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Duff Mckagan? Any opinions?

#21
infamusblkdeath said:
yeah,for his limited set-up,and not practicing much(from what i hear,he doesn't)he is a pretty good bassist.of course,slap fanatics around here diss the crap out of him and say he "sucks",cause anyone that doesn't slap,to them "sucks"
:rollno:
Click to expand...
Funny, I've been here 5 years and have yet to see anyone crap on him for not slapping.
 
#24
Duff kicked major ass with his lines and the nasty tone he got from the J Bass Power Special + G K combination...excelent Rock player IMHO.

This is for the guy that bashed Stephen Adler: I bet you would say the same crap about Ringo! Playing with a deep pocket is not enough for ya? it´s yer loss anyway.
 
#28
I long said that I wouldn't let old Duff carry my gear to a gig, let alone play it. He is a *hack*. Now, I did hear an interview with him a while back that made me rethink my position a bit -- no, it didn't showcase his bass playing, but he did play some acoustic guitar and do some stuff - my opinion of him has improved... but the nut of it is that he IS a guitar player who is "providing bass" to a band that hardly needs it... He strikes me as the prefect example of the "lucky bassist" who would be working a real job had he not known the GNR guys.
 
#29
Great feel, tone (PJ, pick, roundwounds, GK amps ,chorus pedal), and most importantly note choices! His Playing on appetite (much like Noel Redding's playing on Are you experienced) was among my first influences when I started 20 years ago. and I too still craft many of my fills and lines based on his playing.

Lots of major thirds, inverted arpeggios, melodic lines and chromatic lead ins. syncopated riffs... great, solid, distinctive rock playing!! well worth checking out.

All "smash" with just enough "flash"
 
#30
I may be wrong, but wasn't Duff behind "you can't put your arms around a memory" on "the spaghetti incident"? I can't recall I lost that CD's liner notes a few years ago, but I do recall that one guiy played and arranged the whole thing and I am pretty sure it was Duff. If so, lets not forget that he was also a generally talented musician, probably not demonstrated at all times with his work as GNRs bassist.

If I am way off on this, whatever, I still dig his work.
 
#31
infamusblkdeath said:
yeah,for his limited set-up,and not practicing much(from what i hear,he doesn't)he is a pretty good bassist.of course,slap fanatics around here diss the crap out of him and say he "sucks",cause anyone that doesn't slap,to them "sucks"
:rollno:
Click to expand...

Sounds like somebody has some issues that they just needed to shove into this mostly positive thread.

I started playing bass in late '88 so GnR was pretty big at the time. I learned a bunch of his basslines because neighborhood garage bands always wanted to play GnR (until Nirvana happened).

I didn't like his tone at the time. Too brash and clacky. Add the chorus pedal on "You Could Be Mine" and I thought what a mess! I generally thought he was a sloppy drunk who couldn't play. I spent a long time not liking him.

A few years ago I read an interview with him around the time VR came out. It sounded like he had cleaned himself up a bit, and he had some pretty intelligent things to say. Then I saw those YouTube previews of instructional videoes that Guitar Center were carrying earlier this year and Duff was the only bass player that could name the notes he was playing!
I have a certain level of respect for him now. Can't beat those melodic fills.
 
#37
I know a lot of the serious bass players bash him for various reasons, but the guy's got a unique and recognizable style and he definitely contributed the the GnR sound.

With another bass player they sound like a completely different band. I think thats high praise for any bass player. :bassist:
 
#40
I grew up with Guns N' Roses and I'm a big Duff fan. I actually just learned Don't Cry yesterday and had a good time with it. I read Slash's autobiography a few months ago and he gives a lot of credit for the greatness of Appetite to Adler and his rock n' roll personality. It's a damn shame what has become of Adler. King and he were the only people from that crap celebrity rehab show that I had any sympathy for.


Mike
 

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