Izzy Stradlin

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Lore & Background

Stradlin's tenure with Guns N' Roses was defined by a stark contrast between his grounded demeanor and the band's escalating chaos. While others struggled with heroin, Stradlin chose sobriety after being sentenced to a year's probation for urinating in public aboard an airplane, earning him the nickname "Whizzy." This decision marked a turning point; he returned to his house in Indiana to detox, realizing that once sober, he could no longer tolerate the band's internal dynamics. He cited the Riverport riot and Axl Rose's chronic lateness as breaking points, but the final straw was a contract presented just before his departure that sought to demote him and cut his royalty percentage. Refusing to accept this, Stradlin famously declared, "Fuck you! I've been there from Day One... Fuck you, I'll go play the Whisky." His preferred guitar during these recording sessions was a Gibson ES-175.

In Their Own Story

In high school in Lafayette, Indiana, Stradlin and his future bandmate Axl Rose bonded as "long-haired guys" who were neither jocks nor popular. They spent their time hanging out in garages playing covers, with no clubs available to play at. Stradlin recalled that they "rode bikes, smoked pot, got into trouble," describing it as pretty much "Beavis and Butt-Head." Despite his aversion to school, he graduated in 1980 with a D average, becoming the only original member of Guns N' Roses to earn a high school diploma. His path to music began early, inspired by his paternal grandmother who played drums in a swing jazz band; she convinced his parents to buy him a drum kit at age eight. By the time he moved to Los Angeles, his musical favorites included Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, and Led Zeppelin.

Reader's Guide

Stradlin's role as rhythm guitarist was foundational to Guns N' Roses' sound, particularly on their debut album, *Appetite for Destruction*, which sold over 28 million copies worldwide. He wrote or co-wrote most of its songs, including the hits "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "Paradise City," as well as tracks on *G N' R Lies* like "Patience." During the recording of the *Use Your Illusion* albums in September 1991, which debuted at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively, he co-wrote "Don't Cry" and "You Could Be Mine" while performing lead vocals on tracks such as "Dust N' Bones" and "14 Years." Although he left the band on November 7, 1991, after his final show at Wembley Stadium on August 31, some of his uncredited guitar work from the *Illusion* sessions appeared on the 1993 covers album *The Spaghetti Incident?*. He later briefly reunited with the group in May 1993 to fill in for Gilby Clarke during five shows in Europe and the Middle East.

Did You Know?

• Stradlin is the only original member of Guns N' Roses to graduate from high school, earning a diploma in 1980 despite having a D average.
• His introduction to the Los Angeles rock scene involved being attacked by an audience during his first show with Naughty Women, forcing him to defend himself with a cymbal stand.
• Stradlin was nicknamed "Whizzy" after being sentenced to probation for urinating in public on an airplane.
• He left Guns N' Roses in 1991 partly because he refused a contract that would have demoted his position and cut his royalty percentage.
• His uncredited guitar playing recorded during the *Use Your Illusion* sessions appears on the 1993 covers album *The Spaghetti Incident?*.

Early Life and Musical Foundations

Born Jeffrey Dean Isbell on April 8, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana, Stradlin's early life was marked by his parents' divorce when he was eight. His mother moved him and his two younger brothers, Kevin Thomas Isbell and Joseph "Joe" Isbell, to Lafayette after previously living in Florida. He described his hometown as having a courthouse, college, river, and railroad tracks, noting that there wasn't much to do besides ride bikes and smoke pot. His grandfather's half-brother, Joseph William "Little Joe" Isbell, was a country yodeler born in 1916. Stradlin developed an interest in music early, with favorites like Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin by age eight. Inspired by his grandmother's swing jazz drumming, he acquired a drum kit before switching to bass after his original kit was stolen in Los Angeles.

The Formative Years in Los Angeles

After moving to Los Angeles, Stradlin joined the punk band Naughty Women, where his first show ended with him fending off attacking audience members with a cymbal stand. Following a two-month stint there and time with The Atoms, he switched from drums to bass after his kit was stolen. He then joined the heavy metal band Shire, taking up rhythm guitar to aid songwriting. In 1983, he formed Hollywood Rose with Axl Rose, recording a five-song demo in January 1984 featuring "Killing Time," "Anything Goes," and "Shadow of Your Love." After the group disbanded in August 1984, he briefly joined London and formed the short-lived band Stalin before reuniting with Hollywood Rose in December.

Rise to Fame and Departure from Guns N' Roses

Stradlin founded Guns N' Roses in March 1985 as a favor to manager Raz Cue. By June, the lineup included Slash, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler. In their early days, Stradlin worked as a pimp and drug dealer to raise money, stating they "sold drugs, sold girls." The band released *Appetite for Destruction* in July 1987, followed by *G N' R Lies* in November 1988. Tensions rose in 1989 when Rose threatened to leave over Slash and Adler's drug use. Stradlin chose sobriety after his probation incident but grew dissatisfied with the band's lifestyle and business dealings. He left on November 7, 1991, citing demotion attempts in contracts as a major factor.

Solo Career and Enduring Legacy

After leaving Guns N' Roses, Stradlin formed Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds with Rick Richards, Jimmy Ashhurst, and Charlie Quintana. Their self-titled debut was released in October 1992 to positive reviews from *Rolling Stone*. In May 1993, he returned for five shows to fill in for Gilby Clarke before returning to his solo project. He later recorded his first solo album, *117°*, released in March 1998, featuring Duff McKagan and Taz Bentley, though he did no live promotion. His next album, *Ride On*, was released on Universal Victor in Japan in December 1999. Stradlin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N' Roses in 2012.