Duff McKagan Book Review

Just finished reading the Duff McKagan autobiography "It's So Easy and Other Lies". Duff was the bass player in Guns N' Roses during their hey days, he also played bass in Velvet Revolver and his own solo band Loaded, as well as many punk bands in his early days in Seattle. Which is where this book basically starts.

This book is well written, as he wrote it himself unlike the other books by Slash, Steven Adler and then there is also the Axl Rose book wrote by Mick Wall. Duff comes off as a smart man, very energetic and now sober. But the book is like most other bio's about musicians these days. Hungry musician, gets a decent band, makes great music, gets fame, gets addicted to drugs and alcohol and then cleans themselves up. It an old story, but is always interesting to read about the early days of struggles in the music business, and then all the stories about parties and such. It's neat to read several bio's of the musicians in the same band and try to piece it all together. Each has there own story about where things go wrong.

I found the book a great read, it was hard to put down for the first three quarters of the book, but then he goes on about how he got sober and why. I guess when you start to lose your hair, and your nose is blown out from blow, and your skin is turning yellow, it might be time to put a stop to your alcohol and drug abuse. In which he partook in big time. His unique story of getting himself sober by riding mountain bike and martial arts. The book starts to get a tad boring. Kudos to him for getting his shit together though. Overall I found it to be a good book, he is a great writer, seeing as he also now writes articles for ESPN and Seattle Weekly. The man is driven that's for sure. He also is a financial advisor for other musicians.

I thought there might be a bit more about his involvement in Velvet Revolver, he does get into it a bit about lead singer Scott Weiland's drug problems and trying to get him on the straight. Seems like a lost cause with that guy. It was interesting to read about his encounter with Axl Rose in London after not talking to each other for 14 years, both were staying in the same hotel and with suites right next to each other. Sounds like them two can still get along, now if only the rest of the band could do the same and tour together as the real Guns N' Roses. All and all not a bad book at all.