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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 backalley 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 you can get him to talk, he may admit the 2012 Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction performance was fun.
