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L.A. Guns

 
Album Review: L.A. Guns

  • Artist: L.A. Guns
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: January 04, 1988
  • Total Time: 36:36
  • Type: Contains explicit content
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Even amidst the already seedy underbelly of the late-'80s L.A. glam metal scene, L.A. Guns were the undisputed bottom-feeders. A ragged collection of outcasts from various other bands (guitarist Tracii Guns was the original "guns" in Guns n' Roses, drummer Steven Riley had recently vacated the stool with shock-kings W.A.S.P., and British vocalist Phil Lewis had done time with London glamsters Girl), they elevated the unrepentant sleaziness and undeniable tackiness of their environment to a new VD-encrusted low. The union of such an unsavory cast of characters could only result in a wildly over-the-top rock & roll album, and while it may not have been as successful as their latest efforts, this eponymous debut rocked with a bile and fury not seen since Mötley Crüe's Shout at the Devil. Sh*t-kicking anthems like "No Mercy," "Sex Action," "One More Reason," and the marvelous "Bitch Is Back" slap the listener silly while still making room for slightly more commercial but equally hot offerings such as "Electric Gypsy" and "Down in the City." And despite clashing terribly with its surroundings, "One Way Ticket" is a surprisingly effective power ballad. Fun, fun, fun. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
No Mercy (Lyrics) Philip Lewis, Nick Alexander, Mick Cripps, Tracii Guns, Paul Black L.A. Guns (2:46)
Sex Action (Lyrics) Philip Lewis, Tracii Guns, Paul Black L.A. Guns (3:41)
One More Reason Paul Black, Philip Lewis, Tracii Guns L.A. Guns (3:07)
Electric Gypsy (Lyrics) Philip Lewis, Tracii Guns L.A. Guns (3:25)
Nothing to Lose (Lyrics) Paul Black, Robert Stoddard, Philip Lewis, Mick Cripps L.A. Guns (4:14)
Bitch Is Back (Lyrics) Tracii Guns, Paul Black, Mick Cripps, Philip Lewis L.A. Guns (2:52)
Cry No More Tracii Guns L.A. Guns (1:18)
One Way Ticket Paul Black, Tracii Guns L.A. Guns (4:20)
Hollywood Tease Phil Collen, Philip Lewis L.A. Guns (2:52)
Shoot for Thrills (Lyrics) Kelly Nickels L.A. Guns (4:29)
Down in the City (Lyrics) Kelly Nickels, Tracii Guns L.A. Guns (3:55)

Credits

Tracii Guns (Guitar), Kelly Nickels (Whistle (Human)), Jim (H. M.) Faraci (Producer), Nick Alexander (Drums), Jim (H. M.) Faraci (Engineer), Howard Benson (String Arrangements), Steve Riley (Drums), Mick Cripps (Vocals (Background)), John Scarpati (Photography), Kelly Nickels (Harmonica), Allen Jones (Sax (Baritone)), Kelly Nickels (Guitar (Bass)), Michael Bays (Art Direction), Kelly Nickels (Bass), Mick Cripps (Guitar (Rhythm)), Mick Cripps (Keyboards), Mitchell Kanner (Design), Charlie Brocco (Engineer), Kelly Nickels (Vocals (Background)), Philip Lewis (Vocals), Allen Jones (Sax (Tenor)), Tyler (Artwork), Kelly Nickels (Whistle (Instrument)), Tyler (Logo Design)
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Wikipedia: L.A. Guns (album)
Top
L.A. Guns
Studio album by L.A. Guns
Released January 1988
Genre Glam metal
Length 36:36
Label Polydor
Producer Jim Faraci
Professional reviews
L.A. Guns chronology
Collector's Edition No. 1
(1985)
L.A. Guns
(1988)
Cocked & Loaded
(1989)

L.A. Guns is the first official full length album of the band L.A. Guns. Following the success of the second album, Cocked & Loaded, this album reached gold status in the US.

Drummer Nickey "Beat" Alexander played on this album, but his replacement Steve Riley is in the album's band photo and list of band members, because he was by then an official member of L.A. Guns. A large majority of the songs were written by previous L.A. Guns vocalist Paul Black.

The album features several remakes, including "Hollywood Tease" (previously done by singer Phil Lewis's old band Girl), and "Shoot For Thrills" (previously done by bassist Kelly Nickels's old band Sweet Pain).

Torme, which was one of Phil Lewis's pre-L.A. Guns bands, had previously recorded a song titled "Sex Action", but they are two different songs with the same title.

Track listing

  1. No Mercy
  2. Sex Action
  3. One More Reason
  4. Electric Gypsy
  5. Nothing To Lose
  6. Bitch Is Back
  7. Cry No More
  8. One Way Ticket
  9. Hollywood Tease (Girl Cover)
  10. Shoot For Thrills (Sweet Pain Cover)
  11. Down In The City
  12. Winter's Fool (Japan bonus track)

Line up


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "L.A. Guns (album)" Read more

 

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