RILEY’S L.A. GUNS - USA

Renegades - 2020 - Golden Robot
The Dark Horse - 2024 - Golden Robot

Riley's LA Guns image
  
 
Members
Vocals
The Loving Dead, The Underground Rebels, The Hooligans, Faster Pussycat, The Marky Ramone Band, The Spazmatics, The M80s, Anti Idol, Acoustic Edge, Solo>>KURT FROHLICH>>The Hooligans, Faster Pussycat, The Marky Ramone Band, The Spazmatics, The M80s, Anti Idol, Acoustic Edge, Solo

Guitar
Hookers N' Blow, The King Mixers, L.A. Guns, Ratt>>SCOTT GRIFFIN - The Loving Dead, The Underground Rebels, The Hooligans, Faster Pussycat, The Marky Ramone Band, The Spazmatics, The M80s, Anti Idol, Acoustic Edge, Solo>>KURT FROHLICH>>The Hooligans, Faster Pussycat, The Marky Ramone Band, The Spazmatics, The M80s, Anti Idol, Acoustic Edge, Solo

Bass
Virgin Steele, Sweet Pain, Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns>>KELLY NICKELS

Drum
Roadmaster, The Lawyers, Steppenwolf, The B'zz, Keel, W.A.S.P.>>Steve Riley




History & Biography
Former W.A.S.P. drummer Steve Riley replaced Nickey Alexander, who had recorded the L.A. Guns’ debut album, for the subsequent tour and second album in late 1980s. He would depart in 1994. Following a change of fortune, with the band being dropped from its major deal and several line-up changes, Riley was fired from L.A. Guns following a European tour with Skid Row for reportedly assaulting singer Phil Lewis. L.A. Guns reunited with Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, Steve Riley, Kelly Nickels and Mick Cripps in 1999. Riley would take the reins soon and the act would recruit guitarist Stacey Blades. Tracii Guns Band, the band of the namesake guitarist in the meanwhile, changed its name to L.A. Guns in 2006. There were two L.A. Guns now. An L.A. Guns version with Phil Lewis, Steve Riley, Scotty Griffin and Stacey Blades signed a contract with Cleopatra Records to start 2012. With old and new members splintering around 2015 and new transitory projects, it happened that two versions of the band came to exist with competing claims to the name again as of 2016. The two versions were also making live appearances.

Steve Riley's version of L.A. Guns signed a deal with Golden Robot Records in late 2019. An album was expected in the spring. The existence of two LA Guns was coming to a head with the launch of a lawsuit by singer Phil Lewis and guitarist Tracii Guns who had gone to court against former bandmates bassist Kelly Nickels and drummer Steve Riley at the end of 2019. The complainants were also suing for unpaid payments. The L.A. Guns’ parties reached a settlement out of court in April 2021. Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis would continue to use the L.A. Guns’ monicker, while drummer Phil Riley would use the Riley's L.A. Guns monicker and employ a new logo.

Riley's L.A. Guns had a debut single, called Crawl, on April 20th 2020. This was followed by an album, entitled Renegades, which was released on November 13th 2020. This was obviously before the name was modified. The band appeared at M3 Rock Fest in 2021 This had been postponed twice from 2020 thanks to the pandemic..

Steve Riley died at the age of 67 in October 2023. He had contracted pneumonia and was hospitalised before his death. A second album was completed and The Dark Horse was released digitally on January 22nd 2024. This would have been Riley's 68th birthday. The album was due in mid-2023 initially. The band played a concert to begin 2024. Matt Bloodwell of The Hooligans and Blue Man Group drummed. Frohlich, in the meantime, signed to Golden Robot as a solo artist. The band reported that Golden Robot was unresponsive and not replying to emails after an April 2024 release date for the vinyl and CD versions came and went. Subsequently, the label issued a press release saying it had been working with its manufacturer and the said versions would be available in August 2024. L.A. Guns’ 1989 song The Ballad Of Jayne was being rereleased in acoustic form as a 7” by Riley's L.A. Guns through Golden Robot Records in August 2024. The band called it a day "for obvious reasons and some not so obvious reasons" in February 2025.


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Riley's LA Guns