The resurgence of ’80s rock band L.A. Guns has hit a new high. Their latest album, Leopard Skin, debuted at No. 44 on the Billboard albums chart, ranking just ahead of powerhouse releases from Taylor Swift (Midnights, 2022) and Olivia Rodrigo (Guts, 2023). While those pop records aren’t brand-new, landing anywhere near their orbit is a notable achievement for a band whose roots trace back to glam metal’s heyday.
Best known for their gritty, gold-certified self-titled debut in 1988, L.A. Guns continues to channel that raw spirit into Leopard Skin. The album delivers the same edge found in early hits like “Electric Gypsy,” “Rip and Tear,” “Never Enough,” and “The Ballad of Jayne.” New standout tracks such as “Taste It,” “Hit and Run,” “Lucky Motherf—er,” and “The Grinder” blend sleaze, groove, and blues in a way that sounds like a long-lost record between 1989’s Cocked and Loaded and 1991’s Hollywood Vampires.
“It’s like we’re making swinging rock and roll again,” says guitarist Tracii Guns during a recent interview from his Hollywood Hills home, his fingernails painted in silver polish. “When we decide to go that route, we’re really good at it. I mean, Sly and the Family Stone is as much a part of my style as Randy Rhoads or Pat Smear from The Germs. Sure, L.A. Guns is a hair metal band, but there’s a weird hippie jam thing under the surface.”
A major advantage for L.A. Guns in today’s crowded rock scene is their vocalist. British frontman Phil Lewis, who first gained attention with the band Girl alongside future Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen, still has the vocal power he did in 1989. “It’s incredible,” says Guns. “We don’t take that for granted. We’re going to ride that wave as long as we can.”
Lewis and Guns reunited in 2017 to record The Missing Piece, sparking a creative streak that has now resulted in five well-received albums. “We kind of have a second career,” Guns reflects.
A key factor in the band’s current momentum is its revamped lineup. Bassist Johnny Martin co-wrote Leopard Skin’s “Hit and Run,” and rhythm guitarist Ace Johnson brought the fierce “Like A Drug” to their 2021 record Black Diamonds, a track that’s become a live staple. “Ace and Johnny are perfect fits,” Guns notes.
The drumming setup is another element of L.A. Guns’ modern success. Adam Hamilton handles studio drum duties and also oversees mixing, while Shawn Duncan, a veteran from the Sunset Strip band Odin, delivers live energy. “Drums can really make or break a band’s sound,” says Guns. “Adam gets that, and Shawn is a beast onstage.”
The release of Leopard Skin follows Guns’ appearance in the 2024 Paramount+ documentary Nothin’ But A Good Time, which is based on the 2021 book chronicling the L.A. glam-metal scene. While the film captures the flash and debauchery, Guns says the heart of the story lies in the camaraderie and grind behind the music.
“What the world sees is the end result—the mythology,” Guns explains. “But the reality is that everything great from L.A., starting with The Doors, came from musicians playing together and blending styles. It all flows into one river.”
Before finding long-term success with L.A. Guns, Tracii was part of another legendary group: Guns N’ Roses. He co-founded the band with guitarist Izzy Stradlin, who Guns describes as the scene’s answer to Keith Richards. “We had great chemistry,” Guns recalls of living with Stradlin as a teenager. “We’d hang out, jam to Alice Cooper and W.A.S.P., and not even think about forming a band for a couple years.”
Eventually, the two did join forces, and L.A. Guns evolved into Guns N’ Roses. Guns recalls how Stradlin insisted on having different gear than him—different guitars, different amps—to create a layered, dynamic sound. “Even then, we saw the potential in a two-guitar approach,” says Guns. “It was like Aerosmith, but we didn’t think of it that way. We wanted to mix Hanoi Rocks with Van Halen—one bluesy guitar, one metal guitar.”
Guns recently posted a rare rehearsal clip from those early GN’R days featuring Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and drummer Rob Gardner. “It was Duff’s first rehearsal, and they were so heavy,” he says. “Izzy was the glue, steering the ship.”
He fondly remembers Axl Rose’s creative process in those early rehearsals. “Axl would just watch us rehearse, write lyrics in real time, then sing the next day. It was so thoughtful and targeted. A real mix of blues and metal.”
Although Guns left GN’R early on, he remained close enough to attend one of their breakthrough shows—an opening slot for Red Hot Chili Peppers at a UCLA frat party in 1985. “The fences were mended by then,” he says. “And Slash fit right in. It was clear the band was complete.”
Early L.A. Guns recordings featuring Axl Rose on vocals are a piece of rock history that, sadly, may be lost forever. Guns says the engineer recorded over Rose’s tracks to make way for another singer’s vocals. “There are cassettes out there somewhere,” he laments. “But who knows where they are now?”
If rehearsal tapes ever do surface, Guns says Stradlin is the key. “Izzy had the ghetto blaster we recorded on. We’d listen to those tapes in the van after every rehearsal.”
According to Guns, Marc Canter—owner of Canter’s Deli and longtime friend of Slash—has early footage of both L.A. Guns and GN’R. But Canter won’t release it. “I’m not mad,” Guns says, “but it’s frustrating.”
Despite the past’s mystique, the present is bright for L.A. Guns. Leopard Skin was released via Cleopatra Records, home to a diverse roster that includes Danzig, Todd Rundgren, Bob Marley, Motörhead, and Billie Holiday. The label also previously released archival recordings from Hollywood Rose, a precursor to GN’R featuring Rose and Stradlin.
Earlier this year, the band played a high-energy set aboard the Monsters of Rock Cruise. Now they’re hitting the road with fellow ’80s rock staple Tom Keifer, formerly of Cinderella. Tour stops include Atlanta, several cities in Florida, Louisiana, and two in Tennessee—including Nashville. Full details are available at lagunsmusic.com.
For their live intro music, L.A. Guns cues up “Diary of a Madman,” the haunting 1981 Ozzy Osbourne track featuring Randy Rhoads, one of Guns’ idols. That ritual began during his time with Brides of Destruction, the early 2000s project he formed with Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. “There were too many people around before shows, so I needed a moment to focus,” Guns says. “That song helped me get into the zone.”
A lifelong Angeleno, Tracii Guns was there for Mötley Crüe’s earliest club gigs. While he has mixed feelings about the Brides’ output, he loved playing Crüe classics like “Live Wire” with Sixx. Footage from one U.K. festival performance shows just how electric those moments were.
“Nikki’s a really likable guy,” Guns says. “So much charisma.”
Now 59, Tracii Guns is still blazing trails with the band that bears his name—and proving that glam metal has more than just nostalgia to offer. With strong new material, a solid lineup, and a renewed creative spark, L.A. Guns isn’t just making a comeback—they’re building a second legacy.
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