Steve Riley, famous drummer of L.A. Guns, dies at 67

Who was Steve Riley? Know more about the famous rock band drummer who worked with Keel, W.A.S.P. and L.A. Guns since the '80s till this 21st century

Steve Riley

Today the rock world is grieving with the sudden death news of Steve Riley. His demise has been confirmed by his son, Cole, that Riley had passed away on October 24, 2023.

The official statement of Riley family confirming his death

“We are devastated to share that Steve Riley has passed away at the age of 67. Steve had been battling a severe case of pneumonia for several weeks, and on Tuesday, Oct. 24, succumbed to the illness. His wife Mary Louise and son Cole were by his side in his final moments.” the Riley family later disclosed, “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. 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. 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.”

Steve's journey

Steve Riley was a drummer, who joined Keel in 1984 and recorded his first album, The Right To Rock with them. Later the same year, Riley left Keel to replace founding member Tony Richards in W.A.S.P. whose debut album had recently achieved gold status in sales. Riley performed on the albums The Last Command, Inside the Electric Circus, and Live...in the Raw.

Later in 1987, he had left W.A.S.P. and joined hands with L.A. Guns. There he had appeared on the albums Cocked & Loaded, and Hollywood Vampires. Riley was fired from the band in 1992, but returned in 1995.

In 2006, L.A. Guns got divided into 2 - Phil Lewis' and Tracii Guns'. Riley joined the Lewis' band and continued as a drummer there until it broke in 2016.

After all these breaking and joining, Steve had finally created his own version of L.A. Guns in 2019. This version released an album, Renegades through Golden Robot records.

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