Adler's Appetite

Lore & Background

Adler's Appetite was originally formed in 2003 by former Slash's Snakepit guitarist Keri Kelli, with a lineup that included drummer Steven Adler, Faster Pussycat guitarist Brent Muscat, former Ratt bassist Robbie Crane, and then-Ratt singer Jizzy Pearl. The band initially performed under the name Suki Jones, making their live debut in Kingman, Arizona in March 2003. They soon renamed themselves Adler's Appetite, after Adler and the Appetite for Destruction album. The band toured the US and Europe, with various musicians filling in due to touring commitments.

In 2005, following the departure of Muscat, the band released the Adler's Appetite EP, which featured four original songs and covers of Thin Lizzy and Aerosmith. Later that year, Adler announced a new lineup with singer Sheldon Tarsha, bassist Chip Z'nuff, guitarist Michael Thomas, and guitarist JT Longoria, replacing Pearl, Crane, and Kelli. This led to legal threats from the departed members, who claimed they had not quit and that the band name was a partnership trademark. Despite the dispute, the band continued with further lineup changes, including vocalists Colby Veil and Rick Stitch, and guitarists Kristy Majors and Alex Grossi.

The band released the singles 'Alive,' 'Stardog,' and 'Fading' in 2010. After further departures and a European tour with fill-in musicians, the band dissolved, with Adler and guitarist Lonnie Paul forming a new band called 'Adler.'

Reader's Guide

Adler's Appetite is significant primarily as a vehicle for former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler to perform material from his former band, especially the landmark album Appetite for Destruction. The band's legacy is marked by extreme instability, with a rotating cast of musicians from notable hard rock and glam metal acts. Despite releasing only an EP and a few singles, the band maintained a touring presence for nearly a decade, reflecting the enduring demand for Guns N' Roses nostalgia. The legal dispute over the band name between Adler and the original founding members highlights the complexities of band partnerships. Ultimately, Adler's Appetite served as a transitional project that led to the formation of the band Adler.

Did You Know?

• The band originally performed under the name Suki Jones before renaming to Adler's Appetite.
• In 2007, Adler's Appetite performed a 20th anniversary show for Appetite for Destruction at the Key Club in Hollywood, joined onstage by former Guns N' Roses members Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin.
• The band's EP, released in January 2005, included covers of Thin Lizzy's 'Hollywood (Down on Your Luck)' and Aerosmith's 'Draw the Line'.
• A planned 2005 Asian tour under the name 'Guns N' Roses Revisited' was canceled after Axl Rose's lawyers objected to the use of the Guns N' Roses logo.

Formation & Early Identity

Adler's Appetite emerged in 2003 from the creative orbit of drummer Steven Adler, who had been dismissed from Guns N' Roses in 1990 and spent the intervening years cycling through projects like Road Crew and BulletBoys. The band was initially assembled by Keri Kelli, a guitarist known from Slash's Snakepit, and the original roster read like a hard rock roll call: Brent Muscat from Faster Pussycat on guitar, Robbie Crane (former Ratt bassist) on bass, and Jizzy Pearl—then singing with Ratt and previously of Love/Hate—on vocals. They first hit the road under the name Suki Jones, debuting live in Kingman, Arizona in March 2003, with sets spanning Guns N' Roses classics alongside material from AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and Queen. By May, they had rebranded to Adler's Appetite, a nod to both the drummer and the Appetite for Destruction album that anchored their live shows. The early period was marked by frequent substitutions, as members juggled obligations to their primary bands.

The 20th Anniversary Show & Early Touring

One of the band's most memorable early moments came when they performed the 20th Anniversary of Appetite for Destruction at the Key Club in Hollywood, where former Guns N' Roses bandmates Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin joined them onstage for renditions of "Mr. Brownstone," "Paradise City," and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." L.A. Guns also played that night, making it a full-blown hard rock celebration. The band's touring life in 2004 was turbulent: a January-February run across Europe and the US saw several American dates canceled after the promoter failed to pay for transport or compensate the band for shows already performed. They also signed with Shrapnel Records for their debut album. A June-July European tour followed, preceded by two US shows in May where Michael Thomas filled in for Kelli, who had joined Vince Neil's solo project. The Hanoi Rocks support slot in the UK was abruptly pulled after Adler made disparaging remarks about Andy McCoy's wife in an interview, highlighting the band's volatile public image.

The EP Era & Legal Troubles

The band's first recording, the self-produced Adler's Appetite EP, was tracked at Dinky Music Recording Studios in Corona and Vibeville in Irvine, California, after guitarist Muscat departed just before sessions began. Released in January 2005 through the band's own website, it featured four original tracks and two covers—Thin Lizzy's "Hollywood" and Aerosmith's "Draw the Line"—with a planned Hanoi Rocks cover of "Obscured" swapped out for the Lizzy song. The EP was followed by tours across the US, UK, and Europe. In March, they toured Japan with Joe Lesté of Bang Tango and Beautiful Creatures subbing for Pearl, who cited personal obligations. After that tour, Pearl parted ways on good terms and was replaced by Sheldon Tarsha, formerly of Icon and Quiet Riot. A planned August 2005 Asian tour under the banner "Guns N' Roses Revisited," alongside Brides of Destruction and Tracii Guns, was scrapped when Axl Rose's lawyers objected to the use of the Guns N' Roses logo.

Later Instability & Dissolution

The final stretch of Adler's Appetite was defined by relentless personnel turnover. In 2007, Colby Veil of Hollywood Roses replaced Tarsha, and Kristy Majors of Pretty Boy Floyd took over guitar. The following year, Tarsha briefly returned before departing again, with Rick Stitch of Ladyjack stepping in, while Alex Grossi—formerly of Quiet Riot and Beautiful Creatures—replaced Majors on guitar. With that lineup, the band released the singles "Alive," "Stardog," and "Fading" in 2010. When Quiet Riot reformed that same year, Grossi left in 2011, and Ladyjack guitarist Robo filled in for a European tour. After that tour concluded, both Stitch and Robo departed. They were replaced by Patrick Stone, singer of Aces 'N' Eights, and Lonnie Paul, former lead vocalist of Tilterworld and guitarist in Still Standing. Once that final tour wrapped, the band dissolved entirely, with Adler and Paul going on to form a new project simply called "Adler."