Loaded (band)
Encyclopedia
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 later became 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.
from the mid-1980s to late 1990s. Guns N' Roses achieved international success, going on to sell over 100 million albums worldwide, but the strain between singer Axl Rose
and the rest of the band led to a number of members leaving or being fired, with McKagan departing in 1997.
McKagan moved back to Seattle, reforming previous group 10 Minute Warning
, releasing one self-titled album on Sub Pop
in 1998, before recording his second solo album Beautiful Disease the same year. Featuring collaborations with former Faith No More
drummer Mike Bordin
, former Black Flag
singer Dez Cadena
and his former Guns N' Roses band mates Slash
and Izzy Stradlin
, Beautiful Disease was scheduled to be released through Geffen
in 1999. McKagan formed Loaded, initially as The Gentlemen, to be his band for the tour supporting the album. With McKagan performing lead vocals and bass duties, Loaded's line-up consisted of guitarists Dez Cadena and Michael Barragan as well as drummer Taz Bentley
.
McKagan began promoting the album; however, following the merger between Geffen and Interscope Records
, he was dropped from the label and lost all commercial rights to release the record with only a few promo copies being leaked. Loaded continued to tour and released a live album, Episode 1999: Live
, independently, which was recorded and mixed by Nick Raskulinecz
. They re-recorded half of Beautiful Disease and received offers from four labels. However, they disbanded before the end of the year, with McKagan and Bentley becoming part of Izzy Stradlin
's rhythm section for his tour of Japan
supporting Ride On
.
and drummer Geoff Reading
. Though they recorded a number of songs, Lanegan left to join Queens of the Stone Age
. After being convinced by Reading and Martin Feveyear
to take over lead vocals, they continued to write and record new material at Jupiter Studios. With nearly an album's worth of material recorded, they decided to re-record some of the songs from Beautiful Disease to add to the material they already had. Though primarily recorded by McKagan and Reading, Dave Dederer
, who joined the band as bassist, and Mike Squires
recorded additional drums, while Feveyear, who also produced the album, recorded additional keyboards.
The resulting album, titled Dark Days
, was released in the United States and Japan in July 2001, through Artistdirect
and EMI
, while it was released in Europe, through Locomotive Music
, a year later. Rather than releasing the album under his own name, McKagan readopted the Loaded moniker. They announced three dates at the House of Blues
taking place in Anaheim, California
, Las Vegas
, Nevada
, and West Hollywood, California
(where they were joined onstage by Slash
) in November 2001, adding Mike Squires and Jeff Rouse
, who replaced Dederer, to the lineup on lead and bass guitar, respectively, while Feveyear performed keyboards and percussion. Loaded played more shows in the US (where they were joined on stage by Billy Duffy
and Matt Sorum
during a show in Los Angeles
) before going on to tour Japan. They toured Japan as part of Fire Wire, supporting J and Zilch
, where McKagan first met guitarist Dave Kushner
, who was, then, the Zilch guitarist.
Following the tour, Rouse and Squires departed the band when Alien Crime Syndicate
signed with V2 Records
for the re-release of their latest album. Loaded enlisted Dave Kushner and George Stuart Dahlquist and announced a tour of Europe, playing shows in Holland, Germany
, France
, Italy
, and Spain
, as well as shows in the UK
.
in 2002, McKagan began collaborating with his former Guns N' Roses band mates, Slash and Matt Sorum, on a new project. Because of this, Loaded's tour of Europe was cancelled. Loaded played a show at Hollywood's Viper Room
, where afterwards, McKagan introduced Kushner to Slash, who were previously friends in junior high and high school. Kushner was invited to play with the group and soon after became a member of "The Project" which, after auditioning a number of singers, became known as Velvet Revolver following the addition of Stone Temple Pilots
singer Scott Weiland
to the line-up. Loaded were effectively put on hiatus. However, they would still continue to play shows on occasion, though they did not play together again until December 2006 for the benefit show for Jerry Allen's Cancer Fund, with both Squires and Rouse returning to the group.
During the hiatus, the Loaded members continued to work on various projects. Reading formed the group The Disciples (that later became The Chelsea Smiles
) with Christian Martucci
, Todd Youth
, and Howie Pyro
. Rouse would release another album with Alien Crime Syndicate, titled Ten Songs in the Key of Betrayal
, who went on the perform as Tommy Stinson
's backing band in support of his solo album Village Gorilla Head
. Following the tour, Rouse joined Vendetta Red
, replacing previous bassist Michael Vermillion, on their tour in support of their latest album Sisters of the Red Death
. However, they disbanded in March 2006, with Rouse and former Vendetta Red members Zach Davidson and Leif Andersen, as well as local drummer Ben Libay, forming the group Sirens Sister
. They released one album in 2006, before Rouse left the group in 2007. Squires re-joined The Long Winters
, having been a member prior to joining Loaded, playing with the group for less than a year before departing.
files to each other.
They rented a rehearsal space and began working on the new material before going on to record the album at Jupiter Studios with producer Martin Feveyear. They released a series of Webisode
s during this time, featuring footage from the recording sessions for the group's new album. They booked a tour of the UK and Ireland and were added to the lineups of few European festivals. The album was completed in less than two weeks and cost only $20,000.
Loaded subsequently signed a deal with Century Media
and, at the suggestion of the label, voted to change the name of the group to Duff McKagan's Loaded, stating that "[they could] always just turn it back to Loaded once [they] get [their] foot in the door." The album's release was pushed back to 2009. However, to coincide with their European Tour, an EP
entitled Wasted Heart
was released on September 22, 2008. They released a music video for the song "No More" for the EP release.
Loaded's second album, Sick
, was released on March 20, 2009 in Europe and April 7 in the US, peaking at number 43 on the Billboard
Top Heatseekers
chart. Sick sold 1,400 copies in the first week, while "Flatline" was chosen as the first single to go to radio. The album received generally positive reviews, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic stating "Loaded is the sound of a working band working and an old rocker staying sober, kicking out some lead-heavy grooves and sculptured pieces of sleaze."
In support of Sick, Loaded played a number of shows in the United States, South America, and Europe, while also appearing at a number of festivals such as Download
in the UK, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park in Germany, Rockfest in the United States, and the Sauna Open Air Festival in Finland. They also opened for Mötley Crüe
and Black Stone Cherry
on their tours of Europe. At a number of shows, Loaded were joined onstage by other musicians such as Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
(Guns N' Roses), Corey Taylor
(Slipknot
and Stone Sour
), and Michael Monroe
(formerly of Hanoi Rocks
).
In September 2009, Reading departed the group and was replaced by Isaac Carpenter
formerly of Gosling
and The Exies
. In the middle of touring, McKagan posted an update on his Twitter
stating that the group will "be writing new songs tonight and tomorrow." He added, "Some great ideas and riffs have come on this latest tour. excited, for sure!"
In December, Loaded, along with Queensrÿche
, were confirmed at the "KISW Salutes the Shield" benefit show that took place on December 19 at the Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington
where, during the show, they were joined on stage by Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate
.
guitarist Mike McCready
and Fastbacks
bassist Kim Warnick
, as well as Truly
and former Screaming Trees
drummer Mark Pickerel
, among others.
While Loaded were briefly inactive, guitarist Mike Squires performed with Green Apple Quick Step
on a few occasions and McKagan began writing and recording with Jane's Addiction
. McKagan was confirmed as a permanent member of the group, in April, performing at shows in the United States and Europe. His tenure with the band only lasted five months, with his departure from the group announced on September 6. In a statement, the band commented: "We wanted to thank Duff for helping us write songs for our new record. We love the songs we worked on with him — and the gigs were a blast — but musically we were all headed in different directions. From here Duff is off to work on his own stuff so we wish him all the best".
During his time with Jane's Addiction, McKagan stated that they were writing material for their new album, while he also stated that "Loaded will ALWAYS be something I do. It is more a way of life and a way to express music and have a fucking blast with those guys than anything else." Loaded entered the studio in August with Terry Date
, who had approached the band about producing their album, and they completed it by the beginning of September.
A new song by the band entitled "We Win" is being used by ESPN
and Major League Baseball
for their coverage of the American League Championship Series
, the National League Championship Series
, and the World Series
. They also signed a deal with Eagle Rock Entertainment
for the release of their new album, titled The Soundtrack, to be released on March 22, 2011, and the label is also re-releasing their previous album, Sick, in April of the same year. It was later revealed in interviews with guitarist Mike Squires
and filmmaker Jamie Burton Chamberlin that the album title was changed to The Taking
and was to be released on April 19. The band are also collaborating with filmmaker
and documentarian
Jamie Burton Chamberlin on a film based on the album. Chamberlin stated that the film would be more "about designing a fictitious story line which will be a part of the larger project, and will be a contemporary version of, say, Hard Days Night
meets (Led Zeppelin
's) Song Remains the Same
, with aspects of documentary, music video, and live performance, all interconnected by an underlying motivation" and that the "album will serve as the soundtrack." Chamberlin filmed Loaded at the Seattle Seahawks
Veterans Day half-time show on November 7.
The film is to feature a number of cameos from various musicians, including John Roderick of The Long Winters
, Chris Ballew
of The Presidents of the United States of America
, Soundgarden
members Ben Shepherd
and Kim Thayil
, and Lemmy of Motörhead. Shooting locations for the film include Seattle, with the band planning to perform unannounced acoustic shows for filming, and Los Angeles. Chamberlin hopes to premier the film at the 2011 SXSW
and a trailer for it was released in January 2011. Loaded were confirmed to play at the Download Festival, which took place in June 2011.
The Taking was released on April 18, 2011 in Europe and April 19 in the US, and charted at number 12 on the Billboard
Top Heatseekers
chart, selling over 2,300 copies in the first week. They released a video for the song "Dead Skin," directed by Chamberlin, and the album received positive reviews. Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine
gave the album three out of five stars stating that McKagan "turns in his hardest record in recent memory" and that the album "does make a brute impression [...] playing with a vitality that almost compensates for how they fetishize the past." Revolver
magazine's Kory Grow complimented it's "big hooks and driving riffs" while noting punk
influences on the album.
with elements of punk
, earning comparisons to the Ramones
, Iggy Pop
and Lou Reed
, as well as McKagan's former band Guns N' Roses
. The band cites influences from groups such as The Rolling Stones
, The Saints
, Thin Lizzy
, Black Flag
and Fear
among others. Blogcritics
reviewer Chris Beaumont stated that their music "is bluesy hard rock that occasionally borders on the punk side of the coin. It is simultaneously slick and raw, yet it lacks the power and fury of old school Guns N' Roses or the full-on force of Velvet Revolver. Regardless, there is something decidedly infectious in its stripped-down nature."
Touring musicians
Former members
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1999. Since 2001, the band's line-up has included vocalist and rhythm guitarist Duff McKagan
Duff McKagan
Michael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his twelve-year tenure as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
(Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
and formerly of Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
), lead guitarist Mike Squires
Mike Squires (musician)
Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan....
(formerly of Nevada Bachelors
Nevada Bachelors
Nevada Bachelors were an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1997. The band's lineup consisted of Robb Benson , Mike Squires and Ben Brunn . Dusty Hayes was the band's drummer from their formation until 1999, and was replaced by Jason Finn...
and Alien Crime Syndicate
Alien Crime Syndicate
Alien Crime Syndicate, often abbreviated to ACS, were a rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1997. From 1999 to the band's breakup in 2005, the lineup consisted primarily of Joe Reineke , Jeff Rouse , Nabil Ayers , while guitarists Jason Krevey, Mike Squires and Mike Davis were also...
) and bassist Jeff Rouse
Jeff Rouse (musician)
Jeff Rouse is an American musician who is best known as the bassist for both Alien Crime Syndicate and Duff McKagan's Loaded. Previously, Rouse was a member of a number of Seattle based groups such as Vendetta Red and Sirens Sister while he also has his own solo project titled To the Glorious...
(formerly of Alien Crime Syndicate, Sirens Sister
Sirens Sister
Sirens Sister is an American rock band based in Seattle, Washington. The group was formed in 2006, following the breakup of Vendetta Red, former members Zach Davidson, Leif Andersen and Rouse, as well as local drummer Ben Libay, formed Sirens Sister, initially in Bakersfield, California before...
, and Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 1998. They released an EP, 6 Kisses, A Blatant Reminder of Why We Are Alive, in 1999 and two albums, Blackout Analysis in 2000 and White Knuckled Substance in 2001, before signing their first major label deal...
). Since 2009, Isaac Carpenter
Isaac Carpenter
Isaac Carpenter is an American drummer, percussionist, producer, audio engineer and session musician. Carpenter is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock group Gosling as well as its previous incarnation Loudermilk...
(formerly of Loudermilk, Gosling
Gosling (band)
Gosling was an American alternative rock band formed in Tri-Cities, Washington. The band was composed of Davey Ingersoll , Mark Watrous , Shane Middleton and Isaac Carpenter...
, and The Exies
The Exies
The Exies are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1997. Their name, "The Exies", is short for "The Existentialists". Their two Virgin Records releases, Inertia and Head for the Door , have sold over 400,000 copies combined.-History:The Exies formed in 1997 when singer and...
) has been the band's drummer, replacing Geoff Reading
Geoff Reading
Geoff Reading is an American musician. In his career, Reading has been a member of a number of groups, including Loaded , Green Apple Quick Step, New American Shame, The Disciples Geoff Reading (born February 23, 1968, in Rochester, New York) is an American musician. In his career, Reading has...
(formerly of New American Shame
New American Shame
New American Shame is an American hard rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1998. Their current lineup consists of Johnny Reidt , Jimmy Paulson , Marty Chandler , Kelly Wheeler and Geoff Reading...
and Green Apple Quick Step
Green Apple Quick Step
Green Apple Quick Step, often abbreviated as GAQS, is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Their sound was described as hard-edged, post-grunge rock. The band began as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys in Tacoma, Washington before becoming Green Apple Quick Step, in Seattle, by 1992...
).
McKagan first formed Loaded to be his touring band in support of his unreleased solo album Beautiful Disease
Beautiful Disease
Beautiful Disease was to be the second solo album released by ex-Guns N' Roses's bassist Duff McKagan in 1999. However, it was shelved after a merger between McKagan's label Universal and Polygram....
. The first lineup included Michael Barragan (formerly of Plexi
Plexi
Plexi was a gothic noise rock band consisting of Michael Angelos , Michael Barragan , and Norm Block . No other members were ever in the band, though they occasionally utilized a Moog player during live performances. Their original name was Godseed...
), Dez Cadena
Dez Cadena
Dez Paul Cadena is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits...
(formerly of Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
), and Taz Bentley
Taz Bentley
Patrick Bentley, better known as Taz or The Taz, is an American rock and roll drummer.Taz is currently a member of the Burden Brothers.-With Burden Brothers:* 8 Ball * Queen O' Spades * Beautiful Night...
(formerly of The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician Jim Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist....
). 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
Dave Kushner
David "Dave" Kushner is an American musician perhaps best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver...
(Velvet Revolver, formerly of Wasted Youth
Wasted Youth (American Band)
Wasted Youth was a hardcore punk band in early 1980s from Los Angeles, California. The band followed in the footsteps of Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, and were a prominent and popular act amongst the Los Angeles punk underground of the early 1980s.-Overview:The band consisted of Chett Lehrer,...
and Electric Love Hogs
Electric Love Hogs
Electric Love Hogs were a short-lived American funk metal band formed in San Diego, California in 1991. The band's lineup consisted of John Feldmann , Dave Kushner , Donni Campion , Kelly LeMieux and Bobby Hewitt...
) and bassist George Stuart Dahlquist (formerly of Asva and Burning Witch
Burning Witch
Burning Witch was an American doom metal band from Seattle, Washington, active between 1995 and 1998.-History:Burning Witch formed on Capitol Hill, Seattle in early 1995. After the breakup of the doom/death band Thorr's Hammer in 1995, Stephen O'Malley, Greg Anderson and Jamie Sykes formed Burning...
) in 2002.
Following McKagan and Kushner's involvement in "The Project" that later became Velvet Revolver, Loaded were put on hiatus, though they still played shows on occasion. Following the departure of Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
singer Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
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
Dark Days (Loaded album)
-Personnel:*Duff McKagan – vocals, bass, guitar, piano on "Misery", production*Dave Dederer – guitar, production*Geoff Reading – drums, backing vocals, percussion, production...
(2001) and Sick
Sick (Loaded album)
Sick is the second studio album by American hard rock band Loaded. It is their first album since reforming after they went on hiatus in 2002. It was recorded and produced by Martin Feveyear at Jupiter Studios in Seattle, Washington, and was released on March 30, 2009 in Europe and April 7 in...
(2009), one extended play called Wasted Heart
Wasted Heart
-Personnel:Loaded*Duff McKagan – vocals, guitar*Mike Squires – guitar, backing vocals*Jeff Rouse – bass, backing vocals*Geoff Reading – drums, backing vocalsProduction personnel...
(2008), and one live album called Episode 1999: Live
Episode 1999: Live
-Personnel:Loaded*Duff McKagan – vocals, bass*Michael Barragan – guitar*Dez Cadena – guitar*Taz Bentley – drumsAdditional personnel*Nick Raskulinecz – recording, mixing...
(1999). Their third studio album entitled The Taking
The Taking (album)
The Taking is the third studio album by American hard rock band Loaded. It was produced by Terry Date in Seattle, Washington, and was released on April 19, 2011 through Eagle Rock Entertainment. Writing for the album began in 2009, while the band were touring in support of Sick...
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.
Early years and Formation (1999)
Duff McKagan was previously a member of Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
from the mid-1980s to late 1990s. Guns N' Roses achieved international success, going on to sell over 100 million albums worldwide, but the strain between singer Axl Rose
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
and the rest of the band led to a number of members leaving or being fired, with McKagan departing in 1997.
McKagan moved back to Seattle, reforming previous group 10 Minute Warning
10 Minute Warning
10 Minute Warning was a hardcore punk band from Seattle, Washington. They became famous locally as one of the first bands to adapt the popular punk sound to something slower and heavier, paving the way for grunge bands like Green River and Mother Love Bone before breaking up in 1984.-Early years...
, releasing one self-titled album on Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
in 1998, before recording his second solo album Beautiful Disease the same year. Featuring collaborations with former Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
drummer Mike Bordin
Mike Bordin
Mike Bordin is the co-founder and drummer of rock band Faith No More. He is also known for playing with Ozzy Osbourne. As a left-handed drummer, he notably plays with a right-handed kit with his ride cymbal on the left...
, former Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
singer Dez Cadena
Dez Cadena
Dez Paul Cadena is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits...
and his former Guns N' Roses band mates Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
and Izzy Stradlin
Izzy Stradlin
Jeffrey Dean Isbell , known by his stage name Izzy Stradlin, is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and former rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of its fame in 1991. Following his departure, he led his own band Izzy...
, Beautiful Disease was scheduled to be released through Geffen
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
in 1999. McKagan formed Loaded, initially as The Gentlemen, to be his band for the tour supporting the album. With McKagan performing lead vocals and bass duties, Loaded's line-up consisted of guitarists Dez Cadena and Michael Barragan as well as drummer Taz Bentley
Taz Bentley
Patrick Bentley, better known as Taz or The Taz, is an American rock and roll drummer.Taz is currently a member of the Burden Brothers.-With Burden Brothers:* 8 Ball * Queen O' Spades * Beautiful Night...
.
McKagan began promoting the album; however, following the merger between Geffen and Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
, he was dropped from the label and lost all commercial rights to release the record with only a few promo copies being leaked. Loaded continued to tour and released a live album, Episode 1999: Live
Episode 1999: Live
-Personnel:Loaded*Duff McKagan – vocals, bass*Michael Barragan – guitar*Dez Cadena – guitar*Taz Bentley – drumsAdditional personnel*Nick Raskulinecz – recording, mixing...
, independently, which was recorded and mixed by Nick Raskulinecz
Nick Raskulinecz
Nick Raskulinecz is a Grammy-winning American record producer. He resides in Nashville, Tennessee.-Production career:Raskulinecz is from the Bearden area of Knoxville, Tennessee. He first produced and recorded bands in Knoxville on a 8-track recorder that his grandfather bought for him...
. They re-recorded half of Beautiful Disease and received offers from four labels. However, they disbanded before the end of the year, with McKagan and Bentley becoming part of Izzy Stradlin
Izzy Stradlin
Jeffrey Dean Isbell , known by his stage name Izzy Stradlin, is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and former rhythm guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, which he left at the height of its fame in 1991. Following his departure, he led his own band Izzy...
's rhythm section for his tour of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
supporting Ride On
Ride On (Izzy Stradlin album)
Ride On is the third album released by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin. It also features Duff McKagan who is also an ex-member of Guns N' Roses-Track listing:#Ride On #California #Spazed #Primitive Man...
.
Reformation and Dark Days (2000–2002)
By early 2000, McKagan had begun working on a new project with singer Mark LaneganMark Lanegan
Mark Lanegan is an American rock musician and songwriter. Lanegan began his music career in the 1980s, forming the grunge group Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band Lanegan would start a low-key solo career...
and drummer Geoff Reading
Geoff Reading
Geoff Reading is an American musician. In his career, Reading has been a member of a number of groups, including Loaded , Green Apple Quick Step, New American Shame, The Disciples Geoff Reading (born February 23, 1968, in Rochester, New York) is an American musician. In his career, Reading has...
. Though they recorded a number of songs, Lanegan left to join Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
. After being convinced by Reading and Martin Feveyear
Martin Feveyear
Martin Feveyear is a British record producer and audio engineer based in Seattle, Washington. Beginning as a singer-songwriter and musician, Feveyear soon began recording work for artists in both the UK and US before moving to Seattle at the age of 25. Together with Christian Fulghum , he opened...
to take over lead vocals, they continued to write and record new material at Jupiter Studios. With nearly an album's worth of material recorded, they decided to re-record some of the songs from Beautiful Disease to add to the material they already had. Though primarily recorded by McKagan and Reading, Dave Dederer
Dave Dederer
Dave Dederer, best known as guitarist and singer for The Presidents of the United States of America, was born on October 5, 1964. An alumnus of Seattle, Washington's The Bush School and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, he founded The Presidents with fellow Bush School alumnus...
, who joined the band as bassist, and Mike Squires
Mike Squires (musician)
Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan....
recorded additional drums, while Feveyear, who also produced the album, recorded additional keyboards.
The resulting album, titled Dark Days
Dark Days (Loaded album)
-Personnel:*Duff McKagan – vocals, bass, guitar, piano on "Misery", production*Dave Dederer – guitar, production*Geoff Reading – drums, backing vocals, percussion, production...
, was released in the United States and Japan in July 2001, through Artistdirect
ARTISTdirect
Founded in 1994, Artistdirect, Inc. is an online digital media entertainment company. It owns several websites including Artistdirect.com, UBL.com and the Artistdirect Network...
and EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, while it was released in Europe, through Locomotive Music
Locomotive Music
Locomotive Music or Locomotive Records is an independent record label based in Spain.-Selected artists:* A.O.K.* Adagio* AlogiA* Anthenora* Anubis Gate* Astral Doors* Barón Rojo* Before the Dawn* Benedictum* Blood Stain Child* Crystallion...
, a year later. Rather than releasing the album under his own name, McKagan readopted the Loaded moniker. They announced three dates at the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
taking place in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
(where they were joined onstage by Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
) in November 2001, adding Mike Squires and Jeff Rouse
Jeff Rouse (musician)
Jeff Rouse is an American musician who is best known as the bassist for both Alien Crime Syndicate and Duff McKagan's Loaded. Previously, Rouse was a member of a number of Seattle based groups such as Vendetta Red and Sirens Sister while he also has his own solo project titled To the Glorious...
, who replaced Dederer, to the lineup on lead and bass guitar, respectively, while Feveyear performed keyboards and percussion. Loaded played more shows in the US (where they were joined on stage by Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist in The Cult.-Early days:He grew up in Manchester, where he began playing guitar at the age of fourteen...
and Matt Sorum
Matt Sorum
Matthew William Sorum is an American rock drummer and percussionist. Sorum is most famous for his 7-year stint in Guns N' Roses and supergroup Velvet Revolver , which is comprised in part of former Guns N' Roses members Duff McKagan and Slash .-Early career :Matt Sorum was born Matthew William...
during a show in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
) before going on to tour Japan. They toured Japan as part of Fire Wire, supporting J and Zilch
Zilch (band)
Zilch is an alternative/industrial rock band formed in 1996 by Hideto "hide" Matsumoto , Ray McVeigh , Paul Raven , Joey Castillo and I.N.A...
, where McKagan first met guitarist Dave Kushner
Dave Kushner
David "Dave" Kushner is an American musician perhaps best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver...
, who was, then, the Zilch guitarist.
Following the tour, Rouse and Squires departed the band when Alien Crime Syndicate
Alien Crime Syndicate
Alien Crime Syndicate, often abbreviated to ACS, were a rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1997. From 1999 to the band's breakup in 2005, the lineup consisted primarily of Joe Reineke , Jeff Rouse , Nabil Ayers , while guitarists Jason Krevey, Mike Squires and Mike Davis were also...
signed with V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
for the re-release of their latest album. Loaded enlisted Dave Kushner and George Stuart Dahlquist and announced a tour of Europe, playing shows in Holland, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, as well as shows in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Hiatus and Velvet Revolver (2002–2008)
After performing at a benefit gig for Randy CastilloRandy Castillo
Randolpho Francisco Castillo was best known as Ozzy Osbourne's drummer during the mid 1980s to the early 1990s, and later as drummer for Mötley Crüe, from 1999-2002.-Early years:...
in 2002, McKagan began collaborating with his former Guns N' Roses band mates, Slash and Matt Sorum, on a new project. Because of this, Loaded's tour of Europe was cancelled. Loaded played a show at Hollywood's Viper Room
Viper Room
The Viper Room is a nightclub located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California. It was opened in 1993 and was partly owned by actor Johnny Depp until 2004. The club became known for being a hangout of Hollywood elite, and was the site where actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose on...
, where afterwards, McKagan introduced Kushner to Slash, who were previously friends in junior high and high school. Kushner was invited to play with the group and soon after became a member of "The Project" which, after auditioning a number of singers, became known as Velvet Revolver following the addition of Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
singer Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
to the line-up. Loaded were effectively put on hiatus. However, they would still continue to play shows on occasion, though they did not play together again until December 2006 for the benefit show for Jerry Allen's Cancer Fund, with both Squires and Rouse returning to the group.
During the hiatus, the Loaded members continued to work on various projects. Reading formed the group The Disciples (that later became The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles
The Chelsea Smiles are a hard rock/sleaze rock band formed in 2004 featuring guitarist Todd Youth , Karl Rosqvist of Danzig, Steel Prophet, Skye Vaughan-Jayne of Bullets and Octane, Johnny Martin and RJ Ronquillo....
) with Christian Martucci
Christian Martucci
Christian Martucci is an American guitarist, bassist, vocalist and songwriter. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a founding member of Thousand Watt Stare, Black President, The Strychnine Babies and The Chelsea Smiles...
, Todd Youth
Todd Youth
-Biography:Youth grew up in New York and started playing as young as 12 years old in several New York City hardcore bands. He made his playing debut with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also appeared for New York City act Warzone until around 1986...
, and Howie Pyro
Howie Pyro
Howie Pyro on 28 June 1960 is a Queens, New York City based rock musician and bass player. He is a founding member of D Generation.-With D Generation:*No Way Out - Single - **Re-released in 1994 and 1996....
. Rouse would release another album with Alien Crime Syndicate, titled Ten Songs in the Key of Betrayal
Ten Songs in the Key of Betrayal
-Personnel:Alien Crime Syndicate*Joe Reineke – vocals, guitar*Jeff Rouse – bass, vocals*Nabil Ayers – drumsAdditional personnel*Mike Davis – additional guitars on "Rescue", "The American Way", "Forever is Rock N' Roll"...
, who went on the perform as Tommy Stinson
Tommy Stinson
Thomas "Tommy" Eugene Stinson is an American musician best known for his work as the bassist for The Replacements and Guns N' Roses as well as the post-Replacements groups Bash & Pop, where he performed guitar duties, and Perfect...
's backing band in support of his solo album Village Gorilla Head
Village Gorilla Head
Village Gorilla Head is the debut album by Guns N' Roses and former The Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson released on Jul 27, 2004 through Sanctuary Records...
. Following the tour, Rouse joined Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 1998. They released an EP, 6 Kisses, A Blatant Reminder of Why We Are Alive, in 1999 and two albums, Blackout Analysis in 2000 and White Knuckled Substance in 2001, before signing their first major label deal...
, replacing previous bassist Michael Vermillion, on their tour in support of their latest album Sisters of the Red Death
Sisters of the Red Death
Sisters of the Red Death is the fourth and final album by Vendetta Red which was released on August 30, 2005. On the limited edition white vinyl the back of the album lists the song "Depressionesque" as Track XIII, however, inside the artwork there is a misprint and the song is listed as track...
. However, they disbanded in March 2006, with Rouse and former Vendetta Red members Zach Davidson and Leif Andersen, as well as local drummer Ben Libay, forming the group Sirens Sister
Sirens Sister
Sirens Sister is an American rock band based in Seattle, Washington. The group was formed in 2006, following the breakup of Vendetta Red, former members Zach Davidson, Leif Andersen and Rouse, as well as local drummer Ben Libay, formed Sirens Sister, initially in Bakersfield, California before...
. They released one album in 2006, before Rouse left the group in 2007. Squires re-joined The Long Winters
The Long Winters
The Long Winters is an American indie rock band based in Seattle, Washington.-Early history:Singer-songwriter John Roderick was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He later returned to Seattle, formed the Bun Family Players and the The Western State Hurricanes...
, having been a member prior to joining Loaded, playing with the group for less than a year before departing.
Reunion, Wasted Heart and Sick (2008–2009)
While on tour with Velvet Revolver in 2008, McKagan stated that Loaded were to release a new album in the summer and were to enter the studio in April. Soon after the end of their tour, Velvet Revolver announced the departure of Weiland, putting the group on hiatus until they find a new singer. Previously, the Loaded members worked on material by sending mp3MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
files to each other.
They rented a rehearsal space and began working on the new material before going on to record the album at Jupiter Studios with producer Martin Feveyear. They released a series of Webisode
Webisode
A webisode is a short episode which airs initially as Internet television, either download or stream as opposed to first airing on broadcast or cable television. The format can be used as a preview, a promotion, as part of a collection of shorts, or a commercial.A webisode can be an episode...
s during this time, featuring footage from the recording sessions for the group's new album. They booked a tour of the UK and Ireland and were added to the lineups of few European festivals. The album was completed in less than two weeks and cost only $20,000.
Loaded subsequently signed a deal with Century Media
Century Media Records
Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :...
and, at the suggestion of the label, voted to change the name of the group to Duff McKagan's Loaded, stating that "[they could] always just turn it back to Loaded once [they] get [their] foot in the door." The album's release was pushed back to 2009. However, to coincide with their European Tour, an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Wasted Heart
Wasted Heart
-Personnel:Loaded*Duff McKagan – vocals, guitar*Mike Squires – guitar, backing vocals*Jeff Rouse – bass, backing vocals*Geoff Reading – drums, backing vocalsProduction personnel...
was released on September 22, 2008. They released a music video for the song "No More" for the EP release.
Loaded's second album, Sick
Sick (Loaded album)
Sick is the second studio album by American hard rock band Loaded. It is their first album since reforming after they went on hiatus in 2002. It was recorded and produced by Martin Feveyear at Jupiter Studios in Seattle, Washington, and was released on March 30, 2009 in Europe and April 7 in...
, was released on March 20, 2009 in Europe and April 7 in the US, peaking at number 43 on the Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart. Sick sold 1,400 copies in the first week, while "Flatline" was chosen as the first single to go to radio. The album received generally positive reviews, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic stating "Loaded is the sound of a working band working and an old rocker staying sober, kicking out some lead-heavy grooves and sculptured pieces of sleaze."
In support of Sick, Loaded played a number of shows in the United States, South America, and Europe, while also appearing at a number of festivals such as Download
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
in the UK, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park in Germany, Rockfest in the United States, and the Sauna Open Air Festival in Finland. They also opened for Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
and Black Stone Cherry
Black Stone Cherry
Black Stone Cherry is an American rock band formed in 2001 in Edmonton, Kentucky. They are signed to Roadrunner Records. The band consists of Chris Robertson , Ben Wells , Jon Lawhon , and John Fred Young...
on their tours of Europe. At a number of shows, Loaded were joined onstage by other musicians such as Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Ronald Jay Blumenthal , better known by his stage name Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, is a Jewish-American guitarist, songwriter, recording artist and producer. Thal adopted the name Bumblefoot from the bacterial infection of the same name, which he learned about while helping his wife review for her...
(Guns N' Roses), Corey Taylor
Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
(Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
and Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
), and Michael Monroe
Michael Monroe
Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm , best known by his stage name, Michael Monroe, is a Finnish rock musician, and multi-instrumentalist who rose to fame as the vocalist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, and has served as the frontman for all-star side projects, such as Demolition 23...
(formerly of Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
).
In September 2009, Reading departed the group and was replaced by Isaac Carpenter
Isaac Carpenter
Isaac Carpenter is an American drummer, percussionist, producer, audio engineer and session musician. Carpenter is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock group Gosling as well as its previous incarnation Loudermilk...
formerly of Gosling
Gosling (band)
Gosling was an American alternative rock band formed in Tri-Cities, Washington. The band was composed of Davey Ingersoll , Mark Watrous , Shane Middleton and Isaac Carpenter...
and The Exies
The Exies
The Exies are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1997. Their name, "The Exies", is short for "The Existentialists". Their two Virgin Records releases, Inertia and Head for the Door , have sold over 400,000 copies combined.-History:The Exies formed in 1997 when singer and...
. In the middle of touring, McKagan posted an update on his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
stating that the group will "be writing new songs tonight and tomorrow." He added, "Some great ideas and riffs have come on this latest tour. excited, for sure!"
In December, Loaded, along with Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche
thumb|250px|right|Queensrÿche's classic line-up performing at the [[Sauna Open Air Metal Festival]] 2011 in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]. Left to right: bass Eddie Jackson, lead vocals Geoff Tate, drums Scott Rockenfield and guitars Michael Wilton....
, were confirmed at the "KISW Salutes the Shield" benefit show that took place on December 19 at the Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington
Snoqualmie, Washington
Snoqualmie is a city next to Snoqualmie Falls in King County, Washington. The city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum. The population was of 10,670 at the 2010 census...
where, during the show, they were joined on stage by Queensrÿche singer Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate
Geoff Tate is an American singer and musician, who rose to fame in the 1980s with the progressive metal band, Queensrÿche...
.
The Taking and film (2010–present)
In February 2010, Loaded parted ways with Century Media and began looking for a new label, having already written and demoed new material. The same month, both McKagan and Rouse performed at the Hootenanny For Haiti at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle with Pearl JamPearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
guitarist Mike McCready
Mike McCready
Michael David McCready is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the American rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Dave Krusen, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of Pearl Jam...
and Fastbacks
Fastbacks
The Fastbacks were a Seattle punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch , and friends Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick , they disbanded in 2001...
bassist Kim Warnick
Kim Warnick
Kim Warnick was co-founder, bassist, and lead vocalist of the Seattle band Fastbacks between 1979 and 2002, and bassist with Visqueen from 2001 until her retirement from performing in 2004....
, as well as Truly
Truly
Truly is an American rock band formed in the wake of the grunge era. It featured former Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto, one-time Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel, and singer Robert Roth...
and former Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period...
drummer Mark Pickerel
Mark Pickerel
Mark Pickerel is best known as the original drummer for the Screaming Trees, a rock group from Ellensburg, WA, that formed in 1985. Other members of the band included the versatile singer Mark Lanegan and the Conner brothers...
, among others.
While Loaded were briefly inactive, guitarist Mike Squires performed with Green Apple Quick Step
Green Apple Quick Step
Green Apple Quick Step, often abbreviated as GAQS, is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Their sound was described as hard-edged, post-grunge rock. The band began as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys in Tacoma, Washington before becoming Green Apple Quick Step, in Seattle, by 1992...
on a few occasions and McKagan began writing and recording with Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
. McKagan was confirmed as a permanent member of the group, in April, performing at shows in the United States and Europe. His tenure with the band only lasted five months, with his departure from the group announced on September 6. In a statement, the band commented: "We wanted to thank Duff for helping us write songs for our new record. We love the songs we worked on with him — and the gigs were a blast — but musically we were all headed in different directions. From here Duff is off to work on his own stuff so we wish him all the best".
During his time with Jane's Addiction, McKagan stated that they were writing material for their new album, while he also stated that "Loaded will ALWAYS be something I do. It is more a way of life and a way to express music and have a fucking blast with those guys than anything else." Loaded entered the studio in August with Terry Date
Terry Date
Terry Date is an American record producer and engineer, specializing in the rock and metal genres...
, who had approached the band about producing their album, and they completed it by the beginning of September.
A new song by the band entitled "We Win" is being used by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for their coverage of the American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
, the National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
, and the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. They also signed a deal with Eagle Rock Entertainment
Eagle Rock Entertainment
Eagle Rock Entertainment is the largest producer and distributor of music programming for DVD, Blu-Ray, TV and Digital Media in the world. Eagle works directly alongside talent to produce top quality, high-definition and 3D programs, both concerts and documentaries, including The Rolling Stones,...
for the release of their new album, titled The Soundtrack, to be released on March 22, 2011, and the label is also re-releasing their previous album, Sick, in April of the same year. It was later revealed in interviews with guitarist Mike Squires
Mike Squires (musician)
Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan....
and filmmaker Jamie Burton Chamberlin that the album title was changed to The Taking
The Taking (album)
The Taking is the third studio album by American hard rock band Loaded. It was produced by Terry Date in Seattle, Washington, and was released on April 19, 2011 through Eagle Rock Entertainment. Writing for the album began in 2009, while the band were touring in support of Sick...
and was to be released on April 19. The band are also collaborating with filmmaker
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
and documentarian
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Jamie Burton Chamberlin on a film based on the album. Chamberlin stated that the film would be more "about designing a fictitious story line which will be a part of the larger project, and will be a contemporary version of, say, Hard Days Night
A Hard Day's Night (film)
A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British black-and-white comedy film directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists...
meets (Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's) Song Remains the Same
The Song Remains the Same (film)
The Song Remains the Same is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City, during the band's 1973 concert tour of the United States. The film premiered on 20 October 1976, at...
, with aspects of documentary, music video, and live performance, all interconnected by an underlying motivation" and that the "album will serve as the soundtrack." Chamberlin filmed Loaded at the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
Veterans Day half-time show on November 7.
The film is to feature a number of cameos from various musicians, including John Roderick of The Long Winters
The Long Winters
The Long Winters is an American indie rock band based in Seattle, Washington.-Early history:Singer-songwriter John Roderick was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He later returned to Seattle, formed the Bun Family Players and the The Western State Hurricanes...
, Chris Ballew
Chris Ballew
Christopher "Chris" Ballew is a member of the alternative rock group The Presidents of the United States of America and performs as a children's artist under the pseudonym Caspar Babypants....
of The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
, Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
members Ben Shepherd
Ben Shepherd
Ben Shepherd is an American musician, two-time Grammy Award Winner best known for playing bass in the grunge band Soundgarden from 1990 until the band's 1997 break-up...
and Kim Thayil
Kim Thayil
Kim Thayil is an American guitarist best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based grunge band Soundgarden, which he cofounded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984...
, and Lemmy of Motörhead. Shooting locations for the film include Seattle, with the band planning to perform unannounced acoustic shows for filming, and Los Angeles. Chamberlin hopes to premier the film at the 2011 SXSW
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
and a trailer for it was released in January 2011. Loaded were confirmed to play at the Download Festival, which took place in June 2011.
The Taking was released on April 18, 2011 in Europe and April 19 in the US, and charted at number 12 on the Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart, selling over 2,300 copies in the first week. They released a video for the song "Dead Skin," directed by Chamberlin, and the album received positive reviews. Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
gave the album three out of five stars stating that McKagan "turns in his hardest record in recent memory" and that the album "does make a brute impression [...] playing with a vitality that almost compensates for how they fetishize the past." Revolver
Revolver (magazine)
Revolver is a bi-monthly rock and heavy metal magazine published by Future US. Before covering heavy metal, rock & hard rock solely, it was a more mainstream oriented magazine. The magazine is structured in a manner similar to publications such as Spin while covering many avenues within the heavy...
magazine's Kory Grow complimented it's "big hooks and driving riffs" while noting punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
influences on the album.
Musical style and influences
Loaded's music has often been described as hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
with elements of punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, earning comparisons to the Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
and Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, as well as McKagan's former band Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
. The band cites influences from groups such as The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Saints
The Saints (band)
The Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
, Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
and Fear
Fear (band)
Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
among others. Blogcritics
Blogcritics
Blogcritics is a blog network and online magazine of news and opinion. The site—a self-proclaimed "sinister cabal of superior writers"—was founded in 2002 by Eric Olsen and Phillip Winn...
reviewer Chris Beaumont stated that their music "is bluesy hard rock that occasionally borders on the punk side of the coin. It is simultaneously slick and raw, yet it lacks the power and fury of old school Guns N' Roses or the full-on force of Velvet Revolver. Regardless, there is something decidedly infectious in its stripped-down nature."
Band members
- Duff McKaganDuff McKaganMichael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his twelve-year tenure as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1999, 2000–2002, 2008–present) - Mike SquiresMike Squires (musician)Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan....
– lead guitar, backing vocals (2001–2002, 2008–present) - Jeff RouseJeff Rouse (musician)Jeff Rouse is an American musician who is best known as the bassist for both Alien Crime Syndicate and Duff McKagan's Loaded. Previously, Rouse was a member of a number of Seattle based groups such as Vendetta Red and Sirens Sister while he also has his own solo project titled To the Glorious...
– bass, backing vocals (2001–2002, 2008–present) - Isaac CarpenterIsaac CarpenterIsaac Carpenter is an American drummer, percussionist, producer, audio engineer and session musician. Carpenter is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock group Gosling as well as its previous incarnation Loudermilk...
– drums, percussion (2009–present)
Touring musicians
- Martin FeveyearMartin FeveyearMartin Feveyear is a British record producer and audio engineer based in Seattle, Washington. Beginning as a singer-songwriter and musician, Feveyear soon began recording work for artists in both the UK and US before moving to Seattle at the age of 25. Together with Christian Fulghum , he opened...
– keyboards, percussion, samples, backing vocals (2001–2002)
Former members
- Michael Barragan – guitar (1999)
- Taz BentleyTaz BentleyPatrick Bentley, better known as Taz or The Taz, is an American rock and roll drummer.Taz is currently a member of the Burden Brothers.-With Burden Brothers:* 8 Ball * Queen O' Spades * Beautiful Night...
– drums (1999) - Dez CadenaDez CadenaDez Paul Cadena is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits...
– guitar (1999) - Geoff ReadingGeoff ReadingGeoff Reading is an American musician. In his career, Reading has been a member of a number of groups, including Loaded , Green Apple Quick Step, New American Shame, The Disciples Geoff Reading (born February 23, 1968, in Rochester, New York) is an American musician. In his career, Reading has...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals (2000–2002, 2008–2009) - Dave DedererDave DedererDave Dederer, best known as guitarist and singer for The Presidents of the United States of America, was born on October 5, 1964. An alumnus of Seattle, Washington's The Bush School and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, he founded The Presidents with fellow Bush School alumnus...
– guitar, bass (2000–2001) - Dave KushnerDave KushnerDavid "Dave" Kushner is an American musician perhaps best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver...
– guitar (2002) - George Stuart Dahlquist – bass (2002)
Discography
- Dark DaysDark Days (Loaded album)-Personnel:*Duff McKagan – vocals, bass, guitar, piano on "Misery", production*Dave Dederer – guitar, production*Geoff Reading – drums, backing vocals, percussion, production...
(2001) - SickSick (Loaded album)Sick is the second studio album by American hard rock band Loaded. It is their first album since reforming after they went on hiatus in 2002. It was recorded and produced by Martin Feveyear at Jupiter Studios in Seattle, Washington, and was released on March 30, 2009 in Europe and April 7 in...
(2009) - The TakingThe Taking (album)The Taking is the third studio album by American hard rock band Loaded. It was produced by Terry Date in Seattle, Washington, and was released on April 19, 2011 through Eagle Rock Entertainment. Writing for the album began in 2009, while the band were touring in support of Sick...
(2011)