Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters
Music:Music Interviews
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Duff McKagan, best known as a member of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, talks about writing songs with his legendary bandmates, a few of his various side projects, and his genre-spanning recent album, Lighthouse.
PART ONE
Scott and Paul shout out some Patreon supporters and reflect on the small handful of artists who, like Guns N' Roses, emerged on the scene and completely changed the game.
PART TWO
Our in-depth interview with Duff McKagan
ABOUT DUFF McKAGAN
Though best known as the bassist for Guns N’ Roses, Duff McKagan wears many musical hats. He started his career in Seattle playing various instruments in various punk bands. Following a stint on guitar in the group 10 Minute Warning he moved to Los Angeles, and eventually ended up in Guns N' Roses. Starting in 1987, they released a steady stream of classics with songwriting credits to the whole band, including “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “Paradise City,” and “Patience.” As the 1990s dawned, the group released the albums Use Your Illusion I and II, which included Duff-penned songs such as “Civil War,” which he co-wrote with Slash and Axl Rose, and “So Fine,” which he wrote solo, and on which he performed the lead vocal.
Following Duff’s first solo album, Believe in Me, in 1993, he formed the supergroup Neurotic Outsiders, which included Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, John Taylor of Duran Duran, and Matt Sorum of The Cult and Guns N’ Roses. After departing Guns N’ Roses in 1997, Duff returned to 10 Minute Warning before forming a new band called Loaded. That band went on hiatus when he launched Velvet Revolver with Loaded guitarist Dave Kushner, Slash, Matt Sorum, and Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots. Writing the songs with the whole band, they found success with tracks such as “Slither” and “Fall to Pieces.”
In 2016 Duff and Slash officially returned to Guns N’ Roses to headline Coachella. Prior to his return, he played with various groups, including a revival of Loaded, Alice Cooper’s band, Jane’s Addiction, and Hollywood Vampire. Since returning to Guns N’ Roses Duff has remained busy with outside projects. His solo album Tenderness, produced by Shooter Jennings, was released in 2019. He co-wrote five songs on Ozzy Osbourne’s Ordinary Man album, and co-wrote three songs on Iggy Pop’s album Every Loser.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer's most recent solo effort, entitled Lighthouse, was released in 2023.
Ep. 230 - CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON ("The Day I Die"
Ep. 229 - DREW HOLCOMB ("American Beauty")
Ep. 228 - NICKEL CREEK ("Celebrants")
Ep. 227 - ALAN BERGMAN ("The Way We Were")
Ep. 226 - NORAH JONES ("Come Away with Me") + profile on Tish Melton
Ep. 225 - CHARLIE STARR of Blackberry Smoke ("Dig a Hole")
Ep. 224 - BOBBY RUSH ("Chicken Heads")
Ep. 222 - AUDLEY FREED ("Peace Pipe")
Ep. 221 - JD SOUTHER ("The Best of My Love")
Ep. 220 - STAX CHRISTMAS with Deanie Parker, William Bell, and Carla Thomas
Ep. 219 - PETER CASE ("A Million Miles Away")
Ep. 218 - GAVIN ROSSDALE of Bush ("Glycerine")
Ep. 217 - DAVE BARNES ("God Gave Me You")
Ep. 216 - NATALIE MERCHANT ("Kind & Generous")
Ep. 215 - JOSH RITTER ("Getting Ready to Get Down")
Ep. 214 - PAUL STANLEY of KISS ("Rock and Roll All Nite")
Ep. 213 - DEANIE PARKER ("Ain't That a Lot of Love")
Ep. 212 - ZACH WILLIAMS of The Lone Bellow
Ep. 211 - RACHAEL & VILRAY ("Do Friends in Fall in Love?")
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