Rock'n'roll: A Cautionary Tale

Submitted by melaniedinjaski on Wed, Feb 8, 2012 - 5:41pm
With a familiar tale of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll, it’d be easy for Duff McKagan’s story to be lost amongst the plethora of other rock biographies. But in "It’s So Easy (and other lies)" the former Guns’n’Roses bassist keeps it real, never sounding like he’s on a pity quest, or gloating to the mindless mass of fans.

Using his nonchalant, honest voice he guides the reader through the momentous highs of stardom, the bleak reality of the aftermath and the rewards that come in making it through it all.

Reading It’s So Easy (and other lies) it doesn’t take long to realise McKagan’s early years were anything but easy in the Seattle punk-scene. On a road well worn by rockstars, McKagan tells of his struggle with suicidal tendencies, alcohol and heroin addiction, and the emergency hospital visit that changed his life forever.

The wonder years with Guns’n’Roses are told short and sweet, with an interesting account of the departure of drummer Steven Adler from the band. We also get anecdotes from McKagan’s other musical involvement such as that with Velvet Revolver (alongside former Guns’n’Roses guitarist, Slash) and Loaded, the band in which McKagan is now the lead-singer.

Reflecting on life to the present day, the feeling one gets from reading It’s So Easy (and other lies) is that putting pen to paper was a wholly satisfying experience for McKagan who emerges triumphantly from his experiences better, stronger.

The gossip mongers won’t get much out of this rocker’s biography, but the true fans will respect the life that he’s lived, and how lucky he’s been to have come out the other end.

Relatively unscathed.

4/5

- Melanie Dinjaski

Book Info
Title: 
It's So Easy (and other lies)
Author: 
Duff McKagan
Publisher: 
Orion