DUFF McKAGAN - 10 Secrets To Surviving In A Touring Band
November 8, 2012, 11 years ago
In his latest blog for Seattle Weekly's Reverb, Duff McKagan (LOADED, VELVET REVOLVER, ex-GUNS N' ROSES) reveals "There is definitely an art to the dance that is being in a band. All kinds of crap can happen if band members let some of the following things go unattended. (As an aside, it IS healthy for a band's creative juices to have a bit of a rub within the band. The release of tension onstage CAN be magical."
The first four rules are as follows:
1. Don't be a dick. Yes. That simple.
2. Get used to having little to no personal space for weeks at a time. A tour bus or a van, and traveling through airports together, can be small enough, but add small backstage dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms, and studio control and you have the condition for someone in your band to blow their top.
3. Personal hygiene. (see #2)
4. Respect off-limits places. For example, when you draw the curtains to your bunk on the bus, no one should be allowed to fuck with you. No punching in the dick, even. Each others' girlfriends/wives/husbands/boyfriends are also off-limits.
Rules 5 to 10 can be found at this location.
Catch Duff McKagan's Loaded live at the KISW 99.9 Holiday Hangover Ball at Showbox SoDo in Seattle, WA on December 12th.
