DUFF MCKAGAN On GUNS N' ROSES Releasing Standalone Singles In Recent Years: 'I Think It Was The Right Thing To Do'

In a new interview with Ethan Jackson of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3, GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan spoke about the band's recently released two new songs called "Atlas" and "Nothin'". When they were made available in December, the tracks marked the first new GN'R music since the 2023 singles "The General" and "Perhaps". Both "Atlas" and "Nothin'" were produced by GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose and Caram Costanzo (Janet Jackson, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE); Costanzo co-produced GUNS N' ROSES' latest album, 2008's "Chinese Democracy", alongside Rose.

Duff said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We were putting out two groupings of two [new] songs before [various tour] legs. And we knew we were gonna tour for a long time, so I think us putting out a couple songs before full legs — I'm talking, a leg is like a year and a half — I think it was a cool thing to do. I think it was the right thing to do. It kept everything fresh all the time."

He continued: "These last two ['Atlas' and 'Nothin''], we kind of knew these would be the last two [songs that were reportedly first conceived during the sessions for 'Chinese Democracy']. They're different — they're totally different songs — but it's still definitely GUNS N' ROSES. And I think 'Nothin'' is a really cool foray into almost R&B, really a lot of space in the song. Slash's guitar solo, I think, and Axl's vocal on that, on 'Nothin'', is amazing. 'Atlas' we've played live now in rehearsal and stuff, and it's gonna be a bigger sound… It's a big-sounding song as it is, but I think that'll come off pretty cool live."

Asked how he prepares for and copes with the touring lifestyle more than 40 years into his career as a professional musician, Duff said: "It's a long show. How do you cut out songs in our setlist? So we play three or three and a half hours, depending. And it's an athletic endeavor, for sure. And you do the work, you do the athletic work to lead up to a tour and the shows and the week and do all that stuff. But once you get out there, that connectivity with an audience… And it is America, it's Canada, it's South America, it's all over Europe, it's Middle East and Africa and Asia and Iceland, and everywhere we go, it's a thing. And this connectivity with this fanbase is quite an honor, to see people come and show up and do the thing. So that's what I kind of center on. I have a wife and two daughters and we make it all work. And we have since we've been a family; we make it all work — meaning, they come out [on the road] a lot. And my wife now — our kids are grown, [so] she comes out quite a bit more. But now we have a dog, a new dog. So that's gonna get in the way."

"Nothin'" and "Atlas" find GUNS N' ROSES showcasing two different sides of the band's personality. "Atlas" is GN'R in full surging rock mode, while "Nothin'" grows more introspective over floaty keys and an emotive guitar.

GUNS N' ROSES released a four-song EP, "Hard Skool", in February 2022. The effort, which was exclusive to the GUNS N' ROSES' official store, contained the two new songs the band released in 2021 — the title track and "Absurd" — as well as live versions of "Don't Cry" and "You're Crazy".

The legendary hard rock outfit has not released a full-length effort since "Chinese Democracy", which included only Rose from the band's classic lineup. Bassist Duff McKagan and Slash reunited with Axl in 2016 and have since released several other standalone singles — "Absurd" (stylized as "ABSUЯD"),"Hard Skool", "Perhaps" and "The General" — but have not made any announcements about another LP.

In June 2024, Duff was asked during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if he thinks GUNS N' ROSES will ever release more "newly written music" again as opposed to continuing to rework and put out previously composed songs. The GN'R bassist responded: "Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. There's new material. I don't know how we're gona put it out. I think that's a question too. Like, do you put out a record? Do you just keep putting out singles? I don't know what the right answer is there in this day and age."

If and when it happens, the new GUNS N' ROSES studio album will be the first under the GUNS banner since "Chinese Democracy" and the first to feature Slash, Rose and bassist Duff McKagan since 1993.

Written by Rose and co-produced by Rose and Caram Costanzo, "Hard Skool", which had the working title "Jackie Chan", was originally recorded during GN'R's "Chinese Democracy" era but was eventually omitted from that album. Short clips of the song were later posted online and a full version was leaked in August 2019.

"Absurd" came out on August 6, 2021, three days after GUNS N' ROSES performed the tune live for the first time during its concert at Boston's Fenway Park.

GUNS N' ROSES last performed "Silkworms", which was also reportedly written during the "Chinese Democracy" sessions, in 2001.

"The General" was the B-side of GUNS N' ROSES' limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single titled "Perhaps", which was made available for pre-order in August 2023.

Like "Perhaps", "Hard Skool" and "Absurd", "The General" was written during the sessions for the "Chinese Democracy" album. It was previously talked about by ex-GN'R drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia, who reportedly wrote some of the song's music and gave it its title, and former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach.

GUNS N' ROSES will hit the road again in the spring and summer 2026. This tour will see GUNS N' ROSES visit Mexico and Brazil, before headlining additional European markets, as well as stadiums across the U.S. and Canada. The upcoming run includes a special performance at Los Angeles's Rose Bowl, marking a historic return to the venue for the first time in over 30 years.

The tour announcement came days after GUNS N' ROSES released their deluxe "Live Era '87-'93" boxset, a limited pressing with remastered audio and revamped art.

Embedded in popular culture, GUNS N' ROSES' landmark diamond-selling 1987 opus "Appetite For Destruction" stands out as "the best-selling U.S. debut album ever" and "the 11th best-selling U.S. album of all time." Following its release, GUNS N' ROSES shook the world with the one-two punch of the over seven-times-platinum "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II", clinching the top two spots on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart upon arrival. With total sales of 100 million units thus far, their catalog also consists of "GN'R Lies" (five times platinum),"The Spaghetti Incident?" (platinum),"Greatest Hits" (five times platinum),and "Chinese Democracy" (over six million worldwide). Not to mention, they are one of the most-streamed rock bands in the world with an average of 27 million monthly listeners on Spotify and in May 2024 were inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame for their 1987 debut album, "Appetite For Destruction".

On the touring front, GUNS N' ROSES' legendary three-hour-plus shows encompass sought-after fan favorites in addition to newly dusted-off gems from their back catalog, leaving ardent audiences in awe. Their blockbuster 2024 world tour sold 1.3 million tickets around the world and marked the band's largest run to date. Consisting of acclaimed performances in stadiums and arenas alike, the tour included headlining festival dates at Glastonbury and London's Hyde Park, while the North American leg included sold-out performances at historic venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, as well as a co-headlining performance at Power Trip in Indio, California with AC/DC and METALLICA. GUNS N' ROSES' previous world tour, "Not In This Lifetime…", notably ranked as the "fourth-highest grossing concert tour of all time", selling more than five million tickets and included a headline performance at Coachella. The band's massive 2025 tour saw the powerhouse band hit stadiums and arenas in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America throughout the year.

GUNS N' ROSES are Axl Rose (vocals, keyboards),Duff McKagan (bass),Slash (lead guitar),Dizzy Reed (keyboard),Richard Fortus (rhythm guitar),Isaac Carpenter (drums) and Melissa Reese (keyboard).