2001.11.19 - KNAC - Interview with Duff

KNAC Interview Los Angeles/CA 11/19/01

DJ: Duff McKagan and Geoff Redding of Loaded... in the studio... (Finally!!! They arrived 25 minutes late!!!!!)

DJ: Well Hello!

Duff: Hello

Geoff: Hello therrrre

DJ: It's a pleasure to meet both of you. Absolutely. I'm excited about this new project. I just heard about it, like last week. I'm totally out of the loop I think.

Duff: Well, you're probably not, because it is absolutely a brand new thing, I mean...(pauses)

Geoff: It's underground

DJ: It's totally underground, right?

Duff: We've gone to Japan and played really big shows in Japan. But you can go to Japan and nobody will ever hear, you know, hear around the rest of the world, but...through like all the GnR like websites and offshoots of those, there are the core fans that will fly, like we played the Viper Room the other night, and somebody came from Spain to come to the gig.

DJ: Oh My God.

Duff: That thing happens a lot and that's great - that network - you know, we can start a band, Geoff and I, and we'll get some fans "into" it because of that, which is good, you know.

DJ: That's cool.

Duff: But, but, my point is, unless you're going on to websites and stuff, you wouldn't of really yet heard about us, you know, unless ....

Geoff: Very fresh.

DJ: Very new. Very fresh.

Duff: So we're down in LA, playing, well Friday night played the Viper Room, last night in Vegas with Kings Act and tonight with Kings Act at the House of Blues.

DJ: Tonight you're playing with Kings Act at the House of Blues.

Duff: Right.DJ: Okay, this is where I want to start this. First things first, okay? A lot of people, including myself,

Duff: Oh.

DJ: We’ve all .... we want to know what has happened from the time you left Guns,

Duff: Hmmm

DJ: ...until now... and then we’ll go... after we get through that history part because everybody’s been asking “What the F**k have you been doing for the last 5 years?

Geoff: What the what?

Duff: What was that??

DJ: Fuck. *giggles * We want to know what you’ve been doing forthe last 5 years. And Geoff, I hate to do this to ya, we’regoing to get to Loaded... we’re going to get to Loaded, but I gotta do this too because if I don’t, people are going to kill me. They’ll run me out and they’ll kill me. So we’re going to do this with Duff, and then we’ll get to the Loaded and we’re going to play some music – definitely want to play some music. Spend as much time as you guys can with me today.

Geoff: You know, I was actually in Guns n’ Roses for awhile.

DJ: Oh really?

Geoff: Yeah. As it turns out.

DJ: You know, I was too! I was the one at the side of the stage..... never mind. I was the girl in the Welcome to the Jungle video.

Geoff: I think we had sex at that ...

DJ: We may have. I was only 15 but don’t tell anybody.

Geoff: Am I going to go to jail now?

DJ: And you were only 17 right? See how these work out? Yeah.

Duff: Okay, so what?

DJ: History. After Guns n’ Roses

Duff: Right. Well I was still playin’ with Neurotic Outsiders, a band with Steve Jones, John Taylor from Duran Duran, and Matt Sorum. We put out a record which, we went to Europe a bunch of times and played and toured here in the States, Then Steve Jones had that Sex Pistols reunion. Okay, so that was – NeuroticOutsiders was always just kind of a fun band and if something else came up, you know, like we weren’t going to say Steve, don’t go do the Sex Pistols reunion thing, you know... so we called it quits on Neurotic and we did, we played some gigs since then, but just like at the Viper Room, or something. So, um, I’ve gone and played with Izzy over in Japan. Izzy puts arecord out a year over there, and uh, tours there once a year. And it’s great, you know, he has no interest in putting a record out any where else, at all.

DJ: Just Japan.

Duff: He doesn’t like the stardom part of playing - he likes to play, and he likes to make records.

DJ: He wants to do it as a living.

Duff: You know, that’s not really part of it because Guns sold so many damn records that, you know, nobody really has to do anything for a living – you know what I mean? That’s not part of the equation. I don’t want it to sound anything more than just absolutely truthful. He doesn’t have to do it for a living, you know. So he just does it because he wants to all right? It’s very cool, you know? Izzy’s Izzy, you know? You know. Anyhow, so, but, I think the overwhelming thing since 5 years ago, is I’ve got two kids and I go to Seattle University, you know, I’m a business major.

DJ: I just heard that! I just read that this morning, that you started college.

Duff: Yeah, yeah.

DJ: And I went to college.

Duff: You did.

DJ: Yeah

Duff: Where’d you go?

DJ: I went to CalTech, San Bernandino. I got my degree.

Duff: In what?

DJ: Communications

Duff: Cool.

DJ: I started as an Engineering major...

Duff: Wow

DJ: That was, like, three years ... three years into it I changed my major to communications. I realized I was on the wrong path.

Duff: So, did you get through calculus and all that stuff?

DJ: Yeah. I cannot imagine, reading that you’re in college, and I can not imagine going to an Economics class and having Duff McKagan walk in and sit next to me – in Economics class at a University.

Duff: Yup.

DJ: I would flip out!

Geoff: (To Duff)... So what school did you go to?

Duff: (explains the type of school) * mumbled! * It’s a cool, okay – here’s the deal...right? I didn’t graduate high school, I moved to Hollywood...

DJ: Because you were playing!

Duff: I was playing. I’ve been playing since I was 13 years old. So, for me to get into a college I gotta start again... I got into Santa Monica college because I wanted to take this class –I didn’t have any, you know...they wanted my...

Geoff: Transcripts.

Duff: So they kind of slipped me in the back door at Santa Monica, you know, I didn’t have to give them stuff.

DJ: He’s got the hook ups at college!

Duff: I got the hookups! I did! So I took a couple classes that I just loved and I moved back to Seattle and thought, okay, I’ll just go to the University of Washington to see, you know, and they said “Well, we want your transcripts” ... we don’t give a F***, you know... I didn’t tell them anything, you know, – I just said I want to go to school and they said “we need your transcripts” and I said, well, I could go out and find you the transcripts, which weren’t complete, you know, which means I didn’t graduate and they said “Well, you’re going to have to go to a Junior College for two years and then come back and talk to us.” So I went to this private University, Seattle U. and they said “Go to this community college this quarter, get A’s, write us an admissions essay, you know... And a friend of mine, from the Presidents of the United States, is an English teacher! Dave Dederer, from Presidents ... and he...

Geoff: Who also plays on the Loaded record

Duff: Yeah, he plays on the Loaded record and um, he helped me write this essay and went to this community college and I got A’s and they accepted me at Seattle U and... it’s just been awesome since, you know, it’s a great great school – they have a Law School, and a Business School, an Engineering School, Nursing School and it’s KILLER! And what brought me to this...*mumbles *, I read, you know, every night, I read constantly, but like in Guns, you know, we’ve actually had law suits and paid lawyers for everything – we could all put ourselves through Harvard Law School and saved, still saved tons of money. Or we could have, so finally I put the, and we always talked about this kind of stuff, you know, * whispers * God, how much are we payin’ our accountants, you know, financial advisors, business managers. So finally I said, you know what? I’m going to do it myself, you know? I’m going to go get this education that will help me with my own thing... am I going to go work for a corporation or something after this? You know? I doubt it. You know? But, if it were something cool? You know? If it was something cool?

DJ: There is no such thing as a cool corporation!

Duff: Well, you know what I mean, if there was some cool – if somebody said “Hey, uh, you know, (pauses) God knows, you know,we’re thinking of expeditions to Antartica and we need, you know, we need somebody to do, you know

DJ: Our accounting?

Duff: Well, whatever! Who knows. You know. Or put together a business plan for it – tickets, funding – or something. I’d probably dig something like that. I pulled that right out a my ass. What’s that – that analogy there?

Geoff: Um hum.

Duff: But uh, yeah... so anyhow, I have two little girls and I’m married to a beautiful woman, Susan, and um...

DJ: How old are your kids?

Duff: 4 and 1 and a half.

DJ: Wow. And these are your first two?

Duff: That’s it.

DJ: Wow.

Duff: Yeah

Geoff: And he’s on the Dean’s List.

Duff: You know, whatever, I’m there because I want to go. And I have two midterms tomorrow. So, I’ve got all my books with me and shit, I’m like right up to here right now! Like before we go to wherever we go, I’ll study.

Geoff: Before soundcheck.

Duff: And it’s like we went to Vegas yesterday and, you know, on the way over I’m just like “Can you guys quiz me on this?”

DJ: Do any of your professors know? You know, I mean do they realize who the hell is in their class?

Duff: Well, yeah.

DJ: Yeah? I mean, how could they not?

Duff: Some don’t and then some find out and it’s kinda funny – you get treated a little differently and you know, I really like – I was in this band and it was huge, huge, huge...

DJ: (sarcastically) No!

Duff: But there’s no, like thing, that helps you – all of a sudden you’re a public figure and it’s... you’re just a rockband, you know? And that’s what made us what we were.

DJ: You’re no different than any other band, it’s just that every single person on the entire face of the planet knows who you are.

Duff: Yeah.

DJ: But you’re still no different than anybody else.

Duff: And that will go nicely into the Loaded thing, but, you know, and it tore our band apart, that whole thing, because you don’t necessarily change, but how people treat you certainly does. And it starts, you know, it starts fucking with your head, you know, and that’s what starts the separation, you know...luckily I came from a big family, and my brothers and sisters never really treated me any differently so I get this – I’m the youngest one too, so there’s always the threat of, like you know, Geoff

DJ: I can still kick your ass!

Duff: Yeah, you know, so, I’m not saying that I didn’t get an ego too – don’t get me wrong, because I’m not going to take that sort of road but, so to take that into being at school, I just want to be a student, learning what everyone else is learning. I don’t go out of my way to let anybody know anything, you know? And if the professors don’t know, I prefer getting treated equally. I do get treated differently, I think, a little bit, if they know. Although the professors there are amazing, it’s anamazing school, so, maybe not... maybe it’s just something in my head.

DJ: Does anybody ever bring their CD liners to class, and they’re like “hey dude, can you pass this over to him?”

Duff: You know, I can tell. I think there’s a resurgence in kids with rock, I could tell last year, and the kids were bringing their GnR things and quickly coming up... and they weren’t around when we were, I mean they were nine

Geoff: They were four.

Duff: They were nine, I mean, if they’re 20 now they were 10 or 11 or, you know, or, okay, we played our last show in ’94 so at best they were 13, or something. 13. But still, you know, the kid’s like freakin’ but now that everybody kinda knows I’m in the school, you know, a freshman class came in this year and you’ll see “There he is!” you know, (Everyone laughs)

DJ: They’re still growing facial hair...

Duff: yeah yeah. I can’t tell, like we’ve got some Loaded shows on, I can’t tell ‘em about it, like some of my classmates?

DJ: What if they’re not even 21?

Duff: Yeah, I don’t want to tell ‘em ‘cause they’d be bummed out, so. “Cause we played a gig right next door to our school a couple of Saturday nights ago, that I just didn’t tell anybody because, you know, they might tell me they’re 21 but I know they’re not and it would be embarrassing. Some of the kids try to act a little older than they are, you know – tell me they’re 21.

DJ: That is so crazy!

Duff: So, anyhow, yeah, okay, so! That’s going to tie nicely in with the band Geoff and I started.

DJ: Okay, so this is what you’ve been doing up until now. And then you started Loaded.

Duff: Geoff and I started playing. We started playing. We were going to do this thing with Mark Lanigan, who was the singer from Screaming Trees. But Geoff and I started playing a lot and Geoff kinda pushed this thing like “Hey man, let’s, you know, let’s pursue this, you know, with Mark or not because him and I were Jello --– it was just guitar, I was playing guitar and he was playing drums. You know, would I love to play bass with him? Yeah, but it just didn’t work out that way because we were writing the songs – I’d write ‘em on guitar...

DJ: Absolutely.

Duff: And it just kind of, but Geoff really pushed it and we got, we went through some guys who weren’t really right for the band. We finally found these two guys, we made a record for EMI/Toshiba in Japan. Now we’re here, we have a manager who manages us with Rick Sales Management, they manage Slayer, and

DJ: Yeah, they’re great.

Duff: So Dan Devita, he gave me a record and he goes “I love this record”, you know, so this will work here. So we’re down here playing another, label people, kind of a gig, going in that direction. I’m going to take the next quarter off and we’re going to go back to Japan, Korea, Argentina

Geoff: Australia.

Duff: Australia, and um...

DJ: How’s it feel to tour again?

Duff: Well, fuck, I did it with Neurotic, you know, I’ve done it with – also I’m sober, you know, I’ve been sober for 7 years. Yeah. So I’m touring sober

DJ: That’s wonderful.

Duff: Yeah, it’s cool. But like you know, Geoff and, like we haven’t really – we went to Japan...

Geoff: We haven’t really toured. We did Japan for two weeks. But we’re looking forward to it.

Duff: We have, we already have a system, you know, we work together, like the guys in the band... there’s not like that ONE guy who’s like “Oh Fuck” We don’t have that guy. (Laughter)

DJ: I have no idea what you’re saying!

Geoff: In a lot of bands, there’s that one guy, where it’s like,you know, whatever, like Nirvana empties or whatever, and one goes one way and that guy goes his own way. There isn’t any of those guys in our band. It’s real nice.

Duff: Unless, unless, woops! Perhaps I am? I don’t know!

Geoff: Unless it’s the sober guy.

Duff: Yeah, yeah, the sober guy does go... *mumbles *, but I mean, you know...

Geoff: It’s a good group of guys.

Duff: Good group of guys and, you know, I’ve been around the block (said shyly!) and I know, it’s, it’s (pauses) it’s an easy band to travel with. So, touring’s gonna be just fine.

DJ: Should we play some?

Duff: Yeah.

Geoff: Which one you wanna play?

DJ: How about Seattle Head?

Geoff: That sounds like a great idea. Yeah, it’s a little slam on Los Angeles.

DJ: Talk to me about this song and why is it a slam on Los Angeles?

Duff: Well, you know, not that city itself at all, but just the general attitude of ... and it’s not you or me or Geoff....

DJ: No, it’s definitely me.

Duff: Oh it is you? Okay. It’s a kind of `I love you babe’ you know

Geoff: Saying “I’ll call you” or “I’ll call you again –tomorrow?”

DJ: We’ll do lunch.

Duff: And then all the drug dealers that I had to, you know, severe relationships with and stuff, and how ugly that kinda got, you know, people were like “Yo man, c’mon, just do it once more, c’mon, you know?”

DJ: Really?

Duff: Oh yeah, Oh God. So, oh yeah. It was brutal. It was brutal. It’s kind of about that. I had a lot of pent up shit stored in me and then people trying, like “C’mon man, you’re not really sober, c’mon...” This song sprung from that. [played Seattle Head]

(Seattle Head ends)

(Next song begins)

Duff: It’s all going to Hell.

DJ: God. Somebody jacked up my thing over here and it’s not supposed to do that.

Duff: We rigged the record so it just doesn’t stop playing - on any player! You can’t turn it off.

Geoff: It’s like a virus.

DJ: It’s like a virus? Really.

Geoff: It will keep playing on the radio for like, four hours.

Duff: Yeah, it’s stuck on now. You have it turned down, but it’s actually playing.

DJ: No, I have it turned up.

Duff: Oh, okay. Nevermind.

DJ: And it’s playing.

Geoff: Crappy virus.

DJ: It was a crappy virus. Loaded – that was a song called`Seattle Head’ about Los Angeles and all the prissy people and their stuck up ways, at least from what I gathered from what you guys were talking about, am I correct?

Duff: That’s probably enough. That’ll work.

DJ: Geoff and Duff McKagan, in the studio, from Loaded, and we’ve been obviously talking about Guns n Roses because if I don’t, people will kill me. They will hunt me out and they will kill me and they will shoot me. And I just was talking, while the song was playing I went ahead and I asked the question I’m not going to ask on the air but I’m going to be telling you guys the answer, because this way, we don’t have to get into it and we don’t have to hear, the long, all drawn out response and go through another four minutes of reiterating what you had just told me. I asked him the question that everybody wants to know.The question was...

Geoff: (To Duff) Are you gay?

Duff: Oh! That `other’ question that you asked!

DJ: No, no no! God dammit I didn’t ask him if he was gay! You know, I’ve been known to ask people that! (Laughter)

Duff: Sorry, you left the door open....and I walked in.

DJ: Oh my God, that is so funny, because before the interview somebody asked “are you going to ask him if he’s gay?”, (MORE laughter)

DJ: I’m like, I don’t think he’s gay, no.

Duff: Right, who was that? I’m going to kick his ass.

DJ: It was a joke because I’ve actually been there before. (To the Listening Audience:) Alright, the question I asked him was what are the chances of Guns n’ Roses getting back together? And he said that he won’t say that it’s NOT going to happen but it’s all about – there’s 5 people involved and it’s up in the air. It could happen! It could happen.

Duff: That’s fair enough.

DJ: Is that fair enough to say?

Duff: That’s fair enough to say.

DJ: And I’m excited just at that possibility. That’ll keep me going for the next 20 years. Ummm, Dark Days, 12 songs, new album.

Duff: Yeah.

DJ: And it was put out by the Japan deal, right?

Duff: Yeah, that’s right. It’s just, what you have now is a promotional copy, you know. We’re in town, basically shopping an American deal.

DJ: This is exciting news.

Duff: Yeah.

DJ: Who’s lookin’ at ya?

Duff: I have no idea. Ask Dan, our manager. All the big ones, all the big ones, you know, Warner

Geoff: Everyone’s looking right now. Everyone looking.

Duff: Everyone’s lookin’.

Geoff: Beat ‘em off with a stick.

DJ: Show me the money! No, that would be me, that’s because I’m poor. Wow, this is an exciting time. How are you feeling about the year 2001 almost being over, the year 2002 coming up here and getting back on the saddle doing this new project.

Duff: Oh, you mean just time wise? Uh, shit, you mean, you know I think, like, well I’ll go to Japan, and play the rock music –it’s the thing there, like young kids are into the rock music and I think it’s a viable thing here in the States, you know,we’re not playing 80’s or 90’s metal, or hard rock. It’s contemporary, the guys in the band, like Geoff with the New American Shame – it’s a contemporary rock band, not a bunch of old fella’s you know? Except for me. I’m the old fella. And it’s not, it feels right, you know? Uhhh.... errrrr

Geoff: It’s good rock music.

Duff: Yeah.

DJ: Let’s talk about your history, Geoff. First off, how old are you? You look young.

Duff: 22

Geoff: 22 years old.

DJ: You’re not 22.

Duff: 27

Geoff: 27 years old.

DJ: 27 – alright. I’m younger than you still. And you were in New American Shame.

Geoff: I was.

DJ: We were playing `Under it All’

Geoff: A lot of people were playing that song for awhile.

DJ: Yeah, we liked it. Everybody liked it. It was a good rock and roll tune.

Geoff: It was a fun !! (DJ lady interrupted him... loudly! –Geesh!)

DJ: Tell me about your history as a musician.

Geoff: Uhhhhh, before that I was in a band called “Green Apple Quickstep” and before that just a ton of bands in Seattle.

DJ: Just a ton of bands in Seattle?

Geoff: Every band in Seattle.

DJ: Every band.

Geoff: Except the good ones.

DJ: Except for Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam and Nirvana.

Geoff: Except for the ones that broke. Right. Exactly. Yeah.

DJ: Except for those... and Soundgarden. (ed. Can you say “ditz?”) No, you WERE in Soundgarden.

Geoff: I WAS in Soundgarden, and I was in Nirvana too.

DJ: You were in Nirvana as well.

Geoff: For about 10 minutes.

DJ: 15?

Geoff: 10, 12...we’ll give it 12.

DJ: Okay 12 minutes. I was the cheerleader in the Nirvana “Smells like Teen Spirit” video.

Duff: You were in THAT video too!

Geoff: We had sex at that video shoot also, didn’t we?

DJ: I think so!

Geoff: I knew you looked familiar. I used to drink a lot.

DJ: I was 16 then.

Geoff: Yeah, and I was 20.....one.

Duff: God, you know, like, speaking of... I remember that...remember that Jane’s Addiction video “Got Caught Stealing?”

DJ: Yes. Yeah.

Duff: There’s the girl that’s doing the dance, but you can’t see her face – she’s wearing the thing...

Geoff: Yeah

DJ: Yes

Duff: Like, 6 different girls back in like, 1988 when that video came out, “I’m the girl in the..”

Geoff: Playin’ it.

Duff: Yeah. 6 different times it happened! “I’m the girl in the...” I’m like, well if YOU are...

Geoff: Then I already know you.

Duff: But go ahead, I’m sorry, I interrupted.

DJ: So, did they all just want to have sex with you? Was that their excuse?

Duff: (Bashful) Oh noooo, I don’t know.....

Geoff: What’s that? I’m sorry... nothing?

Duff: You want the dirty details, don’t you!? Truth is I don’t even remember.

DJ: And that’s the truth.

Duff: That’s the truth.

Geoff: He used to drink a lot.

Duff: yeah...A LOT !!

DJ: Was that your DOC, Your Drug of Choice? Alcohol?

Duff: One of ‘em. It was a big one.

DJ: It was a big one?

Duff: yeah.

DJ: No more alcohol.

Duff: (in a scolding tone) No no.

DJ: No no.

Duff: Uh uh.

DJ: No nothing?

Duff: No.

DJ: Cigarettes?

Duff: No, I quit smoking.

DJ: I quit smoking too!

Duff: Is that.... it was narley.

Geoff: Are you on the gum?

DJ: Yeah, I got some... no, no nicotine gum. I went cold, I dissipated over time.

Geoff: Wow. That’s hard.

Duff: Yeah, I smoked since I was two though. So withdrawl was pretty.....

Geoff: I started smoking when I was about...

Duff: 4

Geoff: 4

Duff: yeah.

DJ: God!

Duff: yeah.

DJ: So, how do you feel? Being sober?

Duff: I feel great.

DJ: Good, that’s really wonderful.

Duff: There’s no question, yeah, I mean, the difference is, I didn’t have a choice, you know? I would have expired.

DJ: Died?

Duff: Yeah...

DJ: (interrupting) Expired... I like that. I would have expired!

Duff: yeah... (sounding unimpressed at this point)... So, I didn’t really have a choice and, luckily, being sober feels real good (giggles), it’s real nice.

Geoff: Because if it felt bad....

Duff: Yeah, if it felt bad I’d be in real trouble!

DJ: Okay, let’s get really dirty and deep inside this album,okay? The writing process: How do you guys write?

DJ: Do you sit in a room and do you come up, I mean, because Duff, you’re a bassist that’s playing guitar and singing.

Duff: Yeah.

Geoff: Duff is an all around amazing musician.

DJ: Musician.

Geoff: This would be about a couple of guys, except there are some songs on here that were going to be on the record he was going to put out before.

Duff: yeah.

Geoff: But the rest of them were mostly a couple of guys in a room and he’d have these great ideas and we’d just kinda bang‘em into songs.

Duff: yeah. And then I’d have lyrical ideas. I’d definitely have melodic ideas, and so I’d play with PA and I’d put this effect on the PA, so you couldn’t, like a phalange effect that made it sound really, sort of....

Geoff: Rich

Duff: Rich... and I’d sing these melodies and you couldn’t tell if this thing is words or not, so the melody’s there and then I’d finally find a subject matter to write the lyrics about. And that was that. And usually in the studio right before I sang the song is when I’d write the lyrics. (whispers) `Oh Shit... I need lyrics!’

Geoff: And that’s how it kind of came to be where, we tried to do it a different way with a singer and it was like, the singe rlived down here and we were always in the room together in Seattle and he was coming up with these great melodies anyway so, we’re like “Dude! How about you just sing it man? What you’re coming up with sounds great.”

Duff: So, yeah, it was just banging out songs... I mean I’ve written songs forever, you know, for 20 years, so, you know,writing songs with Geoff is real easy ‘cause he’ll stay there and be there. Like, okay – he’s interested in it. When somebody else is interested in what the process is, instead of just sitting around like “you got something?”

DJ: I can imagine, ‘cause, like I’ve been around enough bands to see how different bands write, and to see, like, one person coming up with it, you know, especially bigger bands where they have the process down and they’re like so impersonal, where you want it more personal, and you’re like, you’re digging the fact that he’s there, and Geoff’s there and he’s going “yeah!” , you know, and like, hey, let’s do this or do that and hey I can do this here and whatever... I can see how you’re liking the personal ...

Duff: yeah... and his influence was cool, because, I mean, like he’s a big fan of Local H, which is a drummer and a guitar player...you know...

DJ: I love the Copasetic song.

Geoff: Huge fan of theirs

Duff: yeah...so, he was really into, like hey man, like I had this midi guitar where I’d play all this shit, you know, through the PA and I’d have this amp going through, and like let’s just be a band the two of us man!

Geoff: We came pretty close.

Duff: We came this close.

Geoff: I’m like, dude, you could fuckin’ put another... put a bass rig on it and we don’t need no one!!

Duff: We don’t need anybody! We could have done it, just us. Really. But it would have been a different band. Don’t get me wrong. Jeff Rouse and Mike Squires, the bass player and lead guitar player of this band are like, just the find of the century. These guys are... I mean, we could play an arena tomorrow night. Tonight, you know? And rock! Or we could play a club, but, sometimes you can’t play a club and play an arena too– that band just can’t cross over?

Geoff: yeah.

Duff: And with these two guys, we got, it’s like...

DJ: Do you think so? (interrupts... again!)

Duff: Well we...

DJ: Do you think that some bands don’t cross over because they can’t play both a small club and a big club?

Duff: Or they can play big places but they can’t play small places, you know? Sure. How come?

DJ: Yeah, what’s your, what’s your...

Duff: uh, well if you’re using a lot of triggered samples, you know, vocal samples and a lot of triggered... in a big arena, you’ve got, you know, sound guys and monitor guys, and you’ll have that in a club too, but there’s just too much room for error. And you’ve got to depend on your playing ability in a club a lot more. A LOT MORE! You’re right there. You can hide a lot of stuff in a big echoey arena.

Geoff: And the distance between you and the people.

Duff: yeah, but its, you don’t have any distance in a club, so you just get up and play some rock. Period. You know? A lot of bands on the tour used to just get up and play some rock and they get in an arena situation and they end up three guys standing right in front of their amps, you know... Ahhhhh! Fuck! In Japan we played arenas, you know, we had pyro and everything.

Geoff: We played a show in Tokyo. Pyro.

Duff: Pyro

Geoff: And it looked like....

Duff: And we were spread out on the stage, it wasn’t everybody like circled around an amp or looking at the drummer, like SHIT! It was a --- show, you know?

Geoff: It was killer.

Duff: So, the band, that’s what I mean by that, to that we could go play an arena or in a club. Or play House of Blues which is...

DJ: Mid size.

Duff: Mid size.

Geoff: In between.

Duff: No, we can’t play mid size, so it’ll suck tonight. I didn’t mention that.

DJ: You can’t do mid size.

Duff: No, we SUCK in the mid size.(giggles)

DJ: KNAC.COM... this one’s called “Superman” from Loaded. Check it out. We’ll be right back. Duff McKagan and Geoff Reading in the studio with me. KNAC.COM.

[Played Superman]

Geoff: That was fun.

DJ: (silence)

Geoff: When it’s quiet, the song’s done!

DJ: (giggles) I’m getting all giddy! Am I all red in the face?

Duff: Yep.

DJ: Am I okay? Generally I get a little flustered sometimes.

Duff: Well, it’s about 110 degrees in here.

DJ: We can let air in!

Duff: Really!

DJ: Yeah, click that on to the right? The top one? Yeaaaah. And then push the button on the side down, yeahhh, there you go. The air will start pumping out of there. It will get all cold in here. Thank’s Dan.

Dan: You’re welcome.

Geoff: Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Dan Devita. Thank you very much.

DJ: Ahhhhhh, courtesy of Rick Sales Management. You’re thankedon more albums than anybody!

Dan: Wish I were paid on more albums than anybody.

DJ: Wish you were paid on them, though huh? Gotcha. Geoff Reading and Duff McKagan of Loaded in the studio. We’ve been having a good time. We’re talking about the new album, the new project and of course I had to talk about Guns n’ Roses because I had to. I have to. It’s a must. I like what I’ve heard so far. I’ve heard two songs, that was Superman and also played Seattle Head and we’re going to play a couple of other tracks as well.

Duff: Are you just going to spin it now and continue spinning it on your radio station?

DJ: We’re totally, you know what? That’s all we’re gonna do. We’re just gonna continually spin it no matter what, for the rest of the day. How’s that sound?

Geoff: Huge

Dan: That’s a commitment!

DJ: That’s a commitment. I’m only going to be here another 50 minutes, but for the rest of the day, we’ll play it.

Duff: Commercial free.

DJ: Okay, if you say so. I wanted to ask you about – um... you guys are playing tonight at the House of Blues in Hollywood, right? Tonight’s Hollywood? With King’s X. You know, King’s X is another one of those bands that just totally kicked ass back in the day. You know they’ve had a couple of albums since and now they’re kicking ass across America I guess?

Duff: I guess they are, yeah!

DJ: You just playing a couple of shows with them?

Duff: Yeah, that’s right. We played last night with ‘em... we had to take off before they actually played so tonight’s the night we’re going to watch them. We didn’t get to see them last night...

DJ: Because you had a Theology paper due and you have mid terms.

Duff: We had a gig in Vegas and we had to get back, yeah.

DJ: It’s a very bad town.

Duff: What?

DJ: Do you not like Vegas these days?

Duff: Oh, I don’t mind, you know, I like it better than I used to. Because it seems like it’s a bit more, I don’t know, I don’t have to go to the gambling tables, you know?

Geoff: Did you before?

Duff: No. No no. Before I just found it really boring, cause there was no...I don’t know... there was probably no drugs or something I don’t know!

Geoff: There weren’t enough drugs.

Duff: There weren’t enough drugs.

DJ: There weren’t enough drugs.

Geoff: yeah.

Duff: I don’t know why it was boring before, but, you know, I don’t mind it so much now. But I never go there so, if I lived there I’d probably hate it, I don’t know.

DJ: So are you guys living in LA or are you living in Seattle?

Duff: Seattle.

DJ: So you guys are living in Seattle.

Geoff: I live in LA

DJ: And you live in LA!?

Geoff: Um hm.

Duff: I go to Seattle U, so obviously I live in Seattle. Yeah. He lives, but he comes up, okay, you know, like I’m in school this quarter so our gigs have been numbered, the gigs that we’ve done. Probably done...

Geoff: 3 or 4

Duff: yeah, but

DJ: Are you on the quarter or semester system?

Duff: Quarter.

DJ: Okay, so you got 10 weeks and then you play 4 gigs in 10 weeks.

Duff: yeah.

Geoff: Something like that.

Duff: Like, I’m missing two classes right now. But I told my professors the deal, I have this manager and he’s going to make us huge and he wants us to come down and play these gigs. (laughter)

Duff: So, it’s commerce... you know, blossoming commerce here...and they really liked that.

DJ: Faith in Dan. We have faith in Dan!

Geoff: But they can’t see that right?

DJ: No. Who can’t see that? Nobody can see that.

Geoff: Right.

DJ: We have no camera.

Dan: No camera?

DJ: No, camera’s gone.

Dan: Okay.

DJ: Okay, it’s right there, you can see it, there’s the other one right there.

Geoff: Not that camera though...

DJ: We’re talking about the OTHER camera.

Geoff: The one by the pictures of the naked chicks.

DJ: These guys in here, they’re like...they want to know...Geoff and Duff want to know what’s up with all the naked chicks on the walls.

Duff/Geoff: yeah.

DJ: So I told them we had porn stars in here. You know with Philthy Phil the DJ and stuff we get porn stars in here.

Duff: Geoff’s like “Yeah, keep me down!”

DJ: He’s like – where’s the porno?! Where’s the chicks? Didn’t they know I was comin’?

Duff: Maybe they did.

Geoff: Yeah. Yeah.

DJ: So they didn’t show up.

Geoff: Mmm hmmm.

DJ: I’m sorry.

Duff: So, for tonight’s gig, you might want to add, there’s a special guest named Slash and we might play a special song.

DJ: Really!

Duff: yeah.

Geoff: It could happen.

DJ: It could happen.

Duff: So, if anyone in town is listening and pondering whether...

DJ: And going “Maybe I should go and check this out”

Duff: They should check it out regardless.

DJ: They should check it out regardless.

Geoff: Yeah, yeah.

DJ: But if it could just persuade them, sway them just a little bit more, like over the edge...

Duff: Well, if they don’t come, they’re missing out on the future of rock. So, that’s cool. You know, they can do that.

DJ: This is absolutely phenomenal - I’m really excited about this.

Dan: There’s always `Puddle of Mud!’

DJ: What did you say Dan?

Duff: Yeah, are they playin’ tonight?

Dan: No.

Duff: Oh. Good. Or are they?

DJ: No.

Geoff: Nooooo

Duff: Are they the new face of rock?

Dan: New face of rock? * ??? ---

DJ: Oh, Dan! Dude! Out the door!

Geoff: You know what Dan does if you don’t have something nice to say – don’t sit by me!

DJ: I know, I know...

Geoff: yeah, yeah

DJ: It’s unfortunate.

Geoff: Bye Dan.

DJ: Bye Dan.

DJ: I like him a lot, as you can tell. He’s always calling me names....

Duff: There’s not going to be any more information in that –every time you open it up ...

Geoff: You keep looking at it.

DJ: I keep looking at it!

Duff: There’s not a lot of information in there.

DJ: Where’s the words to the songs, boys?

Geoff: They’re right here. They’re right up here.

DJ: What about for me?

Duff: Look, these sheets are kind of a promo thing...

DJ: This is the promo

Duff: yeah

DJ: Okay, so , we’re going to get these guys a deal, in America

Duff: Yeah

DJ: Okay? And then you guys are going to be big ol’ super stars again.

Duff: Yeah

DJ: And, touring the whole world, and make millions more and make millions of teenage girls happy? That’s important.

Duff: yeah. And then we’ll crest up there, at the top and then it’ll all start and become fragmented and ugly...

DJ: And then you’ll start doin’ drugs again?

Duff: yeah, yeah...

Geoff: Well, see, he can probably stay sober...

DJ: No No No

Geoff: And the rest of us... well, he’s already done it though,see? He doesn’t need to do it again.

Duff: I’ll become, like something, like...

Geoff: Isolated?

Duff: Transvestite or something.

DJ: Oh! There you go.

Duff: I don’t know.

Geoff: It’s got to be something you haven’t done!

Duff: Oh... oh... yeah... something else.

Geoff: He can’t be a transvestite because he was that for Christmas.

DJ: For Christmas? You mean Halloween?

Geoff: I don’t really know.

DJ: Did you guys dress up for Halloween? Did you take the kids treat or treatin’?

Duff: Yes I did.

DJ: What were you?

Duff: I wasn’t. I was Dad. Well, you see, I have this... okay,here’s why. I have this rubber scary mask that I wear? My older girl likes it. She’s “Daddy, get your mask Daddy.” So I got my mask, but the 1 and a half year old saw Daddy’s clothes with this head on and she freaked! So I had to take it off. And I was just Dad with a flashlight and pulling the....

Geoff: The wagon?

Duff: The wagon.

DJ: Did you have the red wagon?

Duff: yeah yeah

DJ: Oh my God.

Duff: I got it dowwwwn man!

DJ: Now, do you live in a nice section of the neighbourhood? I mean, I’m sure you do! Do they hand out full sized Snicker Bars?

Duff: Yeah, yeah, I live in a neighbourhood in Seattle that my sister used to drive us to, and drop us off with pillow cases,you know, to treat or treat with? Because they gave us the big, you know...now I live in that area.

DJ: The full size Snickers Bars are better than the crappy mini ones, that everybody else gives away, but no, you go to the rich section of town and you get the big Snickers.

Duff: (really fast) Yeah, yeah, yeah Exactly where I live.

DJ: The double ones of the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. I’m hungry. I want some chocolate.

Duff: yeah.

DJ: I’m excited for you guys, really. This is an awesome new adventure that you are taking yourselves on... and once again, let’s quickly go over everything we’ve gone over so far.

Geoff: Recap.

Duff: Gig tonight.

DJ: To recap, there is a gig tonight.

Geoff: 9:00 sharp.

DJ: 9:00, you guys are hitting the stage at 9:00?

Duff: Yeah.

Geoff: 9:00

DJ: That means 9:25. (I found this hilarious considering they showed up 25 minutes late for THIS interview!!

Geoff: no no no no.... it means 8:30.

DJ: They run a tight ship at at at

Duff: House of Blues.

Geoff: Can they see this?

DJ: No they can’t see that but I can see but I saw it. He’s doing something like for “blow me”

Geoff: yeah, yeah, it’s the international sign.

DJ: The international sign for `suck me off you bitch!’

Duff: WOW!

DJ: Hey now!

Geoff: Yessss!

DJ: I didn’t say that, that was... that was YOU man! You’re the one who gave the....

Geoff: No, that’s not the international sign. I have a different international sign for that. I’ll show you that later.

DJ: ha ha ha ha ha. Once again... Loaded is the name of the band and....

Duff: And you’re gonna play `Then and Now’.

DJ: We’re gonna play `Then and Now?’

Duff: Yeah. So, we recapped it all. New band, Loaded, playing tonight. This one’s called `Then and Now.`

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