View source for Ole Beich

{{Short description|Danish musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name             = Ole Beich
| image            = Ole beich.jpg
| caption          = Beich, circa 1982
| image_size       = 250
| landscape        = Yes
| background       = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name       = 
| alias            = 
| birth_date       = {{birth date|mf=yes|1955|1|1}}
| birth_place      = [[Esbjerg]], Denmark
| death_date       = {{death date and age|1991|10|16|1955|1|1}}
| death_place      = [[Copenhagen]], Denmark
| origin           = Los Angeles
| instrument       = Bass, Guitar
| genre            = [[Hard rock]], [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]]
| occupation       = Musician
| years_active     = 1979&ndash;1989
| label            = [[Cleopatra Records|Deadline]]
| current_member_of =
| past_member_of   = {{hlist|Rock Nalle & The Flames|[[Mercyful Fate]]|[[L.A. Guns]]|[[Guns N' Roses]]|Forgotten Child}}}}

'''Ole Beich''' (January 1, 1955 – October 16, 1991) was a Danish musician best known as the bass guitarist for the original lineups of [[L.A. Guns]] and [[Guns N' Roses]].<ref name="Ole Beich Politiken">{{Cite web | last=Lerch | first=Otto | title=Historien om Ole fra Guns N' Roses | trans-title=The story of Ole from Guns N' Roses | language=DA | work=[[Politiken]] | date=September 28, 2008 | url=http://politiken.dk/kultur/573660/historien-om-ole-fra-guns-n-roses/ | access-date=September 20, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701164524/http://politiken.dk/kultur/ECE573660/historien-om-ole-fra-guns-n-roses/ | archive-date=July 1, 2015 | url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Early life==
Born in the city of [[Esbjerg]], Beich, in his youth, achieved a degree of fame amongst local musicians and fans.<ref name="Ole Beich Politiken"/> He played guitar with several Danish bands, and recorded an album in 1979 with a band called [[Rock Nalle]] & The Flames. He was also a member of [[Mercyful Fate]] for a brief time,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jv.dk/esbjerg/Esbjergs-stoerste-rockstjerne-havde-en-destruktiv-djaevel/artikel/2197991|title=Esbjergs største rockstjerne havde en destruktiv djævel|date=January 2, 2016|last=Orry|first=Jesper|work=[[JydskeVestkysten]]|access-date=May 12, 2018|language=DA|trans-title=Esbjerg's biggest rock star had a destructive devil|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419184115/https://www.jv.dk/esbjerg/Esbjergs-stoerste-rockstjerne-havde-en-destruktiv-djaevel/artikel/2197991|archive-date=April 19, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> before deciding to move to Los Angeles in pursuit of a career in music.<ref name="Ole Beich Politiken"/>

==Career==

===L.A. Guns (1983&ndash;1985)===
{{Main|L.A. Guns}}
L.A. Guns were first formed in 1983<ref name="L.A. Guns AMG">{{Cite web | author = Stephen Thomas Erlewine |author2=Andrew Leahey | title = L.A. Guns Biography | work = [[Allmusic]] | access-date = September 20, 2010 | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p82926|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> by guitarist [[Tracii Guns]] and drummer [[Rob Gardner (musician)|Rob Gardner]].<ref name="L.A. Guns AMG" /><ref name="Uberrock.co.uk">{{Cite web | last = Thore | first = Kim | title = Tracii Guns Interview | work = Uberrock.co.uk | date = June 17, 2010 | url = http://www.uberrock.co.uk/interviews/57-june-interviews/981-tracii-guns-la-guns-interview-exclusive.html | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100831014723/http://www.uberrock.co.uk/interviews/57-june-interviews/981-tracii-guns-la-guns-interview-exclusive.html | archive-date = August 31, 2010 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> The first lineup included Guns, Beich, Gardner and singer [[Michael Jagosz]].<ref name="tracii">{{cite web|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/04450-dr-rock-tracii-guns-interview-la-guns-nikki-sixx-poison-guns-n-roses|title=Giving It Both Barrels: Dr Rock Takes On Tracii Guns Of The LA Guns|author=Dr. Rock|date=June 16, 2010|website=TheQuietus.com|access-date=June 9, 2015|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20130420014959/http://thequietus.com/articles/04450-dr-rock-tracii-guns-interview-la-guns-nikki-sixx-poison-guns-n-roses|archive-date=April 20, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The band recorded an EP ''[[Collector's Edition No. 1]]''. Shortly after, Jagosz left the band following an arrest involving a bar fight and was replaced by Bill Bailey (who would later change his name to [[Axl Rose]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sleazeroxx.com/original-l-a-guns-vocalist-michael-jagosz-passes-away/|title=Original L.A. Guns Vocalist Michael Jagosz Passes Away|website=sleazeroxx.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2018-05-10|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180510115355/https://sleazeroxx.com/original-l-a-guns-vocalist-michael-jagosz-passes-away/|archive-date=May 10, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Bailey had previously fronted Rapidfire with Kevin Lawrence and [[Hollywood Rose]] with [[Izzy Stradlin]] and [[Chris Weber]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/music/article/what-it%E2%80%99s-play-and-be-sued-axl-rose|title=What It's Like to Play With (and Be Sued By) Axl Rose|work=maxim.com|access-date=June 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917005755/http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/music/article/what-it%E2%80%99s-play-and-be-sued-axl-rose|archive-date=September 17, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Hollywood Rose AMG">{{Cite web | last = Rivadavia | first = Eduardo | title = Hollywood Rose Biography | work = [[Allmusic]] | access-date = September 16, 2004 | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p657398|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> Jagosz came back after Rose left playing with the band for 2 weeks and for 5 shows.<ref name="Int">{{Cite web |url=http://proud-2-be-loud.blogspot.com/2011/08/interview-with-original-la-guns.html |last=Jym |first=Harris |date=August 24, 2011 |website=Proud to Be Loud |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927174719/http://proud-2-be-loud.blogspot.com/2011/08/interview-with-original-la-guns.html |title=EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MIKE JAGOSZ, ORIGINAL FRONTMAN FOR LA GUNS! - by Jym Harris |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.soundcloud.com/theafdshow|title=Appetite for Distortion|website=SoundCloud|language=en|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref>

When L.A. Guns was reformed in 1985, Beich was replaced by [[Mick Cripps]].

===Guns N' Roses (1985)===
{{Main|Guns N' Roses}}
Hollywood Rose reformed for a New Year's Eve show on New Year's Eve 1984, with Rose, Stradlin, Guns, Gardner and Steve Darrow.<ref name="The Roots of Guns N' Roses">{{cite AV media notes | title = The Roots of Guns N' Roses | title-link = The Roots of Guns N' Roses | others = Hollywood Rose | year= 2004 | publisher = [[Cleopatra Records]] | type = booklet}}</ref><ref name="Hollywood Rose AMG"/><ref name="Blabbermouth.net">{{Cite web | title = Ex-HOLLYWOOD ROSE Guitarist: AXL ROSE Was 'Very Ego Motivated' | work = [[Blabbermouth.net]] | date = November 19, 2004 | url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=29388 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050921111303/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=29388 | archive-date = September 21, 2005 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> In March 1985 L.A. Guns merged with Hollywood Rose, changing their name to Guns N' Roses (combining the names of L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose) with the lineup composed of Rose, Guns, Stradlin, Beich and Gardner.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Wall | first = Mick | title = W.A.R.: The Unauthorized Biography of William Axl Rose | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=o7yUEDepXKwC&pg=PA65 | access-date = September 16, 2004 | date = January 20, 2009 | publisher = Macmillan | isbn = 978-0-312-54148-4 | page = 65}}</ref>

Following two rehearsals, Beich either quit or was fired from the band.<ref>{{Harvp|Lerch|2008}}: 
* "Guitaristen Tracii Guns forklarer i dag, at Ole selv valgte at forlade bandet." ("Guitarist Tracii Guns explains today that Ole chose to leave the band himself.")
* "Ifølge Rob Gardner hev Tracii og Axl den danske bassist til side, og da han efterfølgende ikke ændrede sig, smed de ham ud." ("According to Rob Gardner, Tracii and Axl set aside the Danish bassist, and when he subsequently did not change, they threw him out.")
* "Til nogle af sine venner forklarer han [Ole Beich], at han blev smidt ud, fordi han gik til koncert i stedet for at øve med Guns N’ Roses. Koncerten blev aflyst, men de andre var sure over Oles manglende engagement og smed ham altså ud." ("To some of his friends, he [Ole Beich] explains that he was fired because he went to a concert instead of practicing with Guns N' Roses. The concert was canceled, but the others were angry about Ole's lack of commitment and threw him out.")</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Cue | first=Raz | title=The Days of Guns, & Raz's | date=2019 | publisher=Raz Cue | edition=2nd | url=https://razcue.com/the-days-of-toc/ch-14/ | access-date=February 1, 2022 | quote=After that second practice, another rehearsal was set for a tentative “in a few days.” Ole neglected to tell anyone of his newest girlfriend, so when the next practice got scheduled, there was no way to get ahold of him. After three days of no one hearing from him, and rehearsal scheduled for the following evening, Izzy said, “If Ole doesn’t want to be in the band, there’s a guy who lives across the street from me who’ll do the show.” | archive-date=February 1, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201130824/https://razcue.com/the-days-of-toc/ch-14/ | url-status=dead}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Duff McKagan]].<ref name="Duff McKagan AMG">{{Cite web | last = Torreano | first = Bradley | title = Duff McKagan Biography | work = [[Allmusic]] | access-date = September 16, 2004 | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p104254|pure_url=yes}}}}</ref> Tracii Guns left the group; he was replaced by [[Slash (musician)|Slash]].<ref name="Slash 98">{{Cite book | author = Slash |author2=Anthony Bozza | title = [[Slash (autobiography)|Slash]] | publisher = HarperCollins | year = 2007 | pages = 98 | isbn = 978-0-00-725775-1 }}</ref> McKagan went on to book shows taking place between [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] and [[Seattle]], which was dubbed “[[The Early Days of Guns N' Roses|The Hell Tour]]“. During this time, Gardner quit the group and was replaced by [[Steven Adler]].<ref name="Hollywood Rose AMG"/> Rose, Stradlin, McKagan, Slash, and Adler became known as the "classic lineup" of Guns N' Roses.<ref name="Hollywood Rose AMG"/>

==Death==
Beich died on October 16, 1991, drowning in [[The Lakes, Copenhagen|Sankt Jørgens Lake]] in the center of [[Copenhagen]].<ref name="Ole Beich Politiken"/> Not long before, on August 19, Guns N' Roses had performed in the city.  His family believed that he became depressed after leaving Guns N' Roses in 1985 and was heavily abusing drugs before returning to Denmark in 1988.  Heroin, and a [[blood alcohol content]] of .148, are thought to have contributed to his drowning, but his family still believes it was suicide.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://underholdning.tv2.dk/2016-04-08-ole-var-en-del-af-guns-n-roses-musikerven-fortaeller-om-den-vilde-tid-i-la |title=Ole var en del af Guns N' Roses: Musikerven fortæller om den vilde tid i L.A. |last1=Bleeg |first1=Maria Thuesen |last2=Mathiasen |first2=Marie Holm |date=April 8, 2016 |website=TV2.DK |access-date=May 12, 2018 |language=DA |trans-title=Ole was part of Guns N 'Roses: The music cell tells about the wild time in L.A. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412043956/http://underholdning.tv2.dk/2016-04-08-ole-var-en-del-af-guns-n-roses-musikerven-fortaeller-om-den-vilde-tid-i-la |archive-date=April 12, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Beich is buried in Esbjerg next to his father Aksel, who died in 1995.

==Discography==
;with Rock Nalle & The Flames
* ''Rock 'N'alle Roll'' (1979)

;with L.A. Guns
* ''[[Collector's Edition No. 1]]'' (1985)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714142814/http://www.mygnrforum.com/index.php?showtopic=126067 Ole Beich biography]

{{Guns N' Roses}}
{{L.A. Guns}}
{{Mercyful Fate}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beich, Ole}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:Danish rock guitarists]]
[[Category:Deaths by drowning]]
[[Category:Guns N' Roses members]]
[[Category:L.A. Guns members]]
[[Category:Danish rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century British musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century bass guitarists]]