Real name: Michael McKagan

Born: February 5, 1965

Hometown: Seattle, Washington

Height: 6 feet, 3 inches

Number Of Siblings: Seven (Duff is the youngest)

Main instrument: Bass Guitar

Other instruments: Guitar and drums

Number Of Bands before GN'R: 31, including
the Fartz (they changed their name to 10 Minute Warning),
speed-poppers the Living, Silly Killers, the Fastbacks and Hobo Skank

Married: Twice

Solo Album: Believe In Me, released in 1993

Recorded with (amongst others): Iggy Pop and Gilby Clarke

Latest Sideproject: Neurotic Outsiders

Once described as this generation's sid vicious, Michael Duff McKagan, Guns N' Roses, lanky bassist, fits the archetype of a temperamental, rebellious rock n' roll star. Together with Axl and Slash, Duff makes up the core of the band that have been there since the heady days when their debut album "Appetite For Destruction" took the world by storm.

Before GNR formed, Seattle born Duff forged his musical carreer in the West Coast Punk scene with a succession of charmingly named bands like Fartz, and these Punk roots were to become an important element in the Gunners vision Punk nihilism with traditional, gutsy Hard Rock. Duff, replying to an ad, was the last one to join the original line-up.

In July 88, shortly after the release of "Appetite", Duff got married for the first time, but this didn't seem to have a calming influence as the band gained a growing reputation as "The Most Dangerous Band In The World" with reports of the usual rock n' roll excesses involving serious drug abuse and legions of groupies.

And if that wasn't enough Axl and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin were getting arrested for various offences and there were visible signs of infighting amongst the band. In January 1990 Duff, along with Slash, took centre stage at the 17th American Music Awards to pick up an award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Act. But the pair were obviously inebriated and mouthed swear word on live TV.

However, when questioned some years later on his own behaviour in GNR, Duff denied some of the accusations, like taking advantage of groupies, though he backed him self up by saying "Isn't the spirit of Rock N' Roll supposed to walk a little on the wild side. People put down GN'R for being outrageous or whatever. Fuck! We're just a Rock N' Roll band! And people damn us, they diss us for that shit!"

Despite the controversy, line-up charges, and seemingly endless delays with the next album "Use Your Illusion 1 & 2" eventually came out in 1991 and GN'R cemented their status as tthe worlds biggest Metal band. Success followed success but it didn't necessarily mean personal happiness for Duff. "People think "Oh you've got money and fame and shit, money makes your life better" No!"


Duff explored these feelings on his 1993 solo debut LP "Believe In Me". "Believe In Me" is about keeping my head out of the hole", explained Duff. "Y'know, if you've got nobody else to believe in, you've got to believe in yourself even when your beeing punished in the head emotionally. I'm a self-made man. I'm not from a rich family. I'm from a very poor family, and even if we're whining and crying and bitching, I love my family. But I've made myself to what I am, and I gotta hold on to that".