It’s So Easy (and other Lies) - Duff McKagan The Autobiography

[Dr. Who]

At least in 1990, the guy didn't take prescription medications. Said his doctor prescribed him Lithium, but he didn't take it in essence because it didn't do shit. The only thing it did for him was to get people off his back "Oh, he's on medication, he's bipolar".

[Strange Broue]

Who else was sober between '85 and '90?

Slash was into booze and heroin

Izzy was into heroin until 1989, so yes, he was clean after '89, but he's not written any book yet.

Duff was increasingly an alcoholic especially throughout the '90s, enough to earn the "King of Beers" nickname by '92

Steven was increasingly into heroin to the point that he was in rehab several times between '88 and '90 and had to be sacked in '90

Axl, outside of a suicide attempt, and smoking pot, was otherwise it seems the most sober in this period.

Axl shoot heroin too bro

For a week span, in around 1987 or 1988. Recreational use of a drug is far different from a documented addiction and dependency. The one thing everyone from the era has given Axl credit for is that he wasn't addicted to anything "except perhaps cigarettes".

I'm addicted to weed but never even touch to the heroin. never was never will... still i'm an addict

Axl is addicted to his bipolar visions so...

[star]

One thing is for sure, the others guys mention Axl disappearing for days at a time. I guess, if there is ever an Axl book, he might shed some light on what he was doing while the others were wondering where he was?

[Dr. Who]

It has to be drugs?

It's kind of odd how almost every negative attribute known to man is attributed to Axl by his 'fans':

"He's had tons of plastic surgery, the new MJ!"

"He wears a wig!"

"He believes in Voodoo chanting!"
"He likes to eat a lot, he's a fatty!"

"He beats women!"

"He's a drug addict!"

It just seems like the longer time goes on, the more his 'fans' demonize him. As if Axl was the devil, and the other guys have never done any of the above themselves

[star]

Still I can not believe that Duff or Slash were capable of remembering anything from the first years because they were always high and wasted...

so as Axl (not THAT much but still)

It's So Easy and other LOL's at people who think Axl is the only one who was sober 1985-1990

Still I can not believe that Duff or Slash were capable of remembering anything from the first years because they were always high and wasted...

Duff's book reads like it's all happening in front of him, and he hasen't forgotten a thing, which might explain why I whizzed though it in 4 days.. It was easy reading. Duff seem's, out of all the members, to have it all. A full circle.

Slash's book took me a year on (planes, holiday etc) and off to get through. It some how feels heavy.

Where as Duff's book appears to want to paint a black & white image, matter of fact, raw punk, that's how it was/is. Slash's book feel's like it took more effort to write.

Both books are good. Didn't Adler release a book? is it any good? as out of all the members, he got the most wasted. Duff has much respect for Adler. Adler would do anything for anyone. He almost seems too nice to be in the most Dangerous band in the world.

Adler's book was written by a friend of Steven and the dude got literally NOTHING for his efforts and the book contains more fiction than truthhttp://www.mygnrforum.com/index.php?/topic/177474-i-am-the-true-author-of-steven-adlers-tell-all/

Don't believe for wasted, here's a thread were FreshfromDetox posted interesting insights about the writing (she was the ex girlfriend of the writer)

http://www.mygnrforum.com/index.php?/topic/207207-steven-adlers-my-appetite-for-destruction/page-3

I won't bother with Adlers book then. Thanks.

It has to be drugs?

It's kind of odd how almost every negative attribute known to man is attributed to Axl by his 'fans':

"He's had tons of plastic surgery, the new MJ!"

"He wears a wig!"

"He believes in Voodoo chanting!"

"He likes to eat a lot, he's a fatty!"

"He beats women!"

"He's a drug addict!"

It just seems like the longer time goes on, the more his 'fans' demonize him. As if Axl was the devil, and the other guys have never done any of the above themselves

Duff's only mention of Axl and drugs, from what I recall, included Duff and Axl eating dope cakes, strong stuff, and sitting in the corner at a party wide eyed and paranoid, waiting for the come down.

There's was an odd video, during the pre CD release days, Axl looked plastic like. Maybe Botox'd. Who knows?

There's atleast one female that thinks Axl's a bit of a nutter. What's her name, begins with S.. Seymor or something?

Edited December 24, 2014 by star

[star]

Adlers book is the most fun and feels less staged. It's good on the early days and how they got into the scene. It gives a great insight into what was going on.

As someone else wrote here, Adlers book was written by a (now bitter) fan ?

[tinyrobot]

If Axl was a drugaddict, he would be gone along with Kurt Cobain and Shannon Hoon. He wouldn't be around and he wouldn't be performing as he does.

I'm not saying he's perfectly clean and never touched drugs (in the past or now) but it is highly unlikely that he would be a heavy drugaddict nowadays. I know many of you are not very fond of TB and Beta (me either) but that woman has kept him sane and clean and I doubt Axl would disappoint his "mom" by becoming a junkie. And she wouldn't allow it either.

[Dr. Who]

Reportedly, in New GN'R, no drugs or alcohol are allowed in the studio for example.

[Chris 55]

If you like Duff's book for the info on gnr breakup ou should like OVER THE TOP by Mark Putterford. Very informative on how everything went wrong for gnR...

I hated that book. It was just so bitchy. I only bought it for the shot of Axl and Izzy together. Putterford died years ago of cancer I remember.

If Axl was a drugaddict, he would be gone along with Kurt Cobain and Shannon Hoon. He wouldn't be around and he wouldn't be performing as he does.

Not EVERY drug addict winds up dead. Steven Tyler for example.

[Apollo]

None of us know what Axl did or what he is doing now.

Personally I couldn't give a flying rat's ass one way or the other. Axl is an adult and can do whatever be wants to his body.

My only wish/dream is that he was more commited to being a singer and to his band, and that he had a passion for his millions of fans.

[Dr. Who]

Do you guys realize GN'R (original GN'R) only put just 48 original songs? If you count covers, then 63 which is still low.

[stella]

if Axl really is bipolar and/or has some other type of mental illness - and all signs seem to point that way - erratic behavior such as vanishing for days at a time or having delusions is par for the course without any outside influence. I read that My World was composed and performed while he was on mushrooms, but for the most part, it seems as though he's never been heavily into drugs in the same way other members of his band have been. None of the accounts - not Slash's, not Duff's, not Marc's, not Steven's, not outside individuals, not even those of Erin Everly or Stephanie Seymour - point to his having any sort of drug addiction or dependence. I'd be inclined to believe what Axl himself said about this, which was that he wasn't opposed to them and had certainly tried them out - but didn't spend a majority of his time on them and didn't have a habit.

Now, for Duff's book: IMHO it's the best account of GnR out there. It's his own words, since he wrote it himself - that alone elevates it above the other books IMHO. And Duff seems to be very bright, very perceptive, able to cop to his own faults, and really able to look at Guns N' Roses and Axl in an objective way.

[Dr. Who]

ho sdhcould slash an d dufff pl Y so a competeently drunk?

tis a mystery

cays im drunk...ND I CSURE AS UCK COULDNT PLAY GUITAR

AND OR BASS]

SO WELL.

AS THEY/

IN 92.

[Dr. Who]

shiyh

that ounded

like a haikudf

[netcat]

It has to be drugs?

It's kind of odd how almost every negative attribute known to man is attributed to Axl by his 'fans':

"He's had tons of plastic surgery, the new MJ!"

"He wears a wig!"

"He believes in Voodoo chanting!"

"He likes to eat a lot, he's a fatty!"

"He beats women!"

"He's a drug addict!"

It just seems like the longer time goes on, the more his 'fans' demonize him. As if Axl was the devil, and the other guys have never done any of the above themselves

i agree, people wearing wigs are overdemonized

[star]

Reportedly, in New GN'R, no drugs or alcohol are allowed in the studio for example.

*New* G'n'R - The Most Cleanest Band in the World!

Do you guys realize GN'R (original GN'R) only put just 48 original songs? If you count covers, then 63 which is still low.

Fact remains, they put out the most important songs. Not to mention original Gn'R is the only Gn'R. Eveyone knows, Axl & his hired-hands arn't the real deal.

If Axl was a drugaddict, he would be gone along with Kurt Cobain and Shannon Hoon. He wouldn't be around and he wouldn't be performing as he does.

I'm not saying he's perfectly clean and never touched drugs (in the past or now) but it is highly unlikely that he would be a heavy drugaddict nowadays. I know many of you are not very fond of TB and Beta (me either) but that woman has kept him sane and clean and I doubt Axl would disappoint his "mom" by becoming a junkie. And she wouldn't allow it either.

Some die, some don't die when it comes to drugs. Reality is, you have no idea about Axl's drug use.

[tinyrobot]

If you are a heavy drug user you just don't make it, sooner or later. I don't think Axl has a habit. He doesn't look like one.

He does seem troubled with some sort of mental illness. Could be depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or a combination of many. I think that's a heavy load to bear and drugs would only make it worse.

[Free Bird]

If you are a heavy drug user you just don't make it, sooner or later.

You're right.

Slash, Steven, Izzy... dead.

Ozzy, Lemmy, Richards... all dead.

Oh wait...

[stella]

There are functional addicts and alcoholics, there are those who have some health problems later as a result (like Steven Tyler, who ended up with Hepatitis C) and then there are those who spiral off the deep end and overdose, like the members of the 27 Club. We have some old time musicians in my family and I remember being told that some jazz musicians out there are career heroin users -it gets to a point where they need a certain amount every day to keep going because they're physically dependent, and they're using like that for 30 or 40 years. A lot of doctors and executives have had the reputation for being complete cokeheads because it enables them to keep working long hours (I've heard that addict doctors were a big thing in the 80s). Yeah, it does affect one's liver/heart/etc. after a while so it does have effects but the point is that being a drug addict doesn't necessarily mean one is dead at the side of the road at 30. There are a few drugs that don't seem to allow that - I don't think you'd find a meth head who is still around after 30 years.

But I still think in Axl's case, the two most compelling pieces of evidence AGAINST heavy drug use are:

1. NONE of his former bandmates or associates have ever noted that he was a heavy drug user or addict, and many of them have noted that he didn't really like it when others used drugs. If he were an out and out druggie, it would have come up in one of their books or interviews. Even Adler, in his lawsuit, didn't accuse AXL of being a drug addict, even though he went after other members of the band for that.

2. If Axl really does have mental illness, and that seems to be the case, it can and probably does cause him to act weird, have delusions, etc. naturally. He's not going to need outside chemical help for that. As Duff said in his book, Axl's got something chemically off in his brain. Axl's former associates and girlfriends all seem to mention how quickly his moods change on a dime and how he becomes truly scary when he's angry- they don't mention he's that way because of drugs. It would seem to match bipolar disorder.

Edited December 26, 2014 by stella

[dalsh327]

I will say that weed could have been a big help with "The Rasp". David Lee Roth was ordered to smoke weed and eat burgers by his producer because he lost his rasp when he took care of his health and his voice.

Edited December 26, 2014 by dalsh327

[axlskAmpf]

Who else was sober between '85 and '90?

Slash was into booze and heroin

Izzy was into heroin until 1989, so yes, he was clean after '89, but he's not written any book yet.

Duff was increasingly an alcoholic especially throughout the '90s, enough to earn the "King of Beers" nickname by '92

Steven was increasingly into heroin to the point that he was in rehab several times between '88 and '90 and had to be sacked in '90

Axl, outside of a suicide attempt, and smoking pot, was otherwise it seems the most sober in this period.

Axl shoot heroin too bro

For a week span, in around 1987 or 1988. Recreational use of a drug is far different from a documented addiction and dependency. The one thing everyone from the era has given Axl credit for is that he wasn't addicted to anything "except perhaps cigarettes".

I'm addicted to weed but never even touch to the heroin. never was never will... still i'm an addict

Axl is addicted to his bipolar visions so...

I never touched heroin either, I'm Axl's generation, and you're not an addict if all you smoke is pot. I've smoked for 35 years and you can take a month or 10 off any time ya want as I have. It's only sleeping that's a bitch for 3 days then you're over it. Tommy Chong said it best recently when he did dancing w stars. He quit for it, happy he was voted off as got to smoke again. He said stop for awhile, then when you want to don't, because then when you finally do.... (wooosh!)

Also we know what Axl is doing now, he still drinks good champagne and will surely blow a bowl of pristine headies regularly, as any self respecting vintage rocker does. That's it, no way he does blow anymore nor anything harder, it's pretty clear. And like Who said clearly the most sober in those years.

This was a great thread, I read it all as thoughtful posts, and very insightful to the book. Hope you all had and are having a Merry Christmas!

Edited December 26, 2014 by axlskAmpf

[tinyrobot]

If you are a heavy drug user you just don't make it, sooner or later.

You're right.

Slash, Steven, Izzy... dead.

Ozzy, Lemmy, Richards... all dead.

Oh wait...

Are they drugaddicts in the present or did they stop?

[star]

So Axl has revealed the name of the next New Gn'R album:

It's 9pm - Time For Bed

Rumoured song titles:

I'm on the Horlicks

You're Dementia'ed

[Free Bird]

If you are a heavy drug user you just don't make it, sooner or later.

You're right.

Slash, Steven, Izzy... dead.

Ozzy, Lemmy, Richards... all dead.

Oh wait...

Are they drugaddicts in the present or did they stop?

Just because they stop, it doesn't mean they weren't heavy drug users. And your proposition was heavy drug users just don't make it. That's simply not the case.

Don't get me wrong. I think Axl did some drugs back in the day or maybe today as well but I don't think he is an addict.

That's what I think, but that doesn't make it true. Only Axl knows the truth.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Free Bird

[dalsh327]

Del's a former addict, so he might be keeping an eye on band members who might be going through issues and notice the drugs starting to affect them.

I mean, maybe those times Axl was being 'reclusive' was dealing with questionable physicians who were giving him shit that made him zombie out. Ozzy Osbourne talked about how that legal shit was as bad as anything he ever took back in the day and we know Michael Jackson had tons of medicine bottles under a bunch of different names...