Stop the presses
I almost wrote on this when I first heard the news, but I didn't think it was that worthwhile. Now it's a New Year so I will write about it anyway. A few weeks ago it was announced that Traci Guns (of Brides of Destruction and formerly of LA Guns and Hollywood Rose) is joining Quiet Riot. He is supposed to be with the band for the recording of their next album and the tour that will support. Now if you have ever read any of these press releases then you now how they try to make it like it is the most important news of the year and this one was no exception. Of course the reality is that Quiet Riot's peak was about 83-84 and LA Guns peak was more recent but it was still like 88-90. So that is 15 years since Mr. Guns has been that relevant and over 20 years since anyone under 20 cared about Quiet Riot. Yes, Traci got some press when he formed Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx, but that was mainly for Nikki Sixx. We also saw that after Nikki Sixx left the Brides for the Crue reunion that Brides of Destruction's second album flopped. So it's really not too surprising that Traci Guns is joining Quiet Riot because at least they will sell more tickets than Brides of Destruction and LA Guns don't really need Traci back. In fact their last album got more press than the second Brides of Destruction even though both are light years from exactly tearing up the charts. If this news story had happened say 15 years ago then it would have been news of a sort. Now it's just bunch of 40 guys trying to squeeze bucks out of people who once liked them all those many years ago. That's why see Jizzy Pearl in Ratt, Jamie St James in Warrant, Tommy Thayer in Kiss, Jason Bonham in UFO and now Traci Guns in Quiet Riot. I don't really blame them for doing what they have to towards earning money in a music career yet it's a little sad in a way. It's a bit like seeing a former major league baseball player down in minors and knowing he will not get back to the majors if that makes any sense. I am sure it's not the last time we will see a line-up change like this either.
posted by Metal Mark at
12:50 AM
9 Comments:
Yeah this kind of schlepping around for a little recognition of a faded career is sad. I was a little late in catching your Van Haggar post. I agree that Sammy was better as Sammy circa VOA and hey I liked Diver Down. Diamond Dave Ruled!
Couldn't agree more. It always fascinates me when I see a story like this. Somebody out there must care, though.
Ben- That's a great example. Steve Morse in Deep Purple is another one that bothers me.
fuzzbox- It is sad, but I am sure it will go on as long as old musicians want to make money.
strutter- I am sure someone does care, but I don't know who. Quiet Riot played near here last spring at a fair size club, but I have no idea how many people went.
Yeah, Rogers being in Queen is just wrong. You cannot replace an icon like Freddie Mercury.
Its like that whole INXS show, how can they be INXS ?
I know that the frontman shouldnt make the band but in the case of Queen Freddie cannot be replaced.
look, if you had the chance to be in a band that was started by Rhandy Rhoades, you'd jump at the chance too.
bottom line.
At least Paul Rodgers and Queen are doing it the right way. They are NOT calling the band Queen, as if Paul is replacing Freddie--they are explicitly calling it Queen with Paul Rodgers.
Much better that way. I hated it when Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford replaced Phil Collins with Ray Wilson and called the group Genesis. Having two of the classic five hire a new, younger, relatively unkown lead singer and pretengin it was the same group deserved the horrible reception it received.
As for the hair metal, I'm not too concerned. It's not as if any of the 80s hair metal bands are filling stadiums anymore (Bon Jovi excepted), so I don't mind if they create mini-super groups of hair metal players for the sake of attracting fans like us.
Which raises a good question: what would by the ideal hair band supergroup? I'd like to see George Lynch, Billy Sheehan, Bobby Blotzer, and Sebastian Bach.
-- david
Yeah, it's kind of like seeing Rickey Henderson in the minors. I never knew the Brides made a 2nd album. The first was okay.
Tracii's a good guitarrist, but not great. He plays fluidly, fast, had great technique, blah blah blah, but as a guitarrist, he's just good because there's just something missing with his playing. I'll take Mick Mars any day over Guns, even though Guns has more flash, technique, skill, etc.
I wonder what Carlos Cavanzo's doing and why he's not guitarrist in Quiet Riot. Not that I really care. Never though QR was that great a band either. They had their heydey in the early 80s and that's about it. I never liked any of their albums all the way through.
I care! (& I'm under 20 this day)
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