Duff McKagan says ‘The Simpsons’ named Duff Beer after him
Weapons N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan has insisted that The Simpsons named Duff Beer after him.
The rock n’ roll star first made the declare in his 2011 autobiography It’s So Straightforward and Different Lies, stating {that a} “manufacturing firm engaged on a brand new animated sequence” contacted him in 1988/89 to ask if they may use the title ‘Duff’ for a band of beer within the present,” owing to his fame as a “huge drinker”.
Believing it was a low-budget animation challenge, McKagan laughed off the request and mentioned “no downside”. Nonetheless, he started to take discover when Duff grew to become an integral a part of the present, and merchandise began popping up all around the world. Quite a lot of writers on the animation have since said that the bassist’s declare is unfaithful.
In a brand new interview with Stereogum, McKagan was as soon as once more requested about The Simpsons and he reiterated his stance on the story, including that he was the self-proclaimed “King of Beers”, and even wore a Budweiser belt bearing that motto on stage.
“Right here’s the deal,” he mentioned. “So I used to be Duff, the King of Beers. However that is 1988, 1989 and our administration, I bear in mind they referred to as me and mentioned some arthouse-like cartoon desires to make use of your title because the beer, like a school arthouse cartoon. There weren’t any grownup cartoons at this level.
“I didn’t learn about branding or something like that, however that present took off. After which they began promoting merch and stuff. I by no means went after him [creator Matt Groening], however I’m like, ‘Hey, motherfuckers,’ ?”
He added: “So I feel it’s very most likely enterprise savvy of them to say that’s not true. However should you simply do your personal math behind it, have a look at after they began off with the King of Beers, and I had my King of Beers belt I wore on a regular basis.”
When the interviewer recommended that The Simpsons ought to come clean with it, McKagan replied: “They need to. I’m not going to ask them for cash.”
In different information, Simpsons voice actor Hank Azaria lately introduced that he’s beginning his personal Bruce Springsteen tribute band, named Hank Azaria & The EZ Road Band.
The actor and comic, identified for voicing characters together with Moe, Apu and Chief Wiggum, will lead the band for the primary time on August 1 at New York Metropolis’s Le Poisson Rouge, with all earnings going to the 4 By 9 Basis, a social justice charity. Get tickets for that present here.