Hollywood Rose was indeed a glam metal band from the United States that formed in 1983. They are very well recognised for being the forerunners to the band Guns N’ Roses. Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, plus Chris Weber established the band, with Rick Mars, Johnny Kreis, Steve Darrow, and Andre Troxx assisting them on stage. In 1984, Rose, Stradlin, and Weber recorded a five-song demo with Kreis. The group split the same year following a series of lineup changes, including the replacement of Weber and Kreis by Slash and Steven Adler (both of Road Crew at the time), as well as the departure of Stradlin.
Hollywood Rose reformed in 1985 for a New Year’s Eve gig, having Rose, Stradlin, and Darrow all returning, as well as former L.A. Guns drummer Rob Gardner. Tracii Guns, the founder of the L.A. Guns, took Weber’s position for the reunion show. They united with L.A. Guns in March 1985 to form Guns N’ Roses.
The Roots of Guns N’ Roses was indeed the headline of a five-song demo made in 1984 and published in 2004. The Guns N’ Roses albums Live?!*@ Like a Suicide (1986), Appetite for Destruction (1987), Live as from Jungle (1987), as well as G N’ R Lies (1987) all featured a number of Hollywood Rose tracks (1988).
Organizing (1983)
After expressing an interest in joining a band, guitarist Chris Weber was acquainted to Lafayette native Izzy Stradlin with in parking garage of both the Rainbow Bar and Grill by buddy Tracii Guns, who has been heading the initial iteration of L.A. Guns there at time. Shortly after, Weber as well as Stradlin began composing songs and, at Stradlin’s suggestion, enlisted the help of Axl Rose, formerly identified as Bill Rose, a boyhood friend and former Rapidfire as well as L.A. Guns singer. The group was given the moniker AXL at Rose’s suggestion, and Rose took Axl for his first name.
They debuted at The Orphanage in North Hollywood as well as went on to perform a few more concerts before renaming themselves Rose. After Weber realised that perhaps the name Rose had already been to be used by a New York band, the group changed their approach to Hollywood Rose for such final time.
Bassists Rick Mars, Andre Troxx, and Steve Darrow, as well as drummer Johnny Kreis, which remained the one and only constant member of the band outside of Rose, Stradlin, and Weber, helped the band during live gigs.
The band produced a five-song demo in Hollywood in 1984 following borrowing money from Weber’s father. They performed at the Music Machine in 1984 after a series of gigs.
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