L.A. Guns

Screw Guns N Roses. L.A. Guns were one of the best L.A. scene bands. Call 'em sleaze, call 'em hair, whatever. I think their first 2 albums are genius. Any of their other releases worth a crap?

I like Hollywood Vampires and Vicious Circle in addition to the first two.

I'd stay far away from American Hardcore though. I don't know what the hell happened on that one but it's almost thrash.

'Hollywood Vampires' isn't too bad, but they went for a more radio friendly sound and like 2nd Toho in recommending that you stay away from 'American Hardcore' , the cover alone is grinch worthy.

I was a big fan of their first two albums especially the debut. The Hollywood Vampires album had a few good songs but was way overproduced and poppy. Later on Tracii Guns tried to get heavier from being influenced by Pantera but the results were crap.

What I have heard of the Hollywood Raw:The Original Sessions album is pretty cool. I love to hear bands in demo state. But the Guns don't sound that different from their debut on their demos.

I love everything they did with Phil Lewis on vocs. I never heard the stuff during that brief period when he was out and Tracii was running the show, but from most accounts, I understand it's pretty bad.

I'd agree that the 1st 2 are classics, Hollywood Vampires was a little more radio friendly, but still good and Vicious Circle is an underrated classic that got lost in the mid-90's grunge movement. I even like their latter releases, Waking the Dead and Man in the Moon. Both of these were nice "come-back/return to form" albums. The last release I bought from them was Rip the Covers Off, which as you might have guessed is an all covers album. Tracii is gone, but the new guy they got to replace him plays in the same style. They put out a new album a year or 2 ago, but I haven't heard it.

Love, love, LOVE those first two L.A. Guns albums... they practically define the sleaze/metal genre for me. I saw them open for AC/DC when they were pimping the debut album (on AC/DC's BLOW UP YOUR VIDEO tour)... didn't know anything about L.A. Guns (other than the fact that Steven Riley from W.A.S.P. was in the band) when I went to that show, but I went out and bought their cassette the next day!

I had a couple of the later era releases w/Phil Lewis on vox (WAKING THE DEAD and MAN IN THE MOON) for a while, and they were OK but not keepers, I eventually traded them off.

I saw alot of versions of this band before they got signed. Some dude, Axl Rose, and Paul Black on vocals... all before Phil Lewis came around. I still play the first 3 alot. Traci let heroin drive the train for way too long and it took away from the "spark" he had in playing (IMHO)

I really like the first two but kinda lost interest after that.The debut is one of my favorites.

I'm a bit ambivilent towards L.A. Guns. I like some songs on the first two albums but overall never care for the whole things. I think they were kind of a wasted opportunity, the musical vision of the Paul Black/Robert Stoddard version of the band intrigued me more and i would have loved for that to come into fruition, that kinda heavy Lords Of The New Church meets Rolling Stones vision that Black had for the band. It's interesting listening to those pre debut era demos of the Paul Black version of the band, even better to hear them doing a cover of a great Dogs D'Amour song "Wired And Wide Awake".

Anyway i was dragged to see them live last year by a pretty girl who is a big fan of the band, so i had no choice. They were not bad. It was the Phil Lewis version btw.

I reckon everyone should check out an english band that kicked around the late 80's/early 90's that executed what i think was Paul Black's initial intention of L.A. Guns......

http://www.myspace.com/gunfiredance

Get the first three and the latest three....


Gunfire Dance is cool. I have some of their stuff.

Arttie

manny wrote:

...like 2nd Toho in recommending that you stay away from 'American Hardcore' , the cover alone is grinch worthy.

Someone sent me a copy of this to review. WOW! Talk about Shark Sandwich!

Never heard that one myself, but I've also never heard anyone have anything good to say about American Hardcore either, so I've stayed far, far away.

It's been awhile since I've heard anything new from these guys. Was their last record any good? Tales from the Strip or something, right?

yeah...TALES is pretty decent....imo.

I have (and like) MOST of their stuff. Like many here, I feel the first two are their best, but Tales From The Strip (their most recent) is PRETTY DARN GOOD!

Absolutely LOVE their first two albums. Based on the strength of those alone - they are one of my favorite glam metal bands.

However, "American Hardcore" is horrible. Absolute garbage.

Shrinking Violet is getting a reissue soon with some bonus tracks, I believe. Tracii is involved with this.

Yet another L.A. Guns cover album is coming out soon as well (from the Phil Lewis version).

I don't mind American Hardcore but must say it does not sound like an L.A. Guns album. They went with a totally different sound on that one.Kevorkian is a cool (but a bit repetitive) tune.

I only have their first disc, which is a solid slab of hard rock. Phil Lewis' pre-L.A. Guns band Girl were pretty good too.

Funny thing happened with me liking these guys, I was in a music store in Hollywood, FLA back when their first album was in the new release section. I seen it their thinking it might be another Guns N' Roses album, so I picked it up, looked at it, seen it was another group, but for some reason I couldn't put it back, it just looked like it would be a cool album, so I bought it, and have been a fan every since. True Story, I never heard of L.A.Guns up 'til that point.

I was a big fan of LA Guns, but lost trace of them. Are they still around?

Gilbert wrote:

I was a big fan of LA Guns, but lost trace of them. Are they still around?

Yes. They never went away. There's two competing groups using the name though: the Phil Lewis/Steve Riley group (which I personally consider the "real" L.A. Guns) and then Tracii/Jizzy Pearl group.

Tracii's version had the original singer, Paul Black, for a while. Supposedly, they're working on a new album while the Phil Lewis group has a covers album coming out soon.

I wish the Lewis group would give us some new material. The last two albums have been good. I just wish the rights to the name could finally be settled but I look forward to material from both groups.

Metal Misfit wrote:

Shrinking Violet is getting a reissue soon with some bonus tracks, I believe. Tracii is involved with this.

Yet another L.A. Guns cover album is coming out soon as well (from the Phil Lewis version).

That's gonna be the 3rd one right? There was an ep of covers, then Rip the Covers Off album. That's a bit much dontchya think?

It is a bit much. I even double check thinking mayber it was a reissue of Rip the Covers Off and it's not.

Once Covered in Guns is released, two of their last three albums will have been covers.



I actually like most of the songs they chose to cover this time though, so I might actually pick this one up. Due to be released 2/23, if CDUniverse.com is to be believed. I'm pretty sure their cover of "Crazy Bitch" was released on a Buckcherry tribute or something, so I'm wondering if maybe these songs are all from different sessions.

That would be x 2.