List of Guns N' Roses members
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1985, the group originally featured vocalist Axl Rose, guitarists Tracii Guns and Izzy Stradlin, bassist Ole Beich and drummer Rob Gardner, although Guns, Beich and Gardner were quickly replaced by Slash, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler, respectively.[1] This lineup released the band's most critically and commercially successful album, Appetite for Destruction, in 1987, followed by the acoustic album G N' R Lies in 1988.[2] On July 11, 1990, Adler was fired due to drug addiction.[3]
Also in 1990, keyboardist Dizzy Reed was added to the group.[4] Adler was replaced by former The Cult drummer Matt Sorum, who was initially only brought in to perform on new studio recordings (it was planned that Adler would continue to perform at live shows).[3] The new lineup with Sorum and Reed recorded two albums for release in 1991: Use Your Illusion I and II.[2] However, just a few dates into the Use Your Illusion Tour in November 1991, Stradlin left the group and was replaced by Gilby Clarke, formerly of Kill for Thrills.[5]
The band's show on July 17, 1993 was the last at which all members except Rose and Reed would perform as members of Guns N' Roses.[6] After not being involved in the recording of the cover version of "Sympathy for the Devil" in 1994, Clarke's involvement with the band ended.[7] He was replaced by Paul "Huge" Tobias.[8] Slash left the band in October 1996, reportedly due to disagreements with Rose and issues with lineup changes.[9] He was followed in 1997 by McKagan, who left, and Sorum, who was fired, leaving only Rose, Reed and Tobias.[10]
In 1997, Slash was replaced by Robin Finck and Sorum was replaced by Josh Freese,[11][12] while Tommy Stinson was brought in as McKagan's replacement the following year.[13] Chris Pitman also joined as second keyboardist.[14] In early 1998, the new lineup of the band began recording Chinese Democracy.[15] Finck left in 1999 to return to Nine Inch Nails.[11] His replacement was Buckethead, who joined the following year,[16] while Freese was also replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia.[17] Finck later returned to the band alongside Buckethead,[18] while third guitarist Tobias was replaced in 2002 by Richard Fortus.[19] In 2004, Buckethead left the band.[20]
Buckethead was replaced 2 years later in 2006 with Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal,[21] while in the same year Frank Ferrer was brought in to replace Mantia.[22] 15 years after the last studio album, Chinese Democracy was released in November 2008, featuring contributions from most band members since 1997.[23] Shortly before its release, Finck left to rejoin Nine Inch Nails again;[24] almost a year later, he was replaced by DJ Ashba.[25] This lineup remained stable until after the Appetite for Democracy tour, when Thal, Ashba, Stinson and Pitman left the group.[26] Both Slash and Duff McKagan returned to the band in 2016.[27] Keyboardist Melissa Reese joined the band in 2016, replacing Chris Pitman.[28] Rose has been the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1985.[29]
Members
Current members
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Axl Rose | 1985–present | all Guns N' Roses releases | ||
Duff McKagan |
|
|
| |
Slash |
|
lead and rhythm guitar | ||
Dizzy Reed | 1990–present |
|
all Guns N' Roses releases from "Civil War" (1990) and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Days of Thunder version)" (1990) to present[upper-alpha 2] | |
Richard Fortus | 2002–present |
|
| |
Frank Ferrer | 2006–present |
| ||
Melissa Reese | 2016–present |
|
none |
Former members
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Izzy Stradlin | 1985–1991[upper-alpha 3] |
|
| |
Tracii Guns | 1985 | lead guitar | none | |
Ole Beich |
| |||
Rob Gardner |
| |||
Steven Adler | 1985–1990[upper-alpha 4] |
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| |
Matt Sorum | 1990–1997 |
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| |
Gilby Clarke | 1991–1994 |
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| |
Paul "Huge" Tobias[upper-alpha 5] | 1994–2002 |
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| |
Robin Finck |
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|
| |
Josh Freese | 1997–2000 | drums | Oh My God (1999)[upper-alpha 7] | |
Tommy Stinson | 1998–2016 |
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| |
Chris Pitman[upper-alpha 8] |
| |||
Buckethead | 2000–2004 | guitars | Chinese Democracy (2008) | |
Bryan "Brain" Mantia[upper-alpha 9] | 2000–2006 [upper-alpha 10] | drums | ||
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal | 2006–2014 |
|
| |
DJ Ashba | 2009–2015 |
|
Appetite for Democracy 3D (2014) |
Additional
Touring members
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fred Coury | 1987–1988[upper-alpha 11] | drums | none | |
Kid "Haggis" Chaos | 1988[upper-alpha 12] | bass | ||
Don Henley | 1989[upper-alpha 13] | drums | ||
Teddy Andreadis | 1991–1993 |
|
Use Your Illusion World Tour - 1992 in Tokyo I (1992) | Use Your Illusion World Tour - 1992 in Tokyo II (1992) | Live Era '87–'93 (1999) | |
Roberta Freeman | backing vocals | |||
Tracey Amos | ||||
Diane Jones | ||||
Cece Worrall | horns | |||
Anne King | ||||
Lisa Maxwell |
Session members
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adriana Smith | 1987 | vocals | Appetite for Destruction (1987) - "Rocket Queen" | ||
West Arkeen |
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|
| ||
Howard Teman |
|
| |||
Rick Richards | 1988 | percussion | G N' R Lies (1988) – "Patience", "Used to Love Her", "You're Crazy" and "One in a Million" | ||
Ray Grden | |||||
Michael Monroe |
|
|
| ||
Stuart Bailey | backing vocals |
| |||
Shannon Hoon | 1990–1991 | vocals |
| ||
Johann Langlie |
|
| |||
Alice Cooper | vocals | Use Your Illusion I (1991) – "The Garden" | |||
Jon Thautwein | horns | Use Your Illusion I (1991) – "Live and Let Die" | |||
Matthew McKagan | |||||
Rachel West | |||||
Robert Clark | |||||
Tim Doyle | tambourine | Use Your Illusion I (1991) – "You Ain't the First" | |||
Reba Shaw | backing vocals | Use Your Illusion I (1991) – "November Rain" | |||
Mike Clink | nutcracker | Use Your Illusion I (1991) – "Dead Horse" | |||
Bruce Foster | programming | Use Your Illusion I (1991) – "Coma" | |||
Diane Mitchell | spoken word vocals | ||||
Michelle Loiselle | |||||
Monica Zierhut-Soto | |||||
Patricia Fuenzalida | |||||
Rose Mann | |||||
Susanne Filkins | |||||
The Waters | backing vocals | Use Your Illusion II (1991) – "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" | |||
Mike Staggs | 1992–1993 | guitar | "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993) – "Ain't It Fun" | ||
Mike Fasano | percussion | "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993) – "Hair of the Dog" | |||
Richard Duguay | guitars | "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993) – "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" | |||
Eddie Huletz | backing vocals | ||||
Blake Stanton | "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993) – "I Don't Care About You" | ||||
Eric Mills | |||||
Riki Rachtman | |||||
Carlos Booy | acoustic guitar | "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993) – "Look at Your Game, Girl" | |||
Sean Riggs | 1994-1999 | Drums | none[upper-alpha 14] | ||
Zakk Wylde | 1995 | guitar | none[upper-alpha 15] | ||
Chris Vrenna | 1997 | Drums and programming | none[upper-alpha 16] | ||
Brian May | 1999 | Lead Guitar | none[upper-alpha 17] | ||
Dave Navarro | 1999 | guitar | "Oh My God" (1999) | ||
Gary Sunshine | |||||
Stuart White | programming | ||||
Eric Caudieux | 2002-2007 |
|
Chinese Democracy (2008) – "If the World" and "This I Love" | ||
Pete Scaturro | 2002-2007 | keyboards | Chinese Democracy (2008) | ||
Marco Beltrami | 2003 | Orchestra | Chinese Democracy (2008) – "Street of Dreams", "There Was a Time", "Madagascar", "This I Love", and "Prostitute" | ||
Paul Buckmaster | 2004 | Orchestra | Chinese Democracy (2008) – "Street of Dreams", "There Was a Time", "Madagascar", and "Prostitute" | ||
Suzy Katayama | 2004-2007 | French horn | Chinese Democracy (2008) – "Madagascar" | ||
Patti Hood | 2004-2007 | harp | Chinese Democracy (2008) – "This I Love" | ||
Caram Costanzo | 2003-2007 | sub drums | |||
Sebastian Bach | 2007 |
vocals |
Chinese Democracy (2008) – "Sorry" |
Timeline
Footnotes
- ↑ Duff McKagan also performed with the band as a live guest at a show on October 14, 2010, and as a touring substitute for Tommy Stinson in 2014.[30]
- ↑ Civil War was recorded before Knockin' On Heavens Door but Knockin' On Heavens Door was released before Civil War.
- ↑ Izzy Stradlin also performed with the band as a touring substitute for Gilby Clarke in 1993, and as a live guest at several shows in 2006 and 2012.[30]
- ↑ Adler appeared as a live guest during the band's Not in This Lifetime... Tour, on July 6th, July 9th, and August 19th.[31]
- ↑ Credited as either Paul Huge or Paul Tobias.
- ↑ Finck appeared as a live guest on the March 12, 2012 show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles[32]
- ↑ Josh Freese's drum recordings were not included on Chinese Democracy, being re-recorded by Bryan Mantia after Freese left the band, but Freese was credited for arrangements on four tracks.[33]
- ↑ Pitman filled in on bass guitar in a 2007 show that Tommy Stinson was unable to attend.
- ↑ Often miscredited as Brian Mantia
- ↑ Mantia appeared as a live guest on the March 12, 2012 show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles[32]
- ↑ Fred Coury replaced regular drummer Steven Adler between December 1987 and January 1988 due to an injury.[34][35][36]
- ↑ Kid "Haggis" Chaos replaced regular bassist Duff McKagan for a show on May 27, 1988 as McKagan was getting married.[35]
- ↑ Don Henley replaced regular drummer Steven Adler for the 1989 American Music Awards show on January 30, 1989.[37]
- ↑ Riggs worked as a studio drummer sporadically for Guns N' Roses while working on the follow-up to "The Spaghetti Incident?". Riggs contributed to the songwriting of "Oh My God"
- ↑ Wylde performed with the band in studio for several weeks auditioning for a guitar spot, however, he ultimately was not brought in
- ↑ Vrenna performed with the band for several months as drummer in 1997 during the sessions for what would become Chinese Democracy, however, none of his contributions or writing are featured on the album.
- ↑ May recorded lead guitar for the Chinese Democracy song "Catcher in the Rye" in 1999, but his contributions where removed from the final album.
References
- ↑ "12 Hedonistic Early Pictures Of Guns N' Roses". NME. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Guns N' Roses: Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- 1 2 "Interview: Steven Adler & Matt Sorum, the Guns N' Roses story". MusicRadar. Future plc. June 18, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses Keyboardist Hopes It Won't Take Another 10 Years For New Studio Album To Come Out". Blabbermouth.net. December 4, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Former Guns N' Roses Members Slash, Duff McKagan, Gilby Clarke Reunite On Stage In Argentina (Video)". Blabbermouth.net. March 8, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Gallucci, Michael (July 17, 2015). "22 Years Ago: Slash and Duff McKagan Play Their Last Guns N' Roses Show". Ultimate Classic Rock. Diffuser Network. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Gilby Clarke: The Moment I Knew I Was Not Going To Play With Guns N' Roses Anymore". Blabbermouth.net. October 10, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Didn't You Used to Be Axl Rose?". Q. Bauer Media Group. May 2001. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Wilkening, Matthew (July 18, 2012). "Slash Quits – 25 Most Destructive Guns N' Roses Moments". Ultimate Classic Rock. Diffuser Network. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Lealos, Shawn S. (June 9, 2014). "Velvet Revolver rises from the ashes of Guns N Roses". AXS. Anschutz Entertainment Group. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- 1 2 "Guitarist Robin Finck Leaves GN'R To Return To NIN". MTV. August 4, 1999. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "The Greats: Josh Freese". Modern Drummer. February 1, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Payne, Chris (September 4, 2015). "Tommy Stinson on Guns N' Roses' Future: 'I Really Have No Idea What's Going On'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses Keyboardist Chris Pitman Interviewed By 'Noise Up Thursdays'; Audio Available". Blabbermouth.net. October 24, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Leeds, Jeff (March 6, 2005). "The Most Expensive Album Never Made". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Epstein, Dan; Harris, Keith; Hudak, Joseph; Johnston, Maura; Love, Katherine; Morgan, Wallace (November 24, 2015). "March 2000: The Ballad of Buckethead: 50 Wildest Guns N' Roses Moments". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Drummer Bryan 'Brain' Mantia Discusses Recording Processes For Guns N' Roses' 'Chinese Democracy'". Blabbermouth.net. October 15, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie (October 30, 2000). "Guns N' Roses Make Buckethead, Robin Finck, & Bob Ezrin Official". allstarmag.com. Here Today... Gone to Hell!. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses: Paul Huge Out, Psychedelic Furs Axeman In". Blabbermouth.net. July 17, 2002. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ Wiederhorn, Jon (March 17, 2004). "Buckethead's Hand Puppet Says Goodbye To Guns N' Roses". MTV. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ Moore, Brian (November 20, 2008). "Axl's arsenal". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses: New Audio Interview With Frank Ferrer Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. August 4, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ Yates, Henry (November 19, 2008). "33 insane facts about Chinese Democracy". MusicRadar. Future plc. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses Caught 'Off Guard' By Finck's Decision To Rejoin Nine Inch Nails". Blabbermouth.net. April 21, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ Bosso, Joe (March 23, 2009). "Guns N' Roses hire DJ Ashba as new guitarist". MusicRadar. Future plc. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Ex-Guns N' Roses Guitarist Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal: Me And My Guitar (Video)". Blabbermouth.net. August 4, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ↑ Guns N' Roses confirm return of Slash and Duff McKagan for Coachella reunion
- ↑ "Official Guns N' Roses Live Lineup Includes Axl, Slash, Duff, Melissa Reese, Richard Fortus and Frank Ferrer". Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses Reunion Won't Include Izzy Stradlin". Pitchfork. March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
- 1 2 Reiff, Corbin (March 9, 2015). "Guns N' Roses Mini-Reunions: A Video History". Ultimate Classic Rock. Diffuser Network. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "STEVEN ADLER Performs With GUNS N' ROSES At Second Dodger Stadium Concert (Video)". Blabbermouth.net. August 20, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
- 1 2 Brown, August (March 13, 2012). "Review: Guns N' Roses at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip". Retrieved 2018-02-12.
- ↑ Chinese Democracy (Media notes). Guns N' Roses. Geffen Records. 2008.
- ↑ "GN'R Setlist Almanac 1987". GNRontour.com. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- 1 2 "GN'R Setlist Almanac 1988". GNRontour.com. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Guns N' Roses History: 1987". Here Today... Gone to Hell!. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ "GN'R Setlist Almanac 1989". GNRontour.com. Retrieved December 23, 2015.