Tenderness (Duff McKagan album)

Tenderness
Studio album by
Duff McKagan
ReleasedMay 31, 2019
StudioStationhouse Studio, New Brighton, Merseyside, UK
Genre
Length47:55
LabelUniversal Music Enterprises
ProducerShooter Jennings
Duff McKagan chronology
Believe in Me
(1993) 		Tenderness
(2019) 		Lighthouse
(2023)
Singles from Tenderness
  1. "Tenderness"
    Released: February 22, 2019
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Tenderness is the second solo album by Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan, released on May 31, 2019. Loudwire named it one of the 50 best rock albums of 2019.[2]

Though Tenderness is McKagan's second album to be released, it is actually his third one to be produced following the unreleased Beautiful Disease.

Background and recording

The album was inspired by McKagan's global travels on Guns N' Roses' Not in This Lifetime... Tour and is considered a musical follow up to his 2015 How to be a Man book.[3][4] The recording of the album began in-between McKagan's tour with Guns N' Roses and featured collaborations with Shooter Jennings, The Waters and The Suicide Horn Section, amongst others.[5]

The song "Last September" was written as a warning in support of Me Too movement with its lyrics detailing an unwanted sexual encounter.[6]

The song "Wasted Heart" is a re-recording of the song from the 2009 Duff McKagan's Loaded album Sick.

Promotion

Duff McKagan made a video announcement of two solo live shows featuring Shooter Jennings to occur in May previewing a new song during the video on February 19, 2019.[7] The song was later revealed as the first single, "Tenderness", released on 22 February 2019, accompanied by the lyric video.[8] The second song released from the album along with the announcement of the album details was "Chip Away".[9] On April 19 McKagan premiered the third new song "Don't Look Behind You"[10] and on May 17 another new song titled "Last September".[6]

A tour in support of the album featuring Shooter Jennings is set to start on May 30, 2019.[11]

Release

The album was released in several versions, including on CD, LP and deluxe yellow and red starburst coloured LP editions.[12] The LP edition of the album omits the track "Cold Outside" and switches the order of "Feel" and "Breaking Rocks".

Track listing

All songs written by Duff McKagan except unless noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tenderness" 4:03
2."It's Not Too Late" 4:09
3."Wasted Heart"McKagan, Trey Bruce, Michael Squires4:41
4."Falling Down" 3:10
5."Last September" 6:21
6."Chip Away" 3:21
7."Cold Outside" (CD and digital edition only) 4:42
8."Feel" 4:38
9."Breaking Rocks" 3:02
10."Parkland" 3:34
11."Don't Look Behind You" 6:14
Total length:47:55

Personnel

  • Duff McKagan – vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar
  • John Schreffler – guitar (tracks 1, 4, 6–7), backing vocals (tracks 1, 2, 5, 8), pedal steel guitar (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7); 12-string acoustic guitar (track 9)
  • Jonathan Wilson – lead guitar, synth (tracks 1, 4, 8)
  • Jon Graboff – pedal steel guitar (track 1, 7)
  • Jamie Douglass – drums, percussion (all tracks except 1), backing vocals (track 5)
  • Aubrey Richmond – fiddle (track 1–3, 5–7), backing vocals (tracks 1–2, 5, 8)
  • Mike Squires – backing vocals (track 2)
  • Shooter Jennings – keyboards (all tracks except 1), guitar (track 2), backing vocals (track 2), vocals (track 7), producing, mixing
  • Steve Elliot – guitar (tracks 3, 10)
  • James King – saxophone (track 3)
  • The Waters – backing vocals (tracks 4, 8, 10)
  • Jesse Dayton – lead guitar (track 7)
  • Brian Scanlon – saxophone (track 10)
  • Matt McKagan – trombone (track 10)
  • Chuck Findley – trumpet (track 10)

Additional personnel

  • Pete Lyman – mastering at Infrasonic Sound, Los Angeles, CA, United States
  • Mark Rains – engineer
  • Mike "McBob" Mayhue – technician
  • Jason Feinberg, Alex Sale – product manager
  • Brian Klein – management
  • Beth Sabbagh, DWA – business management
  • Donny Phillips, KIHL Studio – art direction, design
  • Scott Dudelson, Jesse DeFlorio – photography
  • Andrew Daw, Jeff Fura – A&R
  • Doug Mark – legal
  • Duff Battye, Michael Moses, Sujata Murthy – public relations

Charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] 42
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 42

References

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ "The 50 Best Rock Albums of 2019". Loudwire. Townsquare Media. December 5, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  3. ^ Dave Lifton (December 5, 2018). "Duff McKagan to Release Solo Album in 2019". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  4. ^ Joe Divita (December 5, 2018). "Guns n' Roses Bassist Duff McKagan Recording 2019 Solo Album". loudwire.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  5. ^ "Does DUFF MCKAGAN Feel Underrated As A Bass Player?". Blabbermouth.net. May 3, 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  6. ^ a b Daniel Kreps (May 17, 2019). "Hear Duff McKagan's #MeToo-Inspired New Song 'Last September'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  7. ^ "Special Announcement". February 19, 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-20 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ "Duff Mckagan - Tenderness [Official Lyric Video]". February 21, 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-20 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Philip Trapp (March 20, 2019). "Guns n' Roses' Duff McKagan Drops New Song + Announces Solo Album Release Date". Loudwire. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  10. ^ Corey Irwin (April 19, 2019). "Listen to Duff McKagan's New Song 'Don't Look Behind You'". ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved 2019-04-20.
  11. ^ "Duff Mckagan official website". duffonline.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  12. ^ "Duff Mckagan Official Store". duffonline.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  14. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Duff McKagan – Tenderness". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2019.