Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern · Rock of Nations with Dave Kinc

#346 #TraciiGuns Of #LAGuns - Part 2

·30 min·2 clips

Tracii Guns says Izzy Stradlin recorded all early GNR rehearsals on a boombox—if those tapes still exist.

This episode features guitarist Tracii Guns continuing his conversation with hosts Dave Kinchen and Shane McEachern. Guns reflects on personal observations and his extensive career in rock music. He shares specific stories about his early days, current projects, and industry challenges. Guns describes watching a documentary about the Earth's environment cleaning itself during lockdowns, which highlighted human impact. He discusses his discomfort with large social scenes and preference for work over the stereotypical rock star party life. Guns reveals that no professional recordings exist of his early work with Guns N' Roses, aside from possible rehearsal tapes Izzy Stradlin might have and a single piece of footage held by collector Mark Cantor. He explains the song "Ballad of Jane" was inspired by anonymous photos at Hollywood's Formosa Cafe. Guns details upcoming L.A. Guns tours, a new single titled "Lucky Motherfucker," and an album due April 4th. He expresses frustration that Universal Music Group holds the band's missing master tapes, referencing the 2008 archive fire and subsequent legal settlements. Guns also announces new signature guitars with companies like F.U. Tom and Kara Guitars, and his recent activity on a long-dormant YouTube channel. A surprising insight is Guns' claim that the master recordings for L.A. Guns' early albums are missing and caught in a stalemate with Universal. He finds it bizarre that collector Mark Cantor possesses unseen video footage of early shows but restricts access. Guns admits he was unaware of contract details in his youth, leading to situations like inadvertently advertising for Ibanez while under contract with B.C. Rich. He notes that modern vinyl reissues often use digital masters, which he finds inferior to original pressings. Guns is now focusing solely on L.A. Guns for the first time in years, which he describes as a freeing experience. The tone is a relaxed, meandering conversation between musicians who share a passion for rock history and gear. The style is informal and anecdotal, drifting between philosophical musings and specific career stories. Listeners who love behind-the-scenes stories from the 80s LA rock scene and details about vintage gear and music industry issues will enjoy this episode. Those seeking a tightly structured interview or new musical performances might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A candid rock conversation that turns vinyl obsession and master-tape frustration into something personal.

The conversation opens on a lockdown-era reflection, then slides into catalog talk and vinyl complaints, and that turn gives it shape. Tracii Guns comes across sharp, funny, and a little fed up about records, missing masters, and digital-source reissues, which he treats more…

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Why you'd press play

You want Tracii Guns talking vinyl, missing masters, and how records and gear actually land.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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