For those of us in the industry that review albums regularly, you would have to say the first word that often comes to mind when discussing most bands and sub-genres is “retro”. New bands come a long in waves and mini-scenes, flooding our ears with styles that are all a throwback to some point in the distant past. There is a fine line between aping a few riffs and melodies in tribute, and letting an influence shine through in an original context. The problem with a lot of these new jack bands is they never rise above the imitation stage, providing the sonic nostalgia without the chops or the heart to make those sounds their own. I’m pleased to say that SISTER SIN is a band that graduated from the freshman class of a few years ago, and has come into their own as band of quality with something new to say.
In the ten years since forming in Gothenburg, Sweden and especially in the last few years since recording their last album, True Sound of The Underground (Victory), the band has grown a lot. Lots of bands are influenced by the glam rock and pomp of 80s bands like MÖTLEY CRÜE and RATT, but few take it to another level. What sets SISTER SIN apart is that they write honest, anthemic Rock songs that are not contrived sounding. After a first listen to the album they now have much more in common with a old-school JUDAS PRIEST and the NWOBHM than glam. Their album starts off with the sound track-esque “MMXI”, but quickly gives way to the raucous “End of the Line”. Sharp enough to headbang to during the verses, but then opens up with a fierce and catchy chorus. Obvious from the jump off, front woman Liv Jagrell continues her evolution as a powerhouse metal singer with this album. At just under four minutes, it is just about the perfect modern rock song with all of the old touches: shredding solo, gang vocals, cheering crowd and smashing drums. “Fight Song” has a bit of that old flavor of SISTER SIN collaborator and heroine of hard rock, DORO. Jimmy Hiltula’s guitars are strong throughout the record and rely a lot less on stock sounding riffs than before, showing off a maturity I think their fans will notice. “In It For Life” has a lot of character and roughness to it, similar to a late-era THIN LIZZY. Jagrell hold nothing back vocally and in spaces does a very nice job of showing off her improved melodic range. The solo is pure Phil Campbell style: sizzling! “Hearts of Cold” is another snarling rocker that I wish the legion of GUNS `N ROSES copycats would listen to. Liv comes out swinging like a young WENDY O WILLIAMS, and that is saying a lot! That’s how you do it folks. No b.s. Just Rock and Roll! Other top songs on the album are “The Chosen Few”, “Running Low” and “Shades of Black”. The surprising and well placed album closer is a lovely ballad. “Morning After” took me completely by surprise and shows of Jagrell in yet another interesting light, with her emotionally wrought performance as one of the best of the last year.
It’s debate time again at Metal Army. We figured you were all burned out by the election and enough time has passed by now, so we could bring you all a worthwhile topic: Women in metal. We are always interested in analyzing social paradigms (I know, a heady concept for metal heads). I’ve always felt there was a wide contrast between how many powerful and talented women there are in the metal community and how they are treated and portrayed by that same community. Since I am not a woman, I consulted three of Metal Army’s best writers (of any gender) in Melissa Campbell, Rachel Hacker and Lynn Jordan. They each have a unique perspective to share on the subject. We have also included some concert photos of our favorite women in metal, doing what they do, so read on…..
KRYSTA CAMERON, EX-IWRESTLEDABEARONCE
Melissa Campbell: Overcoming obstacles to love metal
Ever since I became a fan of metal, I knew that I some were going to look down on me for being a girl. There have been plenty of moments where I’ve been laughed at by male metal listeners or told by them that I can’t listen to “their” music. Thankfully I’ve found plenty of guys who don’t care what gender I am. Those more negative experiences with metal guys have not caused me to harbor any bad feelings towards guys either. I idolize men like RONNIE JAMES DIO as much as women like AMY LEE.
LYRIS HUNG of HUNG
MLNY PARSONZ of ROYAL THUNDER
Another problem I encountered in the past was not being allowed to go to metal shows. My father forbade it because he believed all those terrible stereotypes related to shows where males were in high attendance compared to females (i.e. rapes, getting hurt in pits, being kidnapped). Even though I promised to have my sister with me at all times, he was quite uncomfortable granting me permission. In his eyes, we as women were not capable of handling ourselves alongside “those types” of men.
KIMBERLY FREEMAN of ONE EYED DOLL
However, in 2010, my mother bought me and my sister tickets to go to Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. My father was not too happy about it and claimed he was unaware we had been planning to attend. He started to trust us more when we returned alive and we are now able to go to shows with relatively low complaints from him.
JILL JANUS of HUNTRESS
All that being said, gender discrimination in the genre has gone down in recent years thanks to the rise of female fronted (or completely female) bands. A few decades ago women were mainly viewed as sexual objects in the metal community. To those whose main goal was to just be a groupie and have fun that was alright. Other females who wanted to be taken seriously as musicians often had trouble with it (i.e. LITA FORD). The best contribution I can make (since I don’t want to be a musician) is to continue going to/writing about gigs and representing the female community.
Rachel Hacker: The Made-up Stigma
I read Jezebel every damn day of my life. Maybe if i stopped reading it, I’d get a boyfriend.
Nah.
So. Women. Consistently considered the lesser sex throughout history. Always being chastised for what we can’t do compared to men. Men are the “invisible demographic,” making them the standard for comparison on woman. However, comparing both of them side by side on every issue is absurd. This is essentially the classic apples-to-oranges argument, but this time we’re comparing penises and vaginas.
FARIDA LEMOUCHI of THE DEVIL’S BLOOD
In the ever commercialized musical world of “Call Me Maybe”, there is an equally commercialized world of hard rock and heavy metal. Through seeing the 1996 stock photo of MARILYN MANSON in the local newspaper, or that GUNS N’ ROSES poster your dad secretly displays in the Man Cave, almost everyone has an image of what metal is “about.” The standard for what men wear and do as a rock artist was set in the 60s, while many women were still taking care of families to develop a true voice in metal and hard rock.
RAE AMITAY of MARES OF THRACE/THRAWSUNBLAT/WOODS OF YPRES
SUSAN WENDELKEN of DORMITORY EFFECT
It’s only been in the past few decades that women aren’t put down on account of not having a family by age 30. Women don’t feel pressured to rush through getting married anymore, and we have some pretty damn good years of vitality in our 20s or older. The hoards of young women, with non-sagging breasts and sharp minds, are ready to do something different than clean diapers. Why not make play some metal and look hot doing it?
CARLA HARVEY and HEIDI SHEPHERD of BUTCHER BABIES
Some women and men find the “hot chicks in metal” to be degrading and embarrassing. Who’s embarrassed? Not me. The sex industry is huge, which means there are obviously people buying the porn that women and men make. Separating our sex and our music isn’t going to change much, considering most of the world is desensitized, anyways. Individuals who believe women should “cover up” are also playing the “chivalry card.” This ideal is essentially is built upon that women are “delicate flowers who can’t do anything on their own.”
Bullshit.
Women in metal are still being treated as if they can’t make their own decisions. “Oh, you’re topless, you must not be intelligent enough to know what you’re doing, let me help you.” It was only 100 years ago that masturbation was a mental illness, or that women still had sex while partially or fully clothed. So why are we still trying to cover up women- figuratively and literally?
SOM PLUIJMERS, ex-CEREBRAL BORE
If you’ve got a good rack and wanna show it, go for it. And while some tiny corner of the internet blogs about your lack of modesty, you’re too busy driving to the bank to care. Unfortunately, most of the bands with the “hot chicks in metal” don’t have music I actually like, but there will never be a moment where I feel like telling another women to cover up. The fashion standard for women in hard rock and metal should be the woman’s choice, not someone else’s choice. Therefore, if men are “apples” and women are “oranges,” the way they handle metal shouldn’t even be compared beyond the thought that “it exists.” The last thing we need is someone else like Mitt Romney.
TRACY MYZERI GONZALEZ of EYES LIKE CYANIDE
AMANDA DANIELS of ENABLER
Lynn Jordan: Women in the Metal Scene
PAUL STANLEY of KISS was once asked his opinion about a female hard rock performer. His response? “You need balls to rock ‘n’ roll”. MARC STORACE of KROKUS was doing record reviews for a magazine, and when one for a female performer came up he said,”…she should be doing better things. Like giving me head.”
I read both of these quotes many years ago. As you can see, I haven’t forgotten them; they remain etched in my brain.
ARCH ENEMY, led by ANGELA GOSSOW
I have to admit that when I first started playing bass, my inspirations were mostly male. There were women I loved that were famous with the heavier music that I admired that were writing their own songs, putting out great records and putting on incredible shows. As talented and gutsy as these women were, many male music fans still had a hard time giving them props. How dare these women get onstage and think they have what it takes?
How dare they?
But despite that, to this day no female Metal artist or all-female band has garnered the gushing recognition or respect that their male contemporaries receive as a matter of course. Why not?
STEVIE FLOYD of DARK CASTLE/TAURUS
I believe that for men to acknowledge and respect the female presence as Metal musicians is to give power to women that they don’t want them to have. Heavy Metal is a testosterone-fueled monster with images of blood, war, cars, devil worship, drinking, fucking, death, etc. None of these things are considered feminine. Men do these things. Women were intended to hang in the sidelines to worship, clean up, pay the bill, swallow, look pretty and smile while providing various services (comfort, food, shelter or sex-related) to these battle-scarred warriors of musical carnage. Many men don’t like women to be sweat-streaked, angry and storming a stage. Many men don’t like it when women speak their mind. Others don’t like a cursing, spit-fire bitch not taking their shit. Some men get defensive when a woman does something they think is exclusively theirs. And they certainly don’t like it when a woman can do something as well as they do, and does not need their approval to proceed as they please. So the very genre that prides itself on speaking its mind, empowering its listeners and letting its aggression out really doesn’t want their women to be a part of its voice.
SIGRID SHEIE of HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE
There is also that double-standard of image vs. talent. If a female musician is beautiful, even if she is gifted, she had to have used her looks to get ahead. If she isn’t that attractive, but is talented, she is dismissed because some dude doesn’t want to “pee in her butt”. It’s a bitter pill and a tough choice for female musicians to make. Do you tone down the sex for respect and get shorted in attention and sales, or do you ramp up the sex, get the attention, alienate some female fans and get less respect from the male ones? It’s a tough call. Male musicians do not have this dilemma. They either are good or they aren’t.
OTEP SHAMAYA of OTEP
As 2012 comes to a close, I do not see this changing much. Metal has popular bands with women in them, We have noted bands with women in them, such as ARCH ENEMY, IN THIS MOMENT, OTEP, LACUNA COIL, THE AGONIST, NASHVILLE PUSSY, FIREBALL MINISTRY, SISTER SIN, ALL THAT REMAINS, STRAIGHT LINE STITCH, a slew of female-fronted Goth and Symphonic Metal bands, and (on the lighter side), EVANESCENCE and HALESTORM. With all the females that can play Metal well, the mystery remains as to why it never coalesces into a one kick-ass band, and when they do…it’s a cover band playing songs originally made popular by men. We still can’t have our own voice from the stage, but we do get the annual “Hottest Chicks in Metal” pictorial. That’s another tough choice – to pose or not pose for band promotion (if you’re deemed “hot” enough to make the cut)? Is one reduced to something less than an equal once you’ve shown your ass?
G THÉRÈSE LANZ of MARES OF THRACE
MEG CASTELLANOS of TOTIMOSHI
JEANNE SAGAN of ALL THAT REMAINS
All that said, let us be the women behind the men, and we soar without barrier. OZZY would be dead, or at least strung-out, broke and on Skid Row, if it wasn’t for SHARON OSBORNE. Love her or hate her (I happen to think she’s awesome) without her, OZZY would have been a footnote in BLACK SABBATH‘s history and Ozzfest would never have happened. MELISSA CROSS has been the vocal coach for male Metal screamers in SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, among many others. SUSAN SILVER was a manager who brought us SOUNDGARDEN and ALICE IN CHAINS. DEBBIE ABONO managed such extreme bands POSSESSED, EXODUS, VIO-LENCE, FORBIDDEN and OBITUARY. “METAL” MARIA FERRERO was mentioned in many a Thrash band ‘thank you’ list as a promotional force back in the day, which she continues now as the founder of ADRENALINE PR. MARSHA ZAZULA, is co-founder of Megaforce Records with her husband Jon, and they have signed METALLICA, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT and more. Many bands have started out with their girlfriends or wives acting as managers, promoters and helping to book shows. Many Hair Metal bands have admitted that if it weren’t for the ladies that gave them a place to sleep, something to eat, encouragement and support, they would not have made it – literally and figuratively. Maybe the day will come when males of the Metal scene will truly appreciate the depth of strength women bring on AND off the stage. The more we succeed as a unified supportive front, the more Metal music succeeds overall, and the more powerful we all become.
Throwback. It’s a word not often enough associated with modern hard rock music for my taste. Most bands struggle to properly represent an amalgam of their influences and pour out anything original, let alone inspired sounding. There is just a lack of great, unrepentant, kick-ass rock `n roll bands these days and that makes me sad. Sometimes a band comes along that not only does the history of the style justice, but also has something new to give us too, we the masses that are hungry to rock. That is why the new EP by THE BLACKFIRES has me so pumped up. It definitely answers the question of “what is the future of rock music” with a resounding hail of riffs and cymbal crashes that scream yes!
Recorded live at The Cutting Room in New York City, it is not quite a live show recording in the traditional sense. All the same, true live albums are hard to pull off these days, but the band definitely sounds lively and tight. From the opening snarl of the guitar licks in “Rocker Child” you hear the blend and balance of ZEPPELIN, SABBATH, GUNS, LIZZY, DEEP PURPLE and more along with a modern, rough hewn charm. Aggressive and slick, the track is a great intro to the band for the indoctrinated and would make a terrific set-list starter too based on how vital is sounds. Singer Cheggi channels his inner Plant, Freddy throughout the song and he’s not afraid to back up that front man bravado with his range and delivery. “Gambit” continues the charge with some killer guitar chops on display and more out of this world singing. The song goes through several tempo shifts and dramatic swells that will recall the best of a bygone era in music. Not only is axe-slinging tight, but bassist Ryan Egan holds is down all the time with his colorful playing and thick tone. “Livewire Babies” is a song that will take you by surprise and could be a potential single-type track, in spite of its impressive running time. There is a definitely a lot of AC/DC influence happening there, but I also hear remnants of early SOUNDGARDEN with Cheggi displaying his confidence in his ability. This song also has the best lead guitar work on the album and great lyrics. The key change in the final coda of the song is pure rock royalty in my book. “Just A Thrill” is the dark horse of the album. In addition to its grit and heaviness as a song, it benefits from a killer beat supplied by the bands’ drummer and secret weapon, Ilan Harel. It is such a raw and passion filled song that you almost get sideswiped by the earthy breakdown and eventual rave up to the finale. “Primal Love” closes out the affair. A sprawling, power-ballad with a lot of soul, I think this is a good track to end things with. Fans will have tear in their eye and their lighters out when this one comes on.
THE BLACKFIRES are definitely gunning for the big time with this release and putting a lot of bands in their scene on notice. For more information check out their website here.
THE BLACKFIRES: Bringing the SOUL back to Rock ‘N Roll.
After years of dodging interviews, elusive Guns N’ Roses front-man Axl Rose finally broke his silence and appeared on last Friday’s edition of “That Metal Show”—and even more surprising, no journalists were hurt during the taping process. To watch some clips from the interview, head over to VH1 Classic now:
Could the once not-so-media-friendly, get-in-my-ring-bitch Axl be turning a new leaf? Maybe this is a sign of things to come? Like that GNR reunion that everyone hopes for?
Welp, before you get too excited, keep in mind that the TMS taping took place after a recent GNR show that, in true Axl fashion, started two hours late.
Lonn Friend has forgotten more about rock and metal than you or I can ever know. His gift is knowing that he’d rather be a conduit for sharing that knowledge and experiences rather than reveling in it himself for personal gain. This is but one of the many themes of his second book Sweet Demotion: How an Almost Famous Rock Journalist Lost Everything and Found Himself (Almost). The book weaves tales of Lonn’s life as the self proclaimed “Fly On the Wall” with a view inside the life of musicians matched with a passion and a sense of history few others can boast. As the Editor and Chief of the highly influential RIP Magazine in the 1980s and 1990s he gave fans an intimate view into the lives of rock royalty as well as unveiled cutting edge bands to the masses. Peeling back the curtain he opened panels and saw how the machinery of the business worked and knows who is real and who is fake, but always had the class to respect the difference. He navigated the rough waters of music journalism in a sea of sharks with a mellow cool that made artists trust him and open up their arms and hearts. Few people can take credit (partial) for resurrecting AEROSMITH from the dead, making GUNS N’ ROSES a household name and (for better or worse) helping break METALLICA out of the underground to name just a few instances of his fingerprints all over the sacred DNA of modern rock music. He has dined with kings of the world like JIMMY PAGE, recalled fallen heroes and hung out in the back alleys and furthest recesses of the minds of these artists. Many remember the venerable reporter from his “Friend At Large” segments on the original Headbangers Ball MTV show among his many rock doc appearances. In addition to his books and radio work (KNAC in LA), Lonn has also been the go-to scribe of band biographies, tomes by rock gods and box set liner notes many times over.
His first book, Life On Planet Rock, was more of the chronological history through his life’s work. Lonn experienced an emotional and professional nadir in the course of jumping into to the trench warfare of the music business. It almost killed his spirit and certainly hurt his soul. In Sweet Demotion Lonn has come through the valley on the other side and not only catches us up with the more recent times in his life, but flashes forward, backwards and sideways through time and space to tell his story and the story of rock. These stories are the signposts in the saga of his life, both musical and non-musical that dot the road map of his journey. His quest to for personal enlightenment is colored by all of his many experiences and through it all his ability to derive the context at every turn (or in hindsight) will surprise you. It is not always strictly about the music, but like another character it always comes back as some reference or a form of synchrony. He has been to the top of the mountaintop, but he is human enough to know he now that he couldn’t see forever. He has had lows as well, such as hocking most of his prized memorabilia collection just to survive at times. Lonn weaves all of these memories into the narrative like meeting ELTON JOHN in Las Vegas or sharing some private thoughts with PETER GABRIEL and other encounters. Lonn shows us that nothing is truly by chance and everything has a reason and a purpose for the most part. You can work in this business and have some incredible times, but you also need to maintain your humanity. Meditations on the JFK assassination, THE BEATLES, the counter-culture he grew up in, the Sunset Strip hair-metal times in LA in the 80s, the changing of the metal guard and 90s grunge, the struggles of modern times all blend with other topics near and dear to him like metaphysics, numerology and the chemtrails conspiracy. Although the book is not strictly based on metal, Lonn’s access to bands like METALLICA, MEGADETH, PANTERA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER, MÖTLEY CRÜE, OZZY as well as a host of other names in our sphere make this a compelling must read for those anecdotes alone. He waxes on the life and death of both DIMEBAG DARRELL and RONNIE JAMES DIO with the appropriate amount of contextual resonance. Yes, it is terrible that Ronnie and Dime were taken from us, but so crucial that they lived in the first place. Lonn actually gets “it” where many others just miss the point. Rock and metal is our living history and Lonn is the curator of the exhibition in the grand hall. Many luminaries sing his praises, but he is still not as famous as he should be or as well known as he’d like to be. Still, few carry the weight of music history and pay respect like he does. To be a fan and a lover of music is to be filled with eternal questions, sometimes questions that have no answer. I believe it is Mr. Friend’s hope that the reader seeking the answers will learn something about their own journey toward meaning by reading about his. You can buy the book directly from him at his website here.
This is Nicky Whelan, she just broke up with GNR's DJ Ashba... That's why she's here.
GUNS N ROSES are finally set to tour the US in support of ‘Chinese Democracy’. It’s been years since the album was released but I’m quite excited to witness this tour at the Izod Center in New Jersey and I’m sure most of you are excited too. Monster Energy is sponsoring the trek and just check out the new dates below. Be sure to get tickets fast, these will sell out quickly!
Oct. 28 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center Arena
Oct. 29 – Miami, FL – American Airlines Arena
Oct. 31 – Greenville, SC – Bi-Lo Center Arena
Nov. 02 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
Nov. 04 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Nov. 05 – Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavilion
Nov. 08 – Omaha, NE – CenturyLink Center
Nov. 09 – Norman, OK – Lloyd Noble Center
Nov. 12 – Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
Nov. 13 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Nov. 15 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
Nov. 17 – East Rutherford, NJ – IZOD Center
Nov. 19 – Hartford, CT – Comcast Theatre
Nov. 20 – Wilkes-Barre, PA – Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Nov. 25 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
Nov. 26 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
Dec. 01 – Auburn Hills, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills
As it was being speculated, GUNS N ROSES have announced a full US tour! That’s right, you will finally get to see GNR performing in a city near you for the first time since the early 90s. Check the dates thus far below and stay tuned, I’ll add more as we get ‘em!
* Oct. 28 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center Arena
* Oct. 29 – Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
* Oct. 31 – Greenville, SC @ Bi-Lo Center Arena
* Nov. 02 – Atlanta, GA @ Phillips Arena
* [to be announced] – Houston, TX – [to be announced]
* Nov. 05 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavillion
* [to be announced] – Omaha, NE – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Tulsa, OK – [to be announced]
* Nov. 12 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center Arena
* Nov. 13 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center Arena
* [to be announced] – Chicago, IL @ All State Arena
* [to be announced] – East Rutherford, NJ – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Hartford, CT – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Wilkes-Barre, PA – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Worcester, MA – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Camden, NJ – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Detroit, MI – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Cincinnati, OH – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Nashville, TN – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Indianapolis, IN – [to be announced]
* [to be announced] – Denver, CO – [to be announced]
SLASH is teaming with Eagle Rock Entertainment to release his first-ever solo live album and DVD, titled ‘Made In Stoke 24/7/11′. The performance comes from a very special trip that SLASH made to his hometown of Stoke-On-Trent, where he was raised until he was 5 and played the last show of his world tour — on July 24th, 2011. The release will hit shelves on November 15th and features a live performance along with other special, never before seen footage.
01. Been There Lately (SLASH’S SNAKEPIT song)
02. Nightrain (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
03. Ghost
04. Mean Bone (SLASH’S SNAKEPIT song)
05. Back From Cali
06. Rocket Queen (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
07. Civil War (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
08. Nothing To Say
09. Starlight
10. Promise
11. Doctor Alibi (with Todd Kerns on vocals)
12. Speed Parade (SLASH’S SNAKEPIT song)
13. Watch This
14. Beggars & Hangers-On (SLASH’S SNAKEPIT song)
15. Patience (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
16. Guitar Solo / Godfather Theme
17. Sweet Child O’ Mine (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
18. Slither (VELVET REVOLVER song)
19. By The Sword
20. Mr. Brownstone (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
21. Paradise City (GUNS N’ ROSES song)
Bonus DVD:
* Ghost
* Back From Cali
* Beggars & Hangers-On
* Been There Lately
* Starlight
* Interview with Slash
GUNS N ROSES are plotting a tour this fall according to Ticketmaster. Three dates from the trek have leaked out thus far and it looks as though a full announcement is imminent. Obviously, this is GNR2K11 so it’s the AXL ROSE show, but it should still be pretty damn entertaining. Are you going to make it out and see the madness that is GUNS N ROSES or will you still be holding out for a reunion (which won’t happen)?
Guns N’ Roses tour dates:
10/28: Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
10/29: Miami, FL @ AmericanAirlines Arena
11/12: Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
If there is any rock star in the world that I would take financial advise from, it’s DUFF McKAGAN. He lives an incredible life with his beautiful wife and their two kids but he never seems to cross that line where things get excessive. He has also written finance columns for the likes of Playboy and The Seattle Times. Dude has his shit together…. Therefore, it is no surprise that he has decided to launch his own Money Management Firm with the goal of helping musicians better understand their finances and manage their money accordingly.
Duff told Noisecreep:
“When I first got out of the hospital, I was just trying to stay sober so I had to fill my time. One of the things I did was to go through my financial statements and I couldn’t figure them out,” McKagan said. “No one took the time to explain how money works, you know, simple things, like the difference between gross and net, what a bond was, how a mortgage worked. I realized there was great need for some kind of advice service. It wasn’t just me who was freaking out about being broke.”
I think this is a spectacular idea! If there is one thing that bands need help with, it’s money management and who better to give you that advice than a man who has made his career by managing his band money extremely well. Hats off to Duff for both putting together a cool company for himself and for giving back to the scene that he has helped build over the years!
