Duff McKagan Talks Loaded, Money and American Rock Fans

[FunkyMonkey]

Duff McKagan Talks Loaded, Money and American Rock Fans

6.12.2009

Leave it to Duff McKagan to stretch a dollar. "Anybody that spends too much on a record these days, that's fool's money spent," asserts Loaded creator Duff McKagan. "Nobody sells records like we did in the 90s or 80s. It's not the business model anymore. People get their music for free off the Internet."

Duff McKagan's Loaded are back on the scene with 'Sick,' a 12 track mashup of punk rock, glam sensibility and a sprinkle of humor. Duff might be best known for his work with Guns n' Roses and Velvet Revolver ? but he's especially proud of Loaded and a return to the do-it-yourself rock star model. "We signed with a small, indie label which was really cool. There's not a lot of pressure like you get from a major. Major labels are becoming a thing of the past."

For McKagan, exposure is a little more complicated. He admits the decade-old band is more widely known in Europe and Japan ? and thinks it is just plain harder to crack America as an established artist. "I think people from the States don't look at that as valid," muses McKagan. "Like 'Oh, really? So and so from this band thinks he can put out his own record and we'll come see him play? No. Ain't gonna happen.' They don't really give the music a chance. But we're going out to try our best. All I know is we made a record I really love and am passionate about."

For a musician that's sold millions of albums worldwide, playing a gig without promotion seems pretty crazy. Or maybe it's not. "The great thing about this band is that we just don't give a f---. We'll play anyplace, and it's refreshing. It is kind of rewarding when you become the buzz of a town when someone sees you and finds you are playing. We sell records at the gigs. Who knows? By July this could be an underground summer record."

http://www.noisecreep.com/2009/06/12/duff-mckagan-talks-loaded-money-and-american-rock-fans/

[Dr. Blutarsky]

If it wasn't for doing a web search or this site I'd have no idea about this album's existence. And that's too bad cause it is a good album.

[metallex78]

It's not just good, it's pretty damn great. I keep coming back to listening to it, and it just gets better on each listen.

And I still hope Loaded make their way to Australia for a tour

[FunkyMonkey]

DUFF MCKAGAN: 'Nobody Sells Records Like We Did In The '90s Or '80s' - June 16, 2009

VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan, who is currently on the road with his DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED project, recently spoke to Noisecreep about how the record industry has changed since the late '80s when GN'R first burst onto the scene with its iconic "Appetite for Destruction" debut.

"Anybody that spends too much on a record these days, that's fool's money spent," McKagan said. "Nobody sells records like we did in the '90s or '80s. It's not the business model anymore. People get their music for free off the Internet."

"We [DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED] signed with a small, indie label [Century Media], which was really cool. There's not a lot of pressure like you get from a major. Major labels are becoming a thing of the past."

McKagan admits DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, which was first formed a decade ago, is more widely known in Europe and Japan ? and thinks it is just plain harder to crack America as an established artist. "I think people from the States don't look at that as valid," he said. "Like 'Oh, really? So and so from this band thinks he can put out his own record and we'll come see him play? No. Ain't gonna happen.' They don't really give the music a chance. But we're going out to try our best. All I know is we made a record I really love and am passionate about."

Read more from Noisecreep.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122061

[FunkyMonkey]

Sebastian Bach's comment on the article...

@duff64 is right again ! people need to support rock if people want more rock !! http://is.gd/13Xg9

6:34 PM Jun 16th from digsby

[FunkyMonkey]

DUFF MCKAGAN: 'By The Time I Was 25, I Was Drinking To Survive' - June 21, 2009

Finland's Musiikki TV conducted an interview with VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan at this year's edition of the Provinssirock festival, which was held June 12-14, 2009 in Sein?joki, Finland. Watch the three-and-a-half-minute chat below.

Video: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=122303

[FunkyMonkey]

June?s Deleted Scene: Duff McKagan

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 by Bear Frazer

For the June issue of Fight! Magazine, I got the opportunity to chop it up with Duff McKagan (former bassist for Guns ?N Roses, current bassist for Velvet Revolver and the head honcho of his side project Loaded) about all things related to fighting.

But that?s not all we talked about. Check out the conversation below. It?s a deleted scene (as I like to refer) from the feature I penned on Duff for the June issue of Fight. After reading this blog exclusive, you?ll realize why dude is one of the smarter musicians in metal.

Bear Frazer: Where do you mostly train out of?

Duff McKagan: One of our dojos in Van Nuys. It?s called FIT and the guy who runs the gym is Scott Mendelson. He?s actually ?The World?s Strongest Man.? He bench presses, check this out, 1,207 pounds. That?s my Road King Harley, you, and me, and another dude. That?s how much he bench presses. He runs the gym. Our dojo is there, and a lot of good fighters are coming in. The old dojo, House Of Champions, had to close down because they were building a mall there. They probably stopped building the mall because of the economy.

Bear Frazer: Yeah, we don?t need another mall. I?ve been to so many lately and half the restaurants in the food court are closed.

Duff McKagan: Isn?t it crazy?

Bear Frazer: It?s terrible. The mall was always the place to be. I feel like I?m slowly dying sometimes.

Duff McKagan: Yeah, they?re all blending a lot right now. How old are you?

Bear Frazer: I?m 25.

Duff McKagan: Right, so you know, you?re gonna have those stories to tell your kids of this time.

Bear Frazer: Oh yeah. It might not be too interesting, but I feel you on the economy.

Duff McKagan: I write a financial column for Playboy, a weekly thing for Playboy.com and so, I?m really hyper-aware of what?s going on in all the finer points of the economy, and it?s pretty damn interesting. Consumer confidence is just shot. Even if you?re just making some money, you?re not spending it. You?re just holding onto it, and that?s the quandary about the recession. It?s six months of stagnant activity in the economy. That?s the definition of it. Then people just stop spending money because they?re scared, and that makes it worse.

To check out more of Duff, pick up the June issue of Fight! Magazine. This week?s your last chance to do it, so buy it now. And while you?re out, pick up Loaded?s new album Sick. Trust me, it lives it to its title - it?s pretty sick.

http://blog.fightmagazine.com/junes-deleted-scene-duff-mckagan-873/