Axl and Duff didn’t seem to share the animosity that existed between the singer and Slash, and the bassist appeared onstage with them in 2010 at the O2 Arena in London. He also filled in for the absent Tommy Stinson on a South American tour in 2014, so it was not as big a surprise to see him rejoin the band, alongside Slash, for the Not In This Lifetime Tour that levelled the London Stadium last summer, and will be back at Download in just over four months’ time.
Through it all, Duff McKagan has remained the ultimate rockstar. He lived through the whirlwind of being a member of the biggest rock band in the world, with all the debauchery that entailed. When this caught up with him and he nearly died from a ruptured pancreas, he sobered up, straightened up, started a wealth management company, essentially became an accountant and is still cooler than you, me or anyone we know.
So happy birthday Duff. It’s good to see you back where you belong.
Words: Paul Travers