Fans know Slash best for his top hat, perched upon a bed of messy black hair, and signature guitar riffs in classic hits like ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’, made famous in the ‘80s by rock group Guns ‘n’ Roses. But while the curls remain, these days that’s about the only thing that’s the same about the iconic guitarist.
After eleven years with Guns ‘n’ Roses, he left the band in 1996 due to personal issues with frontman Axl Rose. Shortly thereafter he formed Slash’s Snakepit and then rock supergroup Velvet Revolver, but in 2008 he ultimately struck out on his own to pursue solo projects.
In the years since, the guitarist has made a point of leaving his earlier days far behind him – even establishing rules prohibiting journalists from asking about Guns ‘n’ Roses or Axl Rose, and demanding that interviewers focus on his forthcoming events and plans.
“Since I grabbed the reins and took off on my own, I have realised you don’t need confrontation and volatility to make rock ’n’ roll work,” Slash explained to the New Zealand Herald. “It’s about playing music and having fun.”
Slash’s first solo album, a self-titled effort that debuted in 2010, has been referred to as ‘Slash and friends’ due to the high number of collaborations on the record – a list that includes Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas and Iggy Pop.
But its follow-up, Apocalyptic Love (2012), is pure Slash – that is, other than his new touring band, Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, who feature heavily on the album. On working with Kennedy, Slash explained it was merely a matter of finding a group he meshed well with.
“I had gotten so used to such a tumultuous reality that I was really inexperienced working in a situation where everybody just wants to get along and have a good time,” he pointed out. “It takes a lot of the unnecessary bullshit out of the experience – I work harder now than I have ever in my career. But at the same time, it’s really enjoyable, because everybody’s on the same page. We just focus on the music.”
After years of conflict with bandmates, the collaboration with Kennedy, Slash said, happened almost serendipitously.
“You never know when you are going to have serious chemistry,” he told The National. “That’s what happened when Myles and I hooked up together, which happened by chance.”
“I had never heard him sing before, but I knew of him,” Slash went on. “We hit it off right away − same with the other guys in the band. It was almost a ‘meant to be’ kind of thing.”
Recent months have found Slash circumnavigating the globe to promote Apocalyptic Love – a tour that will bring him to Copenhagen this weekend. Speaking after the third European leg of an over-100 show tour, Slash said he works to bring new flavour to each concert.
“I try and make it a point to have every show seem like it’s the first show of a tour,” Slash told Gulf News. “I do not rehearse what I am going to say and repeat what I say every night. We even mix up the songs. The set lists change from show to show.”
“It’s important to feed off the vibe, because every show is going to be different,” he went on. “It’s important to have the freedom to change it around a little bit so that it feels right for yourself. Otherwise, the audience picks up [on the fact the performance is not genuine].”
Needless to say, the rocker has enjoyed his new-found freedom in recent years, onstage and in the studio.
“You know, when I started doing this it was a dream come true, and I still look at it that way, but the last few years have been great because I’ve been doing exactly what it is I like to do and not having too much hassle doing it,” he said.
Slash’s show at Falconer Salen is currently sold out. However, you can visit www.billetlugen.dk to join the waiting list for tickets.
Slash
Falconer Salen, Falconer Allé 9, Frederiksberg
Sun 20:00
Tickets 370-440kr, waiting list, www.billetlugen.dk
