Pushkin.

Pushkin.

In the minds of many rock fans, Duff McKagan will forever be known first and foremost as the basist of Guns n' Roses. The band's white hot reign in the late eighties through the early nineties is the stuff of hedonistic hard rock legend, and for anyone interested in reading a detailed account of that wild ride maybe the last in all of rock, check out Duff's memoir It's So Easy and Other Lies. After turning thirty, Duff got sober, eventually left GNR, and then went on to play stints in Alison Chains and Jane's Addiction and helped form the supergroup Velvet Revolver. Duff also enrolled in college while writing columns for the Seattle Weekly, Playboy and ESPN on everything from personal finance to sports. In twenty sixteen, he rejoined Guns n' Roses following their induction into the rock and roll holly fame. Outside of his contribution to big name rock bands and personal finance columns, Duff has also been releasing solo materials since the early nineties. His latest album, Lighthouse, signals a new musical direction for Duff, one that focuses on reflective personal lyrics and stripped down rootsie rock. On today's episode, Lea Rose talks to Duff mccagan about his decision to leave the heroin infested punk rock scene in his hometown of Seattle for Los Angeles. He also shares stories about Axel Rose and Slash while recording Appetite for Destruction, and he reminisces about the time his musical idol Prince was trying to get Duff to reveal the real reason why Guns n' Roses broke up. This is broken record liner notes for the digital age.

In the minds of many rock fans, Duff McKagan will forever be known first and foremost as the basist of Guns n' Roses. The band's white hot reign in the late eighties through the early nineties is the stuff of hedonistic hard rock legend, and for anyone interested in reading a detailed account of that wild ride maybe the last in all of rock, check out Duff's memoir It's So Easy and Other Lies. After turning thirty, Duff got sober, eventually left GNR, and then went on to play stints in Alison Chains and Jane's Addiction and helped form the supergroup Velvet Revolver. Duff also enrolled in college while writing columns for the Seattle Weekly, Playboy and ESPN on everything from personal finance to sports. In twenty sixteen, he rejoined Guns n' Roses following their induction into the rock and roll holly fame. Outside of his contribution to big name rock bands and personal finance columns, Duff has also been releasing solo materials since the early nineties. His latest album, Lighthouse, signals a new musical direction for Duff, one that focuses on reflective personal lyrics and stripped down rootsie rock. On today's episode, Lea Rose talks to Duff mccagan about his decision to leave the heroin infested punk rock scene in his hometown of Seattle for Los Angeles. He also shares stories about Axel Rose and Slash while recording Appetite for Destruction, and he reminisces about the time his musical idol Prince was trying to get Duff to reveal the real reason why Guns n' Roses broke up. This is broken record liner notes for the digital age.

I'm justin Ritchman.

I'm justin Ritchman.

Here's Lea Rose's conversation with Duff mccagan.

Here's Lea Rose's conversation with Duff mccagan.

I want to talk a little bit about your latest album, Lighthouse, And since it's been out for a little while now and you're over sort of like the initial wave of releasing it, you've had a chance to see how it's living in the world. What has the reception been, you know.

I want to talk a little bit about your latest album, Lighthouse, And since it's been out for a little while now and you're over sort of like the initial wave of releasing it, you've had a chance to see how it's living in the world. What has the reception been, you know.

Because I'm not touring it yet and the record came out, we had extended the Guns and Roses tour, but we already had like a release date for my record and we couldn't push it back. So we were supposed to end the Guns tour. Three days later my record would come out. I would be free and open to do, you know, press or for the things you got to do. But we extended our tour. So I was in Boise, Idaho the day my record came out. It was like having a birthday. I got a cake and my wife sent me flowers and I'm in the you know, this hotel room and Boise and it feels like my birthday, but I'm by myself and you can't really tell how, like, okay, it's out, what's hey? You know, record reviews already come out, some pre previews of the record, so and then then reviews and then you know, I don't really look at comments on social media. It's not really my my bag. It's I have a story why that is?

Because I'm not touring it yet and the record came out, we had extended the Guns and Roses tour, but we already had like a release date for my record and we couldn't push it back. So we were supposed to end the Guns tour. Three days later my record would come out. I would be free and open to do, you know, press or for the things you got to do. But we extended our tour. So I was in Boise, Idaho the day my record came out. It was like having a birthday. I got a cake and my wife sent me flowers and I'm in the you know, this hotel room and Boise and it feels like my birthday, but I'm by myself and you can't really tell how, like, okay, it's out, what's hey? You know, record reviews already come out, some pre previews of the record, so and then then reviews and then you know, I don't really look at comments on social media. It's not really my my bag. It's I have a story why that is?

But you know, is it because they don't feel constructive, or they don't make you feel good, or they're just from random people and who cares what they think?

But you know, is it because they don't feel constructive, or they don't make you feel good, or they're just from random people and who cares what they think?

I don't think anybody's really random, do you know? I think everybody's got an amazing story. I really do, because I've just met so many people in an elevator or whatever. You know, you get in the elevator and you think you're you're the king of the mountain. And then you hear some story in elevator. I'm not even the most interesting person in this elevator, you know. So no back in Valvary Revolver days, you know, when the like the fan forms and stuff, we're just getting started, and I would look. We had a site and there's a fan forum, and I would look and there was this one guy and had he had like a screen name, and he would say things like we were right on, like the guy knew music, knew about what we were doing. But then he would be critical about something. You know, he's kind of right about that. And then I would live and I would wait for this guy to like post something, and I would kind of rise and fall a little bit and not extremely so, but I got caught up in what this guy was saying and I was doing it. We played some gig in Europe, like a festival, and we were doing a signing at the festival and this kid comes up to me and he's like fifteen years old and I signed something for him. He's like this kind of you know, star Trek kind of kid. I know him. We're friends to this to now and he said he says the screen name. He goes, I'm him, I'm like, how old are you? Because I'm fifteen. I'm like, okay, so I'm done with this. I was like a forty year old man, you know, I'm like, what am I doing? But it was all when it was new, you know. So my point is like when something happens with me, a gig at Hyde Park or a Lighthouse record comes out and I'm really proud of it and huh blah, and I know how I feel about it, and I know what I went through to get those songs out, and lyrically what I went through to, you know, carve those words and throw out words and rewrite it again, and you know, the music's just being you know, the perfect like little synthesizer sound there and all this stuff and the drum sounds and the things you go through. It's probably pretty obvious. You know. I'm not trying to make commercial pop hits. I'm trying to make things that are important to me and hopefully important to other people. You know. So when that comes out, I'm not going to read social media comments and I won't even look for reviews. My manager will say me stuff, he knows I don't like to breathe reviews really because again, I just like things to sit there. I know when I go out, like when I'm out and toured Tenderness, the record before this same sort of records some sort of like vocal lyric in the same area, you know of kind of healing and togetherness, and I know how that works for an audience, and it's kind of really amazing. You know, you can see people crying and stuff, you know, like it really hits. It happens in guns it happens in bands. I plan that sense of togetherness for sure, but this is a bit more personal for me. So the record. The reaction has been great, like the reviews, and that this record's done a lot better sales wise than Tenderness, which means I'm growing as this kind of new solo artist area. I'm going into acoustic ribbon and something I wanted to do since I played on mark Land against Field Songs in nineteen ninety seven. This is what I you know, I want to aim for that, and so other than that, I'm going to get some tour dates together for the fall somewhere cool.

I don't think anybody's really random, do you know? I think everybody's got an amazing story. I really do, because I've just met so many people in an elevator or whatever. You know, you get in the elevator and you think you're you're the king of the mountain. And then you hear some story in elevator. I'm not even the most interesting person in this elevator, you know. So no back in Valvary Revolver days, you know, when the like the fan forms and stuff, we're just getting started, and I would look. We had a site and there's a fan forum, and I would look and there was this one guy and had he had like a screen name, and he would say things like we were right on, like the guy knew music, knew about what we were doing. But then he would be critical about something. You know, he's kind of right about that. And then I would live and I would wait for this guy to like post something, and I would kind of rise and fall a little bit and not extremely so, but I got caught up in what this guy was saying and I was doing it. We played some gig in Europe, like a festival, and we were doing a signing at the festival and this kid comes up to me and he's like fifteen years old and I signed something for him. He's like this kind of you know, star Trek kind of kid. I know him. We're friends to this to now and he said he says the screen name. He goes, I'm him, I'm like, how old are you? Because I'm fifteen. I'm like, okay, so I'm done with this. I was like a forty year old man, you know, I'm like, what am I doing? But it was all when it was new, you know. So my point is like when something happens with me, a gig at Hyde Park or a Lighthouse record comes out and I'm really proud of it and huh blah, and I know how I feel about it, and I know what I went through to get those songs out, and lyrically what I went through to, you know, carve those words and throw out words and rewrite it again, and you know, the music's just being you know, the perfect like little synthesizer sound there and all this stuff and the drum sounds and the things you go through. It's probably pretty obvious. You know. I'm not trying to make commercial pop hits. I'm trying to make things that are important to me and hopefully important to other people. You know. So when that comes out, I'm not going to read social media comments and I won't even look for reviews. My manager will say me stuff, he knows I don't like to breathe reviews really because again, I just like things to sit there. I know when I go out, like when I'm out and toured Tenderness, the record before this same sort of records some sort of like vocal lyric in the same area, you know of kind of healing and togetherness, and I know how that works for an audience, and it's kind of really amazing. You know, you can see people crying and stuff, you know, like it really hits. It happens in guns it happens in bands. I plan that sense of togetherness for sure, but this is a bit more personal for me. So the record. The reaction has been great, like the reviews, and that this record's done a lot better sales wise than Tenderness, which means I'm growing as this kind of new solo artist area. I'm going into acoustic ribbon and something I wanted to do since I played on mark Land against Field Songs in nineteen ninety seven. This is what I you know, I want to aim for that, and so other than that, I'm going to get some tour dates together for the fall somewhere cool.

And then is Guns N' Roses going back out on tour.

And then is Guns N' Roses going back out on tour.

This year's well, we are taking this year off. Okay, yes, we played so many shows in the last like whatever eight years that we need to We need to give the world a break. And you know we play long shows too, so we all need like a like a physical break. We played those three and a half hour shows and kicks one's ass.

This year's well, we are taking this year off. Okay, yes, we played so many shows in the last like whatever eight years that we need to We need to give the world a break. And you know we play long shows too, so we all need like a like a physical break. We played those three and a half hour shows and kicks one's ass.

How do you prepare for those three and a half hour shows? What are you doing the day of the performance?

How do you prepare for those three and a half hour shows? What are you doing the day of the performance?

I mean I could give you really literal.

I mean I could give you really literal.

Like yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to know what's the morning routine? What are you eating?

Like yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to know what's the morning routine? What are you eating?

Yeah? Yeah, lemon water, coffee, lemon water again, banana. Then I go to the gym. I'll do cardio and then stretch and then do some sort of like you know, push ups or you know, like an hour in the gym. Okay, ending again with a stretch and then shower, eat like a really healthy lunch, which is whatever I can find, but usually just some greens with chicken, no carbs, no, no. The show's very cardio driven. You know, you're round and around, so you can't have a full stomach. I'll have some snacks up on stage, like protein bars or something, a lot of electrolytes and then afterwards I'll eat it pretty massive dinner, you know, pretty massive shepherd's pie and you know, or lasagnia or whatever the catering's got. Try not to do fish because it's kind of late. You know, the catering has been closed down for a couple hours. Oh, so we're getting food that's kind of been then sitting there, it's all right. I'm totally used to it. It's just fuel at that point, you know. And after showing ice.

Yeah? Yeah, lemon water, coffee, lemon water again, banana. Then I go to the gym. I'll do cardio and then stretch and then do some sort of like you know, push ups or you know, like an hour in the gym. Okay, ending again with a stretch and then shower, eat like a really healthy lunch, which is whatever I can find, but usually just some greens with chicken, no carbs, no, no. The show's very cardio driven. You know, you're round and around, so you can't have a full stomach. I'll have some snacks up on stage, like protein bars or something, a lot of electrolytes and then afterwards I'll eat it pretty massive dinner, you know, pretty massive shepherd's pie and you know, or lasagnia or whatever the catering's got. Try not to do fish because it's kind of late. You know, the catering has been closed down for a couple hours. Oh, so we're getting food that's kind of been then sitting there, it's all right. I'm totally used to it. It's just fuel at that point, you know. And after showing ice.

My legs like soak them in an ice bath.

My legs like soak them in an ice bath.

Yeah, buckets? Yeah?

Yeah, buckets? Yeah?

Wow? Is that because you've been standing for so long?

Wow? Is that because you've been standing for so long?

It's I have to do like yeah, therapy like massage, guns and ice.

It's I have to do like yeah, therapy like massage, guns and ice.

Wow.

Wow.

Yeah, it's a very athletic, you know. Feet you get to go out and sage and be an artist and play your thing and have all that feeling and stuff. But in that it's all athletic. You know. You have to think like an athlete, you know, running across the stage and then hitting a false set of backup backing vocal. You have to be fit. You can't. You can't just like sit in the hotel room then go do an egg and then go sit And there's no I don't I mean, I suppose you could, but it would be really bad for you.

Yeah, it's a very athletic, you know. Feet you get to go out and sage and be an artist and play your thing and have all that feeling and stuff. But in that it's all athletic. You know. You have to think like an athlete, you know, running across the stage and then hitting a false set of backup backing vocal. You have to be fit. You can't. You can't just like sit in the hotel room then go do an egg and then go sit And there's no I don't I mean, I suppose you could, but it would be really bad for you.

It's funny like sometimes you hear about like certain golfers who have like no athletic regime at all, and they just sort of like there's one golfer who's famous and he like drinks like five beers and then he goes he's like one of the best golfers of all time, right, And then you hear about like Tiger Woods, who's like, you know, just like a relentless trainer exerciser, and he's like so smart about what he's putting in his body and everything.

It's funny like sometimes you hear about like certain golfers who have like no athletic regime at all, and they just sort of like there's one golfer who's famous and he like drinks like five beers and then he goes he's like one of the best golfers of all time, right, And then you hear about like Tiger Woods, who's like, you know, just like a relentless trainer exerciser, and he's like so smart about what he's putting in his body and everything.

I know, Like Robin Zander from Cheap Trick. You know, he's I don't ho hold he has seventy blank you know. Yeah. He he's got one of the most amazing rock and roll voices never was. He smokes cigarettes and has a glass of wine, doesn't warm up nothing, it goes on stage. He's one of those guys within the industry. It's like not everybody's Robin Xander, you know, like he's just gifted, you.

I know, Like Robin Zander from Cheap Trick. You know, he's I don't ho hold he has seventy blank you know. Yeah. He he's got one of the most amazing rock and roll voices never was. He smokes cigarettes and has a glass of wine, doesn't warm up nothing, it goes on stage. He's one of those guys within the industry. It's like not everybody's Robin Xander, you know, like he's just gifted, you.

Know, Yeah, some people are just built different.

Know, Yeah, some people are just built different.

Built differently amazing. Yeah, So I mean that's my regime. It's kind of nerdy. It's it's kind of athletic, but it's what I gotta. I'm serious about what I do.

Built differently amazing. Yeah, So I mean that's my regime. It's kind of nerdy. It's it's kind of athletic, but it's what I gotta. I'm serious about what I do.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, it sounds really smart. And then how do you come down from the adrenaline? Like do you even get like a big influx of adrenaline at this point? Are you sort of used to it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, it sounds really smart. And then how do you come down from the adrenaline? Like do you even get like a big influx of adrenaline at this point? Are you sort of used to it?

No? I get nervous and adrenaline every night. I do a little like a meditation before, like when I get up on the stage. We have about ten minutes, and I do a little thing before every gig just to calm everything down, chill, take it in. But I think for me after show, coming down from it, my body is used to like, okay, now we've got to shut down. You know you're gonna feed yourself and you're gonna shut down. You're gonna be reading your book in about forty five minutes as soon as you get back to your room. So I eat and ice at the venue and then I'm in my bed. Sometimes I go straight off the stage to the hotels. It depends on the traffic of the venue to kind of tell you you gotta go.

No? I get nervous and adrenaline every night. I do a little like a meditation before, like when I get up on the stage. We have about ten minutes, and I do a little thing before every gig just to calm everything down, chill, take it in. But I think for me after show, coming down from it, my body is used to like, okay, now we've got to shut down. You know you're gonna feed yourself and you're gonna shut down. You're gonna be reading your book in about forty five minutes as soon as you get back to your room. So I eat and ice at the venue and then I'm in my bed. Sometimes I go straight off the stage to the hotels. It depends on the traffic of the venue to kind of tell you you gotta go.

Yeah, So, no, nobody's hanging out after there's no life.

Yeah, So, no, nobody's hanging out after there's no life.

Sometimes we don't unless you want to hang for a couple hours and let all that traffic go. So and some people do that. You can do that, but I, you know, sometimes I get straight back. I'm reading my book forty five and it is to an hour after we got off stage.

Sometimes we don't unless you want to hang for a couple hours and let all that traffic go. So and some people do that. You can do that, but I, you know, sometimes I get straight back. I'm reading my book forty five and it is to an hour after we got off stage.

I saw Iggy pop is on a song on the title track, is right, So how was it recording with Iggy? Did you guys do that together in person?

I saw Iggy pop is on a song on the title track, is right, So how was it recording with Iggy? Did you guys do that together in person?

Well? No, so I you know, Iggy's like, there's like three for me. You know, it's Prince, it's Lemmy, and it's Aggy, you know, and Iggy's still with us. And it's always been like that since I discovered this. Dude is said twelve through my old the older punk rock kids.

Well? No, so I you know, Iggy's like, there's like three for me. You know, it's Prince, it's Lemmy, and it's Aggy, you know, and Iggy's still with us. And it's always been like that since I discovered this. Dude is said twelve through my old the older punk rock kids.

You know.

You know.

So I got I got to play on and write some music on this last record, a song called Frenzy, a few more songs, and that was just like and then he's like, can you me and Chad from Chili Peppers and Andrew Watt and will you guys be my band for these these five shows? Like yes, we will be here and you can pick the set list. Holy shit?

So I got I got to play on and write some music on this last record, a song called Frenzy, a few more songs, and that was just like and then he's like, can you me and Chad from Chili Peppers and Andrew Watt and will you guys be my band for these these five shows? Like yes, we will be here and you can pick the set list. Holy shit?

Wow, Okay, so it's like old Stugio stuff.

Wow, Okay, so it's like old Stugio stuff.

You could we just picked whatever we put songs from the new record, of course, but we yeah, we picked some killer shit, you know, and we made a set list and he was like cool, cool, And we got Jamie from the Kills to play the other guitar, and Matt Clifford he plays with the Stones, he played the keys like nightclub and and all that stuff and really kick ass man. We rehearse. We all had it down before we went to rehearsal. You know, I was like, I'm not gonna not know what I'm doing. And we wanted to be the best Iggy band he'd ever had. And there was probably a couple of moments on a couple of the stages we were it was slamming. But so we did that and and did the did the shows and that. You know, Iggy knew I was making a record and he just kind of wanted to return the favor. It was very sweet and he did it. He just read the lyrics from.

You could we just picked whatever we put songs from the new record, of course, but we yeah, we picked some killer shit, you know, and we made a set list and he was like cool, cool, And we got Jamie from the Kills to play the other guitar, and Matt Clifford he plays with the Stones, he played the keys like nightclub and and all that stuff and really kick ass man. We rehearse. We all had it down before we went to rehearsal. You know, I was like, I'm not gonna not know what I'm doing. And we wanted to be the best Iggy band he'd ever had. And there was probably a couple of moments on a couple of the stages we were it was slamming. But so we did that and and did the did the shows and that. You know, Iggy knew I was making a record and he just kind of wanted to return the favor. It was very sweet and he did it. He just read the lyrics from.

Lighthouse so cool.

Lighthouse so cool.

So we had like five of like him reading it five different ways. You know. I had the studio in Seattle. You get your speakers and you put it in his voice of fucking god, you know, and then we put music. We put kind of a different version of Lighthouse, the song behind his spoken word thing. And that's how that happened.

So we had like five of like him reading it five different ways. You know. I had the studio in Seattle. You get your speakers and you put it in his voice of fucking god, you know, and then we put music. We put kind of a different version of Lighthouse, the song behind his spoken word thing. And that's how that happened.

What about Prince. Did you ever get to meet Prince or play with Prince?

What about Prince. Did you ever get to meet Prince or play with Prince?

I never wanted to play with Prince because I've heard like he just because he's better than everybody at everything. You know. I met him, Yes, I met him one time. I was way too drunk. It is when I was still drinking and I realized I was too drunk. When it was in Germany. I went it was the Diamonds and Pearls tour. Guns and Roses were playing you know, the whatever stadium the next night, and he was playing the arena and I went went into the back, you know, Guns and Roses guy, all that stuff, right, got to get into the back and blah blah blah, and he heard I was there and I would like to talk to me. He knew I was a fan, and I went back and I just I was realized I was too drunk. Yeah, so fuck, you know, and and that I don't remember what happened. I remember there's like candles and stuff, and I'm fucking too drunk, and there's you know, Prince, and I don't want to be here I don't want to be here and got out of that one. But so, you know, and then I there was a documentary that I was part of. I don't think it ever came out. It was a bass player's documentary that he was doing. And some some producer called me, Princess doing this documentary. Can you can we go through your basis and just talk about bass playing? Prince is doing it? Sure? Oh yeah, okay, So these guys came to my house and I had my bases out and things, and I dressed up a little bit, you know, and get in texts questions from Prince in real time like blah blah blah.

I never wanted to play with Prince because I've heard like he just because he's better than everybody at everything. You know. I met him, Yes, I met him one time. I was way too drunk. It is when I was still drinking and I realized I was too drunk. When it was in Germany. I went it was the Diamonds and Pearls tour. Guns and Roses were playing you know, the whatever stadium the next night, and he was playing the arena and I went went into the back, you know, Guns and Roses guy, all that stuff, right, got to get into the back and blah blah blah, and he heard I was there and I would like to talk to me. He knew I was a fan, and I went back and I just I was realized I was too drunk. Yeah, so fuck, you know, and and that I don't remember what happened. I remember there's like candles and stuff, and I'm fucking too drunk, and there's you know, Prince, and I don't want to be here I don't want to be here and got out of that one. But so, you know, and then I there was a documentary that I was part of. I don't think it ever came out. It was a bass player's documentary that he was doing. And some some producer called me, Princess doing this documentary. Can you can we go through your basis and just talk about bass playing? Prince is doing it? Sure? Oh yeah, okay, So these guys came to my house and I had my bases out and things, and I dressed up a little bit, you know, and get in texts questions from Prince in real time like blah blah blah.

Yeah, what did he ask you about your playing?

Yeah, what did he ask you about your playing?

Yeah, how'd you come up with that thing? At the beginning? Sweets out of mind?

Yeah, how'd you come up with that thing? At the beginning? Sweets out of mind?

Yeah, great question.

Yeah, great question.

But then but then they started getting like why did guns and Roses break up? He was asking questions like anybody else for to ask at that time. We don't get into that. You know, that's something we talk about.

But then but then they started getting like why did guns and Roses break up? He was asking questions like anybody else for to ask at that time. We don't get into that. You know, that's something we talk about.

Prince wants the tea.

Prince wants the tea.

He wants the tea, No, he wanted tea. It was a bunch of other stuff like yeah, it was very very kind of sweet, and you know, it was on Larry Grant. Move was like a oh to Larry Graham, this this documentary.

He wants the tea, No, he wanted tea. It was a bunch of other stuff like yeah, it was very very kind of sweet, and you know, it was on Larry Grant. Move was like a oh to Larry Graham, this this documentary.

Yeah, it's interesting. I was watching old you know, interviews throughout the years, dating all the way back from early gun stuff through Velvet Revolver through now and there was an old interview that you did with Kurt Loader in Paris and Lenny Kravitz was in the room. Okay, and then Lenny comes and sits down with you. Do you remember that?

Yeah, it's interesting. I was watching old you know, interviews throughout the years, dating all the way back from early gun stuff through Velvet Revolver through now and there was an old interview that you did with Kurt Loader in Paris and Lenny Kravitz was in the room. Okay, and then Lenny comes and sits down with you. Do you remember that?

No, I remember being in Paris and we did that pay per view and Lenny was, you know, that first record like we I'm still buddies with him, but you know, yes, like Slashed, his friend who went to same high school, middle school together, right, who like made this killer record like whoa you know that was like the record of the summer for us, his first record for.

No, I remember being in Paris and we did that pay per view and Lenny was, you know, that first record like we I'm still buddies with him, but you know, yes, like Slashed, his friend who went to same high school, middle school together, right, who like made this killer record like whoa you know that was like the record of the summer for us, his first record for.

You and Slash.

You and Slash.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, so you're talking about that, and I guess the night before you had played with Jeff Beck and with Aerosmith.

Yeah, so you're talking about that, and I guess the night before you had played with Jeff Beck and with Aerosmith.

Oh was it that? So was the interview the day after that that gig? Yeah? Okay, so Lenny Kravitz would did Mama said we had special guests and we had Joe and Steven Erosmith did train after rolling and maybe Mama cann or something. Yeah, Jeff Beck was supposed to play. We did a sound check like the day before, and it was so a lot of he has tonight. He had tonight and I fucked him up so he couldn't do the.

Oh was it that? So was the interview the day after that that gig? Yeah? Okay, so Lenny Kravitz would did Mama said we had special guests and we had Joe and Steven Erosmith did train after rolling and maybe Mama cann or something. Yeah, Jeff Beck was supposed to play. We did a sound check like the day before, and it was so a lot of he has tonight. He had tonight and I fucked him up so he couldn't do the.

Get oh man.

Get oh man.

Yeah, and we felt so guilty, like were too loud. But to see, you know, like I can't really watch that stuff because I see a really sad guy. You know, I see a guy couldn't get himself out of it. You know, I tried to stop. I don't, you know, so what I see is like kind of a and I'm the same me is then you know, you don't change. But I'm stuck in this, in this wet court, cardboard box. I couldn't punch my way out of, you know, to have to drink first thing you want you wake up when you sleep that it's like those times that you sleep. It's not you know, like now I go to bed, like after we play show, I'm in bed an hour or later. And it's been that way. I've been sober a long time, you know, but yeah, it's it's hard for me to see like there was you can see like fun drunk like in the late eighties. Then you see it and you know, you see the blow, you see the falling out and ship.

Yeah, and we felt so guilty, like were too loud. But to see, you know, like I can't really watch that stuff because I see a really sad guy. You know, I see a guy couldn't get himself out of it. You know, I tried to stop. I don't, you know, so what I see is like kind of a and I'm the same me is then you know, you don't change. But I'm stuck in this, in this wet court, cardboard box. I couldn't punch my way out of, you know, to have to drink first thing you want you wake up when you sleep that it's like those times that you sleep. It's not you know, like now I go to bed, like after we play show, I'm in bed an hour or later. And it's been that way. I've been sober a long time, you know, but yeah, it's it's hard for me to see like there was you can see like fun drunk like in the late eighties. Then you see it and you know, you see the blow, you see the falling out and ship.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you seems a little puffy, but you were very sweet and you were very nice, and you seemed happy. But I just think it's interesting when you told the Prince story that you had the self awareness of, like, I'm too drunk to be in this situation.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you seems a little puffy, but you were very sweet and you were very nice, and you seemed happy. But I just think it's interesting when you told the Prince story that you had the self awareness of, like, I'm too drunk to be in this situation.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean I was never a blackout drunk. You know, it's never a mean drunk. I was never like any of that stuff. But I was aware and aware drunk like I am too. Like suddenly I got too drunk. I started drinking too early today. My tolerance was through theop you know. But it's one of those times, Nice, I can't form a sentence.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean I was never a blackout drunk. You know, it's never a mean drunk. I was never like any of that stuff. But I was aware and aware drunk like I am too. Like suddenly I got too drunk. I started drinking too early today. My tolerance was through theop you know. But it's one of those times, Nice, I can't form a sentence.

We'll be back with more of le Rose's conversation with Duff mccagan after this quick break. We're back with Lea Rose and Duff mccagan.

We'll be back with more of le Rose's conversation with Duff mccagan after this quick break. We're back with Lea Rose and Duff mccagan.

I watched your documentary It's So Easy and Other Lies and which was incredible. I love the music and the renditions of the songs that you guys played. The Pedal Steel was beautiful. Nice, oh was it was gorgeous. He's really really moving. It was really great, and I'm listening to the audiobook okay, also really great. I was curious though, in the very start of the book, I think it's chapter one, maybe it's chapter two, you talk about how when Guns n' Roses went on the Usuer Illusion Tour, you traveled in an airplane, like not like a private jet but like commercial airplane. Yeah, and early on you and Slash Chris and the airplane by smoking crack and this is in like chapter two.

I watched your documentary It's So Easy and Other Lies and which was incredible. I love the music and the renditions of the songs that you guys played. The Pedal Steel was beautiful. Nice, oh was it was gorgeous. He's really really moving. It was really great, and I'm listening to the audiobook okay, also really great. I was curious though, in the very start of the book, I think it's chapter one, maybe it's chapter two, you talk about how when Guns n' Roses went on the Usuer Illusion Tour, you traveled in an airplane, like not like a private jet but like commercial airplane. Yeah, and early on you and Slash Chris and the airplane by smoking crack and this is in like chapter two.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, So I was just curious, why did you decide to put that the hard drug use so soon in the book.

Yeah, So I was just curious, why did you decide to put that the hard drug use so soon in the book.

Well, now I start that book. There was a million different ways you could write that book. And I had written so many pieces that became that book for The Weekly, because you know, when you're writing so much. I was writing for the Weekly, I was writing for Playboy financial columns, I was writing for ESPN. I was writing all this stuff. So that kind of creativity, just like songwriting. Yeah, you're a writer, so you know this, ye writing your white two thousand words that begets more, Oh shit, I should write about this. And so I was writing tons of stuff. My word document was just full of documents. I'd kind of name them like so you know, and a lot of this became like that's I can't put that out in the Tall Weekly. It's two personal and it's too like come out of left field, you know. And Tim Moore, who was my editor at Playboy, I asked him to edit my book, which was not write it. I had all these pieces. Can you look at all these pieces? And it helped me, you know, and he would go, okay, you know document six, paragraph four? What did that look like? And feel like it was like a professor. So I'm like, I don't know, man, okay, well need does anybody else? So why don't you write what that? You know what I mean? And then he came to Seattle. We had all and we printed out all the documents and were like, how are we going to put this together? Like arranging a song? You know, you could write it like I'm in the hospital bed and I'm thinking back about my life and what I'm going to do for You could go there and start it that way, but doesn't every like it's just so typical. So I decided there was that thing with my daughter's birthday and I'm walking around the kids, you know, like making sure like no it's nothing's going on, and blah blah blah, and there's these this little kid they're they're kissing around the corner, and I'm like, what am I supposed to do here? And that was a great vehicle for me to get what was I doing at that age? How hard should I be on them? You know, because by that age I was doing this, that and the other before that. In sixth grade, I was doing this. So I kind of bring in the drugs and stuff pretty instantly, surrounded by the story of my daughter's sixteenth birthday party. So then that gave me the accessibility, I think, to go in and you know, bring the crack in. And because that's like one of the dumbest stories there ever was. You know, before the plane even took up, it had these this plane it was a big regular plane, but in the back of had like these four kind of like sweets the couches and a curtain, you know, and we went, maybe it would get on the plane. We got our shit. You got to get rid of it before you land wherever we were going to, So you gotta smoke it. You just started ride away and like this is the most ridiculous thing. We're smoking crack and playing before it by sitting at Alix.

Well, now I start that book. There was a million different ways you could write that book. And I had written so many pieces that became that book for The Weekly, because you know, when you're writing so much. I was writing for the Weekly, I was writing for Playboy financial columns, I was writing for ESPN. I was writing all this stuff. So that kind of creativity, just like songwriting. Yeah, you're a writer, so you know this, ye writing your white two thousand words that begets more, Oh shit, I should write about this. And so I was writing tons of stuff. My word document was just full of documents. I'd kind of name them like so you know, and a lot of this became like that's I can't put that out in the Tall Weekly. It's two personal and it's too like come out of left field, you know. And Tim Moore, who was my editor at Playboy, I asked him to edit my book, which was not write it. I had all these pieces. Can you look at all these pieces? And it helped me, you know, and he would go, okay, you know document six, paragraph four? What did that look like? And feel like it was like a professor. So I'm like, I don't know, man, okay, well need does anybody else? So why don't you write what that? You know what I mean? And then he came to Seattle. We had all and we printed out all the documents and were like, how are we going to put this together? Like arranging a song? You know, you could write it like I'm in the hospital bed and I'm thinking back about my life and what I'm going to do for You could go there and start it that way, but doesn't every like it's just so typical. So I decided there was that thing with my daughter's birthday and I'm walking around the kids, you know, like making sure like no it's nothing's going on, and blah blah blah, and there's these this little kid they're they're kissing around the corner, and I'm like, what am I supposed to do here? And that was a great vehicle for me to get what was I doing at that age? How hard should I be on them? You know, because by that age I was doing this, that and the other before that. In sixth grade, I was doing this. So I kind of bring in the drugs and stuff pretty instantly, surrounded by the story of my daughter's sixteenth birthday party. So then that gave me the accessibility, I think, to go in and you know, bring the crack in. And because that's like one of the dumbest stories there ever was. You know, before the plane even took up, it had these this plane it was a big regular plane, but in the back of had like these four kind of like sweets the couches and a curtain, you know, and we went, maybe it would get on the plane. We got our shit. You got to get rid of it before you land wherever we were going to, So you gotta smoke it. You just started ride away and like this is the most ridiculous thing. We're smoking crack and playing before it by sitting at Alix.

So you thought it was ridiculous at the time, pretty much.

So you thought it was ridiculous at the time, pretty much.

Yeah, I knew this was ridiculous, but let's go on ahead, because we do a lot of ridiculous stuff.

Yeah, I knew this was ridiculous, but let's go on ahead, because we do a lot of ridiculous stuff.

So yeah, do you have to like clear that with slash or it's just whatever at this.

So yeah, do you have to like clear that with slash or it's just whatever at this.

Point, Yeah, yeah, I talked to people, you know, and I really didn't want to write a tell all in any way. You know, there's plenty of tea, and I just thought myself as a you know, I was a writer at that point, and I wanted to really explore, try to you know, I was reading Cormack McCarthy the whole time I was writing interesting, which is a high benchmark of how I like to read. And I really love that hard like chopping Cadence. He's got and you know, economy and and I'll never be him ever. But to read, it's like listen to good music while you're writing. You know, you're not going to copy it, but you're surrounded by good you know.

Point, Yeah, yeah, I talked to people, you know, and I really didn't want to write a tell all in any way. You know, there's plenty of tea, and I just thought myself as a you know, I was a writer at that point, and I wanted to really explore, try to you know, I was reading Cormack McCarthy the whole time I was writing interesting, which is a high benchmark of how I like to read. And I really love that hard like chopping Cadence. He's got and you know, economy and and I'll never be him ever. But to read, it's like listen to good music while you're writing. You know, you're not going to copy it, but you're surrounded by good you know.

Yeah, you're it's in the ether.

Yeah, you're it's in the ether.

It's in the ether. And I and I, you know, I tried to do my best I could at writing an interesting book. Without spilling tea. You know, that's kind of I felt that was a little below what. You know, I'm a dad. You know they're going to read it one day. I'm going to tell them about my drug use when they turned fifteen anyhow, because you got hacked my DNA. Sorry, but we're going to talk about it. Yeah, which we did, so the you know, they saw stuff on YouTube. You know, it's like you can't hide that dad was a you know, heavy user of stuff.

It's in the ether. And I and I, you know, I tried to do my best I could at writing an interesting book. Without spilling tea. You know, that's kind of I felt that was a little below what. You know, I'm a dad. You know they're going to read it one day. I'm going to tell them about my drug use when they turned fifteen anyhow, because you got hacked my DNA. Sorry, but we're going to talk about it. Yeah, which we did, so the you know, they saw stuff on YouTube. You know, it's like you can't hide that dad was a you know, heavy user of stuff.

Yeah. So yeah, I imagine when you're getting ready to write the book and you're thinking about how, you know, putting the puzzle together, when you're working with your editor, how salacious do you go? You know, there's probably a certain side of you that knows some people want just like the sex, drugs, and rock and roll story, but the story with guns is just so much deeper than that.

Yeah. So yeah, I imagine when you're getting ready to write the book and you're thinking about how, you know, putting the puzzle together, when you're working with your editor, how salacious do you go? You know, there's probably a certain side of you that knows some people want just like the sex, drugs, and rock and roll story, but the story with guns is just so much deeper than that.

It's so much deeper than Yeah, I didn't you know in the book, I didn't talk about sex at all. You know, you hear stories of I think it's more like business guys in Wall Street, guys who are all that stuff. You know, that wasn't a thing. Especially you wouldn't write about it, like, come on, right, So but Guns was a lot deeper than that, and it was really a story five guys who found each other like, oh, we've finally got the perfect guys and to be able to like write those songs to get to figure it out. We figured it out, and then nobody saw the world what happened to us around us like we did nobody, So there's nobody else you can really talk to who experienced all of like the plane to two people and three people and then nine and then you know, then packing clubs, and then nobody else liked you in the rest of the world. You know, you go out with Iron Maiden and people, you know call you all the stuff.

It's so much deeper than Yeah, I didn't you know in the book, I didn't talk about sex at all. You know, you hear stories of I think it's more like business guys in Wall Street, guys who are all that stuff. You know, that wasn't a thing. Especially you wouldn't write about it, like, come on, right, So but Guns was a lot deeper than that, and it was really a story five guys who found each other like, oh, we've finally got the perfect guys and to be able to like write those songs to get to figure it out. We figured it out, and then nobody saw the world what happened to us around us like we did nobody, So there's nobody else you can really talk to who experienced all of like the plane to two people and three people and then nine and then you know, then packing clubs, and then nobody else liked you in the rest of the world. You know, you go out with Iron Maiden and people, you know call you all the stuff.

You know, when did you guys go out with Iron Maiden? Was that after appetite?

You know, when did you guys go out with Iron Maiden? Was that after appetite?

Yes, we went out. So we went out with the cult, which was great for us. Came across Canada, down the West Coast, and across over the New Orleans. We did our own little tours, like of the Southwest, we did the club tour of the US. We went to Europe and played clubs and Germany and stuff. But we England we were picking up. Yeah, we had put the EP out and so we'd already played the Marquee in one. So we started really kind of picking up in England and but then you could come back and play, you know, some we started to pick up in the northeast Boston and New York. You know, you knew like when a cop like said, hey, Gods and roses. You know, you're walking down the street this cop him, you know, wow, you know that's like, that's like you're getting into the meat and potatoes of human mind.

Yes, we went out. So we went out with the cult, which was great for us. Came across Canada, down the West Coast, and across over the New Orleans. We did our own little tours, like of the Southwest, we did the club tour of the US. We went to Europe and played clubs and Germany and stuff. But we England we were picking up. Yeah, we had put the EP out and so we'd already played the Marquee in one. So we started really kind of picking up in England and but then you could come back and play, you know, some we started to pick up in the northeast Boston and New York. You know, you knew like when a cop like said, hey, Gods and roses. You know, you're walking down the street this cop him, you know, wow, you know that's like, that's like you're getting into the meat and potatoes of human mind.

It must be interesting to see like who it was first resonating with, like.

It must be interesting to see like who it was first resonating with, like.

Cops, but to see, you know, like for us to you know, start to break through and really break through and then then really really break through. It was so crazy. You know, people thats how has this changed you? And when we got that when it kind of blew up and like eighty nine, I remember getting asked questions I'd never been asking before how does this change? And I thought about it, How does it change me? It must change me? Everyone's asked me the same question, right, And I realized it didn't change me. It's changed how people respond to me. And all of a sudden, I noticed I had a lot more friends suddenly, and my jokes were for funnier, you know, I was suddenly better looking because you know, I was like I was getting you know, hit on. I'm like, well, it's kind of probably out of my league over there. Oh it's because I'm in this band, you know, and they set us up on the thing and we're on teep, we're on MTV and with all that stuff, like it's kind of lonely, you know, like said, when you realize that, it's kind of like, oh shit.

Cops, but to see, you know, like for us to you know, start to break through and really break through and then then really really break through. It was so crazy. You know, people thats how has this changed you? And when we got that when it kind of blew up and like eighty nine, I remember getting asked questions I'd never been asking before how does this change? And I thought about it, How does it change me? It must change me? Everyone's asked me the same question, right, And I realized it didn't change me. It's changed how people respond to me. And all of a sudden, I noticed I had a lot more friends suddenly, and my jokes were for funnier, you know, I was suddenly better looking because you know, I was like I was getting you know, hit on. I'm like, well, it's kind of probably out of my league over there. Oh it's because I'm in this band, you know, and they set us up on the thing and we're on teep, we're on MTV and with all that stuff, like it's kind of lonely, you know, like said, when you realize that, it's kind of like, oh shit.

Did you ever ever have a period where you were like worked it a little bit, like you know, took advantage of it in any way.

Did you ever ever have a period where you were like worked it a little bit, like you know, took advantage of it in any way.

Not my style. It's not really not my style to this day, you know, yeah, no, but I I really kind of went back. I have my best friends I grew up with and they're still my best friends. We have our text group. We've been through it, you know, if one of my body's strung Ona Heroin for you know, fourteen years and like all of has an interesting story, you know, and we've been through it together and so it's it's really nice to have. So I kind of reverted when all that kind of stuff. I just hung on to my buddies and like, uh, this is kind of weird, guys, you know, like so deep. It was a deep band, you know, like, yeah, listen like Paradise City, the Captain America's Got a Broken Heart. You know, it's like it's deep, it's heavy shit. You know Brownstone about getting strung out on Heroin, you know, yeah, like it's not your average you know, hey, rock and roll. You know, it's like the subject matter is kind of deep.

Not my style. It's not really not my style to this day, you know, yeah, no, but I I really kind of went back. I have my best friends I grew up with and they're still my best friends. We have our text group. We've been through it, you know, if one of my body's strung Ona Heroin for you know, fourteen years and like all of has an interesting story, you know, and we've been through it together and so it's it's really nice to have. So I kind of reverted when all that kind of stuff. I just hung on to my buddies and like, uh, this is kind of weird, guys, you know, like so deep. It was a deep band, you know, like, yeah, listen like Paradise City, the Captain America's Got a Broken Heart. You know, it's like it's deep, it's heavy shit. You know Brownstone about getting strung out on Heroin, you know, yeah, like it's not your average you know, hey, rock and roll. You know, it's like the subject matter is kind of deep.

Yeah. And I always thought it was interesting that so much was made about guns and roses being so wild and hell raisers and but it's pretty obvious that you guys were extremely driven. Yeah, and I know that. You know, you went back to school, you studied business, and but even back in the day when you guys were first offered contracts, you know, before you're even offered full record deals, you were turning stuff down because you knew, you know that, like this, this isn't good enough for us, and you held out, which it must be so hard to do.

Yeah. And I always thought it was interesting that so much was made about guns and roses being so wild and hell raisers and but it's pretty obvious that you guys were extremely driven. Yeah, and I know that. You know, you went back to school, you studied business, and but even back in the day when you guys were first offered contracts, you know, before you're even offered full record deals, you were turning stuff down because you knew, you know that, like this, this isn't good enough for us, and you held out, which it must be so hard to do.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we got offered ten thousand bucks for the rights to switch out of Mind, you know, like ten thousand dollars when you're starting literally you're not you know, we're working like phone sales jobs and stuff and paying for a rehearsal place and had days when you just couldn't even for top ramen. You know, yeah, ten thousand bucks, it's like we're rich. But if we just thought if and it was for the guy was smart. It was a he knew we welcome to jungle. He saw us playing in the clubs. He's like, I'll offer you ten grandpa publishing on that we didn't know what publishing really meant. Yeah, but if it's worth ten thousand dollars to him, it's got to be worth that does at least. And then we got offered a publishing deal and this is after we got signed two hundred Well, if it's worth two hundred thousand, I mean that's like five bajillion dollars to us at that point. Yeah, but if it's worth that much to them, we don't really know what publishing is or how it works. It's got to be worth that to us, you know, why give it to them. So we were kind of like a little streak gang. And when we started making money, even like we get got accountants, you have to get account like, what the fuck is you know, we're all smart, We're a smart guy.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we got offered ten thousand bucks for the rights to switch out of Mind, you know, like ten thousand dollars when you're starting literally you're not you know, we're working like phone sales jobs and stuff and paying for a rehearsal place and had days when you just couldn't even for top ramen. You know, yeah, ten thousand bucks, it's like we're rich. But if we just thought if and it was for the guy was smart. It was a he knew we welcome to jungle. He saw us playing in the clubs. He's like, I'll offer you ten grandpa publishing on that we didn't know what publishing really meant. Yeah, but if it's worth ten thousand dollars to him, it's got to be worth that does at least. And then we got offered a publishing deal and this is after we got signed two hundred Well, if it's worth two hundred thousand, I mean that's like five bajillion dollars to us at that point. Yeah, but if it's worth that much to them, we don't really know what publishing is or how it works. It's got to be worth that to us, you know, why give it to them. So we were kind of like a little streak gang. And when we started making money, even like we get got accountants, you have to get account like, what the fuck is you know, we're all smart, We're a smart guy.

And we were like yeah, yeah, but also very driven, just you know, It's like everyone kind of thinks of you guys as like hard partying, don't give a fuck like all that and that. I mean, I'm sure that that's true too, But you're also very driven.

And we were like yeah, yeah, but also very driven, just you know, It's like everyone kind of thinks of you guys as like hard partying, don't give a fuck like all that and that. I mean, I'm sure that that's true too, But you're also very driven.

Yeah, nobody rehearsed more than us. No, we worked harder, you know, like and still like when we we go out on tour, you know, and we thought we just didn't We're going to rehearse for six weeks, you know, six days a week, not just going and fuck around the talk because we put you put the interns in and we're playing and we play for hours.

Yeah, nobody rehearsed more than us. No, we worked harder, you know, like and still like when we we go out on tour, you know, and we thought we just didn't We're going to rehearse for six weeks, you know, six days a week, not just going and fuck around the talk because we put you put the interns in and we're playing and we play for hours.

So in those early sessions, when you in that era when Guns was looking for a producer and you met with a bunch of different people trying to find the right fit, how did those early songwriting sessions work, because I've heard you say it was pretty collaborative.

So in those early sessions, when you in that era when Guns was looking for a producer and you met with a bunch of different people trying to find the right fit, how did those early songwriting sessions work, because I've heard you say it was pretty collaborative.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Coming up with the music and then finding a producer later that two different things. We were done with Appetite plus other songs. By the time we started looking for a producer, we knew our songs well enough that we didn't want a producer who would get into the songs. We didn't want to put somebody touching a note I'm not going to touch in it. We wanted to sound like we sound in our little rehearsal because it sounded fucking great. Yeah. So but we went to you know like there was there was like Mutt Lane who'd done back in Black and stuff, and like, I mean that's a great, dry sounding record, you know, but he was to get him. He was more than just a walk in the room with more than We got two hundred and fifty grand to make our first record. Yeah, and that would have to pay for you know, that's an including and advanced to us so we could live stuff our jobs. It's an amazing day. But we'd written songs. We had this a lot of times. We ran on acoustic guitars because that's how we had and The Night Train was written on acoustic guitar, and we'd go out, like I remember that in particular, we've drinking in the Night Train, you know, this cheap booze. It was like, I don't know, dollar twenty seven cents a bottle, and we were going to go out and fly her for a gig that, yeah, which is something we would go out and do together. You know, at least a couple of us ago. This night we were going out as a band. We're going to cover a hole any walk, you know, got your bucket of paste and you got flyers in here, and we just kept singing the chorus for night Train And because we kind of written we were all got together I think at Izzy's apartment beforehand, and came up with the genesis of that, and we were singing it because we didn't have phones and shit to record stuff. Yeah, I have to remember what you wrote, so a lot of times you just go around seeing it. But we landed on some really cool shit, you know. I remember like landing on the notes for Michelle mounts Now and it just killed it. We just played that riff for it hours, you know, and then you have to come up with other bits and so bits and pieces.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Coming up with the music and then finding a producer later that two different things. We were done with Appetite plus other songs. By the time we started looking for a producer, we knew our songs well enough that we didn't want a producer who would get into the songs. We didn't want to put somebody touching a note I'm not going to touch in it. We wanted to sound like we sound in our little rehearsal because it sounded fucking great. Yeah. So but we went to you know like there was there was like Mutt Lane who'd done back in Black and stuff, and like, I mean that's a great, dry sounding record, you know, but he was to get him. He was more than just a walk in the room with more than We got two hundred and fifty grand to make our first record. Yeah, and that would have to pay for you know, that's an including and advanced to us so we could live stuff our jobs. It's an amazing day. But we'd written songs. We had this a lot of times. We ran on acoustic guitars because that's how we had and The Night Train was written on acoustic guitar, and we'd go out, like I remember that in particular, we've drinking in the Night Train, you know, this cheap booze. It was like, I don't know, dollar twenty seven cents a bottle, and we were going to go out and fly her for a gig that, yeah, which is something we would go out and do together. You know, at least a couple of us ago. This night we were going out as a band. We're going to cover a hole any walk, you know, got your bucket of paste and you got flyers in here, and we just kept singing the chorus for night Train And because we kind of written we were all got together I think at Izzy's apartment beforehand, and came up with the genesis of that, and we were singing it because we didn't have phones and shit to record stuff. Yeah, I have to remember what you wrote, so a lot of times you just go around seeing it. But we landed on some really cool shit, you know. I remember like landing on the notes for Michelle mounts Now and it just killed it. We just played that riff for it hours, you know, and then you have to come up with other bits and so bits and pieces.

Who came up with the whistle in Paradise City?

Who came up with the whistle in Paradise City?

Axcellent? I think I think you had a whistle. It's like a necklace, you know, like this cool whistle. You know, you used the stuff that's around you. If you're making a record on budget. One of the songs has like a whatever that thing is really called. But he used a comb and wax paper for that, Like we need that sound that's like in seventies cop you know TV shows, so you use what's around you. And but finding a producer, you know, we found Mike Clink after you know, we we sat with Paul Stanley, you know, just because like, well Paul Stanley can kiss if nothing else, like he came and roger'son SAT and watched us, you know, you know that's a dirty show. And then he came to have a meeting with us about producing the record. It wasn't the right fit. We could tell. We were talking about music. His idea of what should be in our idea was different. But that was fine, you know.

Axcellent? I think I think you had a whistle. It's like a necklace, you know, like this cool whistle. You know, you used the stuff that's around you. If you're making a record on budget. One of the songs has like a whatever that thing is really called. But he used a comb and wax paper for that, Like we need that sound that's like in seventies cop you know TV shows, so you use what's around you. And but finding a producer, you know, we found Mike Clink after you know, we we sat with Paul Stanley, you know, just because like, well Paul Stanley can kiss if nothing else, like he came and roger'son SAT and watched us, you know, you know that's a dirty show. And then he came to have a meeting with us about producing the record. It wasn't the right fit. We could tell. We were talking about music. His idea of what should be in our idea was different. But that was fine, you know.

But yeah, but again it's like another instance where you guys are confident in your sound, where you can say no to somebody like that.

But yeah, but again it's like another instance where you guys are confident in your sound, where you can say no to somebody like that.

Well, we just knew, and we knew we were at the age that we should know, right like whatever was going to be next in rock was going to be on our shoulders. And somebody who was maybe wasn't with us through the whole thing, who understood it completely, they just wouldn't understand it. You know. We just wanted microphones up against our amps and around the drums and capture axel, you know. Yeah, and we had these backing vocals that we wanted to really like. You know, if you listen to the appetite, backing vocals are like such a big part of it. You know. We wanted that to do a thing. But Mike Clink came into where we he didn't really want to sit down and talk too much. He said, what why don't I come down and record you guys. I gotta like eight track reel to reel. Okay, And he came, set up some mics and then recorded us and then and played it back for us. You know, I had a little setup to play it back, and it sounds fucking killer, right, because well, that's all we need to do is just capture you know. It's like the mic through the cord and then through the board onto the tape. That's what all we're trying to do. He wanted to catch the purest form of that and like, okay, great, So we we tried some tracks with like Spencer Proffer and that's actually where we made the live like a suicide EP. It was at Spencer Proffers studio. Well, we had a day to ourselves and we just we had an engineer there. We made the live like a suicide record. It's not actually live. That's why there's a question mark and all that stuff. Oh okay, we weren't a big band. The joke is we weren't big enough to have a big audience. Our audiences were like twelve people at that point. Did you hear this roar? They had the Texas Jam audience? Uh, live from the Texas Jam was like all these huge bands, We're like, let's use that audience. Oh so you hear like the loud roars and the firecrackers. We just let firecrackers off in the studio, you know. But we got you know, we tried out different producers.

Well, we just knew, and we knew we were at the age that we should know, right like whatever was going to be next in rock was going to be on our shoulders. And somebody who was maybe wasn't with us through the whole thing, who understood it completely, they just wouldn't understand it. You know. We just wanted microphones up against our amps and around the drums and capture axel, you know. Yeah, and we had these backing vocals that we wanted to really like. You know, if you listen to the appetite, backing vocals are like such a big part of it. You know. We wanted that to do a thing. But Mike Clink came into where we he didn't really want to sit down and talk too much. He said, what why don't I come down and record you guys. I gotta like eight track reel to reel. Okay, And he came, set up some mics and then recorded us and then and played it back for us. You know, I had a little setup to play it back, and it sounds fucking killer, right, because well, that's all we need to do is just capture you know. It's like the mic through the cord and then through the board onto the tape. That's what all we're trying to do. He wanted to catch the purest form of that and like, okay, great, So we we tried some tracks with like Spencer Proffer and that's actually where we made the live like a suicide EP. It was at Spencer Proffers studio. Well, we had a day to ourselves and we just we had an engineer there. We made the live like a suicide record. It's not actually live. That's why there's a question mark and all that stuff. Oh okay, we weren't a big band. The joke is we weren't big enough to have a big audience. Our audiences were like twelve people at that point. Did you hear this roar? They had the Texas Jam audience? Uh, live from the Texas Jam was like all these huge bands, We're like, let's use that audience. Oh so you hear like the loud roars and the firecrackers. We just let firecrackers off in the studio, you know. But we got you know, we tried out different producers.

And then you worked with Dan McCafferty, Dan.

And then you worked with Dan McCafferty, Dan.

Mccaff from Nazareth. Those records just sound great. I mean, oh, it's the precursor to ac DC and to that cult electric record. You know. It's like very dry, just in your face recording. And they so we tried Dan and we did get twenty nine songs recorded. Sounds shitty.

Mccaff from Nazareth. Those records just sound great. I mean, oh, it's the precursor to ac DC and to that cult electric record. You know. It's like very dry, just in your face recording. And they so we tried Dan and we did get twenty nine songs recorded. Sounds shitty.

You can hear them. They're on Spotify.

You can hear them. They're on Spotify.

Yeah, there's a box that we put out. We finally put those songs out, twenty seven song whatever, it was, all the covers we did Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis and all this stuff, but landing on Mike, you know, he just just did to capture you guys. And when we got into that Rumbo recorders, he was really good at like kind of corralling us, like, okay, we do a take. There's only I mean, I think all of that record is first second or three it takes. I've every saw we were, We played all the time. You know, we didn't need to do nineteen takes of anything. And Steven was was crushing it then, so we didn't need to get like we don't got the drum take yet. We'd have it, you know. So and Mike was really good at like we had headphones on first time, kind of using headphones and all that stuff, and he knew it was all kind of alien to us, and he would come on the thing you talk to them, all right, guys, it's time to dig in. This is the one. You know. He'd let us get one out, you know, and maybe we use that first one. But he's like, okay, guys, dig in. And he had this kind of voice in a way about him, very gentle. Never you never got out of you know, he was just he's always just been this general guy. All Right, guys, it's time to dig in. When Mike you said that you knew like somebody's fucking around too much or something. All right, we'll go we'll dig in. We'll dig in for Yeah.

Yeah, there's a box that we put out. We finally put those songs out, twenty seven song whatever, it was, all the covers we did Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis and all this stuff, but landing on Mike, you know, he just just did to capture you guys. And when we got into that Rumbo recorders, he was really good at like kind of corralling us, like, okay, we do a take. There's only I mean, I think all of that record is first second or three it takes. I've every saw we were, We played all the time. You know, we didn't need to do nineteen takes of anything. And Steven was was crushing it then, so we didn't need to get like we don't got the drum take yet. We'd have it, you know. So and Mike was really good at like we had headphones on first time, kind of using headphones and all that stuff, and he knew it was all kind of alien to us, and he would come on the thing you talk to them, all right, guys, it's time to dig in. This is the one. You know. He'd let us get one out, you know, and maybe we use that first one. But he's like, okay, guys, dig in. And he had this kind of voice in a way about him, very gentle. Never you never got out of you know, he was just he's always just been this general guy. All Right, guys, it's time to dig in. When Mike you said that you knew like somebody's fucking around too much or something. All right, we'll go we'll dig in. We'll dig in for Yeah.

And were you guys doing overdubs and stuff or was it just all one take?

And were you guys doing overdubs and stuff or was it just all one take?

Basic drums are pretty much one yeah, one take through that stuff, Slash understood that he could put his guitars on again, so he when we were doing they're called basic tracks, he drank like a fiend. And so I wish we could get out takes some of that his guitars. We'd have to turn it off because he was so out. He was so hammered, you know, like Slash, we're trying to get basic tracks here, he'd be laughing and stuff, and like so he did. I think he probably kept some of his guitars, And is these guitars on on those basic tracks because everything was isolated. If it was a good take and it sounded good, like why do it again?

Basic drums are pretty much one yeah, one take through that stuff, Slash understood that he could put his guitars on again, so he when we were doing they're called basic tracks, he drank like a fiend. And so I wish we could get out takes some of that his guitars. We'd have to turn it off because he was so out. He was so hammered, you know, like Slash, we're trying to get basic tracks here, he'd be laughing and stuff, and like so he did. I think he probably kept some of his guitars, And is these guitars on on those basic tracks because everything was isolated. If it was a good take and it sounded good, like why do it again?

So Slash would be like noodling and like jamming and just like going off the script basically, yeah.