L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns recently spoke with Ultimate Guitar, offering his thoughts on Guns N' Roses, which he co-founded, and their iconic Appetite For Destruction album. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

UG: You were the original guitar player of Guns N' Roses. We've heard the story of how you left the band and how they brought in Slash. But what was your reaction when you first heard Appetite For Destruction when it came out in 1987? Did you listen to it right away and what did you think of it back then?

Guns: "We were recording the first L.A. Guns record, and somebody from Geffen had sent over a cassette to me when they just finished mastering Appetite For Destruction. And I went in a separate studio, we were at the Village Recorder - I remember like it was yesterday. And I put that record on and I was blown away. I loved it. It was like a brand new Aerosmith record with more balls. That's how I described it back then. And when 'It's So Easy' came on, on that listen, where Axl had a low and a high voice going at the same time - I was really impressed by that. I loved the record."

"So I went into the studio and I said, 'Hey guys, let's take a break, you've got to listen to this Guns N' Roses record.' And they really didn't give a shit because it was, like, 'Oh, you just care about it because that was your band,' blah blah blah. I was, like, 'No, this is a fucking great record.' And they really didn't care for it until it came out and exploded in everybody's face. And then everybody decided, 'Oh, wow, it's a great record.' It's not even a great record - it's a devastating record. It's amazing. I still listen to that record."

UG: When you left the band back in the day, do you think that was a good idea for you? Or do you think it's better for them that they moved on with Slash? Do you ever think about that?

Guns: "Yeah... I mean, I haven't thought about it in a long time. But you see, Slash was playing in the band Hollywood Rose at the same time L.A. Guns was rolling around. That was with Axl and Izzy. So they were already kind of established and had some songs anyway. And Slash actually was a fan of Guns N' Roses. He did our logo and a flyer for us and stuff like that. So it just made a lot of sense to me. He definitely brought more of a contrast between him and Axl, to the live thing. Me and Axl were just, like, two similar guys."

"Slash really had an image together and really was like - almost like an alien coming in and saving the world. You know what I mean. It was really... the chemistry is undeniable. When I played in the band, I was still going through my Randy Rhoads influence and trying to grasp how to incorporate those styles and stuff into what I was doing. And Slash was pretty much already playing the way he's maintained his whole career - just, like, a great blues-rock heavy guitarist. And that's exactly what the band needed. I don't believe that the band would have been what it is today if I had stayed in that band."

Read the complete interview here.

L.A. Guns have premiered the video for the opening track of their upcoming new album, The Devil You Know, which is set for release on March 29th via Frontiers Music Srl. Check out "Rage" below.

Pre-order The Devil You Know on CD/LP/Digital here. Signed LPs, limited edition red vinyl, merch bundles and more available from the band store. Limited edition yellow vinyl on offer at this location.

Sonically, The Devil You Know covers a lot of ground and incorporates influences from Black Sabbath to Led Zeppelin to Kyuss to The Hellicopters, all while distinctly sounding like L.A. Guns. The band is rejuvenated and inspired after relentless touring and are literally taking no prisoners.

"After the success of The Missing Peace, a lot of people requested that the next record stay on track with the more metal side of the band's music, which is my personal favorite side of the band," says Tracii Guns. He continues, "I drew from my typical influences of NWOBHM [New Wave Of British Heavy Metal], while still not forgetting my earlier influences of the late '60s and early '70s. I wanted to lead with the track "Stay Away" because it’s a familiar L.A. Guns sound, but even a bit more metal. Something to get everyone’s palate wet."

"It's loaded with attitude and most of it bad," says vocalist Phil Lewis of the album's lyrical content. You want a love song ---- off and listen to Journey. They say write about what you know, and lord knows we've all known some evil bi----s and dudes that have gone out of their way to make life difficult for us. We say unanimously from the whole band ---- you, we're going places you could only dream about. We know what it's like to be put down, poked, ridiculed... but guess what, looks like we get the last laugh. This band has always been fueled by adrenaline and anger and this record is a glimpse inside the carnival of rage that dwells deep inside our collective souls. Not much sunshine and hold tight to your lollipop... this is gonna be a fast, loud, bumpy ride!"

L.A. Guns are truly one of the great American hard rock bands of the last 30 years. Since their self-titled debut in 1988 to the widely praised 2017 comeback album The Missing Peace, L.A. Guns, led by Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis have always delivered solid rock ‘n roll to their fans.

This current incarnation of the band has been touring non-stop and the cohesiveness of the unit, not to mention Phil’s stunning and unique vocals and Guns’ mind-bending guitar playing, are on full display here. A must hear and listen for all fans of the band, both new and old!

Tracklisting:

"Rage"
"Stay Away"
"Loaded Bomb"
"The Devil You Know"
"Needle To The Bone"
"Going High"
"Gone Honey"
"Don't Need To Win "
"Down That Hole"
"Another Season In Hell"
"Boom" (bonus track)

"Stay Away":

The current lineup of L.A. Guns is as follows: Phil Lewis on vocals, Tracii Guns on guitar, Johnny Martin on bass, Shane Fitzgibbon on drums, Ace Von Johnson on guitar.

In live news, L.A. Guns will return to the stage on March 29th at Yost Theater in Santa Ana, California. To view their complete tour schedule, visit the band's official website.