1995.07.DD - Conspiracy Fan Club Newsletter Volume One Issue Two
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1995.07.DD - Conspiracy Fan Club Newsletter Volume One Issue Two
Many thanks to @troccoli for sharing this with us, and for the amazing collection of GN'R memorabilia he has made available on his site. The original images of the newsletter can be found on his site here:
http://www.troccolitm.com/IntlFnClb.html
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CONSPIRACY
THE OFFICIAL GUNS N’ ROSES NEWSLETTER
Volume One Issue Two
[Handwritten letter from Duff]:
HEY Guys!! It’s Duff!
This support is really amazing (as always)!! We’re writing tunes and looking forward to getting in the recording studio real soon!! A lot has happened over the last few years including our 2 ½ year tour and some well needed time off, but now it is time. We are all ready to go!! Keep the letters coming, and one of us will keep you updated as we go along! Don’t believe the bullshit.
Peace
Duff
Remains of Latté
An Interview with Duff McKagan • Bass Player Extraordinaire • Member of Guns N' Roses
Who better to shoot the breeze with Duff McKagan than the hip and happening Rhian, a longtime GN'R friend and fan. Duff and Rhian went out for some stimulating coffee and daring conversation recently—here's the low down on their visit as recounted by the one and only Rhian:
Rhian (R): On Saturday, I met Duff at a swinging café in Hollywood with 50's style deco and waiters in gas station garb maintaining the expected attitude (i.e., lots of it). After ordering a double latté with low fat milk for Duff and an iced latté for me, we entered a conversation about my personal life. Throwing my preconceived notions about Duff out the window, I listened to his eloquent advice.
Duff (D): I know my way around emotions and no matter where you are from or what you do, it hurts bad, but there are some things that you have to chalk up to learning and experience, man.
Listen, I'll just do this once for you and that’s it. There is no balance. Don't let it scar you for the rest of your life. Don't let it deaden your six year old version of yourself inside. Don't let it fuck with you. At least you want to come out of it with a bit more knowledge and breathe in a big breath of life every day.
When I think back on things, someone else’s fucked up actions seem so trivial. Life is supposed to be about having fun. There is a lot more later on. We are here to enjoy it and to enjoy other people. We don't have time. We have enough shit as it is. You don't have time for someone who is just going to put a weight on your back. You don’t need more shit because there is so much to life.
(R): (Sometime along the way we ordered food- toast and jam for me and a melon fruit bowl for Duff. We noticed the cute Rottweiler puppy sitting at the table behind us) Do you have any pets?
(D): Yeah, I do. I have a female yellow lab named Chloe and a black male lab named Barney. They live at my place in Seattle.
(R): Did you ever think you would be in the place where you are now?
(D): No, never. I never got into this for the money. I just wanted to play.
(R): When you were playing all those clubs on Sunset Strip, did you ever think...
(D): No, never! (Not even a flicker of doubt crosses his face.)
(R): You used to live up In Seattle, huh?
(D): Yeah, my friends and I rented a house in Seattle. We used to go up to Vancouver and hang out at the DOA house. It's still there on George Street. Even though it was like a home for whoever was passing through, we never had any psychos up there.
(R): Do you have any brothers or sisters?
(D): Yeah. I am the last kid in a family of eight.
(R): Do you still talk to them?
(D): Sure.
(R): (Incidentally, Duff played his brother's middle school recently.) Nowadays do you still go and see
bands?
(D): Yeah, sure, all the time.
(R): Who is your new, favorite band?
(D): They are called The Things. They do an Iggy and the Stooges cover and an X cover. I don't think they know how cool the Iggy cover is. I asked them how they decided to do that one and they said their uncle had suggested it.
(R): I played a copy of Appetite for Destruction the other day. There was something. I don't know if it was the time or place or what...
(D): Yeah, the urgency of those songs. Back then, people didn't know what the fuck we were about.
One night, we would open for Social D and the next night we would headline The Troubadour where no punk bands were allowed to play. We weren't punk or heavy metal. Now there is no more heavy metal.
(R): It's called, "Alternative rock."
(D): Whatever that is. There is no scene in LA anymore. It is like when we first started to go to clubs. Now you go and there Is you and like 10 other people there. They say it is a 10 year cycle, 1984-1994. It is about time for the scene to come around again.
(R): (More pets for the Rottweiler) Don't you miss your buddies?
(D): Oh yeah, but it’s really not fair to them to move them around. Barney climbs trees.
(R): What? Dogs aren't supposed to climb trees, Duff, cats are.
(D): Barney doesn't know that. He grew up with a cat. If you throw his bone up there, he will go get it. He’s a cool pup.
(R): That's a child proof lighter.
(D): I hate these things.
(R): I have pets, a snake and a tarantula. The snake is a baby one of Slash's albino Burmese pythons.
(D): One night, I was over at Slash's house and Slash was at the recording studio doing a guitar part and one of his albino's got into the cage of a poisonous iguana. The iguana had a hold of the snake in its mouth and was In full on survival mode. I was freaking out. I am not a snake handler— they are not dogs, right? So, I got Slash on the speaker phone. "Okay, dude. Now I got the gloves on and I have the poisonous iguana and the snake, dude, what happens if this iguana bites me?"
"You will die," Slash said.
"I will die? Nah, he can’t bite through the gloves..."
(R): What happened? What happened?
(D): I got them apart and got the one in its cage and the other in its cage. Never again. Never again am I going to fucking separate a poisonous iguana and a python.
(D): Super Duff to the rescue, dum dee dee dummmm! (The interview now moves up to Duff's hacienda, a warm house in the hills with a beautiful view and a casual atmosphere. From New York, Shrieking Violets, friends of Duff's wife Linda, are recording in his fully equipped studio. Various mics, cables, equipment, band members and an engineer roam the house.)
(D): I love this house, man!
(R): (Blazing away on the big screen are the Sonics vs. The Lakers, a championship game being played in Seattle.)
(D): There is no excuse man, they are playing at home. They better win.
(R): (Duff takes his boys, the Sonics, pretty seriously.) How was it playing at the Hard Rock Hotel gig? Did you get to play with anyone that you never...
(D): Yeah. Yeah. B. B King and, you know, Iggy. The guy who owns the Hard Rock is really cool— he wants to keep a level of integrity and not just let anyone play there. So, with the punk rock resurgence going on and if you want to keep some of the integrity, let’s get Iggy, and Steve Jones is a good friend of mine, let's get them up there.
(R): Who would be someone that you would like to play with that you never have before?
(D): Prince.
(R): Prince? Really?
(D): Prince. He's a genius, man. In the early days, no one knew what to make of him. He was so out there. He was a punker. You would never be able to tell, but he has had such an influence on the way that I approach music. It would be hard for me to translate to Prince. When I did my record, I did a European single of David Bowie's, "Cracked Actor" and an old Prince song called, "XXXXX."
(R): What about dead? Dead people that you would want to play with?
(D): Like Hendrix?
(R): Yeah.
(D): Well, Hendrix. That’s too surreal to think about though. Playing with Iggy was great, he didn't complain, he was happy to be wanted you know? Happy to come and play. He was so down to earth. Me and Slash played on his record Brick By Brick. I was like, "He wants me to play?" Now, we are really good friends. It's guys like that that are such a fucking level above most people and musicians. When we played, Steve Jones was playing, Iggy was singing, I was up there and Johnny Rotten wanted to come up and do a song. Iggy can't see without his glasses and after the show he said, "A lot of people were telling me that Johnny Rotten was there and I saw this blond surfer looking guy. It wasn't Johnny was it?" It was. I mean Iggy was so down to earth. He was like, "Johnny wanted to get up with us?? Oh wow, he's gonna be bummed at you. You are too fucking God-like," you know?
(R): (The Sonic/Lakers game stops as the entire city of Tacoma experiences a power surge.)
(D): No way. No way.
(R): (The Sonics needed something to help them.)
(D): Come on guys! Get it together.
(R): You'll have to let me know how the game turns out, so I can put it in the interview...
(D): You can’t put it in if they lose.
(R): (Readers note that there is no mention of the final score. Draw your own conclusions...)
***
Pick On Your Friends.
For a limited time, when you sign a friend up to the Guns N' Roses Fan Club, you'll receive a Duff or Slash guitar pick - your choice! If you sign up two friends, you can get both! Also, for each friend you sign up, you will be entered in a random drawing to win an autographed "Spaghetti Incident?" CD.
Call (415) 597-5544 (Mon - Fri, 9:00am - 4:30pm PT) with a VISA/MasterCard and mention this offer or mail to:
Guns N' Roses International Fan Club
Dept. Picks
P.O. Box 884088
San Francisco CA 94188
Please include:
1) Your name, address, member number & choice of pick(s).Your friend's name, address, phone number & birthdate.
2) Check or money order for each friend - $19.95 U.S./$29.95 Foreign.
3) This offer is not retroactive, so don't even ask!
***
[Picture of Slash with a fan]
Pictured here is fan club member Penny Patterson of Mitchellville, MD partying down with Slash.
Have you met the guys? Send us photos along with your story of what went on!
***
Rockin’ A Hard Place
Las Vegas was blown out of its britches Friday, March 10, 1995 as MTV hosted the Grand Opening of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, billed as, "The World's First Rock N' Roll Hotel." The was led by our very own Duff McKagan and his all-star band, including Matt Sorum, Steve Stevens, Terry Andreadis, with special guest appearances by Iggy Pop, Gilby Clarke, Steve Jones, B.B King, Bo Diddley, Seal, Billy Idol and Melissa Etheridge. Other featured performers of the night included: Sheryl Crow, Duran Duran, Al Green and "Wayne Newtron and His Mutations." The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino also contains an awe-intensive, rock n' roll memorabilia museum to which GN'R have donated some of their motorcycles.
***
Pen Pals!
[List of ads for pen pals]
Gunners unite! If you haven't sent us your postcard with your name, address, city, state, zip, e-mail address, sex and age - what's the fuckin' deal? Send them to:
Guns N' Roses International Fan Club
Dept. P
P.O. Box 884088
San Francisco CA 94188
Or e-mail with subject 'GN'R Dept.P' to:
NL Stuff@AOL.com
No phone numbers or photos will be printed in this section - so hold up! Simply, (and legibly) in 25 words or less, tell us a little about yourself and what type o' Gunner you would like to correspond with. This is your chance get down and gel dirty with other GN'R freaks. Don't miss out!
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S-T-R-U-N-G O-U-T W-I-T-H M-c-B-O-B
An Interview with Mike “McBob" Mayhue Tech of the Gods
Recently, we caught up with Mike "McBob" Mayhue — bass tech extraordinaire for Duff McKagan. McBob was kickin' back at Duff's place in LA and had some time to discuss just what it takes and what is entailed in being a tech. He also talks about what it has been like to be part of the GN'R family since the early days...
What’s your full working title? Is it bass tech?
MM: Yup. It's bass tech.
When did you meet Duff?
MM: I met him in '87.
Was that after GN’R got signed to Geffen?
MM: If was after they recorded Appetite for Destruction and they were preparing for their first real tour.
Where did you meet Duff?
MM: We met at a rehearsal studio. I had just finished working for the Everly Brothers and then I got this gig working for Duff.
Did you and Duff hit it off?
MM: Yeah. I mean it takes a while. You don't have to really hit it off with a tech, but I guess we did a bit. It takes a while to get to know someone and I have been working for him ever since then.
So, you know him pretty well then?
MM: Yeah, I do.
What exactly do you do for him?
MM: I take care of all his guitars, amps and equipment. Now, actually, I take care of all the band's equipment up at the studio except for the drums. I used to be their stage manager. There is a lot of things to do in terms of keeping up the equipment. I make sure the equipment has all the new things and is in repair, ready to go.
Is there one special guitar that Duff plays live?
MM: Well, he has one favorite guitar, but we don't use it live anymore. We only use it to record. It's the one he has used on all the albums so far, actually. There really is nothing too special about the guitar. It was only a four or five hundred dollar guitar when we bought it...
What kind of guitar is it?
MM: It’s a Fender Jazz Special and it has a weird shaped neck, which is why he bought it. It was an assembly line goof up with a really thin neck and Duff really liked it.
So, it is a one of a kind?
MM: I had the neck measured and the guy at Fender has all the specs. He has them custom- shaped for me.
You've seen Duff play more than anyone in the world. How would you describe Duffs playing, his musicianship?
MM: Duff is a very melodic bass player. I think he is an exceptionally talented bass player. He also plays guitars and drums and a little bit of keyboards too. He plays a lot of the instruments on his solo album. He played most of the drum, guitar and bass tracks.
What is your favorite memory with either GN'R or Duff?
MM: I just like the early days.
The beginning of GN'R was surrounded by a special magic...
MM: It really was and it wasn't as bad as some people think. It was a lot of fun.
What do you mean by, "Bad?" Do you mean, "Nasty?"
MM: Yeah.
Appetite for Destruction was such a good album and GN'R seems like a family...
MM: I've always seen (Appetite for Destruction) as sort of autobiographical and about incidents that actually happened and about the people they knew. It was kind of an autobiography of what was going on in the streets of Hollywood at the time. It was pretty accurate and pretty angry. It was cool.
You are one of the people who has stuck through it all with them— you've seen it all. What's it been like working with GN'R for so long?
MM: It's been great and, contrary to the articles that would like you to believe that the band is out there and what not— well, you have never met a more down to earth bunch of guys. Bottom line. They did earn their reputations and there were some things that went on, but they are all basically down to earth. They are all really nice guys. They are all fairly articulate and really not mean spirited at all. They do like to have the family vibe around them and keep the familiarity of trust. They don't want a bunch of "yes men" around them. They just want people around them that are going to give them honest answers.
Are you a musician yourself?
MM: No. I play a little bit though. I can embarrass myself. No, I am not a player. I have always been a tech.
If someone reading this wanted to get a position like yours, what would you tell them?
MM: Find a local band or night club looking for help. Even if you are going to school, join the theater department and learn about lights. There is a job for everybody out there—sound, lighting, design, bus driver, truck driver, back line operators...
Thank you McBob
This is a basic look at Duff's touring setup:
The signal starts from the bass to the wireless (different frequency for each guitar) into the Whirlwind signal splitter. It's a four into one out unit.
Then the signal goes into the Yamaha SPX S0, which is set at a mild chorus effect that I control during the show and during songs or small parts that have that effect, such as the start of “Sweet Child O' Mine.”
That signal is sent to the Bradshaw splitter, which has five isolated ground transformers built in so I can flip a switch to ground or lift each of five outputs. Four of five go to the GK800 heads which in turn drives six 15 inch GK speakers and three 4-10 GK speaker cabs. The fifth signal goes to Matt's drum area where another GK800 drives two speakers for Matt.
Duff uses GK amps and speakers exclusively. Fender Jazz Special Passes made by John Page at Fender Custom Shop. Rotosound Spacer strings.
***
GUN COLLECTION
[Merchandise – Order Form]
GN’R PHOTOS BY MAIL
Choose from a selection of live and off-stage shots exclusively photographed from their Get In The Ring Tour!
Send a cashiers check or money order for $2.00 with your name and address for your full color catalogue. Send to: PMP Photography
859 Hollywood Way Suite 210
Burbank CA 91505
COMING SOON!
Watch for the special, limited edition, re-release vinyl of “Live ?l@ Like A Suicide."
FAN CLUB EXCLUSIVE!
***
THE GN’R HOTLINE
415-597-8766
FREE, except for normal phone charges from wherever you are to San Francisco. Be up-to-the minute on all the latest news, gossip and all that is GN’R 24 hours a day. You’ll be prompted to enter a password for full access. This password changes every few months.
Password: TRASH (8-7-2-7-4)
(effective July 5, 1995)
WANTED:
gun'ər · par'ə fər nal'yə, n.
1. personal GN'R poems, artifacts, photos, backstage stories, artwork.
2. All that is or is related to GN'R.
Guns N' Roses rule, right? Their songs stir creative juices up inside you that just ache to be released, right? We know you've been stashin' all this cool-ass stuff— poems inspired by GN'R, short stories, drawings, photos, design ideas, story ideas, interesting tidbits to spark off some loyal Gunner insider buzz; so, why haven't you let us in on all the gritty details? We want all your artwork, stories, letters, ideas and questions for publication— remember this is your newsletter as much as the band's, so we want as much of your input as possible. Send all GN'R masterpieces to:
Guns N' Roses International Fan Club
Dept: NL
P.O. Box 884088
San Francisco, CA 94188
Or e-mail text with subject "GN'R NL" to:
NL Stuff@AOL.com
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Welcome to the GN’R family!
One thing you’ll notice right away is that things work a little different around here. Being a loyal GN’R fan, we realize you deserve the best fan club services you can get! To officially welcome you aboard, we’ve sent along a kickin’ membership kit that includes your membership card, group photo, biography/discography and the latest newsletter.
We make it a point to hook you up with great concert tickets when Guns N’ Roses comes to your town – a single phone call puts them rights in your hands. Our preferred tickets program ends the frustration of getting screwed by scalpers or waiting in lines.
Check out the exclusive fan club merchandise in upcoming issues of the GN’R newsletter. These items can’t be found anywhere else on the planet!
Our twisted travel packages will be roaring your way soon. You’ll get down n’ dirty with other hard-core fans as you hit the road with GN’R for a few shows. We’ll handle the tickets, hotel accommodations and ground transportation. You just gotta up for hittin’ the road GN’R style.
Also, blazing to you in 1995 will be the GN’R phone hotline, for members of the fan club only. This is where you’ll find all the up-to-the-minute info on what the band’s doing, get weekly updates on their latest chart positions and new releases, listen to reports from the road, hear latest tour dates and personal messages from the band.
Thanks for becoming a part of it all. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the ride!
Guns N’ Roses Fan Club
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GUNS N’ ROSES
Guns N’ Roses formed in Hollywood in 1985 with singer W. Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff “Rose” McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Taking the L.A. club circuit by storm, in August 1986 GN’R was signed to Geffen Records by A&R executive Tom Zutaut and that fall the band produced and released a four-song EP, Live ?!@ Like A Suicide, on its own Uzi Suicide label.
Appetite For Destruction, the band’s first full-length album, was released in July 1987 and broke into the Top 100 of the pop charts to months later. The album peaked at #1 for five weeks and would become the best-selling album on the Geffen label, residing on the Billboard charts for 147 weeks – nearly three years.
Three singles released from the album reached top 10 status, with the certified-gold “Sweet Child O’ Mine” topping the charts at the #1 position. “Paradise City” hit #5 and “Welcome To The Jungle” reached #7. Guns N’ Roses also won the 1988 MTV Award for Best New Artist with their “Welcome To The Jungle” video.
In November 1988, Geffen released the GN’R Lies EP, which included songs from the earlier EP as well as new acoustic material, including the single “Patience” which reached #4 and went gold. GN’R Lies went to #2 on the charts and received a grammy nomination. Guns N’ Roses was lauded in Rolling Stone’s Reader’s Poll as “Best New American Band” and in the Critic’s Poll as “Best Heavy Metal Band” and “Best Male Singer.”
In 1989, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” won an American Music Award for “Favorite Single, Pop/Rock” and the MTV award for “Best Metal/Hard Rock Video.”
To date, Appetite For Destruction has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and GN’R Lies more than six million. The band contributed to two albums in 1990: the soundtrack to film Days Of Thunder with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and Nobody’s Child, the project to benefit Romanian orphans, with the original “Civil War.” In April 1990, GN’R performed at Farm Aid IV and won two American Music Awards. “Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist” and “Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album.”
Individually, Slash and McKagan played on Iggy Pop’s Brick By Brick album and Slash recorded with Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, and on the tribute album for Les Paul.
In July 1990, the band reluctantly fired Adler after repeatedly trying to the help him resolve the drug problems that hindered his drumming. A month later, Matt Sorum joined Guns N’ Roses after touring with the Cult for a year. He performed in concert with the band for the first time in January 1991 before 260,000 fans at the Rock in Rio II festival in Brazil. Keyboardist Dizzy Reed, a friend from the early days, had been added the previous year to give some additional color to the GN’R sound.
On May 24, 1991, GN’R kicked off a two-year tour, the band’s first time as headliners on a world tour.
On September 17, 1991, Geffen released Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, marking the first time a major contemporary artist released two separate albums on the same day. UYI I and UYI II debuted at #2 and #1 respectively on the Billboard charts. “Don’t Cry,” the first single from UYI I, went gold. Earlier that summer “You Could Be Mine” (on UYI II) was released as a single and featured in the block-buster film Terminator 2: Judgement Day. In the first 30 days, worldwide sales of the CD single exceeded 1.5 million copies.
Together, combined sales of the two albums have reached 27 million copies worldwide.
In November, Stradlin resigned and was replaced on tour by Gilby Clarke, formerly of the band Kills For Thrills. When GN’R was developing in its early days. Clarke was in bands that played many of the same gritty Hollywood clubs.
Supported by a performance video, “Live and Let Die,” was released as the third single from the Illusion albums on December 3, 1991.
The second U.S. leg of the GN’R tour was launched December 5, running through February 1, 1992, including 25 predominantly sold-out shows. It was followed by a tour of Japan, plus shows in Mexico City and a couple of U.S. cities before GN’R appeared as featured guests at “The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness” at Wembley Stadium in London on April 20. The all-star show was shown live around the world via satellite, garnering the largest audience for a music concert in history. GN’R then toured Europe again logging 19 shows between May 16 and July 4.
Following the European stint, the three GN’R albums and EP were all charting in Norway and Germany (where more than a million Illusion albums have been sold). Led by the single “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” GN’R was entrenched in the upper reaches of the charts in England, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland and Hong King. In the U.K., the royalties form the “Knockin’ ” single have been pledged to organizations fighting AIDS.
On June 16, 1992, “November Rain” was released as the next single. It was supposed by an epic concert video that reached the #1 position on MTV’s Top 20 Countdown. At the 1992 MTV Awards, the band received the prestigious Vanguard Award and “November Rain” won for “Best Cinematography.” As the band returned to the U.S. for stadium dates, “November Rain” was certified gold.
GN’R marked its entry into home video with Use your Illusion World Tour – 1992 in Tokyo (Geffen Home Video), presented in two separate packages, I and II. The band then embarked on tour legs that included South America, Japan, Australia and the Far East, extending the tour into early 1993. The Use Your Illusion world tour became the longest in rock history: 28 months, 192 concerts, 28 countries.
In the summer of 1993, Geffen Home video released two more long-form music videos, Makin’ F@*!ing Videos Part 1: “Don’t Cry” and Makin’ F@*!ing Videos Part 2: “November Rain.” In November 1993, Guns N’ Roses unveiled its fifth album – “The Spaghetti Incident?” – encompassing covers of favorite songs from favorite bands who had influenced GN’R over the years.
DISCOGRAPHY
Album Title Billboard Billboard RIAA
Single Title Debut Date Peak Position Certification
Appetite For Destruction 8/29/87 1 10 million
Sweet Child O’ Mine 6/25/88 1 500,000
Paradise City 1/14/89 5 -
Welcome To The Jungle 10/22/88 7 -
Nightrain 7/29/89 93 -
GN’R Lies 12/17/88 2 4 million
Patience 4/8/89 4 500,000
Use Your Illusion II 10/5/91 1 4 million
You Could Be Mine 7/18/91 29 500,000
Yesterdays 11/21/92 72 -
Use Your Illusion I 10/5/91 2 4 million
November Rain 6/27/92 3 500,000
Don’t Cry 9/21/91 10 500,000
Live and Let Die 12/21/91 33 -
“The Spaghetti Incident?” 12/11/93 4 1 million
Since I Don’t Have You 3/5/94 69 -
Information compiled November 1994
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[Band members' photos]
http://www.troccolitm.com/IntlFnClb.html
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CONSPIRACY
THE OFFICIAL GUNS N’ ROSES NEWSLETTER
Volume One Issue Two
[Handwritten letter from Duff]:
HEY Guys!! It’s Duff!
This support is really amazing (as always)!! We’re writing tunes and looking forward to getting in the recording studio real soon!! A lot has happened over the last few years including our 2 ½ year tour and some well needed time off, but now it is time. We are all ready to go!! Keep the letters coming, and one of us will keep you updated as we go along! Don’t believe the bullshit.
Peace
Duff
Remains of Latté
An Interview with Duff McKagan • Bass Player Extraordinaire • Member of Guns N' Roses
Who better to shoot the breeze with Duff McKagan than the hip and happening Rhian, a longtime GN'R friend and fan. Duff and Rhian went out for some stimulating coffee and daring conversation recently—here's the low down on their visit as recounted by the one and only Rhian:
Rhian (R): On Saturday, I met Duff at a swinging café in Hollywood with 50's style deco and waiters in gas station garb maintaining the expected attitude (i.e., lots of it). After ordering a double latté with low fat milk for Duff and an iced latté for me, we entered a conversation about my personal life. Throwing my preconceived notions about Duff out the window, I listened to his eloquent advice.
Duff (D): I know my way around emotions and no matter where you are from or what you do, it hurts bad, but there are some things that you have to chalk up to learning and experience, man.
Listen, I'll just do this once for you and that’s it. There is no balance. Don't let it scar you for the rest of your life. Don't let it deaden your six year old version of yourself inside. Don't let it fuck with you. At least you want to come out of it with a bit more knowledge and breathe in a big breath of life every day.
When I think back on things, someone else’s fucked up actions seem so trivial. Life is supposed to be about having fun. There is a lot more later on. We are here to enjoy it and to enjoy other people. We don't have time. We have enough shit as it is. You don't have time for someone who is just going to put a weight on your back. You don’t need more shit because there is so much to life.
(R): (Sometime along the way we ordered food- toast and jam for me and a melon fruit bowl for Duff. We noticed the cute Rottweiler puppy sitting at the table behind us) Do you have any pets?
(D): Yeah, I do. I have a female yellow lab named Chloe and a black male lab named Barney. They live at my place in Seattle.
(R): Did you ever think you would be in the place where you are now?
(D): No, never. I never got into this for the money. I just wanted to play.
(R): When you were playing all those clubs on Sunset Strip, did you ever think...
(D): No, never! (Not even a flicker of doubt crosses his face.)
(R): You used to live up In Seattle, huh?
(D): Yeah, my friends and I rented a house in Seattle. We used to go up to Vancouver and hang out at the DOA house. It's still there on George Street. Even though it was like a home for whoever was passing through, we never had any psychos up there.
(R): Do you have any brothers or sisters?
(D): Yeah. I am the last kid in a family of eight.
(R): Do you still talk to them?
(D): Sure.
(R): (Incidentally, Duff played his brother's middle school recently.) Nowadays do you still go and see
bands?
(D): Yeah, sure, all the time.
(R): Who is your new, favorite band?
(D): They are called The Things. They do an Iggy and the Stooges cover and an X cover. I don't think they know how cool the Iggy cover is. I asked them how they decided to do that one and they said their uncle had suggested it.
(R): I played a copy of Appetite for Destruction the other day. There was something. I don't know if it was the time or place or what...
(D): Yeah, the urgency of those songs. Back then, people didn't know what the fuck we were about.
One night, we would open for Social D and the next night we would headline The Troubadour where no punk bands were allowed to play. We weren't punk or heavy metal. Now there is no more heavy metal.
(R): It's called, "Alternative rock."
(D): Whatever that is. There is no scene in LA anymore. It is like when we first started to go to clubs. Now you go and there Is you and like 10 other people there. They say it is a 10 year cycle, 1984-1994. It is about time for the scene to come around again.
(R): (More pets for the Rottweiler) Don't you miss your buddies?
(D): Oh yeah, but it’s really not fair to them to move them around. Barney climbs trees.
(R): What? Dogs aren't supposed to climb trees, Duff, cats are.
(D): Barney doesn't know that. He grew up with a cat. If you throw his bone up there, he will go get it. He’s a cool pup.
(R): That's a child proof lighter.
(D): I hate these things.
(R): I have pets, a snake and a tarantula. The snake is a baby one of Slash's albino Burmese pythons.
(D): One night, I was over at Slash's house and Slash was at the recording studio doing a guitar part and one of his albino's got into the cage of a poisonous iguana. The iguana had a hold of the snake in its mouth and was In full on survival mode. I was freaking out. I am not a snake handler— they are not dogs, right? So, I got Slash on the speaker phone. "Okay, dude. Now I got the gloves on and I have the poisonous iguana and the snake, dude, what happens if this iguana bites me?"
"You will die," Slash said.
"I will die? Nah, he can’t bite through the gloves..."
(R): What happened? What happened?
(D): I got them apart and got the one in its cage and the other in its cage. Never again. Never again am I going to fucking separate a poisonous iguana and a python.
(D): Super Duff to the rescue, dum dee dee dummmm! (The interview now moves up to Duff's hacienda, a warm house in the hills with a beautiful view and a casual atmosphere. From New York, Shrieking Violets, friends of Duff's wife Linda, are recording in his fully equipped studio. Various mics, cables, equipment, band members and an engineer roam the house.)
(D): I love this house, man!
(R): (Blazing away on the big screen are the Sonics vs. The Lakers, a championship game being played in Seattle.)
(D): There is no excuse man, they are playing at home. They better win.
(R): (Duff takes his boys, the Sonics, pretty seriously.) How was it playing at the Hard Rock Hotel gig? Did you get to play with anyone that you never...
(D): Yeah. Yeah. B. B King and, you know, Iggy. The guy who owns the Hard Rock is really cool— he wants to keep a level of integrity and not just let anyone play there. So, with the punk rock resurgence going on and if you want to keep some of the integrity, let’s get Iggy, and Steve Jones is a good friend of mine, let's get them up there.
(R): Who would be someone that you would like to play with that you never have before?
(D): Prince.
(R): Prince? Really?
(D): Prince. He's a genius, man. In the early days, no one knew what to make of him. He was so out there. He was a punker. You would never be able to tell, but he has had such an influence on the way that I approach music. It would be hard for me to translate to Prince. When I did my record, I did a European single of David Bowie's, "Cracked Actor" and an old Prince song called, "XXXXX."
(R): What about dead? Dead people that you would want to play with?
(D): Like Hendrix?
(R): Yeah.
(D): Well, Hendrix. That’s too surreal to think about though. Playing with Iggy was great, he didn't complain, he was happy to be wanted you know? Happy to come and play. He was so down to earth. Me and Slash played on his record Brick By Brick. I was like, "He wants me to play?" Now, we are really good friends. It's guys like that that are such a fucking level above most people and musicians. When we played, Steve Jones was playing, Iggy was singing, I was up there and Johnny Rotten wanted to come up and do a song. Iggy can't see without his glasses and after the show he said, "A lot of people were telling me that Johnny Rotten was there and I saw this blond surfer looking guy. It wasn't Johnny was it?" It was. I mean Iggy was so down to earth. He was like, "Johnny wanted to get up with us?? Oh wow, he's gonna be bummed at you. You are too fucking God-like," you know?
(R): (The Sonic/Lakers game stops as the entire city of Tacoma experiences a power surge.)
(D): No way. No way.
(R): (The Sonics needed something to help them.)
(D): Come on guys! Get it together.
(R): You'll have to let me know how the game turns out, so I can put it in the interview...
(D): You can’t put it in if they lose.
(R): (Readers note that there is no mention of the final score. Draw your own conclusions...)
***
Pick On Your Friends.
For a limited time, when you sign a friend up to the Guns N' Roses Fan Club, you'll receive a Duff or Slash guitar pick - your choice! If you sign up two friends, you can get both! Also, for each friend you sign up, you will be entered in a random drawing to win an autographed "Spaghetti Incident?" CD.
Call (415) 597-5544 (Mon - Fri, 9:00am - 4:30pm PT) with a VISA/MasterCard and mention this offer or mail to:
Guns N' Roses International Fan Club
Dept. Picks
P.O. Box 884088
San Francisco CA 94188
Please include:
1) Your name, address, member number & choice of pick(s).Your friend's name, address, phone number & birthdate.
2) Check or money order for each friend - $19.95 U.S./$29.95 Foreign.
3) This offer is not retroactive, so don't even ask!
***
[Picture of Slash with a fan]
Pictured here is fan club member Penny Patterson of Mitchellville, MD partying down with Slash.
Have you met the guys? Send us photos along with your story of what went on!
***
Rockin’ A Hard Place
Las Vegas was blown out of its britches Friday, March 10, 1995 as MTV hosted the Grand Opening of the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, billed as, "The World's First Rock N' Roll Hotel." The was led by our very own Duff McKagan and his all-star band, including Matt Sorum, Steve Stevens, Terry Andreadis, with special guest appearances by Iggy Pop, Gilby Clarke, Steve Jones, B.B King, Bo Diddley, Seal, Billy Idol and Melissa Etheridge. Other featured performers of the night included: Sheryl Crow, Duran Duran, Al Green and "Wayne Newtron and His Mutations." The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino also contains an awe-intensive, rock n' roll memorabilia museum to which GN'R have donated some of their motorcycles.
***
Pen Pals!
[List of ads for pen pals]
Gunners unite! If you haven't sent us your postcard with your name, address, city, state, zip, e-mail address, sex and age - what's the fuckin' deal? Send them to:
Guns N' Roses International Fan Club
Dept. P
P.O. Box 884088
San Francisco CA 94188
Or e-mail with subject 'GN'R Dept.P' to:
NL Stuff@AOL.com
No phone numbers or photos will be printed in this section - so hold up! Simply, (and legibly) in 25 words or less, tell us a little about yourself and what type o' Gunner you would like to correspond with. This is your chance get down and gel dirty with other GN'R freaks. Don't miss out!
***
S-T-R-U-N-G O-U-T W-I-T-H M-c-B-O-B
An Interview with Mike “McBob" Mayhue Tech of the Gods
Recently, we caught up with Mike "McBob" Mayhue — bass tech extraordinaire for Duff McKagan. McBob was kickin' back at Duff's place in LA and had some time to discuss just what it takes and what is entailed in being a tech. He also talks about what it has been like to be part of the GN'R family since the early days...
What’s your full working title? Is it bass tech?
MM: Yup. It's bass tech.
When did you meet Duff?
MM: I met him in '87.
Was that after GN’R got signed to Geffen?
MM: If was after they recorded Appetite for Destruction and they were preparing for their first real tour.
Where did you meet Duff?
MM: We met at a rehearsal studio. I had just finished working for the Everly Brothers and then I got this gig working for Duff.
Did you and Duff hit it off?
MM: Yeah. I mean it takes a while. You don't have to really hit it off with a tech, but I guess we did a bit. It takes a while to get to know someone and I have been working for him ever since then.
So, you know him pretty well then?
MM: Yeah, I do.
What exactly do you do for him?
MM: I take care of all his guitars, amps and equipment. Now, actually, I take care of all the band's equipment up at the studio except for the drums. I used to be their stage manager. There is a lot of things to do in terms of keeping up the equipment. I make sure the equipment has all the new things and is in repair, ready to go.
Is there one special guitar that Duff plays live?
MM: Well, he has one favorite guitar, but we don't use it live anymore. We only use it to record. It's the one he has used on all the albums so far, actually. There really is nothing too special about the guitar. It was only a four or five hundred dollar guitar when we bought it...
What kind of guitar is it?
MM: It’s a Fender Jazz Special and it has a weird shaped neck, which is why he bought it. It was an assembly line goof up with a really thin neck and Duff really liked it.
So, it is a one of a kind?
MM: I had the neck measured and the guy at Fender has all the specs. He has them custom- shaped for me.
You've seen Duff play more than anyone in the world. How would you describe Duffs playing, his musicianship?
MM: Duff is a very melodic bass player. I think he is an exceptionally talented bass player. He also plays guitars and drums and a little bit of keyboards too. He plays a lot of the instruments on his solo album. He played most of the drum, guitar and bass tracks.
What is your favorite memory with either GN'R or Duff?
MM: I just like the early days.
The beginning of GN'R was surrounded by a special magic...
MM: It really was and it wasn't as bad as some people think. It was a lot of fun.
What do you mean by, "Bad?" Do you mean, "Nasty?"
MM: Yeah.
Appetite for Destruction was such a good album and GN'R seems like a family...
MM: I've always seen (Appetite for Destruction) as sort of autobiographical and about incidents that actually happened and about the people they knew. It was kind of an autobiography of what was going on in the streets of Hollywood at the time. It was pretty accurate and pretty angry. It was cool.
You are one of the people who has stuck through it all with them— you've seen it all. What's it been like working with GN'R for so long?
MM: It's been great and, contrary to the articles that would like you to believe that the band is out there and what not— well, you have never met a more down to earth bunch of guys. Bottom line. They did earn their reputations and there were some things that went on, but they are all basically down to earth. They are all really nice guys. They are all fairly articulate and really not mean spirited at all. They do like to have the family vibe around them and keep the familiarity of trust. They don't want a bunch of "yes men" around them. They just want people around them that are going to give them honest answers.
Are you a musician yourself?
MM: No. I play a little bit though. I can embarrass myself. No, I am not a player. I have always been a tech.
If someone reading this wanted to get a position like yours, what would you tell them?
MM: Find a local band or night club looking for help. Even if you are going to school, join the theater department and learn about lights. There is a job for everybody out there—sound, lighting, design, bus driver, truck driver, back line operators...
Thank you McBob
This is a basic look at Duff's touring setup:
The signal starts from the bass to the wireless (different frequency for each guitar) into the Whirlwind signal splitter. It's a four into one out unit.
Then the signal goes into the Yamaha SPX S0, which is set at a mild chorus effect that I control during the show and during songs or small parts that have that effect, such as the start of “Sweet Child O' Mine.”
That signal is sent to the Bradshaw splitter, which has five isolated ground transformers built in so I can flip a switch to ground or lift each of five outputs. Four of five go to the GK800 heads which in turn drives six 15 inch GK speakers and three 4-10 GK speaker cabs. The fifth signal goes to Matt's drum area where another GK800 drives two speakers for Matt.
Duff uses GK amps and speakers exclusively. Fender Jazz Special Passes made by John Page at Fender Custom Shop. Rotosound Spacer strings.
***
GUN COLLECTION
[Merchandise – Order Form]
GN’R PHOTOS BY MAIL
Choose from a selection of live and off-stage shots exclusively photographed from their Get In The Ring Tour!
Send a cashiers check or money order for $2.00 with your name and address for your full color catalogue. Send to: PMP Photography
859 Hollywood Way Suite 210
Burbank CA 91505
COMING SOON!
Watch for the special, limited edition, re-release vinyl of “Live ?l@ Like A Suicide."
FAN CLUB EXCLUSIVE!
***
THE GN’R HOTLINE
415-597-8766
FREE, except for normal phone charges from wherever you are to San Francisco. Be up-to-the minute on all the latest news, gossip and all that is GN’R 24 hours a day. You’ll be prompted to enter a password for full access. This password changes every few months.
Password: TRASH (8-7-2-7-4)
(effective July 5, 1995)
WANTED:
gun'ər · par'ə fər nal'yə, n.
1. personal GN'R poems, artifacts, photos, backstage stories, artwork.
2. All that is or is related to GN'R.
Guns N' Roses rule, right? Their songs stir creative juices up inside you that just ache to be released, right? We know you've been stashin' all this cool-ass stuff— poems inspired by GN'R, short stories, drawings, photos, design ideas, story ideas, interesting tidbits to spark off some loyal Gunner insider buzz; so, why haven't you let us in on all the gritty details? We want all your artwork, stories, letters, ideas and questions for publication— remember this is your newsletter as much as the band's, so we want as much of your input as possible. Send all GN'R masterpieces to:
Guns N' Roses International Fan Club
Dept: NL
P.O. Box 884088
San Francisco, CA 94188
Or e-mail text with subject "GN'R NL" to:
NL Stuff@AOL.com
-----------------------------------------------
Welcome to the GN’R family!
One thing you’ll notice right away is that things work a little different around here. Being a loyal GN’R fan, we realize you deserve the best fan club services you can get! To officially welcome you aboard, we’ve sent along a kickin’ membership kit that includes your membership card, group photo, biography/discography and the latest newsletter.
We make it a point to hook you up with great concert tickets when Guns N’ Roses comes to your town – a single phone call puts them rights in your hands. Our preferred tickets program ends the frustration of getting screwed by scalpers or waiting in lines.
Check out the exclusive fan club merchandise in upcoming issues of the GN’R newsletter. These items can’t be found anywhere else on the planet!
Our twisted travel packages will be roaring your way soon. You’ll get down n’ dirty with other hard-core fans as you hit the road with GN’R for a few shows. We’ll handle the tickets, hotel accommodations and ground transportation. You just gotta up for hittin’ the road GN’R style.
Also, blazing to you in 1995 will be the GN’R phone hotline, for members of the fan club only. This is where you’ll find all the up-to-the-minute info on what the band’s doing, get weekly updates on their latest chart positions and new releases, listen to reports from the road, hear latest tour dates and personal messages from the band.
Thanks for becoming a part of it all. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the ride!
Guns N’ Roses Fan Club
-----------------------------------------------
GUNS N’ ROSES
Guns N’ Roses formed in Hollywood in 1985 with singer W. Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff “Rose” McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Taking the L.A. club circuit by storm, in August 1986 GN’R was signed to Geffen Records by A&R executive Tom Zutaut and that fall the band produced and released a four-song EP, Live ?!@ Like A Suicide, on its own Uzi Suicide label.
Appetite For Destruction, the band’s first full-length album, was released in July 1987 and broke into the Top 100 of the pop charts to months later. The album peaked at #1 for five weeks and would become the best-selling album on the Geffen label, residing on the Billboard charts for 147 weeks – nearly three years.
Three singles released from the album reached top 10 status, with the certified-gold “Sweet Child O’ Mine” topping the charts at the #1 position. “Paradise City” hit #5 and “Welcome To The Jungle” reached #7. Guns N’ Roses also won the 1988 MTV Award for Best New Artist with their “Welcome To The Jungle” video.
In November 1988, Geffen released the GN’R Lies EP, which included songs from the earlier EP as well as new acoustic material, including the single “Patience” which reached #4 and went gold. GN’R Lies went to #2 on the charts and received a grammy nomination. Guns N’ Roses was lauded in Rolling Stone’s Reader’s Poll as “Best New American Band” and in the Critic’s Poll as “Best Heavy Metal Band” and “Best Male Singer.”
In 1989, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” won an American Music Award for “Favorite Single, Pop/Rock” and the MTV award for “Best Metal/Hard Rock Video.”
To date, Appetite For Destruction has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and GN’R Lies more than six million. The band contributed to two albums in 1990: the soundtrack to film Days Of Thunder with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and Nobody’s Child, the project to benefit Romanian orphans, with the original “Civil War.” In April 1990, GN’R performed at Farm Aid IV and won two American Music Awards. “Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist” and “Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album.”
Individually, Slash and McKagan played on Iggy Pop’s Brick By Brick album and Slash recorded with Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, and on the tribute album for Les Paul.
In July 1990, the band reluctantly fired Adler after repeatedly trying to the help him resolve the drug problems that hindered his drumming. A month later, Matt Sorum joined Guns N’ Roses after touring with the Cult for a year. He performed in concert with the band for the first time in January 1991 before 260,000 fans at the Rock in Rio II festival in Brazil. Keyboardist Dizzy Reed, a friend from the early days, had been added the previous year to give some additional color to the GN’R sound.
On May 24, 1991, GN’R kicked off a two-year tour, the band’s first time as headliners on a world tour.
On September 17, 1991, Geffen released Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, marking the first time a major contemporary artist released two separate albums on the same day. UYI I and UYI II debuted at #2 and #1 respectively on the Billboard charts. “Don’t Cry,” the first single from UYI I, went gold. Earlier that summer “You Could Be Mine” (on UYI II) was released as a single and featured in the block-buster film Terminator 2: Judgement Day. In the first 30 days, worldwide sales of the CD single exceeded 1.5 million copies.
Together, combined sales of the two albums have reached 27 million copies worldwide.
In November, Stradlin resigned and was replaced on tour by Gilby Clarke, formerly of the band Kills For Thrills. When GN’R was developing in its early days. Clarke was in bands that played many of the same gritty Hollywood clubs.
Supported by a performance video, “Live and Let Die,” was released as the third single from the Illusion albums on December 3, 1991.
The second U.S. leg of the GN’R tour was launched December 5, running through February 1, 1992, including 25 predominantly sold-out shows. It was followed by a tour of Japan, plus shows in Mexico City and a couple of U.S. cities before GN’R appeared as featured guests at “The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness” at Wembley Stadium in London on April 20. The all-star show was shown live around the world via satellite, garnering the largest audience for a music concert in history. GN’R then toured Europe again logging 19 shows between May 16 and July 4.
Following the European stint, the three GN’R albums and EP were all charting in Norway and Germany (where more than a million Illusion albums have been sold). Led by the single “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” GN’R was entrenched in the upper reaches of the charts in England, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland and Hong King. In the U.K., the royalties form the “Knockin’ ” single have been pledged to organizations fighting AIDS.
On June 16, 1992, “November Rain” was released as the next single. It was supposed by an epic concert video that reached the #1 position on MTV’s Top 20 Countdown. At the 1992 MTV Awards, the band received the prestigious Vanguard Award and “November Rain” won for “Best Cinematography.” As the band returned to the U.S. for stadium dates, “November Rain” was certified gold.
GN’R marked its entry into home video with Use your Illusion World Tour – 1992 in Tokyo (Geffen Home Video), presented in two separate packages, I and II. The band then embarked on tour legs that included South America, Japan, Australia and the Far East, extending the tour into early 1993. The Use Your Illusion world tour became the longest in rock history: 28 months, 192 concerts, 28 countries.
In the summer of 1993, Geffen Home video released two more long-form music videos, Makin’ F@*!ing Videos Part 1: “Don’t Cry” and Makin’ F@*!ing Videos Part 2: “November Rain.” In November 1993, Guns N’ Roses unveiled its fifth album – “The Spaghetti Incident?” – encompassing covers of favorite songs from favorite bands who had influenced GN’R over the years.
DISCOGRAPHY
Album Title Billboard Billboard RIAA
Single Title Debut Date Peak Position Certification
Appetite For Destruction 8/29/87 1 10 million
Sweet Child O’ Mine 6/25/88 1 500,000
Paradise City 1/14/89 5 -
Welcome To The Jungle 10/22/88 7 -
Nightrain 7/29/89 93 -
GN’R Lies 12/17/88 2 4 million
Patience 4/8/89 4 500,000
Use Your Illusion II 10/5/91 1 4 million
You Could Be Mine 7/18/91 29 500,000
Yesterdays 11/21/92 72 -
Use Your Illusion I 10/5/91 2 4 million
November Rain 6/27/92 3 500,000
Don’t Cry 9/21/91 10 500,000
Live and Let Die 12/21/91 33 -
“The Spaghetti Incident?” 12/11/93 4 1 million
Since I Don’t Have You 3/5/94 69 -
Information compiled November 1994
----------------------------------------------
[Band members' photos]
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Re: 1995.07.DD - Conspiracy Fan Club Newsletter Volume One Issue Two
I'm not sure about the date of this one. I went with the effective date of the hotline password.
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