Slash Interview
Steppin' Out Magazine, May 16th, 2001
Interview by Chaunce Hayden

"I'm the antithesis of anything that was popular in 1985... and now it's come full circle..." - Slash

So says the single greatest guitar legend of the past decade. And if he has his way, of the next decade as well. Since Slash quit Guns N' Roses in October 1996 he's had more recording and performing opportunities than ever. Recently, he's contributed his edgy guitar style to the albums of artists ranging from Iggy Pop to Bob Dylan, and unleashed his incomparable live energy in performances with goovemeisters Puff Daddy and James Brown. To top it all, on millennium night the guitarist literally rocked the White House before throng of thousands- and millions more who witnessed on TV. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Slash about his life as a guitar legend, his bright future with his new band Slash's Snakepit and his latest CD, "Ain't Life Grand."

Chaunce Hayden: So how are you feeling? I understand you're getting over a pretty serious illness.

Slash: Yeah, I had pnuemonia. It hit me at a bad time. I was doing the shows but I just wasn't feeling 100 percent. So a hospital just happened to be next to where we were doing a sound check, so I went in and they said, "Jesus Christ!" They didnt let me leave. I was pushing myself too hard and I guess what I had was walking pnuemonia, and the doctors said to me that I have to slow down. I didn't want to because I was right in the middle of a tour, but the doctors said I had to. It was unfortunate, because this all happened right before we were supposed to go on tour with AC/DC. The timing was just wrong.

How are you feeling now?

I'm feeling great now. I just needed a little bit of time off. Now we're retooling and we'll be going on tour this summer right through next year.

What kind of crowd turns up at your shows?

The album came out in October. We went on the road with AC/DC last August, and up until the time we had to stop it's really been awesome! We really had picked up speed when we stopped. But as far as the crowd goes, everyone know I quit Guns N Roses ages ago. Most of the crowd that comes to the show is Snakepit people. In fact, people are actually acknowledging us as the opening band for AC/DC. That's amazing! I've seen those guys enough times, never once can I tell you who opened for them.

What's been the reaction to Snakepit?

Everything's been killer so far. I really haven't heard anything negative about the band at all.

Your name means a lot to hard rock fans. Would you call yourself a rock icon?

(Laughs) At the moment I don't feel very much like a rock icon! I never look at things from that point of view. But from the public's perception, they probably think, "There's that guy doing that thing again, and he's one of the few guys that does it." So maybe i ger singled out that way. But personally, I've been doing the same kind of shit and hustling the same game since I was 15 years old. I see everything from a very realistic day-to-day, moment-to-moment point of view

Guns N' Roses was one of the last bands that could consistently sell out a stadium. You don't see that much anymore.

Yeah, I saw a special on VH1 the other night for a brief second. It was hair bands of the 80s on VH1. And I just laughed. But we were so not a part of that scene. We were a breakout band for the 80s because we were the only band like us around. I think that is what made us so popular. We hit a certain nerve that nobody else was really doing. When the 80s came and went, we were so out of the loop as far as trends go. I know there was that grunge thing from Seattle. We saw that stuff from afar. But it never really mattered to me or any of the other guys what anybody else was doing. We just listened to the music. We never cared about being in a popularity contest with anyone. We just did what we did good. It's not about being in a contest.

Do you miss Guns N' Roses

1. Who are you?
2. Are we friends?
3. When and how did we meet?
4. Do you hav a crush on me?
5. Give me a nikname and explain why?
6. Describe me in 1 word?
7. what was ur first impression ov me?
8. do u still fink the same?
9. What reminds u ov me?
10. If you could giv me anything wot wod it b?
11. How well do u no me?
12. Whens the last tym u saw me?
13. Eva wanted 2 tell me sumthing u couldnt?
14. Are you goin 2 put dis on ur blog and c wot i say about u?