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Sunday 24 April 2011

Duff McKagans's Loaded - The Taking

Duff was always the guy in Guns and Roses who embodied the punk spirit.
In a band that was in danger of overdosing on attitude his cup runneth over with the damn stuff.
It was the same deal in Velvet Revolver.
So it's no surprise that when he does step forward into the spotlight that he carries that attitude over into his take on how rock music should be played.
Whether it's a track that is drenched in the sweat and abandon of the pit, or one that reaches out to fill stadiums there's a common thread that runs through it all, and that common thread is Duff himself.
Not a bad thing for an artist to be able to do. To stamp that personal seal of recognition on whatever they create.
The glory days of rock music may well be in the past, but music is cyclical, and if Duff continues to release albums of this standard then he will be in a prime position to reap the rewards when it comes back around again.
Nothing shady about this at all.
Good solid rockin' for the masses and well worth investing in if your tastes lean towards harder edged party time rock and roll.

4 comments:

  1. gnr and vr were never rawk and roool.they were good ol punk rock.punk and rock if you get my drift.pity vr had that crooner of a vocalist.il defend gnr to the metalheads sho gate punk.as same as the crue,they were only a rocking punk band

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  2. Hmmm. There's that perception thing. Music wise I would say that GnR were a rock band immersed in the Aerosmith, and the Stones sound.
    Probably in that order to, but they also had a punk background to them as well.
    Mainly US bands, but I spoke to Duff on their first UK tour (It was a just a brief conversation outside the Newcastle City Hall) and he had a firm grip on the UK punk scene to.
    This is why I think he had more of the punk angle going on. It was sort of borne out with his influence on the Spaghetti Incident I suppose.
    That could have been a good punk covers album if it wasn't for Axl. Others probably disagree.
    Velvet Revolver seemed to promise so much and deliver so little. Apart from the highlights (singles) I was never that impressed at all.
    I always find it a bit strange when people say they loved them. Maybe one day I'll slip them on and it will click though.
    I seen Crue when they played Donnington. Their first UK appearance I think and they were a full on 100% punk band attitude wise. It was all a bit mental.
    Then I seen them on the Theatre of Hate tour and they had lost all that and were just another hair metal band. A bit grimier than most, but still nearer to bands like Poison and Cindereklla than say The Ramones and New York Dolls.
    Back to GnR though. On that night in Newcastle Faster Pussycat pissed all over them.
    Now that was a punk performance.
    I only ever seen GnR twice, but both times, while I enjoyed them, they never lived up to the rep they carried as one of the best live bands ever.

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  3. tommy lee was the one who fucked the band up as soon as he wanted sweet ballads and bimbo actresses.as soon as he lef,the band made their punkiest album ever,new tattoo.great version of white punks on dope too.givw it a listen

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  4. I've heard it and it is indeed a good album.

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