Best known for playing bass formerly with Guns N Roses and currently in Velvet Revolver, Duff McKagan is currently touring with his latest project, Duff McKagan's Loaded. Although Duff formed the group in 1998, the band finally released their full length debut album "Sick" in April of 2009. With the first single "Flatline" already receiving solid radio play around the country, McKagan and the band continue to tour North America gaining new fans along the way who aren't used to seeing Duff as the lead vocalist and guitarist.
We caught up with
McKagan recently to get his thoughts on being the lead vocalist and writing songs on the guitar, which is what he's been doing since he was thirteen.
"It's not a different mindset because Loaded has been around for ten years. Even during the time when VR was really busy, Loaded would still play a couple times a year. Playing guitar and singing is how I've written songs since I was thirteen. I suppose for me it's a different way to look at a song or look at music and approach it and when I'm playing bass it's definitely more of an aggressive mind set for me and I don't know why that is but it is."
Duff also talked about how much fun he's having and how confident he is in his band, his songs and his vocal ability.
"The whole band came together at the right time to do this record and we were really, really inspired. When you're inspired and playing music things do come easier. When you have that confidence in your songs and your band you stop caring about how somebody might judge you or write about you or review a gig because you know that it was kick ass. I've been having a lot of fun and maybe singing better because of it and sort of being the center piece of this band, I've been having a blast."
The first single "Flatline" is now streaming at www.playboy.com and it just so happens Duff is also writing a weekly financial column "Duffonomics" on playboy.com as well where he hopes to "shed some no-nonsense light on day-to-day money issues." Duff has also penned a two-page "Success" column in the March issue of Playboy magazine and he also continues to contribute his "Reverb" column to the Seattle Weekly. Duff McKagan's Loaded will be performing at Rock on the Range May 16th in Columbus, Oh and the band has North America tour dates booked until May 31st in Indianola, IA. The band will then head overseas for a run of European festival dates for the month of June.
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Duff McKagan On Playing Guitar And Singing In Loaded
