Watch Shark Island Team Up With Axl Rose + Tracii Guns For Led Zeppelin’s ‘Rock and Roll’ Cover

Musicians simultaneously performing with different bands are nothing new during the 1980s, most especially in Los Angeles.

Not so long ago, Tracii Guns who inspired the “Guns” in Guns N’ Roses had some major throwback posts. He shared a video of himself and Axl Rose playing Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” with fellow rockers Shark Island in ’86.

The performance took place at Gazzarri’s on April 26, 1986, so Guns was already out of GN’R by that time. Shark Island, on the other hand, was like the regulars of Gazzarri’s during that time. Richard Black of Shark Island even accused Rose of stealing his signature snake dance move. He said:

“Many popular bands and personalities came to see Shark Island, that’s a fact, and many took elements home with them for their stage show or album covers, or wardrobe… oh well, I’m flattered… nothing that could have altered the path of my career.

“But that good-for-nothing Axl Rose, he’ really a piece of work for the dregs. As far as I’m concerned he’s never done anything original in his life. Him and his cronies would come every week and watch the show.”

Contrary to that, Canter said that Rose was most likely inspired by Black, but didn’t try to steal his moves. Canter explained:

“Axl had plenty of moves before he had even heard of Shark Island. Axl liked Richard and thought the band was very professional because they used to play 200 gigs a year.

“The snake move was something that Richard did do and Axl must have been a bit influenced by it and picked up on it and at some point worked it in with all his other moves. It doesn’t mean that Axl ripped him off. Lots of rock stars get influenced by something they see and use it somehow. Mick Jagger got a lot of them from Tina Turner.”

Watch the video performance below.