Hollywood Vampires (L.A. Guns album)

Hollywood Vampires is the third studio album by the American glam metal band L.A. Guns, released in 1991. While no track from the album topped the charts (and the band's success declined soon afterwards as their style fell out of commercial favor), Hollywood Vampires presents various shades of the band and is representative of the late 1980s/early 1990s glam metal scene, with riff-laden songs and big choruses on every song. The meticulous production gives the album a sound typical of the period — a full sound, with many background harmony vocals, layered guitars and additional keyboard tracks.

Hollywood Vampires
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 25, 1991
RecordedFall 1990
Studio
  • Ocean Way, Hollywood, California
  • Rumbo, Canoga Park, California
  • 4th Street Recorders, Santa Monica, California
  • Studio 55
  • The Fortess
  • Paramount Studios
  • Soundcastle Studios
  • Original Sound Studios
  • Beat Street Studios
  • Track Recorders
  • Studio II, Hollywood California
Genre
Length52:18
LabelPolyGram/Polydor
ProducerMichael James Jackson
L.A. Guns chronology
Cocked & Loaded
(1989)
Hollywood Vampires
(1991)
Holiday Foreplay
(1991)
Singles from Hollywood Vampires
  1. "Kiss My Love Goodbye"
    Released: 1991
  2. "Some Lie 4 Love"
    Released: 1991
  3. "Over the Edge"
    Released: 1991
  4. "It's Over Now"
    Released: 1992
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[2]

The album starts in a more somber note with "Over the Edge", which was used in the film Point Break, but the bulk of it consists of standard hard rockers, such as "Kiss My Love Goodbye" and "My Koo Ka Choo". The band aims for the ballad hit several times, in "Crystal Eyes", "It's Over Now" and the 1950s-style "I Found You", attempting to repeat the earlier success of their major single "The Ballad of Jayne". "Kiss my Love Goodbye" is featured in the 1992 comedy film Ladybugs.

The Japan pressing adds the original version of "Ain't the Same" from the Cuts EP, with the addition of several saxophone solos. The original CD and cassette releases featured a 3-D photo cover and a small pair of 3-D glasses was included designed by John Kosh.

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Mick Cripps, Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, Kelly Nickels and Steve Riley except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Over the Edge" 5:41
2."Some Lie 4 Love" 3:34
3."Kiss My Love Goodbye"L.A. Guns/Steve Diamond4:42
4."Here It Comes" 4:37
5."Crystal Eyes" 5:54
6."Wild Obsession" 4:14
7."Dirty Luv" 4:29
8."My Koo Ka Choo"L.A. Guns/Jim Vallance4:06
9."It's Over Now"L.A. Guns/Jim Vallance4:10
10."Snake Eyes Boogie" 2:56
11."I Found You" 3:43
12."Big House" 4:12
Total length:52:35
Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Ain't the Same"4:16

Personnel edit

L.A. Guns

Additional musicians

  • Kevin Savigar – string arrangements
  • John Townsend – additional backing vocals

Production

  • Michael James Jackson – production, engineering
  • Chris Minto, Micajah Ryan, Pat Regan, Will Rogers – engineering
  • Jamie Seyberth, Jim Wirt, Ken Allroyd – assistant engineering
  • David Thoener, Micajah Ryan, Mick Guzauski – mixing at A&M Studios, Conway Studios and Lighthouse Studios, Hollywood, California
  • Rob Jazco, Ed Korengo, Gil Morales, Kevin Becka – assistant mixing
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer, Los Angeles
  • Mark Sullivan – production coordination

Charts edit

References edit

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "L.A. Guns - Hollywood Vampires review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  2. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 August 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 237–238. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  3. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 159.
  4. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  5. ^ "Swisscharts.com – L.A. Guns – Hollywood Vampires". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  6. ^ "L.A. Guns | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  7. ^ "L.A. Guns Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  8. ^ a b c "L.A. Guns Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  9. ^ "L.A. Guns Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2017-11-07.
  10. ^ "L.A. Guns Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-07.