"The Living are ground zero for the Seattle sound” – Duff McKagen's teenage punk band's recordings finally see a release

Before he left Seattle for Los Angeles and eventual fame with Guns N' Roses, Duff McKagen earned serious punk stripes in the Pacific North West city's music scene. And as early as 17 he was making his mark as a guitarist alongside future Mother Love Bone drummer Greg Gilmore in a four-piece called The Living – as the single called Two Generation Stand above attests.

Gilmore recently unearthed an album's worth of recordings and the decision was made to put them out as the collection The Living: 1982 (also the year they were recorded) through his Mother Love Bone bandmate / Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard's Loosegroove label. 

“The Living was the beginning of all things Seattle for me, a turning point in my life,” says Gilmore. “I joined a band and a community. These guys are still my brothers. I’ve cherished these recordings since the days we made them. This record is a fantastic document of a loaded moment. I love it.”

The Living: 1982 is released on 16 April. “It doesn’t matter what year this music was recorded because it is undeniable,” Gossard adds. “But the fact that Duff, Greg , Todd [Fleischman, bass] and John [Conte, vocals] created these fully realised songs in 1982 gives credence to the idea that this band, The Living, are ground zero for the Seattle sound.”

The Living: 1982 tracklist:

1. A Promise
2. Two Generation Stand
3. Live By The Gun
4. A Song For You
5. No Thanks
6. Live Is A Terror
7. I Want

Preorder here