Original Gn'R Lineup Pictures

[Luke_of_Mass]

Hey folks,

it is likely that only the really dedicated fans and trivia enthusiasts would remember that Guns N' Roses was a merge of LA Guns and Hollywood Rose, each lead by a guy with a name pertaining to their band's respective title; Axl Rose and Tracii Guns. Granted Axl spent time in both, and folks hopped back and forth.

Now, to date, as far as I know, there are no full bootlegs from the Tracii Guns era, however pictures survive, and they are rare. I recently got a copy of this picture of the very first lineup from their first drummer, Rob Gardner.



from the left; Rob Gardner, Izzy Stradlin, Axl Rose, Tracii Guns, Ole Beich

Does anyone else know of existing pictures from before what we call the 'classic' lineup ? I'm very interested to see what people can dig up. There's got to be a few more out there, perhaps not of the first 5 people (as Ole supposedly quit after just 1 gig) but maybe some with Tracii and/or Rob ?

Hope this thread takes off, as I'm curious to see what else there is out there.

Cheers folks! 

Luke

[Jay Tea]

wow. the actual Original line-up of Guns N' Roses. great to see that picture. Thank you Robert and Luke_of_Mass.

remember kids. Rob, Tracii, Ole = "Original"
Steven, Slash, Duff = "Classic" (or "Appetite Era")

[overmatik]

wow. the actual Original line-up of Guns N' Roses. great to see that picture. Thank you Robert and Luke_of_Mass.

remember kids. Rob, Tracii, Ole = "Original"
Steven, Slash, Duff = "Classic" (or "Appetite Era")

Well, if you go by a strictly semantic point of view, yes, this is right. But usually when people refer to the original line-up they mean the line-up that recorded the first album.

But anyway, this is off-topic. Thanks for the picture, it is always nice to see these early GNR pictures. 

[Bridge]

Well, if you go by a strictly semantic point of view, yes, this is right. But usually when people refer to the original line-up they mean the line-up that recorded the first album.

Yeah, especially when Slash, Duff, Steven, Izzy, and Axl wrote all the songs together, recorded, rehearsed, and performed them all together.  Not to mention the fact that those five were the original five to get legally signed into the GNR partnership when they signed with Geffen on March 26, 1986.  So legally and musically, Slash, Steven, Axl, Duff, and Izzy were the original members.

Ole only played one show (and died in 1991, FYI), and Rob and Tracii only lasted 2-3 more shows.  None of them contributed to the song creation nor the identity of the GNR name.  I'd call Ole, Tracii, and Rob preliminary members, not originals.  The AFD lineup is what made the band originally mean something, and that's why the entire world (outside of this site) rightfully refers to the AFD lineup as the originals.

That said, that is a cool picture of the preliminary lineup.   

[MJ23]

According to the Oxford Dictionary

Definition of original
adjective
present or existing from the beginning; first or earliest:
the original owner of the house
the plasterwork is probably original

By the definition of ORIGINAL the first 5 guys are in fact the original band.
They started the band with the name "GUNS N' ROSES".
Duff, Slash and Steven were replacements.

Nevertheless imo the legacy of the band started with the AFD lineup.
And no matter who is playing the band will always be GN'R.

Back on topic: great pic, need to take RECKLESS ROAD once more.

[Bodhi]

According to the Oxford Dictionary

Definition of original
adjective
present or existing from the beginning; first or earliest:
the original owner of the house
the plasterwork is probably original

By the definition of ORIGINAL the first 5 guys are in fact the original band.
They started the band with the name "GUNS N' ROSES".
Duff, Slash and Steven were replacements.

Nevertheless imo the legacy of the band started with the AFD lineup.
And no matter who is playing the band will always be GN'R.

Back on topic: great pic, need to take RECKLESS ROAD once more.

yeah kind of confused by people continuing to bring this up, and using the word "original" as a passive dig at Slash.  Kind of strange.  Nobody gives a shit about what happened before "Appetite", thats the truth.  If you doubt this, go ask Dave Mustaine about how much credit he gets for being in Metallica, that would be none.  AND he actually played on "No life till Leather" and  wrote most of "Kill em All" and several tracks on "Lightning" and "Puppets".    What did Traci, Ole and Rob contribute exactly?


Heres a few more examples.  Chad Channing played drums on Nirvana's debut album, and nobody gives a shit because it wasn't "Nevermind."

When I say Travis Barker, you all know he is the drummer of Blink 182.  Well he didn't join the band until their FOURTH album.  Guess how many people give a shit about Scott Raynor, that would be nobody.  Scott actually played on 3 albums including the platinum selling record "Dude Ranch", still nobody cares.

People only recognize the line up when a band breaks big, thats the truth. 

When you look at these examples don't you feel a little silly going on about people who played one gig with the band?

[Bridge]

yeah kind of confused by people continuing to bring this up, and using the word "original" as a passive dig at Slash.

I've gathered that it's also their way of defending Axl's current lineup.  You know, "Oh yeah?  The new guys aren't original members?  Well don't you know SLASH isn't an original member either?!!"

Nobody gives a shit about what happened before "Appetite", thats the truth.

'nuff said.

[Bodhi]

yeah kind of confused by people continuing to bring this up, and using the word "original" as a passive dig at Slash.

I've gathered that it's also their way of defending Axl's current lineup.  You know, "Oh yeah?  The new guys aren't original members?  Well don't you know SLASH isn't an original member either?!!"

Nobody gives a shit about what happened before "Appetite", thats the truth.

'nuff said.

yeah I dont understand that either.  I think the current line up is great, and find no need to defend them, they are a great band.  I certainly don't have to try to belittle what the old line up did, doesn't make sense.

[JAEBALL]

yeah kind of confused by people continuing to bring this up, and using the word "original" as a passive dig at Slash.

I've gathered that it's also their way of defending Axl's current lineup.  You know, "Oh yeah?  The new guys aren't original members?  Well don't you know SLASH isn't an original member either?!!"

Nobody gives a shit about what happened before "Appetite", thats the truth.

'nuff said.

yeah I dont understand that either.  I think the current line up is great, and find no need to defend them, they are a great band.  I certainly don't have to try to belittle what the old line up did, doesn't make sense.

you guys are on point... its always people who are looking to defend the idea that all the lineup changes predate slash and duff and therefore its not something anybody should be upset about

[Top-Hatted One]

Dave Mustaine was a big part of Metallica

A better comparison would be Metallica's original guitarist. The black guy who played the anniversary show in San Fran last year

[Bodhi]

Dave Mustaine was a big part of Metallica

A better comparison would be Metallica's original guitarist. The black guy who played the anniversary show in San Fran last year

No that was the whole point, Dave Mustaine was a much bigger part of Metallica than any of those guys in the photo were for GNR, yet still no one cares.

[Luke_of_Mass]

Whether or not folks care about how Guns n' Roses was formed, I stand by the opinion that it remains both noteworthy and applicable to the topic of "Ex-Gunners." After all, it would probably be named 'Hollywood Rose' if it weren't for Tracii and Axl combining their names/the names of their bands for the title Guns N' Roses the world knows today.

For the original lineup, the only other thing I can find is this flyer from their very first gig- in the months that followed, there was one group of pictures used for multiple flyers featuring Axl, Izzy, Duff, Tracii, and Rob, but the quality of the pictures makes it hard to determine who is who, other than Axl.

Here it is, courtesy of www.gnrontour.com, as watermarked in the scan:

[FunkyMonkey]

Ole Beich alongside Axl Rose during a 1984 concert.

http://ekstrabladet.dk/musik/dkmusiknyt/article1925976.ece

[Bridge]

Whether or not folks care about how Guns n' Roses was formed, I stand by the opinion that it remains noteworthy

Indeed!  Regardless of my own opinion, these ARE cool photos that should be shared!  Good of you to dig them up.   

And a big R.I.P. to Ole Beich (1955-1991)

[LuanVictor]

Great pic, thanks!

[raindogs70]

Some people get too nitpicky about "original GNR", but we know there was already a lot of criss crossing between bands.

It would be good to get a setlist of the short lived lineup though. I'm sure it's pretty much 99 percent of the Hollywood Rose setlist and maybe a couple of cover songs that they haven't done since then.

[draguns]

Original lineup will always be: Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and Steven!

[Luke_of_Mass]

It would be good to get a setlist of the short lived lineup though. I'm sure it's pretty much 99 percent of the Hollywood Rose setlist and maybe a couple of cover songs that they haven't done since then.

Yes, I agree. Tracii said in an interview that most of what they did was very early LA Guns stuff, which isn't all that definitive, although now that the L.A. Guns Collector's Edition Number 1 was released, we can make a relatively safe bet at at least a few songs that were most likely played during that time.

Here's more info on the disc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collector's_Edition_No._1

[raindogs70]

It would be good to get a setlist of the short lived lineup though. I'm sure it's pretty much 99 percent of the Hollywood Rose setlist and maybe a couple of cover songs that they haven't done since then.

Yes, I agree. Tracii said in an interview that most of what they did was very early LA Guns stuff, which isn't all that definitive, although now that the L.A. Guns Collector's Edition Number 1 was released, we can make a relatively safe bet at at least a few songs that were most likely played during that time.

Here's more info on the disc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collector's_Edition_No._1

Probably some of what's on "Hollywood Raw", too.

[Luke_of_Mass]

*BUMP* What is this "Hollywood Raw" of which you speak? And where can I find it?

More have popped up:



Duff McKagen and Tracii Guns in the pre-Slash Guns N' Roses 1985



Tracii Guns and Axl Rose on stage (holding up a picture of a car?) 1985



Tracii Guns and Axl Rose singing on stage 1985