It's So Easy - Duff Mckagan [152]
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Duff McKagan played drums, guitar, and bass in punk bands in Seattle before taking his bass and moving to Los Angeles at the age of twenty. There, he and four new friends soon cofounded Guns N’ Roses, whose Appetite for Destruction became the bestselling debut album in history. In 1994, McKagan barely survived when his pancreas burst as a result of drug and alcohol abuse. After thirteen years in GN’R, he left to start a family and study business at Seattle University. He went on to form the bands Loaded and Velvet Revolver, as well as to play stints in Alice in Chains and Jane’s Addiction.
ABOUT THE COLLABORATOR
Tim Mohr is an award-winning translator of German novels, whose own writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and The eXile, among other publications. He also spent several years as a staff editor at Playboy magazine, where he worked with writers including Hunter S. Thompson, Matt Taibbi, and Harvey Pekar. Prior to joining Playboy, he made his living as a club DJ in Berlin. He is currently at work on a history of East German punk rock.
My brother Mark left for Vietnam when I was three years old. That’s me bawling my head off with my mother and my brother Matt beside me. This is one of my first memories ever.
With all of my sibs, looking oh so groovy for 1972. That’s me in the middle in the “UW” shirt.
Playing rhythm guitar with Ten Minute Warning in 1982 at the Metropolis in Seattle. Photograph by Charles Peterson.
With Ten Minute Warning in 1983. I had all of the hope in the world. Photograph by Charles Peterson.
With my dad in 1987. It would be years before we ever became close— and that was only after my wife, Susan, encouraged me to reach out to him. I’m so glad I did. We had a pretty good relationship by the time he passed away in 2007.
With Ed—bachelor pad, 1984— three months before I would take off for L.A.
My apartment in L.A. next to West’s. A musical centrifuge of characters.
The Vains—Chris, Andy, and me—gearing up for a show, circa 1979. Photograph © Lance Mercer.
Flyer for our 1985 show in Seattle: the first and only gig of the Hell Tour. The show ended up being shifted to June 12, and into the other (smaller) room at the same venue. Photograph © Lance Mercer.
Rare photos from the recording sessions for Live Like a Suicide! at Pasha Studio in Hollywood. Photographs by Jeff Clark.
Owning the right side of the stage with Izzy at an early Guns gig. He and I have remained good friends to this day. Photograph by Marc Canter.
Onstage, 1986, with Guns. This is the bass that I got just before I moved to L.A. It’s the one I wrote all the bass lines for Appetite on. Photograph by Jack Lue.
Now that is a rock and roll band. Photograph by Marc Canter.
They called us the Rose Bros then. Photograph by Jack Lue.
Slash’s playing blew my mind from the first moment. Photograph by Marc Canter.
Hair falling out and gloves on to protect my cracking hands. Puffy as fuck.
Bloated and hopeless, just before the fall.
With Cully in the hills above L.A. Riding mountain bikes was a large part of my learning how to live a new life. Photograph by Chris Hatounian.
With Andy in 1995. I was one year sober, and he looks relieved.
In Hawaii. I think I just found out Susan was pregnant. Susan took this photo.
Susan and I with brand-newborn Grace. The beginning stages of me becoming a grown-up.
I was glad that my mom got to know Grace.
Teaching Grace to swim, under the watchful eyes of Barney and Chloe.
Susan I get married in Seattle! Grace was our flower girl.
Grace and I backstage at a Velvet Revolver gig.
Baby Mae! In every picture I own of her as an infant, I am kissing those cheeks!
Velvet