Slash Says a Guns N Roses Reunion Depends on an Apology From Axl
February 4, 2011 – It's all in the apology. That's according to Slash and his chances on re-joining Guns N Roses. The guitarist says he would consider being a part of the band again but lead singer Axl Rose would have to say “he's sorry” for the stuff that went down in the band.
He told the LA Daily News, “All things considered, that would be a call I would be surprised to get. If that really happened, I would have to clean out my junk drawer, too, but I don’t see it happening. But if it did happen, I would do whatever it takes to at least have a conversation about it”.

Slash Quits Smoking After Losing Mother To Lung Cancer
June 18, 2010 – Let’s face it, most people don’t change unless they have to. For Slash his big lifestyle switch came after he lost his mother to lung cancer. The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist had tried quitting before but it didn’t stick, “I’ve been off them for a year. The first time I quit smoking was because me and my wife just had a baby and she claimed the baby smelled like an ashtray. So I thought, 'Well, I’ll give it a shot.’ So I quit for a year and then I started again.”

Death on the other hand tends to be a stronger motivator for most people and it certainly was for Slash, “Then this time my mom died of lung cancer, and I got sick with pneumonia. And after I got sick I had a cigarette in my hand and a lighter and I was about to smoke – and it just seemed really stubborn of me.”

The guitarist told the Daily Telegraph newspaper, “I just always smoked. It’s not been too difficult to give up smoking, apart from the fact that I’ve found that I use twitter all the time to keep my hands busy.”

The infamous partying of his Guns N’ Roses days is long gone for Slash, “I quit doing drugs. But because I’m a habitual kinda guy, if I quit doing drugs, then I drink. And then if I quit drinking, I do drugs – forever. So I quit doing drugs this one time, and I decided not to drink too. It’s been four years. And I really don’t miss it.” – by John Beaudin

Slash Yawns at New Rock Scene
May 27, 2010 – Slash says he’s not holding his breath for the next big thing in Rock. In fact the former Guns N’ Roses guitarist is disappointed in the current Rock scene.

He says, “Usually hate talking about the state of rock music, because there’s nothing positive to say about it. The whole vibe of new, exciting hard rock bands seems non-existent right now.”

“I always say that the heavy metal spirit is alive and well and holding its own, but the broader rock ’n’ roll thing of bands like AC/DC or Guns N’ Roses seems pretty slim. The rock ’n’ roll spirit is extremely diminished.”

“There’s no shortage of bands out there trying to make it, but they’re hard pressed to get a foot in the door. There’s no movement on the streets.”

The legendary guitarist also added that he’s not surprised that Pop music easily outsells Rock these days. Slash says music is music if someone is gifted it’s never genre specific.

Slash Readies Fans for 2010 Solo Album & Talks American Idol
May 11, 2009 – In his regular blog Slash has admitted that work on his new solo project is going well but the CD will not be ready until 2010. He also went on to say that he enjoyed working with Adam and Alison on American Idol and felt that Danny and Kris “were out of their element” during Rock week on the show. Slash also squashed rumors that Adam was being scouted as the new lead singer of his band Velvet Revolver, simply stating, “I was not scouting to sing in VR, btw.”  Check out the blog below.

"By next Monday we will have 9 songs with vocals recorded. It really is a killer record so far & it sonically sounds amazing. We've recorded everything analog & that makes a huge difference in the most positive way. Eric Valentine is the perfect producer to handle all this spontaneous information & energy I've been throwing at him, he is really a one of a kind technician.

It’s hard to explain, but I really needed this creative outlet to do stuff I haven't been at liberty to do in a LONG while. To be honest, I have been having a ridiculously good time working on this project.

And, the singers have all been genuinely awe inspiring & a pleasure to work with. They are the focus of what this record ultimately will sound like, regardless of how good the instruments sound. With their input, every session has had its own unique vibe & character & the songs have developed a personality unique to each individual vocalist, cool stuff.

Unfortunately, this record is not going to come out until next year, but its going to be worth the wait, I promise.

As for the topic of most interest to some of you, American Idol.

The American Idol adventure was quite an experience to say the least. I did my best to change it up by mentoring the singers at the Roxy & I brought some great musicians to play with me, Tommy Clufetos on drums, Keri Kelli on guitar & Chris Chaney on bass. Matt Rohdes, the keyboard player from the AI band also accompanied us & was indispensable in helping us navigate the key changes & edits that were necessary to perform the songs in the keys that the singers chose & in the time frame that fit the shows format etc. And, all in just a couple hours.

Although the show itself was way out of my comfort zone initially, we definitely altered the show's routine, for better or worse. The show staff & crew were super professional & sincerely went out of their way to make everything as painless & expeditious as possible. It wasn't a big spaz attack like on some TV productions.

As important, if not more so, the singers were great to work with as well. Adam (who I was not scouting to sing in VR, btw) was amazing, as was Alison, who was unceremoniously voted off prematurely, in my opinion. Danny & Kris were out of their element this week, but did the best they could under the circumstances. The judges, although unnecessarily harsh at times, were like rockstars themselves & Seacrest is the consumate professional, no matter what. Very interesting dynamics, more so in person than on TV. All in all it was a good time. But, the way I see it, as massive as AI is, it could do with an infusion of Rock & Roll on a regular basis. Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints about the whole event.

Anyway, I worked in the studio around the show for those 3 days so as not to waste any time on my record & I'm working thru the weekend to get my schedule back to normal starting Monday, so I don't miss a beat.

That's it, have a great weekend & Happy Mother's Day to those of you who have, or are mothers! Talk to you next week."  - by Kari Graham

RCA to Drop Velvet Revolver?
Nov. 19, 2008 – Word is leaking from the Sony/BMG label that RCA plans to drop the super group Velvet Revolver. The band features former Guns 'N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. Stone Temple Pilots lead singer Scott Weiland was Revolvers main voice until he was kicked out. Top prospects to replace him are ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach, ex-Spacehog vocalist Royston Langdon and former MTV VJ Steve Isaacs.

Velvet Revolver came out with a bang with their debut ‘Contraband’ in 2004 – it sold 1.98 Million in the U.S. The follow-up, ‘Libertad’ had luke-warm sales topping off at 301,000 since being released in July 2007.

So, will the band be dumped? It's hard to imagine but we'll stay on it. - Gabe Sethner

Slash Likes the New Guns N’ Roses Album
Oct. 27, 2008 – His response was quick but positive. Slash has given Axl Rose, a thumbs up on the latest Guns N’ Roses single and title song to ‘Chinese Democracy.’ He told a Boston radio station, WBCN 104.1, "That sounds cool. It's good to hear (Axl Rose's) voice again, y'know?" The guitarist quit the band in 1996 after rumoured insane fighting between him and Rose. The Guns album will be out Nov. 24th.
 
Meanwhile Slash says he’s at the tail end of the demo phase for a new solo album that has hints of his Guns N’ Roses years and there may be a third Velvet Revolver disc in 2009. The solo project was inspired from a need to get out the democracy of a band. He plans on using a few very well known singers but is not naming names yet. We hear Robert Plant is free.

Velvet Revolver is looking for a lead singer to replace Scott Weiland and though they received tons of offers to make the search a TV show Slash says, "There's such a huge lack of integrity in that process.” – by John Beaudin

Slash to Honour Les Paul at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Oct. 10, 2008 – Expect a wall of guitars at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame celebration this year. Slash will be there to help induct Les Paul, known as the father of the electric guitar.  Slash says, "The legion of guitar players I grew up listening to would have been completely different had Les not been around." The 93 year old who is expected to attend, built the first ever solid-body electric guitar in 1941. Slash says Paul is still one of the best and had a hard time keeping up to the guitar legend at the American Music Masters series years ago, "He just cleaned the stage up with me." Also set to appear on stage this year Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, The Ventures and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi. The show is November 15, 2008.

The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist says he hopes that if and when his old band is inducted into the Hall of Fame they will be adults about it, "I hope whatever differences we'd accrued over the years, we'd be able to show up as professionals and accept it with dignity." It’s well known that Slash and Guns lead singer Axl Rose aren’t exactly having tea and Crumpets every morning. Gun N’ Roses will be eligible for the award in 2012. The rules are artists are eligible 25 years after recording their first single or album. Slash delivered his guitar masterpiece on "Appetite for Destruction" with a replica of a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar. He last performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of fame two years ago with his band Velvet Revolver. By John Beaudin