Complete List Of L.A. Guns Band Members

Feature Photo: Ted Van Pelt, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Emerging from the creative collision of two early Los Angeles hard rock bands in 1983, L.A. Guns developed into one of the Sunset Strip’s most recognizable acts during the 1980s and 1990s. The band was initially founded by guitarist Tracii Guns and drummer Rob Gardner under the name Pyrrhus, with singer Michael Jagosz and bassist Ole Beich completing the original lineup. Following a merger with Hollywood Rose in March 1985 to form Guns N’ Roses, Tracii Guns quickly reformed L.A. Guns with a fresh lineup in 1986, eventually establishing what would become known as their “classic” configuration by 1987.

L.A. Guns released 17 studio albums across their history, with their 1988 self-titled debut reaching gold status, their second album Cocked & Loaded in 1989 achieving platinum certification, and Hollywood Vampires in 1991 also reaching platinum. The band achieved their greatest chart success with Hollywood Vampires, which peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200, while the single “The Ballad of Jayne” from Cocked & Loaded reached number 25 on the Mainstream Rock Chart and number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Over four decades, the band experienced numerous lineup changes and eventually operated as two separate versions simultaneously from 2006 to 2016, with one led by Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis and another by drummer Steve Riley.

The band’s catalog reflects the evolution of Los Angeles hard rock from the glam metal era through subsequent decades, with members contributing diverse musical influences and styles. By 2025, the primary L.A. Guns lineup consisted of Tracii Guns on lead guitar, Phil Lewis on lead vocals, Ace Von Johnson on rhythm guitar, Johnny Martin on bass, Adam Hamilton on studio drums, and Shawn Duncan on live drums. The band’s longevity through changing musical trends demonstrated their commitment to continuous touring and recording, with 2025 marking the anticipated release of their album Leopard Skin.

Tracii Guns

Tracii Guns, born Tracy Irving Richard Ulrich on January 20, 1966, founded L.A. Guns in 1983 at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles where he met future bandmates Rob Gardner and Michael Jagosz. The band initially recorded their debut EP Collector’s Edition No. 1 before briefly merging with Hollywood Rose to form the original Guns N’ Roses lineup in March 1985. Guns remained with Guns N’ Roses for only a few months before the band’s members diverged, with Axl Rose continuing the project and Slash eventually replacing Guns as lead guitarist. Guns reformed L.A. Guns in 1986 with new members including vocalist Paul Black, guitarists Mick Cripps and Robert Stoddard, and drummer Nickey Alexander.

Guns served as L.A. Guns’ primary guitarist and primary songwriter from the band’s 1988 self-titled debut through his departure in 2002. He performed on their most commercially successful releases including L.A. Guns (1988), Cocked & Loaded (1989), and Hollywood Vampires (1991), contributing guitar work and songwriting credits to their platinum-selling releases. His lead guitar performances on tracks such as “Rip & Tear,” “The Ballad of Jayne,” and “Kiss My Love Goodbye” became signature elements of the band’s sound during the height of their commercial success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Guns continued recording and touring with the band through additional studio albums including Vicious Circle (1994), American Hardcore (1996), Man in the Moon (2001), and Waking the Dead (2002).

Beyond L.A. Guns, Guns pursued numerous projects that demonstrated his range as a guitarist and bandleader. In 1991, he participated in the supergroup Contraband alongside Scorpions’ Michael Schenker, Ratt’s Bobby Blotzer, Vixen’s Share Pedersen, and Shark Island’s Richard Black, releasing a self-titled album. Guns released his solo record Killing Machine in 1993, later re-released in 1999 by Deadline Records and published in Europe under the title “All Eyes Are Watching.” From 2002 to 2005, he formed the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction with Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, releasing Here Come the Brides in 2004 (which charted at number 92 on the Billboard 200) and Runaway Brides in 2005. In 2006, Guns founded The Tracii Guns Band with vocalist Paul Black, drummer Nickey Alexander, and bassist Jeremy Guns, which later became recognized as a version of L.A. Guns. He reunited with Phil Lewis in 2016 and has continued recording and touring, releasing The Missing Peace (2017), The Devil You Know (2019), Checkered Past (2021), and Black Diamonds (2023). In 2021, Guns released the album Evil and Divine as Sunbomb alongside Stryper frontman Michael Sweet on Frontiers Records.

Phil Lewis

Phil Lewis was born on January 9, 1957, in London, England, and began his professional music career in 1978 when he co-founded the British glam rock band Girl alongside guitarist Gerry Laffy. The band, which also included future Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen, released their debut album Sheer Greed in 1980 on Jet Records, establishing themselves as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. Lewis was instrumental in helping Girl land their record deal with the support of actress Britt Ekland, his girlfriend at the time. After Phil Collen joined Def Leppard in 1982, Girl disbanded, though the band would reunite periodically and later released Killing Time in 1997 with leftover and unreleased material.

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Following Girl’s initial breakup, Lewis joined the band New Torpedos and then fronted Bernie Tormé’s hard rock band Tormé, with which he released Back to Babylon in 1986 and Die Pretty, Die Young in 1987. He formed the side project Filthy Lucre with Steve Dior and released the album Popsmear in 1997. Lewis relocated to California and joined L.A. Guns in 1987, replacing original vocalist Paul Black. He appeared on the band’s self-titled debut L.A. Guns (1988), which went gold, and provided lead vocals for their breakthrough second album Cocked & Loaded (1989), which achieved platinum status with the single “The Ballad of Jayne.” Lewis contributed to Hollywood Vampires (1991), also certified platinum, and Vicious Circle (1994) before departing the band following that album’s limited commercial performance.

During his first departure from L.A. Guns from 1995 to 1999, Lewis pursued diverse work, including producing albums for other artists, mixing audio for Fox Sports, and working as a telephone psychic. He also performed with The Liberators, a side project with Faster Pussycat guitarists Brent Muscat and Eric Stacey. Lewis returned to L.A. Guns in 1999 as part of the classic lineup reunion.

Steve Riley

Steve Riley was born in Massachusetts and moved to Los Angeles following high school to pursue a music career. He briefly played with Steppenwolf in 1979 before joining the heavy metal band Keel, where he performed on their 1984 album The Right to Rock, produced by Gene Simmons of Kiss. Riley joined W.A.S.P. in 1984, replacing original drummer Tony Richards, and performed on the band’s most commercially successful period. He appeared on W.A.S.P.’s 1985 gold-certified album The Last Command, their 1986 follow-up Inside the Electric Circus, and their 1987 live album Live… in the Raw, touring with the band during a period that established W.A.S.P. as major forces in the metal scene. Riley’s drumming style drew influences from Buddy Rich, Ginger Baker, and John Bonham, creating a distinctive approach that combined technical precision with raw power.

Riley joined L.A. Guns in 1987 and became part of their “classic” lineup alongside guitarist Tracii Guns, rhythm guitarist Mick Cripps, vocalist Phil Lewis, and bassist Kelly Nickels. He performed as the drummer on the band’s self-titled 1988 debut (on one track), providing full drum parts on Cocked & Loaded (1989) and Hollywood Vampires (1991), both platinum-selling albums. Riley was fired from L.A. Guns in January 1992 following allegations of assaulting Lewis during a European tour with Skid Row, but returned to the band in 1995. He continued recording and touring with the group throughout the 1990s and 2000s, contributing to albums including Vicious Circle (1994), American Hardcore (1996), Wasted (1998), Shrinking Violet (1999), Man in the Moon (2001), Waking the Dead (2002), Rips the Covers Off (2004), Tales from the Strip (2005), and Hollywood Forever (2012). Riley was a member of Phil Lewis’ version of L.A. Guns from 2006 until the two lineups merged in 2016.

In December 2018, Riley launched his own version of L.A. Guns with guitarist Scotty Griffin, bassist Kelly Nickels, and vocalist Jacob Bunton. Following a legal dispute with Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis over the band name, a settlement was reached in April 2021, allowing Riley’s version to continue performing as “Riley’s L.A. Guns.” Under this name, the band released the album Renegades through Golden Robot Records and planned to release The Dark Horse in 2023. Riley passed away on October 24, 2023, at the age of 67, following a severe case of pneumonia that he had battled for several weeks.

Mick Cripps

Mick Cripps joined L.A. Guns in 1985 as rhythm guitarist alongside vocalist Paul Black, drummer Nickey Alexander, and bassist Robert Stoddard. When Phil Lewis replaced Paul Black in 1987, Cripps continued in the rhythm guitar position for the band’s most commercially successful period. He performed on the self-titled debut L.A. Guns (1988), the platinum-certified Cocked & Loaded (1989), and the platinum album Hollywood Vampires (1991), contributing rhythm guitar work and co-writing credits to the band’s biggest commercial success. Cripps remained with the band through Vicious Circle (1994) before departing in 1995, coinciding with Lewis’ first departure from the group.

Cripps returned to L.A. Guns as part of the classic lineup reunion in 1999 and recorded with the reunited group on Greatest Hits and Black Beauties, Cocked & Re-Loaded, Live: A Night on the Strip, and Man in the Moon (2001). He recorded keyboard parts on Man in the Moon before departing again. Cripps recorded on Waking the Dead (2002) before Tracii Guns left the band. Beyond his work with L.A. Guns, Cripps has pursued other musical projects, though his primary recognition comes from his two decades with L.A. Guns as a key member of their classic lineup.

Kelly Nickels

Kelly Nickels joined L.A. Guns in 1987 as bassist, arriving from Faster Pussycat where he had performed as a full-time member. Nickels became a core member of the band’s “classic” lineup alongside Phil Lewis, Tracii Guns, Mick Cripps, and Steve Riley. He performed on the gold-certified self-titled L.A. Guns (1988), contributing bass and occasional harmonica parts alongside his backing vocal work. Nickels was featured on the platinum album Cocked & Loaded (1989), which generated three hit singles including “The Ballad of Jayne,” “Rip & Tear,” and “Never Enough.” He continued on the platinum Hollywood Vampires (1991), which spawned the hit single “Kiss My Love Goodbye” and charted at number 42 on the Billboard 200.

Nickels departed L.A. Guns in 1995 after the release of Vicious Circle, though he returned in 1999 as part of the classic lineup reunion. He recorded with the reunited group on Greatest Hits and Black Beauties and Cocked & Re-Loaded before departing again in 2000. Nickels returned to the L.A. Guns lineup in 2018 as part of Steve Riley’s version of the band, performing on bass alongside Riley, guitarist Scotty Griffin, and vocalist Kurt Frohlich. He continued in this lineup through the release of Renegades (2020) and the planned The Dark Horse album. Before joining L.A. Guns, Nickels established himself as a bassist with Faster Pussycat, and his contributions to that band established him as a notable figure in Los Angeles’ hard rock community.

Paul Black

Paul Black was the original vocalist for L.A. Guns, joining the band in 1985 when Tracii Guns reformed the group with guitarist Mick Cripps, drummer Nickey Alexander, and bassist Robert Stoddard. Black appeared on early recordings and performances before being replaced by Phil Lewis in 1987. Black remained connected to the L.A. Guns legacy, performing reunion shows with the classic lineup and making guest appearances at significant band events. In 2006, during the 20-year anniversary party for the Cathouse Club in Hollywood, Black took the stage with Tracii Guns’ L.A. Guns lineup. He worked with Tracii Guns’ version of the band in 2008, appearing as a touring vocalist during the recording sessions for what would become Pretty in Black, though that album was not completed during his tenure.

Nickey Alexander

Nickey “Beat” Alexander was the original drummer for L.A. Guns’ 1985 reformation, performing on the band’s early recordings. He appeared as the sole drummer credit on the self-titled L.A. Guns debut album recorded in January 1988, though he was replaced by Steve Riley before the album’s release on January 4, 1988. Alexander briefly returned to work with The Tracii Guns Band in 2006 when Tracii Guns formed that project with vocalist Paul Black and bassist Jeremy Guns. Despite his limited time with the main L.A. Guns lineup, Alexander played a foundational role in establishing the band’s classic rhythm section during their formative years.

Johnny Martin

Johnny Martin joined L.A. Guns as bassist in 2016 during the reunification of Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis. He had previously performed as a bassist with Tracii Guns’ version of the band before becoming an official member of the reunited primary L.A. Guns lineup. Martin has continued as the primary bassist for L.A. Guns from 2016 through the present, contributing bass and backing vocals on The Missing Peace (2017), The Devil You Know (2019), Checkered Past (2021), and Black Diamonds (2023). He was featured on the anticipated 2025 album Leopard Skin.

Ace Von Johnson

Ace Von Johnson joined L.A. Guns in 2018 as rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, replacing Michael Grant who had departed in March 2018. Von Johnson has maintained his position in the band’s current lineup, performing on Checkered Past (2021), Black Diamonds (2023), and Leopard Skin (2025). He has toured extensively with the band throughout his tenure, contributing rhythm guitar and vocal support to the reunited classic-era lineup of Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis.

Adam Hamilton

Adam Hamilton first joined L.A. Guns in 2001 as bassist, contributing to the album Man in the Moon and performing keyboards on the record. He remained with the band through the release of Waking the Dead (2002), contributing bass work and backing vocals. Hamilton departed in 2007 to pursue songwriting and production work full-time. He rejoined the band in 2018 briefly as rhythm guitarist before transitioning to studio drums by 2020. Since 2020, Hamilton has served as the studio drummer for L.A. Guns, recording drums on studio releases while Shawn Duncan handles live drumming duties.

Shawn Duncan

Shawn Duncan joined L.A. Guns as live drummer in May 2022, replacing Shane Fitzgibbon who had departed from the band. Duncan has continued as the primary live performance drummer through touring and live appearances, while Adam Hamilton handles studio drum recording duties. Duncan performed live with the band during the promotion and touring cycle for Black Diamonds (2023) and the subsequent Leopard Skin (2025) album cycle.

Check out more L.A. Guns articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Just click on any of the links below……

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