Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan shared a story on how he used to live near Rock and Roll Hall and Famer – Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone during a recent edition of Joey Diaz’s podcast and discussed how sir Sly would allegedly sell party hard – with crack and hookers back in the Eighties. Alternative Nation the comments of Diaz and Duff.
Duff: So I moved to this building without as many cockroaches, this was 1985, 6 or whatever and Sly Stone was above me. This guy helps me move into my apartment, he helps me move into mine and goes: “what are you moving in, I’ll help you move in!” It was this guitar player guy who became a really good friend and helped show me opening tuning and I wrote It’s So Easy right that minute. West Arkeen, he was kind of connected to our band from that moment on until he passed away.
Duff continues
Duff: He goes: “Yeah man, Sly Stone lives upstairs.” I grew up to Sly and the Family Stone. That was music that flavored my youth. It was played in our house, James Gang, Sly and the Family Stone.
“What do you mean he lives in this shit hole?”
“Yeah, he’s got hookers and he’s out there selling crack and stuff.”
Duff: That was my first a-ha moment. I just thought Sly Stone would be living off in some fancy mansion somewhere, you know and that was a good lesson. Of course, I ran into him, he ducked into my apartment to take a hit of crack and somebody was after him. I’m like: “Okay”. Sly gave me a demo tape one time and I wish I knew where that was. A lot of it was just crazy music but some of it was amazing. I’m going down a rabbit hole here.
Joey: No, no, it’s great.
Duff: I’m like: “wow, Sly Stone lives here. What happened?” Crack. That’s what happened, in that case.
