Adam Hamilton

Adam Hamilton is a Los Angeles-based music producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Hamilton is a member of glam metal band L.A. Guns as bassist from 2001 through 2007, again from June to September 2018 as their rhythm guitarist, and again as their studio drummer since 2020. He also played drums for 1990s alternative rock band Joe 90, and worked as session drummer for alternative/neo-psychedelic band The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

As a producer, Hamilton has produced albums for several well-known artists, the best known to date being William Shatner for the concept album Seeking Major Tom (2011). He also works extensively producing and writing music for television and film.

Biography

Adam Hamilton was raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, and began playing drums at the age of three. As a child, Hamilton began aspiring to a professional music career through listening to both his father's records and to the music on the radio. While attending Captain Shreve High School, he experimented heavily with production and engineering, and produced demos for local bands in Shreveport. Other members of this band included Joey C. Jones of 1980s glam metal band Sweet Savage, and Christopher Torok of Liquor Sweet. During the time they were together, The C.C. DeVille Experiment also went by the name The C.C. DeVille Experience. The band, minus DeVille, ended up leaving Los Angeles, relocating to Dallas and Shreveport, and renaming themselves Joey C. Jones and the Glory Hounds, with Hamilton's hometown friend Craig Bradford replacing DeVille on guitar. Joey C. Jones and the Glory Hounds released one self-titled album on Tony Nicole Tony (TNT) Records in 1993; the album featured songs written by C.C. DeVille and by Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick.

With Joe 90 and The Brian Jonestown Massacre

In 1996, the alternative rock band Gods Child hired Hamilton as their touring drummer while touring to support their second album, Aluminum. Upon completion of the tour, the band's music began changing direction, and the band changed their name to Joe 90 to reflect the change. While Hamilton was working with Joe 90, The Brian Jonestown Massacre studio engineer Muddy recruited Hamilton to work as session drummer for the album Give It Back! (1997); Hamilton played drums on three tracks from the album. Hamilton worked as session drummer with The Brian Jonestown Massacre again on Strung Out in Heaven (1998).

In 1999, Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz signed Joe 90 to his label E Pluribus Unum after frequenting their shows at the Hollywood club The Opium Den. Joe 90 released one album with E Pluribus Unum, entitled Dream This. The band opened for Counting Crows on two different tours. The resulting album, C'Mon Get Real, was released by Fastlane Records in 2002, and featured guest appearances from Donnie Vie of Enuff Z'nuff and Yogi Lonich of Buckcherry.

With L.A. Guns

Hamilton joined L.A. Guns in December 2001 as the band's bass player. He was recommended by their departing bass player Muddy Stardust,

Waking the Dead was to be the final L.A. Guns album to feature founder and namesake member Tracii Guns, who would leave the band to form Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe.

In January 2004, L.A. Guns recorded their first cover album, Rips the Covers Off, with producer Andy Johns. The album features covers of songs by artists such as David Bowie, Hanoi Rocks, Rose Tattoo, and Iggy and the Stooges to name a few. In May 2005, L.A. Guns began work on Tales from the Strip, again with Andy Johns producing. Tales from the Strip was released August 2005. In early 2006, the band booked some local L.A. shows and recorded them for a live album entitled Loud and Dangerous: Live from Hollywood; this album was released in late August 2006. Each of these albums was supported with a world tour.

Hamilton left L.A. Guns in March 2007 Hamilton also contributed to the songwriting on L.A. Guns' 2012 album Hollywood Forever. On June 19, 2018, he rejoined L.A. Guns as their rhythm guitarist replacing their previous rhythm guitarist Johnny Monaco.

As producer

Hamilton chose to begin working as a producer and writer full time in 2006 due in part to his desire to marry and start a family. Hamilton also produces and writes music for television, and his work has appeared on Family Guy, The Simpsons, The Osbournes, Six Feet Under, Saturday Night Live, Numb3rs, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Bones, America's Got Talent, and many others. Shatner was happy with the results and Hamilton produced the rest of the album. The album was recorded primarily in Pro Tools and included many well-known guest performers, including Nick Valensi, Ritchie Blackmore, Candice Night, Lyle Lovett, Brad Paisley, Steve Miller, Ian Paice, Johnny Winter, Steve Hillage, Bootsy Collins, Patrick Moraz, Toots Hibbert, Peter Frampton, John Wetton, Wayne Kramer, Carmine Appice, Sheryl Crow, Michael Schenker, Ernie Watts, Edgar Froese, Dave Davies, Warren Haynes, Mike Inez, Zakk Wylde, and Steve Howe. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart

Discography

With Joey C. Jones and the Glory Hounds Joey C. Jones and the Glory Hounds (1993)

With The Brian Jonestown Massacre Give It Back! (1997) Strung Out in Heaven (1998)

With Joe 90 Dream This (1999) A Raccoons Lunch (2000)

With Needle Park C'Mon Get Real (2002)

With L. A. Guns Waking the Dead (2002) Rips the Covers Off (2004) Tales from the Strip (2005) Various Artists: VH1 Classic Presents: Metal Mania - Stripped (2005) ("The Ballad of Jayne" - new recording) Loud and Dangerous: Live from Hollywood (2006) Hellraiser's Ball: Caught in the Act (2008) Covered in Guns (2010) Hollywood Forever (2012) (songwriting credits only) Checkered Past (2021) (drums on all tracks) Black Diamonds 2023 (drums on all tracks)

With Poison Poison'd! (2007) (uncredited)

As a producer Joe 90: Dream This (1999) Needle Park: C'Mon Get Real (2002) Various Artists: VH1 Classic Presents: Metal Mania - Stripped (2005) (new recordings of L. A. Guns' "The Ballad of Jayne" and Great White's "Save Your Love") Leif Garrett: Three Sides Of... (2007) Dale Bozzio: New Wave Sessions (2007) Vanilla Ice: Vanilla Ice is Back! Hip Hop Classics (2008) Johnny Thunders: Sticks & Stones: The Lost Album (2009) (mastering) Various Artists: Abbey Road: Tribute to The Beatles (2009) Various Artists: An All-Star Salute to Christmas (2009) Various Artists: Platinum Hip-Hop Hits: Old School Classics From the '80s & '90s (2009) L.A. Guns: Covered in Guns (2010) George Lynch: Orchestral Mayhem (2010) Vains of Jenna: Reverse Tripped (2011) William Shatner: Seeking Major Tom (2011) Black Water Bride: Black Water Bride (2013) Various Artists: A Psych Tribute to The Doors (2014) Missing Persons: Dreaming (2020) Ghosts Of Sunset: Headed West Golden Robot Records EP. Drums and keys on "Never Goodbye"; mixer on 5 of 6 songs (2021) Missing Persons: Hollywood Lie (2023)