INTERVIEW: Tracii Guns on the necessity to keep recording music
Photo: L.A. Guns feature, from left, Johnny Martin (bass), Tracii Guns (guitar), Phil Lewis (vocals), Ace Von Johnson (guitar) and Shawn Duncan (drums). Photo courtesy of Joe Schaeffer / Provided by ABC PR with permission.
L.A. Guns, the legendary rock band from the Sunset Strip, have been offering their unique sonic sounds for decades, with Tracii Guns, one of the most respected guitarists in the business, serving as one of the pivotal pillars of the group. They still tour their hit tunes around the United States, but they are also accomplishing that rare feat for bands of their stature: They routinely head into the studio and pump out records. The latest L.A. Guns release is called Leopard Skin, out now from Cleopatra Records.
The new album features such songs as “Taste It,” “The Grinder,” “The Masquerade” and “If You Wanna.” Joining Guns in the lineup for the record are singer Phil Lewis, bassist Johnny Martin, guitarist Ace Von Johnson and studio drummer Adam Hamilton (Shawn Duncan tours with the band). For Guns and Lewis, the last seven years have been perhaps their most productive. They had a falling out, but they reunited in 2017 and have never looked back.
“We cut a lot of toxic people out of our life,” Guns said in a recent phone interview. “That’s always been the problem with Phil and I. It’s always been a hanger-on, a manager, a bandmate who is getting in between us, looking for their own type of game, which is really shitty. It’s destroyed the band a couple times, but once we got rid of all that, it’s been smooth sailing. The family vibe of the band now is incredible. … Not all families are happy, but our family is very happy.”
Guns added: “I think the one thing about it is that nobody in the band is desperate for money. I think a lot of times when you find the toxic people, they are very tuned into themselves and their needs and their home life and their financial situations, where we don’t have anybody like that in the whole unit, whether it’s management, agent, accountants, merch people, tour managers. They’re all adults, and they’re all responsible for themselves. The band supplies everything for everybody hopefully.”
The L.A. Guns are touring the country right now, with plenty of headlining dates on the calendar. This Wednesday, April 30, they stop at the Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, right outside Philadelphia. Audience members should expect 80 minutes of the classics, like “The Ballad of Jayne,” “Over the Edge” and “Electric Gypsy,” plus some of the new music off Leopard Skin. For Guns, playing live is an awesome experience that he still relishes, but he’ll never give up recording, which is the musical language he speaks best.
“Being a musician for me is creating music, so I’d be doing this if nobody wanted it,” Guns said. “It’s just what I do. I really respect the bands that don’t. If they’re not feeling it, they shouldn’t do it. I think that in a lot of people’s lives as they get older — and when I say older, I mean old — people lose the need for the hobby part, and the hobby part is definitely writing and recording and creating. And that’s a real thing, but not everybody has it. A lot of people have success just based on great songs from a long time ago, and they’re very happy in that space. But creating music is my hobby, so it’s something that’s just going to get done no matter what. Having record deals and making money off those records is a bonus. That’s like, God damn we are lucky, especially these days. I’m really grateful that we’re able to do it in a smooth way where it gets out to the public, especially our fans. Our fans are what keep us alive.”
Before preparing for this interview and other talks with journalists, Guns actually listened to the new album to refresh his memory. He clearly loves what he and the guys created on Leopard Skin, and he particularly enjoys the album closer, “If You Wanna.”
“Yeah, that song is so Rolling Stones / Johnny Thunders / New York Dolls, but it’s got one little heavy riff in it,” he said. “It’s a very cool song, and it’s got a nice breakdown. Phil sings about whatever relationship they’re talking about. The other person wants to fight, and then he’s like, ‘Well, I do, too.’ Yeah, that represents the head space that I was in.”
For Guns, the last five records have been memorable projects. He calls that quintet of recordings the best albums that L.A. Guns have ever released to the public, which is saying something given their long discography.
“They should be because we have a lot of experience in writing and recording,” he said of the recent albums. “I just try to make sure that I still love those records, and if there’s anything about those records that I don’t love about those records, I definitely don’t want to repeat something that was unpleasant. A lot of times when we’re on tour, I do listen to our records and mostly smile. Sometimes I cringe. Memories are attached to the making of all those albums.”
When the L.A. Guns come to town, expect to hear a high-energy set, whether they’re opening for another band, like they did last year for K.K.’s Priest, or whether they’re headlining, like they’re doing this spring. For Guns, it doesn’t matter the time they have on stage, it’s what they do with that time.
“I think you get a 45-minute set or an hour set, and the energy level just stays higher,” Guns said. “You’re not dragging things on. There’s more structure to a set like that, and when you have a headlining set, we never really know what we’re going to do because we have such a big catalog. I really try not to extend things longer than an extra minute because I’m a guitar player, and that’s my style. So I think you’re going to get a higher energy show in a short set, but you’re definitely going to get a more musical show in a headlining set. I really try not to go past 80 minutes. It’s just unhealthy for everybody’s ears, and people definitely start getting worn. So I’m conscious of all those things. In my mind, I’d love to go out and play for three hours … and play the guitar with a bow and do crazy guitar things, extend the arrangements of the songs, but my God I’ve seen some bands do that. And it’s so f—ing boring, man. I’ll never do it to any crowd.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
L.A. Guns’ new album is called Leopard Skin. The band is currently touring the United States. Click here for more information and tickets.
