Q&A: Slash
'My favourite smell? Freshly cut grass in summer'
Rosanna Greenstreet
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ … -interview

Slash, 45, was born Saul Hudson in London and raised in England and Los Angeles. He was an original member of the rock band Guns N' Roses which formed in 1985 and sold 100m albums worldwide. Slash – considered one of the greatest rock guitar players of all time – left Guns N' Roses in 1996 and went on to have further success with the group Velvet Revolver. He has performed with everyone from Michael Jackson to Ray Charles, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is a playable character in Guitar Hero III. He performs at High Voltage Festival this weekend and, on Monday, releases the single Starlight from his debut solo album.

When were you happiest?
Right now, because I am just about to go on the road.

What is your greatest fear?
Not showing up. I never do that, but I fear the idea of doing it.

What is your earliest memory?
Living in Stoke-on-Trent with my grandparents, my father and my uncles. That was when I was five. My mom was living in Los Angeles.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Making excuses.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Being obnoxiously loud.

What was your most embarrassing moment?
Doing an interview for In Touch magazine – an American lifestyle rag.

Property aside, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?
An Aston Martin.

What is your most treasured possession?
My main guitar that I use the most. It's a 59 Les Paul replica.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Unmanageable hair.

What is your most unappealing habit?
Slurping my coffee, apparently.

Where would you like to live?
I am not real particular about where I live. I live in LA right now and that's fine.

What is your favourite smell?
Freshly cut grass in summer.

What is your favourite book?
Right now it's Germinal.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Playing Angry Birds.

To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
Any number of kids I was rude to when I was younger.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My kids.

What does love feel like?
It's great when you have it, awesome.

What was the best kiss of your life?
With a giraffe in Africa, way back when.

Which living person do you most despise?
Probably Guns N' Roses' last manager when I was in the band.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?
Keith Moon and Jimi Hendrix.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Awesome" and "I'll get back to you".

What is the worst job you've done?
A newspaper route when I was 11.

What has been your biggest disappointment?
The music business.

What is the closest you've come to death?
You know my history – it's been many times.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Picking up and learning how to play the guitar.

Tell us a secret
I am not wearing underwear.

Velvet Revolver featuring Corey Taylor; Album done?

So says VR drummer Matt Sorum, but with Slash not ‘feeling it’… will we ever hear it?

http://www.rockaaa.com/news/velvet-revo … -done-7311

There hasn’t been much talk about Velvet Revolver in a few months, given that Slash continues to tour behind his 2010 solo record.

But the subject has reared its head again as part of a recent interview with VR drummer Matt Sorum.

In South America to perform with Brazilian band Kiara Rocks on July 13 at naMATAcafé in São Paulo, Brazil, the Revolver situation came up during an interview with Lokaos Rock Show.

“It was funny, because when we did [the debut album] Velvet Revolver, we had our relationships with certain singers, but we wanted to make a modern rock album, and we had to figure out a way to make that work,” explains Matt. “We didn’t wanna be like Guns N’ Roses. We knew we had that in us anyway, especially because the Slash and Duff sound was the initial sound of “Appetite For Destruction,” the way they played together and everything. Part of that chemistry was there, and when we added Scott [Weiland], it brought it into a more modern rock element. He came more from grunge — the Seattle [sound like] Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and bands like that. So it took it sort of forward. We became more of a modern rock band and we were on modern rock radio. Guns N’ Roses wasn’t even being played on those radio stations in America.”

“When we asked Corey Taylor to join, that was my idea,” continued Sorum. “I said, ‘Why don’t we get Corey Taylor from Slipknot?’ And he’s a great guy, number one – he’s an absolute sweetheart – and he rocks. Slash just didn’t see it like the rest of us did. We liked it. We had ten songs. [We] could put the album out tomorrow. It’s done. I said, ‘Let’s go.’ But Slash wasn’t feeling it. If we’re not all feeling it together, we can’t do it.”

Sorum explained further that Slash’s tour isn’t the only reason Revolver continue to be on hiatus.

“Slash has been on tour almost two years now, [but] it’s not the reason [VR is inactive]. I think the reason is that is hasn’t fallen into place yet,” says the drummer. “After [we parted ways with singer] Scott Weiland [in 2008]…We had such a great first record, especially. The second album is still a good album, but… It’s hard to replace Scott for that particular band, I think. It’s a bit of a gray era.”

“Velvet Revolver, we really felt that we were… Especially Slash, Duff [McKagan, bass] and myself, we were the three main guys that started Velvet. ‘Cause Scott came in much later. So to replace Scott, we felt, could be possible. And we tried a couple of guys and it didn’t work out. [But] I don’t wanna say it’s over. It’s just on a hiatus. We’ll make music again together at some point.”