Hollywood Rose: Предыстория Guns N' Roses

American glam metal band

Hollywood Rose was an American glam metal group formed in June 1983. They are best known as the precursor for what would eventually become Guns N' Roses. The group was founded by Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin and Chris Weber, while they were aided during live shows by Rick Marrs, Andre Troxx, Daniel "DJ" Nicolson, Johnny Kreis and Steve Darrow. Rose, Stradlin and Weber, along with Kreis and Nicolson, recorded a five song demo on January 1984. However, after a number of lineup changes, which includes Weber, Kreis and Nicolson being replaced by Slash and Steven Adler (both then of Road Crew) as well the departure of Stradlin, the group disbanded the same year. Hollywood Rose reunited for a New Year's Eve show on 1 January 1985 with Rose, Stradlin, and Darrow returning and adding former L. A. Guns drummer Rob Gardner to the group. L. A. Guns founder Tracii Guns replaced Weber for the reunion gig. In March 1985, they merged with L. A. Guns to become Guns N' Roses. The five song demo was released on 22 June 2004 with the title The Roots of Guns N' Roses. A number of Hollywood Rose songs were included on the Guns N' Roses albums Live ? ! *@ Like a Suicide (1986), Appetite for Destruction (1987), Live from the Jungle (1987), and G N' R Lies (1988).

Prior to forming, guitarist Chris Weber was introduced to Lafayette native Izzy Stradlin in the parking lot of the Rainbow Bar and Grill, by friend Tracii Guns, who was leading the first incarnation of L. A. Guns at this time, after Weber expressed an interest in forming a band. Soon afterwards, Weber and Stradlin started writing material and, at the suggestion of Stradlin, recruited his childhood friend, former Rapidfire and L. A. Guns singer Axl Rose, then known as Bill Rose. At the suggestion of Rose, the group called themselves AXL, with Rose adopting Axl as his first name. They played their first gig at The Orphanage in North Hollywood and played a few more shows before changing their name to Rose.

After borrowing money from Weber's father, the group recorded a five song demo in Hollywood in 1984. After playing a number of shows, they appeared at the Music Machine in 1984. During the show, Weber accidentally hit Rose with the headstock of his guitar. Rose stormed off and eventually fired Weber from the band, with former Road Crew guitarist Slash joining the group. Slash's Road Crew bandmate Steven Adler also replaced drummer Kreis during this time. The group reunited for a New Years celebration show on 1 January 1985, with Rose, Stradlin and Darrow returning along while L. A. Guns drummer Rob Gardner also joined the group. Weber, who left to move to New York City, was replaced by Tracii Guns for the gig. In 1998, former guitarist Weber sued Axl Rose, claiming that he co wrote two songs he was not credited for, "Shadow of Your Love" and "Back Off Bitch" (from Use Your Illusion I).

In 1989, Weber re formed Hollywood Rose with new vocalist Jimmy Swan and they were signed to Summa Music Group. A full length album was recorded but went unreleased. One track from the album, "Sweet Little Angel", was subsequently released on the soundtrack to the 1990 film Miami Blues. A second studio track, "Come A Little Closer", with Jimmy Swan on vocals, can be heard on the four disc box set Rock 'n' Roll Rebels & the Sunset Strip, Vol. 1.

In 2004, Weber, who had formed U. P. O. since leaving the band, sold the five song demo the group recorded in 1984 to Cleopatra Records. They released the album, which included, along with the original recordings, remixes by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke (which featured addition guitar overdubs by Tracii Guns) and former London and Cinderella drummer Fred Coury (who had filled in for Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler for a few shows) on June 22 with the title The Roots of Guns N' Roses. On 21 June 2004, Axl Rose sought an injunction against the release of the album, suing Cleopatra Records for trademark infringement, violation of rights in his name and likeness, and unfair competition. Slash and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan were also named as plaintiffs with Rose. However, on July 6, United States district court Judge Gary A. Fees denied the motion of Rose and his Guns N' Roses partnership for a preliminary injunction against the independent record label. In 2012, Cleopatra Records re released a CD entitled Dopesnake by a similarly named Guns N' Roses tribute act named Hollywood Roses (plural), which had been originally put out in 2007 by another label. There were no songs by either Guns N' Roses or Hollywood Rose on the album, but it did feature guest performances by Phil Lewis of L. A. Guns as well as Guns N' Roses veterans Tracii Guns, Gilby Clarke and Teddy Zig Zag.