Superstar Facts & Pics - No.16 - 1988

One-on-one with the boss bassman of Guns N' Roses.


Q: You're on the road so much these days, what do you do in your spare time?
A: I read a lot. I started a book called The Ultimate Evil by Maury Terry that's really scary.

Q: How can you stay sane in the midst of all this rock 'n' roll craziness?
A: By the people around me. The guys in the road crew, the guys I hang out with… and my girlfriend. They keep me together.

Q: Who else influences you?
A: The guys in the band… and my family. Especially my brothers.

Q: Who are your bass guitar influences?
A: Nobody. Except maybe Sid Vicious. He was the coolest bass player ever.

Q: But he hardly knew how to play at all!
A: I know, but that adds to it. He got away with it, didn't he?

Q: Not for long. But let's get back to you. If you weren't doing this, what would you be?
A: I can't imagine myself doing anything else.

Q: How would you describe yourself as a person?
A: Down-to-earth, a lover of music and making music and making love. I love to make people happy and I think I'm basically a good person… despite what you might read about me.

Q: I read that Guns N' Roses trashed the Girls Room at the Whiskey club in Los Angeles.
A: Now that is true. But we just broke a few mirrors, that's all.

Q: The thing I like about the band is that you back up all the outrageous stories with some of the best rock 'n' roll around.
A: Yeah, thanks. We knew people were getting turned off with all the stories that came out about us in the press even before our first album came out. Hell, I don't blame 'em. But we were very confident about the record we were about to make.

Q: Appetite for Destruction is selling like hotcakes. So you knew all along you had the goods to back it up?
A: That's the whole key right there, Mike. You hit it on the head. In fact, that's what I always say in all my interviews. Reporters always ask about the bad boy image. They also ask about why we think we're so good. Well, there is no bad boy image! It's just us - five guys doing what we've always wanted to do and pulling it off! And I think the reason we're successful is because we are real and the kids know it. Y'know, Mike, a good song to me is one you can listen to and then imagine yourself playing and singing. That's real.

Fast Facts

Name: Duff "Rose" McKagan
Instrument: Bass guitar
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington
Birth Date: ? "Put April Fool's Day," he quips.
Age: 24
Height: 6 foot 3
Weight: 170
Currently Lives: Los Angeles
Favorite Song: "I Don't Care About You" by Fear
Favorite Band: AC/DC
Favorite Musician: Robert Plant
Favorite City: Seattle
Favorite Actor: Jerry Lewis
Favorite Actress: Marilyn Monroe
Favorite Movie: A Clockwork Orange
Favorite TV Shows: "I never watch TV."
Favorite Food: Italian
Favorite Sport: Football
Favorite Books: Slugs by Sean Huston
Looks For In A Girl: Blonde hair
Likes To Do On A Date: Go to a bar
Favorite Thing About Touring: Free drinks
Least Favorite Thing About Touring: No sleep
First Concert: Led Zeppelin
First Favorite Bands: Led Zeppelin and KISS
Former Occupation: Cook
Biggest Turn-On: My girlfriend and a crowd

©Copyright Alan Hylands 2001