Early life Vicky Hamilton

1 life

1.1 1980s

1.1.1 guns n roses


1.2 rock , roll hall of fame

1.2.1 1990s

early life

hamilton born in charleston, west virginia, woodrow arthur hamilton , clara virginia hamilton. youngest of 3 girls. sisters sharon lee hamilton , brenda ann hamilton.

hamilton s father coal miner, sailor , engineer bf goodrich. while in 5th grade, father transferred fort wayne, indiana. graduated new haven high school, new haven, indiana in 1976, , attended fort wayne art institute before dropping out work in music industry.

1980s

hamilton booked , promoted many glam , metal bands throughout 1980s. first music industry job record store clerk in indiana. while working @ record store, became concert review writer 3 rivers review , concert booker summer in city, in fort wayne. art school dropout, hamilton began manage bands in 1979. dynasty, ebenezer, , destin first acts managed. while interviewing tom petty 3 rivers review, petty told hamilton california girl. convinced move los angeles, california in 1981.

after short run cocktail waitress @ palomino club, , gazzarri s, hired gary gersh work record store clerk @ licorice pizza record store. store across street famous whisky go go club. while @ licorice pizza, met nikki sixx of mötley crüe, , began helping band; after, hired management consultant manager allan coffman. hamilton did display merchandising on los angeles greenworld-distributed fast love record, , helped promote mötley crüe record labels. once signed elektra records, however, band got new management, , hamilton out of job.

she became management consultant christian rock band stryper, parted band on spiritual differences. started managing poison after moved la, while continuing promote concerts @ roxy theatre , whisky go go. after falling out poison once signed enigma records, began managing guns n roses , darling cruel.

guns n roses

early in 1984, vicky got call axl rose while working agent rock acts @ silverlining entertainment. rose said wanted bring demo of band, hollywood rose, asked him mail her, did not have way play in office. rose responded, have ghetto blaster. ll bring , play you. 1 hour later, rose , izzy stradlin played hamilton demo, , hamilton booked band, sight unseen.

hamilton booking slash s band, black sheep, , introduced slash axl when hollywood rose opened black sheep , stryper @ music machine, in west la. shortly after chris weber (guitarist of hollywood rose) departed new york city, slash became hollywood rose s guitarist, joined steven adler on drums , duff mckagan on bass. formed original lineup of guns n roses. hamilton took on management role band moved rehearsal space near howie hubberman s guitar shop, guitars r us.

slash convinced vicky let axl hide out @ apartment until legal troubles police blew over. on next 6 months, of band (with exception of mckagan, lived girlfriend) moved hamilton s one-bedroom apartment on clarke st. in west hollywood. jennifer perry hamilton s roommate.

hamilton booked many live shows band, got them lawyer , took many meeting major record companies. vicky convinced howie hubberman invest $25,000 in gear, clothes , rehearsals band. result of efforts , band s talent, major bidding war ensued among labels sign band, , on march 26. 1986, guns n roses signed deal geffen records. however, guns n roses had not repaid loan hubberman, , sued; matter settled out of court.

hamilton took a&r consulting job @ geffen records after agreeing let label find band major management. went on manage darling cruel, faster pussycat, lostboys, , salty dog, securing them major record deals. hamilton later took full-time a&r job @ geffen records, , brought in deals salty dog, rick parker, half way home, i, napoleon, , graveyard train. hamilton worked @ geffen records 1988 1992.

in interview legendary rock interviews, steven adler asked,

lri did vicky hamilton set table guns n roses?
steven adler didn t do? (laughs). love vicky hamilton. there 4 or 5 people--tops--that mentioning name @ hall of fame, , among people deserve thanked. love vicky , marc because truly, believed in our band , put own asses on line us. vicky thing devastating me personally. reunion bullshit axl in had no in whatsoever. didn t want see vicky leave our manager, not @ all, couple, couple of other guys did. concerned , saying, well, s woman, , people thinking s not doing of job man do. did not feel way, , hurt when not take our career went forward.
lri: there when kim fowley axl , others , suggesting vicky pretty manager?
steven: yes was, , while kim fowley might not have been big of influence on axl, influence far had accomplished in business. axl agreed kim, , didn’t. knew great , still is. beyond ridiculous woman couldn’t have impact on our careers, because knew full teresa ensenat , vicky hamilton every bit important tom zutaut our success. axl worried having women involved in our careers when 2 of 3 main people involved in making women! made no f****ing sense me couldn’t see while women crazy f**k, of them freakin geniuses. vicky hamilton not crafty, smart whip, , knew better how guide our career.

rock , roll hall of fame

on april 14, 2012, guns n roses inducted rock , roll hall of fame steven adler thanked vicky meant him , band. slash thanked hamilton saying vicky tried manage heart , soul.

the 1990s

hamilton continued manage many bands , artists. working @ lookout management/vapor records managed american recording artist freewheelers , tvt recording artist, portable. took interest in painters , developed relationship lowbrow artist ron english, representing him special projects , album jackets. represented graffiti artist street phantom, whom bailed out of jail. went on album jackets rage against machine, , battle of los angeles.

while managing freewheelers, label mates johnny cash, invited open man in black @ house of blues. backstage after show in 1996, hamilton told label president rick rubin , artist tom petty how enjoyed johnny s performance , particularly johnny s sidekick , wife, june carter cash. rubin suggested hamilton make record june, , started friendship between carter-cash , hamilton. vicky shopped idea of making record june many major labels , shocked no 1 wanted it. led hamilton start own label, small hairy dog, in 1999. small hairy dog joint ventured risk records produce press on. in 2000 album won grammy best traditional folk record. in addition starting own label, hamilton followed friend gary gersh capitol records a&r consultant, worked until 1999. hamilton started own management company, aesthetic v in 2001. manages, consults , represents several musical acts , visual artists.