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AGGRO : HISTORY

L.A. Guns’ Phil Lewis on Once Steve Riley Joined, “It really became a f***ing nightmare” 2023

full in bloom | September 11, 2026



This is a full in bloom interview excerpt with L.A. Guns frontman Phil Lewis.

Phil talks about recording L.A. Guns’ 1988 debut album, band dynamics, Steve Riley, Tracii Guns, Mick Cripps, Kelly Nickels, and Jim Faraci.

-LINKS-

LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE PHIL LEWIS INTERVIEW:
https://youtu.be/C5_S4S8P7t8

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Outro by FOOL OF FATE

#laguns #motleycrue #ratt

Written by full in bloom

Comments

This post currently has 47 comments.

  1. @David-de8rt

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Phil Lewis is the biggest asshole I have ever met from the music industry! Rude, cocky and full of himself! Saw L.A. Guns play at a dive bar in Mentor Ohio in the middle of an ice storm and my car was ice skating on the highway the entire hour driving there! Refused to say hi to everyone, refused autographs she pictures and chose to treat everyone there like dogs and it was obvious that he thinks his fans are far far below him while he pretends he's headlining the local arena or outdoor shed……something that he never did even when they were at their peak! Acting like a total wanker playing a show for 40 people in a hell hour after everyone there risked their asses to go there

  2. @3lullabies

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Made me think of how many bands were given a chance and pushed through in the 80s rock wave. So many that wouldnt have been big studio produced if not for record company guys and cash potential.
    To point of hair metal eating itself, ABC123 kiddie stuff like Brittny Fox, Bang Tango, and Trixter.

  3. @joylane2960

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Why don't you ask "honest honorable" Phil WHY he blatantly STOLE Paul Mars Black's music (with help from Tracii Ulrich-Guns' help of course) and then proceeded to change some lyrics and call it his own. The band then used majority of that stolen material to create (and sell loads of) their first album. But that's not all. Phil continues to this day to badmouth, run down, and demean Paul Black's artistic talents, his singing ability, and his so called "reason for being kicked out of L.A. Guns years ago", in the media. To this day, this guy Lewis is sooo insecure and ungrateful for what he was literally handed on a silver platter, he can't help himself from discreditting the guy he replaced and stole music from. Phil wasn't satisfied with just stealing Black's songs, his vocal style, and his place as lead singer of L.A. Guns. That wasn't enough. He actually has the audacity to criticize Black (unprovoked) for years everywhere in the media. Paul's life, his career (being buried in lawsuits for years over the stolen songs cost him any chance to further his musical way with later bands), his everything was destroyed by L.A. Guns, and specifically the band's label,Tracii, Phil, and even Steve Riley later on. These guys are as dishonest, disrespectful, and pathetic of human beings as you can ever find. Yet their "fans" gloss over all the bands' shortcomings and act as if they are some class act. This band has had absolutely NO integrity or care or respect for other musicians or human beings in general. And I am only making reference to thir horrible treatment of Paul Mars Black. L.A. Guns has hurt, mistreated, and betrayed MANY other musicians/artists over the years. But hey, they must think that their rewriting of their own history/past/bio will cover their asses for all the horrible things they've done and all the people they used and hurt over the years…>

  4. @dougwilliams44

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    My uncle played with Riley during his Steppenwolf days, said his "Timing was Horrible, plus never took a BAND seriously", he wouldn't have lasted 1 set with Shania's band.. Phil is and WILL ALWAYS be a Killer Vocalist

  5. @allthecolors6900

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Hey ma. Greay clip. Hope all is well with you, amigo. I love your interviews. You actually let the artists speak and tell their stories. Just saw LA Guns in the Philly area with KKs Priest, and Burning Witches. Awesome show. Phil can still sing!! And Tracii is still a beast on guitar

  6. @DawnFarr-pe2bv

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Beautiful song by LAGuns~ Ballad of Jane~ all good looking young men and beautiful voice and guitars and of course Rip~ the passing of drummer!!!! With warm love and look forward to Revelation 21:3 and 4. Wisconsin was mentioned~ I was born there in 1970. Just thought wow!!! Since Phil Lewis has a beautiful voice and I still love to watch the video~ Someday, not in heaven, but on earth you will see your old drummer~

  7. @ryderl3988

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    I opened for L.A. Guns, right when Steve joined the band. Ed Fitzwater was the new stage manager..Ed was Great and Steve was great..Phil, you were out of your mind bitchin about the bus…The sound guy put marks on the stage where there were dead spots with the wireless mic….Nooo. You had a fit and threw the mic against the wall. Steve sat down and talked to me like a person…BTW this was Lawton, Oklahoma. March 1988….Traci's guitar solo was LEd Zepplin and Van halen Riffs…We were only suppose to open for you one set. But we had to play another, before you got on stage…

  8. @sammyinbrooklyn

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Now that Steve is gone 😢 This takes on a whole different meaning. LA Guns is really Phil to me. But Kelly always seemed like a good luck charm to me for LA Guns and Faster Pussycat. I guess I was wrong Shit

  9. @JamieLoop-wv4yi

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    I love la guns but they unfortunately weren't consistent enough with their writing. That's why they weren't as big a gnr. They are sort of a b-sides band. They definitely had a great original sound. It just wasn't developed enough. I don't mean polished just maybe they should have written more material.

  10. @AceFurley

    September 11, 2026 at 10:00 am

    Not enough cowbell for my liking! And I was also severly disappointed when the smell of hairspray didn't immediately manifest after the 1st opening when pulling the vinyl from the cover. With this being a "hair" band, this should be a given!

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