L.A. GUNS Drummer STEVE RILEY: We Never 'Got Too Fluffy Or Too Glammy'

July 19, 2016

Russia's Classic Rock magazine has uploaded a ten-minute documentary on L.A. GUNS' June 9 performance at the Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg, Sweden. The clip, which was shot by Paul Potapov, includes concert footage as well as an interview with L.A. GUNS drummer Steve Riley.

Speaking about the "flipside" of fame and why L.A. GUNS has managed to survive for so long, Riley said: "We have friends in L.A…. well, a lot of the other bands from the '80s, and a lot of them say, 'I wish I didn't do that. I wish I didn't do that video. I wish I didn't do that album.' Me and Phil [Lewis, L.A. GUNS singer], we don't feel that way. It's not because we're so cocky; it's just we're proud of the stuff we do. We don't think we ever stepped over the line and got too fluffy or too glammy; we never did that. We pretty much stayed with… what we wear on the street, we go right on stage. We never really tried too hard, and I think that helped us, that we were never in that fluffy and glammy thing; we were, like borderline, and it was more of a street thing — we hope more of like [THE ROLLING] STONES type or AEROSMITH street type of feel that we've got…. There's no pretense in what we are. We are a rock and roll band. It's basic rock too — we're not too heavy, we're not too soft; we're just right in there in the middle, man, locked in, and it sounds great, 'cause we've been playing so much."

In addition to Riley and Lewis, L.A. GUNS' current lineup includes bassist Kenny Kweens and guitarist Michael Grant.

L.A. GUNS' last studio album, "Hollywood Forever", was released in June 2012 via via Cleopatra Records. The CD was recorded with legendary producer, and old friend, Andy Johns, who had previously worked with LED ZEPPELIN, THE ROLLING STONES, CINDERELLA and VAN HALEN, and who collaborated with L.A. GUNS on their previous three albums.

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