Steve Riley — longtime drummer of glam metal band L.A. Guns — has died. He was 67.
With his wife Mary Louise and son Cole by his side, the musician passed away on Tuesday (October 24), succumbing to a severe case of pneumonia after several weeks.
The Riley family shared the news in a statement posted to the Riley's L.A. Guns — the band famously splintered into two factions who both toured under the name in 2006 — Facebook page. "Steve spent the past five decades building up a rich music legacy, touring the world countless times, selling millions of records, sharing the stage with incredible bandmates and bringing joy to fans across the globe," they wrote. "His style was unmatched, influenced by the greats like Buddy Rich, Ginger Baker and John Bonham, and his passion for the craft was evident until the very end.
The drummer's family added, "But Steve's greatest legacy was his role as a loving husband and caring father. At home, he was more than just a rocker — he was a Boston sports fanatic, a World War II buff and an avid reader. As much as he loved being on the road, nothing brought him more joy than coming home to his family."
L.A. Guns originally formed in 1983, with Riley moving on from his old band W.A.S.P. to replace Nickey Alexander behind the kit in 1987. Before that, he also had stints playing in Steppenwolf and Keel. Riley was allegedly fired from L.A. Guns in 1992 for hitting bandmate Phil Lewis, but he returned to the band in 1995 and the group's "classic lineup" fully reunited in 1999.
When the band divided into its two factions, the drummer was originally in Lewis's iteration of L.A. Guns before reuniting with co-founding guitarist Tracii Guns, who changed the name of his Tracii Guns Band to L.A. Guns in 2006, creating a legal conflict.
Riley, who also had rights to the band name after his long tenure and relative consistency in the ever-changing rotation of band members, started his own iteration a decade later with Kelly Nickels in 2016. The legal action between the two sides didn't reach a settlement until 2021, when Riley was officially permitted to carry on with his iteration under the name Riley's L.A. Guns.
With his wife Mary Louise and son Cole by his side, the musician passed away on Tuesday (October 24), succumbing to a severe case of pneumonia after several weeks.
The Riley family shared the news in a statement posted to the Riley's L.A. Guns — the band famously splintered into two factions who both toured under the name in 2006 — Facebook page. "Steve spent the past five decades building up a rich music legacy, touring the world countless times, selling millions of records, sharing the stage with incredible bandmates and bringing joy to fans across the globe," they wrote. "His style was unmatched, influenced by the greats like Buddy Rich, Ginger Baker and John Bonham, and his passion for the craft was evident until the very end.
The drummer's family added, "But Steve's greatest legacy was his role as a loving husband and caring father. At home, he was more than just a rocker — he was a Boston sports fanatic, a World War II buff and an avid reader. As much as he loved being on the road, nothing brought him more joy than coming home to his family."
L.A. Guns originally formed in 1983, with Riley moving on from his old band W.A.S.P. to replace Nickey Alexander behind the kit in 1987. Before that, he also had stints playing in Steppenwolf and Keel. Riley was allegedly fired from L.A. Guns in 1992 for hitting bandmate Phil Lewis, but he returned to the band in 1995 and the group's "classic lineup" fully reunited in 1999.
When the band divided into its two factions, the drummer was originally in Lewis's iteration of L.A. Guns before reuniting with co-founding guitarist Tracii Guns, who changed the name of his Tracii Guns Band to L.A. Guns in 2006, creating a legal conflict.
Riley, who also had rights to the band name after his long tenure and relative consistency in the ever-changing rotation of band members, started his own iteration a decade later with Kelly Nickels in 2016. The legal action between the two sides didn't reach a settlement until 2021, when Riley was officially permitted to carry on with his iteration under the name Riley's L.A. Guns.
