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The youngest of eight children, Duff McKagan was born in Seattle, WA, in the spring of 1964. His real name is Michael, but his family gave him the nickname Duff at the age of two and it stuck. He grew up rebellious, falling in love with punk and glam rock by the time he was a teenager. His brother, Bruce, introduced him to the bass, but he did not take to the instrument right away. At the tender age of 16, the Fastbacks hired him on as their drummer, giving him his first shot in the developing Seattle rock scene. He left the band toward the end of 1981 and began playing in countless other punk combos in the area. Most influential was his work with the Fartz, a band that never made it that far but served as one of the primary influences on grunge innovator Mudhoney. While McKagan enjoyed the gigs he was working, he tried his luck in Los Angeles after a few years of playing in the Northwest. Upon moving to the town, he met future Guns N' Roses founders Slash and Steven Adler, and decided to form a trio with the others called Road Crew. The band gave them the kind of visibility they craved, but upon meeting Indiana transplants Izzy Stradlin and Axl Rose, the five flirted with the idea of combining their forces, until finally Guns N' Roses became a reality in 1985.
After a self-released EP gained them more attention in the Los Angeles area, Geffen Records signed them for an album in 1986. The result, Appetite for Destruction, would be one of the most important rock records ever released, although it would be hard to tell from the initial impact. The album floundered at first, McKagan even considered going back to Seattle, until "Welcome to the Jungle" became a runaway hit. Guns N' Roses instantly became a huge sensation, and the media ate up their bad-boy reputation and incredible live performances. The whole band let fame get to them, but no member took it as seriously as Axl Rose, who began to shake up the band with his increasingly controversial statements to the media and erratic behavior. Things became serious during the release of the G N' R Lies EP, which featured a racist rant in the song "One in a Million" that McKagan and Slash both spoke out against in the press. Rose slowly continued to dominate the band, driving out Adler and Stradlin and replacing them with less vocal contributors Matt Sorum and Gilby Clarke. Ironically, McKagan and Slash bonded with these two members strongly, making the distance between Rose and the other members only larger. When the band hit the road for the endless Use Your Illusion tour, the backstage decadence and wild spending became ridiculous, as opening bands would report to the press about orgies and pig roasts.
McKagan was disillusioned with the music he was making, and after contributing songs to Iggy Pop's Brick by Brick, he tried his hand at a solo album. His drinking had gotten wildly out of control, and the resulting Believe in Me was a disjointed and awkward effort that failed to spark the public's interest. When the tour ended, McKagan discovered that his pancreas was in such terrible shape that he had to immediately give up drinking or face almost certain death. After a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," the band separated to take time away from one another. Thinking that Guns N' Roses was just taking a break, McKagan started working with Slash on the Slash's Snakepit project along with the other members of Guns N' Roses, except for Rose. Sessions for a new Guns N' Roses album continually fell apart, and McKagan started working with the Neurotic Outsiders and several solo projects from fellow- and former-Guns N' Roses members. As the years began to tick away, Rose finally sent news to the remaining members of the band that they had to stop working on other projects or they were going to be fired. That was the final straw for McKagan, as he separated from the band and joined Seattle punk rockers 10 Minute Warning, a band he had played in almost 15 years before.
Since that point, McKagan has continued to release solo projects -- including Beautiful Disease (1999), Wasted Heart (2008), and Sick (2009) -- and perform with his fellow Guns N' Roses outcasts. McKagan also married for the third time, had his first child in 1999, and managed to get acting jobs on television. He ran a marathon in 2001, right before reuniting with Izzy Stradlin for a tour of Japan. The likelihood of the original Guns N' Roses reuniting looks slimmer every year, but even his brief time with that band will forever give McKagan the notoriety that has made him one of the most recognizable bassists in rock music. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
This review is from: Believe in Me (Audio CD)
OK, I've heard and read a lot of negative things about this album but I tried it out for myself and was not disappointed. I was always a fan of GnR but I'd sort of forgotten about them until Velvet Revolver and sparks flew again. Hard core GnR fans will probably think this album sucks but it's really not that bad! I listened to it over and over again when I got it. Duff's no Axl, but he can hold a tune. Duff sings like someone in a punk band (he talks in most of the songs too) and he's got help from some of his rocker friends, GnR members (minus Axl) and Lenny Kravitz. There are elements of rock and punk with some ballads mixed in too. Don't be so anal cuz it's not Axl or you think Duff's trying to cash in from being a former member of GnR. He's doing his thing. Be a little open-minded and I think you'll appreciate his stuff. Props go to Duff for his good solo work.
1.Believe in Me- (9/10) The best song on the album. It's the first one and is a strong opener for the album. Upbeat and rockin.
2.I Love You- (9/10) I like this one a lot too. Starts off soft then guitars come in. Good lyrics. Duff plays all the instruments too!
3.Man in the Meadow- (7/10) Not bad, the chorus kinda goes blah for me after the 10th time hearing "with the man in the meadow."
4.(F@*ked Up) Beyond Belief- (8/10) I like this one a lot. It opens with a long but catchy instrumental, and then it sounds like Duff's talking in a megaphone. A little bit of singing follows and then another instrumental.
5.Could It Be U- (7/10) Ballad about someone who makes Duff "feel like a man." Sounds like some violins in the background. Not a bad song.
6.Just Not There- (6/10) Average song. Not bad but not great.
7.Punk Rock Song- (8/10) Very cool song. It's called "Punk Rock Song" for a reason. Quick and upbeat.
8.The Majority- (8/10) Sung by Lenny Kravitz. Catchy song with a little bit of funk I'd say. I like this one.
9.10 Years- (8/10) another ballad. Good song about Duff reminiscing of an old love.
10.Swamp Song- (5/10) Eh. It's OK. I have a hard time deciphering the lyrics.
11.Trouble- (3/10) Sebastian Bach sings lead in this one. It's a little heavier than the other songs I think. Not a fan of this one.
12.F@*k You- (5/10) Doc Newmann raps in this one with Duff singing the chorus. It's a little corny but kinda catchy too.
13.Lonely Tonite- (6/10) Slower song. Good tune to end the album with.
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01. Believe in Me
02. I Love You
03. Man in the Meadow
04. (Fucked up) Beyond Belief
05. Could It Be You
06. Just Not There
07. Punk Rock Song
08. Majority
09. 10 Years
10. Swamp Song
11. Trouble
12. F@*K You
13. Lonely Tonite
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