Interview с L.A. Guns : DARKSIDE.ru

Your new CD “Tales From The Strip” has been released a couple of days ago, and it is LA Guns’ first album in many years that was recorded with the same line-up as before. Do you feel that the band has finally regained stability, and the current line-up will be a long-lasting one?

We feel the line-up on this new CD will be together for a long time. We have done two CDs together and really like the chemistry we have in the studio and on tour.

Could you tell me a bit about the recording process? How did it go as compared to the previous studio session?

This CD was something that we really put a lot of work into. We start all of our pre-productions for our CD by coming into a studio and play around with any and all ideas that the band members might have. We arrange our music and hand it to Phil (the vocalist) and let him put the melody and lyrics to it.

Who produced the new record and how much important is for you the ‘correct’ choice of a producer? What L.A. Guns’ albums do you consider the best production-wise?

Andy Johns produced this CD and also produced our last CD (“Rip The Covers Off” (2004)). He is one of the masters of production having worked with Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix etc. As far as what CDs do I think were the best produced, I would have to say the two that Andy Johns did.

The press release for the new album says its “lyrical focus is inspired by a historically significant rock scene that L.A. Guns had a strong hand in creating”. Does this mean that the new songs are autobiographical, that they are telling the true stories that happened to the band members?

The new album has a common thread that runs through the lyrics that talk about the 80's scene in L.A. at the time.

In your opinion, is it possible to recreate the spirit of Sunset Strip nowadays or in the future? Or will this place forever remain a part of t

he 1980s?

I don't think that type of domination will take place again. You have to remember that from 1982 to 1992, the L.A. music scene became the most dominant music scene that we have ever seen or probably will ever see.

In Europe you are now on the same record label as the new band of your former guitarist Tracii Guns. Do you maintain any communication with Tracii? Did you feel that Tracii’s departure harmed the band in any way?

Tracii is so busy with his new project (Brides of Destruction) and the same with us. His leaving the band was something we all had to deal with and I think we all came out pretty good.

Is there a chance for Tracii to return to LA Guns (after all, a lot of musicians left the band and then came back, yourself including) or Brides of Destruction is now the sole band for him?

We believe he is happy in his new project and don't see him coming back.

Lately you are back from the tour with WASP and Stephen Pearcy. How does it feel for you to play with Blackie Lawless on the same stage again? How successfully is the tour going?

The tour with WASP went great. We did roughly 50 to 55 shows this summer and it was a blast. As far as touring with Blackie, all went well and we got along great.

Have you ever felt sorry for leaving WASP? What were the reasons your ways had parted then?

The original line-up for WASP was coming apart anyway. I was lucky to join L.A. Guns right after WASP.

Doing “Rip The Covers Off” was quite an interesting idea, who offered that?

We always wanted to do a covers album and the timing was right for us with the addition of Stacey Blades (the guitar player).

Was it difficult to choose songs for making “Rip The Covers Off”? Why did you pick up those particular songs of those bands? Are there any songs l

eft that were not released?

Phil wanted us to pick some songs that were hits in the U.S. and hits from Europe that weren’t hits over here. There are no songs left that were not put on the CD.

Let’s come through the cover versions you’ve recorded. Which of them do you think the best from the point of originality of performing?

We really think the covers of "Rock And Roll Outlaw" (Rose Tattoo) and "Marseilles" (Angel City) come very close to the kind of songs we write.

The last two tracks from “Rips The Covers Off” are live versions done by an earlier line-up. When and where were they recorded, and why did you decide to add them to this release?

These two songs that were put on the covers album were recorded in England and the record company needed two more songs and we gave them these (“Revolution” and “Don’t Look At Me That Way”).

Do you play any songs from “Rips The Covers Off” live nowadays? In general, what factors do you take into account when putting together the set list? With so many albums under your belts it must be quite tough to make the decision, is that correct?

We are not at the moment doing anything off of the covers album. We were doing three or four cuts from it last year when it first came out. Now we are trying to play as much of the new stuff off of "Tales From The Strip" as we can.

Can you tell me something about the live album “Live AMMO”? It is not included in the Discography section on your website, and I only know that it was recorded in 1999. When and where it was released?

I believe you are talking about the CD that is titled "Live On The Strip" here in U.S. It has a different title in some territories. It was recorded in 1999 with the original line-up at the “Key Club” in Hollywood.

Yet another question about obscure releases that you did. Are the albums “First B

lood” and “Blackcity Breakdown” with early L.A. Guns demo songs official releases or bootlegs? Are they authorized by the band in any way?

Those two releases are some compilations of the band's demos at a very early stage, well before the band recorded the first album. We don't have anything to do with those releases.

L.A. Guns were never a band that showed stability of the line-up and record labels. It’s quite a characteristic feature for many bands in the 1980s and the early 1990s when glam/sleaze rock was not in its best times. Do you agree with that and what do you consider a reason for that?

I think a lot of the bands that did well in the 1980s worked very hard. As with most bands, L.A. Guns started to grow apart and certain members really wanted to try some recording on their own. The 1990s were not the best of times with bands from the 1980s. That seems to be changing.

Do you feel a kind of nostalgia when thinking of the 1980s? What was the best thing back then speaking about the whole situation in rock realm?

I was lucky to be apart of the scene back then. I was involved in the first wave of metal out of L.A. with being a member of WASP. I was fortunate to be able to go right from that to being involved with the second wave of metal coming out of L.A. with the Guns. The best part of that scene was seeing how much we ruled on the radio, television, and concerts. Like I said, there will never be such a dominant scene in music like there was in L.A. in the 1980s.

Whom do you consider the “pioneers of Hollywood rock”?

The first wave of bands that came out in the early 1980s, WASP, Motley Crew, Ratt, Dokken etc. were the ones who set the tone for what was coming with L.A. Guns, Guns N’Roses, Faster Pussycat etc.

Steve, you have played on two studio albums of WASP - “The Last Command” and “Inside the Electric Circus”. How did you hook up w

ith them and what memories do you have from those times?

I actually played on three WASP albums. I did "The Last Command" (1985), "Inside the Electric Circus" (1986), and "Live… In The Raw" (1987). WASP found me while I was recording the Keel CD "The Right to Rock" (1985) and asked me to join right before the first world tour.

What was alike and absolutely different in working with WASP and L.A. Guns?

Wasp was much more into theatrics and the presentation of the show. L.A. Guns are more stripped down.

This one may seem a bit trivial, but still: How much is image important for L.A. Guns nowadays? Do you think the importance of the image has changed since the 1980s?

I think most bands are dressed down nowadays. We have always had a dark image that was something the band just had and we did not get too fluffy or too glam.

What has been the biggest audience you played for? When was it?

We did a show with Def Leppard in 1990 in Seattle that was around 35,000 people.

What do you especially like about touring? Do you usually communicate with fans after shows?

Touring is in our blood and something we will be doing until we die. We have meet and greets with our fans after every show.

Do you have a lot of moments from touring that still make you laugh? Could you share some of them with us?

Touring is always filled with many laughs. I have too many stories to be able to pick just one or two out. It has been a great ride so far.

What can you say about “Phil/Steve/Adam/Stacey behind the stage”? How much are you different from what the fans see on stage?

We are the same guys on and off the stage. We really don't put on a game face before we play. We just want it to be as natural as it can be.

Would you like to add something to what have been said before? Any words for your fans?

We want to tell all of the fans we have in Russia and the surrounding countries that we will be over there at some point and we are looking forward to meeting them and will put on a great show for you. Hope to see you soon.

Special thanks to Marcel Donker (Mascot-Provogue Records) for arranging this interview

Anna Babicheva, Roman Patrashov
September 23, 2005
3 окт 2005 the End

L.A. Guns

Hollywood's Burning