| Beautiful Disease | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | Unreleased [1] | |||
| Recorded | 1998–1999 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:55 | |||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Producer |
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| Duff McKagan chronology | ||||
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Beautiful Disease is an unreleased solo album by Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan which was slated to be released as his second solo album in 1999. However, it was shelved after a merger between McKagan's parent label Polygram and Universal, [3] and McKagan lost the rights to release it.
The album was recorded through 1998 in Duff McKagan's home studio with all the instruments and vocals on the album provided by McKagan himself, with the addition of guests like Mike Bordin, Michael Barragan, Abe Laboriel Jr. and ex-Guns N' Roses members Slash and Izzy Stradlin. [2] [4] Beautiful Disease included new versions of the songs "Seattlehead" and "Mezz" that were previously featured on releases of Duff McKagan's previous bands, Neurotic Outsiders and 10 Minute Warning respectively.
The album was supposed to be released on Duff McKagan's birthday February 5, 1999. [5] The promotional campaign for the album was started by Geffen Records with promo copies being distributed. During the same time a merger between Polygram and Universal occurred and Geffen was merged with A&M Records into Interscope and McKagan's album was among others that was shelved. [6]
Nevertheless, McKagan went on tour in support of the album putting up a band with Dez Cadena of Black Flag, Taz Bentley of the Burden Brothers and Michael Barragan of Plexi. [7]
During the tour McKagan came up with the idea to release a live album that would include the unreleased material. [3] [5] This resulted in Loaded's Episode 1999: Live live album that featured six songs from Beautiful Disease: "Seattlehead", "Superman", "Shinin' Down", "Missing You", "Then and Now" and "Mezz".
The songs "Seattlehead", "Superman", and "Then and Now" were eventually re-recorded and released on Loaded's debut studio album Dark Days .
In 2023, McKagan's manager managed to acquire the rights and master tapes to Beautiful Disease, [8] leading to the inclusion of a new mix of "Hope" (with newly recorded vocals) on his 2023 album Lighthouse, including the original performances from Slash and Abe Laboriel Jr.
Despite McKagan now being in possession of the original album again, no mention has been made of an official release of the original record.
All songs written by Duff McKagan, except where noted. [1]
Jeffrey Dean Isbell, best known as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he recorded four studio albums and left at the height of their fame in 1991.
Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician. He was the bassist of hard rock band Guns N' Roses for twelve years, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. McKagan rejoined the band in 2016, following their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hollywood Rose was an American glam metal group formed in June 1983. They are best known as the precursor for what would eventually become Guns N' Roses. The group was founded by Axl Rose, Izzy Stradlin and Chris Weber, while they were aided during live shows by Rick Marrs, Andre Troxx, Daniel "DJ" Nicolson, Johnny Kreis and Steve Darrow. Rose, Stradlin and Weber, along with Kreis and Nicolson, recorded a five-song demo on January 1984. However, after a number of lineup changes, which includes Weber, Kreis and Nicolson being replaced by Slash and Steven Adler as well the departure of Stradlin, the group disbanded the same year.
Use Your Illusion is the name of two releases by American rock band Guns N' Roses: a 1998 compilation album, drawing from the Use Your Illusion I and II studio albums featuring songs without explicit lyrics, and a 2022 box set anniversary edition of both albums.
"Get in the Ring" is the fifth song on the Guns N' Roses album Use Your Illusion II. Written by Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Slash, it is a diss track directed at music critics. Mentioned by name are critics from Hit Parader, Circus, Kerrang! and Spin.
"Nightrain" is a song by American rock band Guns N' Roses. The song is a tribute to an infamous brand of cheap Californian fortified wine, Night Train Express, which was extremely popular with the band during their early days because of its low price and high alcohol content. The title is spelled differently, omitting a T and removing the space, making a portmanteau of the two words.
"It's So Easy" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, appearing on their 1987 debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction. The song was released as the band's first single on June 15, 1987, in the UK, where it reached number 84 on the UK Singles Chart as a double A-Side with "Mr. Brownstone". It was also released as a maxi-single in Germany later in the same year.
"Think About You" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, featured on the band's debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction (1987). Although credited to the group, the song was primarily composed by rhythm guitarist, Izzy Stradlin, who also plays lead guitar on it.
"14 Years" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, released in 1991 on their album Use Your Illusion II.
"Pretty Tied Up" is a song by the rock band Guns N' Roses. Written by rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, it appears on the band's 1991 album Use Your Illusion II. The song opens with the sounds of a coral sitar played by Stradlin.
117° is the second studio album by American rock musician Izzy Stradlin, and his first not released under a band name, following the breakup of his post-Guns N' Roses group the Ju Ju Hounds. The album contains a cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee."
Aaron West Arkeen was an American musician best known for co-writing several Guns N' Roses songs. He died in Los Angeles of an accidental opiate overdose.
Loaded is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1999. Since 2001, the band's line-up has included vocalist and rhythm guitarist Duff McKagan, lead guitarist Mike Squires and bassist Jeff Rouse. Since 2009, Isaac Carpenter has been the band's drummer, replacing Geoff Reading.
Dark Days is the debut studio album by American rock band Loaded. Recorded between December 2000 and February 2001 at Jupiter Studios in Seattle, Washington, it was self-released in July 2001.
Episode 1999: Live is a live album by American rock band Loaded, released in May 1999. Recorded during two shows in Los Angeles, California, it is the only album to be released by this incarnation of the band. Initially a backing band for bassist/vocalist Duff McKagan's solo and Guns N' Roses material, they later formed as their own band.
The Roots of Guns N' Roses is a compilation album containing old songs of Hollywood Rose. It was released on June 22, 2004, by Deadline Music.
The Outpatience was an American hard rock group formed in California by the guitarist West Arkeen, who is best known for co-writing several Guns N' Roses songs, in 1995. The band released one album, Anxious Disease in 1996, but soon disbanded following Arkeen's death on May 30, 1997, in Los Angeles as a result of a drug overdose.
"Seattlehead" is a song written by American musician Duff McKagan. It is best known as a song by his band Loaded, from their album Dark Days; it also featured on earlier releases by Neurotic Outsiders as well as McKagan's unreleased solo album Beautiful Disease.
The Gentlemen was an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1998. Formed by Duff McKagan, formerly of Guns N' Roses, the band's first lineup consisted of guitarists Michael Barragan, formerly of Plexi, and Dez Cadena, formerly of Black Flag, as well as drummer Taz Bentley, formerly of The Reverend Horton Heat. The same year, they adopted the Loaded moniker before disbanding.
"So Fine" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, released as a promotional single in 1992. It features bassist Duff McKagan on lead vocals, with Axl Rose singing the intro song's verses. The song, written entirely by McKagan, is a tribute to Johnny Thunders.
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