2023-10-17 07:18:29
Solo works by musicians in large bands are often an ambivalent matter. But “Lighthouse” by Duff McKagan, bassist of Guns N’ Roses, is more than a side project. The long player takes listeners on a journey with handmade rock songs. “I’m from the old school,” says the 59-year-old in an APA interview. “I make albums, it’s my art, my way of expressing myself.” The multi-instrumentalist chose the right ones for “Lighthouse” from a total of 60 tracks.
McKagan is not exactly underemployed: he creates a radio show with his wife, he tours tirelessly around the world with Guns N’ Roses, he is the founder of a company and has established himself as an author. His new solo album will also be released on October 20th. The pandemic gave him time to do this, even if the American emphasizes that it is “not a Covid album”. And last but not least, shortly before the lockdowns, McKagan acquired a studio in his hometown of Seattle that he said no one knew existed – “not even the guys from Pearl Jam,” he smiled.
“It’s a beautiful old studio,” enthuses McKagan. “There was a store there in the ’20s and ’30s and it was converted into a studio in the late ’40s. There’s a rumor that The Beatles recorded backing vocals there in 1966 when they performed in Seattle. I believe that gladly!” Nevertheless, the studio was forgotten until McKagan brought it back to life. “It has an incredible charisma. I was immediately amazed by the sound of the acoustic guitars and drums.”
After the first recordings, McKagan went to Los Angeles in January 2020 to rehearse for another concert series with Guns N’ Roses. “Then I went back to Seattle. I thought I had two weeks until the tour,” the musician was wrong, like so many people around the world. He apparently took it calmly: “I thought: OK, then I’ll be creative and let the ideas flow.”
“Lighthouse” begins with the song of the same name, a love song to McKagan’s wife. But the title “also represents the beacon of hope,” explained the cheerful rock star during a Zoom call from a hotel room in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “I’m currently out with Guns, the weather is good here, I was even able to enjoy the sun outside for a few minutes today. Everything’s great! I have a great wife, work hard but love what I do,” assured McKagan .
“Lighthouse” impresses with a genuine sound, songs carried by acoustic guitar meet strong rock, Slash, Iggy Pop and Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains) appear briefly, nothing seems too lavish. “My wife and I have a radio show called ‘Three Chords and a Truth’ – that’s definitely my motto, it comes from my punk days,” says McKagan. That’s why “Lighthouse” doesn’t seem colorless: “In the last few years I’ve been composing on the acoustic guitar. I’ve learned to tune the instrument in different ways. I’ve also worked on my technique. That opens up new soundscapes.” He liked the “little synth sounds” that he and his producer Martin Feveyear had sprinkled in here and there.
A friend recently asked him about country influences after listening to the current single “Longfeather,” McKagan said. “There are none,” he says. “I don’t listen to folk or Americana either. The guitar presented the song to me that way.” The musician is proud of his vocal performance: “I started taking singing seriously around 1994, shortly after I got sober. I’ve made enormous progress, my voice now has a greater range.”
The song selection on “Lighthouse” makes sense and is consistent. The remaining tracks are not without their own, McKagan assures at the end of the conversation. “I still have three or four more albums up my sleeve. Having your own studio is dangerous,” he laughs loudly.
(The interview was conducted by Wolfgang Hauptmann/APA)
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