It’s a breezy lovesong of separation and reconciliation, much like some of the history of the band.Long running hard rockers L.A. It is a story of survival, musicianship, friendship, and credibility that transcends time for me.Ģ021’s Checkered Past was equally stellar, with Get Along easily being one of my favourites. But the ‘Gunners have had a special place in my heart that is beyond nostalgic. As many of you know, almost all my reviews and listening are in the space of stoner/desert/doom rock. What amazing validation to know that your favourite band from that era could now officially have that distinction forever. The first time I heard Speed, I had the same feeling as when I heard No Mercy. Guns have lapped their contemporaries many times over in terms of putting out new music and stretching themselves within their own enviable coolness. And the idea of a band from that era putting out an album that sounds contemporary and believable is totally unheard of. Most bands of that era have either broken up or stopped putting out new music. Their 2017 album, The Missing Piece, sounds perfectly urgent and needed. Guns kept putting out great albums, with some of their best work just coming in recent years. That is easily some of the best stuff you will ever hear. It hasn’t aged one bit because of Phil Lewis’s vocals and Tracii Gun’s sweet, sad guitar. Guns.ĭo you want to know what the best ballad from that era is?Īnd technically, while it’s a slower song, it is about a serious issue of heroin addiction. The fact that his three favourite guitarists are Jimmy Page, Johnny Thunders, and Randy Rhoads lets you know his domain of influences is not only masterclass in nature but also integral in shaping the unique and lasting sound of L.A. He’s in my top ten because of his talent, style, and attitude. We all have our favourite guitarists for many reasons. Simply put, he had not only the sexiest voice but also one that sounded wise and ready for battle.

There wasn’t a singer close to that perfect combination of screaming banshee and seductive/soothing delivery. They also had the hot, British vocals of Phil Lewis. They had street cred with their sound and look, just oozing more of a cohesive grit and grime of rock and roll badass attitude. Guns were, in my opinion, the best band of that era from the whole Sunset Strip scene. I absolutely loved all things GNR and did so enthusiastically, like millions of others–for the next few years.īut, something that day was implanted in my musical heart, whose true currency would not be fully valued and recognized for more than thirty years. It took less than ten seconds of the first song, No Mercy, to have me nodding my head and having deep resonance with my street/punk sensibilities. Guns album, which came out a month before GNR’s televised mainstream breakthrough. As we continued our conversation, he slipped in a cassette copy of the self-titled L.A. We were talking about all the great music that was happening around that time, including Guns N’ Roses, who, even by this time, were quickly shedding their cult status–especially with their monster MTV performance at The Ritz earlier in the year. I was in a friend’s car in the summer of 1988.

L.a. guns guitarist tracii guns