Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) with Joe Keithley (D.O.A.)

Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) with Joe Keithley (D.O.A.)

From Talkhouse Podcast by Talkhouse

June 11, 2026 · 38 min

About this episode

Duff McKagan and Joe Keithley discuss punk rock, activism, and Keithley's dual career as a musician and politician.

On this week’s Talkhouse Podcast we’ve got an absolute legend of the punk rock world in conversation with one of his band’s biggest fans—who also happens to play bass in one of the world’s most famous rock bands. It’s Joe Keithley and Duff McKagan. Joe Keithley has been known for the vast majority of his life as Joey Shithead, singer and guitarist for the band D.O.A., which is coming up on its 50th year of existence. D.O.A. are absolute legends that have always existed on the margins—I don’t think they’d have it any other way—and who influenced and crossed paths with countless bands over the years. They’re credited with bringing the word “hardcore” into the punk lexicon with their album Hardcore ‘81, and guys like Billie Joe Armstrong and Kurt Cobain were vocal fans. Politics and activism have always been part of D.O.A.’s DNA, so it’s no surprise that Keithley decided to run for office in his native Burnaby, Canada. It was a surprise, even to him, that he actually won, and he’s been representing his area for nearly eight years. There’s a new documentary out now called Something Better Change that covers his life both as a musician and a politician, and it’s definitely worth your…

People in this episode

Host: Joe Keithley

Guest: Duff McKagan

Topics covered

  • punk rock
  • music
  • politics
  • activism
  • interviews
  • documentary

Keywords

  • Duff McKagan
  • Joe Keithley
  • D.O.A.
  • punk rock
  • activism
  • documentary
  • music
  • interview

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: D.O.A., Guns N' Roses

Books & works: Hardcore ‘81, Something Better Change, Take on the Tyrants: The Very Best of Punk Rock’s Most Enduring Band

Places: Burnaby

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