Tracii Guns is a name that’s synonymous with pure rock and roll energy. As the legendary guitarist and founding member of L.A. Guns, his signature riffs and raw, unapologetic style has graced stages around the world for more than 40 years.
He recently sat down with us for a conversation about his musical journey, the evolution of his music and what keeps his passion for mastering the six-string burning stronger than ever.
L.A. Guns just released their 15th studio album, Leopard Skin, on Cleopatra Records. Here’s what Tracii had to say about it:
I have to start by stating the obvious – there is no other band in the genre that even comes close to L.A. Guns’ proficiency in making new music. You’ve said that you’ve been doing L.A. Guns since you had braces on your teeth, so what keeps you motivated to keep cranking out really good music in a time when some bands are content with just being nostalgia acts?
Tracii Guns/L.A. Guns: Actually BEFORE I had braces! I think I’m very selfish musically. I’ve always played guitar for me because it’s my favorite thing to do. As I get older, I discover things that I’ve never paid attention to or mentally understood. I’m always late to the party! When I started playing guitar, I had nothing to draw from. I was six years old. I would play melodies. I kind of figured out the rhythm and lead thing really young. And since 2012, I’ve been recording music, so that’s a whole other kind of hobby. I think my inspiration comes from the best artists of all time. And it’s just so much fun.
I’ve already reviewed Leopard Skin and I think it’s just a continuation of the string of great new albums you’ve put out over the last seven years or so. I have to ask you about “The Grinder.” It stood out as something very different than anything L.A. Guns has ever done before. Your guitar tone, Phil’s voice…it has a very old soul feel to it. How did that song come about?
That’s my favorite one on the album. It started out very linear, but I wanted to play some slide melody on the song. When I overdubbed all the slide parts, I ended up taking all the other guitar parts off. And when I heard that, I knew I had something special. And that was exciting to me. I was aware of this, but it’s something I’ve never done before. The music on all of our songs stands up by itself before one word is written. So getting these vocal tracks back from Phil was mind blowing. It’s like the most
powerful Alice Cooper song ever. That’s how I hear it.
And “Taste It” is a rock anthem. You’ve written tons of them. Do you and Phil go into the studio searching for an anthem, or do they just emerge?
I think an anthem is just a song that you can’t get out of your head. And if that starts with a riff, great. The intention of all our music is to write songs that people want to sing along to. That’s my Christmas morning when I get new vocal tracks back from Phil Lewis. It’s like holy shit! We write our songs now in the style of the time, knowing that on tour, 20 percent of our audience is young people. That became obvious right before the pandemic. This is the type of band that just doesn’t do the same things all the time.
It’s got to be a blast for you to play the new stuff live. I know you have to play the hits, but how many new songs off of this album do you think will make the setlist on your upcoming tour?
We would never kill our audience with more than two new songs. We usually pick two and see how they go over. Prior to this album, over the past seven years or so, we now have three mainstays in the set off the last four records, which is really a lot because we do things off of almost all of our records. We’ll see two weeks into the tour what the setlist looks like.
I’m always curious with artists like you who have a massive catalog of songs in your head. Are they all just at your fingertips, or if I asked you to play something like “Hollywood Tease” off of your masterpiece debut album, would you have to re-learn it?
I could do that one! That’s one of my favorite songs. Most of the stuff, I think I could play the first time through. Not perfect. There would be a lot of mistakes, but I could play them. It’s all just muscle memory.
Speaking of your catalog, I really love Blackbird Angels. I think Todd Kerns is criminally underrated. What was it like working with him and do you think we’ll ever get anything new from that band?
Todd Kerns has not been publicized in a way that other, less qualified singers have been publicized. He is qualified and he checks every box. That’s the best way I can put it. And he’s a nice guy. That’s why I made that record. I wanted to show the world what he’s capable of in a serious rock way. He’s an aficionado when it comes to the more epic, classic rock stuff. I’m so glad you like that album. When people pay attention and hear it, they’re like, oh my God! “Mine (All Mine)” is just a timeless rock song. It checks all the boxes. It’s a Bonafide banger.
Just a few questions for fun…you’ve collaborated with just about everyone. Who’s the one person – living or dead, that you’d most like to work with that you haven’t already?
“There was a time when I really wanted to do something with Glenn Danzig. His vocal style lends itself to an authentic 50s style of music that I think I could write. It would sound very different than either of us and really stand on it’s own. Other than that, I’m sure there’s a lot of people I’d like to work with that are really interesting, but right now, I’m just really focused on L.A. Guns.
What was the first album you bought with your own money?
No Sleep Till Hammersmith by Motorhead. It was a big mistake by me. I was very much into Zeppelin and Sabbath at the time. I saw the album cover and it really appealed to me, but when I put it on, it’s this live mass of treble. I dropped the needle and it all sounded like noise. I just didn’t get it. But that’s the first one I bought with my own money.
If you had no musical talent at all, what do you think you’d be doing right now?
I would be a plumber. I’d own my own plumbing shop. I come from four generations of plumbers. And I’d be making a damn good living!
What’s your favorite LA Guns song?
“Let You Down” from the Checkered Past album. It just hits so different. It’s unique to itself. Depressing, suicidal sound. And Phil’s voice over that dramatic music is just more suicidal. It’s the most unexpected L.A. Guns song. Just read the comments on YouTube to see how it affects people. They’re really attached to that song. It’s like Elton John or Enya. Those artists just wake up a part of my brain that I connect with. Same with Beethoven. It’s makes your mood change. It makes you feel things.
And finally, I hope this is far, far off in the future, but how will you know when you’re done?
I won’t. I’ll be dead! I don’t think there’s any other option!
Interview by I’m Music Magazine Write Steve Pawlowski
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