Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin recently shared some information on his reclusive life to Wall Street Journal reporter Neil Shah. Stradlin has not given an interview in years, and rarely even gives quotes to the press. In an email, he offered new information on what he does in his daily life, which is seen as reclusive compared to his former bandmates who still live in the limelight. Shah tweeted out a few of his emails with Stradlin.
“As a kid growing up in a small town, I sensed that if I could create music … one day I might make [a] connection with other people around the world,” Izzy said in an email to Neil Shah.
“Nowadays, I constantly write songs, travel a bit and make the most of each day,” Izzy said by email. “Life is impermanent,” he said. “I try to keep this in mind as I make my way along.”
Shah also said, “Izzy’s Ju Ju Hounds days from the early 90’s and his later solo work reveal the eclectic range of influences—blues, Chuck Berry, rockabilly, the Ramones, Hanoi Rocks, the Stones, Aerosmith, roots rock, reggae—that helped differentiate GN’R from its peers.
When the Hounds toured in ’92-’93, they found Europe more enjoyable than the US for a # of reasons. For starters, journalists didn’t just ask Izzy about GNR. It’s notable Izzy avoided playing L.A. and N.Y.C. Sometimes the Hounds would just play places they wanted to go.
It’s not easy for an ex-addict to be alcohol- and drug-free on tour, even for years after.”
The band “liked hanging,” Steve White, Izzy’s former road manager, says. “Iz, it was straight to bed.”
Besides wanting to be healthy, Izzy, who’d had run-ins with the law, feared the legal consequences of drugs being found around him, associates say. “That was an incredible motivation for his sobriety,” says Hound/current collaborator/Georgia Satellites guitarist Rick Richards.
14/ It’s not every day you get an email from Izzy Stradlin. Here he is (see pic) talking about the Ju Ju Hounds and the '93 Keith Richards show… pic.twitter.com/cRCBkWrjmo
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
19/ “As a kid growing up in a small town, I sensed that if I could create music … one day I might make [a] connection with other people around the world,” Izzy said in an email to me. pic.twitter.com/ovP1UO96A9
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
20/ “Nowadays, I constantly write songs, travel a bit and make the most of each day,” Izzy said by email. “Life is impermanent,” he said. “I try to keep this in mind as I make my way along.” [end] https://t.co/rneLhLpbL9
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
10/ Izzy’s Ju Ju Hounds days and his later solo work reveal the eclectic range of influences—blues, Chuck Berry, rockabilly, the Ramones, Hanoi Rocks, the Stones, Aerosmith, roots rock, reggae—that helped differentiate GN’R from its peers.
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
11/ When the Hounds toured in ’92-’93, they found Europe more enjoyable than the US for a # of reasons. For starters, journalists didn’t just ask Izzy about GNR. It’s notable Izzy avoided playing L.A. and N.Y.C. Sometimes the Hounds would just play places they wanted to go. pic.twitter.com/Owizd2e3tD
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
12/ It’s not easy for an ex-addict to be alcohol- and drug-free on tour, even for years after. The band “liked hanging,” Steve White, Izzy’s former road manager, says. “Iz, it was straight to bed.”
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
Besides wanting to be healthy, Izzy, who'd had run-ins with the law, feared the legal consequences of drugs being found around him, associates say. “That was an incredible motivation for his sobriety," says Hound/current collaborator/Georgia Satellites guitarist Rick Richards.
— Neil Shah (@NeilShahWSJ) May 28, 2018
