DUFF MCKAGAN Says GUNS N' ROSES 'Got Too Big And Imploded'

Australia's Time Off magazine recently conducted an interview with VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

On the new VELVET REVOLVER album, "Libertad":

"By the time we came in to write 'Libertad' we really started to float out into areas that maybe we've never been into before, and this record is a lot more musical as a result. There are still the hard moments that will remind you that yes, we can rock better than anybody, but there's also very musical moments that will surprise our fans."

On working with co-producer Brendan O'Brien:

"There are five very strong personalities in the band and very strong egos. We're very proud of the songs we write and what we do, and he really understood that and just did an amazing job of putting us in our place and making a really awesome rock 'n' roll record."

On whether he felt pressured to make "Libertad" a success:

"Think of my career — how can I ever feel any pressure? I might feel pressured if I'd never had any success, but that's just not the case.

"I heard stuff like, 'Are you afraid of your sophomore record?'. I don't think anyone understands that we really don't give a shit. What we give a shit about is making a good record that's true to what we are and what we feel."

On what he thinks about "Chinese Democracy", Axl Rose's GUNS N' ROSES record that's been in production for over a decade:

"Honestly, you probably know more about it than I do — I'd bet money that you do. That was the record we started working on in 1994, but that band was so splintered at that point that nothing got started.

"It [GUNS N' ROSES] was too big. I think that's what happened — we got too big and imploded. That's what's great about VELVET REVOLVER — we have success but it's not too big. It's manageable."