key singles included “Sex Action,” “One More Reason,” and “Electric Gypsy.”

Nickey Alexander had already been replaced by drummer Steve Riley from W.A.S.P. prior to the album’s release, completing L.A. Guns’ classic lineup. Throughout 1988, the band expanded their fanbase by opening for major acts including AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and Def Leppard.

Released in the summer of 1989, the second album Cocked & Loaded built on the commercial success of its predecessor. Produced by Duane Baron, John Purdell, and Tom Werman, the album peaked at number 38 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The power ballad “The Ballad of Jayne” reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 25 on the Mainstream Rock chart, marking the band’s highest-charting single. “Rip and Tear” also reached the Mainstream Rock chart, while “Never Enough” became a fan favorite from the album’s five singles.

The third album Hollywood Vampires, released in the summer of 1991, reached number 42 on the Billboard 200. The single “Kiss My Love Goodbye” peaked at number 16 on the Mainstream Rock chart, while “It’s Over Now” reached number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 25 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The first two albums were released through Vertigo Records, with Hollywood Vampires following on PolyGram/Polydor, and all three are considered representative works of L.A. Guns’ golden era.

Grunge Era and Identity Crisis (1992-2001)

In 1992, drummer Steve Riley was fired from the band following an assault incident involving Phil Lewis. The fourth album Vicious Circle, released in 1994, failed to chart. In 1995, Steve Riley returned to the band while Phil Lewis and Mick Cripps departed; Kelly Nickels left later that same year.

The 1996 album American Hardcore was recorded with new vocalist Chris Van Dahl and guitarist Johnny Crypt, who subsequently moved to bass following Nickels’ departure, adopting a groove-metal-influenced sound. The 1999 album Shrinking Violet featured vocalist Jizzy Pearl and was produced by Gilby Clarke. That same fall, Phil Lewis, Mick Cripps, and Kelly Nickels rejoined the group.

Man in the Moon (2001) was followed by Waking the Dead (2002), produced by Andy Johns. The latter album marked Tracii Guns’ final appearance with Phil Lewis until the 2016 reunion and featured tracks including “Don’t Look at Me That Way” and “Hellraisers Ball.”

The Era of Two L.A. Guns (2002-2016)

In 2002, Tracii Guns left the band to form Brides of Destruction with Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx. Phil Lewis and Steve Riley continued leading L.A. Guns, releasing the album Tales from the Strip in 2005.

In 2006, after putting Brides of Destruction on hiatus, Tracii Guns formed the Tracii Guns Band with Paul Black, Nickey Alexander, and Jeremy Guns. Later that year, the group adopted the L.A. Guns name, creating two competing lineups performing under the same name. Phil Lewis’ version released the album Hollywood Forever in 2012, while Tracii Guns ceased his L.A. Guns activities that same year to focus on the League of Gentlemen project.

Historic Reunion and Renaissance (2016-2025)

In 2016, Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis launched a series of reunion shows, beginning with dates in South America in July and including the Hair Nation Rock Fest in Irvine, California, that September. They signed with Frontiers Music Srl and began work on new material.

On October 13, 2017, their first post-reunion album The Missing Peace was released. Produced by Tracii Guns, the album reached number 16 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart. The title track “The Missing Peace” opened with acoustic and string instrumentation that a 2018 Blabbermouth review called mature and fitting, while “Speed” served as one of the album’s singles.

Released on March 29, 2019, The Devil You Know featured a heavier and darker sound. Checkered Past, released in November 2021, was recorded remotely during the pandemic and included tracks such as “Cannonball” and “Knock Me Down.”

Released on April 14, 2023, Black Diamonds was produced by Tracii Guns and written and recorded throughout 2022. The album featured the power ballad “Diamonds” and “You Betray,” strongly reflecting classic rock influences.

On April 4, 2025, the band’s fifth post-reunion studio album, Leopard Skin, was released through Cleopatra Records. The first single “Taste It” was a bluesy hard rock track that drew comparisons to Bon Scott-era AC/DC. The album featured Tracii Guns (guitar), Phil Lewis (vocals), Johnny Martin (bass), Ace Von Johnson (guitar), and Adam Hamilton (studio drums).

Legal Battle and Final Resolution (2020-2025)

Even after the 2016 reunion, a trademark dispute with Steve Riley remained unresolved. Riley relaunched his own version of L.A. Guns in 2019 with Kelly Nickels, Scott Griffin, and Kurt Frohlich, reigniting the dispute over the band name.

In January 2020, Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis filed a lawsuit against Steve Riley in California District Court for trademark infringement and unfair competition. The plaintiffs argued that Tracii Guns held common law trademark rights to the name, having founded the band in 1983 four years before Riley joined, and that Riley’s unauthorized use was causing consumer confusion. The complaint also alleged that Riley had embezzled publishing proceeds owed to Guns and other performers and songwriters.

While the legal dispute proceeded, Steve Riley’s side signed with Golden Robot Records and released the album Renegades in 2020. On April 23, 2021, both parties reached a legal settlement. Under the agreement, Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis continued operating under the L.A. Guns trademark, which the parties agreed was the exclusive property of Tracii Guns, while Steve Riley and Kelly Nickels agreed to use the new name Riley’s L.A. Guns.

On October 24, 2023, Steve Riley passed away at age 67 from severe pneumonia complications. His posthumous album The Dark Horse was released on January 22, 2024. Riley’s L.A. Guns announced their official disbandment on February 28, 2025.

Tour Activities and Enduring Legacy (2025)

The Lucky MF’r Tour schedule began with the Monsters of Rock Cruise in March 2025, followed by the main U.S. leg starting on April 22, traversing the country in support of Leopard Skin. During the summer and fall, they toured the United States alongside Tom Keifer.

Formed in 1983, L.A. Guns established themselves as representatives of the 1980s hard rock scene through their initial trilogy: L.A. Guns (1988), Cocked & Loaded (1989), and Hollywood Vampires (1991). Following the 2016 reunion of Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis, the band released five studio albums between 2017 and 2025, concluding with Leopard Skin in April 2025.