Pre-Appetite 1982-1985 Bob Welch (Fleetwood Mac) connection

[ludurigan]

 

Never heard of this before

According to different sources, Guns n' Roses -- or some parts of it, or some early incarnations of it, most likely Izzy, Slash and Steven -- had a connection with Bob Welch for sometime around 1982-1985

Bob Welch was a singer, songwriter and guitarist with Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974. After leaving the group he pursued a solo career.

The GN'R connection apparently included drugs, rehearsal sessions at Bob Welch's house in LA, and even recording demos for the band London

I copied and pasted some stuff i found online below

@Blackstar did you know about this?

 

 

"1982, Welch is making a lot of money, and is hanging around with Izzy Stradlin and Paul Adler from Guns N Roses, who are rehearsing in his garage, much to the annoyance of neighbor, Mrs Stupnagle. 1983, becomes heroin addict in spite of himself, spends 5 weeks in coma at Cedars Sinai hospital. Needless to say, this is rather expensive. Sees writing on wall. Kicks heroin in 1985, gets the hell out of Los Angeles."

https://archive.org/details/iuma-welch_bob

 

"The late '80s was a tale of woe for me," he (Bob Welch) said in a Q&A session on a Fleetwood Mac fansite. "After Eye Contact I kind of went on the skids. Guns N' Roses were rehearsing in my garage, and I was being a very bad boy, very decadent, very cynical, VERY stoned. It was not a good time... I was in a coma at Cedars Sinai in L.A. from heroin abuse, and six months after I recovered from that, I got busted for possession. I was smart enough to see the writing on the wall and changed all my friends," he added. "It's a common enough story, but it's still not easy, especially if you've done it to yourself!"

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/bp/bob-welch-retracing-steps-fleetwood-mac-invisible-frontman-174404800.html

 

"Welch recorded two more albums for Capitol, The Other One (1979) which featured a rerecording of Future Games, and Man Overboard (1980) but soon switched to RCA for the less successful Bob Welch (1981) and Eye Contact (1983). A long silence followed during which Welch battled drug problems and had the likes of Guns 'n Roses squatting in his house. Aside from a couple of new tracks for compilations, nothing new appeared until Bob Welch Looks at Bop in 1999."

https://fleetwoodmac.fandom.com/wiki/Bob_Welch

 

 

"After four solo albums at Capitol and two at RCA, Welch gave up on performing temporarily. He continued to write songs, and produce and nurture up-and-coming bands—including Guns N' Roses, an early configuration of which used to rehearse in his garage."

https://www.fictionliberationfront.net/ave_m.html

 

"Three Hearts, Bob’s 1979 follow-up album, peaked at #20.  Other solo albums followed, as did a close relationship with Guns N’ Roses.  Slash and the boys rehearsed in his garage and introduced him to a short lived cocaine and heroin addiction."

https://seventiesmusic.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/ebony-eyes-bob-welch-1978/ 

 

"Slash started to rehearse with guitarist Izzy Stradlin at (former Fleetwood Mac member) Bob Welch's garage above Sunset. "There were some rehearsals at the (...)"

From the book Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and the Music of Laurel Canyon

https://bit.ly/2HX4eFe

 

There appears to be some connection with London and apparently Steven recorded London demos while him (?) and Bob Welch (?) were in the band

 

"By 1985, the [LONDON ]lineup consisted of Grey and Izzy Stradlin, vocalist Nadir D'Priest, drummer Bobby Marks and bassist Brian West (TKO).^[5] Marks soon left to form the first lineup of Keel, and Fred Coury was brought in as his replacement.^[5] Stradlin then left to join Hollywood Rose/Guns N' Roses with close friend Axl Rose. Steven Adler was also in the lineup,^[5] playing on some early demos while with Nadir, Brian, Lizzie, and former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Bob Welch. Adler left the band and eventually joined up with Guns N' Roses.^[5]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_(heavy_metal_band)

 

 

 

 

Steven's book 'My Appetite for Destruction - Sex, Drugs & Guns N' Roses' includes a story about how Steven smoked crack for the first time at Bob Welch's house

(Bob wasn't there)

Loretta and I had been together for about a week when one evening she had a surprise for me. She was driving up in the Hollywood Hills in her '76 Dodge Pinto. "I know a fun dude who lives up here."

I asked, "Who?"

"Bob Welch."
 

"Bob Welch!" I excitedly shouted back. Welch was a member of Fleetwood Mac until 1974 and had a great solo career after Heroes are Hard to Find, his last album with Mac. Two of his biggest hits were "Sentimental Lady" and "Ebony Eyes." "Sentimental Lady" was actually a song he first recorded with Fleetwood Mac on their Bare Trees album. Both versions are gorgeous love songs and needless to say, I was stoked to meet the guy.

Poor Loretta had no idea that Bob had OD'd on heroin a few days before and was presently in the hospital. His friend Ted was staying at his house, and he invited us in. Bob had a very plush, stylish home. We were hanging out in the living room when Ted lifted a glass pipe off the table. It looked like a clear light bulb with two stems protruding from it. He handed it to me, and I held it in my hand and looked in the bowl of the pipe, and there was a little white chunk. I just figured, "Oh, Coke." I lit up and inhaled with no fear. It felt amazing, complete and utter euphoria. I thought it was the highest-quality blow I had ever sampled. But it wasn't. High-quality coke would have been a tender blessing compared to this curse. Had that pipe been a loaded revolver, it couldn't have done more harm (...)

(story continues as Steven tells that what he thought was cocaine was actually crack etc)

 

 

 

i wonder if Bob has ever jammed with them (i guess it is pretty likely) and/or "produced" them (maybe?) and/or helped them with any tips on songwriting etc

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZIgHEnC5qY

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by ludurigan

[Blackstar]

4 hours ago, ludurigan said:

@Blackstar did you know about this?

I knew only what is in Steven's book.

Good find!

[lame ass security]

Just read about the circumstances surrounding his death, pretty sad. 

[ludurigan]

8 hours ago, lame ass security said:

Just read about the circumstances surrounding his death, pretty sad. 

yeah