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Duff McKagan's Loaded - Biography


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2009-

2001

Biography

Loaded (also known as Duff McKagan's Loaded) is an American hard rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1999. Since 2001, the band's line-up has included vocalist and rhythm guitarist Duff McKagan (Velvet Revolver and formerly of Guns N' Roses), lead guitarist Mike Squires (formerly of Nevada Bachelors and Alien Crime Syndicate) and bassist Jeff Rouse (formerly of Alien Crime Syndicate, Sirens Sister, and Vendetta Red). Since 2009, Isaac Carpenter (formerly of Loudermilk, Gosling, and The Exies) has been the band's drummer, replacing Geoff Reading (formerly of New American Shame and Green Apple Quick Step).

McKagan first formed Loaded to be his touring band in support of his unreleased solo album Beautiful Disease. The first lineup included Michael Barragan (formerly of Plexi), Dez Cadena (formerly of Black Flag), and Taz Bentley (formerly of The Reverend Horton Heat). The band disbanded before the end of 1999. After working on new material with drummer Geoff Reading, Loaded was reformed in 2001, adding guitarist Mike Squires and Jeff Rouse to the line-up, though both were briefly replaced by guitarist Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver, formerly of Wasted Youth and Electric Love Hogs) and bassist George Stuart Dahlquist (formerly of Asva and Burning Witch) in 2002.

Following McKagan and Kushner's involvement in "The Project" that would later become Velvet Revolver, Loaded were put on hiatus, though they still played shows on occasion. Following the departure of Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland from Velvet Revolver, Loaded returned from hiatus in 2008 to record and release their second album. The following year, Reading left the group and was replaced by Isaac Carpenter. To date, Loaded have released two studio albums, Dark Days (2001) and Sick (2009), one extended play called Wasted Heart (2008), and one live album called Episode 1999: Live (1999). Their third studio album entitled The Taking is was released on April 19, 2011 while a feature length film, on both the album and Loaded, by filmmaker Jamie Burton Chamberlin is to be released the same year.