2010.05.08 - The Guardian - One Last Thing... Slash

One last thing... Slash

He's from Stoke and he's rubbish at Guitar Hero but why doesn't Slash wear any undies? We sent Rich Pelley undercover to find out

By Rich Pelley

Hi, Slash. Are you surprised you're not dead?

I've been sober for a couple of years so it doesn't surprise me as much as it did. But there's been a few points in my life I've been amazed to be walking around the next day.

How many John Lewis vouchers did they give you for letting them use that piano version of Sweet Child O' Mine (1) in their Christmas advert?

I don't even know what you're talking about.

John Lewis? Last Christmas? Nicked your song.

I don't know if we authorised that.

Not you on the piano then?

No. I can only play piano like I can type. Very slowly.

Well, the Guide can. [Plays opening bars on nearby piano].

Nice!

Cheers. You were replaced in Guns N' Roses by Buckethead, a man with a KFC bucket on his head. Why not wear Pizza Hut boxes for shoes and re-brand as Pizzafoot?

Oh, I just never came up with that idea, but now that you mention it, somebody should.

Did you offer to replace John Squire in the Stone Roses (2) only for Ian Brown to say no as he was worried he'd get eaten by one of your snakes?

I'd heard of the Stone Roses, but I'd never met them. I think I was probably too busy in Guns N' Roses at the time (3). Maybe it might have been a good idea. Someone told me we tried to recruit the lead singer into Velvet Revolver. That's not true either.

Shame! You got married (4) in your leather trousers. Couldn't you have made an effort just the once?

I did. I got a leather blazer made. But I hate ties. They make me feel claustrophobic. I don't like underwear for the same reason.

So, erm, you're sitting here, not wearing any pants?

Yes.

Eeeooouu! Which did Mrs Slash make you bin first: the porn or the snakes?

The porn. When I first hooked up with my wife, before she and I got married …

Mrs Slash …

Yes, Mrs Slash, we kept the snakes but she said, "What is all this?" I had a box of porn from Europe. The next thing you knew, that went. I had about 80 snakes, they were not a problem, but when my first son was born, we both thought better.

When you tell people your name (5), do they think you're halfway through your web address (6)?

It's funny, my name comes up a lot having nothing to do with me.

How about when you need the toilet? Do you say, "I'm just off for a … me"?

My dad used to joke with me about that. When I first started getting nicknamed Slash, he was like, "People are calling you a piss?"

Are you, like, really good at Guitar Hero or what?

I'm terrible at Guitar Hero because I play too much real guitar and they don't complement each other (7). I did get addicted at one point. Now I've unplugged it and put it away.

You sport a pretty impressive poodle of hair considering you're 45. Is it attached to your hat?

No. It's all my own work.

So, your new solo album, Slash. Check! All the original members of Guns N' Roses (apart from Axl Rose), a special guest singer per track (8), yadda yadda. Check! Anything else?

You've just asked me the most bizarre string of questions, my mind is a blank.

Bye, Slash!

Bye.

Slash by Slash is out on Monday

1 By Taken By Trees

2 Squire left in early 1996

3 Slash left Gn'R in late 1996

4 To Perla "Mrs Slash" Ferrar

5 Born Saul Hudson, Stoke-on-Trent

6 myspace dot com slash slash

7 You can play as Slash in Guitar Hero III

8 Including Ozzy, Iggy, Fergie and Dave, er, "Grohly"

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/may/08/one-last-thing-slash