An illustrious name on the mid eighties Los Angeles circuit, L.A. GUNS came tantalisingly close to achieving international stardom based on three sassy and attitude loaded albums all of which charted impressively on Billboard, the 1988 debut, 1989's 'Cocked & Loaded' and '1992's 'Hollywood Vampires'. L.A. GUNS was created by ex-PYRRUS guitarist Tracii Guns, his formative years involving a term in the fledgling GUNS N' ROSES and an unsuccessful audition for a position in RATT.

According to Guns, the very first L.A. GUNS line up, pinpointed at 1983, would see the guitarist in alliance with Gardner, ex-RAPIDFIRE vocalist Axl Rose (a.k.a. William Bailey) and bassist Ole Beich. Rose would bail out to front HOLLYWOOD ROSE and was duly substituted by Michael Jagosz. Demos were committed to tape in 1984 but then the band was put into stasis as both Guns and Gardner re-united with Rose to found GUNS N' ROSES. With Guns being replaced by Slash, he duly re-activated L.A. GUNS. The 1986 line-up comprised of Guns, bassist Mick Cripps, second guitarist Robert Stoddard (an original member of British Sleaze act DOGS' D'AMOUR), vocalist Paul 'Mars' Black and ex-WEIRDOS drummer Nickey 'Beat' Alexander. Both Cripps and Black held a prior tradition with FASTER PUSSYCAT. Black had also staked his claim on the Hollywood circuit with antecedent acts the Punk MAU MAUS between 1980 and 1983 and hotly tipped THE JONESES, as drummer, leading up to 1985. It would be during this period that the band really made their mark both on the club scene and on the record companies. However, just as the band was signed the group was radically re-structured. Gardner soon parted ways with Guns and would re-emerge with JADE and another defection came with the exit of Stoddard.

In March of 1987 Black would depart for pastures new, founding BLACK CHERRY with guitarist Anthony Castillo, and British born PHIL LEWIS was added in the frontman role. Lewis had, of course, previously fronted GIRL with whom he recorded two albums for Jet Records, finding great success in Japan, after which the singer gave his talents to many acts including BERNIE TORME'S GYPSIES, NEW TORPEDOS and even NWoBHM band SOLDIER.

Mick Cripps, who had once lived in England and played in KILLER ELITE with THE QUIREBOYS bassist Nigel Mogg, moved from bass to guitar. Erstwhile VIRGIN STEELE, FASTER PUSSYCAT and ANGELS IN VAIN man Kelly Nichols linked up with the band whilst former ROADMASTER, EMPIRE, B'ZZ and W.A.S.P. drummer Steve Riley was ultimately pulled in to supplant Nickey Alexander. Although Riley appears on the debut album's sleeve he did not join the band in time to record the sessions.

The debut album, issued in 1988 and just breaking into the Billboard top 50, featured a cover of the GIRL track 'Hollywood Teaze' and proved a strong seller. Within the Rock environment created by fellow acts such as GUNS N' ROSES and FASTER PUSSYCAT the band's Sleaze Metal went down well with the American youth and L.A. GUNS became a high profile act both on the touring scene and on MTV. The group remained mainstays of the US touring circuit despite numerous line-up changes.

In October early L.A. GUNS singer Paul Black brokered news of an attempt to reform the original line-up for live work. Tracii Guns quickly dismissed the idea. However, an album compiling archive tracks, 'Black List', did surface credited to PAUL BLACK'S L.A. GUNS.