Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan (born February 5, 1964), sometimes credited as Duff "Rose" McKagan, is an American musician. He played bass for twelve years in the
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
band
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. McKagan rejoined the band in 2016, following their induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
.
Toward the end of his first tenure with Guns N' Roses, McKagan released a solo album, ''
Believe in Me'' (1993), and formed the short-lived
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to:
* Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields
* Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry
* Supergroup ...
Neurotic Outsiders
Neurotic Outsiders was a British-American rock supergroup founded in 1995, consisting of Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, and John Taylor of Duran Duran. The first line-up featured Billy Idol and ...
. Following his departure from Guns N' Roses in 1997, McKagan briefly reunited with his pre-success Seattle punk band
10 Minute Warning, before forming the still-active hard rock band
Loaded, in which he performs lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Between 2002 and 2008, he played bass in the supergroup
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of Guns N' Roses members Slash (lead guitar), Duff McKagan (bass, backing vocals) and Matt Sorum (drums, backing vocals), alongside Dave Kushner (rhythm guitar) formerly of punk b ...
with his former Guns N' Roses bandmates
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
and
Matt Sorum
Matthew William Sorum (born November 19, 1960) is an American drummer. He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded three studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver. S ...
. He briefly performed with
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
in 2006, with
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands from t ...
in 2010 and with the supergroup
Hollywood Vampires in 2016.
He has also collaborated in several short-lived projects with fellow Seattle-native musicians
Mike McCready
Michael David McCready (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band. McCready wa ...
(primarily of
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
) and
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
(formerly of
Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington, in 1984 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner, and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the tim ...
) including
Walking Papers and Levee Walkers.
In addition to his musical career, McKagan has established himself as a writer. He has written weekly columns on a wide variety of topics for
SeattleWeekly.com,
Playboy.com
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
,
and
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN. It is owned by ESPN Internet Ventures, a division of ESPN Inc.
History
Since launching in April 1995 as ESPNET.SportsZone.com (ESPNET SportsZone), the website has developed numerous sections including ...
.
Previously a high school drop-out, he attended
Seattle University
Seattle University (SeattleU) is a private Jesuit university in Seattle, Washington. Seattle University is the largest independent university in the Northwestern United States, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate prog ...
's Albers School of Business and Economics in the early 2000s, and subsequently founded the wealth management firm Meridian Rock.
Early life
Michael Andrew McKagan grew up in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
's largely working-class
University District,
the youngest of eight children born to Marie and Elmer "Mac" McKagan. He has been called "Duff" since toddlerhood, to which he once referred as "an Irish thing".
Following his parents' divorce, his mother supported the family by taking a job as a medical stenographer.
His brother Bruce taught him how to play bass and he further developed his skills by playing along with the albums ''
1999'' by
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
and ''
Damaged'' by
Black Flag. In his autobiography, ''It's So Easy (And Other Lies)'', McKagan said that he fashioned himself after punk bassists such as
Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson (born 11 June 1958)
Discography Studio Albums
Compilation Albums
EPs
Singles
Soundtracks
References
External links
*
Adamson's art-house
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adamson, Barry
1958 births
Living people
People from ...
of
Magazine
A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
and
Paul Simonon of
the Clash
The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...
, and also
Lemmy Kilmister
Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy Kilmister or simply Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, bassist and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead, of which he wa ...
of
Motörhead
Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
.
Although an
honors student
An honors student or honor student is a student recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their coursework at school.
United States
In the US, honors students may refer to:
# Students recognized for their academic achievement on list ...
, McKagan dropped out of
Roosevelt High School in the tenth grade. He then worked as a pastry chef for the Great American Food and Beverage Company while earning his
GED
The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a group of four subject tests which, when passed, provide certification that the test taker has United States or Canadian high school-level academic skills. It is an alternative to the US high ...
.
He was later awarded an honorary diploma after speaking at the class of 2012's graduation ceremony.
Career
1979–1985: Early years
In 1979, at the age of 15, McKagan formed the punk band The Vains, in which he played bass. During this time he performed under the stage name Nico Teen. The band released one single, "School Jerks", in 1980.
In 1980, McKagan joined the pop-punk band The
Fastbacks
Fastbacks were a Seattle, Washington, punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch (born August 28, 1960), and friends Lulu Gargiulo (guitar and vocals, born October 12, 1960) and Kim Warnick (bass and vocals, born April 7, ...
as their drummer. He first performed with the band in December 1980, and appeared on their 1981 debut single "It's Your Birthday", which was issued on guitarist Kurt Bloch's label No Threes Records. He was later on the song "Someone Else's Room", which was included on the ''Seattle Syndrome: Volume One'' compilation album, also released in 1981.
His last performance was in July 1981.
Around this time he also played guitar in the punk band
The Living
''The Living'' is a 2014 American drama film written and directed by Jack Bryan. It stars Fran Kranz, Jocelin Donahue, Kenny Wormald, Chris Mulkey, and Joelle Carter. Teddy (Kranz) learns he has beaten his wife, Molly (Donahue), in a drunken rag ...
, which opened shows for
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist/vocalist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notabili ...
and
D.O.A.
DOA may refer to:
* Dead on arrival
* Dead or Alive (disambiguation)
Film
* ''D.O.A.'' (1949 film), a ''film noir''
* ''D.O.A.'' (1988 film), a remake of the 1949 film
* '' D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage'' (1980 film), a documentary on the gene ...
, which developed a devoted following. In 1982 they recorded an EP, which remained unreleased until April 2021, under the title ''1982''.
In 1982, McKagan became the drummer for the hardcore punk band
The Fartz
The Fartz were a Hardcore Punk band that was founded in 1981 and were one of the first well-known hardcore bands from Seattle, Washington. They were signed to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Record label. They were notable not only for play ...
, with whom he recorded several demos, five of which were included on their 1990 album ''You, We See You Crawling''. After several line-up changes, The Fartz evolved into the post-punk band
10 Minute Warning, for which McKagan played guitar.
In 1983, McKagan moved to Los Angeles, California, with one of his brothers where he found work as an appetizer server at a
Black Angus
The Aberdeen Angus, sometimes simply Angus, is a Scottish breed of small beef cattle. It derives from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Kincardine and Angus in north-eastern Scotland. In 2018 the breed accounted for over 1 ...
restaurant in
Northridge.
Answering an ad for a bass guitarist in a local newspaper, he met guitarist
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
and drummer
Steven Adler,
with whom he formed the short-lived band
Road Crew
The road crew (or roadies) are the technicians or support personnel who travel with a band on tour, usually in sleeper buses, and handle every part of the concert productions except actually performing the music with the musicians. This catc ...
.
They auditioned a number of singers, including one-time
Black Flag vocalist
Ron Reyes
Ron Reyes (born July 24, 1960) is an American musician most noted as the second singer for the Los Angeles punk rock group Black Flag.
Reyes joined Black Flag after original vocalist Keith Morris had quit to form the Circle Jerks. Black Fla ...
, and worked on material that included the main riff of what would become the
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...
song "
Rocket Queen
"Rocket Queen" is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses, featured on their debut studio album, ''Appetite for Destruction'' (1987). The song is notable for incorporating moans from a woman, Adriana Smith, who was recorded having sexual inter ...
".
Slash eventually disbanded the group due to them not being able to find a singer, as well as Adler's lack of work ethic compared to himself and McKagan.
1985–1997: Guns N' Roses, ''Believe in Me'' and Neurotic Outsiders
In March 1985, McKagan replaced bassist
Ole Beich
Ole Beich (January 30, 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.
Early life
Born in the city of Esbjerg, Beich, in his youth, achieved a degree o ...
in Guns N' Roses,
which was newly founded by singer
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose Jr.; born February 6, 1962) is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and has been the band's sole constant member since its incep ...
, rhythm guitarist
Izzy Stradlin
Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), best known as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist. He was a co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of their fame in 1991, and with whom he ...
of
Hollywood Rose
Hollywood Rose was an American glam metal group formed in 1983. They are best known as the precursor for what would eventually become Guns N' Roses. The group was founded by Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin and Chris Weber, while they were aided during l ...
, lead guitarist
Tracii Guns
Tracy Richard Irving Ulrich (born January 20, 1966), known professionally as Tracii Guns, is an American guitarist best known as the co-founder of glam metal group L.A. Guns, as well as the Supergroup (music), supergroups named Brides of Destru ...
and drummer
Rob Gardner of
L.A. Guns
L.A. Guns is an American glam metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1983. The lineup currently consists of Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Phil Lewis (lead vocals), Ace Von Johnson (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Johnny Martin (bass, backing vo ...
. McKagan's Road Crew bandmates Slash and Steven Adler joined the band two months later, after Guns and Gardner quit respectively. After two days of rehearsal, the line-up played its debut gig at
The Troubadour on June 6. In 1987, Guns N' Roses released its debut album, ''
Appetite for Destruction
''Appetite for Destruction'' is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was released on July 21, 1987, by Geffen Records. The album was released to little mainstream attention in 1987. It was not until the following ...
'', which to date has sold over 28 million copies worldwide, 18 million of which were in the United States, making it the best-selling debut album of all time in the U.S.
The following year, the band released ''
G N' R Lies
''G N' R Lies'' (also known simply as ''Lies'') is the second studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses and was released on November 29, 1988, by Geffen Records. It is the band's shortest studio album, running at 33 and a half minutes ...
'', which sold over five million copies in the U.S. alone,
despite containing only eight tracks, four of which were included on the previously released EP ''
Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide''.
In 1990,
Steven Adler was fired from the band because of his heroin addiction; he was replaced by
Matt Sorum
Matthew William Sorum (born November 19, 1960) is an American drummer. He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded three studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver. S ...
of
The Cult
The Cult are an English rock band formed in 1983 in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead singer Ian Astbury's ...
.
In May 1991, Guns N' Roses embarked on the two-and-a-half-year-long
Use Your Illusion Tour
The Use Your Illusion Tour was a concert tour by American rock band Guns N' Roses which ran from January 20, 1991, to July 17, 1993. It was not only the band's longest tour, but one of the longest concert tours in rock history, consisting of 19 ...
. The following September, the band released the long-awaited albums ''
Use Your Illusion I
''Use Your Illusion I'' is the third studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released on September 17, 1991, the same day as its counterpart ''Use Your Illusion II''. Both albums were released in conjunction with the Use Your Illu ...
'' and ''
Use Your Illusion II
''Use Your Illusion II'' is the fourth studio album by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. The album was released on September 17, 1991, the same day as its counterpart ''Use Your Illusion I''. Both albums were released in conjunction with ...
'', which debuted at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively on the
U.S. chart, a feat unachieved by any other group.
In November 1991, Izzy Stradlin abruptly left the band; he was replaced by
Gilby Clarke of Kill For Thrills. In 1993, the band released ''
"The Spaghetti Incident?"'', a cover album of mostly punk songs, which proved less successful than its predecessors. McKagan took on lead vocals on four songs, including live favorite "Attitude", originally by the
Misfits
Misfits or The Misfits may refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Misfits'' (1961 film), a film starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift
* ''The Misfits'' (2011 film), a Mexican film
* ''The Misfits'' (2021 film), an American ...
. That same year, McKagan released his debut solo album, ''
Believe in Me'', on which he sang lead vocals and played virtually every instrument.
On April 4, 1993 while touring with Guns N' Roses McKagan was hit in the head with a beer bottle filled with
urine
Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excretion, excreted from the body through the urethra.
Cel ...
thrown by a fan. He was sent to the hospital minutes later. Axl Rose said this to the crowd after McKagan was hit:
"I hate to ruin your fun, and our fun, but somebody just hit Duff in the head with a bottle, and now he's not able to play." "So we're sorry, have a good night. And if you find the asshole, kill him."
Rose threw the mike over his shoulder and walked off the stage.
In 1995, with Guns N' Roses largely inactive, McKagan formed the
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to:
* Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields
* Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry
* Supergroup ...
Neurotic Outsiders
Neurotic Outsiders was a British-American rock supergroup founded in 1995, consisting of Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Matt Sorum and Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses, and John Taylor of Duran Duran. The first line-up featured Billy Idol and ...
with
Steve Jones of the
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
,
John Taylor of
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...
, and his Guns N' Roses bandmate Matt Sorum. Originally a gathering of friends jamming together at the
Viper Room
The Viper Room is a nightclub and live music venue located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, United States. It was established as The Viper Room in 1993 and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp. The other part owner was Sal J ...
in
Hollywood, they released their self-titled album on Maverick Records in 1996. The band played a brief tour of Europe and North America, before disbanding in 1997. McKagan was the last member of the ''Appetite for Destruction'' lineup to leave Guns N' Roses, resigning as bassist in August 1997.
McKagan had recently become a father and wrote about his decision to leave in his autobiography, stating "Guns had been paying rent on studios for three years now—from 1994 to 1997—and still did not have a single song. The whole operation was so erratic that it didn't seem to fit with my hopes for parenthood, for stability."
1997–2002: 10 Minute Warning reunion, ''Beautiful Disease'' and Loaded
Following his departure from Guns N' Roses in 1997, McKagan moved back to Seattle, where he met with many of his old friends, including
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
's
Stone Gossard
Stone Carpenter Gossard (born July 20, 1966) is an American musician who serves as a guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band.
...
, who convinced him to reunite 10 Minute Warning. Singer Christopher Blue was brought in to replace Steve Verwolf, who was serving a term in federal prison. In 1998, the band released their self-titled album on
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...
. The album featured nine tracks, including two new versions of songs originally recorded by The Fartz, namely "Is This the Way?" and "Buried". 10 Minute Warning played its last show on August 22, 1998 at the Roseland theater in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
.
McKagan's second solo album, ''
Beautiful Disease'', was intended to be released in 1999, but became lost in the legal shuffle of the merge between
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint.
Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...
and
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
. McKagan was dropped from Geffen's roster,
and subsequently lost all commercial rights to release the record. For the tour supporting his ill-fated solo album, he formed the band
Loaded, which consisted of McKagan on bass and vocals,
Dez Cadena
Dez Cadena (born June 2, 1961) is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag from 1980 to 1983. Cadena played guitar with Misfits from 2001 to 2015, initi ...
, formerly of Black Flag, on guitar, Michael Barragan, formerly of
Plexi
Plexi was an American gothic noise rock band consisting of Michael Angelos (vocals, songwriting, bass), Michael Barragan (guitar, Echoplex, Moog) and Norm Block (drums, percussion). Formed in 1993, their original name was Godseed. Their sound ...
, on guitar, and
Taz Bentley
Patrick Bentley, better known as Taz or The Taz, is an American rock and roll drummer. He got his start as a founding member of the local Dallas punk band, The Assassins, and is probably best known for his work with The Reverend Horton Heat, ...
, formerly of
The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician James C. Heath (born 1959) as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. A ''Prick'' magazine reviewer called Heath ...
, on drums. Loaded independently released the live record ''
Episode 1999: Live'', before disbanding in late 1999.
In 2000, McKagan reformed Loaded, remaining as the lead vocalist but switching from bass to rhythm guitar, and adding drummer
Geoff Reading
Geoff Reading (born February 23, 1968) is an American drummer. In his career, he has been a member of a number of groups, including Loaded (band), Loaded (the group formed and fronted by Duff McKagan of Velvet Revolver, formerly of Guns N' Rose ...
of
Green Apple Quick Step
Green Apple Quick Step, often abbreviated as GAQS, is an American rock band from Seattle. Their sound was described as hard-edged, post-grunge rock. The band began as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys in Tacoma, Washington before becoming Gre ...
, guitarist
Mike Squires of
Harvey Danger
Harvey Danger was an American alternative rock band that was formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1992 by journalism students at the University of Washington. The band rose to prominence in 1997 with the single "Flagpole Sitta", which was later us ...
, and bassist
Jeff Rouse
Jeffrey Norman Rouse (born February 6, 1970) is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events.
Rouse represented the United States in two consecutive Olympic Games in 1992 ...
of
Alien Crime Syndicate
Alien Crime Syndicate, often abbreviated to ACS, were a rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1997. From 1999 to the band's breakup in 2005, the lineup consisted primarily of Joe Reineke (vocals, guitar), Jeff Rouse (bass, backing voca ...
. Both Squires and Rouse joined after the recording of the band's debut album, ''
Dark Days'', released in 2001.
Dave Dederer
David Dederer (born October 5, 1964) is an American guitarist and singer. He was a member of the alternative rock band The Presidents of the United States of America. An alumnus of Seattle, Washington's The Bush School and Brown University ...
, formerly of
The Presidents of the United States of America, took up recording duties for the album.
In 2002, while on tour, both Squires and Rouse left Loaded to join the reformed Alien Crime Syndicate. Former
Wasted Youth and
Electric Love Hogs
Electric Love Hogs were a short-lived American funk rock band formed in San Diego, California in 1991. The band's lineup consisted of John Feldmann (vocals, guitar), Dave Kushner (guitar), Donni Campion (guitar), Kelly LeMieux (bass) and Bobby Hew ...
guitarist
Dave Kushner
David Kushner (born November 16, 1966) is an American musician perhaps best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver. Kushner has also been a member of Wasted Youth, Electric Love Hogs, Loaded, Danzig, Jane' ...
and former
Burning Witch
Burning Witch was an American doom metal band from Seattle, Washington, active between 1995 and 1998. Aside from EPs and split releases, the band released a compilation album called '' Crippled Lucifer'', which had songs of their early EPs.
Hi ...
bassist
George Stuart Dahlquist
Burning Witch was an American doom metal band from Seattle, Washington, active between 1995 and 1998. Aside from EPs and split releases, the band released a compilation album called '' Crippled Lucifer'', which had songs of their early EPs.
Hi ...
were brought in to replace them.
McKagan and Kushner went on to form
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of Guns N' Roses members Slash (lead guitar), Duff McKagan (bass, backing vocals) and Matt Sorum (drums, backing vocals), alongside Dave Kushner (rhythm guitar) formerly of punk b ...
, putting Loaded on hiatus.
2002–2010: Velvet Revolver, Alice in Chains, Loaded reunion, Jane's Addiction
![Duff McKagan 2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Duff_McKagan_2007.jpg)
In 2002, McKagan founded the supergroup Velvet Revolver with his former Guns N' Roses bandmates Slash and Matt Sorum, and Loaded guitarist Dave Kushner.
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots (also known by the initialism STP) is an American rock band from San Diego, California, that originally consisted of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Dean (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals), and Eric Kr ...
singer
Scott Weiland
Scott Richard Weiland (; né Kline, October 27, 1967 – December 3, 2015) was an American singer and songwriter. During a career spanning three decades, Weiland was best known as the lead singer of the rock band Stone Temple Pilots from 1 ...
completed the line-up. In 2004, they released their debut album, ''
Contraband
Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") refers to any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It is used for goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes o ...
'', which debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. chart and sold two million copies. In 2005, the band was nominated for three Grammys, Rock Album of the Year, Rock Song, and Hard Rock Performance for their Contraband single Slither which won their first and only Grammy. Their second album, ''
Libertad'', was released in 2007 to mixed reviews; it failed to achieve the same commercial success as its predecessor. The band toured extensively, until Weiland left in April 2008 to reunite with Stone Temple Pilots. Velvet Revolver has been on hiatus since Weiland's departure.
In 2006, McKagan temporarily joined
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
as a rhythm guitarist, performing with the band for the first time at
VH1's
Decades Rock Live
''Decades Rock Live!'' is an American TV series of live concerts. The program premiered on VH1 Classic in the winter of 2006.
It featured "performances by celebrated artists from rock to soul who have influenced popular music over the last 50 yea ...
concert honoring
Heart
The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide t ...
, and later during their reunion tour.
McKagan subsequently reunited Loaded, with Mike Squires and Jeff Rouse returning to the group, and that same year, they released the EP ''
Wasted Heart''. In 2009, the band released its second studio album, ''
Sick
Sick may refer to:
Medical conditions
* Having a disease or infection
* Vomiting (British)
Music
* The Sick, a Swedish band formed by two members of Dozer
Albums
* Sick (Loaded album), ''Sick'' (Loaded album), 2009
* Sick (Massacra album), ' ...
'', and embarked on tours with
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
and Black Stone Cherry. Later that year, Geoff Reading departed the band; he was replaced by Isaac Carpenter (drummer), Isaac Carpenter.
In 2010, McKagan briefly joined
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands from t ...
, with lead guitarist Dave Navarro originally confirming that McKagan had joined the band on a permanent basis.
On joining the band, McKagan stated, "Something like a chance to write, record, and perhaps even perform with a band of the quality of Jane's Addiction does not come around every day. I have a lot of respect for this band and the guys in it." He worked on several songs with Jane's Addiction and played four shows with the band—two in Los Angeles,
and two in Europe, including one at Rock in Rio in Madrid.
On September 6, six months after McKagan joined the band, Jane's Addiction announced that they had parted ways due to the fact that "musically [they] were all headed in different directions."
file:GunsNRoses160617-30 (34592072693).jpg, McKagan and
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose Jr.; born February 6, 1962) is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead vocalist and lyricist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and has been the band's sole constant member since its incep ...
during the Not in This Lifetime... Tour in 2017
2010–present: Kings of Chaos, his book, Walking Papers, return to Guns N' Roses, ''Tenderness'' and Max Creeps
On October 14, 2010, McKagan appeared on stage with Guns N' Roses for the first time since 1993 at The O2 Arena in London. He played bass on "You Could Be Mine", electric guitar on "Nice Boys" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", and acoustic guitar and tambourine on "Patience (Guns N' Roses song), Patience". McKagan then returned to Loaded, with whom he recorded a third studio album, ''The Taking (album), The Taking'', which was released in 2011. Loaded twice served as opening act for Guns N' Roses in December of that year, with McKagan again briefly joining his old band on stage.
''It's So Easy (book), It's So Easy *And Other Lies*'' is the title of McKagan's book released in 2011 in which he tells his view and perspectives on stories encountered during his career.
On April 14, 2012, McKagan was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
as a member of the classic lineup of Guns N' Roses.
In 2012, McKagan went on tour with the Rock N Roll All Stars, a band that consisted of many of rock's most recognized performers. The band downsized and became the Kings Of Chaos in 2013. The primary members with McKagan are Joe Elliott of Def Leppard and Joe Elliott's Down N' Outz,
Matt Sorum
Matthew William Sorum (born November 19, 1960) is an American drummer. He is best known as both a former member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded three studio albums, and as a member of the supergroup Velvet Revolver. S ...
of Guns N' Roses and
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of Guns N' Roses members Slash (lead guitar), Duff McKagan (bass, backing vocals) and Matt Sorum (drums, backing vocals), alongside Dave Kushner (rhythm guitar) formerly of punk b ...
,
Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses and Steve Stevens of Billy Idol's band. Others who round out the group are: Glenn Hughes (English singer), Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple fame and Sebastian Bach, formerly of Skid Row (American band), Skid Row. The band released the cover song "Never Before (song), Never Before" by Deep Purple.
Also in 2012 McKagan formed the band
Walking Papers with former The Missionary Position (band), The Missionary Position members, played on the self-titled debut album and toured with them in 2013.
In 2014, McKagan again briefly reunited with Guns N' Roses. He played five full shows in South America, filling in for Tommy Stinson. McKagan subsequently played with Guns N' Roses at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards show in Los Angeles. During Guns N' Roses' spring 2014 residency at The Joint (music venue), The Joint in Las Vegas, McKagan played another full concert with the band.
file:GNRChorzow090718-77 (42227860380).jpg, McKagan alongside Slash in 2018
In 2016, McKagan was announced (alongside Slash), as having returned to Guns N' Roses to headline Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella. After playing a secret warmup gig at the Troubadour (West Hollywood, California), Troubadour in Los Angeles on April 1, 2016, The band embarked on the Not in This Lifetime... Tour.
On December 5, 2018, it was announced that McKagan is currently in production for a new solo album to be released in 2019. On March 10, 2019, McKagan revealed that the album, ''Tenderness (Duff McKagan album), Tenderness'', would be released on May 31 and also released a track from the album titled "Chip Away".
In April 2022 various famous artists, like
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
, Billie Joe Armstrong, Henry Rollins, and McKagan himself, publicly bemoaned the breakup of a mysterious legendary Seattle band called MaxCreeps, Max Creeps. In the following weeks it turned out to be a guerilla marketing campaign for a new project, involving McKagan and
Fastbacks
Fastbacks were a Seattle, Washington, punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch (born August 28, 1960), and friends Lulu Gargiulo (guitar and vocals, born October 12, 1960) and Kim Warnick (bass and vocals, born April 7, ...
singer Kurt Bloch, though so far this hasn't been officially confirmed. Max Creeps released two singles, "The Internet Killed Me" and "Hung, Drawn and Quartered". On May 13 Max Creeps released their 'second' album "Nein" on Velocity Records, though no evidence exists that there ever was a first album.
Session work
In 1990, McKagan—along with his Guns N' Roses bandmate Slash—co-wrote and played several songs on Iggy Pop's ''Brick by Brick''. In 1995, he collaborated with Slash on his solo project Slash's Snakepit; he co-wrote "Beggars and Hangers-On" off their album ''It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (album), It's Five O'Clock Somewhere'', which he played live during a Snakepit show in May of that year. In 1998, McKagan collaborated with his former Guns N' Roses bandmate Izzy Stradlin on his solo album ''117 (album), 117°''. The following year, he played on Stradlin's album ''Ride On (Izzy Stradlin album), Ride On'', and joined him on a tour of Japan supporting the album. Also in 1999, he contributed to the album ''Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper'', an Alice Cooper tribute album. In 2001, McKagan played on the album ''Skyjin'' by Zilch (band), Zilch, Mark Lanegan's solo album ''Field Songs'', and Izzy Stradlin's album ''River (Izzy Stradlin album), River''. The following year, he played on Stradlin's album ''On Down the Road''. In 2004, he again collaborated with Mark Lanegan on his album ''Bubblegum (Mark Lanegan album), Bubblegum'', along with Stradlin.
McKagan played on three tracks off Izzy Stradlin's 2008 album ''Concrete (Izzy Stradlin album), Concrete'', including the title track, as well as seven songs off his album ''Wave of Heat (Izzy Stradlin album), Wave of Heat'', which was released in 2010. Also in 2010, McKagan appeared on Slash's Slash (album), eponymous debut solo album; he played on the track "Watch This" with Dave Grohl on drums. That year, he also made a guest appearance—along with Slash and Matt Sorum—on Macy Gray's album ''The Sellout (album), The Sellout'', and appeared on the Manic Street Preachers song "A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun" off their album ''Postcards From a Young Man''.
In 2020, McKagan played bass and cowrote five songs on Ozzy Osbourne's album ''Ordinary Man (Ozzy Osbourne album), Ordinary Man'', along with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. McKagan's Guns N' Roses bandmate
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
is featured on the song "Straight to Hell (Ozzy Osbourne song), Straight to Hell", which also features co-writer Andrew Watt (musician), Andrew Watt of California Breed fame.
In 2021, McKagan played bass on Jerry Cantrell's album ''Brighten (album), Brighten''.
Other ventures
McKagan has two minor acting credits; in 1988, he appeared with his Guns N' Roses bandmates in the ''Dirty Harry (film series), Dirty Harry'' film ''The Dead Pool'', and in 1997, he played a rocker vampire in an episode of the television series ''Sliders (TV series), Sliders''.
In 1999, he appeared in Anthony Scarpa's documentary film ''Betty Blowtorch and Her Amazing True Life Adventures'', which focuses on the all-female hard rock band Betty Blowtorch, whose debut EP ''Get Off'' McKagan produced the same year.
In addition to his musical career, McKagan has established himself as a writer. Since August 2008, he has written a weekly column for
SeattleWeekly.com,
from January to December 2009, he wrote a weekly financial column titled "Duffonomics" for
Playboy.com
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
,
and since January 2011, he has written a weekly sports column for
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN. It is owned by ESPN Internet Ventures, a division of ESPN Inc.
History
Since launching in April 1995 as ESPNET.SportsZone.com (ESPNET SportsZone), the website has developed numerous sections including ...
.
McKagan's autobiography, ''It's So Easy (And Other Lies)'', was released on October 4, 2011. His second book, ''How to Be a Man: (and other illusions)'' was released on May 12, 2015. McKagan released a three-song EP with the same title to accompany the book, featuring
Izzy Stradlin
Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), best known as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist. He was a co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of their fame in 1991, and with whom he ...
, Jerry Cantrell, Roy Mayorga and
Taz Bentley
Patrick Bentley, better known as Taz or The Taz, is an American rock and roll drummer. He got his start as a founding member of the local Dallas punk band, The Assassins, and is probably best known for his work with The Reverend Horton Heat, ...
.
In 2011, McKagan founded Meridian Rock, a wealth management firm for musicians.
Headed by McKagan and British investor Andy Bottomley, the firm aims to educate musicians about their finances.
McKagan has been involved in "The Heroes Project", founded by his friend Tim Medvetz, which is dedicated to helping soldiers and their families. As part of the project he took part in a climb up Mount Rainier in 2012, accompanying a former soldier with a prosthetic limb. During this climb McKagan suffered a potentially fatal cerebral edema.
It was announced in 2012 that Rainstorm Entertainment will produce a "biographical documentary" based on ''It's So Easy (And Other Lies)''. McKagan is listed as a producer and writer. The film, titled ''It's So Easy (And Other Lies)'' after the book, was released in May 2016. Those interviewed for the project include Mick Jagger, Elton John,
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
, Joe Elliott and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Following an appearance with Hollywood Vampires (band), the Hollywood Vampires at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, 2016 Grammy Awards ceremony in tribute to
Lemmy Kilmister
Ian Fraser Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015), better known as Lemmy Kilmister or simply Lemmy, was an English musician. He was the founder, lead singer, bassist and primary songwriter of the rock band Motörhead, of which he wa ...
, McKagan was considered a member of the supergroup, although his time in the band was short-lived as he returned to Guns N' Roses two months later.
Personal life
On May 28, 1988, McKagan married his first wife, Mandy Brixx; the couple divorced on April 1, 1990. In September 1992, he married Linda Johnson; this too ended in divorce in September 1995. On August 28, 1999 he married Susan Holmes. They have two daughters together: Grace "Grave" Elizabeth (born August 1997) and Mae Marie (born July 2000). McKagan and his family reside in Seattle.
[
McKagan was one of the last people confirmed to have seen Nirvana (band), Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain before he died on April 5, 1994. He sat next to Cobain on a flight from Los Angeles to Seattle on April 1.][
]
McKagan later recalled, "I didn't have any foresight that the guy was going to do what he did. I could tell he was bummed out, and I'd been that way before... I thought I'd ask him to come stay at my house; I turned around and he was gone."[
On May 10, 1994, at the age of 30, McKagan became gravely ill due to acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis, which caused his pancreas to swell to the size of a football and leak digestive enzymes into his body. He was taken to Northwest Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle, where he was monitored until the swelling had shrunken. McKagan was later told by his doctors that he would be dead within a month if he did not stop drinking. He had made previous efforts to overcome his addiction, but this health crisis was his incentive to become sober for good. In his autobiography, he attributed his sobriety to exercise through first mountain biking, and later martial arts.
McKagan has also claimed in his autobiography that the fictional product Duff Beer on ''The Simpsons'' was named after him, and has received no royalties, but ''Simpsons'' creator Matt Groening called the claim "absurd".] ''Simpsons'' writer Mike Reiss similarly dismissed the claim in his memoir ''Springfield Confidential'', stating that he'd "never heard of [McKagan]".
A high school drop-out, McKagan enrolled in a basic finance course at Santa Monica Community College in 1994; he explained that going over the financial records from his Guns N' Roses days had made him want to understand the process more, stating, "I couldn't make sense of it. I didn't know how much we had made or lost on the tour. As a 30 year-old millionaire, how do I admit to somebody that I don't know what the fuck I'm doing?"
In 2000, after attending several more classes at Seattle Central Community College, McKagan enrolled full-time at Seattle University
Seattle University (SeattleU) is a private Jesuit university in Seattle, Washington. Seattle University is the largest independent university in the Northwestern United States, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate prog ...
's Albers School of Business and Economics. When Velvet Revolver took off in his final year as an undergraduate student, McKagan took a hiatus from business school to go on tour; he is still one quarter short of graduating.
Books
*''It's So Easy *And Other Lies*'' – Touchstone 2011,
*''How to Be a Man (And Other Illusions)'' – 2015
Discography
Solo albums
* '' Believe in Me'' (1993)
* ''Tenderness (Duff McKagan album), Tenderness'' (2019)
with Guns N' Roses
* ''Appetite for Destruction
''Appetite for Destruction'' is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was released on July 21, 1987, by Geffen Records. The album was released to little mainstream attention in 1987. It was not until the following ...
'' (1987)
* ''G N' R Lies
''G N' R Lies'' (also known simply as ''Lies'') is the second studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses and was released on November 29, 1988, by Geffen Records. It is the band's shortest studio album, running at 33 and a half minutes ...
'' (1988)
* ''Use Your Illusion I
''Use Your Illusion I'' is the third studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released on September 17, 1991, the same day as its counterpart ''Use Your Illusion II''. Both albums were released in conjunction with the Use Your Illu ...
'' (1991)
* ''Use Your Illusion II
''Use Your Illusion II'' is the fourth studio album by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. The album was released on September 17, 1991, the same day as its counterpart ''Use Your Illusion I''. Both albums were released in conjunction with ...
'' (1991)
* '' "The Spaghetti Incident?"'' (1993)
with Neurotic Outsiders
* ''Neurotic Outsiders#Track listing for album, Neurotic Outsiders'' (1996)
with Ten Minute Warning
* ''10 Minute Warning#Discography, Ten Minute Warning'' (1998)
with Loaded
* '' Dark Days'' (2001)
* ''Sick
Sick may refer to:
Medical conditions
* Having a disease or infection
* Vomiting (British)
Music
* The Sick, a Swedish band formed by two members of Dozer
Albums
* Sick (Loaded album), ''Sick'' (Loaded album), 2009
* Sick (Massacra album), ' ...
'' (2009)
* ''The Taking (album), The Taking'' (2011)
with Velvet Revolver
* ''Contraband
Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") refers to any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It is used for goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes o ...
'' (2004)
* '' Libertad'' (2007)
with Walking Papers
* ''Walking Papers (album), Walking Papers'' (2013)
* ''WP2'' (2018)
See also
* '' Beautiful Disease'', intended to be McKagan's second album in 1999 before its release was cancelled due to a record label merger.
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
External links
Duff McKagan's column on ESPN.com
"Duff McKagan —Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?"
Loudwire, June 3, 2015. —Video.
''What We Live For''
A true story on The Moth as told by Duff McKagan
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