Advise like a Rockstar

In finance, a rockstar is usually defined as someone who produces the most profits for his or her firm or desk, it is synonymous with the “rainmaker”, though not necessarily with the BSD’s.

It's a title dreamt of and lusted over by almost every aspiring monkey setting foot on the Street.

This dude however did it the other way around.

Former Guns & Roses and Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan has set aside his winning ways and is launching his own PWM firm called Meridian Rock, together with former banker and Imprimatur Capital principal, Andy Bottomley.

McKagan discovered his interest in finance when he stumbled upon GnR’s finances while recovering from ruptured pancreas due to epic amounts of drugs and booze.

"I couldn't make sense of it. I didn't know how much we had made or lost on the tour… As a 30 year-old millionaire, how do I admit to somebody that I don't know what the fuck I'm doing?"

He promptly signed up for finance classes in Santa Monica Community College and then four years later, entered Seattle University's Albers School of Business, during which he was actively managing his own portfolio and began advising his fellow rockers on various investment decisions, eventually leading to the conceptualization of Meridian a decade after.

Now, am I the only one who has reservations about this model?

This isn’t the 80’s anymore and I’m pretty sure rockers today are a little more sophisticated with their finances now than they were back then, especially considering the fund manager-like paychecks they bring in today.

Nevertheless, with him as principal you’ll never know.

One thing’s for certain though, this sure as hell won’t be a boring place to work at and I wouldn't be surprised if the epic Mr. Sheen comes over.

Any of you considering this a place to waste a summer in?

And since most of you monkeys go into finance hoping to party like a rockstar, which would you really rather be? A banker or a rocker?

Don’t tell me none of you fucks were in a band before.

Have a great weekend WSO.