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Mothers are wise when it comes to world politics

I grew up in an interesting time; two of my brothers were in the Vietnam War when I was a little kid. I would ask my mom: “Why? What’s a war?” She said: “Well, two old guys don’t agree, and they send all the young men to go fight.” And I’ve found no better answer than that, to this day, that is the correct answer. It’s still the old fucking men doing this, for the most part.

I can see bullshit where I see bullshit. And there’s just so much bullshit right now. I get to travel a ton, and what I found is people are mostly polite. Nobody asks you about your politics. I can’t watch CNN over here. In America, the news has become so divisive and Trump-centric. There’s just too much. It’s too much to watch on anybody. Biden or Trump or anybody. These guys are all full of shit.

 

Punk rock is a great teacher

I borrowed a Stiff Little Fingers record from a friend when I was fourteen or so, and I was playing it on our living room stereo. My mom’s dad came from Cork, so she was connected with what was going on in Ireland at that time, and she heard me playing this record. I didn’t know it was political. I didn’t know what a ‘suspect device’ was, I didn’t know it was a bomb. She heard this and she read the lyrics. She said: “Oh these poor boys. They’re growing up in war in Belfast.” So I learned history through Stiff Little Fingers and my mom. I got to get my worldview education through a lot of punk rock.

Fatherhood is a life-changing experience

It’s an honour to be a father of daughters. It’s a responsibility. When they’re growing up, what they spot in the male species comes from you, you’re gonna inform them. And it becomes pretty apparent early on. I gotta be careful what I say, what I do. My actions around them have been very pure and straightforward, and I gotta think first before I do anything. Which is always good, think first before you do. But it’s just been such a joy raising these girls. It’s super-fun. They’re really great young women. Susan and I are both really very pleased.

Artificial intelligence isn’t much of a threat to rock’n’roll

As far as music goes, for a rock band like Guns N’ Roses it doesn’t apply. I don’t think it could. There’s nothing better than sitting down and writing a song on an acoustic guitar. There’ll never be anything better than that. I see there’s AI art on Instagram on Guns N’ Roses, and some of the stuff’s great, and my skin always looks amazing in it. I’m like: “I like this AI, my hair! That coat! I wish I had that coat!” But in seriousness, I don’t know enough about it. As far as it applies to music, I don’t see it at all.

A sense of style never goes out of fashion

I like good clothes. I like a good cut of a suit jacket. I like a good button-down shirt. It’s got to hang just right. I look at style, and mine probably came from the punk-rock scene, Generation X and Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers. Those guys looked so cool. I still just try to look as cool as that.

 

Life’s too short to hold a grudge

I don’t hold grudges. There’s no time for that. I learned this in my teenage years. I know how I learned it, but that’s not important. What’s important is that I was able to move on from it, because I felt it was really causing tightness in my chest and not letting me be a full person. And when you’re sixteen or seventeen and you learn something like that, it kind of stays.

There’s things I’ve had to work on in my life, like big events that happened to me that left a mark. I’ve done some work about that. There was a waterskiing accident I got into where I almost drowned, that kind of fucked me up a little bit. We all have things like that in our life that we’ve experienced, and that was one of mine. So I did some work later on, but that’s not a grudge, that’s just working on some things that get trapped inside you, and those things can be a bit caustic. I didn’t see a reason to hold on to them.

Pactising martial arts can make you a better person

I do a martial art called Ukidokan. It looks like kickboxing. Being in the ring is just a representation. When you’re sparring with somebody in the ring, and you don’t know who that person is, and you see fear or you see anger, you can see it all. The more years you put into it, you can see the whole person, you know what they’re gonna do.

Outside of that ring, you apply all these lessons to life: relax and breathe, and smile. Smile at your scared opponent and help them. If he’s swinging wildly, chill him out. You’re gonna make him a better fighter if you show him the way, as opposed to knocking him out. There’s two different ways to do that. You can get angry too, and just start swinging wildly as well, or you can calm the situation down. You duck, you block them and you calm them down. You teach them how it’s done. And that’s fighting.

And it really works outside in life. It works in my family, being a dad. I’ll always reference that first, then it helps with your wife and kids and it always helps my friendships, it helps in business. It helps every facet of my life.

 

Duff McKagan’s solo UK and Europe tour begins on September 30. Tickets are available now. The expanded edition of Lighthouse is out now via UMe.

 

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/jarmo

["Smile at your scared opponent and help them. If he's swinging wildly, chill him out": The Gospel according to Duff McKagan]

https://www.loudersound.com/features/duff-mckagan-gospel

 
"Smile at your scared opponent and help them. If he's swinging wildly, chill him out": The Gospel according to Duff McKagan

By Emma Johnston

( Classic Rock )

 

Addiction can be beaten. Understand money. Put your partner first. Don’t hold grudges. Clothes maketh the man. These are among the things that shape Duff McKagan's world view

 

There are wild scenes in the McKagan household as Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan logs in to a video call for a chat with Classic Rock. Hadley, his puppy, is chewing up the room – which has stunning, peaceful views over a Seattle lake – desperate for someone to throw him a ball. It’s a scene of domestic contentment a million miles from the chaos of GN’R at their most hedonistic, and it’s the perfect backdrop for McKagan as he prepares to tour with songs from his solo albums Tenderness and Lighthouse, which themselves show his softer side.

“The way I wrote these songs is with an acoustic guitar up against my chest,” McKagan says. “I finally learned to listen to that reverberation of the guitar against your chest cavity, and that’ll tell you what to say and what melodies to sing. It just comes to you, guiding you.”

With this in mind, it seems like a good time to channel that inner voice and discover what wisdom he’s learned over the years.

 

Everything you need to know about rock’n’roll, you can learn from the Rolling Stones

My god, Mick moves like he’s thirty years old. I’m an athlete, I work out every day. You have to be an athlete to do what we do, three-hour shows. You’ve got to be fit and you’ve got to train in really smart ways. Be lighter than you are. And he’s just next-level on that. His posture’s straight and his feet are really light and he sings great. Ronnie and Keith’s guitar sounds are amazing. The band’s really gelling right now. It’s great to see.

Seattle is a city of survivors

The early days here, the punk rock days into what’s called the grunge days, all this heroin came into this area. It was a port city. That’s why I left for Hollywood. I found out going to Hollywood, you couldn’t pull a geographical on heroin, it was there too. But it really did a number on this city. So there’s a lot of survivors that are my friends. And that kind of thing is heavy.

The secret to a happy marriage is putting each other first

I’ve been with Susan [Holmes] twenty-seven years. I think the secret is we really like each other, we really dig each other. But what I’ve discovered in the last ten or fifteen years is she’s got my back no matter what; my best interests are her best interests. And the same the other way around. We trust each other. If one of us wants to make a move on something, it’s for us. It’s not a selfish thing.

 

Ayone can develop a business brain

I delayed myself in my twenties with the drink and the drugs. And I knew, even during that time, there’s way more to you than getting loaded, and I hated being addicted. But when I came out of that, and met Susan, I’m like, I’m gonna go to college, I’m gonna stop going on the road loaded, and we’re gonna be here for our children.

I went to Seattle University, the business school. You know, business school, there’s no big secret. It’s just there’s terminology and stuff that’s unneeded, and it kind of blocks the average people like me and you. Business school just unlocked all those dumb terms.

I really went to business school for selfish reasons. In my twenties I made money. I didn’t know what money was, I was afraid of it. I didn’t know if it’d last. Like: “How do I do any of this?” So that’s why I went in the first place, and then that kind of ballooned out a little bit to “I’m [an] expert guy in the business”, which I’m really not, but I’m attentive to it. I know how things work.

Addiction can be beaten, you can get sober

If I can do it, anybody can do it. Because I was just really a lost cause, I couldn’t figure out a way out. And I finally did, and once I got out around the corner there was no looking back on that. So there’s hope for you.

Making time for downtime can be tricky

I have to talk myself into chilling. I came up in a family with a work ethic and depression-era values: work hard, never let up. So I’m in the studio right now. I can’t just come to Seattle and do nothing. I stay busy. My wife and I finally went to Hawaii. I did want to put my feet in the sand after that long Guns N’ Roses tour. I brought my guitar, I wrote a lot of lyrics and songs, but I kind of learned how to just play ball with my dog, take him for walks. I was like: “I can actually do this. This is kind of amazing. I don’t feel like I need to do something.” But that’s a first.

Well shit.  They installed the sigh in my bed right by the main door to the party this weekend.  Trampled all over it.  I'll probably grab some big mums and mulch the area.  The plants in there are perennials so they will be back.  I was planning on renovating that bed after the sign went in.  Little bit more to the left and not as tall would have been my preference but I'll garden around it.

Tom didn't show up today so we didn't work on the remaining shelving.  The guy never misses so I was a little freaked but he had emailed I saw when I got home.  Tomorrow we shop for Marsha's life celebration.  That's this weekend.

Yeah, that was my point. No need to spend the amount of money for the Slash version if it needs amendment and more or less sounds similar to my Muse. I love my Muse but I'm looking for soemthing different and from your recommendation the Slash version won't do the thing for me. Will look around for something different but still need to be clear with myself what exactly I want to hear as a sound.

Thanks man, really useful. Appreciated. I'm not looking for a Slash sound just want to try something different than the Epiphone Muse I currently play on. I do think that I can find a similar price guitar without the need of changing and amending anything in this case which may sound better. Of course it depends on what sound I'm looking for which is actually the problem because I'm still not really sure.  . Anyways, thanks for the review once again.  

They are SO similar.  The pickups are different (and I like the Alnico Classics in the Muse a little better...they sound warmer to me).  The wood type is different and the Muse is a lighter.  But other than consmetics and the type of wood they use.....I'm not sure it's worth the $$?  Just my humble opinion?  You're putting down a decent chunk of cash for what I would say is a marginal upgrade....with a lot of the same down sides that most epiphones have (aka tuning them CONSTANTLY).

The Slash version probably has more upside if you were to bench it, just because then you're stripping down to the body/neck material, which is the real upgrade.  But off the shelf?  I would have to play one and make the decision if it was worth it to me.  Depends on how much you like your Muse.  If you really love it....nah.

Save the cash and start looking for a used 2010ish Gibson Standard.  I've seen them as low as 1500 in good shape. Troll some pawn shops and you might even find one for less than that.

Susan's okay, they just wanted to change her Rx.  Could have did that over the phone, right?  You let your friends tell you what they want to tell you.

David Grohl made a statement about having a baby with a woman not his wife.  Wonder what prompted that?  Something for people to talk about I guess but did anybody congratulate him?  So many deaths, I'm not going to put down a birth.  What's her name?

https://fb.watch/uwjmI84Z1y/

I ended up talking until the coughing took over.  That's me in the green shirt and Kevin.  God the gardens are dry.  We would have been so much prettier if it had rained.  I got off on my soapbox about native plants and bugs, good back up from Deana on talking about pollinators.  Elliott has one plant, a palm tree, he has gone to great lengths to take care of this plant.    It's growing concern for everybody who watched the news.  1.2k views already.  Nice guy.

Tie my hands down and I can't talk.  

I did follow up on the money for the Herb garden renovation.  She forgot about it!  But she does still have the money.  Jim on the other hand is on vacation half of October, he's the builder.

Thanks man, really useful. Appreciated. I'm not looking for a Slash sound just want to try something different than the Epiphone Muse I currently play on. I do think that I can find a similar price guitar without the need of changing and amending anything in this case which may sound better. Of course it depends on what sound I'm looking for which is actually the problem because I'm still not really sure.  . Anyways, thanks for the review once again. 

Anyone tried Epiphone Slash Appetite Burst? Is it any good? I play myself on Epiphone Les Paul Muse, not bad at all and I think it's worth the money I'd paid for. I played classic Stratocaster for years and it was good as well but decided to try an Epiphone. Now I'm thinking of buying something new and wondering around. Not playing professionally although I have some small gigs here and there.

PS. Sorry for the offtopic.

The Burst isn't bad (just avoid it's lower priced brother "Appetite Amber").  

I have a few complaints but given the price point.....they're probably nitpicky.

I don't love the pickups (I think they're the Epiphone Probuckers...I think the 2s, not the 3s?).  They're not the Gibsons (yeah, I know....that's why they make the Gibson Standard Burst) and it shows, to me. They're just a little too bright.  Easy to fix with some bench time, and not all that expensive an upgrade, but...that's kind of the point.  I feel like they could have thrown in the better pickups at the same price point ($999 MSRP in the US).

The neck is kind of bendy, in a bad way. I don't know how to explain it. Not a "willowy" bend like a single piece gives you. Since it's not a solid piece, and especially when you're bending strings, you can feel the give a little bit, in a bad way, at the heel especially.  Some people actually like this.  It makes me nervous.

The switches and knobs feel cheap.  I mean, it is an epiphone.  It is made in China.  So that's pretty much par for the course.  But I don't know if I would ever want to gig with this guitar because I suspect that kind of use would wear some of the components out super quick.  Again, some bench time and you could replace the components pretty easily and not spend a lot to do it.

Some things to note:

It's the C shaped neck, not the 50's style.  That might matter to you if you want the authentic feel of what Slash is actually playing.  

Its a double segment (not single piece) body, but I don't notice a big sonic difference from it.

The head stock is a little different than the standard.

The frets are sharp, out of the case, for the Epiphone (and no edge binding for them).  Again, a good set up and some wear will fix this....but be careful when you first rip into it...or it will rip into you!

For me....I'd pick it up on sale (you can find it as low as $720 US) and then put the $250 or so back into it with new pickups, upgrade the electronics, and have a good setup (with some fret edge filing!) done to it and it would be a LOT better than it is off the shelf.  And you could gig with it, with the upgrades, I think.

The only thing you can't really "fix" is the neck stability and I think that's just up to personal choice and play style.

Hope that helps!

Anyone tried Epiphone Slash Appetite Burst? Is it any good? I play myself on Epiphone Les Paul Muse, not bad at all and I think it's worth the money I'd paid for. I played classic Stratocaster for years and it was good as well but decided to try an Epiphone. Now I'm thinking of buying something new and wondering around. Not playing professionally although I have some small gigs here and there.

PS. Sorry for the offtopic.