Duff McKagan’s favourite Guns N’ Roses song to perform live
Guns N’ Roses are a band renowned for having songs made for the live show. Not only are they packed with energy, but many of the longer numbers are almost operatic in how they’re put together. Having such elongated periods of ups and downs in one tune means that the musicians’ mastery can shine through and is a treat for the group to play and punters to watch.
Granted, in some of their recent gigs, the band has been criticised for not sounding in peak condition, but there is a straightforward explanation: they’re not in peak condition. That being said, they still have plenty of energy and a massive adoration for what they do, as fans are thanked for coming out and performances are delivered to as high a standard as possible.
The group seem to be touring constantly, and even when they’re not, respective members like Slash and Duff McKagan are out on the road with other musical outfits. They have undoubtedly made enough money to be comfortable for the rest of their lives, meaning this persistent touring comes from one thing and one thing only: an absolute love of doing it. With this in mind, what are the member’s favourite songs to play live? Duff McKagan was able to provide an answer to this recently.
Releasing Appetite for Destruction was a real turning point for the outfit as they made a name for themselves as one of the rock bands that people should keep an eye on moving forward. The energy that they packed into the songs on the album, with immaculate riffs, hard drums, and Axl Rose’s gritty vocals, were unique in their execution but also brought a familiar sense of chaos that rock fans adored.
The album had several songs that fans still consider to be their favourite to hear live. ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Paradise City’, and ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ have a warm familiarity that continues to light up stadiums today. However, despite McKagan’s favourite piece to perform live being on that album, he has admitted that it’s not one of the all-time classics. Instead, that accolade goes to ‘Mr Brownstone’.
In an interview, he said, “I don’t know if I have a favourite song. Any band I’m in, there’s always a favourite song that night. ‘Mr Brownstone’ is always a fun song to play because it’s got that beat, and you see people bouncing.” The track does have an infectious beat, and pairing that with the constant running bass and guitar riffs that lace the work gives the piece a raw feel.
It is interesting that McKagan says he doesn’t have a set-in-stone favourite, though, which is reflective of his ability as a musician. Given how much Guns N’ Roses allow for improvisation and room to manoeuvre in their sets, songs will feel different every night. That beat in ‘Mr Brownstone’ remains every time, though, so it’s not a surprise that it’s one McKagan particularly looks forward to pulling out.
