by Duff McKagan
First published 2012
Duff McKagan built his reputation as the bass guitarist for Guns N' Roses, one of rock's most successful bands. Record sales soared and fame followed, but so did destructive partying and mounting personal problems. McKagan's excessive lifestyle caught up with him in 1994 when doctors rushed him to the hospital with a burst pancreas. The medical crisis forced him to confront his demons and design his own recovery plan. His unconventional approach included two years of celibacy, intense physical training, and academic study at Seattle University where he focused on economics. These changes opened unexpected doors, leading to a financial column with Playboy magazine and musical collaborations with Velvet Revolver and Loaded. McKagan shares his journey from the heights of rock stardom through personal destruction to hard-won redemption. His story reveals the cost of living without limits and the discipline required to rebuild a life worth living.
Genres: addiction, autobiography, biography-memoir, music
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, second-chance
Setting: Seattle, Seattle University
Period: 1994
366 pages · Paperback · Orion Books Ltd
Content warnings: addiction, substance-abuse