2006.12.22 - The News Tribune - McKagan Keeps Reloading Career

McKagan Keeps Reloading Career

By Ernest A Jasmin

Chances are you know two of Duff McKagan's bands.

With Guns N' Roses in the '80s and '90s, the Seattle native helped shape some of the most memorable hard rock songs and power ballads of a generation - the likes of "Welcome to the Jungle," "Paradise City" and "November Rain."

Then the bassist scored again in 2004 when his supergroup Velvet Revolver - comprised of former members of GNR and Stone Temple Pilots - went No. 1 with the debut album "Contraband."

But his lesser-known band, Loaded, will bring him to Tacoma tonight to perform a good deed. McKagan's college band will headline a cancer benefit concert at Hell's Kitchen to help Midland resident Jerry Allen, a friend of Loaded drummer Geoff Reading.

"He hasn't been able to work. His insurance is running low," said McKagan, 42.

"So Geoff called me and says, ‘Hey, man, you wanna put the band back together? And can you do this benefit show?' And I always come home to Seattle for Christmas."

During a half-hour chat, the rock vet also shared details of Velvet Revolver's forthcoming album, "Libertad," which he was working on in Los Angeles when he called, reflections on his time in GNR and his Seattle roots.

Here are a few excerpts.

A lot of people probably don't know that you played in bands like (defunct Seattle punk band) the Fastbacks.

Yeah, I was the original drummer from the Fastbacks... I was playing bass guitar in other punk bands, and Kurt (Bloch) asked if I wanted to play drums in the Fastbacks because he was playing drums up to that point. And they had a drum kit, so I just kind of came in and learned how to play drums to Fastbacks songs originally. I played drums probably in as many bands as I did anything else back in those days.

Really?

Yeah, I was a drummer.

Multitalented.

You know, I think I was so young I didn't know that you were only supposed to do one thing. I just thought ... I'll play those (freakin') drums right there. I'll play that guitar.

And, when I moved down to LA, I was 18. ... There was a lot of the Yngwie Malmsteen thing; Eddie Van Halen, like really super-good guitar players. And I was more of, like a Johnny Thunders guitar player.

And my drum kit was a piece of (junk), so I sold that and I sold the guitar and the little amp I had. And I just brought my bass and ... thought, "Well at least I'll meet some people by playing bass and get my foot in the door." But the first person I met was Slash. He moved across the street from me. And the first band I formed was Guns N' Roses down here.

You're a little busy down in LA, working on a new record.

We actually started, like, on Tuesday. And we just finished our seventh song. So we're cruisin'.

So what can you tell me about it?

It's a pretty diverse record. We have some flat-out rockers. But we also have - we just tracked a song that's kind of almost ... Beatlesesque - a really, really beautiful song. We have Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden) producing the record. ... He's really an organic guy, just getting natural sounds with cool, old gear.

Can you give me any working titles for the songs?

We're about to go in and track this song, it's called "Get Out the Door." ... It's kind of a straight-up rocker. We just did a song, that Beatlesesque song. It's called "The Last Fight." (Thinks) "Gas and a Dollar Laugh."

We have this other song (that is) like a straight-up punk-rock song, and it's just so classic. (Singer) Scott (Weiland) did a great job with the vocals. It's called "Spay," like spay and neuter. I think it's pretty much talkin' about young Hollywood at this point and maybe what they should go do to themselves.

I wonder if you had a take on the new GNR. I guess Axl just canceled the rest of their tour.

(Chuckle) Oh, he did? That's not surprising.

You figured it wouldn't make it all the way to the end.

I know some of those guys that are playing with him. They're nice guys and good players.

I don't know. I think at this point I've moved so far beyond that. Velvet Revolver has stood on its own as far as me being a valid rock guy, you know. ... I got sober in '94, and that thing broke up in late '94. So I never really looked back.

We started that band. We wrote these songs that somehow appealed to a hell of a lot of people, and it was a great, great moment in my life. Great time, learned a lot, kicked some (rear), and (it was) pretty cool. Almost killed myself, you know. ... Kind of ironic. I moved from Seattle because of heroin and found myself in a hospital bed, you know, 10 years later.

Because I was kind of lucky to be alive and realized it, I just put all that stuff behind me. So what he's doing now, I hope he's happy doing whatever he's doing, and it's all good. I know I am.

What: Loaded, with Top Heavy Crush and Post Stardom Depression's Jeff Angell; a benefit for Midland's Jerry Allen
When: 9 tonight
Where: Hell's Kitchen, 3829 Sixth Ave.
Tickets: $10