Duff McKagan says Guns N' Roses have a plan in place for new music

Duff McKagan says Guns N' Roses have every "desire" to release new music.

After guitarist Slash teased that they are "trying to make" their first record since 2008's Chinese Democracy and that talks were underway for a small tour, the bass player insists new music is definitely in their plans.

Appearing on SiriusXM's Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk this week, he said: "There's definitely a desire and a plan for new music.

"Yeah, for sure."

The Welcome to the Jungle rockers haven't performed live since their 2023 North American tour, which ended last November, and Duff, 60, admits he needs time to recover and rest after long periods on the road – unlike bandmate Slash, 59.

He said: "You can go on a tour and you can have peaks and valleys on the tour. And we never do. It's always, like, every gig is super special. Even when we extended our tour — after touring for so much, extending it for another four weeks, that can destroy a band.

I've seen it happen. That's too long. You went too long. And everybody's starting to snap at each other and the crew and all that stuff. But it doesn't happen with our band or our crew.

"So we ended on this real highlight, which was Mexico City, this huge gig we did.

"And we played two nights at the Hollywood Bowl right before that. It was really special. We had The Black Keys opening at the Hollywood Bowl — a really cool, different sort of show. So I think we ended and were, like, 'Oh, man. Let's not end. Let's get back to this soon.' But I think for me, I know I had to rest — I had to rest my body. A lot of hours on stage. A lot of travelling. And I've gotta listen to my body these days. I've gotta listen. So I had to rest. I think we all need to rest. [guitarist] Slash, he'll go out and tour, like, four weeks later [with one of his projects] and do it all over again. I'm, like, 'Okay, dude. More power to you. I'm gonna go to Hawaii. I'm going to Hawaii, man.'"

Slash recently hinted that next year is "all about" Guns N' Roses.

He told Loudwire Nights: “I’m going into the studio with the Conspirators [his project with Myles Kennedy], getting a new record done and then after that, 2025 is all about Guns N’ Roses.

Of their plans, he continued: “We’re trying to get some things going with that. I think there’s a small tour in the summertime next year. I heard a rumour about that anyway, so that’s going to be focused on that. But prior to that, it’s the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. tour, and then the Conspirators.”

He quipped: “It keeps me out of trouble, as they say.”

In December, the group released Perhaps, backed by The General, which were both recorded around the same time as Chinese Democracy, just like 2021's releases Absurd and Hard Skool.

The notorious record was delayed for years and held up by legal issues, while Slash, Duff and drummer Matt Sorum, 63, quit the group, and only frontman Axl Rose, 62, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed, 61, remained.

The band reunited with original members Slash and Duff for the 2016 Not in This Lifetime... Tour.

Axl, Slash and Duff's last studio album was 1993 covers record The Spaghetti Incident?.

- Bang! Showbiz and republished with edits and permission