Izzy Stradlin, ex-rhythm
guitarist with Guns N'Roses, has
lost his appetite for
self-destruction.
The musician, who moved back to his unpretentious hometown
of Lafayette, Indiana two years before quitting Guns N'Roses
in 1991, has had few regrets since walking away from
the drug-infested Hollywood rock lifestyle of the '80s.
"I needed to get out of L.A. for my own sanity," Stradlin
recalled. "I was tired of the whole scene. I didn't move
there as a junkie. I became one in L.A. It came with the
turf."
Stradlin, who recently released a rootsy solo album, 117°
(Geffen), co-wrote many of Guns' biggest hits and earned
many millions from touring, song publishing, merchandising
and record sales.
"I moved back to Lafayette because I thought it would be
harder to score [drugs]," he continued. "In the late '80s,
you had to go to Indianapolis or Chicago. It helped being
far away from that. But you've got to really want to stop.
Back home, I would never have thought to use that (trash).
But once I quit drugs, I couldn't help looking around and
asking myself, 'Is this all there is?' I was just tired of
it; I needed to get out."
In 1992, Stradlin formed the Ju-Ju Hounds, a Stonesy
outfit that released one album and traversed the globe
twice. Then in late '95, Stradlin traveled to L.A. where
he met up with his old friend and ex-Guns bassist Duff
McKagan. The two soon found themselves in a studio with a
couple of musician friends. "We recorded 10 songs in eight
days," Stradlin said. "It got me excited about music
again. I realized how easy the whole process could be.
Those sessions were fun and painless. We just had a great
time."
Around the same time, Stradlin heard drummer Taz Bentley
had left the Reverend Horton Heat. A huge fan of Bentley's
work, the guitarist tracked him down and asked if he
wanted to come to L.A. and write some songs. Ju-Ju Hounds
guitarist Rick Richards and McKagan came aboard and the
new album was born.
"The album is totally random," Stradlin said. "It's just
about situations I've been in over the past few years,
mostly in Lafayette. That's always how I approach
songwriting -- no big statement, just telling it like it
is. Otherwise, you take all the fun out of it."
Stradlin, who has no tour plans, says he's still on good
terms with at least two of the original Guns N' Roses
members. "We're still pretty good friends," he said. "The
only guy that doesn't call anyone is Axl [Rose]. I don't
know what his problem is."
Stradlin has also apparently lost his appetite for
self-promotion. After this interview, he called his
manager, permanently canceled his press schedule and flew
to Hawaii. (Fred Shuster)
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