1989.07.DD - Blast - Guns N' Roses' Slash, Is He Really Such A Bad Boy?

Guns N' Roses' Slash - Is He Really Such A Bad Boy

According to Guns N' Roses' image, guitarist Slash is something pretty evil. Drugs, sex, violence...? These are the details writers like to decorate Slash stories with. But are they really true?

Slash is hanging out in a well-known Hollywood "watering hole" with several band members from other L.A. bands currently in the studio with their new albums.

"I like this place," Slash smiles from under his curls. "This bar is my favorite. I love to come here to get drunk."

Are you really so bad, Mr. Slash?

"Look, for so- called street bands like Guns N' Roses, we're all about sex and drugs and violence and rebellion and all of that s--t. That's why when Tipper Gore and all of those censorship people try to go against us in a big way, it just sells more records. It gives the band more publicity. It makes the kids even more interested in us."

So then, it's really just an image thing?

"Image? Ha, ha, ha... " Slash plays with a beer for a moment before answering. "Yeah, things kind of snowball and turn into a whole publicity stunt. Bands like Guns N' Roses were sort of the underdog for a while, Then, when the system jumps on them and tries to censor them, all of the kids really rise up, and everyone gets into it, and it's really cool. Sure, there are a couple of things to worry about, I guess. You don't want to get people so upset they really put roadblocks up against you. We're about the real thing, and we don't want to be silenced."

How did you get to be this rebel-with-a-cause sort of person?

"Rebel? We are the eternal teenagers, no matter how old we are!" Slash insists, squinting into the neon night outside. "Some people probably think we're poisoning the minds of young kids. It's an easy thing to go against us because we're not like a major corporation or something. They don't have to go through major corporate circles to get to the band. Rock 'n' roll is very much the people's music. A band like Guns N' Roses can say whatever it wants because it's in the Constitution. That really bugs the f--king Moral Majority no end. It's sorta bulls--t, but it's sorta cute. We provide escapism and a sense of freedom for people who would normally have dreary nine-to-five lives. We're a voice for people in the United States and Europe who can be so repressed, it's ridiculous. We epitomize what those people would like to be doing. And just because they can't be doing what I do doesn't mean they can't listen to our music, watch our videos, come to our concerts and get off on it all that way. I think the Moral Majority just gets offended by it and bitter about it. Also, I think they're a bit jealous!"

(For more fascinating talk from Slash, check out future issues of BLAST! We have it!)

I believe I have a few old magazines that haven't been added yet. I will see if I can get to it over the next few weeks. This one is a short one of Slash where he gets a bit philosophical.