MUMBAI: Fifteen years after splitting from the hugely popular rock band Guns N’ Roses…, guitarist Slash has established rock star status in his own right – through his bands Slash’s Snakepit… and Velvet Revolver… and as a sought-after collaborator with the likes of Michael Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne and Iggy Pop This week, Talk Asia catches up with the Ax-man in Hong Kong where he tells Anjali Rao about life after “Guns ‘N Roses”, his public battle with alcohol and drugs and his role as a father of two. CNN…
CNN’s Talk Asia with Slash airs on Wednesday, August 25 at 1700 hrs, Thursday, August 26 at 0900 hrs, Saturday, August 28 at 1630 hrs and Sunday, August 29 at 1400 hrs
Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest ever guitarists, Slash ranked second in Time Magazine’s â€?Ten Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time’. But he modestly plays down the compliment: I’m working on it all the time. I have my good nights when you really connect with the instrument and everything just comes out in an emotional level very naturally through your playing. And on my off nights, it’s not necessarily all that great. So I’m still working at it very diligently….
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Born in Hampstead, England, he moved to Los Angeles at the age of eleven, and grew up in Tinseltown listening to different kinds of rock and roll. He tried out for local underground bands before hitting success with Guns N’ Roses…, whose debut album sold over 28 million copies worldwide. I love all the Guns N’ Roses’ songs, Jungle…, Rocket Queen…, My Michelle…, Nightrain…, Paradise… and all that stuff from the first record. It has its own identifiable sound and certain theme to it that is attractive to me as it has been to millions of people worldwide over the years. If I wasn’t in that band, it would have been my favourite band,… says Slash.
Despite the decade-long feud with former bandmate Axl Rose, Slash doesn’t rule out a possible reunion: I used to be very sort of negative about it cause I just don’t see it happening, but at the same time you just never know. No efforts have been made to try and do anything about it, so I guess you just leave it to chance. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t….
Slash had a serious heroin addiction and used to drink up to half a gallon of vodka everyday. He opens up about his dark struggles and his time in rehab: The main reason, my thinking at least, at the time for going to rehab was just to get away from everybody and just have a month where I could get my head straight. I got a firm grasp on what I needed to be doing and I was really done with that sort of merry-go-around of drugs and alcohol….
