L.A. GUNS Drummer Says TRACII GUNS' Departure Left Band's Album 'Dead In The Water'

L.A. GUNS drummer Steve Riley recently spoke with "The Hairball John Radio Show" about a variety of subjects ranging from his time in KEEL and W.A.S.P., high and low points of his career, and a new L.A. GUNS disc and tour for 2005. Riley also spoke in great detail regarding guitarist Tracii Guns' departure to focus on BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION in 2003. An excerpt from the interview follows:

"We had everything in place. We were with Spitfire Records and they had ALICE COOPER and they were ready to put both bands together over in Europe and take them back into the States. It was a really, really good opportunity because we were sitting on a great album, too, and [then] Tracii leaves. So it was that quick and the album was over, because by the time we recovered from Tracii just walking — and that’s what he did, he just walked and went and did this Sixx project with Nikki — it just left 'Waking the Dead', and the label, dead in the water. By the time we picked up the pieces, 'Waking the Dead' was over. And it wasn't really the best of us splitting up, and it could have been. I think people should know that me and Phil (Lewis) thought that he could do both. Tracii could do the L.A. GUNS thing because we just finished the album and we were indebted to the record company as they gave us a bunch of money to do the album and we were indebted to do a tour behind it. And me and Phil Lewis thought that Tracii could have done both of them. There was no doubt about it that he could have done BRIDES (OF DESTRUCTION) and L.A. GUNS and taken care of business. But because of the way he did it, we fell flat on our asses because the label was like, 'What's the story?' And we said, 'Hey, this is the way it is: Tracii split.' So it wasn't really the best of splits, and we don't have much contact with him."

Listen to the entire interview with Steve Riley at www.hairballjohn.com.