Long running hard rockers L.A. Guns tackle the present and look to the future on new album Checkered Past.
Written and recorded while the world was still in the grips of the coronavirus pandemic, Checkered Past finds Tracii Guns (the legendary “Guns” in Guns & Roses), Phil Lewis, and company continuing with the darker lyrical tone of the preceding studio albums, The Devil You Know and The Missing Peace, while incorporating their classic rock influences into the mix. Heavier songs are mixed with bluesier, boogie inducing tracks and dark, introspective ballads, often harkening back to the band’s early albums but also pushing the band forward. When listeners absorb the album as a whole, they'll see that the track list is divided up into 'Sets' or 'Suites', where a sonic style is explored across multiple songs before moving on to the next, making for a remarkable listening experience.
Guns, Lewis, and bassist Johnny Martin, guitarist Ace Von Johnson, and drummer Scot Coogan will hit the road in support of the album with announcements coming soon about more dates. Road dogs that they are, the band is itching to get back out on the road and showcase these songs in the environment they so love, the live stage.
Since their self-titled debut in 1988 to the widely praised recent albums, L.A. Guns have always delivered solid rock ‘n roll to the people. The current incarnation of the band has been touring non-stop and the connection they’ve made on the road is on full display here, not to mention Phil’s stunning and unique vocals and Guns’ mind-bending guitar playing. A must hear and listen for all fans of the band, both new and old.