THE NY TIMES IS TOO GOOD FOR ANYONE NAMED “DUFF”
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 4:00pm by Axl Rosenberg
I was a little taken aback when I was this editorial in the New York Times this morning, written by former Guns N’ Roses/current Velvet Revolver bassist/current Loaded front man, Duff McKagan. Not so much because I was surprised to see that Duff is literate – he has a column in Playboy – but because the byline features his birth name, Michael McKagan.
Maybe it’s wrong of me to assume that the Times was being snotty – perhaps it was his idea to use his real name in the Paper of Record – but the whole thing is just kind of a head-scratcher.
No word yet on whether or not Axl Rose will now start writing for the Washington Post under the name “Bill Bailey.”
-AR
P.S. I interviewed Duff back in April. The MetalSucks Mansion Monkeys have been dragging their feet getting that shit transcribed, but at some point, you’ll get to read it.
In all fairness, the type of person that still reads newspaper editorials isn’t likely to take a grown man that calls himself ‘Duff’ seriously.
Axl, when you interviewed Duff did you ask him why aging rock stars all look like old lesbians?
Hmmmm, Dio comes to mind… Gonna have to say Dear old satriani perhaps couldnt pass the old lesbien test.
because lesbians have style.
Calling someone who has taken a professional name by their birth name is the equivalent of calling a stranger or an elder by their first name: It’s rude and inappropriate in that it’s overly-familiar. I should think the NY Times would understand about that, but then it would seem their snobbery knows no bounds.
And fuck you guys for holding out on us. Transcribe that shit, assholes.
Smooches,
Shinaain
FYI duff was in the seattle hardcore band The Fartz……they kicked some fucking ass
That was 2 kute!
I love when these guys who have been in rock bands since the time they learned to wipe their own ass suddenly become intellectual media darlings. I don’t care what name he uses, but the music business is where he belongs. We respect that DUFF, not your media sauvy.
Note the very last line: “By Michael McKagan, as told to Joan Raymond.”
He didn’t actually write it. He is indeed illiterate obviously.
In the 90s, after Guns ‘n Roses imploded, Duff went back to school and earned a degree in finance. He writes a personal finance column in Playboy magazine, and contributes regularly to several other publications. I’m actually nearly as big a fan of his financial advice as of his music. After all, he’s allegedly helped many of his bone-headed peers to better understand financial matters and how to make better informed business decisions. If he can make THEM get it, than he can make me or anyone else get it. And he does.
Please believe, major Duff McKagan nutswinger right here.
Love and Rockets,
Shinaain
Amended: He quit school once Velvet Revolver blew up, so he remains a few credits shy of his degree. But still.