1. Aaron West Arkeen was an American musician best known for co-writing several Guns N' Roses songs.
13 Facts About West Arkeen
1. 2.
West Arkeen was the son of Morris Arkeen, a retired US Army Master Sergeant.
3.
West Arkeen grew up in San Diego, California, with his older brother, Abe.
4.
West Arkeen's mother abandoned him after the surgery and was a non-factor in his life, contributing to his later substance abuse.
5.
West Arkeen began playing guitar when he was 14 years old.
6.
West Arkeen took a single guitar lesson and was a self-taught musician.
7.
West Arkeen cited Elton John, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Ted Nugent as musical influences from his youth.
8.
West Arkeen worked briefly in the oil industry in East Texas and as a slot machine repairman in Las Vegas.
9.
West Arkeen befriended a group of musicians in Los Angeles, who would soon rise to international fame as Guns N' Roses.
10.
West Arkeen lived in an apartment next to Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan.
11.
The trio played in The Drunkfuxs' side project together, and West Arkeen co-wrote two of the songs on McKagan's debut solo record, Believe in Me.
12.
On May 30,1997 West Arkeen was found dead in his Los Angeles home from a drug overdose with heroin, morphine, and cocaine in his system.
13.
Duff McKagan credits West Arkeen with teaching him about alternate tuning on guitar.