RILEY'S L.A. GUNS are officially calling it quits
03-03-2025
RILEY’S L.A. GUNS, the band originally formed in 2018 by Steve Riley, is “calling it quits”, nearly a year and a half after the drummer’s passing.
In addition to Riley, RILEY’S L.A. GUNS‘ most recent lineup featured Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS‘ “classic” incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin, who played bass for L.A. GUNS from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014.
On Friday, February 28, Nickels released the following statement via social media:
“What up everybody? So I just wanted to officially say that RILEY’S L.A. GUNS are calling it quits. For obvious reasons and some not so obvious reasons it’s time to move on.
“We’d like to thank all of you that helped us along the way. All of you that kept an open mind and gave us a chance, for your support and positive vibes.
It was an amazing experience playing together and we all had a great time every time we got together. Meeting old friends and making new ones is all the inspiration you need to keep going but not when your heart isn’t in it anymore, especially without Steve at the helm. Personally, I am not into this old rocker thing that’s happening… Not digging seeing some of my heroes fat, bald, not being able to sing or play like they did or now looking like some f**ked up Santa Clause, nope… not digging it…!!! Doesn’t mean you won’t see me at some old Honky tonk joint jammin around, but for now…we’ll have to wait and see what the future holds.
“Thank you again and have a great weekend.”
RILEY’S L.A. GUNS played its first concert without Riley on January 20, 2024 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The performance was booked prior to Steve‘s tragic death.
In January 2024, RILEY’S L.A. GUNS released its sophomore album, “The Dark Horse”, via Golden Robot Records. The effort arrived more than two months after the death of Riley who would have celebrated his 68th birthday on January 22, 2024, the day of “The Dark Horse”‘s release.
In September 2023, RILEY’S L.A. GUNS released “The Dark Horse” title track via Golden Robot Records. The track came seven months after RILEY’S L.A. GUNS issued another new song, “Rewind”, digitally via Golden Robot. In October 2022, RILEY’S L.A. GUNS released a single called “Overdrive”.
Riley died on October 24, 2023 at the age of 67. Prior to his passing, Steve had been battling a severe case of pneumonia for several weeks. His wife Mary Louise and son Cole were by his side in his final moments.
Riley was the drummer for W.A.S.P. on the band’s second and third albums — 1985’s “The Last Command” and 1986’s “Inside The Electric Circus” — and world tours from 1984 to 1987. After leaving W.A.S.P., Riley joined L.A. GUNS and played on that group’s most commercially successful LPs.
In 2016, singer Phil Lewis and guitarist Tracii Guns reunited in a new version of L.A. GUNS that didn’t include Riley. Steve later launched his own version of L.A. GUNS, which played its debut concert at the M3 Rock Festival in Maryland in May 2019.
In April 2021, an out-of-court resolution was reached between Riley and Guns and Lewis over the rights to the band’s name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Tracii and Phil continued to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS carried on under the new name RILEY’S L.A. GUNS.
In January 2020, Riley was sued by Lewis and Guns in California District Court. Joining Riley as defendants in the case were the three musicians who performed in his rival version of L.A. GUNS; that group’s manager, booking agent and merchandiser; and Golden Robot Records. The complaint, which requested a trial by jury, alleged that Riley‘s version of L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as “the infringing L.A. GUNS“) was creating “unfair competition” through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS trademark. In addition, Guns and Lewis were seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.
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