Slash

During the late 1980s, Slash rose to prominence as Guns N' Roses' lead guitarist, recognized among hard rock's most accomplished and emotionally resonant soloists. Technical precision characterized his guitar work, which remained rooted in the raw, influential riffs from Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones that he admired, while his visual persona matched the memorability of his performances. Following the early 1990s dissolution of GNR, he created the intermittent Slash's Snakepit project and became part of the acclaimed Velvet Revolver supergroup. His first solo record came out in 2010, after which he collaborated with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators for tours; this ensemble served as his primary solo outfit for Apocalyptic Love (2012), World on Fire (2014), Living the Dream (2018), and 4 (2022). For the 2024 blues covers collection Orgy of the Damned, Slash worked independently of the Conspirators on this celebrity-filled effort.

Saul Hudson entered the world on July 23, 1965, in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Both parents pursued creative careers in entertainment, with his mother designing costumes for David Bowie's film The Man Who Fell to Earth and his father creating album artwork for artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. The household relocated to Hollywood, where Hudson progressed through junior high, obtained his initial guitar, and encountered future GNR drummer Steven Adler. A family acquaintance bestowed the nickname Slash, after which the pair assembled Road Crew, an outfit that ultimately failed yet introduced them to the remaining musicians who would form Guns N' Roses.

GNR made its debut in June 1985. Even prior to the 1987 arrival of Appetite for Destruction, the members gained notoriety for heavy alcohol and drug consumption. As the band's fame expanded, the introverted Slash contributed significantly to its stage aesthetic through a top hat, a mass of unkempt black hair obscuring his features, and a habitual stagger across the boards with a cigarette in his mouth. Most participants succumbed to hedonistic overindulgence, exemplified by the intoxicated and profane manner in which Slash and Duff McKagan accepted the group's American Music Award during a live broadcast. Opening for the Rolling Stones in 1990, Axl Rose delivered his well-known onstage declaration that he would exit the band unless certain members ceased "dancing with Mr. Brownstone" (heroin use), a statement aimed chiefly at Slash and Adler. Slash overcame his addiction inside twelve months, yet Adler did not and faced dismissal. In 1992 Slash again drew scrutiny via a promotional deal for Black Death vodka. Later that year he wed actress and model Renee Sorum, a marriage that endured five years.

Despite ongoing disputes and lineup shifts, Guns N' Roses sustained its recording output. Following the 1991 Use Your Illusion albums and the 1993 punk covers release The Spaghetti Incident?, the group entered a period of inactivity. Slash launched the Slash's Snakepit side venture, recruiting fellow GNR members Matt Sorum on drums and Gilby Clarke on guitar alongside bassist Mike Inez and vocalist Eric Dover. The ensemble delivered its 1995 album It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. Slash toured with an altered configuration that incorporated Brian Tichy and James LoMenzo in the rhythm section. In 1996 he assembled another group for a blues festival appearance in Budapest, an effort that developed into Slash's Blues Ball. With vocalist/harmonica player Teddy Andreadis, rhythm guitarist Bobby Schneck, saxophonist Dave McLaurin, bassist Johnny Griparic, and drummer Alvino Bennet, the project concentrated on classic blues material while occasionally incorporating GNR and Snakepit numbers.

Speculation regarding Guns N' Roses' future had circulated for years when confirmation arrived in October 1996 that Slash had departed, prompted by his reluctance to pursue Axl Rose's preference for industrial and electronic directions, though he indicated a possible return should Rose revert to guitar-driven rock. Slash continued sporadic performances with the Blues Ball through 1998, yet a projected live album failed to appear. Instead, he reconstituted Slash's Snakepit in 1999 with an entirely new roster, since prior participants had moved to separate endeavors and the Blues Ball suited touring more than original composition. Raspy-voiced singer Rod Jackson and ex-Venice drummer Matt Laug joined, together with Blues Ball bassist Griparic (now Johnny Blackout) and keyboard/harmonica contributor Teddy Andreadis. After auditioning ex-Alice Cooper guitarist Ryan Roxie, Slash selected rhythm guitarist Kerry Kelly, whose résumé included stints with Warrant and Ratt.

The refreshed Snakepit performed several shows and finished a new album in spring 2000, initially planned for Interscope/Geffen. Concerned that a conventional guitar-rock release might receive insufficient promotion, Slash transferred to Koch, which issued Ain't Life Grand in October 2000. Several years afterward he reunited with McKagan, Matt Sorum, and Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland to establish the supergroup Velvet Revolver, whose debut album appeared in 2004. Velvet Revolver followed with Contraband in 2007 before disbanding shortly thereafter. Slash responded by publishing his memoir in 2007 and recording his self-titled debut solo album, enlisting vocal contributions from associates such as Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, Kid Rock, and Fergie. Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge handled lead vocals for the accompanying tour. The partnership endured, positioning Kennedy as the sole vocalist on 2012's Apocalyptic Love, which reached number four on the U.S. album chart. Two years later Slash delivered World on Fire, his second effort with Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators; it entered the American charts at number ten upon its September 2014 release.

In 2016 Slash redirected focus toward the reunited Guns N' Roses. After headlining Coachella that year, GNR launched the international Not in This Lifetime tour, which extended into 2018. Although road commitments with Guns N' Roses dominated, Slash maintained activity with Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. Their third album, Living the Dream, surfaced in September 2018 and received support from a short tour that yielded the 2019 live recording Living the Dream Tour. The 2021 single "The River Is Rising" preceded the 2022 arrival of the fourth collaboration with the Conspirators, titled 4.

Amid these solo pursuits, Guns N' Roses issued the singles "Absurd" and "Hard Skool," marking the first new material featuring Slash since 1994. GNR maintained touring through 2023, after which Slash pursued solo work on a blues covers album produced by Mike Clink. Issued in May 2024, Orgy of the Damned presented the guitarist alongside luminaries including Iggy Pop, Brian Johnson, Chris Robinson, Billy Gibbons, Chris Stapleton, and Gary Clark, Jr.