by SuperGenius guitarist Slash — of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver fame — released a new album this week called, genuinely enough, “Slash” and it is the number one selling album on iTunes right now.
Slash is beloved in the guitar community because he is intensely talented and because he’s one of the few, full-time, lead guitarists to exclusively play a Les Paul and, finally, because he creates and leads his own bands.
It’s a rare thing for a non-singer to lead any sort of musical group — yet Slash does just that by writing excellent songs and then inviting the best singers to record with him.
On the new album, Slash uses three big “eeees” — FergIE, OzZY Osbourne and IgGY Pop [emphasis mine] — as the lead singer. Fergie is the best. Who knew she had a screamer rock and roll voice? Ozzy and Iggy are less successful only because they sing the expected.
Standout songs include “Ghost” featuring Ian Astbury — you get the classic Guns N’ Roses vibe with the familiar Slash guitar riffs embedded around the melody.
“By the Sword” featuring Andrew Stockdale has a gritty, lonesome Bluesy ring and Slash on acoustic guitar is both pleasing and punishing and the high, melodic line, reminds one of the early successful sound of My Chemical Romance’s “The Black Parade.”
“Gotten” featuring Adam Levine from Maroon 5 is the most dynamic song on the record. There is quiet, flowing, emotion funneled into a vise of yearning and contempt.
“Watch This” is a fiery and rocking instrumental tune with Dave Grohl and Muff McKagan joining Slash in the slamming and banging. Those boys know how to play and tear up a room!
The odd thing about the promotion Slash is doing for his “Slash” record happened earlier this week when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Slash tastelessly faced his gracious host by wearing a “Team Coco” lapel button during his performance. Now that sort of trick is just gross, unappreciative and reeking of bad taste. Jay agrees to let Slash use his show to sell his album and Slash spins around and slaps Jay with a Conan O’Brien button? That’s like walking up to a stranger’s house and asking to use the
bathroom. They agree to let you in their home and you go straight to
the kitchen and pee on the floor. Not cool.
We love Slash.
We need Slash.
We want a less crass Slash.
I wonder if he really just wanted to be on Conan and not on Leno?
Nevertheless, that was not the right thing for him to do.
I’m looking forward to listening to this record!
If he wanted to be on Conan and not Leno, then don’t go on the Leno show! The record is really great, though. Slash is a tremendous talent.