Fact: Guitar hero Gilby Clarke played in both Guns N’ Roses and the MC5. Who else can claim membership in two of the most life-altering rock ’n’ roll outfits to ever exist on the planet? Huh?
But none of that overshadows the fact this guitarist, singer and songwriter was a 17-year-old punk from Cleveland whose Hollywood back- alley dues were paid in full. Before joining the Guns N Roses circus, Gilby was Kim Fowley’s go-to session guitarist and ghost writer. It was Kim that urged Gilby to join Candy, an established Hollywood band looking for a new guitarist. With Gilby now aboard, Candy signed with Mercury and was on their way. Candy was a little early for the Sunset Strip takeover and Gilby’s rough n’ ready guitar style was better suited for the big riff quartet Kill For Thrills. Gilby signed as a writer to Virgin America and Kill For Thrills signed with MCA Records, then a late night call from Slash changed everything.
Gilby joined Guns in ’91. Private planes and diplomatic immunity followed. He appeared on the band’s Spaghetti Incident, Live Era ’88-’91 and The Greatest Hits albums. Gilby spent years on the Use Your Illusion tour in the 90s, but his proudest moment is the Gilby Rolls mode on the GNR pinball machine. If u can get him to talk, he may admit the 2012 Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction performance was fun.
After Guns imploded, armed only with his Les Paul, Gilby went back to Virgin and launched his solo career. Receiving critical winks for his albums Pawnshop Guitars, The Hangover, Rubber, 99 Live and Swag. Recording and/or touring over the lean years with Nancy Sinatra, Heart, The MC5 & his old bandmate Slash’s Snakepit, Gilby even snuck in videos with GNR, Michael Jackson and Fall Out Boy when MTV was de rigeur. Perhaps you saw him starring alongside Tommy Lee on the CBS TV show Rockstar: Supernova or VH1 Honors with Rob Zombie and Ace Frehely ? Clarke currently splits his services with Kings of Chaos led by Matt Sorum and an all-star alumni that features Steven Tyler, Joe Elliot and Gene Simmons and his solo band.
Clarke, who’s an old school mash-up of Keef, Johnny Thunders, and B.B. King, continues to write fist-jacking rock ’n’ roll songs with fat choruses, and appear on stages around the globe. He produces worthy bands too. He’s also one of the sweetest gents you’ll ever meet. He’s a guitar hero, certainly, but also a gentleman whose heart happens to rush at rock ’n’ roll speed.
