Happy 50th Birthday Izzy Stradlin...

Happy Belated 50th Birthday

Izzy Stradlin...(4-8)

Izzy's Bio...

Influenced by  Alice Cooper ,  Led Zeppelin , asked his parents to buy a  battery . It was drummer until  1983 , when exchanged for the  guitar . Izzy learned the first chords of the guitar playing songs of the  Ramones . In high school he founded a band with friends in Lafayette, including Axl Rose. After graduation he moved to  Los Angeles . There played drums and  bass  in some bands and started a musical career that would make him known throughout the world. In Los Angeles, through the friend Tracii Guns, Izzy met guitarist Chris Weber California, and along with him and Axl, formed the band  Rose , who later would change its name to  Hollywood Rose . Izzy was one of the composers of Hollywood Rose and had a style "speed metal", with powerful riffs. The band came to record some original songs in the studio, including songs that would later be re-recorded by Guns N 'Roses as "My Way, Your Way" (which received a further letter and was renamed "Anything Goes"), "Wreckless Life" ( rewritten as "Reckless Life" without the third verse of the original lyrics), "Shadow of Your Love" and "Back Off Bitch" (re-recorded by Guns N 'Roses in its entirety). Other songs written by Hollywood Rose were not exploited by Guns N 'Roses and remained unknown for nearly two decades, as revealed by a (a) a fan of Guns N' Roses bought a tape of the band containing four original songs and released on the internet and later with the release of the album "Hollywood Rose - The Roots of Guns n 'Roses," which contained the previously unreleased "Rocker" and "Killing Time". Hollywood Rose eventually ended, but Axl and Izzy and returned to play together again in Guns N 'Roses. Several musicians have passed through the band, but the formation is stabilized with Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin,  Slash ,  Duff McKagan and Steven Adler . Although Slash is undoubtedly the most famous guitarist of the band, Izzy can be considered the main responsible for the composition of the songs from Guns N 'Roses. A curious story that proves it is on the composition of "Sweet Child o 'Mine," the biggest success of Guns N' Roses. Slash was playing the opening riff of the song "a joke" and Izzy began to accompany him. Izzy asked Slash to stop, saying something like "you do not want to do a song with that riff, is not it?". Izzy says yes, the riff was very good and urged him to play again.  

The band became famous in 1986 in Los Angeles circuit, passing quickly from unknown to the main attraction of bars like  Roxy ,  Whisky a Go Go ,  Troubadour  and other clubs of the famous "Sunset Strip" in Hollywood. Izzy was a sort of mentor of the band at that time, and argued strongly that the Guns N 'Roses adopt the look "glam" strongly inspired by the band Hanoi Rocks. In 1986, Guns N 'Roses released an EP titled "Live! Like a Suicide," which featured four studio recordings sounding audience recording superimposed to simulate a live show. Nobody knows what the view Izzy about this "deception."

In 1987, Guns N 'Roses released Appetite for Destruction, with 12 tracks, Geffen Records. In an interview about the album, the band named the song "Think About You" as "the music of Izzy," probably because Izzy had composed the entire song before presenting it to the band. The band toured the United States to promote "Appetite ..." and also did a mini tour of Europe with shows in England, Germany and Holland. After a year of touring, the band became world famous with the hit "Sweet Child o 'Mine", "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City".

In 1988 the band released their second album, which would be called "The Fri, The Drugs, The Shocking Truth", but eventually had his name changed to "G N'R Lies." This album contained four songs released on the EP "Live! Like a Suicide" and four acoustic songs, including the controversial "One in a Million." The ballad "Patience", the biggest hit from that album, was practically written by Stradlin, and Axl made a point of saying that in almost all the band's concerts. That year, the band continued touring the U.S. opening shows for bands like Aerosmith and also played in Japan and Australia.

After two years of nonstop touring to promote "Appetite for Destruction" and "GN'R Lies", Izzy and his bandmates had reached the top of the rock n 'roll. Guns N 'Roses could then afford a life of excess fueled by too much sex and drugs. Izzy became a cocaine user and has developed an addiction to heroin.  

-Heavymetalcenter.net

He left Guns N’ Roses on their Use your Illusion world tour in November, 1991. 

Following his departure, Izzy formed a new solo band, Izzy Stradlin And The Ju Ju Hounds. Their self-titled debut album was released in the autumn 1992. Following the release the band went on tour, and returned to the studio to record the follow up. Without the album finished, however, they disbanded and the album was not released. 

Izzy left the public eye until 1997, when he released 117º. This country rock style album contained a cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Memphis’. In 2000, he released ‘Ride On’ but, disappointingly, only in Japan. He managed another few shows, before releasing ‘River’, this time worldwide. 2002 saw the release of ‘On Down The Road’ and his most recent album, came back in 2003 under the title “Like a Dog”. This was only released over the internet though, but a petition from a fan ensured more copies were made. Izzy recently released a new album in 2007, entitled “Miami” over the internet. Soon after a remixed version appeared, as well. After he left Guns N’ Roses he has played straight forward rock n’ roll. 

Izzy appeared on stage with Guns N’ Roses on their 2006 Chinese Democracy tour, 15 years after having left the band as a full-time member.

Izzy Stradlin’s birth name is Jeffrey Isbell. He was born in Layafette, Indiana, and was a childhood friend of Guns N’ Roses frontman, Axl Rose. 

-Last.fm 

Date of Birth

8 April 1962, Lafayette, Indiana, USA 

Birth Name

Jeffrey Dean Isbell 

Height

5' 11" (1.80 m) 

Trade Mark

Long black hair

Frequently wears a cap on-stage

Trivia

Left Guns N'Roses in November 1991 due to "creative differences" with longtime bandmate Axl Rose.

Former guitarist for Guns N'Roses.

Arrested in August 1989 for causing public disturbance during a U.S. Air flight, which involved urinating on the floor, verbally abusing a stewardess, and smoking in the non-smoking section.

Left Guns 'N Roses soon after a massive drug overdose in New York City in 1991.

Attended high school with former longtime bandmate W. Axl Rose.

His third solo album, "Ride On", was released in Japan in December 1999, but never officially released in the U.S.

After Guns N Roses won Best Hard Rock video at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept 11, 1989, Izzy was sucker punched by Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil. Suffered a cut lip from Vince's ring but was otherwise unhurt.

Despite quitting Guns N Roses in 1991, stepped in to play five shows with his former band in late April/early May 1993. Replacement Gilby Clarke was too sick to play those shows, so Axl Rose called Izzy and asked him to step in and play.

-Is the only member of Guns N Roses to have graduated High School.

Is also a college graduate.

Duff McKagan played the bass guitar on his latter four solo albums "117°", "Ride on", "River", and "On Down the Road".

Recorded "Memphis", one of Chuck Berry's biggest success, on his second album

As of 2004, has released five albums after Guns n' Roses: "Izzy Stradlin' and the Ju Ju Hounds", "117°", "Ride On", "River", and "On Down the Road". Only the first two were released in the U.S. "Ride on" was only released in Japan, and the latter two were only released in Europe.

Played a couple of shows with Axl Rose's new Guns N' Roses in May 2006 including the songs "Think About You" and "Patience".

Is of English, French, and Scottish descent.

Personal Quotes

Axl isn't really 24, he's a million of years... he's seen everything.

I knew deep inside that it didn't feel right. I didn't understand any more what was happening or what direction it was taking. - On leaving Guns N' Roses

Where Are They Now

(January 2002) Just finished making an album with former Guns N Roses bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan. 

-Imdb.com

"Sweet Caress", one of Izzy's solo songs...