Slash Interview - Revolver Door

[FunkyMonkey]

Revolver door

Guitarist Slash opens up about new album, his band and rock

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News
September 22, 2007

Velvet Revolver sounded fine when the supergroup first formed from the remnants of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N' Roses. But with extensive touring under their belts, the band's latest album, Libertad, rocks with '70s-era swagger - big anthems, sharp riffs and rock-star attitude. Velvet Revolver now sounds like a band, not a mash-up. The tour comes here Monday as part of a big year that included a controversial induction of Van Halen into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash spoke with Rocky pop music writer Mark Brown about the revolving life.

Can you compare recording this album, which you did with producer Brendan O'Brien, to the first album?

"Brendan was a very organic, easy- going experience with somebody who knows exactly what we sound like and how to capture that. The experience that Brendan has, the style he has, the background he has and the camaraderie of the band, all fell together. For one, he's a musician. He's not one of those frustrated musician/producers, but somebody who knows how to play who chose to be a producer. He's just out to make you sound good. We left a lot of stuff on this record that might not have made it because you nitpick in the studio and before you know it you've redone the whole record. He'd say, 'You know, this sounds great the way it is.' "

Was the songwriting different this time around?

"It's more or less the same process. Where your head is at may be different but exactly how you go about it, there wasn't a lot of forethought of 'We're going to do this or that differently.' The only thing we talked about was making the best record we could."

Would you agree the riffs are catchier this time around?

"Everyone was a bit more comfortable, having been a band a little bit longer than the first record, being a little more relaxed, being able to come to the table and say, 'This is a really good idea.' The songwriting seemed to come a little more natural and the songs are a bit more live."

First you were going to induct Van Halen into the Rock Hall of Fame and then you ended up standing in for them when Eddie went to rehab. Was that weird?

"To say the least. Initially they said, 'Do you want to come in and present Van Halen with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award and play a song?' What an honor . . . then we got down to the wire and it was time to do it and we got into all this stuff. The reason we were asked to play more (songs) was Eddie going (into rehab). We had things with David Lee Roth and he wanted to sing this song and it got very complicated. At the end of the day he ended up not showing up."

How did it feel to be in the middle of it, having done nothing to cause it?

"It was nice to be in the middle of it having done nothing, as opposed to being responsible for the whole thing, which I've been through before (laughs). It was interesting being involved in another band's situation. We did try to portray our interpretations of a Van Halen song, because we're not a Van Halen type band. We did our song and it was over with. Sammy (Hagar) and Michael (Anthony) were very professional."

I've heard some Van Halen influence in your style - not the super- fast stuff that Eddie does but a clean, sweet melodic tone. Is it in there?

"You're the first person in the 20- some-odd years I've been doing this to ever notice that. I think Eddie's great, but I didn't jump on the Eddie Van Halen bandwagon like everyone else and copy him. There was something in his style, though, I did relate to which was his more blues-related licks. I like all of his playing, but the part I related to that had an influence on me was stuff that didn't seem to have much influence on everybody else. There's a tip of the hat to Eddie in my playing for sure."

Like the rest of us, do you just look at (former Guns N' Roses bandmate) Axl Rose and scratch your head?

"Not as much as everyone else because I know him a little better. I don't spend that much time dwelling on it. I think about it when people ask me about it or tell me something about it, people I know who know him. Otherwise I just enjoy (having) Velvet Revolver in my life (too much) to worry about what's going on with him."

There's a conspiracy theory out there that all his antics and the 13- year delay of Chinese Democracy is part of a plan for a huge reunion tour next year. True?

"I really seriously doubt it. A lot of people are living out some crazy fantasy. It's weird. There's never been one word spoken between he and I or our camps about that. Ever. It's a lot of people talking when there's no truth to it whatsoever."

Pink Floyd reunited last year and Led Zeppelin is this year. Are you a fan of reunions?

"A reunion for the sake of reunion doesn't mean anything to me. But when it's some guys you really admire, you hope it goes well because you really love them. There's something about a reunion that's just a label. It's all about the music and the musicians. If it's inspired it's great. A band I never got to see is Led Zeppelin. It's like Van Halen getting back together. It's just a Van Halen tour that no one has seen in a really long time."

Velvet Revolver

? When and where: 7 p.m. Monday, Coors Amphitheatre

? Of note: With Alice in Chains

? Cost: $10.76 and $65.50

? Information: 303-830-8497 or ticketmaster.com

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/music/article/0,2792,DRMN_54_5704350,00.html

[Smoking Guns]

Pretty cool interview.  I like reunions, who doesn't.

[Robman?]

Pretty cool interview.  I like reunions, who doesn't.

True, but there are some shitty reunions, like The Police for example, meant only to get some cash.

[Smoking Guns]

Pretty cool interview.? I like reunions, who doesn't.

True, but there are some shitty reunions, like The Police for example, meant only to get some cash.

The Police Blow.  Are they the first emo band ever?  Or was that the talking heads?  ha.

[DeN]

police kicked ass. go to youtube to see them live in 77-78

about reunions, people always whining it's for money, without thinking a second these guys are all millionnaires.
do you really think sting needs money ? frank black needs money ? billy corgan needs money ? roger waters needs money ?

don't be stupid. the most part of the time, it's just because they love music, and playing live with their legendary bands.

[Ines_rocks!]

don't be stupid. the most part of the time, it's just because they love music, and playing live with their legendary bands.

Well... not always. Especially when those reunited bands only tour, performing their big hits, without creating new musig together. For me, that?s a money grabber. That shows that those guys are not that united creatively if they can?t make new music together again and deliver it to their fans. That?s the Police case. And please... if you?re going to answer my post, don?t call me stupid, cos everyone?s entitled to their own opinion. 

[Smoking Guns]

Well, it gives the fans what they want.  One last time.  Sometimes a tour is just what you need to find out if you wanna do more music.  i don't care what their reason is.

[snakepiter]

don't be stupid. the most part of the time, it's just because they love music, and playing live with their legendary bands.

Well... not always. Especially when those reunited bands only tour, performing their big hits, without creating new musig together. For me, that?s a money grabber. That shows that those guys are not that united creatively if they can?t make new music together again and deliver it to their fans. That?s the Police case. And please... if you?re going to answer my post, don?t call me stupid, cos everyone?s entitled to their own opinion.?

right on!!! police did that...that's why they do as few shows as possible in as big venues as they can....

[Falcon]

don't be stupid...

Chill with the "stupid" shit, not cool.

[FunkyMonkey]

I don't see a thread about the show in Las Vegas so here...

Guitarist Slash and his wife Perla Ferrer attend a Velvet Revolver after party at JET Nightclub at The Mirage Hotel and Casino on September 21, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

http://www.wireimage.com/SearchResults.aspx?igi=290708&s=slash&sfld=C&vwmd=e

[FunkyMonkey]

And one more from the road...

Velvet Revolver stops at Smirnoff Thursday

08:26 AM CDT on Thursday, September 27, 2007

By MIKE DANIEL / Staff Writer

Slash is glad that it's still warm somewhere in the United States.

"It's hot here, man!" Velvet Revolver's guitarist said from a Dallas hotel room Wednesday. "We just came from Albuquerque and Denver, where it's already cold. It was starting to seem like the summer was ending, and I didn't want it to end."

But favorite seasons always fade, only to return later. Plenty of people expected Velvet Revolver to fade after a hot season; few predicted it would come back.

But the supergroup ? hardened Guns N' Roses alums Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum with former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland and journeyman guitarist Dave Kushner ? is shining again with a second CD, Libertad, and a tour that stops at Smirnoff Music Centre tonight.

The band's not as intense as its individuals have been, though, partially because no one's burning the candle at both ends. Slash, 42 (born Saul Hudson in London to artsy music-biz parents), is no longer the drunk and cavorting figure he was in GnR. Marriage and wisdom, he says, have tamed him.

"I'm not as self-destructive now as I was then," he said. "The focus for me is just playing now, and because of that, my playing is 20 times better than it was back in the day."

Though Libertad's sales are slow ? it came out in early July and just recently surpassed Contraband's first-week sales of 250,000 in 2004 ? Slash isn't worried. As one of rock's most admired guitarists, he knows that the live show is a rock band's real meal ticket.

"We did the same thing that we did last time. We started touring before the album came out, so we force-fed four to six of the new songs to people," he said. "As any A&R [artists and repertoire] guy will tell you, that's a risky thing to do because you risk alienating your audience. But the songs went over really well, and now that the album's out, people are really responding."

Even to the GnR and Stone Temple Pilots covers? And no other covers?

"Since we have Alice in Chains supporting us, we thought it would be appropriate to bring a couple of '90s songs" ? two new STP ones and one GnR ? "into the mix," Slash said, refusing to say which ones. "There's a couple of others that we know, but our set is so long that we don't really have room."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-velvet_0927gl.ART.State.Edition1.42d5885.html