In a recent interview with Heavy Music, Duff McKagan stepped forward to defend Axl Rose and shed light on Guns N’ Roses’ marathon live performances, often stretching to three and a half hours. McKagan emphasized Rose’s commitment to delivering comprehensive shows and the band’s dedication to their fans, despite the physical toll of such extended concerts. While acknowledging his personal desire for shorter performances to ease physical strain, McKagan explained the challenge of omitting songs:
“Axl man, Axl loves… I think it’s… Goddamn, it’s like, what songs do you take out if you wanted to play shorter? Don’t get me wrong — my body would love it if we only played two and a half hours. Most bands play two hours, two hours and 10 minutes or something, and we’re playing three [hours and] 30 [minutes]. I’d love to play shorter because I’d be in less pain the next day. But there’s just too many songs, and people stay for the whole thing. Nobody leaves, so it’s, like, okay, they must be enjoying this.”
He highlighted their repertoire, mentioning songs like ‘Coma,’ ‘Locomotive,’ ‘Bad Obsession,’ ‘Pretty Tied Up,’ ‘Reckless [Life],’ and ‘Shadow [Of Your Love].’ Despite the physical challenges, the band continues to include these fan-favorite tracks in their extensive setlists.
McKagan also touched on Axl Rose’s longevity, praising his bandmate’s enduring commitment:
“And I’m looking at Axl, and I’m, like, ‘Yeah, you sure, man? ‘Cause we’ve gotta play again in a couple nights.’ But he’s a monster, man, that guy, Axl, like his longevity.”
Slash, another defender of Axl Rose’s vocal prowess, has consistently praised Rose’s distinctive voice. In a 2021 interview on Revolver’s ‘Fan First,’ Slash lauded Rose’s ability to infuse emotional depth and energy into songs, describing his voice as incredibly distinctive. Reflecting on their collaboration, Slash expressed:
“I’d worked with different singers on and off for a while, and then when I met Axl and we started jamming together, he was the only singer that ever brought an emotional content to it that affected me on an emotional level, on an energy level.”
Slash emphasized the unique connection between music and vocals that he found with Axl Rose, highlighting the emotional impact and elevated energy that Rose brings to their performances.
