Gilby Clarke Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
More important than his years in the Guns N' Roses touring band are Gilby Clarke's days as a guitarist for Kills for Thrills. It was these years in the Los Angeles rock scene that exposed Clarke to the sort of influences that he displays on Swag, his fourth original studio album. The music here evokes all sorts of bands from that scene, from the hedonistic swagger of Faster Pussycat to the clever pop/rock of European imports Hanoi Rocks to the punk-influenced pop of Dramarama. What Clarke may lack in originality he makes up for in spirit, as he really puts in a great performance. His songwriting has grown since he first left Guns N' Roses; he now seems to be more comfortable performing edgier, less Stones-influenced material. That may be a disappointment to some fans, but hundreds of bands sound like the Rolling Stones and very few bands still sound like Hanoi Rocks. There are several excellent rockers on the album, from the dark and winding "Heart of Chrome" to the infectious post-punk of "I'm Nobody." The best song could possibly be "Alien," the excellent opener that seems right out of the Sunset Strip circa 1988, complete with guitar from L.A. Guns mainstay Tracii Guns. Appearances from former Kiss drummer Eric Singer, Candy singer Kyle Vincent, and former Blondie/Dramarama drummer Clem Burke round out the big name sidemen, while many of the other musicians here are recent additions to the Los Angeles rock scene. Clarke knows his pop/rock, and he apparently is quite adept at making it, so this is a perfect album for those who miss the clever rock bands who were buried during the hair metal explosion of the late '80s and subsequent grunge revolution. This is also a good album for those unfamiliar with the scene, as Clarke not only encompasses many of those elements, but this album is probably a lot easier to find than any Faster Pussycat albums. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Guitarist Gilby Clarke always seems to have a knack for working with hard rock's renowned names, and his 1999 in-concert release, the appropriately titled 99 Live, is no different. Joining Clarke (who also doubles as lead vocalist) on this night in Hollywood, CA, was ex-L.A. Guns lead guitarist Tracii Guns and on-again/off-again Kiss drummer Eric Singer. Clarke is best known for his stint in Guns N' Roses, and the sleazy riff rockers included on 99 Live unsurprisingly possess an unmistakable "GNR flair" -- especially the 1994 rock radio hit "Cure Me...or Kill Me...," "Wasn't Yesterday Great," and "Monkey Chow." With little heard from Axl and his boys at the time of this release, Clarke gave Guns N' Roses-starved fans a bit to nibble on with 99 Live. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Picking up where Pawnshop Guitars left off, Gilby Clarke's second album, Hangover, is an endearing collection of hard rock indebted to glam, sleazy boogie and blues-rock. Clarke doesn't have many original ideas, but he rocks with conviction, turning the entire album into a hard-driving party, highlighted by covers of the Beatles' "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and David Bowie's underappreciated "Hang Onto Yourself." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Gilby Clarke's Pawnshop Guitars is an engaging collection of relaxed, rootsy hard rock. Drawing equally from the Stones, Aerosmith, and the Clash (he covers "Jail Guitar Doors"), Clarke doesn't do anything particularly distinctive on his first solo album, but he does rock out very well. With help from his Guns N' Roses bandmates, he turns in the second-best Guns solo project, falling in just behind Izzy Stradlin's record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
