Duff McKagan's Column In Seattle Weekly

[Albert S Miller]

Lake Chelen is so beautiful and one of the lakes in Wa state that is actually clear and blueish.  I grew up spending my summers on this lake as I had a Aunt who lived right on the lake.  Great memories and certainly Duff and family must agree it is a great place to spend time with family and having some family fun and adoring its beauty. 

Well now I'm thinking I could hop in the shower drive to Seattle and probably see Duff at the West Seattle Stree Fair, but instead I'm choosing the boat and water activity it is hot today.  Maybe another time Duff..

[FunkyMonkey]

Can You Hear Me Now?

By Duff McKagan in Duff McKagan

Thursday, Jul. 16 2009

My column from last week ("Summer Vacation, the Black Bag, and a Mini-Tirade (Or Two)") received more response than any other column in the near-year I've been doing this thing for Seattle Weekly. In my "mini-tirade," I quickly took a swipe at those who make comments on blogs, articles, and fansites without using a real name, therefore sidestepping any real responsibility for their often accusatory and mean-spirited script.

We have reached an age when information and opinions can be shared widely with a simple finger's touch. This is a very cool thing for sure. With these articles, opinions, and fansites online, we are experiencing a sort of letters-to-the-editor-on-steroids phenomenon.

Text-messaging on phones also has taken away some of the personality that an audible voice will parlay. If I have shitty news or am pissed off, I myself will often text instead of call. It is often easier and less confrontational to e-mail or text a tirade, and we can worry about the fallout of said tirade at a later point . . . putting it off. Is this better? No. Is it easier? Well, for the time being, and we ARE becoming a point-and-click, path-of-least-resistance society.

Newspapers have their Op/Ed sections and letters to the editor to provide a community voice in return. With these letters, though, comes the person's first and last name and hometown. If someone writes to a newspaper in response to something they feel strongly enough about, there seems to be pride in owning up to who you are . . . maybe that's old-school, but at least there is discourse with identity.

People say you could track back anyone on the computer if you tried hard enough. The comments section on YouTube videos and columns like this one have at times included nasty and unkind comments with some wacky made-up moniker attached. I would never have the interest to track down someone unless they'd somehow done irreparable damage to someone I love, but that is not what I am talking about. Who really cares to track someone down? What I am talking about is this: What does that say about us as a society when we say something online that we would never even dream of saying face-to-face? I am not sure. I am just asking the question, and from last week's response, so too are many of you.

When I was talking to my wife earlier today about some of this, she said that, especially with celebrities, some people just get fed up with all the nonsense and want to rail back, and the Internet supplies that forum. Fair enough. But doesn't the Internet also provide a forum to identify yourself when railing at a celebrity?like "That's right. I said it. What you gonna do about it?" Hiding behind pseudonyms seems to me like something an 11-year-old would do . . . and that brings up another point.

Back in 2004, when Velvet Revolver put out our first record, a great fansite popped up with our tour dates, recent photos, birthdays, and a fan forum (a place where fans could write in). Back then, I would read everything fans had to say, and certain veins of conversation did turn VERY opinionated, if not downright vitriolic. I would find myself taking some of this stuff to heart, until one day on tour, I met one of these people who often railed in the forum. He was 14 YEARS OLD!!! I realized then and there that KIDS were the ones mostly responsible for the maddening text. I was letting little kids get into my head, and they were just testing their boundaries as many teenagers do. I felt instantly enlightened and foolish, and I no longer read that kind of thing.

P.S., Punk Rock

Also last week, I commented that Green Day had somehow maintained a punk ethic well into their mainstream success. The term "punk rock" indeed means different things to different people, and I was glad to hear some of those differing opinions.

Brad Cox, a recent reader of my column, wrote a profound explanation of what "punk rock" means to him. His band plays metal and hard rock, but he felt that the way they live their lives, write their music, and put themselves out there was indeed punk rock. If you get a chance to scroll back to his comment on last week's column, please do.

Some people really feel a need to explain what punk rock is, and that it is their own private box of specialness that is not to be touched by anyone else. If that is what punk rock is to them, more power to them. But I think it is a much bigger and more powerful paradigm. Johnny Cash is punk rock, and so too in many ways is Katy Perry. Anyone who writes their own music and portrays it the way that they want?damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead?is in my opinion punk rock. That includes Charles Bukowski, Mastodon, and the Dalai Lama.

To conclude: I am punk rock and sign my name to this column week in and week out. If you are just commenting and have a cool and fun viewpoint or addition, sign under any name you like. The rest of you, don't bother.

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/07/can_you_hear_me_now_1.php

[FunkyMonkey]

An article from Duff...

Duff McKagan: Reintroducing You to the Cr?e

Take it from a guy who couldn?t keep up.

By Duff McKagan

Published on July 21, 2009 at 7:42pm

Duff McKagan's column runs every Thursday on Reverb, our music blog.

The year was 1989, and I'd recently bought a small vacation place in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., to get out of Los Angeles in the hope of periodically escaping my bad drink and drug habits. Little did I know that Tommy Lee of M?tley Cr?e also had a place up there. Within two months I was throwing up blood at Tommy's cabin. Nobody, not even me at the time, could "hang" with the dudes in M?tley Cr?e.

I have been asked by the brain trust here at Seattle Weekly to write a piece on M?tley Cr?e, foreshadowing their July 27 Cr?eFest appearance at the White River Amphitheatre. I suppose I am the most qualified, as my band Loaded just spent a month touring Europe with them, and my old band GN'R toured with them back in 1988. I guess I simply know where some of the bodies are buried.

Here are some quick pointers for those of you who want to know more about "the Cr?e" but are perhaps afraid to ask:

1) Nikki Sixx is a genius. This music visionary (who spent some of his growing-up years in Seattle) had the foresight to move to Hollywood in 1979 and start a movement. With a suitcase full of Sweet, Slade, and New York Dolls records, Nikki banded together a group of musicians who eventually released Too Fast For Love in 1982, and modern rock had a new leader. Way back then, Nikki somehow blended the opposing crafts of songwriting and business smarts, and he's been a beacon for the rest of us meathead musicians to follow. He has found ways to reinvent this band time and time again, overcoming a period in the mid-'90s that would have outright killed many other groups (and did!). Cr?eFest (Nikki's invention) has fast replaced Ozzfest as the summer tour for any heavy rock band to play.

2) Mick Mars is a hero. Just watching this guy play guitar makes a healthy person feel ashamed for complaining about anything. Diagnosed at 19 with the progressive disease ankylosing spondylitis, Mick has more recently faced a fused back and a full hip replacement as a result. The pain he must endure can only be imagined; his playing of late is a visual release for any musician with a disability. This last month in Europe, I and the other Loaded guys found Mick to be an almost-undiscovered secret weapon of M?tley Cr?e...as if to say "Where did this guy come from?"

3) M?tley kicked our asses. Back in the halcyon days of GN'R, when everyone thought we were the most badass and hard-drinking/drugging motherfuckers around (and maybe so did we), we quickly found out we were in the minor league compared to where M?tley Cr?e resided. With their code names for different drugs and private jet, our peek into their world?when we opened for them on the "Girls, Girls, Girls" tour?was a peek into an abyss that they'd found a way of skating around the brink of while many others had fallen in. Hey, there is nothing glamorous about drinking and drugging, but I must say these guys at least perfected that dark art for a while there back in the '80s.

4) M?tley are BACK! Witnessing these guys play a healthy handful of shows last month proved they have somehow found a spark that had been missing over the past 15 years: At a gig in Wettingen, Switzerland, on a makeshift stage in front of 3,000 rabid fans, I saw these guys become almost punk-rock in energy and snarl. It's like they've realized their music is no longer in vogue, and it's them against the world again?and no one is going to help them in the fight. If you have yet to see this band live, now may be the best time to see them ever. They are pissed off and seemingly united in a cause again.

Let's face it, M?tley Cr?e are not a band that will challenge you intellectually or wow you with groundbreaking, forward-thinking songwriting. M?tley simply keeps throwing out a great groove and simple-but-skull-crushing chord progressions. Want to be challenged musically? Don't go to Cr?eFest. Want to have fun and forget about your 9-to-5 job and asshole boss? M?tley are the perfect band, and Cr?eFest offers as solid a heavy-metal lineup as you'll be able to find all summer.

[CheapJon]

nothing said about vince neil?

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

nothing said about vince neil?

Well, if he were to say nice things about Vince, he would be lying! 

[CheapJon]

nothing said about vince neil?

Well, if he were to say nice things about Vince, he would be lying! 

too true, classic duff

[FunkyMonkey]

Duff McKagan: Alice is Back, and I'm Finally Excited About Rock Again

By Duff McKagan in Duff McKagan

Thursday, Jul. 23 2009 @ 10:21AM

Last fall, I wrote a much-discussed piece about the important role that I believe Alice in Chains played in the history of rock 'n' roll. Their overcoming Layne Staley's tragic death has been something of an underdog story that needs to be applauded for the unimaginable heartbreak they live with and the sheer tenacity they had to put the band back on any stage AT ALL! Last Saturday in Detroit, Alice played their first gig in the campaign that will support the release of their first record this decade--a tour that I think will cement them as the premier rock band on this planet. They will have never before toured a record like they will this time around, because of past drink/drug issues rampant throughout their talented ranks.

When the new record comes out in two months (September 26), it will mark the 17th anniversary of the release of the heralded Dirt, which contains so many of the Alice songs that became the soundtracks to so many of our lives. Dirt should be, in my opinion, the cornerstone of anyone and everyone's rock CD collection. The new record will not take a back seat to Dirt in any way--it is simply right up there with any Alice music ever, and in my humble opinion, they have beat themselves with much of the new stuff. Is this a lofty remark from somebody who just wants to give these guys a "leg up" from the soapbox of his own Seattle Weekly column? My reputation stands on what I say here, and I can't wait for the rest of you to hear what I have already been honored and trusted to hear. Do they know that I am writing this piece? No way in hell...they would wince, of that I am quite sure.

I am excited about rock music these days. After a great Loaded European festival tour last month, where I got to see a ton of live music every single day, I am happy to report that there is a sort of return to quality that I must admit I thought was maybe lost and gone forever. Young bands like Parlor Mob and older stalwarts like Mars Volta, Soundtrack of Our Lives, and Mastodon are out there kicking some asses and grooving their butts off. Sometime in the mid-'90s, it seems, terms like "kicking ass" and "setting a groove" were looked at as old-fashioned and un-hip. Shit, Nine Inch Nails even have a discernible soul factor to them these days...and I like it a LOT.

I am glad that Gibson Les Pauls and vintage Marshall amplification are replacing MIDI and ProTools as the prime tool of the rock trade. Musicianship as a whole took a downward turn as a result of too much reliance on taped onstage instrumentation. Don't get me wrong, bands like Muse and Shiny Toy Guns use tape as a true art form, but only AFTER first making themselves top-shelf players. I remember a musician telling me sometime in 1996 that Kurt Cobain had made it OK for the rest of us not to have to learn our instruments--I guess he assumed Kurt couldn't play? That guy had it so wrong. ALL the guys in Nirvana were such good players that they made it all SEEM so easy.

Now back to Alice in Chains and back to the topic.

Alice in Chains never really got the chance to tour and grow to a point of world domination back in the '90s for the aforementioned reasons. While Metallica and AC/DC are great and legendary, doesn't it seem that maybe the whole genre of rock has grown sort of stagnant? Best Buy and Target can promote and advertise and generally make a great fuss, but all the fluster about the Metallica and AC/DC records last fall kind of fell flat after the first couple of weeks. Both records were real good, but not GREAT as promised. The Alice record has greatness AND these guys are ready and able to tour. It is an exciting time for rock 'n' roll.

Why am I writing this now, a full two months before Black Gives Way to Blue's release? I am given free rein here, and have thus far simply written about things I am passionate about or that tickle my fancy. Last week, I was in Los Angeles and saw Alice play some acoustic songs in front of a small audience, and I realized that these guys have somehow remained intact with their friendships stronger and their music just as relevant and inspiring. When I witness something as cool and solid as what I saw that night, it just seems like the light and goodness of these guys' story should be shared...and that is all.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and thanks for the overwhelming response from last week. I respect what everyone had to say and look forward to more and more in-depth forums in the future.

[FunkyMonkey]

Duff's Summer Reading: Vol. II

By Duff McKagan in Duff McKagan

Thursday, Jul. 30 2009

I received a comment to last week's article on Alice in Chains that instantly reminded me of part of my somewhat-lost "mission statement" here. The comment was a suggestion from a reader about a new book, The New Pearl Harbor by David Ray Griffin. Ah, yes! We are in midsummer--a great time to sit on the back porch and read a good book. I'd like to think that this weekly forum can be used as a meeting place for the intellectual-minded on topical subjects, yes, but also a place where we can all turn each other on to what books we have been reading: suggested high-minded fodder for us who can't find a good book on our own (I definitely fall into that category at times).

Thankfully, I have friends who know that I am an avid reader, and they will sometimes pick up a book for me that they think fits my criteria (nonfiction, mostly). Mike Squires was in Portland last week, and found himself perusing the famous Powell's Books. He happened upon You Can't Win by Jack Black, a very popular book in the 1920s that quickly went through five pressings before inexplicably being forgotten, hence becoming an underground cult read.

You Can't Win was reportedly William S. Burroughs' favorite book and a cornerstone of his writing style; in the new edition that I now own, Burroughs penned the introduction. The book follows Black's rough-and-tumble childhood, which eventually brought him to a life of crime and riding the trains, criss-crossing the turn-of-the-century United States. Black tells an uncompromising tale of his absolute fascination with the life of a "yegg"--basically, a homeless vagrant that chooses a life free of the 9-to-5 job, etc.

This book is really quite fascinating in that Black's voice throughout stays true to the parlance of that time. If any of you have seen an episode of HBO's Deadwood, that will give you a clue to the peculiar Western-style speech of that time. This book is an absolute page-turner, and I highly recommend seeking out a copy of your own. It is one of those that you keep and display on your home bookshelf . . . for sure!

If you lean more toward rock and roll and if you are a Stooges, Iggy Pop, or even David Bowie fan, Open Up and Bleed by Paul Trynka is probably the most complete and well-researched book ever written (and there been a few) on not only the Stooges, but also on how Iggy got the last name "Pop," the downfall and triumphant return of Iggy's career, and lastly the triumphant return a few years back of Ron Asheton and the Stooges. I read this book on tour last month, and it inspired some good rock moments out there in Europe for me.

I just picked up a new book that is perched to be my next read after You Can't Win. Drew Gilpin Faust's This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War is a National Book Award Finalist that examines a little-written-about side of that dreadful period in American history: how we dealt with ALL of the death that was its overwhelming product. To quote Vintage Books' blurb on the back of this book:
"600,000 dead . . . an equivalent proportion in today's population would be 6 million. In This Republic of Suffering, Faust reveals the way that death on such a scale changed not only individual lives but the life of the nation, describing how the survivors managed on a practical level and how a deeply religious culture struggled to reconcile the unprecedented carnage with its belief in a benevolent God. Throughout, the voices of soldiers and their families, of statesmen, generals, preachers, poets, surgeons, nurses, Northerners, and Southerners come together to give us a vivid understanding of the Civil War's most fundamental and widely shared reality."

I like books on war in general, if only to try to grasp what it must be like to fight, kill, and die in something as fucked up as armed combat. Two of my brothers were in Vietnam, and I asked my mom once back then (I was probably 5) how a war gets started. She said that basically two men couldn't get along and so they had all of their citizens fight out their differences. I have yet to find a better explanation.

Stephen Ambrose has written some fine books on the human condition in war and other stressful situations. Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldier are just two of his that I can highly recommend. Ambrose's book on the Lewis and Clark expedition, Undaunted Courage, tops my all-time favorite nonfiction list in that he so precisely nails down every twist and turn of that journey while also putting the reader inside of the expedition members' heads. For instance, did you know that modern scientists have concluded that Meriwether Lewis suffered bipolar disease, and they think this is what led to his painful suicide when, after not having turned in his unfinished journals after two years, he was finally beckoned by Jefferson to Washington? Fascinating stuff indeed.

Do any of you have book suggestions? Please share if you can.

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/07/duffs_summer_reading_vol_ii.php

[FunkyMonkey]

My iPod: From Prince to Judas Priest

I had the chance to take part in a Camp Freddy gig down in L.A. last weekend at the House of Blues. Camp Freddy is a sort of rock-and-roll collective that gets together once in a while to play some gig or another (from fundraisers to straight-up "money gigs" for something like the X-Games or Nintendo). This time, Camp Freddy featured Steve Jones (Pistols), Justin Hawkins (the Darkness), Ace Fuckin' Frehley, Steve Stevens, and yes, Ozzy Osbourne. The shit was KILLER.

When I got to the soundcheck on Saturday, KISS' "Cold Gin" was being played and Ace was there, larger than life. I knew then and there that I was indeed having a very good day. Good rock 'n' roll from yesteryear seems to hit you in a different place. Good rock has most likely already trod a well-worn groove into my psyche that is now just a comfortable place for a song like "War Pigs" or "God Save the Queen" to revisit. Whatever--it fuckin' feels good and RIGHT. Here is what's on my iPod right now (this is NOT the time for vinyl purists and alternate mp3 players and/or the conversation regarding digital vs. analog. Let us just rock, mofos). Listen to a many of the songs after the jump.

Duff McKagans iPod
The Germs, M.I.A.(the Complete Germs): I like this full collection of the Germs simply because "No God" is included. The Germs' G.I. changed the shape of American punk rock back then, and this collection has stood the test of time for sure.

Loudermilk, Red Record: These guys from the Tri-Cities took the rock world by storm a decade or so ago, and rightly or wrongly were tagged as the fathers of emo. I say who gives a damn what they call it, it's genius! Sometimes brilliance shines too brightly and suddenly disappears. Loudermilk were gone before they had a chance to do much more than the Red Record.

M?torhead, Aces of Spades: Uh-huh.

The Stooges, Raw Power and Funhouse: I am not sure which songs are on which record anymore, and that is probably a function of me being immersed in "shuffle all" for too long now. With the Stooges or ANY Iggy Pop record, it just doesn't matter, though. This is honest, pure, brutal, and sometimes beautiful and artistic rock 'n' roll. All you have to do is CRANK IT!

Judas Priest, British Steel: Yeah? Suck it...

Queens of the Stone Age, Rated R and Songs for the Deaf: Two kick-ass and timeless rock records that can stand up on their own. Queens forged a new groove into the sound of rock and roll, and we must hail the originals (or are Masters of Reality the originals?).

Refused, Shape of Punk to Come: In my opinion, this is the last real punk-rock record, and has the ability to lift one above the woof and splatter of obeying and adhering to the man and his ilk. Hey, if there is a punk-rock record since, please share.

The Saints, Stranded: 1977 garage/punk from Down Under. Without the Saints, the world would definitely have lost much of its color.

ZZ Top, Tres Hombres: I had the best time a couple of years back listening to this record critically as I was trying to learn the art of shuffle-blues on the bass guitar. Last year, Dave Grohl and I were at a ZZ show when suddenly Billy Gibbons invited both of us to guest-guitar on "La Grange" and "Tush." For some reason, Gibbons thought me a lead guitarist and called out for me to "take it" during a solo section. I don't think he will do that again! ZZ Top will be at the White River on the 17th, and they are not to be missed.

Van Halen: The David Lee Roth era: I was in eastern Washington recently for a few days, and just left my "shuffle all" on Van Halen the whole time. There is nothing better than a little "Eruption" or "Jamie's Cryin."

Led Zeppelin: The Complete Led Zeppelin: I own the Zep catalogue on vinyl, cassette, and CD. I bought this complete collection on iTunes when I was away from home and needed something familiar. Led Zeppelin has been that touchstone for me since I was probably 12.

Cheap Trick, At Budokan: The best pop songs ever written after the Beatles, for my money. Oh, wait--what about Badfinger?

Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady: If you are in your teens or 20s and have yet to listen to the Buzzcocks, do yourself a favor and at least listen to "Orgasm Addict." Whoever does the music for the show Entourage is pretty cool and deserves a shout-out. They used "Why Can't I Touch It" at the end of the show a couple weeks back.

Thin Lizzy, Dedication (the Very Best of Thin Lizzy): On this last tour we did in Europe in June, we had a Thin Lizzy concert DVD on constantly in the back lounge of our bus. It just set a tone.

Richard Hell, "Blank Generation": '70s New Yawk Trash. The good shit.

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, L.A.M.F.: This first record from JT after the DOLLS showed that he was indeed not a one-trick pony. Try "So Alone" and "Que Sera, Sera," too.

D.O.A., Something Better Change: A comprehensive view of maybe the Northwest's most important band ever. Without D.O.A., there very well may never have been a scene in Seattle at all.

The Dead Boys, Young, Loud, and Snotty: "Down in flames, down in flames"!!!!!!!

Prince, 1999: Get your groove on and rejoice in the musical genius that is Prince.

Cameo, Word Up!: Good-time party jams that have stood the test of a generation or two.

Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street: By the campfire or driving in the car, Exile is the classic Stones record that sort of bridges the gap from the '60s to the '70s.

The Beatles, anything: It almost goes without saying.

Black Flag, My War: The record that epitomizes what Black Flag was all about--a must-have for all rock fans.

All right, then. This is by no means a complete list, and I have purposefully left out an endless list of gems and classics. What do you have? Turn me and the readers on to something that maybe we have yet to hear about, something that is classic and has stood the test of time and studio technology.

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/08/my_ipod_from_prince_to_judas_p.php#more

[FunkyMonkey]

Seattle Weekly Extra

Please Lend a Hand If You Can

By Duff McKagan Wednesday, Aug. 12 2009 @ 7:54PM

​Before I get to this week's column, I would like to ask for your help for a friend, whether it be a few dollars, or a gracious prayer or meditation. Next Tuesday, August 18 at the Sunset in Ballard, I'll be playing with Loaded's acoustic offshoot, the Rainmakers, at a benefit concert for Dave Ravenscroft, who has been suffering through Squamous-cell Carcinoma, a cancer of the tonsils that has spread to the nodes in his throat. Absolutely brutal. Dave has not been able to work for the last 12 months while going through multiple surgeries and chemotherapy. Donations can be made to the Dave Ravenscroft Benevolent Fund at any Chase branch. Thanks!

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/08/please_lend_a_hand_if_you_can.php

[FunkyMonkey]

We Are the '90s: My Picks

By Duff McKagan in Duff McKagan

Thursday, Aug. 13 2009

After the overwhelming response to last week's music piece, I thought it would be a good idea to continue. Music of course has so many genres and sub-genres that I could easily keep doing this type of column for the next few years, and we would still only be getting at the tip of the audible iceberg. I thought we could now get into music from the '90s.

So in the summer of '89, I was in Chicago with Slash writing music for the upcoming GN'R record. When I write music, I like to be around other inspirational music that is new and hopefully groundbreaking. Good new music for me opens up avenues of musical thought processes that I may not have been previously exposed to. That summer, we got a cassette of the forthcoming Faith No More record Real Thing, a Masters of Reality demo from George Draculius, and a pre-release cassette of Lenny Kravitz' first record. These were new sounds at that time, and a welcome relief from the crap that was out there and available (wait, what year did Badmotorfinger come out?).

Precursors to what would be thought of as music from the '90s were bubbling up in my view. Soundgarden were playing gigs down in L.A. and had been a relatively active band since '87 or so. I met Trent Reznor backstage at a GN'R gig in '89; he told me of a record he was making, and was really enthusiastic about the direction he had stumbled upon. Raging Slab was moving music forward by perfecting, and at times improving upon, classic '70s two-guitar rock 'n' roll. Mother Love Bone was making their record then, too.

OK, now the table was being set. It was a foregone conclusion that bands like Warrant, Poison, and Brittany Fox had used up and abused their reign of substance-challenged and retarded pop-rock. Nirvana's Nevermind was credited as the record that started what has come to be known as the '90s sound and ethic--rightfully so, in my humble opinion. What bands and albums do you feel personify or qualify as the greatest of that era? Here are just a few of mine:

Nirvana, Nevermind: Borrowing and perfecting all the best from punk-rock bands before them and adding an angled angst and song-craftsmanship of their own, Nirvana simply owned it all, turning on a world full of youth who could relate.

Pearl Jam, Ten: A record that made personal politics and caring for others OK. Pearl Jam somehow fused kick-ass rock with a Seattle-ness and PC ethic.

Alice in Chains, Dirt: Fugetaboutit. Layne = cool. Jerry = genius. Sean = brilliant. Mike = badass. A timeless record.

Nine Inch Nails, Closer: Maybe one of the most musically brilliant records ever made...ever. Trent Reznor melded technology, melody, anger, tenderness, and mystique into a continuous and digestible epic. The guy somehow finds a way to constantly get better and expand his art to this day. Incredible.

Korn, self-titled: The first record by Korn was as groundbreaking as anything since Chuck Berry sang "Maybelline." Jonathan's creepy and quirky voice on top of drop C tuning took dark to a whole new level.

Marilyn Manson, Portrait of an American Family: I first saw these guys open for Danzig in '95 or so. Sure, sure, Alice Cooper did this thing in the late '60s and early '70s, but Manson and his band were straight creepy and hailed from Florida's swamplands, citing mass murderers as their influences. Dark.

Dag, Righteous: Vibe magazine hailed this band as the best R&B band of the decade. No small feat, as Dag were white boys from North Carolina. Check this record out if you get a chance.

Mark Lanegan, all solo work: If you have yet to hear any of Mark's solo records, do yourself the big favor now. The ferocity that is his voice and cracked soul will be sure to mesmerize. Trust me on this one.

Hellacopters, Supershitty to the Max!: Kick-ass dirty rock 'n' roll from Sweden that perhaps saved this brand of music from extinction.

Nashville Pussy, Let Them Eat Pussy: This Kurt Bloch-produced masterpiece shoved a middle finger up the ass of all the then-pretenders. Greasy and bloody and fun for sure.

Faith No More, The Real Thing: Enough said.

Soundgarden, Down on the Upside: This record was the culmination and pinnacle of all the talent that this group of men pushed and pulled out of each other. A band gone too soon, in my opinion. Maybe it was meant to be all along, as they may have hit a wall. We at least want more from them now...as opposed to wanting NO more!

Foo Fighters, any and all! Dave Grohl was finally able to realize his full talents as a songwriter, singer, and guitar player, and the rest of us reaped the benefit of his effort. He makes everything seem so damn simple.

Dr Dre, The Chronic: This groundbreaking record reshaped forever the face and thump of modern hip-hop.

Deftones, Adrenaline: This band has been plagued by a massive copycat syndrome, only because what they invented was so damn innovative and kick-ass.

Refused, The Shape of Punk to Come: This record still is one of the ones played most often before I, or any band I have been in, go onstage. A jaw-dropping collection of angry and varied music from a band who were simply masters of their art.

I have left out many here on purpose. Maybe some of you think my choices are crap. The beauty of music, though, is that we all find inspiration in different presentations and packages. Have fun this week. I've been having fun writing these.

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/08/we_are_the_90s_my_picks.php

[CheapJon]

cool! I see he's a fan of much music i'm a fan of, always great to see 2 swedish bands too

[mrlee]

meh too much bummage on the grunge for my liking.

What about White Zombie, what about Janes Addiction.

[CheapJon]

meh too much bummage on the grunge for my liking.

What about White Zombie, what about Janes Addiction.

yeah what about 'em 

[mrlee]

meh too much bummage on the grunge for my liking.

What about White Zombie, what about Janes Addiction.

yeah what about 'em 

they are 2000000 times better than any grunge band

Thats what

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Oh shit Jon, I think that's an invitation...

[mrlee]

Oh shit Jon, I think that's an invitation...

[FunkyMonkey]

This Is Punk Rock: From the Ramones to the Stiff Little Fingers

By Duff McKagan in Duff McKagan

Wednesday, Aug. 19 2009

OK, in keeping with the theme of music, which we seem to have hit a groove with here in the last few weeks, let's try a genre very near and dear to me at least: PUNK ROCK! My field of expertise in this realm more than likely lies more in what most of you would consider old-school. Well, I was 13 in 1977 and very into new music, and it was a great era to be a teenager.

My experience is of course the only thing I can draw from, and that all our varying experiences are unique unto themselves is one of the amazing things about life. I find that by listening to and reading other people's experiences, I get to steal a little piece of their knowledge. Whether it is literature recommendations, movie tips, places on the earth visited, or music suggestions, I've found that keeping an open ear and mind behooves my life (I used to listen to other people's vice suggestions, but that is a whole other story).

So, back on topic: What is punk rock to you? Is it a musical style only (which is OK)? Is punk an ethic? If you have read some of my previous columns, then you know my thought-scape on punk rock can run to the far reaches of music (i.e., Johnny Cash is punk to me) or how one simply carries themselves (i.e., risk-taking for personal growth or simply being a good parent are both kind of punk-rock to me).

For this piece, however, I will stick strictly to music. Please reply in any way, shape, or form that you like. I can only hope for and look forward to any knowledge that you all would be so gracious to share.

Ramones, Rocket to Russia: I got this record at the ripe age of 13, and so began my journey into what was possible as an actual musician. I learned every song. The Ramones can never, ever be overlooked for their importance in modern rock music.

The Clash, self-titled: This record was at first an exotic and very grown-up listen for me as a young teen. Paul Simonon's bass playing on this record would later inform my choice of that instrument as my main axe when I moved to L.A. a few years later.

D.O.A., Something Better Change: If you grew up in the Northwest in the late '70s or early '80s, D.O.A. were a larger-than-life example of how brilliant a live rock band should be. They were as important as any band in history, as far as I'm concerned.

The Saints, I'm Stranded: I remember staying up late one night in 1978 to watch the British show The Saint on PBS, because there was a rumor that the band the Saints were gonna be on it. Maybe a dumb anecdote, sure, but please do yourself a favor and get this record somehow.

Zeke, Flat Tracker: How can you not be impressed with the hard-rocking sound of Zeke? "Chiva Knievel"? Genius.

The Ruts, "Babylon's Burning": One of the bands that I truly regret never being able to see live.

999, anything: I got to see these guys at the Showbox in 1979 or 1980. A band that may have been widely overlooked, but which may have influenced many in the know.

The Vibrators, Pure Mania: With songs like "Petrol," "You Broke My Heart," and "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," Pure Mania was a favorite record to put on just before we wrecked a house or played beer curling at a punk-rock house party!!!

Dead Kennedys, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables: The ONLY drag about this record is that "California ?ber Alles" is not on it.

The Adolescents, self-titled: Orange County punk that would soon, along with the Germs and Black Flag, influence hardcore.

The Germs, G.I.: Probably one the most important records ever. Groundbreaking in every way.

Black Flag, My War: "You say that you're my friend but you're one of them . . . THEM!"

The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks: Duh . . .

Sham 69, The Adventures of the Hersham Boys: I think that was the name of the record, anyway! It doesn't matter, check out the song "Questions and Answers." Really, REALLY great!

Stiff Little Fingers, Inflammable Material: I remember playing this record in my mom's living room and her getting upset. The troubles in Ireland were at a peak in 1979, and we have family over there. Check out the song "Suspect Device." This band didn't just rock, but informed the world of their travesty in a war.

The Stooges: I've written of them time and again. You all know my opinion here!

The Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady: Oh, fuck yeah! This collection pretty much has it all. Maybe the wisest music money anyone could spend.

Dead Boys, Young, Loud, and Snotty: I think that I spoke of this record a few weeks back. Nevertheless, a must-have for any music collection.

Generation X, self-titled: Billy Idol, of course, got a lot of attention later as a solo artist, but Generation X highlighted to us musicians back then just how fucking good a BAND could be!

Circle Jerks, Group Sex: Great band, great record.

The Refused, Shape of Punk to Come: The title says it all. This record is as important as the Germs' record as far as setting a benchmark for the rest of us to follow.

G.B.H., City Baby's Revenge: I just got back from Vietnam!!!!!!!

Bad Brains, "Pay to Cum": The song that maybe epitomizes epic-ness in ferocity! I saw these guys for the first time back in 1980 opening for the Angelic Upstarts, and they blew my mind (actually, BOTH bands blew my mind).

Minor Threat, any and all: These guys may have started out as the front-runners of DC straight-edge, but soon transcended this pigeonhole with their broad and worldly scope.

All right, you get the gist here. I wouldn't know when or where to stop on this particular topic. There are so damn many great bands and records, and I certainly have only gotten to the tip of this iceberg. Please add what you feel may be important. I am always looking for things that I have either forgotten about or may never have heard about. Have fun!

[CheapJon]

these are great 

[CheapJon]

My Summer Records

By Duff McKagan in Duff McKagan

Thursday, Aug. 27 2009
 
The Tinted Windows
Duff McKagan's column runs every Thursday on Reverb. Check back on Monday for the first in a new weekly installment from Duff.
​As this long, hot summer finally sees its waning days, the thought of good summer records piqued my interest as a topic to discuss this week. A good record can indeed become the soundtrack for any given time of the year, and summer records probably top those lists within lists.

I was given two CDs at the beginning of July that became the driving songs of my countless trips over the Cascades this summer. The first is the Parlor Mobs' self-titled full-length, a kick-ass, old-school rock-and-roll rave-up played by 20-somethings who belie their age with their use of vintage Gibson guitars and old tube amplification. Great songs, great players, and a pretty damn good singer, too!

The second is the self-titled album by the Tinted Windows. It's a really fun pop-rock record full of songs that if they were being made by Cheap Trick, would put the band in arenas again. I guess it's no strange thing, then, that CT's Bun E. Carlos is the drummer here. This odd band lineup seems to have thrown out the idea that you have to be perceived as hip or cool (it includes James Iha on guitar, the singer from Hanson!, and the bass player from Fountains of Wayne). It's the hands-down funnest record I have heard in years.

Here are a few more summer records from my past:

It's Only Rock and Roll, the Rolling Stones: This cassette was the soundtrack to the summer I decided to move from Seattle to Hollywood. It got me through a breakup with a girlfriend, kept me awake on my nonstop drive, and kept me company when I was lonely down there in Hell-A. This cassette and my little ghetto blaster were both stolen from my car a couple of weeks after I moved there. Ah . . . welcome to the jungle? (Sorry about that. I couldn't resist.)

1999, Prince: Ah yes, the summer of '83 is when I finally realized that I was one sexy son of a bitch.

The Joshua Tree, U2: This record was by all means not just the soundtrack for my summer of '87, but got me through all of the craziness that was surrounding my band Guns N' Roses that year. My best friend died that summer, and U2 seemed to somehow speak to me and only me, steeling my sorrow and tempering my sadness. This record still holds an important niche in my heart.

The Real Thing, Faith No More: The summer this record came out, I was sort of stuck in Chicago writing songs for what would become Use Your Illusion I and II. What a groundbreaking record this was at the time . . . fresh and vibrant.

Nevermind, Nirvana: As Nirvana were our (GN'R's) labelmates at Geffen, I was able to get a pre-release cassette copy of this record. I remember driving all around L.A. cranking the fuck out of this record. I wore out my cassette and had to get another one, as I would brag to anyone who would listen that these guys were from my town and that soon the rest of the world would realize that people didn't live in tepees in Seattle!

Damaged, Black Flag: In 1982, Black Flag released this tour de force, and I would spin this record almost nonstop at my house (along with a T Bone Burnett record . . . inexplicably enough, these two records really complemented each other!).

Young, Loud, and Snotty, the Dead Boys: This must have been the summer of '79, when my young ears were just coming of age to the trashier sounds of punk rock and roll (as opposed to the English stuff--the Clash, Damned, Vibrators, 999, Undertones, XTC, Jam, Pistols, etc.). This record was the first in a long line of great records that just left me wanting to break stuff!

Look Homeward Angel, Aerosmith: I found this bootleg record at a record store on the Ave. sometime in the summer of '77. The hands-down best REAL bootleg that I have ever owned. I think I still have it somewhere.

Rated R, Queens of the Stone Age: With a song titled "Feelgood Hit of the Summer," how could this album NOT be on my list? No, really--this record, to me, bridged a gap that had been missing in rock sometime earlier this decade.

Live at Budokan, Cheap Trick: Duh!

Killing Joke, self-titled: A sinister and mesmerizing study in just how good a band can be. A summer record? Yes, indeed. I think it was '82? Or was it '81?

Mother Love Bone, self-titled: This bittersweet record got me through some tough times when I myself was at the wrong and losing end of too many vices to name here in this piece alone. A beautiful record for anyone's summer in any year.

The Love Below, OutKast: I played bass along with this record every night before we played on VR's first full summer tour ('04). What an amazing journey this whole record takes the listener on. Here is to more of that from Andre 3000!