Phil Lewis Quits LA Guns Via Social Media
Friday, December 2, 2016 at 12:01AM Phil Lewis has quit LA Guns and he announced his departure from the band via Facebook. This is pretty shocking. The question is obviously... why? To play with Tracii Guns again full-time I assume, but time will tell.
Here's what he wrote:
"Dear friends and fans, with a heavy heart, I have to inform you that as of January 1, 2017 I will no longer be a member of this lineup. I feel I have gone as far as I can in this band, and unless I get out and focus on myself and something new that has a future, I'm going to stagnate.
For the last five years, I've been enthusiastic to record a new record. 'Hollywood Forever' really recharged my batteries and made me feel very proud to be in this band, but it feels like so long ago now. At this stage, I want to walk away with at least a little dignity.
I want to thank you all for your solid support throughout the last 15 years. We've had the pleasure and honor of playing so many wonderful countries, and I've always made a point of getting out and meeting some of the best, most loyal fans in the business. Your smiling faces will always be a huge part of my adventure, and I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. What's the point of making records or playing shows if you don't have fans for feedback, and I feel blessed to have so many cool people who treasure the music as much as I do as a part of our fan base.
I will continue writing, recording, and performing in the future. I have some solid plans, and I'm also open to where fate will take me on my musical adventure, and I sincerely hope if I'm anywhere near you, you'll come out and say hi and hear what I'm doing.
I love rock and roll, it's been my religion and salvation for many decades, and I feel the fire burning in my soul to do more. I have no plans on slowing down or retiring anytime soon, so please don't be sad.
Wish me luck and please stay in touch. Goodbye."
Reader Comments (13)
I'm thankful and appreciative Phil. Peace
What's even weirder is the whole reunion with Traci shit. Maybe they won't be called LA Guns and I will see Phil next year. Fingers crossed!!
I feel bad for Kenny Karen's and Michael Grant but that's show biz. Kweens is a helluva showman and will wind up somewhere. Same with Grant. Maybe he can really crank up The Assasins now.
So, what the hell -- Lewis should take a much needed break then he and Tracii should just call their thing GUNS, play M3 and take it from there.
p.s. I don't know if anyone noticed but Lewis' parting note is extremely well written and strikes just the right tone. Leave it to the British.
I wouldn't call this "the real L.A. Guns", because it isn't,, but it's a hell of a lot more exciting than seeing him up there with Stacy Blades etc. Now he can sing Killing Machine again!
Bring on the new music!
Still, they are our heroes and I can't wait to see THIS "line-up" as Bob has so adroitly noted from Lewis' announcement.
Eddie Trunk @EddieTrunk 1h1 hour ago
Just hung up with @traciiguns . He & Phil Lewis WILL continue to record & tour as LA Guns. Phil has left the other version of the band only
And where does that leave Riley? Well, with no real LA Guns to speak of and half made-up origin stories and wishes related to WASP (keep wishing). That said, he and Piper did sound pretty good together a month or so ago (one of our esteemed posters has some video from that night). But the least interesting half of the classic WASP lineup does not a reunion make. People would want Holmes as well. And I can't see Blackie opening that Kevin Smith-sized hockey jersey wide enough to let any of them back in. Then again, didn't see this coming either really.
Well, at least Eddie Plump is good for something. This is good news Jeff and Mike have relayed to us and the kind we've been hoping for, bourn out in the careful wording of Lewis' statement as flagged by Bob that Phil was leaving "this line up".
Even though Riley is a tool, Tracii is known to be one, too, and probably far worse in the past, as he seems to have taken a chill pill of late. I wonder if those two could ever hug it out, especially now that Phil has left Riley nothing but rights to the name.
However, there's no denying Riley's pedigree with WASP and Guns. I would be curious to know where Ace would rank him in terms of talent and skill in the L.A. pantheon of drummers.
Let's just hope Riley doesn't go all Blotzer on us and start touring with what has to be the most aggregious form of scab band formulas whereby the drummer is the only original member, huh-uh-lo-oh, Banali and said Blotzer!