2021.05.26 - Audio Ink Radio - Interview with Gilby

Excerpt from Blabbermouth:
-----------------------------------

In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke was asked what it was like being part of one of the most exciting times in music, the '80s and early '90s. He responded: "I think what I remember the most was it was fun. It was a fun job, you know? I mean, we all have our jobs, and we don't always go to work with a smile on our face. I went to work every day with a smile on my face. I really feel — I can honestly say I was living the dream. It was such a great time, because anyone you ran into, and they go, 'Oh, what band are you in?' 'Guns N' Roses.' 'Oh, I know who they are.' It was easier. It was just kind of a magical time. I mean, everybody kind of liked the same kind of music. Rock was big. It was important, too; that kind of music was important. It employed a lot of people; it made a lot of money for a lot of people. So, it was important. Obviously, landscapes change. Music changes. It would be boring if it stayed the same forever. I'm happy to have those memories. To be honest. I don't need to relive 'em. I remember some of it; not all of it. [Laughs]"

https://archive.blabbermouth.net/news/gilby-clarke-looks-back-on-his-time-with-guns-n-roses-i-can-honestly-say-i-was-living-the-dream/

Excerpts from Ultimate Guitar:
-------------------------------------

During an appearance on Audio Ink Radio, guitarist Gilby Clarke looked back on his early-'90s tenure in Guns N' Roses and how the grunge explosion affected the group.

When the interviewer said, "When grunge kind of took over in the early '90s, was it as sudden as everyone says?", Gilby replied (transcribed by UG):

"Well, no, it wasn't overnight. I have a couple of opinions about it. No. 1 - before I got the Guns N' Roses gig as a guitar player, I was a Virgin Records songwriter.

"So I knew a lot about what new projects were coming up, so I heard the Nirvana record before it came out. And I go, 'Oh my god, it's a really good record!' But I didn't think of it as grunge.

"You could obviously tell it wasn't a hard rock record, I just kind of thought it was almost like what Green Day was, it's kind of like a pop-punk-rock. That's what I thought it was when I heard it.

"So when grunge first came in, I was in Guns at the time, and it didn't affect us. We were playing sold-out stadiums.

"It affected us later. I'd say it affected us later like when I did my first solo record [1994's 'Pawnshop Guitars'] and when Slash did Slash's Snakepit.

"The environment had changed a little bit - a little harder dealing with the radio. And I remember when I put out my first record 'Pawnshop Guitars,' my song 'Cure Me or Kill Me' was doing incredibly well on the radio...

"But I couldn't break over that song 'Black Hole Sun.' And that's when I started really noticing climate change."

Wow, yeah, so I was actually going to ask the moment that you remember first hearing 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' it sounds like you heard that whole thing way before other people.

"Yeah, I did, and to be honest, that song didn't even stick out to me. It didn't until later on when the videos and stuff came out.

"I heard the complete record and I thought it was a fantastic record, it sounded really good. Records didn't sound like that back then so that's what I thought was unique."

You're not the first person I've interviewed to say that. Other people from your era of music have also said, 'When I heard it, I thought it was great.' Even some of the 'hair metal' musicians I've talked with, they're like, 'We had no idea it would have anything to do with what we were doing, that's a cool-sounding kind of rock record.'

"Yeah, I agree. And to be honest, I was getting a little bored of some of the music that was coming out.

"As someone who produces records, and I enjoy the sonic aspects of records, I was getting a little tired of the same old snare drum on every record, and 'woo-woo' solo. It was getting old, to be honest."

You were, of course, on one of the most legendary rock tours of all time, the 'Use Your Illusion' tour, so I have to ask about that - what is your biggest memory from that run?

"Well, I have a terrible memory but there were so many highlights, and the good thing about time is you tend to let the shitty stuff go.

"And I do, I don't hold a grudge, I try not to hold grudges. The Freddie Mercury tribute concert for me was a huge highlight, it was my first time being in England, and I got to meet so many of my heroes, like David Bowie and Mick Ronson.

"I stood on the side of the stage with Joe Elliott and watched Mick Ronson and David Bowie do 'Heroes' together. We were the only two on the side of the stage. And I got to be friends with Mick Ronson from that show.

"I think when GN'R went to South America for the first time, especially Buenos Aires, that was just mind-blowing! We were like The Beatles down there, we had thousands of fans outside our hotel every day, we couldn't go outside without a full security time, even me.

"I'm not Slash, I'm not Duff. It was incredible, it really restored your faith and passion for music because I've never felt that passion the way that the South American fans really felt that passion. So there are so many highlights."

We've lost some amazing musicians over the years, especially as of late, and I'm wondering is there one that kind of hit you more than the others?

"Wow, that's an interesting question. I'm gonna say which one surprised me because some of them didn't really surprise me, but I gotta say, in all honesty, Michael Jackson really kind of took me.

"Because I worked with Michael Jackson, I didn't work with him the way Slash worked with him, but he was such a kind soul.

"I know he had problems, we all have problems, but sometimes people make mistakes, and that one kind of hit home for me, that was really sad."

Yeah, I know, I feel you there. For me it was Chris Cornell, I was really surprised by that.

"Yeah, all of them. Chester [Bennington]! We just played shows with Chester just a month or two before that, he always was such an upbeat person.

"Chester that I knew just had such a great positive, strong, healthy vibe - so that one was... Look, there's so many, they all hit hard."

Tell me about your friendship with Nikki Sixx.

"I have known Nikki since before Motley Crue. I'm not gonna go too far back but I've known Nikki a long time, and we've been friends over all the years.

"When I was doing the 'Pawnshop Guitars' record, Motley was recording with John Corabi that record, we're at the same studio, so we hung out a lot during that process.

"And I wanted to get Nikki on the record then but they were making the record, they're mixing, they just kind of got busy. So when it came time to do this record, we had gone out to dinner one night, it was myself and my wife, Nikki and his wife, and Billy Gibbons and his wife.

"And we were talking about music, and when you're in a conversation with Billy Gibbons, you usually just shut up and listen because he's got the best stories.

"So as we were talking, somehow we got around to me recording and stuff, and I brought Nikki back to it, like, 'Dude, I'm making a record, you got to get on it!'

"And that's how it kind of happened. But to have Nikki Sixx and Stephen Perkins of Jane's Addiction on the same song, to me, is a big win."

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/gilby_clarke_talks_how_grunge_affected_guns_n_roses_shares_honest_opinion_on_legendary_nirvana_song.html