It is mythical and all knew or almost. Slash, the former guitarist of Guns N'Roses one calls a sacred monster, a guitar hero in all his splendor. We left for his encounter. And that messes the hair!
This is nothing other that the envelope type (the album Secure the type sit some in top to right or Wears Your Illusion the photo in last page of the booklet) that is in front of me, the type of the envelopes therefore that advances itself and squeezes me the hand. Slash is perfect in his role of Slash, well more credible for example than Johnny Depp in Alice To The Country Of The Wonders (there is a family air) for living and smiling. High of form on the skull, upright pierced nostril, huge glasses of sun and long curled tignasse that falls on an ajar shirt, squeezed jeans, basketballs to the feet to a detail near. His lightly impossible graying beard to notice to more than 10 meters.
Do you tint yourself the hair? Slash: Bah yes why? (huge brightness of laugh)
Slash perspires the immediate sympathy, a mixture of Californian relaxation, but also of English class, it speaks an English of a soft voice and of an aristocratic manner. No "fuck" go out of his mouth. It was born to London, a fact that it does not need to recall so that explodes to the ears. After its experiences within the Guns N?Roses and of Velvet Gun, it takes out these days which it considers as his first album solo, besides it called it Slash. Why? How? This one came to ask for him.
You say that this is your first album solo, does that mean that you deny the two recorded albums under the name of Slash?Snakepit? The album of Snakepit, there are some two besides, this was the one of a group for we worked to several, which means that we wrote and composed the pieces together, but also as we divided the royalties. The only reason for which called us this group Slash's Snakepit, this is because the label wanted my name well in evidence for that one can sell more discs. And also because it existed then another groups that was called Snakepit, that could have done confusion. This album Slash this is really me that does all all alone, which does not prevent me to do me to help by of others. This is for this reason that I say that this is my first album solo.
You that began within the Guns and next of Snakepit then of Velvet Gun, why to have awaited also a long time for an album solo? I never really had thought. I play in groups since the age of 16 years and I like that. I like the energy that one can draw in band, the collaboration between the musicians, the interaction that it can exist. A group, this always is a combination of several talents, and I always appreciated that. Within Velvet Gun nevertheless, I felt for the first time as a frustration feeling, especially at the time of the last one turned, with the singer (Scott Weiland, editor's note). And because of this frustration, there is not other word, I wanted to continue in solo. I do not want to return account to person, I want to be concerned me that the piece that I bring do unanimity, I no longer want not more than my house of discs want to preside in the future group. Attention, which does not exclude a possible album of Velvet Gun in the future, the idea does not please me, but with another singer.
Do nevertheless you have very numerous guests, not NOT THIS paradoxical step? The first goal, this is nonetheless to take good time and to have fun me, then, I had this idea two years ago, to do a duet album. I never stopped doing sessions, to play the guitar on the discs of the others and there I wanted that one returns me the change of my piece in a way. Since I had played on many discs, I wanted to have many singers on my album.
Is this a dream of kid to sing with Iggy, Lemmy and Ozzy? Yes!
What did listen you kid? I grew while listening the Yardbirds, the Stones, the Kinks. And when I arrived to the United States, because I was born in England, I discovered a lot of other things such as the Doors, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills & Nash, Stevie Wonder. Next, adolescent, I discovered again others group, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith and Pop Iggy and the Stooges, the latter quickly became an indicator for me. My mom did me to discover the Stooges that belonged to this punk scene, and that was a huge influence for me. Next Mot?rhead arrived, and this was again something else. I immediately adhered to this attitude hard rock, I liked these groups of which released itself an attitude rebels and heavy.
Why did you more crack on the heavy metal than on the punk rock one? The problem, this is that in the punk rock one, even if I appreciate several groups, it is necessary nonetheless to recognize that there is not a lot of musical vouchers. (Laugh) They had great personages, I think about Cheetah Chrome (the guy of the Dead Houseboys, editor's note), but there was not of equivalent one to Jimmy Page for example. There was not guitar hero to the Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix, with this attitude hard rock, with a certain gift. There is only Steve Jones that comes me to the spirit (guitarist of the Sex Pistols, editor's note), this is quelqu?un that influenced me, I wanted him to resemble, just as Jimmy Page. I wanted to be musical.
On this disc, Duff McKagan of the Guns is there, you will it accompany in turned? No. It has other engagements.
It equally played in the Guns N?Roses, do you have regrets in comparison with this group? No, I have no regret. I never regret nothing. The end of the Guns, this is as well as that happened and I do not can anything. For me, this had become a health question that to leave the group. But no, I have not any regrets.
Could you play a day together? Everyone asks me the question, almost daily I would say, I have not the response. Why not? I would say that this is as possible as that seems impossible. Nothing does not happen for the moment. If that happens, why not, I am not against the idea, but if that does not happen that is not serious.
You accompanied Michael Jackson, that always seemed me very strange that a guitarist of heavy metal can accompany the star of the pop music. It called me for it had to like my manner to play. It is true that I come from the scene hard such as one hears it, but as guitarist, one did not stop calling me for very various collaborations. Not that for rock hard what. And a day I had this phone call of Michael Jackson. I think that the better response than I can bring to you, this is that the people that have talent transcend their kind, that must be my case, this is, in any case, as well as I myself explain it. For when that quelqu?un of also unbelievably talentueux as Michael Jackson calls me, this is a pleasure but also a sort of reward. I always appreciated a lot of other kinds that the hard-rock, I love the rhythm and blues, I like when there is rhythm and with Michael I rather was served. One a lot entertained oneself. Put some guitars on his music were an easy task. I often accompanied it on scene also, this was an honor to be invited by him and especially to be at the height of what it asked me. Not because this was a big star but first because it was an exceptional performer, a unique dancer and an unbelievable singer. His reputation was not usurped! What THAT which one laughed oneself together? I keep in me the picture of his mouse and of his kindness.