Jump to content

Izzy Stradlin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Izzy Stradlin
Stradlin performing at a Guns N' Roses concert in 2012
Stradlin performing at a Guns N' Roses concert in 2012
Background information
Birth nameJeffrey Dean Isbell
Born(1962-04-08)April 8, 1962(age 62)
Lafayette, Indiana,U.S.
OriginLafayette, Indiana, U.S.
Genres
OccupationGuitarist
InstrumentsGuitar, vocals
Years active1979 - present
Labels
Formerly of

Jeffrey Dean Isbell(born April 8, 1962), best known asIzzy Stradlin,is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of thehard rockbandGuns N' Roses,with whom he recorded four studio albums and left at the height of their fame in 1991.

Following his departure from Guns N' Roses, Stradlin fronted his own rock band,Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds,before continuing to record as a solo artist. He was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fameas a member of Guns N' Roses in 2012.

Life and career

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Stradlin was born 1962 inLafayette,Indiana.[1]His father, Richard Clyde Isbell, was an engraver. His mother, Sonja LaVern Isbell, née Reagan, worked for a phone company. Stradlin has stated that he "grew up in Florida and moved with my mom to Lafayette."[1]His parents divorced when Stradlin was eight.[2]His mother moved Stradlin and his two younger brothers, Kevin Thomas Isbell and Joseph "Joe" Isbell to Lafayette, Indiana.[1]Of his hometown, Stradlin said, "It was cool growing up there. There's acourthouseand acollege,ariverand railroad tracks. It's a small town, so there wasn't much to do. We rode bikes, smoked pot, got into trouble—it was prettyBeavis and Butt-Headactually. "[3]Izzy's grandfather's half-brother, Joseph William "Little Joe" Isbell, was born 1916. He was also a recording and touring artist,[4]described as a "country yodeler".[5]

Stradlin developed an interest in music early in life; by the age of eight, his musical favorites includedBob Dylan,Pink Floyd,Alice Cooper,andLed Zeppelin.[3]His biggest musical influence was his paternal grandmother, who played drums in aswing jazzband with her friends.[3]Inspired, Stradlin talked his parents into buying him a drum kit.[3]

In high school, Stradlin started a band with his friends, one of whom was singer William Bailey, later known asAxl Rose.[3]Stradlin recalled, "We were long-haired guys in high school. You were either ajockor astoner.We weren't jocks, so we ended up hanging out together. We'd play covers in the garage. There were no clubs to play at, so we never made it out of the garage. "[3]Despite his aversion to school, Stradlin graduated in 1980 with aD average,the only original member ofGuns N' Roseswith a high school diploma.[2]Set on a career in music, he subsequently moved to Los Angeles.[2]

1980–1984: Career beginnings

[edit]

Shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles, Stradlin joinedpunkband Naughty Women.[2]During his ill-fated first show with the band, audience members began attacking the musicians; Stradlin recalled, "I just grabbed a cymbal stand and stood on the side trying to fend them off, yelling, 'Get the fuck away from me, man!' That was my introduction to the rock scene in L.A."[3]His two-month tenure in Naughty Women was followed by a stint in punk band The Atoms, before his drum kit was stolen from his car and he switched to bass.[3]Stradlin then joined theheavy metalband Shire, during which he took up rhythm guitar to aid his songwriting.[3]

In 1983, Stradlin formedHollywood Rosewith childhood friendAxl Rose,who had moved to Los Angeles the previous year. In January 1984, the band recorded a five-song demo featuring the tracks "Killing Time", "Anything Goes","Rocker "," Shadow of Your Love ", and"Reckless Life",which were released in 2004 as part of the compilation albumThe Roots of Guns N' Roses.[6]The group disbanded in August, following which Stradlin briefly joinedSunset StripstapleLondon.He also formed the short-lived band Stalin with singerEric Leachand guitarist Taz Rudd ofSymbol Six.[7]In December, he reunited with Hollywood Rose.[6]

1985–1991: Guns N' Roses

[edit]
Main article:Guns N' Roses

In March 1985, Stradlin founded Guns N' Roses with Axl Rose and members ofL.A. Guns,Tracii Guns,Ole BeichandRob Gardner,[6]as a favor to L.A. Guns manager,Raz Cue,who had previously booked the act at the Troubadour.[8]By June, the lineup consisted of Rose, guitaristSlash,rhythm guitarist Stradlin, bassistDuff McKagan,and drummerSteven Adler.[6]They played nightclubs—such as theWhisky a Go Go,The Roxy,andThe Troubadour—and opened for larger acts throughout 1985 and 1986. During this period, the band wrote much of its classic material, and Stradlin established himself as a key songwriter.[9][10]

In July 1987, Guns N' Roses released their debut album,Appetite for Destruction,which has sold over 28 million copies worldwide,[11]including 18 million in the United States alone.[12]Stradlin wrote or cowrote most of its songs, including the hits "Sweet Child o' Mine"and"Paradise City".He also wrote the hit"Patience"on the follow-upG N' R Lies,released in November 1988 to US sales of five million copies,[13]despite containing only eight tracks, four of which were included on the previously released EPLive?!*@ Like a Suicide.

As their success grew, so did tensions within the band. In 1989, opening forThe Rolling Stones,Rose made an on-stage announcement in which he threatened to leave the band if Slash and Adler did not stop "dancing with Mr. Brownstone,"[6]a reference to theirsong of the same nameabout heroin. After being sentenced to a year's probation for urinating in public aboard an airplane (after which the band nicknamed him "Whizzy" ), Stradlin decided to attain sobriety; he returned to his house in Indiana, where he detoxed from drugs and alcohol.[2][14]

In September 1991, Guns N' Roses released the long-awaitedUse Your Illusion IandUse Your Illusion II,which debuted at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively in the US chart – an unprecedented feat.[15]Stradlin cowrote the hits "Don't Cry"and"You Could Be Mine",and performed lead vocals on" Dust N' Bones "," You Ain't the First "," Double Talkin' Jive ", and"14 Years".As with their previous records, his preferred guitar during recording was aGibson ES-175.[16]

By the release of theUse Your Illusionalbums, Stradlin had become dissatisfied with life in Guns N' Roses: "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."[10]On November 7, 1991, it was announced that he had left Guns N' Roses,[6]having played his final show as an official member on August 31 atWembley Stadium.[6]

Stradlin later said, "I didn't like the complications that became such a part of daily life in Guns N' Roses,"[2]citing theRiverport riotand Axl Rose's chronic lateness anddivabehavior on theUse Your Illusion Touras examples.[2][3]He also objected to a contract with which he was presented: "This is right before I left – demoting me to some lower position. They were gonna cut my percentage of royalties down. I was like, 'Fuck you! I've been there from Day One. Why should I do that? Fuck you, I'll go play theWhisky.' That's what happened. It was utterly insane. "[17]

Stradlin added that getting sober played a part in his decision to leave, saying, "When you're fucked up, you're more likely to put up with things you wouldn't normally put up with."[2]

Some of Stradlin's guitar playing recorded during theIllusionsessions appears on Guns N' Roses' 1993 covers album"The Spaghetti Incident?",although he was uncredited on the project.[18]

1992–1994: Ju Ju Hounds and first return to Guns N' Roses

[edit]
"Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds" redirects here. For the album, seeIzzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds (album).

Following his departure from Guns N' Roses, Stradlin returned to his hometown of Lafayette, Indiana, where he began working on new material. He formed the band Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds, which consisted of Stradlin on vocals and rhythm guitar,Rick RichardsofGeorgia Satelliteson lead guitar,Jimmy Ashhurstof Broken Homes on bass, andCharlie Quintanaon drums.[2]Theirself-titled debut albumwas released in October 1992 to positive reviews;Rolling Stonecalled it "a ragged, blues-drenched, and thoroughly winning solo debut."[3]Ju Ju Hounds played its first show in September at The Avalon in Chicago, before embarking on a tour of Europe, Australia, and North America.[19][20]

In May 1993, Stradlin reunited with Guns N' Roses for five shows in Europe and the Middle East to fill in for his replacement,Gilby Clarke,who had broken his wrist in a motorcycle accident.[21]After Stradlin returned to the Ju Ju Hounds, Axl Rose dedicated the Stradlin-penned "Double Talkin' Jive" to him during several shows.[21]In September, the Ju Ju Hounds undertook a tour of Japan, where the band played its final show at theShibuya Public Hallin Tokyo.[20]Stradlin then took time off from music unannounced, leaving the Ju Ju Hounds and going to the Bahamas, traveling extensively and dedicating much of his time to his other passions—motor racing, skateboarding and even building a motor track close to his Indiana home.[3]

1995–2002: Solo career and Velvet Revolver

[edit]
Stradlin during a concert in 2006

In 1995, Stradlin began recording material for his first solo album,117°.[10]Released in March 1998, the album was recorded over a period of two years and featured his former bandmates Duff McKagan and Rick Richards, as well as formerReverend Horton HeatdrummerTaz Bentley,whose work Stradlin admired.[3]As before, Stradlin had little interest in promoting his music; he did few interviews and played no live performances.[10]The album turned out to be his last release on his long-time labelGeffen;as a result of the merger of Geffen andInterscope,[22]Stradlin was dropped from the label's roster.

In December 1999, Stradlin's next solo album,Ride On,was released on theUniversal Victorlabel in Japan. It featured the same lineup as his previous release. To promote the album, Stradlin—with McKagan, Richards, and Bentley—played four shows in Japan the following April.[23]With the addition of keyboardistIan McLagan,the group recorded two more albums:River,which was released in May 2001 onSanctuary,and a second Japan-only release,On Down the Road,which followed in August 2002 onJVC Victor.[24][25]

Stradlin was then asked by his former Guns N' Roses bandmates Duff McKagan, Slash, and Matt Sorum to join thesupergroupVelvet Revolver.Although he contributed to the songwriting process while the band was in its formative stage,[26]Stradlin ultimately declined to join due to his aversion to life on the road and his unwillingness to work with a lead singer, although he offered to share vocal duties with McKagan.[27]

2003–2010: Independent solo career and second return to Guns N' Roses

[edit]

In 2003, Stradlin recorded his sixth album,Like a Dog,with guitarist Rick Richards, drummer Taz Bentley, and bassist JT Longoria. It was originally scheduled for a late 2003 release, with just under one thousand promo copies made.[28]However, the album was not released until October 2005, when Stradlin—prompted by a fan petition[29]—made it available through internet order.[24][28]The following year, Stradlin re-releasedRide On,River,On Down the Road,andLike a DogthroughiTunes.[30]

Stradlin andAxl Roseat theDownload Festivalin 2006

In May 2006, thirteen years after his last performance with Guns N' Roses, Stradlin made a guest appearance at the band's show at theHammerstein Ballroomin New York; he played on "Patience", "Think About You",and"Nightrain".[31]He then performed with Guns N' Roses for 13 shows during the band's summer European tour.[31]Stradlin said, "Axl [Rose] and I connected via cell phone this year, I stopped by. It was nice to reconnect with an old friend/war buddy/fellow musician. I told him later I'd like to join the fun in some way and he said I was welcome to come and play something, so I did! Took me about three weeks to recover from the six weeks of touring!"[30]In December, he played three shows with the group at theGibson AmphitheatreinUniversal City, California.[31]

Stradlin released his seventh album,Miami,through iTunes in May 2007. It again featured Rick Richards, Taz Bentley, and JT Longoria, as well as keyboardist Joey Huffman.[24]Guitarist Richards described the album as being "a bit of a departure fromLike a Dogbut still quite a rocker. "[32]In July, a remixed version ofMiamiwas released through iTunes; Stradlin called the new mix "much louder and more powerful sounding."[33]In November of that year, he released a second iTunes-only album,Fire, the Acoustic Album,which also featured Richards, Bentley, and Longoria.[24]

Stradlin's next iTunes release,Concrete,came out in July 2008. In addition to his regular collaborators, Stradlin also invited Duff McKagan to play bass on three songs, including the title track.[14]Stradlin then released two more albums through iTunes:Smoke,which came out in December 2009, andWave of Heat,which followed in July 2010 and again featured McKagan, who appears on seven tracks. Also in 2010, Stradlin appeared as a guest on Slash's first solo album,Slash;he performs rhythm guitar on the first track, "Ghost".[34]

2011–present: Hall of Fame induction and third return to Guns N' Roses

[edit]

In April 2012, Stradlin was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fameas a member of the classic lineup of Guns N' Roses. In a statement released through Duff McKagan's blog forSeattle Weekly,he thanked the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "for the acknowledgement of our works over the years," his former bandmates, and his fans for their continuing support.[35]Known to avoid public attention,[35]Stradlin did not attend the induction ceremony.[36]

In the month following the induction, Stradlin joined Guns N' Roses on stage during two shows at London'sO2 Arena,where they performed a range of songs including "14 Years,"which had not been performed live since his departure in 1991.[37]He also performed with Guns N' Roses in July, at a private show inSaint-Tropezand a concert inPalma de Mallorca,[38][39]and again in November, during the last two shows of the band's twelve-date "Appetite for Democracy" residency in Las Vegas.[40]Also in November, Stradlin released the iTunes-only single "Baby-Rann" —his first release in over two years; an accompanying video was made available viaYouTube.[41]

Amidst rumors and speculation, Stradlin joined Twitter,[42]and confirmed in a statement toRolling Stonethat he would not be involved with the 'reunited' Guns N' Roses lineup in 2016.[43]He later stated that he declined because the band "didn't want to split the loot equally".[44]In 2018, journalistAlan Nivenreported that Stradlin participated in a soundcheck with Guns N' Roses sometime in 2017, but ultimately left before guesting at the show.[45]

Stradlin released numerous singles in 2016, previewing samples of the songs via his Twitter account and through the YouTube channel 'classicrockstuffs'.[46]"Sunshine" byJonathon Edwardsand "Stuck in the Middle with You"byStealers Wheelwere acoustic videos made available through YouTube,[46]whilst "Walk N' Song",[47]"F.P. Money"[48](featuring former Guns N' Roses drummerMatt Sorum), "To Being Alive"[49]and a cover version of theJ. J. Calesong "Call Me the Breeze"featuringJesse Aycockand Lauren Barth,[50]were released to online music stores.

In 2017, Stradlin played guitar on the song "Grandview" byJohn Mellencamp,on his albumSad Clowns & Hillbillies.Martina McBridewas also featured on the song.[51]

Personal life

[edit]

Stradlin has been divorced since 2001.[52]As of 2016, Stradlin is living in or aroundOjai,California.[53]

Equipment

[edit]

Guitars:

Amps:

Discography

[edit]
Main article:Izzy Stradlin discography

Solo albums

[edit]

with Guns N' Roses

[edit]

with The Ju Ju Hounds

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcBosso, Joe (March 1989)."Guns N' Roses' Slash and Izzy Stradlin:" We wanted the necessary studio polish, but with the live, raw feeling intact "".Guitar World.
  2. ^abcdefghi"Interview with Musician".Musician.Billboard Publications Inc. 1992. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012.RetrievedMay 25,2011.{{cite journal}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^abcdefghijklm"Geffen – Izzy Stradlin Biography".Geffen.1998. Archived fromthe originalon June 29, 2003.RetrievedMay 25,2011.
  4. ^"Blues, blues Christmas Volume 5".
  5. ^"Little Joe Isbell".Hillbilly-Music.com. January 30, 2008.RetrievedAugust 27,2022.
  6. ^abcdefgLuukkonen, Jarmo."The History of GN'R: The Shocking Truth".HereTodayGoneToHell.com.RetrievedMay 25,2011.
  7. ^Duda, Christopher (May 23, 2012)."Symbol Six".SugarBuzz.RetrievedJuly 15,2012.
  8. ^https://www.amazon.com/Days-Guns-Razs-Raz-Cue/dp/0982710313/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2561TPMXAVXMR&keywords=raz+cue&qid=1551929967&s=gateway&sprefix=raz+cu%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-1[dead link]
  9. ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas."Allmusic - Guns N' Roses Biography".Allmusic.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  10. ^abcd"Interview with Rolling Stone".Rolling Stone.Wenner Media LLC. 1998. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010.RetrievedMay 26,2011.{{cite magazine}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^"Guns N' Roses To Release New Album - Axl Rose Is The Only Original Remaining Member".Sky News.October 23, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon February 13, 2009.RetrievedJune 5,2011.
  12. ^"Top 100 Albums".RIAA.RetrievedJune 5,2011.
  13. ^"RIAA's Gold & Platinum Program".RIAA.RetrievedJune 5,2011.
  14. ^ab"Exclusively for Popular 1: Izzy Stradlin".Popular 1.November 2008. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012.RetrievedApril 29,2011.{{cite journal}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ^Sugerman, Danny (1991).Appetite for Destruction: The Days of Guns N' Roses.St. Martin's Press.ISBN0-312-07634-7.
  16. ^Heatley, Michael (2010).Stars & Guitars.Chicago Review Press.ISBN978-1-56976-535-7.
  17. ^Wall, Mick(June 2001). "In too deep".Classic Rock#28.p. 42.
  18. ^abDave Liffon (November 22, 2018)."25 Facts About Guns N' Roses' 'The Spaghetti Incident?'".Ultimate Classic Rock.RetrievedSeptember 6,2021.
  19. ^"Izzy Stradlin on Tour 1992".IzzyOnTour.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 4, 2013.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  20. ^ab"Izzy Stradlin on Tour 1993".IzzyOnTour.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 4, 2013.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  21. ^ab"Guns N' Roses on Tour – 1993 Setlist Almanac".GNROnTour.com.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  22. ^Strauss, Neil (December 21, 1998)."A Major Merger Shakes Up the World of Rock".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  23. ^"Izzy Stradlin on Tour 2000".IzzyOnTour.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 4, 2013.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  24. ^abcdLuukkonen, Jarmo."Izzy Stradlin Releases".HereTodayGoneToHell.com.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  25. ^"Izzy Stradlin Discography".Allmusic.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  26. ^Epstein, Dan (November 2003)."The Big Bang".Guitar World.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  27. ^Slash;Bozza, Anthony(2007).Slash.HarperCollins. p. 429.ISBN978-0-06-135142-6.
  28. ^ab"Izzy Rollin' Out the Dog Days".ChopAway.com. 2003. Archived fromthe originalon March 11, 2012.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  29. ^"Izzy Stradlin Q & A – January 2006".ChopAway.com. January 2006. Archived fromthe originalon March 11, 2012.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  30. ^ab"Izzy Stradlin Q & A – September 2006".ChopAway.com. September 2006. Archived fromthe originalon March 11, 2012.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  31. ^abc"Guns N' Roses on Tour – 2006 Setlist Almanac".GNROnTour.com.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  32. ^"Ex-Guns N' Roses Guitarist Izzy Stradlin To Release New Solo Album".Blabbermouth.May 3, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon May 22, 2008.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  33. ^"Izzy's Miami Album Remixed".SlashsWorld.com. July 24, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon March 11, 2012.RetrievedMay 27,2011.
  34. ^Vinnicombe, Chris (March 4, 2010)."Slash solo album interview: the track-by-track guide".MusicRadar.RetrievedMay 4,2013.
  35. ^abGreene, Andy (April 13, 2012)."Guns N' Roses Guitarist Izzy Stradlin Says 'Gracias' Over Hall of Fame Induction".Rolling Stone.RetrievedApril 15,2012.
  36. ^"Axl Rose Booed at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame".NME.April 14, 2012.RetrievedApril 15,2012.
  37. ^"Izzy Stradlin Joins Guns N' Roses on Stage in London".Blabbermouth.May 31, 2012.RetrievedJuly 15,2012.
  38. ^"Izzy Stradlin Performs with Guns N' Roses in Saint-Tropez".Blabbermouth.net.July 22, 2012.RetrievedMay 4,2013.
  39. ^"Izzy Stradlin on Tour 2012".IzzyOnTour.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 3, 2013.RetrievedMay 4,2013.
  40. ^"Guns N' Roses Joined by Izzy Stradlin on Stage at Final Concerts of Las Vegas Residency".Blabbermouth.net.November 26, 2012.RetrievedMay 4,2013.
  41. ^"Former Guns N' Roses Guitarist Izzy Stradlin Releases New Single".Blabbermouth.net.November 19, 2012.RetrievedMay 4,2013.
  42. ^Shah, Neil."Yes, That Is Guns N' Roses Co-founder Izzy Stradlin on Twitter".WSJ.RetrievedJanuary 20,2017.
  43. ^Greene, Andy (March 1, 2016)."Izzy Stradlin Will Have 'No Involvement' in Guns N' Roses Reunion".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon June 13, 2018.RetrievedMarch 4,2016.
  44. ^"Izzy Stradlin: Guns N' Roses Didn't Want to Split Loot Equally".Loudwire.September 8, 2016.
  45. ^"Report: Izzy Stradlin Walked Out of Reunion With Guns N' Roses".Loudwire.February 27, 2018.
  46. ^ab"Is Izzy Stradlin Sending a Message to Guns n' Roses? – BlastEcho".blastecho.com.RetrievedJanuary 20,2017.
  47. ^"Izzy Stradlin Unveils New 'Walk 'N Song'".Ultimate Classic Rock.June 16, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 20,2017.
  48. ^"Matt Sorum + Izzy Stradlin Team Up for New Song".Loudwire.June 30, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 20,2017.
  49. ^"Izzy Stradlin - 'To Being Alive' (File, MP3) at Discogs".Discogs.RetrievedMarch 13,2018.
  50. ^"Hear Izzy Stradlin Cover J.J. Cale's 'Call Me the Breeze'".Guitar World.December 19, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 20,2017.
  51. ^"Surprise! Izzy Stradlin Turns Up on John Mellencamp's New Album".Ultimate Classic Rock.April 28, 2017.RetrievedNovember 21,2018.
  52. ^"Annica Kreuter Vs Jeffrey Isbell".
  53. ^"Where's Izzy: Searching for the GNR Reunion's Missing Person".October 22, 2016.
  54. ^Category: Who Plays What."Izzy Stradlin guitar rig".Uberproaudio.com.RetrievedSeptember 7,2016.
  55. ^Equipboard Inc."Izzy stradlin".Equipboard.RetrievedSeptember 7,2016.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toIzzy Stradlin.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Izzy_Stradlin&oldid=1233652125"