2001.07.09 - Rock Revival - Interview with Gilby

Gilby Clarke

By Jerri Dawn Sabato
Special thanks to Belinda Thomas for the assist in arranging the interview!!

He burst onto the scene with enough drive and motivation to keep him propelling forward, and even now, he shows no signs of slowing. Gilby Clarke truly loves the industry. When not touring the world making music, he creates magic behind the scenes by producing the work of other talented artists. He has performed with a number of rock's biggest names and in the process has made a name for himself as not only a colossally talented artist, but as a shrewd professional. In a recent telephone conversation, Gilby shared insight on his past, his present and his future.

Gilby Clarke first hit the scene in 1985 with the band Candy. Candy quickly became a fixture on the L.A. rock scene and latched on to tours with 80's faves such as Rick Springfield and Corey Hart.

After two years, Candy dissolved and Gilby moved on to perform alongside Todd Muscat (brother of Brent Muscat) in the should have been huge band, Kill For Thrills. Displaying more talent and creativity in each individual song than most mainstream bands could offer with three major album releases, somehow Kill For Thrills remained a highly underrated band. "I don't think it was ever rated", laughed Gilby. He does admit that Kill For Thrills was the best band he ever performed in, and I couldn't agree more.

Gilby Clarke made a name for himself by filling the coveted slot left vacant in Guns N Roses by guitarist Izzy Stradlin in 1991. Considering that he already knew the GNR boys rather well, he fit right in to fill the void with ease. "Oddly enough, I was more friendly with Izzy than anyone else in GNR", Gilby states.

But, unsurprisingly, Guns N Roses was doomed to be shortlived and although they reached mega superstardom, the collapse of the band was a brutal one. After springboarding from the GNR platform, Gilby has continued his relationship with his former bandmates and has even taken part in their respective projects, including the work of Slash's Snakepit. He doesn't seem to envision himself as a factor in any potential GNR reunions that could come in time, "If anything like that ever happened, I'm sure it would be with Izzy".

With so many people sharing negative opinion on Axl Rose's latest efforts, all Gilby would say when asked about the possibility of ever performing with Axl again was, "If I ever got the urge to play in a loud version of the Rolling Stones again, maybe, but I don't see that happening".

In recent years, Gilby has found his calling as a solo artist. To date, he has released three full length solo albums, one EP and a live compilation of his work. Fans have been more than receptive. He cites the first, "Pawnshop Guitars" as being his best work, hands down.

Known for touring extensively, Gilby justifies these jaunts by saying "I like it when people clap for me", with a laugh, "I love it when I get up on a stage and do my thing, and people clap"!

Probably sporting the most unrelenting schedule in the industry, Gilby also produces many albums in his home studio. He has worked with the L.A. Guns and Dad's Porno Mag, among others. His latest work was on the new L.A. Guns release, "Man in the Moon". After I remarked that it was their best work since "Hollywood Vampires", he agreed "Definitely! That's what we were going for".

For someone who seems to absorb the spotlight naturally, it would seem difficult to switch to behind the scenes work, but Gilby takes great pride in his technical abilities and had found another niche in the industry through that ability. Although he can't choose which he prefers, he says "it all depends on the mood I'm in". Having a home studio has also made his own recording much more convenient and could very possibly be the reason for the genius behind it.

Currently, Gilby is putting the finishing touches on his latest solo release, but he has also been working in the meantime with Tim Karr, an exceptionally talented vocalist. Meshing these two together is a sure fire way to create magic and their final product is one to keep an eye out for! Add to that, his current work with Col. Parker (featuring Gilby, Slim Jim Phantom, Muddy Stardust and Teddy Andreadis), who will soon be releasing an album, and you have enough Gilby to saturate your deepest urges! He is also planning on hitting the road again soon, starting internationally.

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