DUFF MCKAGAN Releases 'Last September' Song, Inspired By #MeToo Abuse Survivors

GUNS N' ROSES bassist and New York Times best-selling author Duff McKagan has released "Last September", a new track from his much-anticipated solo album, "Tenderness".

As McKagan tells it, the spare and compelling "Last September" was inspired by the harrowing experiences shared by #MeToo abuse survivors.

"I heard and read some awful stories," he says. "As the father of two girls, I felt the need to write this song. If I have any job in the world, it's to protect the women in my life."

"Last September" lyrics:

No she can't remember
They said there's too much pain
It happened last September
From some familiar man
Why, d'she/he have to think about a plan
(And why, if she had been so kind and understanding)
To get away, fight and scream, a frantic plea against the pain
His mom
ma didn't raise a man
He went and lost his temper
He went and lost his brain
Her tears brought his anger
It sent him in a rage
He's blind, what she wore, he said she planned it
He lied to himself, said she could have ran
She said no, he said yes, he took
her down and choked her neck
His momma didn't raise a man
Darkest secrets get released
These manic pigs and their disease
He cries when he gets what comes his way
His momma didn't raise a man
Darkest secrets get released
These manic pigs and their disease
Why, d'she/he have to think about a plan
(And why, if she had been so kind and understanding)
To get away, fight and scream, a frantic plea against the pain
But life goes on, and so will she,
Getting stronger, shedding skin
Scrapes and scars will fade away
Those memories will always stay [End of lyrics]

"I wanted to make the man in the song as awful as possible," says McKagan. "I wanted to make him a warning. We hear stories of people showing signs beforehand...and we hear also, that something could have been done. I don't have an answer, and the song doesn't either. The hope is to simply raise awareness of distressing signals that some may display."

"Last September" follows the recent release of "Don't Look Behind You", "Chip Away" and "Tenderness".

The full track listing for "Tenderness" is as follows:

01. Tenderness
02. It's Not Too Late
03. Wasted Heart
04. Falling Down
05. Last September
06. Chip Away
07. Cold Outside
08. Feel
09. Breaking Rocks
10. Parkland
11. Don't Look Behind You

Also available for pre-order is a special limited-edition "Tenderness" deluxe book, which includes the album on 180-gram yellow-and-red starburst vinyl, the CD, and features an exclusive lithograph signed and numbered by McKagan. The hard cover book contains 40-pages of photos from the recording sessions and also presents liner notes written by Duff detailing his experiences with each song and the project as a whole. The vinyl features 10 tracks and a unique sequence carefully selected by McKagan and the album's Grammy-winning producer Shooter Jennings, while the CD includes 11 tracks.

"Tenderness" sees McKagan reflecting on his experiences traveling the globe over two and a half years on GUNS N' ROSES' "Not In This Lifetime" tour. Encountering heartbreak, anger, fear, confusion and divide on his travels during this tumultuous time in our world history, McKagan channeled a collective hurt into songs of monolithic power.

"We're becoming divided at a time when we need each other most," says McKagan. "When huge industries get replaced because of modernization, it's time to retrain and bolster up those who get swept aside. Homelessness and drug addiction are avoidable in this country if we come together and get private and public cogs turning together in a positive direction. We can at least try to tackle mental illness while we're at it. But alas, we stump and lie, point fingers and divide. We're way better than this. As a father, I must say and do something now because I love my girls and my wife, and I love my country, and I feel I must be strong and use my voice now, do it while I'm able or perhaps never get a chance ever again."

McKagan and Jennings began recording "Tenderness" a year ago, working out of Station House studios, located in Echo Park, California, where they wrote and recorded in-between McKagan's tour with seminal rock band GUNS N' ROSES and the release of Jennings's eponymous album, "Shooter". "Tenderness" features Jennings and his band along with appearances by The Waters and The Suicide Horn Section (which features Duff's brother Matt McKagan on trombone),amongst others.

More than a year later, they're gearing up to take these songs on the road for a North American tour that kicks off May 30 at TLA in Philadelphia.