L.A. Guns band members
Members of the rock band L.A. Guns. The band's leader and founder Tracii Guns (who the band was named after) left in 2003, and later formed his own incarnation of the band fronted by Paul Black. As a result there are now two bands using the L.A.Guns name at once. Both incarnations have many members from the band's better known eras in them and have a 50% claim to the name.
First Generation L.A.Guns - formation, through to merge with Hollywood Rose (1983-1985)
The core lineup of L.A. Guns, formed in 1983, lasted until 1985. The band briefly merged with Hollywood Rose (led by former Guns vocalist Axl Rose), to form Guns N' Roses. Axl Rose had been in L.A. Guns while their vocalist Michael Jagosz was in prison and had to leave when he got out. When he asked Tracii Guns about the idea of a band merge, he brought Izzy Stradlin with him. Guns left shortly after the merge to reform L.A. Guns and Guns N' Roses has survived until the present at the same time. The other members of L.A. Guns were fired from the band at roughly the same time as Tracii Guns left.
| L.A. Guns (1983–1984) |
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| L.A. Guns (1984) |
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| L.A. Guns (1984–1985) |
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| Guns N' Roses (1985) |
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| Guns N' Roses (1985–1990) |
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| Other Guns N' Roses lineups (1990–present) |
Second Generation L.A. Guns (reformation) (1985-1999)
After leaving Guns N' Roses, Tracii Guns joined Paul Black, Robert Stoddard, Mick Cripps and Nickey Alexander. Initially the project began as a collaboration between Black and Cripps called Faster Pussycat. The name was changed when Guns came in, and the name Faster Pussycat was used by another band shortly afterwards anyway. The name change after the formation of the band is the reason why the lineup contained only Guns from the original band, and sounded so different.
Though the band quickly switched from Paul Black to Phil Lewis for lead vocal duties, Mick Cripps remained with the band until 1994, as did Phil Lewis. The Guns/Lewis/Cripps triplet formed the solid core of the lineup from 1986 onwards. The band's classic Lewis/Guns/Cripps/Nickels/Riley lineup slowly came together from 1986-1988, and operated together from 1988-1992 (before a brief switch in drummer) then again from 1993-1994. By the end of 1995, only Guns and Riley remained from this period.
The one legacy of the band's merge with Guns N' Roses manifested in this period - the band had a rhythm guitar, which they first had as Guns N' Roses in the form of Izzy Stradlin. The band reverted to a four piece in 1995, however.
| 1985–1987 |
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| 1987 |
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| 1987 |
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| 1987–1992 |
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| 1992–1993 |
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| 1994–1995 |
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| 1995 |
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| 1995–1997 |
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| 1997–1998 |
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| 1998 |
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| 1998–1999 |
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| 1999 |
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| 1999 |
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Reunion (1999-2002)
Classic members Phil Lewis, Mick Cripps and Kelly Nickels were tempted back into L.A.Guns in 1999. By 2000, Nickels and Cripps had already left, although Cripps briefly returned at the end of the year. Phil Lewis decided to remain with the band. By the middle of 2002, only three members of the band were from the classic lineup.
| 1999 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2000–2001 |
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| 2001 |
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| 2001–2002 |
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| 2002 |
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Post-Tracii Guns era - the band under Phil Lewis (2002-2006)
Tracii Guns left L.A. Guns in 2002. Steve Riley, who held a 50% legal stake in what was left of the band, was allowed to retain the L.A. Guns name and continue touring under it. This lineup has been led by Phil Lewis ever since.
| 2002 |
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| 2002–2003 |
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| 2003 |
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| 2003–2004 |
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| 2004–2007 |
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Two bands under the L.A. Guns name (2006-present)
In 2006, Tracii Guns decided to form a solo band - The Tracii Guns Band. He soon began billing it as L.A. Guns, and added Nickey "Beat" Alexander and Paul Black from the band's earliest incarnations to the lineup. At the same time, Phil Lewis' L.A. Guns continued.
| Phil Lewis's L.A. Guns | Tracii Guns's L.A. Guns | ||
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| 2004–2007 |
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2006 |
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| 2007–2009 |
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2007–2008 |
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| 2009–2010 |
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2008–2009 |
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| 2011–present |
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2009–2010 |
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| 2010–2011 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2011-present |
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Present Lineups
Both incarnations of the band go under the simple name of "L.A. Guns". No legal problems have resulted in the shared name, despite both claiming to be the "true" L.A. Guns.
Both have a fair claim: Tracii Guns was the founding member/leader and includes former member Jizzy Pearl in his lineup of the band. However, Phil Lewis' incarnation of the band is a continuation of the original, which survived when Guns left. It has more members of the band from their best known era, in the form of Lewis and Riley. Both versions of L.A. Guns are four pieces.
Phil Lewis's L.A. Guns
- Phil Lewis - lead vocals (1987–1995, 1999–present)
- Stacey Blades - lead guitar (2004–present)
- Scott Griffin - bass guitar (2007–2009, 2011–present)
- Steve Riley - drums (1987–1992, 1994–present)
Tracii Guns's L.A. Guns
- Tracii Guns - lead guitar (1983–2002, 2006–present)
- Tony West- lead vocals (2011-present)[1]
- Eric Grossman – bass guitar (2011–present)
- Doni Grey - drums (2011-present)
Timeline
