TRETAS\\ LA GUNS singer: "Tracii's been running his version of the name into the ground."

Johnny H of Über Röck recently conducted an interview with L.A. GUNS frontman Phil Lewis. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Über Röck: It's been six years now since "Tales From The Strip" (which I thought was a real return to form for you guys, by the way) surely we are due a new L.A. GUNS album from you guys sometime soon?

Phil: We have the songs and we have the same dream team that produced "Waking The Dead", "Rips The Covers Off", and "Tales", Andy Johns and Bruce Whitkin. Right now I'm working on a new solo record that's long overdue. After that I'd love to get back in the studio. Recording "Tales" was an amazing experience. We did very little pre-production, and I wrote most of my parts on the fly, but we knew quite early on we had the makings of a great record

Über Röck: Keeping with L.A. GUNS for a moment, you've obviously read my recent live review of Tracii's [Guns, guitar] version [of L.A. GUNS] and seen his comments about only wanting to work with you guys again if the "money was right." What do you think or have to say about the stance Tracii has taken over the L.A. GUNS brand and legacy?

Phil: Honestly, I want double what he's asking to put up with his crap, and no one out there is offering that kind of dough, so no. We sound great. Stacey's [Blades] an amazing guitarist, we have great chemistry, and we proved with "Tales" we don't need Tracii anyway. Tracii's been running his version of the name into the ground and hasn't released a single new song in the six years he's been doing it. It's sad, actually. He's a brilliant guitarist; he should be doing better.

Über Röck: What I find refreshing from your current lineup's point of view is that your web site features all the lineups of the band, and all the history of L.A. GUNS whatever the singer, whilst Tracii, however, really seems to have a selective memory....

Phil: I will forever be grateful for Tracii giving me the gig that changed my life. It's hard to explain how much fun we had together when I joined the band, but he's a fickle dude, and it wasn't long before the honeymoon was over. We were kinda stuck with each other for a while, and we had little in common, most of all music. I admit that on the first record it was a salvage job, and I think I did pretty well, but "Cocked And Loaded" had some very good songs Tracii and I wrote together. But by [1991's] "Hollywood Vampires", I got back into writing complete songs like "Over The Edge" and "Crystal Eyes" and bringing them in to the band. During the recording of "Hollywood Vampires" and [1994's] "Vicious Circle", I never saw Tracii in the studio; he just snuck in with his posse and laid his solos on finished songs.