Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan has dropped delicate, evocative single Tenderness ahead of his highly anticipated solo album. It was produced by and features Grammy winner Shooter Jennings, and released through UME.

Watch the lyric video for Tenderness here: .be">

This will be McKagan's first official solo album - though he's no stranger to fronting music after leading Duff McKagan's Loaded for many years. Aside from his celebrated work with Guns N' Roses he has also been a member of Velvet Revolver, and worked with Kings Of Chaos, Walking Papers and a host of others.

The duo began recording in March last year - finding time between legs of Guns N' Roses ongoing 'Not In This Lifetime' tour and the release of Jenning's album 'Shooter.' They worked at Station House Studios in Echo Park, CA. McKagan recently announced two live performances where he will be backed by Jennings and his band. May 30th at TLA in Philadelphia and May 31stat City Winery in DC. Tickets are on sale now.

“Before beginning this project, I was asked more than a few times if I was going to write a book on my experience of the two-and-a-half-year GN’R Not In This Lifetime …tour,” says McKagan - also a New York Times Bestselling Author. “While, of course, it had been an amazing experience, in the end, I decided the ideas swirling around in my head were better suited for a record. The heartbreak, anger, fear, confusion and divide I have experienced traveling this globe of ours coerced these words into songs that tell my truth, and one that I hope will spread and help us all.”

“The real point of ‘Tenderness’ is not for me to be some damn politician or some other voice to add to what is already way too much noise,” he goes on. “This is a song of unity and peace…and I want this record to be a meditation and to bring maybe some healing, if that is not too high-handed or lofty of a goal. I can use what marginal voice I have as an artist, to hopefully help arrest what seems like a fall. As a father, I must say and do something now…because I love my girls and my wife, and I love my country, and I feel I must be strong and use my voice now, do it while I am able, or perhaps never get a chance ever again.”

About his collaboration with Jennings, McKagan says, “Fortune shone my way when Shooter and I began to work on the structures of the songs. Shooter has a brilliant mind, and a seemingly endless musical catalogue bouncing around in his head that he’s ready to tap into at any moment. He believed in this thing from day one, and that gave me the confidence and energy to forge on. Shooter, seemingly, can play any musical instrument, but instead of that being sort of daunting to me, he works in such an honest way that I never once felt like I was in the company of a guy trying to show me up. The contrary was in fact true. He made me a better acoustic guitar player, and more at ease as a singer. His ability to get real and authentic sounds in the studio are second to none, and making this record was one of the most inspiring musical experiences of my career.”

The album is McKagan's latest big project, and follows 2015's bestselling book 'How To Be A Man (And Other Illusions).'

McKagan has also become the latest band member to allude to new Guns N' Roses recordings. Previously hints were dropped by guitarists Ritchie Fortus and Slash, but the bass player has now confirmed that an album is in the works. "Oh it's real" he told famed DJ Eddie Trunk on his Sirius XM radio show recently, "I heard some new material and there's been some jams going around, and that's the next step for us, for the Guns N' Roses thing.”

For the latest info on McKagan's upcoming album and other work, follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DuffMcKagan

Author: Cameron Arndt

Cameron Arndt is a musician and freelance writer from Glasgow, Scotland. He writes for his own music review website (www.rockandrolltraffic.com) and also contributes to Music Talkers.