Duff McKagan

“Being a rocker, to me, is equal to living as much of the truth as possible.”

“I had a column for the 'Seattle Weekly' for five years, and there was one column that was called 'How To Be A Man,' and it was kind of tongue in cheek; it was really tongue in cheek. And I got a book deal from that column.”

“I saw some really amazing stuff with Axl. We worked really well together. We were good friends. And I hope to perhaps have that friendship back one day, although it's not something I wait around for.”

“When you start a band, you have to find people that are good, have the same sort of mindset as you musically.”

“That connectivity with the audience that I get to enjoy, that's my church. It's not one of ego or anything like, 'I'm on the stage and the lights.' It's just this connectivity, and it's always been that way for me.”

“I'm really not about changing my image.”

“If you don't have a good rhythm section, your band is toast; you're a bar band. Good rhythm section, you've got a chance to get out of the bar.”

“Keep a meter on your fear. Fear can cripple you.”

“When you're a musician, you are around your peers a lot, like Slipknot and Alice In Chains... you name the band. We're all just kind of friends.”

“Everybody in Seattle thought I was the chosen one, musically wise. You know, if anyone was going to make it, it was going to be that guy.”

“I started playing in punk-rock bands and touring when I was 15, so I missed high school.”

“Turn off the TV, turn off the Internet, just go out, and I bet you your life will get better really quick.”

“Three weeks into being in Hollywood, I was playing with Slash through an ad in the paper.”

“Is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that important to me? No. Is it something I've aspired towards? No.”

“I got to the point of insanity, but I also got out, but during the insane times, I felt invincible, and I felt creative and wonderful, too, but I was also hiding something.”

“I went to business school in my thirties.”

“There is definitely an art to the dance that is being in a band.”

“I can only write from a man's viewpoint.”

“I have mutual funds. I have a lot of individual stocks. I'm across the board, really well diversified.”

“It's volatile with GNR. Every night, it's anarchy on stage. Who knows what's gonna happen? That's rock n' roll, man.”