Interview with Slash at Oxegen'11 - June 20, 2011

Source: http://www.heinekenmusic.ie/interviews/3898/oxegen-11-slash/

These days, rock guitarist Slash – born Saul Hudson in, of all places, Stoke-On-Trent – is no longer the party animal. Now in his late 40s, he is busy making up for lost time – the time lost in a fog of drink and drugs, the time spent waiting for something to happen after his departure from Guns N’Roses. Now out solo following the demise of his former band, Velvet Revolver, Slash agrees that both bands are hard acts to follow...

“I don’t really like to spend time talking about them, but the interesting thing is the strong legacy about each band. The level of hysteria around the band - or should I say the name Guns N’Roses - has continued. I don't totally understand that. Velvet Revolver happened because Duff and I got together with Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, and it was so good and intense we decided to carry it on. So trying to follow in Guns N’Roses’ footsteps wasn't an issue for us at all, because it's been so long since Duff and myself had been in the band.”

Despite Slash becoming a noted guitarist for hire – he worked on recordings for Bob Dylan and Michael Jackson – it seemed as if he would be forever remembered as being a former member of Guns N’Roses. How boring was that?

“Yes, it's likely for some time this was my claim to fame, and sometimes it was tedious to be constantly referred to as that. At the same time, I can't really complain because that's how I got to be here. Plus, I'm very proud of the heritage of Guns N’Roses, but I agree it can be a little tiresome when all you're remembered for is your time in that band.”

You have changed your personal and lifestyle habits. A good thing?

“You can only push the excess to a certain extent – it never has the same appeal when you've done it so often. I'm fortunate in that I was definitely suspect of being one of those types of people at some point or another. Sadly, a lot of people have gone down that road and not come back. Most come out of the fog completely jaded and tired and don't even understand what they were doing.”

Do you think the image of you as the epitome of rock’n’roll excess and dissipation is incorrect?

“When I see the image of what the media and general public perceive as being a rock star I don't see myself on that particular level. Cartoonish, sometimes, yes, and I do live certain aspects of the life still to this day. At the same time, this is just the image. For me, it's never been about dressing to impress. There's a thing about pushing your self over the limits, as far as possible, even to the point where you wake up in the hospital. After a while, however, it just gets a bit boring.”

Yet there is a certain emphasis in the media on you and drugs. Some sections of the media just can’t let it go, can they?

“Well, I don’t think it's all that much important to anyone as far as these things go. Is this of any interest to anyone, I wonder? At least I've been honest about these issues. One of the things that I can't stand is when bands sermonise about vices. You have to know your limitations, of course, but to me, rock'n'roll is about doing what you do and to admit it.”

You’ve often said that you aspire to being the best rock guitarist in the world…

“That's the thing that drives me. And I'm so far from it, which means I've got a lot of work to do. That's my constant focus.”

Slash plays Oxegen Festival on Sunday 10th July