We're proud to bring you an interview with LA Guns lead guitarist Stacey Blades. Stacey Blades was with Roxx Gang for nearly a decade before replacing Tracii Guns to join Phil Lewis and Steve Riley in LA Guns in 2003. He talks about his time with Roxx Gang, the two LA Guns issue and what his band is currently up to among other things so without further adieu....

How is the current tour going?

The tour dates are going great! Two weeks ago we played to a packed house at the US CELLULAR ARENA in Bloomington Il. the show with Warrant and Firehouse at Penn's Peak was off the hook as well. 3000 screaming rock fans. Rock is alive and well these days.

You guys are in the opening slot for the '80s Invasion Tour with Warrant and Firehouse, how many dates are you booked on that tour and what are the band's tour plans beyond that? What about headlining dates?

The 80's Invasion thing is select dates right now thru the summer. More and more bands seem to be doing this these days. It's not that practical to take out a Bus unless you are on a really big package like Poison or something. We usually fill in our own headlining shows around these dates with Warrant and Firehouse. We will tour the states all summer and then we will be heading over to Europe for a full length headlining tour in September. It's been 2 years since we have been there so we are overdue!

Originally, you're from Calgary in Alberta, Canada, but you've bounced around a bit before finally coming to LA. You were in Toronto for a while and then moved to Florida to join Roxx Gang in 1992.

I was born in Calgary and moved to Toronto when I was 7 years old. Basically grew up in Toronto and then joined Roxx Gang in 92 and moved to Clearwater, Fla.



Talk a bit about the music scene in both Calgary and Toronto and how you fit into those scenes.

The only music scene in Calgary was my basement. You know jamming on my white little plastic guitar with my friends! hahahha. Toronto had an amazing scene! By 87,88 and 89, it was bustling! Lots of cool clubs, and some great local bands. It reminded me a lot of the Scene in L.A. Tons of cool rockers and Chicks dressed to kill! I had a great band their called Fraidy Katt, perfect mixture of L.A. GUNS and FASTER PUSSYCAT.
I remember the first time I came to L.A. in 89 and thinking" Dammit this band should be here"!! The scene started fizzing out like everything else in late 91'. I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere staying in Canada. Even the few bands that had gotten signed in 90 and 91 weren't getting pushed in the States at all! I felt Canada was a dead end so to speak.

With Fraidy Katt, did you guys ever open for LA Guns when they played places like Rock N Roll Heaven?

No, but that would have been great! R'N'R Heaven was the shit! That was the coolest Venue! I definitely miss those days!

Roxx Gang was kind of your big break in the US. How did you get hooked up with them?

So around 92 I noticed an ad in Metal Edge that Roxx Gang was looking for a guitar player! I was like "I totally could get this gig and I fit in Perfectly. I had their 1st Album and thought they were a great band. I sent them a press kit and they called right away! A week later I flew down to Florida and Auditioned. I beat out a ton of guys and nailed it. 2 weeks later I moved South!!

You were actually in Roxx Gang for about eight years, from 1992-2000. What was your overall impression of that time in your career and why did you decide to part ways with them?

The first few years in Roxx Gang were a lot of fun! The little scene was still bustling down there and around the state as well. We recorded a ton of stuff and eventually got a deal and Released 'THE VOODOO YOU LOVE" Which I think was an awesome follow-up to "Things You've Never Done Before".I did 3 More records with them over the course of the next 3 years.

Once the whole Alternative thing took over, it was really tough being in a Rock Band. We thought " shit we gotta re-invent ourselves" unfortunately Kevin Steele took the band in a completely wrong direction and alienated ourselves even worse.

He wanted to be like this Black Crowes bluesy thing which progressed into this Rockabilly blues country thing. I got fed up with living in Florida, Kevin's band direction and Nazi attitude and said SEE YA!!!!



So you guys did consider going for a
more modern sound at one point. What kinds of styles did you
originally consider for the band's new direction? Which did you think
would work the best?

I remember saying to Kevin that we should follow up the next record after "Voodoo" with an album that sounds like the Dolls. Ya know kinda Bluesy Punky. (funny 3 years later Buckcherry came out with this sound) Kevin was like ya cool, but he turned the band into this Muddy Waters Shit! I was like" what is going thru this guy's mind?" How do you go from Black Leather and Make -up to Delta Blues?

So how long after you left Roxx Gang did it take you to head to Los Angeles?

I knew L.A. was beckoning me. I came out to L.A about 3 months before I moved here in Early 2001. I couldn't believe how well the scene had picked up after all these years!



Once you got to LA, you hooked up with Eric Stacey of Faster Pussycat to form the band Supercool and then your next band Smack was borne out of that. Talk a little bit about that.

I decided to put an ad together looking for guys to start a band with. I think it Read.......
Nationally known guitarist looking to form punk glam band i.e Stooges,Dolls,Bowie or something like that. One of the 1st guys to call was Eric Stacy. Basically that's how Supercool got started.
I moved directly to L.A. from Florida (that was real fun driving across America with a U-haul trailer strapped to my car) Anyways we found a great young tattooed singer guitarist and nabbed Vikki Foxx on Drums. The did a 6 song E.P called "Live at the Wilcox Hotel"
We played a handful of shows in L.A. and did a Japanese Tour which was a Blast! The band just didn't work out.



The singer from Supercool and I formed Smack. That was an awesome fuckin' band and we should've have gotten a deal, we did come close. It was perfect blend of Punk and radio ready Rock! We were together for a year and a half .The scene and "the music BUSINESS" tore the band apart. Too bad because it was a really good band.



After that period, you eventually joined LA Guns. How did you end up becoming only the second lead guitarist in a band that has had over 30 members in 20 years?

Ha! that's a great question! At the end of 2003 my buddy Keff called me and said L.A.GUNS was looking for a lead guitarist. I said what Happened to Tracii? It dawned on me that Trace had permanently left to do Brides. I said "hell ya I'm interested" because Smack was about to break-up. So I met with Phil and Steve and hit it off! We played one time and were hugging each other after 10 minutes!!! It was a huge chemistry from the first power chord!!!

How big of an LA Guns fan were you before joining the band?

I was a Huge L.A. Guns fan! I thought they were the coolest band to come out of L.A.!



Before we go any further, let's clear up a little misconception here. You've been using the name Stacey Blades long before you replaced Tracii Guns in LA Guns. When did you start using that name and how did you come up with it?

Yes my name! I've been going by Stacey Blades since I was 17. I have a very generic first and last name. I wanted something that had pizazz! This would have been around 1987. So for all of who think I was named that, guess again! My nickname as a kid was Blades. I refused to use scissors in School for some weird reason! so they started calling me Blades.


Your first musical project with LA Guns was the "Rip The Covers Off" CD, do you think that doing an album of covers made it easier to fit in with the rest of the band right away?

I was thrown right in the Deep End when I joined L.A.GUNS. I had to learn all the Covers for that record we did With Andy Johns, plus learn all the LAG catalog. My head was spinning. Here I am replacing Tracii Guns, doing a record with the Famous Andy Johns (Zeppelin,Stones,Van Halen,Rod Stewart) and then once the Album was done we left to do a month long tour in Europe! The Covers record was definitely a great start! We really bonded quick after that album and the tour!



How was it to get to work with Andy Johns? Did you get to shoot the breeze with him about Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and the other stuff he's done before?

Andy is great. He is a lot of fun to work with and he tells some great old stories about Mick and Keith,Jimmy Page and some odd stories about the Van Halen Brothers.


"Nothing Better To Do" from the "Vicious Circle" album was known as Kelly Nickels' song since he sang on it, but it's really become "Stacey's song" since you sing it live. How did the idea of you singing this song come about?

Nothing Better to Do was a lot of fun. When we were rehearsing for the Dokken Tour 04 and Phil says to me "You're singing a song"! I'm like O.K how about Nothing Better to do! we rehearsed it and it sounded pretty good even though I can't really sing. It's a punk song though so my vocals are close to Kelly's I guess. We are taking a break from that song for a while since we have been playing it for 3 years now.



I think the question on everyone's mind right now is what are your thoughts on Tracii Guns use of the name LA Guns with his band of originals?

The two LAG thing. Ya. Well I wish there was some distinction like "Tracii's LAG". It's tough when there is two bands out there with the same name. It really confuses the shit out people. Both bands sound completely different as well. Tracii owns half the name so he of course is entitled to do that.

Ok what about your bands plans to release new music? When can we expect a new CD?

We would like to release something Early next year! We have written some killer stuff already and are itching to do an album sometime soon!

You guys did a cover of Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch" for a Cleopatra Tribute CD. Any chance of that popping up the next LA Guns CD?

The Buckcherry cover was just something we did for Cleopatra. No, it won't end up on a new album.



How far along are you guys into making the new album?

Well we have only done about 6 or 7 songs. Definitely sounds like L.A.Guns. Kinda Aerosmith 'Rocks' and 'Toys' Era!
The Buckcherry cover was just something we did for Cleopatra. No, it won't end up on a new album.

It was recently announced that Adam Hamilton is leaving LA Guns to become a full time producer. Take a moment to talk about that and talk about Adam's contribution to the band.

Adam will be greatly missed! He is going to be a producer and songwriter full time. Expect to see his name on some really Big Artists songs. Adam is an Amazing studio guy and I think that's really his forte'. He is one of the most talented musicians and songwriters i have ever played with in my entire career! We really had some fun times together hangin' ,recording and touring! Adam is like the silent member of LAG. We will continue to work with him in the future.



So is Scott Griffin the permanent replacement or has that decision been made yet?

Scotty is the new bassist for Sure! He's a great guy and excellent musician. I've known Scott for a few years and he was one of the first guys I thought of when Adam was leaving.

How does it feel to not be the new guy anymore?

Well I definitely don't fell like the new guy anymore since has been 4 years almost. I think the fans realize this too!



A lot of musicians can be superstitious or just have certain things they need to have or do before they can perform, whether it's a certain item of clothing or pre-show ritual, what about you?

I don't really get Superstitious before a show. I usually Pray before we play. I do routinely stretch my hands and arms and like to warm-up for a half and hour before show time! So I guess thats a ritual! A beer or two doesn't hurt either.

What is Zombie Juice and how did you come across it?

ZOMBIE JUICE!!!! I invented that shit! Half Corona and Red Bull with a slice of Orange or Lime! When we were touring with Wasp in 05 we were on a hellacious schedule. So one night on the bus before a show I was feeling a little burnt and decided to put some Red Bull in my beer. I was like wow this tastes pretty good. So I started drinking it before each show! I call it Zombie juice because it keeps the body awake and numbs the mind. However too many and you feel like you just did an eight ball!

How do you occupy yourself when you're not working with LA Guns?

Well I like too keep busy when I'm not on the road. Too many weeks off and I get antsy!
I teach guitar sometimes when I'm home. I've been teaching for years and I do enjoy it quite a bit! I've been playing since I was 11 so I like to teach up and comers a few tricks here and there! Mainly I like catching up with friends, hangin with the wife and enjoying all the fine fruits of L.A.!

********Top 5 Lists**************


Top 5 musical influences? Guitarists --- Randy Rhoads, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Perry, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.

Bands------ Aerosmith, Motley, NY Dolls, Cheap Trick and The Stones.


Top 5 cities to play a gig? Chicago, Minneapolis, London, Vancouver and Dallas


Top 5 greatest career moments? Moving to U.S from Canada to join Roxx Gang, Joining LA.GUNS, playing in Toronto with L.A. Guns, doing two albums with Andy Johns! playing the Z-92 Radio Festival in Omaha to 15,000 people!

Top 5 most important things to Stacey Blades?

Most important things to me are my Family and friends, having the gift of music in my life, my health, and being able to play with a great bunch of guys and traveling the World!

What do you remember best about the following albums, whether it's the band, the songs, funny stuff that happened on tour, whatever?

Roxx Gang - The Voodoo You Love: Great Album, fun to record, recorded at Morrisound Studios in Tampa.

Roxx Gang/Mojo Gurus - Drinkin' TNT and Smokin' Dynamite: the last thing I did with those guys, recording sucked and realizing that while the drummer was trying to play producer and he's trying to fuck with my amp, I'm going I GOT TO GET THE FUCK OUT!!!!!!

Supercool - Live At The Wilcox Hotel: Cool six song punky rock E.P. Was sooo glad I was out of Roxx Gang, Didn't pay enough attention to the production! It's okay though.

LA Guns - Rip The Covers Off: Really enjoyed that, very relaxed atmosphere and realized it was the first album without Tracii!

LA Guns - Tales From The Strip: Savored every second of making that record, magical and awesome to be working with Andy Johns again. Really knew we where making a great record the moment Phil started layin' Vocals down!

Ok assuming you're a hockey fan eh, how do you respond to the following statement: A male growing up in the city of Toronto, does
not come of age or 'become a man' if you will, until that boy realizes
that the Toronto Maple Leafs will not win a Stanley Cup again until
EVERYONE from the Harold Ballard era is dead and buried.

Harold Ballard that Prick!! That's funny. I only went to a few games at The Gardens. They Sucked! I think they still do?

(I pulled that off of a thread on our boards and thought some of our
forum members would get a kick out of you answering that question.)

http://metal-blast.com/MetalBoard/viewtopic.php?t=2734


Have you been watching any of the Rock n Roll reality TV shows?

I've been watching all of em! I really enjoy Gene Simmons show! Super Group was fun too!

If you had the chance to star in your own reality show, what kind of show would it be and who would you want to work with?

If I had my own show of course it would be about me and the boys!

Musically speaking, what kinds of music or artists are you into these days?

I've been listening to a lot of early Ozzy. I never get tried of listening to Randy! I like Foo fighters, Sponge, Concrete Blonde, Early Van Halen and love STP



We also plan on interviewing some up and coming musicians as well as established musicians like yourself so do you have any advice for aspiring musicians trying to get into the business?

My advice to up and comers is go for it! Beleive in yourself and Devout every waking moment to your craft. Be prepared to Sacrifice everything and Jump in the Deep End!

Last but not least Stacey, is there anything we forgot to ask you that you want to talk about?

What about a parting shot? I think we got it all dude! "The idea is to have a ball!!"

We asked Stacey a lot of questions and he gave us some very cool answers. Be sure to check out the band's official site and their MySpace for tour dates and all kinds of other cool LA Guns related stuff.