2010.03.11 - Spinner/Exclaim! - Slash Calls Michael Jackson Guitar Riff 'Gay'

Spinner:
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Slash Calls Michael Jackson Guitar Riff 'Gay' at Canadian Music Week Keynote

Guitar hero Slash has revealed his distaste for the signature hook from one of his old pal Michael Jackson's biggest hits.

Speaking with CNN personalities -- and real life couple -- John Roberts and Kyra Phillips for his celebrity interview keynote during Canadian Music Week, the former Guns 'n' Roses guitar slinger took the opportunity to clear up the long-standing rumour that he played on Michael Jackson's 1991 hit, 'Black or White.'

"I never played on [Black or White'],' the guitarist explained. "If you listen to [the hook], that's gay. I'd never play that."

Regardless of the sexual orientation of the chord sequence, Slash did admit he could see where the confusion arose. "I played on 'Give in to Me' [also off 'Dangerous'] and in the 'Black and White' video, when Macaulay Culkin was trashing around, that's me playing."

The legendary guitarist, who played live with Jackson several times though out his career and appeared on all of the King of Pop's official releases from 1991 onwards, also took the opportunity to speak publicly about the singer's tumultuous life and the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise.

"Michael Jackson was f--king amazing to watch," Slash told the CNN twosome. "The one thing that Michael really wanted was for somebody to like him and those [child molestation] accusations just sorta just killed him.

"The fact that he was doing downers really makes sense for his lifestyle."

Of course, the interview wasn't just about the guitarists' relationship with the late star. Roberts and Phillips -- who admitted that she could relate to Slash's rebel side and seemed to take great pleasure in using the vernacular 'ridin' high' -- also managed to get the axe-man to discuss some of the wilder high jinks he outlined in last-year's self-titled autobiography as well as his strained relationship with former bandmate Axl Rose.

"I try not to sit there and say derogative things about his personality, because that is what makes him so great. It's just hard for me to deal with," he told the packed Royal York Hotel Ballroom which included his Canadian metal heroes -- and recent documentary superstars -- Anvil sitting in the front row. "And for some other people to deal with, too," he added with a smirk.

Slash was in Toronto to promote his upcoming eponymous debut solo record, which features contributions from Chris Cornell, Dave Grohl, Ian Astbury, Kid Rock, Lemmy Kilmister, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother, and Fergie.

https://web.archive.org/web/20110716120416/http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/11/slash-michael-jackson-guitar-riff-gay-cmw/

Exclaim!
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Slash Sets the Record Straight About Michael Jackson's "Black or White": "That's Gay, I Would Never Play That"

By Jessica Lewis

Slash, in all his leather and top-hat glory, would like to clear something up. No matter what anyone says, he did not play on Michael Jackson's hit 1991 single "Black or White." As a keynote speaker in Toronto today (March 11) for this year's Canadian Music Week, the former Guns N' Roses guitarist said, "I did not play on [that song]," remarking that the guitars were not his sound. "That's gay, I would never play that."

In fact, he only plays on "Give It in to Me," found on the same MJ album, Dangerous, but says that the confusion was made when the music video for "Black or White" featured footage of him in the studio.

"Gay" comment aside, Slash explained how Jackson was sweet, unassuming and inspirational, but that it also made sense that he was "doing downers."

"I think all he wanted was for everybody to like him," he said.

Along with setting the record straight, Slash touched on a pile of different topics in front of hundreds of his biggest Canadian fans crammed into Toronto's Fairmont Royal York hotel ballroom, where the guitarist was interviewed by CNN anchors John Roberts and Kyra Phillips.

After Slash made some comments on his upcoming self-titled solo album, which includes collaborations with artists such as Fergie, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Iggy Pop and Ozzy Osbourne, the conversation turned to his past history of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll - a topic explored in depth in his book Slash.

When asked about already being into the hard-partying lifestyle and fighting demons by age 12, Slash responded, "I was having fun? I just had issues with fitting in."

Noting that he's been sober for three-and-a-half years now, Slash mentioned that everyone in Velvet Revolver had their own demons and that Guns N' Roses didn't have as much to do with drugs as people think; the problems were between Axl and him.

"Are you still amazed you're not dead?" asked Roberts. "Not amazed," said Slash, remarking that it was closer to a "realization."

https://exclaim.ca/music/article/slash_sets_record_straight_about_michael_jacksons_black_white_thats_gay_i_would_never_play_that

Short video of Slash at the Canadian Music Week event, talking about Michael Jackson's death: