In the early 80's, Gilby was a member of the pop band Candy which recorded the album "Whatever Happened To Fun." He left the band sometime in the mid 80's to form the metal band Kill For Thrills as lead singer and rhythm guitarist, while the rest of Candy went on to turn into Electric Angels. Kill For Thrills recorded an EP ("Commercial Suicide") and LP ("Nightmare In Dynamiteland") before Gilby got the call to replace Izzy Stradlin as rhythm guitarist in Guns N' Roses in November of 1991.
Gilby finished the huge Use Your Illusion tour with Guns N' Roses as well as recording the covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?" with the band. In 1994, Gilby released his first solo album "Pawnshop Guitars," which featured guest appearances from every member of Guns N' Roses at the time. Right before Guns N' Roses went in to record a cover of the Rolling Stones "Sympathy for the Devil," Axl Rose fired Clarke from the band, replacing him with Paul Tobias.
Gilby joined Slash's side project Slash's Snakepit and recorded the album "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with them in 1995, as well as touring in support for them. Gilby Clarke went on to release three more solo albums 1997's "The Hangover," 1998's "Rubber," and 2002's "Swag," as well as a live album in 1999 called "99 Live."
Gilby has also produced for various bands, including producing the only Jizzy Pearl led L.A. Guns record, "Shrinking Violet." He also remixed five demo HollyWood Rose demo tracks for 2005's "The Roots of GN'R" with Tracii Guns laying down lead guitars on the track. He also produced the next Crash Kelly record.
Gilby played with the reformed MC5 on their 2005 European tour. Also, Gilby was a member of the band Rock Star Supernova, along with Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe), Jason Newsted (Metallica), and singer Lukas Rossi. They only released an eponymous album in 2006.
Gilby's latest album, "The Gospel Truth", appeared in 2021.
Heart of Chrome
Gilby Clarke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Devil's sliding in and I can feel my heart pounding
I fear the new church and I worship no man
I'm the lord of my life and I'm mad as hell for suffering
I ain't breaking down anymore
Like dead weight lying on the floor
Chorus
There's a method to my madness, survival by faith
In my Heart Of Chrome, Surrounded by pain
In my Heart of Chrome is who I am
It's a cruel punishment survival in hell
The power of sin is the loss of innocence
I fear the new church and I worship no one
I'm the lord of my life and I'm mad as hell for suffering
I ain't breaking down anymore
Like dead weight lying on the floor
The song "Heart of Chrome" by Gilby Clarke is a deeply introspective track about the struggle of personal identity and the fear of external influence. The lyrics describe the singer's fierce individualism and unwillingness to bend to the will of any authority figure or religious institution, even as they feel the "Devil's sliding in" and their soul is on the line. The repeated affirmation "I'm the lord of my life" highlights the importance of self-determination and rejecting the idea that one's fate is predetermined or controlled by others.
The chorus of "Heart of Chrome" reinforces this message, with the focus on surviving through faith and perseverance despite the surrounding pain. The phrase "heart of chrome" itself could be interpreted as a metaphor for a tough exterior that protects the vulnerable inner self, or perhaps as a reference to the cars and motorcycles commonly associated with rock and roll rebellion.
Overall, "Heart of Chrome" is a powerful commentary on the struggle to find oneself in a world that often wants to shape us into something we're not. By rejecting conformity and choosing to define oneself on one's own terms, the singer of the song finds a sense of purpose and strength to carry on.
Line by Line Meaning
My souls on the line, I'm getting tired of begging
I'm running out of options and starting to lose hope.
The Devil's sliding in and I can feel my heart pounding
I feel like I'm being tempted to give up and I'm afraid of what will happen if I do.
I fear the new church and I worship no man
I'm wary of new things and I don't believe in following anyone blindly.
I'm the lord of my life and I'm mad as hell for suffering
I'm in control of my own life and I'm angry about all the pain I've experienced.
I ain't breaking down anymore
I'm refusing to give up or give in any longer.
Like dead weight lying on the floor
I won't let myself feel weighed down or defeated by my struggles.
In my Heart Of Chrome, Surrounded by pain
I have a tough exterior, but I'm hurting on the inside.
There's a method to my madness, survival by faith
Despite my difficulties, I have a plan for getting through and I rely on my faith to help me do it.
In my Heart of Chrome is who I am
This is who I truly am - strong, determined, and able to survive anything.
It's a cruel punishment survival in hell
Life can be incredibly difficult, especially when you feel like you're trapped in a bad situation.
The power of sin is the loss of innocence
Mistakes and bad choices can lead to a loss of youthful innocence or a tarnishing of one's good name.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GILBY CLARKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind