Slash interview in Q magazine's Guitar heroes special!

[Mr Rage]

A round with Slash

Sunset Marquis, LA

It's Q's Round, What you drinking?
Sheep's blood! no's it's iced tea with sweet n low's

I beg your Pardon?
I've not had a drink in nine months and 10 days. Since I was in rehab. My wife went to rehab for her excesses a while ago, and i knew when she got out I was going to have to go, so I went on a two-month, hardcore drug binge.

Bit Like Heroin?
Something like heroin.

"Something" like heroin?
(stoney silence, changes subject) I have a bit of a workout regime now, too. It's for an hour, 3 times a week. I try to do it as quietly as possible. One of the things I can't stand is the fitness kick, chatting by the watercooler, on the treadmill, thw whole image, all that crap.

You left Stoke - on - Trent for LA when youwere 11. Any pleasant memories?
The fucking weather. Even when I was little, I was thinking, "There's got to be somewhere better." I knew there must be sunshine somewhere.

Do you see much of fellow Stoke-On-Trent native/LA transplant
I met him in his hotel. this guy comes up and says, "your Slash right?" And I was like "yeah." and he goes, You're from Stoke- i'm from Stoke!" I'm thinking, who the fuck is this guy?" later on that evening I went to jam with camp freddy. I got up to do whole lotta love and this guy got up to sing and it was robbie williams. We started hanging after that, but then he got sober and I didn't see him for a long time.

You were 20 when GNR started. Ever had a proper job?
(Midly Affronted) I had a lot of jobs. I started working when I was 11 years old. I had-by anyones standards- a pretty intense paper round that covered a huge chunk of the LA metropolis. On a bicycle! I worked  in a news stands, movie theatres and guitar stores; I used a darkroom, printed up shit and hammered crap. i got fired from my last job for using the phone too much. I was booking all the gigs. This was before call-waiting and my boss couldn't get through. i was paid $4 an hour.

Did you get your love of classic rock from your dad?
When I was living in england, my dad's brothers were really into rock. My dad is a die-hard rock n roll fan. He says rock n roll was never really interesting until the brits got into it. He's right, too.

He must be proud of you...
(Bashfully) Yeah, I would definitely say he is proud of me.

Is the Simpsons' bus driver, Otto, based on you?
No, no. I wouldn't want to consider myself that guy. I don't come from the "hey dude!" stoner school. That's usually just a lot of my friends and associates.

When is it not appropriate to swear?
I will try and make it appropriate anywhere.

Do you enjoy a good swear?
I swear a lot. They are the most expressive words. i come from a swearing family. My mum would kill me for saying that.

What's your favourite swear word?
Fuck. But don't talk about that too much, as you will reduce me to a fucking idiot.

You played at an anti-war concert called peace on the beach in 2003. Do you feel vindicated about that?
I don't normally make a political statements, although I do have opinions. But we have an idiot president making an idiot move and all these young americans in the army have to go do this stupid thing. In this particular case, I thought it was a really worthwhile cause so I broke my cool for a second and got involved. Do I feel vindicated? Nothing happend, nothing good came out of it.

You've worked with Michael jackson. What's your relationship with him like?
We had a working relationship. We did some gigs, an awards show and two records together I never witnessed anything bizarre. I mean he's bizarre, but i never witnessed anything totally out of the ordinary. I was invited to neverland many times and never felt the inclination to go. Ha!

Another Iced Tea, Slash?
i'm fine.

You were at Anna Nicole Smith's funeral in the bahamas in march.
it was really sad. It was very sombre, but also  really bizarre, beacuse her mum showed up and she had been at the courthouse that morning trying to prevent the funeral from happening. We didn't bother going to the reception afterwards. Anna was a really sweet, lost soul.

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings  to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

Forgive any speeling mistakes.

M.R

[CheapJon]

cool thanks for posting

[mikegiuliana]

so slash is saying he apologized to axl and wanted to get it off his chest.. That's cool if true.. I wish they'd all put it behind them and realise they made one of the mose defining albums in rock history and nothing last forever including grudges over old bullshit.. I guess this is a harder pill to swallow being gn'r continues without 4 of the 5 on afd..

[CheapJon]

so slash is saying he apologized to axl and wanted to get it off his chest.. That's cool if true.. I wish they'd all put it behind them and realise they made one of the mose defining albums in rock history and nothing last forever including grudges over old bullshit.. I guess this is a harder pill to swallow being gn'r continues without 4 of the 5 on afd..

but it was beta who opened the door i think it was mentioned and axll wasn't home

[mikegiuliana]

so slash is saying he apologized to axl and wanted to get it off his chest.. That's cool if true.. I wish they'd all put it behind them and realise they made one of the mose defining albums in rock history and nothing last forever including grudges over old bullshit.. I guess this is a harder pill to swallow being gn'r continues without 4 of the 5 on afd..

but it was beta who opened the door i think it was mentioned and axll wasn't home

Well whatever happened at least the heart was in the right place.. Man I've had people I just called out of the blue cause I cared and wanted to just get shit off my chest.. Being a user/drinker that is very common actions.. They say slash is a cool nice shy type of guy.. Everyone has a heart.. At least I think

[FunkyMonkey]

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings  to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

So he apologized to Beta?

[CheapJon]

I think so.. (this is not a fact that's what i THINK i've read)

[kirin]

thanks for posting
cool cover
http://home.q4music.com/

[D]

Slash has to be the Coolest guitar Player that ever fuckin lived.

If they ever had a reunion, I swear to god I'd be one of those people that they'd carry out of the pit cause I'd probably pass out from emotion if I ever saw them onstage together again.

I get goosebumps and Excited just thinking about it.

[Ali]

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings? to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

So he apologized to Beta?

Wait a second, is he saying that in addition to going to Axl's house, he did in fact speak to someone, that he didn't just leave a note at the door?  Is there anything missing from this transcription by accident?

Ali

[Genesis]

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings  to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

So he apologized to Beta?

Wait a second, is he saying that in addition to going to Axl's house, he did in fact speak to someone, that he didn't just leave a note at the door?  Is there anything missing from this transcription by accident?

Ali

He doesn't say how he apologized or that he spoke to anybody.

[Ali]

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings? to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

So he apologized to Beta?

Wait a second, is he saying that in addition to going to Axl's house, he did in fact speak to someone, that he didn't just leave a note at the door?? Is there anything missing from this transcription by accident?

Ali

He doesn't say how he apologized or that he spoke to anybody.

Yes, but you're forgetting he said that the note he left was in regards to the lawsuit.

Ali

[Genesis]

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings  to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

So he apologized to Beta?

Wait a second, is he saying that in addition to going to Axl's house, he did in fact speak to someone, that he didn't just leave a note at the door?  Is there anything missing from this transcription by accident?

Ali

He doesn't say how he apologized or that he spoke to anybody.

Yes, but you're forgetting he said that the note he left was in regards to the lawsuit.

Yeah, you're right. Since I have no idea what happened, I'm not going to speculate further.

[Ali]

Axl Rose issued a statement in March 2006 saying you turned up on his doorstep apologsing for the last 20 years of conflict. What really happened?
When VR started, we were promoting the new record and I was harbouring so much resentment about what happened at the end of GNR that i vented all my feelings? to the press. I had never got the shit off my chest. So I apolgised for all that. Recently VR had to induct Van Halen into the Rock N Roll hall of fame beacuse they were fighting and couldn't do it themselves. it changed my view. Fighting with band members is so childish.

So he apologized to Beta?

Wait a second, is he saying that in addition to going to Axl's house, he did in fact speak to someone, that he didn't just leave a note at the door?? Is there anything missing from this transcription by accident?

Ali

He doesn't say how he apologized or that he spoke to anybody.

Yes, but you're forgetting he said that the note he left was in regards to the lawsuit.

Yeah, you're right. Since I have no idea what happened, I'm not going to speculate further.

Understood.  That is certainly fair enough.  But, I'm confused here and I hope it isn't a matter of something that didn't get transcribed.

Ali

[Robman?]

thanks for posting
cool cover
http://home.q4music.com/

holy fuck, Page has certainly put on the years recently...I hardly recognized hum.

[metallex78]

thanks for posting
cool cover
http://home.q4music.com/

holy fuck, Page has certainly put on the years recently...I hardly recognized hum.

You're right man, I barely recognised him too!

[lynn1961]

Thanks for posting the article!  Enjoyed reading it!

[Guitar1281]

so slash is saying he apologized to axl and wanted to get it off his chest.. That's cool if true.. I wish they'd all put it behind them and realise they made one of the mose defining albums in rock history and nothing last forever including grudges over old bullshit..

I was seriously hoping you would have ended this statement with "and nothing lasts forever, even cold November Rain"

and How is dave grohl a guitar hero, I'd say hes better known for playing drums, and its not that hes the worst guitar player out there its just how can he be called a guitar hero with Slash and Jimmy Page on the same cover

[AxemanOnFire]

Looks like it's all starting to catch up with Pagey. Bet he's jealous of Percy's mane (but perhaps not the stupid Mick Hucknall goatee)

[Mr Rage]

page looks fine, it's perry that's showing the revegers of age n drug abuse

i copyed it word 4 word, i just left out some of the pointless questions.