2019.05.28 - 101 WRIF Talkin' Rock with Meltdown - Interview with Slash

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Meltdown: Today my guest is guitar legend Slash. He's out on tour right now with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. […] We talked about brand new Guns N' Roses, as well as Duff's new record, about Zakk Wylde auditioning for the band back in the mid-90s, and more. With Slash from Guns N' Roses today on Talkin' Rock. […] But Slash, like I said before, is out touring with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. And he is gonna be coming to my neck of the woods as I broadcast in Southeast Michigan over in Windsor, right across the river right there at Caesar's Windsor, coming up on July 26th, a couple days after his birthday. And that's kind of where we started the conversation off. It's Slash today on the Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown podcast. Hope you guys dig this.

Slash: Hey, what's happening? How are you?

Meltdown: I'm doing good. We're here in Detroit, Rock City. Where are you? Like, in Brazil or somewhere?

Slash: I am in Brazil. I'm in Brasilia, the actual capital of Brazil.

Meltdown: Oh, cool, man. Yeah, out there touring the big cities.

Slash: (?)

Meltdown: Yeah, there you go. So, I see you're playing here, not exactly in Detroit Rock City, but at the Caesars Windsor coming up on July 26. And I know that that's just a couple of days after your birthday because my daughter was born on your birth day. I almost named her Slash, as a matter of fact, so… (laughs).

Slash: (Laughs) You did not.

Meltdown: No, I didn't (laughs).

Slash: But yeah. It’s a few days after my birthday, yeah. I will be a different age than I am now.

Meltdown: (Laughs) You’re planning any big doings or what?

Slash: You know, I mean, I'm just having a blast out on the road and I'm glad that my birthday is while I'm on the road, because that's when it goes by quicker.

Meltdown: Yeah…

Slash: I'm not one to really dwell on birthdays too much.

Meltdown: I got you there.

Slash: But yeah, everything's good.

Meltdown: Excellent, touring out there with Myles Kennedy. Now, you know, I have to wonder about the dichotomy of going from Guns N' Roses to your own stuff. Tell me about that.

Slash: Yeah. Well, I mean, we haven't been doing it… It's been, let’s see, a couple of years, a few years now. It's a little bit of a juggling act. It's like, you switch one on and then you're totally immersed in that, and everything is about that. And then, when that takes a break or whatever, you switch that off and then you turn the other one on, and then you're totally immersed. It's all or nothing in either one. You know what I mean? So it's an interesting... It's not hard or anything. It's not like there's a transition period or anything like that. It's just, I think, because of the force of having to do it that way, you just automatically do it. You just, like, do one and completely fucking get into that. And then when you go to do the other one, you just switch gears.

Meltdown: Now this year's a little bit different, because you do have some Guns N' Roses dates on festivals and stuff along with doing the Conspirators gigs, right?

Slash: Well, no. Actually, the last shows that we’re - the end of the tour is like August, it's in Orlando, I can't remember the exact date (?).

Meltdown: I got you, okay.

Slash: And then, come September, October, we turn on the Guns thing and then that goes from there. After those Guns dates, the festival dates, we'll be working on the record and doing [interrupted – line cut out]

Meltdown: Hello? Are you there, Slash?

Someone: Oh no.

Meltdown: Oh no, no. He’s right. Come on. I got to have that.

Meltdown: Well, that was kind of weird. It took a few minutes, about four, as a matter of fact. But we were finally reconnected with Slash and it started off rocky. But we got back into it.

Meltdown: Can you hear me?

Slash: Hello?

Meltdown: Yeah, can you hear me?

Slash: Yeah, I can hear you.

Meltdown: All right. Now I was just saying it's the biggest cliffhanger I've ever had in an interview. You were like, you were talking about the brand new record and all of a sudden it just cut out.

Slash: (Laughs) I guess that must have been sort of Axl saying something.

Meltdown: (Laughs).

Slash: No. Well, so to finish what I was saying. So yeah, when we finish the tour in the fall, then we will commit on working on what will end up being the next Guns record.

Meltdown: Yeah, last time I talked to you or Duff a few months back, you weren't really sure if you were gonna do it. You know, you were kinda saying “never say never” and stuff like that. So it's pretty much set in stone now. You guys are ready to go with a new record, or at least the writing process and the whole thing.

Slash: Yeah, the thing is we hadn't really done anything yet and I don't like to say anything like, “Oh yeah,” you know how people usually promote shit and lie through their teeth.

Meltdown: Right.

Slash: So I just wanted to be honest about it, and so there was really no telling what we were going to do at that point. But at this point, I do know that we're going to do this one, and we've already started working on stuff. So, there you go.

Meltdown: Yeah, I know. There's rumors that you were, like, at Axl's house a few weeks ago or something. Can you comment on anything about that?

Slash: Well, oh yeah. It’s funny because there was a rumor that I was over there, yeah. And [it was] before I'd even been there.

Meltdown: Okay.

Slash: So I was like, Jesus Christ. And that’s just a pain in the ass and annoying. But I am excited about what we’ve got going on and everything, so it’s gonna be cool. It’s awesome.

Meltdown: Well, it's really cool to hear, like, straight from your mouth, because you're right, there are so many rumors and people just spit stuff out on the internet, as you well know. But hey, I wanted to ask you about the tour. So you've done this tour now with GN’R for a couple of years and stuff. I mean, has the power and the sheer numbers of this tour, and the people that have come out to see you, has that surprised you at all?

Slash: I mean, you know, I didn't know really what to expect. I think when we first got back together, it was more about us, you know, and then it was a huge groundswell. You know, it was pretty fucking amazing. It was a little bit of a shock, yeah. I mean, it's one thing to look at a paper that a lot of people went to the concerts. But it's another thing to feel that kind of support and passion from people in a group setting that size. And, really, it's something that you can really - it's a tangible feeling, you know, and people were just so into it. And it's different than, like, back in the day when Guns was playing stadiums and everybody showed up. It was a completely different vibe, because at that time it was like, “Oh, we're going to go to a Guns show” and everybody, 60,000 people decided to go to a Guns show and listen to a couple songs and so on. But on this particular tour starting in 2016 on, it was, like, people coming for a bigger reason than that. And it was something you could definitely feel.

Meltdown: Yeah, and that show, of course, the stadium tour started right here in Detroit. Hey, I've only got a couple more minutes left, I know you're doing a lot of interviews and stuff and-

Slash: Yeah.

Meltdown: Go ahead… Oh, I’m sorry. So anyways, I know you only got a couple more minutes left here. So I just want to ask you a couple real quick things. Have you checked out Duff's new record yet?

Slash: Have I checked… Oh yeah, Duff's new record. Yeah, yeah, it's good. He did it with Shooter, who is somebody who he usually jammed with back in - I remember, really, in the early Velvet Revolver days (?). And they put some great material together.

Meltdown: Now, I know that you've talked about this before, but you've seen The Dirt and stuff. Is that supposed to be you in the one scene with Nikki?

Slash: Yeah, yeah (laughs). I actually talked to Nikki and he told me that there was something in the movie - before I'd seen it - sort of a tip of the hat to me or something. And then when I saw the movie, I was like, “Oh yeah, yeah.” Because, I mean, there is some truth to that, you know, because Nikki was at… We were staying at the Franklin apartments, and Nikki and myself and Steve Adler and my friend Mark Mansfield had gone to the Cathouse. And we ran in, and Mark and me were getting some smack, and we went back to the Franklin apartments, and I was drunk so I just passed out. And then my girlfriend woke me up to tell me that Nikki had OD'd. And he was in the next apartment over in (?) apartment. And Mark Mansfield was the one that had the smack and he took off. And then the paramedics came and they had to pick me up and put me in the shower so I could get coherent enough to be able to talk to them (?).

Meltdown: (Laughs) All right, final question, I was thinking about this earlier. I asked Axl about this in 2004, and actually I think he might have even brought it up when I was doing an interview with him one time. But is it true that you and Zakk Wylde were actually jamming at one point, considering possibly putting Zakk in the band with Guns N' Roses?

Slash: Yeah, there's some truth to that. I mean, it was right before I left, so this was like, in 199… 1996, I guess. You know, Guns N’ Roses was rehearsing at this place called the Complex in Santa Monica, and Zakk would come down. I've always been, you know, buddies with Zakk, but in the sort of context of Guns N’ Roses, it's a weird kind of thing, and it was just… But we jammed for a little bit and then it didn't really, it just - not because of Zakk, but just in general, it just wasn't working. And pretty soon after that I was gone.

Meltdown: Yeah, I think Axl called it a two-headed snake. There were two really good guitar players going at it at the same time (laughs).

Slash: Well, you know, I think it was one of those desperate moves at the time when something needed to happen and it was just some crazy idea that happened. But, you know, I think it would have been a little bit over the top, if me and Zakk were out there fucking grouping up (laughs).

Meltdown: I gotcha.

Slash: But cool nonetheless, you know?

Meltdown: Now that would have been kickass. Well listen man, thanks so much for the time. July 26th at  Caesar's Windsor with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and I'm going to see you in, I think, Louder Than Life down there in Louisville with GN’R. I really appreciate you calling back, too, and I can't wait to hear some new stuff from Guns N' Roses maybe next year, eh?

Slash: Yeah man, it's all happening. Alright, listen Meltdown, it's good to talk to you and maybe we'll see you at some point soon, yeah?

Meltdown: You got it, Slash. Thanks so much for the time, man.

Slash: Take care, cheers. Bye.