1988.03.31 - Circus - "Just Normal Dudes" (Duff)

Guns N' Roses: "Just normal dudes"

Rock & roll upstarts Guns N' Roses have such a fierce image that appearance tends to get confused with reality a lot of the time. Bassist Duff McKagan admits that the group itself has contributed to some people's impression of the band—primarily that they're incompetent and not aware of their surroundings. "We've not been given enough attention or been taken too lightly," he admits, "just because the press figure that we're a bunch of drunks, too childish, or whatever. People will try to take advantage of that aspect of us. Then, when they come face to face, they realize we're not actually like that. Our organization is really tight and efficient."

Sometimes, this confusion makes for surprises, like when GNR played a club in Long Island. The guy who ran the club. Duff recalls, was a huge fan of the group, armed with import records and posters. He timidly asked the band to sign the posters, and naturally, they complied. "I started talking to him and he said, 'I was really scared, because just from what I read, I thought you guys were gonna come out and kick my ass for asking.' And we're going, 'What?! We're just normal dudes playing in the clubs.'"