Gtaranaki 2010

Few artists in rock ‘n’ roll can carry off a single name, and carry it with gravitas. One notable exception is Slash.  And few guitarists command as much respect as Slash. So when he started making calls to his all-star wish list of singers and players who he wanted to work with on his current album, he didn’t hear no.  Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Kid Rock, Dave Grohl and Fergie - all artists who have the luxury of saying no to plenty of requests – all easily and quickly said yes. And so, Slash, was born.

And while Slash has seen overwhelming career success already, Slash, is the artist’s first true solo album.  He spent nearly a year at a Hollywood studio where he recorded special sessions with producer Eric Valentine (whose credits range from Queens of the Stone Age to The All-American Rejects to Nickel Creek) and an intense, compact rhythm section of bassist Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction) and drummer Josh Freese (most recently of Nine Inch Nails).

Additional artists on the album include a who’s who of contemporary rock music. Ian Astbury, Lemmy Killmeister, Chris Cornell, Duff McKagan, Maroon Five’s Adam Levine, Alter Bridge’s Myles Kennedy, Wolfmother’s Andrew Stockdale, Avenged Sevenfold’s M Shadows and rising-star singer Rocco De Luca.

“It was an honour to have all of these guys in here,” he says. “A few of them are heroes of mine from when I was younger. Lemmy was definitely one of the main ones for me growing up. Ozzy and Iggy and Lemmy. They all came to have a good time, but I was impressed that they were all really conscientious about doing a good job.”

Since emerging into the frontline of iconic rockers with the late-‘80s surge of his seminal band Guns N’ Roses, Slash has been one of the world’s most sought after guitarists.  Iconic musicians are often looking to Slash to add that special touch to recordings. From Michael Jackson (“Black and White,” “Give In to Me”) to Ray Charles to Stevie Wonder, directors Quentin Tarantino and Darren Aronofsky (core contributions to the soundtrack of Jackie Brown and the signature sound of the score to The Wrestler), the top figures in modern music and popular culture have demanded the definitive rock guitarist of a generation.  Critics and fans alike still debate the best rock riffs of all time with “Sweet Child O’ Mine” consistently taking top honours.  And a Time Magazine survey placed Slash second only to Jimi Hendrix among electric guitarists.

Pondering how he has stayed in the forefront of music: “You know, I think it’s just because of the fact that I love it so much and I put a certain amount of energy into it that people get off on,” he says. “I mean, I hate to think it was just the top hat.”

Slash’s history encompasses Guns N’ Roses, his own Slash’s Snakepit band and two global hit albums anchoring Velvet Revolver in recent years, but the Slash album will be his first solo effort.  The album is centred around the theme that no matter who is singing, there’s an energy, excitement and, above all, musicality to the guitar playing that elevates and unifies the music throughout.

“There’s obviously a sort of musical coherence to it,” Slash allows. “A lot of variety on the record, shifts in mood. But there is that underlying … uh … Slashiness.”

Slash traces his love of music and exploring spirit to his childhood in England, where he was born Saul Hudson in 1965. His father introduced him to the sounds of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and other classic, groundbreaking acts. He got an insider’s view through his teen years after the family moved to Los Angeles, his father a graphic artist who worked with David Geffen for such artists as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell and his mother a costume designer for many top pop artists. Almost on a whim, he and friend Steve Adler started playing music together, Slash on guitar and Adler on drums. In the early ‘80s, influenced by such bands as Lemmy’s Motorhead, he and Adler formed a band, recruiting bassist McKagan. Within a year, with the addition of singer Axl Rose and guitarist Izzy Stradlin, the venture had morphed into Guns N’ Roses – and by the end of the decade had changed the course of rock history.

After Guns N’ Roses sold more than 100 million albums worldwide and dominated the music industry with its signature album Appetite For Destruction, Slash went on to see critical acclaim with Slash’s Snakepit and global success with Velvet Revolver.  Fans have also flocked to imitate Slash’s style in Guitar Hero III: Legend of Rock where he is one of the most recognized playable characters.  He is also known as a guitar connoisseur, owning more than 100 guitars, many custom-made for him, and a Gibson Signature Slash model made in his honour.

The solo album comes on the heels of several other recent projects such as recording songs with Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones on his upcoming solo album, writing and performing his first full film score, sitting in with the Black Eyed Peas in concert, and co-writing his 2007 autobiography Slash.  All signs indicate Slash won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

Having sung on much of the album, Myles Kennedy will be joining Slash at G-TARanaki.  The other members of his band are bassist Todd Kerns (Sin City Sinners, Static in Stereo, Age of Electric), rhythm guitarist Bobby Schneck (Weezer, Green Day) and drummer Brent Fitz (Alice Cooper, Vince Neil).

Album in stores now! Visit www.slashonline.com

Visit Slash's official Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/slash

G-TARANAKI - Saturday 14 August, Concert at TSB Stadium and Midnight Session at Puke Ariki