Michael Andrew McKagan was born in Seattle, Washington, the youngest of eight children born to Elmer and Alice Marie McKagan. They were a somewhat musical family with every member playing at least one instrument. It was his brother Bruce who taught him his first bass chords.
Duff's father goes by the name Mac, and his mother is Marie. Although best know as a bass player, Duff also played drums in several bands, including, most notably, a stint with the legendary Seattle pop-punk band the Fastbacks, whom he joined at the age of 16 in 1980. He describes his home city as "a rowdy rock 'n' roll town with a hip underground." As well as drums and bass, McKagan also has the ability to play other musical instruments, he plays guitar and even played piano on the song Misery from the Loaded album Dark Days.
McKagan headed to California when he was nineteen, and played in dozens of rock bands around Los Angeles including Ten Minute Warning (he was replaced by Daniel House of Skin Yard), and a hardcore punk band called The Fartz. Answering an ad for a bass player in a local magazine, he met guitar player Slash and drummer Steven Adler of the band Road Crew at L.A.'s legendary 24 hour deli and rock hangout Cantor's. Duff expected some punk with a penchant for '70s rock, but found two long-haired guys instead.
From the wreckage of the bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose, Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin joined Tracii Guns, Ole Beich, and Rob Gardner to form Guns N' Roses. Initially formed to meet booked gigs for the disbanded acts, the new line-up was finalized on June 6, 1985. Duff became the band's bassist, replacing Ole Beich, and after two days of rehearsal the newly formed group played their debut gig as GN'R on a Thursday night at the Troubadour.
He brought his punk rock influences to the group, being a huge fan of The Clash and the Ramones.
He married for the first time On May 28, 1988 to Mandy Brix, a hostess in a Japanese restaurant in L.A. who also had her own all female rap-trio, "The Lame Flames." They were divorced in 1990. He married again in September 1992 to Linda Johnson, and divorced in September 1996.
Plagued by drug and alcohol addiction, McKagan survived for eight years in the highly volatile band before finally resigning in early 1998, due to Axl Rose's demand that he focus only on Guns N' Roses, and not any other projects, as well as the fact that "Axl was completely taking over". He is also known for his alcohol induced acceptance at the 1990 American Music Awards. Upon receipt of GNR's second award, McKagan and Slash stumbled to the stage appearing very drunk, holding drinks and smoking cigarettes. Within a span of 20 seconds, Slash managed to curse twice in his slurred speech before being interrupted by a music overdub and positioning of a camera on a curtain with the AMA logo. After the first f-word, an audible gasp was heard from the crowd, prompting Slash to cover his mouth and laughingly utter an "oops". Duff laughed along with him. Since then, many live shows are delayed a few seconds to prevent a similar incident. Adler and Stradlin departed the band in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Meanwhile in 1990 Duff and Slash co-wrote and played a few songs on Iggy Pop's Brick by Brick.
After a half-hearted attempt at drug rehabilitation, he kick-started a solo career with 1993's Believe in Me. In 1994, McKagan's pancreas exploded (due to acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis) and he underwent emergency surgery. The doctors told him that if he did not quit drinking, he would be dead within a month, and so McKagan quickly became sober.
In the years that followed, McKagan sobered up his act, became a father and concentrated on his solo career. He recruited drummer Abe Laboriel Jr., Michael Barragan and Izzy Stradlin to help him record Beautiful Disease, with a 1999 release on Geffen Records.
In 1995 he collaborated with Slash in his group Slash's Snakepit, co-writing a song called Beggars and Hangers-on, which he played live at the Palace during a Snakepit show in May of that year. He would go on to form Neurotic Outsiders, an alternative rock super-group consisting of GN'R drummer Matt Sorum, Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and John Taylor of Duran Duran on bass. They played the L.A clubs circuit in the late 90s, and toured the U.S. in 1996. Debut album, Neurotic Outsiders, was released in September 1996. He then reformed Ten Minute Warning, releasing the self-titled Ten Minute Warning, and formed his own group Loaded.
Duff also tried it as an actor in 1997. He had a part in the TV serial Sliders, which aired in May of that year, as a dead rocker vampire.
On August 27, 1997, he had his first child, Grace, with model/swimsuit designer Beatrice A. McKagan. They married on August 28, 1999. On July 16, 2000, they had their second child, another girl, Mae Marie.
Duff was living between Los Angeles and Seattle from 1994 to 1999, because his mother was battling Parkinson's disease and he felt he had to be with her. His mother died in early April 1999 and since then, he lives in Seattle.
He put together another band called "Mad for the Racket" or also known as The Racketeers in 2000, and they played in London in December 2000. Duff did not play on that show. In 2001, he reunited with Loaded for the club circuit in Seattle. He also ran a marathon in 2001 with bib number "11468."
In August 2001, Loaded toured Japan. Duff also toured Japan with Izzy Stradlin to support Izzy's new album River. Duff also appeared with J, ex-Luna Sea bassist, in a number of magazines and venues during his tour in Japan that J opened for.
Duff produced the debut EP Get Off by Betty Blowtorch and also appeared in the documentary film Betty Blowtorch And Her Amazing True Life Adventures directed by Anthony Scarpa.
Since April 2002, Duff has played bass guitar for the group Velvet Revolver together with ex-Guns N' Roses' members, Slash and Matt Sorum, as well as guitarist Dave Kushner and former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. Their debut album Contraband was released in 2004 and peaked at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The group's second album, titled Libertad, was released in 2007.
In 2008, McKagan regrouped Loaded with the lineup still consisting of McKagan, Squires, Rouse and Reading. The band released extended play Wasted Heart in September in support of their UK/European tour. The follow up to Dark Days, Sick, was released on April 7, 2009 and charted at number 43 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart. A tour of the US and Europe as well as South America followed along with stints supporting Black Stone Cherry and Mötley Crüe. The group, with new drummer Isaac Carpenter, are currently working on material for a new album
In 2010, McKagan joined Jane's Addiction replacing previous bassist Eric Avery and is currently in the studio with the group working on material for a new album.
Fuck You
Duff McKagan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A bitch is a bitch and you been dissed"
"This is Doc from the mob
and I about to step to ya"
I'm a tell a lil tale about a trifle ass crook
She was the love of my
life yeah well that's a joke
We got home early from
tour about a quarter to seven
After 6 months of hell I
missed my lil piece of heaven
Duff dropped me by the
pad about nine fifteen
Me benz was in the drive
way wait mine's black and that's Dark green
The door was ajar I threw a clip in my nine
I dropped my hat on disgust my
girl was blown his mind
I couldn't believe it she was sitting there had knee pads
On and everything beat this
She had the nerve to ask "What
you doin home so soon"
Bitch this is my world, my house
and my room
As she tried to explain with fake
tears in her eyes
I despised the past love and
believing her lies
Just pack your shit and honey
leave my ring
She left with what she came with
not a goddamn thing
I said honey you lost/now you're
a mirage
So get that shit out of my driveway
and the fuck outta Dodge
Matt Dillon's gonna run
your ass out
And I don't really want you baby
Said I, I don't really care
I, I don't really need you mama
Said no more no more
This bed that you made has been
torn and tattered
And it smells like another man
This bottle that I drink is for you now baby
You've made me just a meaner man
I did all I could every change I got
Bought you diamonds pearls even
Gave you my rock.
But you threw it away on a 6-month fling
This motherfucker's a square
Can't even sing
So you ladies be warned don't diss my crew
Cause my crew will do for me before you will do
But we got each other back
Enough's enough
That's Doc from the Mob and my
homeboy Duff
That's me that's right
I'm sick of hearing la de da le de da
From your ass
I don't really want you, baby
Said I, I don't really care
I, I don't really need you, mama
Said no more no more
This bed that you made has been torn and tattered
And it smells like another man
This bottle that I drink is for you now, baby
You've made me just a meaner man, yeah
You said you'd really take care of me
Instead you just made me bleed
How does that make you feel, huh?
See I don't know what you're thinkin
My name's Doc not Nintendo
You can't play me
So don't call, don't come see me
I want you to leave the keys to my house
Leave the keys to my car
Leave me the keys to me home boy's car
Cause I know you got his keys
Ice Cube said it best "A bitch is a bitch"
"Yo, Duff let's get out of here.
Wait a minute this is my
motherfuckin house"
"That's right man"
The lyrics of Duff McKagan's song "Fuck You" tell the story of a man discovering his partner's infidelity and his subsequent anger and resentment towards her. The song begins with the singer addressing a doctor, asking them to be honest and straightforward. He then introduces himself as "Doc from the mob" and implies that he is about to confront someone.
The singer proceeds to describe his former lover as a deceitful and insignificant individual. He had returned home early from a tour expecting to reunite with his "little piece of heaven," only to find her engaged in a sexual encounter with someone else. This discovery fills him with disbelief and anger, making him feel betrayed by the person he loved. He commands her to leave his house and take nothing with her, expressing his disdain for her past behaviors and lies.
The lyrics then reveal that the singer had tried to do everything to please and take care of his partner. He provided her with material possessions like diamonds and pearls and even gave her his rock, possibly referring to his commitment and loyalty. However, she ended up wasting it all on a short-lived affair with someone who lacks talent, mocking his partner's choice of a mediocre partner. The singer warns other women not to disrespect his crew because they have each other's backs and will support him better than his former partner ever did.
The chorus repeats the sentiment of the singer not wanting, caring, or needing his ex-partner anymore. He sings about the consequences they now face, as their once loving relationship has been destroyed and replaced with the stench of infidelity, symbolized by the smell of another man. The singer turns to alcohol as a means of coping with the pain his partner inflicted upon him and admits that she has made him angrier and more cynical.
In the final verse, the singer directly addresses his former partner, criticizing her actions and the pain she caused him. He wants her to leave everything behind, including his property and the belongings of his friends. He emphasizes that he cannot be manipulated or played like a video game, stating that she should not contact him or attempt to see him anymore. The song ends with the singer asserting his ownership of the house and reinforcing his authority over the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on Doc tell it like it is
This is Doc from the mob and I'm about to confront you
A bitch is a bitch and you been dissed
I'm about to expose you as a deceitful person
I'm a tell a lil tale about a trifle ass crook
I'm going to narrate a story about a dishonest person
She was the love of my life yeah well that's a joke
I once thought she was special, but it turns out she was just deceptive
We got home early from tour about a quarter to seven
After a long time away, we arrived home earlier than expected
After 6 months of hell I missed my lil piece of heaven
After enduring a difficult period, I longed for a sense of peace and happiness
Duff dropped me by the pad about nine fifteen
Duff brought me to my house at around 9:15
Me benz was in the driveway wait mine's black and that's Dark green
My black Mercedes-Benz was in the driveway, not the dark green one you're used to
The door was ajar I threw a clip in my nine
The door was partially open, and I loaded a magazine into my gun
I dropped my hat on disgust my girl was blown his mind
In disbelief, I threw my hat down when I saw my girl engaged in intimate acts with someone else
I couldn't believe it she was sitting there had knee pads
I was shocked to see her sitting there with knee pads, implying she had been engaging in sexual activities
On and everything beat this
To top it off, she had the audacity to ask why I was home early
She had the nerve to ask "What you doin home so soon"
She boldly questioned why I had arrived home earlier than expected
Bitch this is my world, my house and my room
I asserted that my world, my house, and my room were under my control, not hers
As she tried to explain with fake tears in her eyes
She attempted to justify her actions, feigning sadness
I despised the past love and believing her lies
I detested the love I once felt for her and realizing I had been deceived
Just pack your shit and honey leave my ring
I demanded that she gather her belongings and leave, also implying she should return the engagement ring
She left with what she came with not a goddamn thing
She departed with exactly what she had brought initially, nothing more
I said honey you lost/now you're a mirage
I made it clear that she had lost and was now insignificant to me
So get that shit out of my driveway and the fuck outta Dodge
I instructed her to remove her belongings from my driveway and leave immediately
Matt Dillon's gonna run your ass out
I threatened that Matt Dillon, symbolizing a tough figure, would force her to leave
And I don't really want you baby
I genuinely have no desire to be with you anymore
Said I, I don't really care
I honestly don't care about your feelings or presence anymore
I, I don't really need you mama
I have realized that I don't depend on you or your support anymore
Said no more no more
I firmly declare that this is the end, and I don't want any more of this relationship
This bed that you made has been torn and tattered
Metaphorically, the consequences of your actions have caused our relationship to be damaged and destroyed
And it smells like another man
It's evident that you have been intimate with someone else
This bottle that I drink is for you now baby
I'm drinking this bottle as a symbol of how you've made me bitter and angrier
You've made me just a meaner man
Your actions have caused me to become a more cold-hearted and hostile person
I did all I could every change I got
I made every effort and took every opportunity to make things better for us
Bought you diamonds pearls even Gave you my rock
I spent money on expensive gifts for you, including diamonds and pearls, and I even gave you my heart
But you threw it away on a 6-month fling
However, you carelessly discarded it for a short-lived affair that lasted only six months
This motherfucker's a square Can't even sing
The person you left me for is uninteresting and untalented, incapable of even singing
So you ladies be warned don't diss my crew
I'm cautioning other women to not disrespect my group of friends
Cause my crew will do for me before you will do
I trust my friends to support me more than I trust you to do the same
But we got each other back Enough's enough
Nevertheless, my friends and I have each other's support, and I've reached my limit with you
That's Doc from the Mob and my homeboy Duff
This is Doc from the Mob and my loyal friend, Duff
That's me that's right
Yes, that's me, and it's true
I'm sick of hearing la de da le de da
I'm tired of hearing empty and meaningless expressions
From your ass
Coming from you
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: DUFF MICHAEL MCKAGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind