2008.07.30 - Journal Live - After The Blow-Up, Back To The Bass Line (Duff)

After the blow-up, back to the bass line

By Simon Rushworth, The Journal

IT is just weeks since Duff McKagan left Tyneside on the back of a blistering Velvet Revolver gig but the workaholic former Guns ‘N’ Roses star never stops. Simon Rushworth previews his return to the region with punk heroes Loaded.

HE could be forgiven for lighting his pipe and putting on his slippers after a tour peppered by tension and tumult – but he’s one of rock’s greatest bass players and he doesn’t do rest.

Duff McKagan found himself at the centre of the much-publicised fall-out which followed Scott Weiland’s acrimonious departure from rock supergroup Velvet Revolver earlier this summer.

And if anyone deserves a break Duff does.

Yet he is a veritable hub of creativity and two days after VR’s mammoth world tour came to its bitter end he was laying down tracks for the band’s new record, before reviving a familiar rock monster.

Loaded was the raw punk combo this most versatile of musicians always dreamed of – long before Axl Rose and co. came calling in the mid 1980s – and the band finally came to fruition in 1999. September sees a rare appearance at The Sage Gateshead and McKagan explained: “We’ve never really been away, but then I suppose we’ve all but fallen off the rock radar. I formed the band when I went back to school in Seattle 10 years ago.

“It was a real college band and had a cool vibe. In the spring break we’d fly out to Japan to play a few gigs and suddenly we became popular. Big in Japan, I think the cliché goes.”

But no sooner had Loaded burst forth from Seattle than McKagan hooked up with fellow former Gunners Slash and Matt Sorum.

“We got together in 2002 and realised we had to take that energy out into the public domain again. That’s when VR came about and. in terms of albums, Loaded has been on the back-burner ever since.

“But we always play Seattle at Christmas and we’re pretty big there these days.

“It’s just time to put out a new record and tour with this band again because it’s a very special thing we have here.” VR should have a new vocalist by the time Loaded hits The Sage Gateshead.

His identity may still be a closely guarded secret but McKagan explained: “We have a guy who we’ve been working with who’s a really good singer and a great guy.

“I really hope he’s the one. The question is, does he have that extra thing? It’s just really hard to tell until you do a gig.

“There’s a lot of expectation. In truth he has to be killer to front Velvet Revolver.

“We’re writing amazing material and I really think the new record will be the best thing that we’ve done as a band.

“So do we have the right singer to do that music justice?”

* Duff McKagan's Loaded plays Hall Two, The Sage Gateshead, on September 21. For tickets call (0191) 443-4661 or visit www.thesagegateshead.org

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