“It’s embarrassing to me. Could you imagine Chuck Berry playing to [pre-recorded guitar] tracks? Or Keith Richards, or anything like that?”
— Tracii Guns on bands using pre-recorded tracks

Metal Sludge — In a brand new interview L.A. Guns founder and lead guitarist Tracii Guns says; “I Would Be Really Embarrassed To Even Think Of’ Playing Along To Pre-Recorded Tracks During Live Shows.”

Guns spoke to The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn, and was asked for his opinion on rock bands who use pre-recorded tracks. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH): “I would be really embarrassed to even think of doing that. It’s embarrassing to me. Could you imagine Chuck Berry playing to [pre-recorded guitar] tracks? Or Keith Richards, or anything like that?

“If I was playing in a band playing original music, a rock and roll band, and I was there, and all of a sudden that band I was in was all over the Internet getting fucking mud thrown at ’em [for playing along to tracks], I couldn’t do it,” he continued. “[I would say], ‘Hey, I love you, guys. Thanks for the dough, man.’ But my legacy, I don’t want my legacy to be, like, ‘Yeah, I was the guy playing live in the band that wasn’t. That ain’t cool.”

Readers will recall that Guns made headlines throughout the industry back in the summer of 2022 when he opted to play from an air-conditioned toilet backstage.

Many at the time felt this was embarrassing and a short-cut, especially when the fans who paid their hard-earned money were to stand in that same heat to watch the show.

The word was that Guns felt it was too hot to take to the stage and claimed he had a panic disorder that was triggered by heat.

Metal Sludge was first to break that news that Guns would play from a toilet backstage in our article ‘L.A. TOILETS … Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns has a Panic Disorder and will perform tonight in Toilet with Amp, Monitor and Pedals for Texas show.‘

While the story sounded completely fabricated and unbelievable, it was in fact 100% true, and the band performed live on stage at “Legacy Hall” in Plano Texas on June 22nd 2022, but without Guns.

Guns had his roadie set up an amp, pedal board, monitor and related cables in a back-stage toilet, where he listened for the drummer’s stick count, and lead vocalist Phil Lewis‘ introduction of each song.

The guitarist himself posted images and video live from the bathroom as the band played live in front of a packed house as Guns played seated on a toilet.

Guns seemed to take it in stride, but as noted above he said he has a ‘panic disorder‘ and added that ‘heat is a trigger‘, and therefore he was unable to overcome it for that evening’s performance.

The following are excerpts from the article posted on Metal Sludge back on June 23rd 2022.

Guns wrote on his official Facebook earlier today: “So we have a unique situation. A lot of people know I have a panic disorder. While I have it 95 percent under control, Heat is the remaining trigger and I simply cannot play in the heat . BUT!!! We have found a solution for todays show I will be playing in a comfy bathroom directly behind the stage where there is air conditioning . I will do an Instagram live stream during the set if y’all really need to watch me play. I apologize for my crazy brain. “

According to online weather information it is currently 100 degrees in Plano Texas, with high humidity that makes it feel even hotter… the iPhone says it’s 105 out.

Martin chimed in on our social media post about the L.A. Guns situation with: “So … Regarding the Tracii thingy thing … It was actually my idea. Tracii wasn’t gonna play the show at all. Because his anxiety is still pretty prevalent. He said to me (earlier today) that he wasn’t going to do the show, because the heat was just too unbearable to his condition. And that we’ll just have Ace cover his parts. So, basically, us play as a four piece. So …. I proposed that we find an air conditioned spot near the stage. And … VOILA! … Here we are. Much better than him opting out, all together. I’M A F**KING GENIUS!”

Below are live clips of L.A. Guns from Plano Texas on June 23rd 2022, but the band are performing as a 4-piece with Guns playing lead guitar in the toilet back-stage.

As off the wall as this was, in the end Guns did apologize to fans saying: “I apologize for my crazy brain.“

L.A. Guns have just announced a string of summer tour dates that will once again see the group in support of the Tom Keifer Band.

Stay tuned to Metal Sludge for Breaking News, Updates and Features along with both new and classic interviews.