Duff McKagan has shared his top tips for inter-band harmony on the road.
The former Guns ‘N’ Roses bassist reckons toilet etiquette and knowing a little about your destination helps keep relationships on tour free of unnecessary stress.
McKagan recently released his second book, How To Be A Man (And Other Illusions), along with a companion EP called How To Be A Man. He gives his vital travel tips to Rolling Stone.
He says: “If you don’t read, know something about where you’re at. Barrett Martin, who was the drummer for Screaming Trees and Mad Season, he’s an actual professor. So he’ll know about everything we’re going by, like, ‘That castle there.. something something.”
One particular peeve of being on tour in Germany is how many times he has to hear jokes about the German word for a motorway exit – Ausfahrt. “You can laugh at the first six or seven Ausfahrt signs, but there is going to be an Ausfahrt sign every exit. You can only do it for so long.”
And when sharing a room with a tour buddy, McKagan sticks to a strict rule regarding use of the toilet. He says: “Don’t poo in the room if you’re sharing it. Unless you get poo permission, like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s cool dude. I don’t care.’ Then you know you’re really close with that guy.”
McKagan recently shot down GNR biographer Marc Canter’s claims that he could reunite Slash and Axl Rose by getting them together in the rehearsal room the band used in their early days.
