Guns n Roses Original Band Members Names And Pictures

A photo taken in the band's earlier days featuring its members
A photo taken in the band's earlier days featuring its members( Source : pinterest )

Guns n Roses original band members names are Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin, Tracii Guns, Ole Beich, and Rob Gardner. The Hard Rock band formed in 1985.

A perennial Los Angeles, California group, their current lineup consists of Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Slash, Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer, and Melissa Reese.

As evident, the group has gone through many lineup changes. Originally, they were a fusion of two bands named L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose.

The debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction, was released in 1987. A year after its release, the album peaked at the number one position on the Billboard 200.

The album's singles Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, and Sweet Child o' Mine helped it become a massive hit, achieving chart success in several countries.

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Original Members of Guns N Roses

Here are the original members of Guns and Roses and how long they were within the band:

Band Members NameYears Spent
Axl Rose1985 - present
Izzy Stradlin1985 - 1991
Tracii Guns1985
Ole Beich1985
Rob Gardner1985

Axl Rose is not only the only original member still in the band, but the only person who has been in GNR the entire time.

LA Guns Members

LA Guns members are Tracii Guns, Ole Beich, and Rob Gardner. They are one of two bands that became Guns and Roses.

Tracii Guns

Tracii, with tattoos on his body and hands, seems wholly dedicated to playing the guitar
Tracii, with tattoos on his body and hands, seems wholly dedicated to playing the guitar( Source : instagram )

The original name of Tracii Guns is Tracy Richard Irving Ulrich. He is an American guitarist who is well known as the founder of LA Guns.

Tracii departed from the band in the late 1980s but made a comeback in the 2000s and has been a part of various lineups throughout his tenure.

He was also one of the original members of Guns N' Roses but departed shortly after its formation and was replaced by the guitarist Slash.

Born on January 20, 1966, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., Tracii learned to play the guitar at an early age.

The guitarist has collaborated on his work with several artists throughout his career and has been involved in several musical projects.

Ole Beich

A vintage photo of Ole Beich during his early days
A vintage photo of Ole Beich during his early days( Source : facebook )

Danish musician Ole Beich was one of the original members of the bands L.A. Guns and Guns N' Roses. He was well-known as the bass guitarist for the band.

During his early years, Beich gained recognition and fame within the local music scene. He played guitar with three Danish bands and recorded an album as part of a group known as Rock Nalle & The Flames in 1979.

He also joined Mercyful Fate for a brief time before deciding to relocate to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. Beich was fired from Guns N' Roses after only two rehearsals and was replaced by Duff McKagan.

He tragically drowned in Sankt Jrgens Lake in the center of Copenhagen on October 16, 1991.

Rob Gardner

Rob, with curly hair, clicked a photo with a drum stick in his hand
Rob, with curly hair, clicked a photo with a drum stick in his hand( Source : famouspen )

Before he came to Guns N' Roses, Rob Gardner was a member of L.A. Guns. Born in Manhattan, New York, he served as the drummer for the band.

He served as a backup drummer for the Hollywood Rose. Gardner draws drumming inspiration from significant artists such as John Bonham, Keith Moon, Neil Peart, Ginger Baker, Ian Paice, and Mitch Mitchell.

Similar to Tracii Guns, Rob left the band Guns N' Roses during a series of shows between Sacramento and Seattle known as The Hell Tour.

After leaving the band in 1985, Rob Gardner was replaced by drummer Steven Adler.

Hollywood Rose Band

Hollywood Rose band members consist of Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin. The members from this group lasted longer than the other.

Axl Rose

Axl, wearing a black t-shirt and blue grunch pants, performed on stage, holding a microphone in his hand
Axl, wearing a black t-shirt and blue grunch pants, performed on stage, holding a microphone in his hand( Source : facebook )

An American singer and songwriter, Axl Rose, was born on February 6, 1962. He is well regarded as the frontman and lead vocalist for the band Guns N' Roses.

He is the only original member who has remained with the band since its inception through the present day.

Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Rose relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1980s, where he became involved in the local hard rock scene and became a member of various bands such as Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns.

He co-founded the band Guns N' Roses in 1985, with whom he had significant success and acclaim in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Various media outlets, such as Rolling Stone, NME, and Billboard, named the singer one of the greatest singers of all time.

Izzy Stradlin

Stradlin, with lengthy straight hair, donned a denim jacket over black pants while clutching a guitar
Stradlin, with lengthy straight hair, donned a denim jacket over black pants while clutching a guitar( Source : facebook )

An American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Izzy Stradlin hails from Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.

He co-founded the band Guns N' Roses, where he served as a rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist. Born on April 8, 1962, the singer played a significant role in the success of the band.

Izzy and Axl Rose are childhood friends, and both of them shared the same dream of establishing a rock band.

The singer has contributed to the recording of numerous albums alongside Guns N' Roses, including Appetite for Destruction (1987), G N' R Lies (1988), and Use Your Illusion I (1991).

As a member of Guns N' Roses, the songwriter was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. After the launch of their album Use Your Illusion, Izzy left the band in 1991.

Guns and Roses Then And Now

Duff McKagan kicked off the North America Tour in Moncton, Canada
Duff McKagan kicked off the North America Tour in Moncton, Canada( Source : facebook )

Guns and Roses then and now have undergone numerous changes. There have been several lineup changes and developments over the years.

The band gained huge success with its original lineup, which produced hit albums such as Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion I and II.

Except for Axl Rose, all the original members of the group have left the band for several reasons.

Izzy Stradlin cited various reasons for his departure, such as conflicts within the band, the leadership approach of Axl, and the slow pace of the group.

After leaving the group, he pursued a solo career and recorded several albums.

Another member, Tracii's, time with Guns N' Roses was short. Now he has a busy schedule, performing with different bands and as a solo artist.

Tracii demonstrated his versatility as a musician by releasing a solo album named Killing Machine in 1998.

Similarly, Ole left Guns N' Roses in 1985. He was a metal fan and was not happy with the band's shift towards a rock 'n' roll direction. As a result, he was fired after just a few rehearsal sessions.

GNR Original Lineup Reunion

The band delivered an outstanding performance in Montreal, Canada
The band delivered an outstanding performance in Montreal, Canada( Source : facebook )

Though Guns N' Roses reunited for a tour named 'Not in This Lifetime' it was not with the original lineup. The music ensemble announced their tour in 2016.

This tour marked the return of Slash and Duff McKagan, along with Axl Rose. The three members had shared the stage together for the first time since 1993, or 23 years.

The lineup also included Frank Ferrer on drums, Richard Fortus on rhythm guitar, and Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese on keyboards.

Additionally, Steven Adler played drums for a few songs during the select shows.

The reunion continued into the end of 2019 and became the third-most-grossing tour in music history.

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