AFTER SHOCKS: Two years after failing to...

By David Adelson

Feb. 6, 1994 12 AM PT

AFTER SHOCKS: Two years after failing to produce major fund-raising events for L.A. riot victims, the pop music community hopes to avoid another strikeout in its response to the Jan. 17 earthquake.

And one major act is apparently willing to join in a show: Guns N’ Roses.

The band is teaming with Ticketmaster CEO Fred Rosen to try to put together a stadium show, possibly at the Rose Bowl.

“There are so many artists centered here in L.A.,” says GNR manager Doug Goldstein. “But not a whole lot of people jumped up to help following the riots or the (1993) fires.”

Comedian Paul Rodriguez and music industry veteran Jeff Wald have already announced plans for “Shake, Rattle & Give,” a benefit scheduled for March 6 at the Universal Amphitheatre. The sponsoring committee includes the powerhouse likes of David Geffen, Peter Guber and Jeffrey Katzenberg, but the list of confirmed performers is relatively short: Randy Newman, Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood, Rita Rudner and Bob Saget. Wald says that discussions with many other performers are continuing and more acts will be added in coming weeks.

The industry is hoping to avoid the post-riot embarrassment, in which a number of highly touted fund-raisers were planned but never materialized, including a massive Rebuild L.A. benefit at the Coliseum. That left a couple of Wiltern Theatre shows featuring Jerry Seinfeld, Tom Waits, Los Lobos and Fishbone as the most notable riot relief concerts.

Rosen is confident that with a headliner as strong as Guns N’ Roses, other artists will be eager to participate.

“People said I was crazy when I was doing this,” Rosen says. “But this isn’t about me, it’s about the music community and the city.”