2014.02.17 - Digital Spy - Slash Talks Axl's No-show at Guns N' Roses Hall of Fame Induction

Slash talks Axl no-show at Guns N' Roses Hall of Fame induction
The guitarist admits the singer pulled out at the very last minute.

By Mayer Nissim

Slash has said that none of Guns N' Roses initially wanted to attend the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

The Appetite For Destruction lineup of the band was inducted in 2012, but only Slash, Duff McKagan and Seven Adler attended - together with later member Matt Sorum.

Frontman and sole remaining founding member Axl Rose pulled out at the last-minute, asking not to be inducted in his absence. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin and keyboard player Dizzy Reed also declined to attend.

"All things considered, I don't think any of us wanted to be a part of it initially," Slash, whose film production debut Nothing Left To Fear is released today, told Digital Spy.

"I didn't think any of us were going to go. It was a thorn in everybody's - well, at least a thorn in my side - because I was busy doing other stuff.

"When it finally came down to the wire at the very, very, very last-minute - I'm talking about the 11 hours and 30 seconds mark - Axl had pulled out.

"I thought well, s**t, maybe we should do it [laughs]. And I'm glad that we went. It's very Guns N' Roses, what can you say?"

Asked if he could ever see him and Rose being on speaking terms in the future, Slash added: "It's not even something I like to dwell on.

"I don't even like to make to make comments because you end up with quotes that sometimes exacerbate the issue.

"It's really not at the forefront of my mind. I've got other things going on. I'm very, very proud - endlessly proud - of everything the band stood for and everything that's gone on with it.

"And the fact that there's still so much attention and interest in the band however many years after I was in it, I feel very humbled and honoured by all that.

"But I don't spend my time thinking about what you guys are thinking about! You know? It's all whatever happens, happens and in the meantime I'm doing other stuff."

Quizzed on his favourite memories of his time in the band, Slash said: "I'm not going to sit here and get sentimental on you, but yeah, there's a lot of great memories for me.

"I could never have asked to do anything cooler than Guns N' Roses. From the early days in its inception, up to a certain point.

"I wouldn't have traded that - there was no better f**king place to be for myself personally. It was the kind of band that was so excessive that could only go so far!

"I'm really proud of the fact that actually all of us are still living!"

Asked if new bands could ever get to the size of Guns N' Roses with the changes in the industry, Slash said: "If you were looking at the rock 'n' roll business right now, as it stands, I don't envision bands getting as big as artists did back in the day.

"It's just a whole different playing field, a whole different landscape. But I do think that given the Wild West reality of the music business right now for young bands and young artists, that there's a lot of different kind of opportunities to get out there that didn't exist before."

He continued: "In a lot of ways I've had to retool and start over in certain aspects. I have my own record company now. I couldn't imagine signing to a big label.

"I don't see what point there would be. Whereas years ago, everybody was f**king stumbling over themselves to try and get signed by a big label.

"Now, you can do a lot of things yourself and there's a lot of opportunities, a lot of avenues to put things out, and put them out in plain sight for people to have access to."

Slash added: "It's pretty cool and I sort of like the idea of building your own audience yourself. Having your own following and amassing your own little clique.

"That was one of the great things about Guns N' Roses - it had its own little underground fans and they were hardcore.

"Then when it blew up big it became very mainstream and I don't know if I was ever really comfortable with that."

He added: "So now the way I see it for a lot of different young artists is that you can really build up your own fanbase and have your die-hard loyal fans that really stick with you.

"Sometimes you only need ten of them that really appreciate what you do. I like that aspect of where the business is right now but the rest of it's completely f**ked.... basically you're 100% responsible for own existence, or you have to sell out to the man!"

Of the status of Velvet Revolver, Slash said: "There's no real difference in the status of it now that it was back in 2008.

"There's not been anybody to fill the vocal shoes that's been really inspiring, and then everybody's been off busy doing their own thing.

"But we're still keeping an ear to the pavement to see if there's something that would be the perfect fit for that band. The door's still open. It's just not doing anything at the moment."

Slash's Slasher Film production Nothing Left To Fear is available on DVD and Blu-ray through Anchor Bay and on-download and on-demand through Content from Monday, February 17.

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