Rock History

2010 – GUNS N’ ROSES Singer Says There Is ‘No Word’ On Whether Costa Rica Concert Will Be Rescheduled – Apr. 10, 2010
GUNS N’ ROSES frontman and sole original member Axl Rose has released the following message via Twitlonger.com, a related Twitter site where one can post messages longer than 140 characters:

“3 shows 2 go!! No word on if there’ll b a makeup 4 Costa Rica. Though we’d obviously rather have a had a fun show we’re more than thankful the very real n’ serious staging problems were discovered b4 hand n’ no one was hurt. We’re lookin’ at gettin’ bk 2 a place or 2 in SA asap. Hope everyone enjoyed the shows. Big thanks 2 everyone who came out n’ supported us!!”

As previously reported, last night’s (Friday, April 9) GUNS N’ ROSES concert at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica was cancelled because part of the stage apparently collapsed from the weight of the screen which the band has been using as part of its live performances.

Outside the stadium, fans of GUNS N’ ROSES had been lining up to obtain refunds for tickets which cost between ¢ 16,000 (approximately $29) and ¢ 63,000 ($113).

A four-minute video report on the GUNS N’ ROSES concert cancellation from the Costa Rican news channel NR6 can be viewed below.

2010 – Guns N’ Roses rocker Axl Rose was left red-faced during a recent concert in Bogota, Colombia – after he slipped and fell onstage during the band’s show.

The group was performing Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door at the city’s Parque Jaime Duque venue on March 30 when the frontman lost his footing and took a tumble while attempting to run across the stage.

But Rose didn’t let the embarrassing accident stop the show – he laughed off the mishap and got back on his feet to complete the performance.

2010 – GUNS N’ ROSES Interviewed In Venezuela – Mar. 29, 2010
Kerly Ruiz of Venezuela’s Televen conducted an interview with GUNS N’ ROSES members Dizzy Reed (keyboards), Frank Ferrer (drums) and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitar) when the band played Caracas on March 27, 2010. Watch the chat below.

As previously reported, GUNS N’ ROSES frontman Axl Rose is being sued by his former manager for nearly $2 million dollars in unpaid commissions, according to the Associated Press. Front Line Management, led by music industry powerhouse Irving Azoff, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles last Thursday (March 25), claiming that Rose owes the company $1.9 million, or 15 percent of the more than $12 million that Rose has earned from performances in Europe, Canada and South America, based on an oral agreement.

Azoff, considered one of the most powerful men in music, has managed the careers of artists such as the EAGLES and VAN HALEN, and at one point handled the affairs of Rose’s former GUNS bandmates in VELVET REVOLVER.

He is widely credited with pushing Rose to finally complete and release the 2008 GUNS album “Chinese Democracy” after a 15-year delay.

Rose parted ways with Azoff at some point in the last year and claims he is now handled by Doc McGhee, a veteran rock manager whose clients over the years have included KISS, BON JOVI and MÖTLEY CRÜE. However, KISS frontman Paul Stanley recently told Classic Rock magazine that McGhee is in fact not managing Rose nor GUNS N’ ROSES.

The eccentric singer has not yet commented publicly on the lawsuit. GUNS N’ ROSES is currently on tour in South America.

The Beatles... Hey Jude

2010 – RIAA, say Beatles still on top! Utilizing Nielsen SoundScan data, which dates to 1991, Guns N’ Roses have totaled 24,914,000 albums sold in the U.S. 1991′s “Use Your Illusion 2″ leads with 5,587,000 units, followed closely by “Use Your Illusion 1,” at 5,502,000.

In that span, Metallica has sold 52,271,000 albums in the U.S., led by 1991′s “Metallica” with sales to date of 15,525,000.

According to the Recording Industry of America (RIAA), whose data encompasses the bands’ entire careers, Metallica leads Guns N’ Roses, 59 to 43.5 million. Among all artists, Metallica ranks 18th, Guns N’ Roses 30th.

It does help Metallica that the band has released more albums. The band has placed 14 titles on the Billboard 200, compared to G N’ R’s eight.

As for why the bands’ totals are so much closer using RIAA data as opposed to SoundScan’s, Guns N’ Roses’ opus “Appetite for Destruction” was released in 1987, four years before the advent of SoundScan information. Since 1991, the set has sold 5,008,000 copies. The RIAA, however, has certified the album with sales of 18 million dating to its release.

How does the RIAA stack up the U.S.’ top-selling rock groups of all-time? The list looks like this:

Rank, Artist, Certified Units (in millions)
1, the Beatles, 170
2, Led Zeppelin, 111.5
3, Eagles, 100
4, Pink Floyd, 74.5
5, AC/DC, 71
6, Aerosmith, 66.5
7, the Rolling Stones, 66
8, Metallica, 59
9, Van Halen, 56.5
10, U2, 51.5
11, Fleetwood Mac, 48.5
12, Journey, 47
13, Guns N’ Roses, 43.5
14, Santana, 43
15, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, 41

2005 - Two former members of Guns N’ Roses were suing singer Axl Rose for allegedly naming himself sole administrator of the US rock band’s copyrights. Slash and Duff – otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan, accused Rose of “arrogance and ego”. The legal action claimed the singer “was no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners”.

2004 – Buckethead leaves Guns N’ Roses. His manager tells MTV that the avant-garde guitarist became fed up with the band’s “inertia.”

2003 – Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose sends the Offspring a cease and desist letter after they announce plans to call their new album Chinese Democrazy (You Snooze You Lose). Chinese Democracy is the name given to the long-awaited new GNR album.

2001 – A woman repeatedly accused of stalking Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose is charged with violating her probation after visiting Rose’s home in Malibu, Calif.

1995 – Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler was arrested on a felony count of possession of heroin, as well as two misdemeanour drug charges.

1993 – During their Use Your Illusion Tour, Guns n’ Roses played the first of two nights at Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico.

1991 – Guns N’ Roses released 2 albums ‘Use Your Illusion I’ and ‘Use Your Illusion II’ which debut at number 1 and number 2 on the UK album chart. Both albums make No.1 & No.2 in the US.

1964 – Born on this day, Duff McKagan, bass, Guns N’ Roses, (1998 US No.1 & 1989 UK No.6 single ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’). Velvet Revolver (2004 US No.1 & UK No.11 album ‘Contraband’).

Michael Andrew “Duff” McKagan (born February 5, 1964), is an American musician who is best known for his thirteen-year tenure in the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses. He is currently the bassist for the hard rock band Velvet Revolver, lead vocalist and guitarist for his own solo punk rock project Duff McKagan’s Loaded, and a weekly columnist for SeattleWeekly.com. He also writes a weekly financial column for Playboy.com called Duffonomics.

Biography
Early years (1964-1984)

Michael Andrew McKagan was born in Seattle, Washington, the youngest of eight children born to Elmer (Mac) and Alice (Marie) McKagan. They were a musical family with every member playing at least one instrument. It was his brother Bruce who taught him his first bass lines, though he developed his own skills playing along to 1999 by Prince and Black Flag’s Damaged.

While growing up, McKagan was a fan of such acts as James Gang, Sly Stone, Led Zeppelin, Vanilla Fudge, Jimi Hendrix, and New York Dolls. His idol at the time was Johnny Thunders.

Although best known as a bass player, Duff also played drums in several bands, including a stint with Seattle pop-punk band the Fastbacks (which he joined at the age of 14 in 1979) and The Vains with Chris Utting. Between 1979 and 1982 he lead and played guitar in punk band The Living who opened shows for Husker Du and DOA and had a devoted following. Initially the band included Chris Utting (The Vains) and Duff and Chris would switch on drums and guitar to play songs penned by John Conte, Chris and Duff. By 1980, Chris was out of the band so Duff could focus on guitar and newcomer Greg Gilmore was brought in as full time drummer at which point the band became considerably more powerful and focused. The band played numerous shows and recorded as yet unreleased demos. The Living were notable for the presence of future Mother Love Bone drummer Greg Gilmore (as well as Todd Fleischman and charismatic frontman John Conte). It could be argued that the seed of “grunge” began with the Living as they combined Clash/Bad Brains style punk with more classic rock, midtempo songs and glam covers and were easily the most notorious band in Seattle at the time (besides The Fartz). After the demise of The Living Duff played in The Fartz before both Duff and Greg Gilmore joined up with The Fartz to form 10 Minute Warning, which also included future Skinyard bassist Daniel House. 10 Minute Warning soon replaced Fartz singer Blaine with Steve Verewolf. At the time, Greg Gilmore also played in the heavy psychedelic band Chubby Children before moving on to Mother Love Bone. Besides drums and bass, McKagan also has the ability to play other musical instruments: he plays guitar and even played piano on the song “Misery” from the Loaded album Dark Days.

Answering an ad for a bass player in a local magazine, McKagan headed to California, at age nineteen. In California, he met guitar player Slash and drummer Steven Adler of the band Road Crew at L.A.’s legendary 24-hour deli and rock hangout, Canter’s. Duff expected some punk with a penchant for ’70s rock, but found two long-haired guys instead.
“     When I met Slash and Steven for the first time”, he said, “it was weird, ’cause I’d never met guys like this before — L.A. locals. We went out that night and got drunk, and then we had this ill-fated band. It was Slash’s band, Road Crew.     ”

He describes his home city as “a rowdy rock ‘n’ roll town with a hip underground.”
Guns N’ Roses (1985-1998)
Main article: Guns N’ Roses

From the wreckage of the bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose, Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin joined Tracii Guns, Ole Beich, and Rob Gardner to form Guns N’ Roses. and after two days of rehearsal, the newly formed group played their debut gig as GN’R on a Thursday night at the Troubadour. As with ex-rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, McKagan also had his crack at handling lead vocals on GN’R songs such as Use Your Illusion II’s “So Fine” and a handful of songs off of the cover album The Spaghetti Incident?, including live favorite “Attitude”, originally by The Misfits.

He brought his punk rock influences to the group, being a huge fan of Sex Pistols, Ramones, and The Clash; even citing Paul Simonon of the Clash as his favorite bassist. He is also a huge fan of Sid Vicious.

Adler and Izzy departed the band in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Meanwhile, in 1990, Duff and Slash co-wrote and played a few songs on Iggy Pop’s “Brick by Brick.”
Solo years (1993-2000)

After a half-hearted attempt at drug rehabilitation, he kick-started a solo career with 1993′s Believe in Me. In 1994, McKagan’s pancreas had swelled to football sized dimensions (due to acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis) and he underwent emergency surgery at Northwest Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle, WA. The doctors told him that if he did not quit drinking, he would be dead within a month, so McKagan quickly became sober.

In 1995 he collaborated with Slash in his solo project “Slash’s Snakepit”, co-writing a song called “Beggars and Hangers-On”, which he played live at the Palace during a Snakepit show in May of that year.

Duff also tried an acting career in 1997. He had a part in the TV serial Sliders, which aired in May of that year, as a dead rocker vampire.

On August 27, 1997, he had his first child, Grace, with model/swimsuit designer Susan Holmes. They married on August 28, 1999. On July 16, 2000, they had their second child, another girl, Mae Marie.

Then, he participated to the album Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper, and helped his former GN’R bandmate Izzy Stradlin with the album Ride On.

In 2000, he put together another band called Mad for the Racket, also known as The Racketeers, with MC5′s Wayne Kramer and Damned’s Brian James. For a drummer, they recruited several guest stars, such as Stewart Copeland (Police), Clem Burke (Blondie), and Brock Avery. In 2001, he reunited with Loaded for the club circuit in Seattle. He also ran a marathon in 2001 with bib number “11468.”

Duff produced the controversial debut EP Get Off by Betty Blowtorch and also appeared in the documentary film Betty Blowtorch And Her Amazing True Life Adventures, directed by Anthony Scarpa.
Neurotic Outsiders (1995-1997, 1999, 2006)
Main article: Neurotic Outsiders

Originally a gathering of friends jamming together at the Viper Room, Duff formed the group Neurotic Outsiders with Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, John Taylor of Duran Duran and fellow Guns N’ Roses bandmate Matt Sorum. They recorded one album, Neurotic Outsiders (1996) on Maverick Records, and did a brief tour of Europe and North America.

They reunited briefly in April 1999 for three shows at the Viper Room.

The band reunited on December 7, 2006 for one performance.
10 Minute Warning (1997-1998)
Main article: 10 Minute Warning

Following his departure from Guns N’ Roses in 1997, Duff moved back to Seattle, where he met with many of his old friends, including Stone Gossard. It was him telling them how great they used to be, that encouraged the members of Ten Minute Warning to reunite that year, with new vocalist Christopher Blue replacing Steve Verwolf, who was serving a term in Federal Prison. It was at this time that the band finally recorded and released 10 Minute Warning on well known Seattle label Sub Pop – nine tracks including two new versions of songs originally recorded by The Fartz (Is This The Way? and Buried), and also the original version of Mezz, which was later re-recorded for Duff’s unreleased solo album, Beautiful Disease. The album was eventually released in 1998. However, by this time Paul Solger had quit due to “musical differences”. Ten Minute Warning played its last show on August 22, 1998 at the Roseland theater in Portland, Oregon.
Loaded (1999-2002, 2008-present)
Main article: Loaded (band)

When Duff’s second solo record, “Beautiful Disease”, became lost in the legal shuffle when Geffen and Interscope Records merged. he formed the group Loaded with Duff taking up lead vocals and bass duties and rounding up the lineup with Dez Cadena, of Black Flag fame, on guitar, Michael Barragan, formerly of Plexi, on guitar, and Taz Bentley, formerly of The Reverend Horton Heat, on drums. They put out the live record, “Episode 1999: Live” which is only available for purchase on Duff’s fansite. The group soon disbanded.

In 2000, Duff reformed Loaded, remaining as the lead vocalist but switching to rhythm guitar, adding drummer Geoff Reading, of New American Shame and Green Apple Quick Step, guitarist Mike Squires, of Harvey Danger and Nevada Bachelors, and bassist Jeff Rouse, of Alien Crime Syndicate. Although both Squires and Rouse joined after the recording of debut album Dark Days, Dave Dederer formerly of The Presidents of the United States of America took up recording duties for the album, this would remain the main lineup of Loaded until 2009.

In 2002, while on tour, both Squires and Rouse left Loaded to join the reformed Alien Crime Syndicate, former Wasted Youth guitarist Dave Kushner and former Asva and Burning Witch bassist George Stuart Dahlquist were brought in to replace them. Duff and Kushner went on to form Velvet Revolver, putting Loaded on hiatus.

In 2008 Loaded returned with Squires and Rouse returning to the group. They recorded a new album and released Sick in 2009
Velvet Revolver (2002-present)
Main article: Velvet Revolver

Since April 2002, Duff has played bass guitar for the group Velvet Revolver together with ex-Guns N’ Roses’ members, Slash and Matt Sorum, as well as guitarist Dave Kushner and former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. Their debut album Contraband was released in 2004 and peaked at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The group’s second album, entitled Libertad, was released on July 3, 2007. McKagan toured with the band, until Singer Scott Weiland left the band on April 1, 2008, to reunite with Stone Temple Pilots.
Other appearances

Duff has more recently been seen playing bass with The Presidents of the United States of America.

On March 6, 2006, Duff made an appearance along with Pantera and Down vocalist Phil Anselmo, playing guitar for Alice in Chains for VH1 Decades of Rock Live show. Duff also joined the band for the reunion tour, playing rhythm guitar on selected songs.

He also played some songs on Zilch’s album Skyjin, a tribute to hide.

In 2001 Duff appeared on Mark Lanegans fifth solo album Field Songs and in 2004 Duff also appeared on the Mark Lanegan Band album Bubblegum along with Izzy Stradlin.

In 2009 Duff appeared at his daughters school, The Buckley School’s benefit charity concert and Loaded members Mike Squires and Jeff Rouse, where they covered Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan.

Duff has started doing an occasional hour-long radio show on KISW 99.9FM in Seattle called ‘Duff McKagan’s Radio-Loaded.’
Equipment
Bass guitars

McKagan’s longtime main bass was a white mid-’80s Fender Jazz Bass Special, which had been pieced together with an ash body, a maple neck and a rosewood fretboard. Currently McKagan only uses it during recordings. The bass has also been replicated and released as a Duff McKagan signature P Bass

bass as well as the more expensive Duesenberg Star basses. In the past, he used Kramer basses, most notably in the Sweet Child O’ Mine video and a Gibson Les Paul standard bass. He exclusivley uses Seymour Duncan Pickups and Rotosound swingbass strings. In addition to bass McKagan also plays an acoustic Guild guitar on various acoustic songs such as Patience.
Amplification

McKagan has been using Gallien-Krueger amplifiers throughout his entire career, his first being a GK400RB model. He used up to four Gallien-Krueger 800RB heads with GK 4×10 and 1×15 cabinets with Guns N’ Roses. His current set up includes a Gallien-Krueger solid state 2001RB head, however a second head is brought along as a backup. His signal is then fed to four GK 4x10RBH which gives him sixteen speakers being run by one head putting out 1080 watts. For effects he usually only uses a chorus effect most often a Yamaha SPX-90 or occasionally a Boss pedal. Other effect he’s been known to use are the Z-vex Wooley Mammoth fuzz and an MXR M-80.
Personal life

On August 27, 1997, he had his first child, Grace, with model/swimsuit designer Susan Holmes. They married on August 28, 1999. On July 16, 2000, they had their second child, another girl, Mae Marie.
Discography
Main article: Duff McKagan discography

* Believe in Me (1993)
* Beautiful Disease (1999)