1999.07.26 - MTV News - Slash Arrested For Assault

SLASH ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT

MTV NEWS STAFF
07/26/1999

There's more legal trouble for the alumni of Guns N' Roses.

Guitarist Slash, a.k.a. Saul Hudson, was arrested at an L.A.-area recording studio on the weekend for allegedly assaulting his estranged girlfriend. The altercation was said to have taken place in a room at the Le Parc Hotel in West Hollywood on July 19, but the unnamed woman apparently didn't lodge a complaint until later in the week.

Police officials appeared at the Sunset Boulevard facility Saturday evening (July 24) and transported the guitarist to a West Hollywood police station. He was booked and released on a $50,000 bond. Slash, who left Guns N' Roses in 1996, was in the middle of a recording session for his new Slash's Snakepit album with producer Jack Douglas at the time.

According to a source close to Slash, the arrest was the latest in a week-long series of accusations and counter-accusations.

"There was a lot of 'don't get mad, get even' going on," says the source. "There's more to this story than meets the eye, and when it all comes out, Slash will be vindicated." The source added that contrary to published reports, the couple had not been living together.

Friends and fans of the laid back guitarist are finding the story hard to believe. "He never even gets mad, much less violent," says one associate.

The top-hatted rocker has previously had accounting problems related to his ex-wife, Renee, but no criminal troubles. Former Guns drummer Steven Adler, however, recently served almost three months after he was convicted of assaulting two different women in unrelated incidents.

http://www.mtv.com/news/1429781/slash-arrested-for-assault/

Three days later, on June 29, the following were posted on Slash's official website, snakepit.org:

Summarizing what's been made public so far on Slash's arrest:

Slash had been living with his ex-girlfriend for a couple of years. They reached the point where the relationship was falling apart, and they were no longer living together. She and Slash got together a couple of times to discuss things, but in the end, the relationship was over, and Slash wanted out. Sometimes people have a difficult time accepting that things are over, and they may try to hold on tighter. They can exhibit inappropriate behavior designed to hurt the person who is leaving them. Slash was staying at a hotel near the studio where he was working. He was recording the drums and bass lines for the new album and needed a larger place with better sound for the drums. Slash stayed under an assumed name for privacy. His ex-girlfriend found him, and she got into his room. Slash was sleeping, and an argument ensued during which his ex-girlfriend sustained a bruise. This was July 19. On July 24 (one day after his birthday) Slash was arrested at the studio and charged with domestic abuse. Various sites have speculated as to why she waited 7 days to file this complaint. She was very busy during this time, and when this full story comes out, you'll see that Slash acted in self-defense under severe provocation. Hang in there with Slash! The lawyers caution against revealing too much. We don't want to damage any of the cases that will come out of this.

And on June 30:

Slash has finished his work at Ocean Way Recording where he was laying down the basic tracks with producer Jack Douglas. And the last night, Izzy and Duff stopped by!

An update on the arrest:

In a domestic abuse case, the other party is arrested immediately, no questions asked. In many cases, it may be a life or death situation. Slash has not been charged with anything yet. What happens in these cases is that there is an investigation to see what's going on with these people. So, one partner can swear out a warrant, but the investigation can show, for example, that the person lied to cause problems for their (in this case ex-)partner. This is what should happen in Slash's case. The hearing for Slash will be this fall.

Slash has no travel restrictions or anything else that would impact his career.

A month later, Slash's management sent a statement to MTV News:

https://www.a-4-d.com/t4550-1999-08-26-mtv-news-slash-reports-missing-gear-assault-charges-explained

From an interview with Jack Douglas, who produced the Snakepit album "Ain't Life Grand"; KNAC.COM, February 28, 2000:

[...]

[Slash]'s a gas. Also the only guy I ever produced who was hauled off by the cops in the middle of a guitar solo.

KNAC: WHAT?

JD: That's right. Slash had been charged by this crazy girlfriend of his with assault and had a warrant out. When the cops finally showed up, we expected it. The girlfriend had caused a major scene already, showed up at my hotel room and demanded to know where he was. I said nothing, so she talked the clerk into giving up his room number. She finds him and stabs him with a pencil! After he pushes her off, she charges him with assault! Anyway, the cops show up in the middle of the session, looking for "Mr. Slash," cuffed him and took him away. He had the bail bondsman's number in his teeth at the time, on a piece of paper. Had him out in no time.

KNAC: How rock and roll, eh?

JD: Totally. He lives for that shit, the edginess.

https://web.archive.org/web/20020728093828fw_/http:/qfg.info/misc/jd.txt