Before Duff McKagan was part of the influential Los Angeles classic rock band Guns N’ Roses, the bassist was part of a number of punk bands in his native Seattle. One of the first groups he recorded with, The Living, recorded a seven-track project back in 1982, but this recording never saw the light of day.
The Seattle-based Loosegroove Records, owned by Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard, has now unearthed The Living’s 1982 recording, which will be released as The Living: 1982 on April 16. A track from the project, “Two Generation Stand,” has also been released.
“Two Generation Stand” is accompanied by a lyric video showing shots of the Seattle punk scene from the early 1980s, alongside some photographs of the city. This song is pure punk nostalgia, with aggressive hardcore guitar riffs from McKagan (who served as the lead guitarist for The Living), high-energy drumming from Greg Gilmore ( who would later form Mother Love Bone) and charged vocals from John Conte.
Prior to McKagan’s departure for Los Angeles in 1983, the musician established himself in the Seattle music scene, performing on 45s by Fastbacks and the Vains while still a teenager. The Living saw more success, as the band opened up for DOA and Hüsker Dü. For unknown reasons the band broke up, but McKagan’s contributions to the scene echoed throughout the city, which would become the capital for alternative rock in under a decade.
“The Living was the beginning of all things Seattle for me –a turning point in my life. I joined a band and a community. These guys are still my brothers. I’ve cherished these recordings since the days we made them. This record is a fantastic document of a loaded moment. I love it.”
The Living: 1982 tracklist
1. A Promise
2. Two Generation Stand
3. Live By The Gun
4. A Song For You
5. No Thanks
6. Live Is A Terror
7. I Want
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