Duff McKagan Says Taking Stage With Guns N' Roses Was Meant To Happen

[FunkyMonkey]

Here is roughly what Duff says about playing in London with Guns N' Roses.

DUFF McKAGAN SAYS TAKING STAGE WITH GUNS N' ROSES WAS "MEANT TO HAPPEN"

ArtisanNewsService | February 22, 2011

I almost wish that getting on stage part didn't happen...for me the most important part of that chance meeting that our hotel rooms were right next door to each other.  Great, it was meant to happen, it was meant to happen for us to finally connect again.  What happened when we connect is a private matter -- but I'm glad it happened.

It almost, I wish it was like on an off night they weren't playing, because people were like oh you played does that mean a reunion -- no, it doesn't mean any of that.  I went to the gig with him, I was so jet lagged and on so much energy drink it was all sort of surreal at that point.  I should be in bed right now ya know, I have a meeting at 8 in the morning -- what am I doing here?  And all the sudden there is a bass in my hands -- what, am I going to play?  You Could Be Mine...I haven't played this song since 1993, sh*t how does this song go.  That part was fun -- I'm glad it happened.  But the way more important thing was, there was a sense to me that it was meant to happen.

Video interview with Duff here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RizDYwC7C8Q

Guns N' Roses w/ Duff McKagan You Could Be Mine O2 Arena 14/10/10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoc87z9d4A

[FunkyMonkey]

I thought it was cool for Duff to say it was more important for him to reconnect with Axl, than it was getting on stage.

And when you end up in the room right next door to each other, what a coincidence, you would have to think the meeting what meant to happen.

[gnr2k6]

duff is a GREAT guy, period.

[One.In.A.Million]

Yeah, I love Duff. 

He always talks sense and seems very intelligent. 

[DeN]

yeah, I still don't understand why he left.

[IzzyDutch]

yeah, I still don't understand why he left.

Tired of the bullshit.. the rest was fired or left, the family feeling was gone.

[Doofey]

Duff was in a bad position when he left. His daughter was born only a few weeks after he left GNR and he had just gotten out of rehab. He needed time away from all of that lifestyle, or his daughter would have grown up with a junkie father. Loaded was different, smaller and probably a safer bet for him at that time.

[One.In.A.Million]

yeah, I still don't understand why he left.

Duff left for personal reasons to do with his family, and he wanted to spend more time with his own inner circle. Duff, unlike Slash never left for artistic reasons, or because he had any dispute with Axl.

In fact I remember, Duff saying around 94-96, that he wanted the next GN'R record to be more Nine Inch Nails like. If anything, it seemed Duff was on the same page as Axl regarding GN'R's evolution.

[DeN]

Duff, unlike Slash never left for artistic reasons, or because he had any dispute with Axl.

that's why I don't really understand why he left, I don't buy the "family reasons".

maybe he was influenced by Slash, I know he wanted to stay to do the junction between him and Axl...he probably left when he saw Axl will never bring Slash back.

but artistically at least it was a mistake to my point of view...that's why I still don't get it.

[DeadHorse]

Actually Duff did state that he felt like at some point after Slash quit Axl was dictating the band without any of Duff's input. The firing of Matt, Paula Huge joining the band were are couple of issues he mention.  Duff said b/c he wasn't involved in any of these decisons it didn't feel like a band anymore and thought it was time to move on.

Also Duff was clean and sober for a couple of years b/f he left Guns.

[westcoast_junkie]

Duff joining GnR onstage made me, and probably most of us, very happy. But not because I thought it was a sign of reunion. I guess most of the members here on HTGTH doesn't even want a reuinion! I don't. But I was happy to see Axl and Duff together. It was totally surprising!

Only Duff can apologize for bringing any eventual dissappointments to people who thought this ment reunion. He is a gentleman! Maybe he felt this added extra mediabullshitting on Axl? I don't know.

[HBK]

Axl says interview:

'' Maybe Work Whit Duff ''

Post Interview Bumblefoot Play Whit LOADED

Tour 2010, Duff Join In GN'R, only guest.

INFO IS OLD... People believe what slash join in GNR... jajaja... NEVER.

Cheers

 

[jacdaniel]

Why did Duff Leave?   Well first it was Steven getting fired, then Izzy left, then Gilby left/got sacked and then Slash quit. 

Once Slash quit it didnt take long before the others followed or got sacked.  It got too messy and that version of Guns was clearly finished.

[chineseblues]

Why did Duff Leave?   Well first it was Steven getting fired, then Izzy left, then Gilby left/got sacked and then Slash quit. 

Once Slash quit it didnt take long before the others followed or got sacked.  It got too messy and that version of Guns was clearly finished.

Duff was still in the band for 3 years after Slash left. That is not even close to "soon after".

[LongGoneDay]

Duff, unlike Slash never left for artistic reasons, or because he had any dispute with Axl.

that's why I don't really understand why he left, I don't buy the "family reasons".

maybe he was influenced by Slash, I know he wanted to stay to do the junction between him and Axl...he probably left when he saw Axl will never bring Slash back.

but artistically at least it was a mistake to my point of view...that's why I still don't get it.

I wish that lineup could have made it work a bit longer, but tough to say it was a mistake for Duff to leave given the circumstances.
Wasn't much reason for him to stay. He's put out a lot of material since he quit, and while I'm not a huge fan of all of it, it shows he was itching to play/record, which wasn't happening at the time, and in hindsight wasn't gonna happen anytime soon had he stayed.

Cool to see that they reconnected after all these years. I could care less about a reunion at this point. The damage is done. They let their egos get the best of them, and it probably cost them another great album or two during their creative prime. Still it's cool to think that they get along, instead of feeling like your watching a soap opera every time you read about classic GNR.

[DeN]

he could have stayed and make music with his own side projects.

anyway, that's a good thing to see they can talk and play together again.

[jacdaniel]

Why did Duff Leave?   Well first it was Steven getting fired, then Izzy left, then Gilby left/got sacked and then Slash quit. 

Once Slash quit it didnt take long before the others followed or got sacked.  It got too messy and that version of Guns was clearly finished.

Duff was still in the band for 3 years after Slash left. That is not even close to "soon after".

Slash left GNR in October 1996.  Matt got fired in April 1997.  Duff left in August 1997.  That version of the band fell apart in them 10 months.

[overmatik]

Correct me if I'm wrong put what I remember Duff saying is that they had a meeting, and by the way things were starting to feel Duff told Axl he wouldn't be Axl's employee.

[LongGoneDay]

Maybe Duff was open to experimenting back then, but I have a real hard time imagining him being into the direction Axl wanted to go.
Duff brought the punk influence to classic guns, Loaded and to an extent VR. That style doesn't really lend itself to the crisp clean production style Axl went with.
I guess when playing live it all goes out the window, but the way CD was recorded just seems such a drastic departure from what he was used to, and has done since.

I think Axl has the right people in place for the type of music he wants to make.

[AxlReznor]

No, I think he'd have been into it. Even Gilby at the time said that Axl and Duff were on the same page about what the next album should be like.