Collaborations often capture lighting in a bottle, turning imagination into reality. Rock history is filled with bands that burned bright before ultimately quick burnouts, but few have been able to do so with the same level of legend and mystique as the unique, one-time supergroup. Nothing can replicate the rare explosion of brilliance when legends let styles, egos, and creative intellect collide for unforgettable moments, even if for just a flash before disappearing into myth.
Sometimes these attempts are fleeting experiments. Other times, there’s a mark made on the world of music before most even have the chance to notice. Many chaotic and unpredictable sparks live on today through rock lore, though how many can you recall coming and going without even leaving a trace? No official recordings; no industry push, and no reunion tour — just one band emerging from the darkness for one electrifying performance.
Who The Gak Were
The Gak, a spontaneous gathering of members from Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, was more of a fever dream than it was just some improbable idea. It was quite literally an instance of reckless inspiration that formed a force of pure rock fury. Two bands defining their respective genres, running in similar circles before grapes would later sour, couldn’t help themselves at this one particular Hollywood party.
Master Of Puppets By Metallica album cover art
Iconic frontmen Axl Rose and James Hetfield carried The Gak’s heartbeat, also joined by Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, while masterful instrumentalists Slash and Kirk Hammett countered each other on guitar. Meanwhile, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan drove the rhythm section alongside Metallica’s Lars Ulrich on the kit to round out a heavyweight rock act for the ages.
Why The Gak Only Played One Show
RIP Magazine editor Lonn Friend was known to throw some wild parties, and nothing exemplified that reputation more than RIP’s fourth-annual event on Nov. 9, 1990, at the Palladium, which served as the birthplace (and deathbed) for The Gak. This short-lived supergroup unsurprisingly didn’t come with much preparation besides a cover of Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog,” though. Most of this irreplicable set included potent twists on classics from their own catalogs, including Skid Row’s “Piece of Me,” Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Whiplash,” and Guns N’ Roses’ “You’re Crazy.”
This show did serve as a prelude of sorts to Metallica’s stadium tour with Guns N’ Roses in 1992 — a run of shows that sometimes made the chaos of the RIP party look tame by comparison. (via UCR)
This was nothing less than rock madness, although still not quite as infamous as Metallica’s 1992 “Live N’ Loud” tour with Guns N’ Roses that swiftly brewed a bitter rivalry, eliminating any remaining likelihood of a return for The Gak. While the rock scene would change significantly in the coming years, with the next RIP party featuring Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden, for instance, this night was highlighted by a notorious rock supergroup that will forever be remembered as one of hard rock’s most unlikely shooting stars.
