Duff McKagan , bassist for Guns N' Roses , shared reflections on his connection to the Seattle music scene and his pride in witnessing the rise of grunge in the 1990s in his hometown.
In an interview on the Broken Record podcast, the bassist highlighted the influence of the local scene on his journey as a musician.
McKagan revealed (via Ultimate Guitar ) that, despite the great musical influence in Seattle, the spread of heroin in 1983 forced him to leave the city.
“Seattle had a great music scene. Unfortunately, heroin appeared around 1983 and I was left without options. I didn't want to move. I was playing with big names and one step away from joining a really good band. The Seattle scene took off a few years later… But in my group, everyone was involved with drugs and it was time to leave.”
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The grunge formula for success
“They were doing the right thing. They weren’t trying to make pop radio music. I love that kind of band,” said the bassist, citing bands that were at the peak of the movement such as Soundgarden , Nirvana , Pearl Jam , and Alice in Chains.
Although his main artistic style wasn't grunge, the musician was a strong contributor. Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam even highlighted Duff McKagan's influence on the Seattle scene. He emphasized his presence in punk bands before joining Guns N' Roses, highlighting his contribution to the grunge scene of the time.
READ ALSO: Duff McKagan releases third solo album, 'Lighthouse'; listen here
