When asked by a fan what the most important attribute for the lead singer of a rock band to have, besides their singing voice, McKagan responded: "Any good artist has to have had some kind of rub in their life, something real. Something you have to get out lyrically or you are going to kill yourself or somebody else. Those are the lyrics that inspire. The ability to tap the dark stuff and have it be real. Great lead singers have the ability to tap that. No inhibitions helps as well. Axl [Rose] and Scott [Weiland] are two of the best front men ever."