Paul Huge

Born in Indianapolis, Tobias grew up in Lafayette and is a childhood friend of Axl Rose. Following the formation of Rose's band Hollywood Rose in 1983, the band's demo tape featured two songs co-written by Rose and Tobias: "Shadow of Your Love" and "Back Off Bitch". In 1985, Rose formed Guns N' Roses and released their debut album, Appetite for Destruction, in 1987. While "Shadow of Your Love" was re-recorded during the album's sessions, it did not make the final tracklist, though Tobias was thanked in the album's credits. The song was later released as a B-side of the album's first single, "It's So Easy/Mr. Brownstone". In 1991, a re-recorded version of "Back Off Bitch" was featured on Guns N' Roses' third studio album, Use Your Illusion I. Rose stated in an interview with Rolling Stone in 1992 that the song was ten years old at that time. In late 1994, Tobias joined Guns N' Roses as a replacement for Gilby Clarke and played rhythm and lead guitar on the band's cover version of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil". While Tobias contributed to the song at Rose's request, his inclusion caused friction between Rose and the band's then-lead guitarist Slash due to an overdub made by Tobias of Slash's solo on the track. Tobias would go on to work and record with Guns N' Roses in 1996, when the band began working on their sixth studio album. …