Gilby Clarke

Gilbert J. Clarke (born August 17, 1962) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is known for having a three-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour, and also featured on "The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993). Following this, Clarke went on to forge a solo career as well playing guitar with Slash's Snakepit, Kat Men, Heart, Nancy Sinatra, Kathy Valentine (of The Go-Go's), MC5 and forming his own group Rock Star Supernova with members of Metallica and Mötley Crüe.

Clarke's production work includes albums by L.A. Guns, Bullets and Octane, The Bronx, Frankie and the Studs and Vains of Jenna.

Gilby Clarke started his musical career during the first half of the Eighties, replacing Candy's original guitarist, Geoff Siegel, who later played with the Nymphs. Gilby eventually replaced the band's lead vocalist and penned several unreleased fan favorites including, "Dance America". He left them to form Kill for Thrills, a metal band which released the EP Commercial Suicide and the LP Dynamite from Nightmareland before eventually disbanding. Kill for Thrills was a supergroup of sorts with Jason Nesmith (son of former Monkees Mike Nesmith) on Guitar, and Todd Muscat formerly of seminal L.A. Punk band Decry, on Bass and then later with Junkyard after Kill for Thrills. Muscat is also the brother of Brent Muscat (Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns, Sin City Sinners). All members have deep roots in the Los Angeles rock scene.

Following rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin's decision to abruptly quit the band, during Use Your Illusion Tour in 1991, citing a combination of Axl Rose's personal behavior (he would consistently delay the start of shows by hours at a time) and his mismanagement of the band and difficulties being around Slash, Sorum, and McKagan due to his new-found sobriety and their continuing alcohol and substance addictions, Clarke was chosen as his replacement, playing out the rest of gigs of the tour which lasted until 1993. His first show with the band was December 5, 1991 in Worcester, MA, USA.

During many shows throughout the tour, Rose introduced Clarke and had him play "Wild Horses", a Rolling Stones cover with Slash.

On November 23, 1993, Guns N' Roses released a collection of punk and glam rock covers entitled "The Spaghetti Incident?" where many of the tracks were recorded with original Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin during the Use Your Illusion I and II sessions and then were later re-recorded by Clarke.

Clarke's contract was not renewed and he was gone from the band by 1995. Slash stated in his book that Rose fired Clarke without consulting anyone, claiming he was only a "hired hand". Clarke was not involved in the recording of "Sympathy for the Devil", stating "I knew that that was the ending [of Clarke's involvement in Guns N' Roses] because nobody told me about it. Officially I was in the band at that time, and they did that song without me". Clarke also mentioned that before the final show of the Use Your Illusion Tour, Rose came up to him and told him "Hey, enjoy your last show". Clarke later sued the band over the use of his likeness in Guns N' Roses Pinball.

Clarke's only other appearances on a Guns N' Roses release would be on the live and compilation albums Live Era '87–'93 and Greatest Hits.