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In the mid 80s, Tracii met Izzy Stradlin at the famous Rainbow Bar & Grill. Izzy told Tracii about Axl and knowing that Izzy needed a guitarist, he introduced him to another friend, Chris Weber. Axl, Izzy and Chris soon formed a band: "First it was called A-X-L - that was the original name of their band, A-X-L ... and whatever that meant. But, anyway, Axl ended up using that as his name. And then they did Rose, and Hollywood Rose, and they had different people in that band."

Tracii at the same time had his own band, LA Guns, which besides Tracii featured bassist Ole Beich among others. In 1984, Hollywood Rose broke up, because Axl wanted to join Tracii's band. Axl left shortly again, however, and reformed Hollywood Rose. But Hollywood Rose needed a lead guitar player, and Axl asked Tracii to join them. Seeing that the band had changed their line-up totally, they decided to change name. Izzy Stradlin suggested that they should mix the names of Axl Rose and Tracii Guns, and it became Guns N' Roses. "It just made sense. You know, it was like: 'Hey, you know? I'm Tracii Guns and you're Axl Rose. Let's just, you know, kinda put it together. Yeah, so we'll put out singles and we'll call it Guns N' Roses.'"

Guns N' Roses did their debut concert at The Troubadour. "I think the first show we actually sold like 80 tickets, you know - which was like really big, you know, back then. You know, to be able to pull 80 people at The Troubadour."

When Guns N' Roses booked "The Hell Tour," Tracii Guns and Rob Gardner didn't want to go for it anymore: "The two last shows that I did, we do sound check, and Axl shows up kinda late - and he flips out. He's like: 'Tracii, motherfucker. You know, Michelle - you know, Michelle Young's name isn't on the guest list.' I'm like: 'Oh, well, I put it on there. And I did.' I was just like: 'What's this guy's trip?' But he really, you know, fucked up the gig for me, 'cause I was like not into it. You know, I was like: 'Oh, this sucks.' You know, this guy's all pissed off, and now he's dictating to the 150 people that are here, you know." Tracii and Robert was replaced by Slash and Steven Adler. Tracii probably wrote parts of the Guns N' Roses song "Don't Cry," and maybe others, during the few months he spent in the band.

After leaving Guns N' Roses, Tracii went back to L.A. Guns. The band then featured Tracii, ex-Girl vocalist Phil Lewis, former W.A.S.P. drummer Steve Riley, bassist Kelly Nickles, and guitarist Mick Cripps. The band started working on their debut album, which was released in 1988 with the title "L.A. Guns".

L.A. Guns' following record, "Cocked and Loaded",  went gold the next year. The album included the hit single "Ballad Of Jayne". "Hollywood Vampires" was released in 1991 and it went to #41 in USA. The next year, the band released their 4th album, titled "Vicious Circle". The album became the band's weakest-selling album up to that point.

With the band going downwards in popularity, they changed bassist to Johnny Crypt, and singer Chris Van Dahl joined. With the new line-up, the band recorded "American Hardcore", but it didn't do any better than "Vicious Circle", and the band again tried different singers - first  Ralph Saenz on the "Wasted" EP, and later Jizzy Pearl. L.A Guns released "Shrinking Violet" in 1999, produced by former Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist, Gilby Clarke.

In 2000, Phil Lewis and Mick Cripps rejoined the band, and they also added Muddy Stardust (bass) to the line-up. They released "Man On The Moon" the following year - again produced by Gilby Clarke. 

The same year, Tracii also joined Col Parker on their cd "Rock N Roll Music", and he also helped Gilby Clarke on 1999's "99 Live" and 2002's "Swag".

(Updated January 16, 2006)

Artist Name: Tracii Guns
Real Name: Tracy Ulrich
Born: January 20th 1966, in Hollywood, CA
Instruments: Guitars
Other Bands: L.A. Guns, Motorhead, Johnny Thunders, W.A.S.P., Starfuckers, Poison, Kilowatt, The Bang Gang, Pyrrhus, Bong, Whore, Girl
Worked with: Gilby Clarke, Col Parker
Nickname: Shreddy Van Zeppelin

Parents: Unknown
Siblings: Unknown

Guitars: '57 Goldtop Reissue, '57 P90 Reissue, '58 Flametop Reissue, '70 Les Paul Standard, 80s Les Paul Studio, 80s Les Paul Studio, 80s The Paul, '88 BC Rich Mockingbird , '88 BC Rich Gunslinger, BC Rich Danelectro NeckThru, '89 Les Paul Standard, '91 Ibanez Tracii Guns Custom, '95 Dean Flying V, Epiphone Birdseyetop Les Paul, GMP 3-Pickup Custom, GMP Flametop, Mosrite, Dillion Goldtop LP, Yogis Gibson ES, '89 Fender Contemp Strat

"I sent Axl and email. I let him know I had a year off and that I would be willing to go kick some ass with him. I got no reply."