Duff McKagan: Axl Rose was amazing with AC/DC

Duff McKagan (Image credit: Jim Bennett - Getty)

Duff McKagan has praised Axl Rose’s live stint with AC/DC, saying he did an “amazing” job.

The Guns N’ Roses frontman was brought into the fold after vocalist Brian Johnson was forced to bow out of the band in March 2016 or face “total hearing loss.”

Rose subsequently toured with AC/DC on their Rock Or Bust live shows and it was also a move which started a friendship between the two camps.

Speaking with The Church Of What Happens Now, McKagan said: “The way Axl did that was amazing. He was, like, 'If you guys don't mind, I'm going to try out. They need a hand.’

“Bon Scott's his all-time hero. We told him, ‘Dude, you know you don't really have to try out for AC/DC.’ But he was really nervous.

“He went to Atlanta and got the gig. I saw him twice on that tour. I flew to London to see him, and I flew to Cleveland. It was great.

“We got to know Angus Young through that. Angus has come out and played with us a bunch of times. There’s that thing when he was 14 or 15, like, ’Man, one day, if I ever got to be in AC/DC…’ He was singing with a broom, and he finally got to do it. Amazing.”

McKagan is preparing to release his new solo album Tenderness, which will launch on May 31.

He’s joined on the record by Shooter Jennings, John Schreffler, Jamie Douglass and Aubrey Richmond, and they've released the songs Last September, Don’t Look Behind You, Chip Away and the title track.

They’ll also head out on tour across the UK and Europe later this year.

Duff McKagan is interviewed at length in the current issue of Classic Rock, which is available now.

Duff McKagan: Tenderness
1. Tenderness
2. It’s Not Too Late
3. Wasted Heart
4. Falling Down
5. Last September
6. Chip Away
7. Cold Outside
8. Feel
9. Breaking Rocks
10. Parkland
11. Don’t Look Behind You

Duff McKagan 2019 European tour
Aug 22: Warsaw Stodola, Poland
Aug 23: Berlin Astra, Germany
Aug 24: Amsterdam Blue Moon Festival, Netherlands
Aug 26: Cologne Gloria, Germany
Aug 27: Mannheim Alte Feurwache, Germany
Aug 29: London Islington Assembly Hall, UK
Aug 31: Dublin Electric Picnic Festival, Ireland
Sep 01: Manchester Academy 3, UK
Sep 03: Paris Le Trabendo, France
Sep 04: Brussels Ancienne Belgique, Belgium
Sep 06: Zurich Dynamo, Switzerland
Sep 08: Milan Santeria Club, Italy

Artists

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.