There is a great deal to be said for the Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash. While many consider him the sunglasses-sporting, top hat-rocking riffmaster, there is a lot more to him than that.
Granted, when we listen to the work of Guns N’ Roses, it’s pretty hard to ignore his influence. One of the first things we hear on Appetite For Destruction is his running 4-0-4-0 on G and open B. That classic, ominous introduction is what ushered in the beginning of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. That influence can be heard persistently throughout the band’s other albums, but his dedication to music extends well beyond that of just being an in-your-face guitarist.
It’s clear that once Slash got a taste of the rock ‘n’ roll life – in the studio and out on the road – he had no plans of giving it up. This has led to him dedicating his life to pushing himself creatively, within Guns N’ Roses and beyond, as well as committing himself to touring and constantly getting himself in front of adoring fans who want nothing more than to sing along to his great tunes and air guitar along (there are few songs more equipped for an air guitar than some of Slash’s face-melting offerings).
You can hear his dedication to expanding the kind of music he makes within a lot of his solo material. Many people wondered whether Slash might be somewhat lost once Guns N’ Roses disbanded, and while he had some hard times (which were predominantly the byproduct of drugs and alcohol), he also went on to make some of his most out-of-character and ambitious music yet.
For instance, on his self-titled solo album, Slash made it his mission to work with as diverse a roster of vocalists as possible. This meant teaming up with the rock greats who inspired him, such as ‘Prince of Darkness’ Ozzy Osbourne, as well as patient zero punk rocker Iggy Pop. That said, the album also had him rubbing shoulders with pop royalty, pulling in the likes of Adam Levine and Fergie for a few surprise turns. It was a chaotic mash-up of styles on paper, but somehow it all clicked – a testament to Slash’s chops as a musician.
As many who have been lucky enough to see Slash live will attest, however, one of the musical aspects in which he thrives the most is his on-stage performance. He spends his time running around every inch of the stage, looking as cool as anyone ever has while doing so, and playing flawless guitar music. He seems to always be touring with Guns N’ Roses, and when they’re not on the road, he is back out there in front of the public with his solo band.
He has a sound that was born on the road, is the byproduct of days on tour buses and nights in front of thousands. But his adoration of a great live sound didn’t start when he first became a musician, it stems back even further than that, when he first wrapped his ears around a great quality live album. The band? None other than those who would become future collaborators: Aerosmith.
“That was the big one for me,” he said, when discussing one of his favourite live albums. “Live! Bootleg is one of the most underrated albums of all time, one of the best live rock’n’roll albums ever made. It started the trend for me to go out and discover new bands by buying their live albums, because that way I could get all the best songs and for me, the whole live thing was the most exciting thing in the world.”
Slash has a point: there is an energy contained within live music that cannot be found anywhere else. He revels in exploring that sound as a performer, and his interest in it was initially instilled by Aerosmith and their record Live! Bootleg.
