Before there was
L.A. Guns
there was
Guns N' Roses
. Or if you are more inclined to believe the liner notes, it's the other way around. No matter how the fable gets framed, somewhere in time (specifically Los Angeles in the mid-'80s), Hollywood rockers
Axl Rose
and
Tracii Guns
split to form their own respective groups.
Hollywood Raw
features the post-
Axl
demo sessions when they were trying to make the leap from
Troubadour
mainstays to major-label stardom. And that's exactly what these tracks are to the core: demos in all of their unapologetic rawness and glory, which also makes the listening unbearable at points. To its credit,
also brings forth a degree of honesty, an ugliness that most bands of this ilk would rather not let the public witness (it's a bit like not having their makeup and hairspray on first thing in the morning). This is most definitely for die-hard fans only. It's undoubtedly interesting as a historical document, but not much more than that. As a value-added bonus, they've also included the band's self-released four-song debut EP on a separate disc. ~ Rob Theakston