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Classic interview: Slash on the story of Guns N' Roses's Use Your Illusion I & II

Looking back on a double barrel of rock 'n' roll, 30 years on

In 2011, Total Guitar featured Slash as its cover star as he looked back on the creation and release of Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusions album for their 20th anniversary. A decade on we revisit  a remarkable time for the band…  

There's a black limousine creeping along Sunset Boulevard late in the evening of 16 September 1991. It stops short of Tower Records, which looks like Dracula's castle under siege, with a rowdy mob of people drinking, swearing and banging on the locked doors.

Although he's risking a full-scale riot by doing so, a dark figure slips from the limo, sneaks unnoticed into the store's trade entrance and takes up position behind the same two-way mirror through which he was spotted shoplifting cassettes as a teenager. It's voyeuristic of Slash , but you'd do the same.

At the stroke of midnight, 4.2 million copies of Use Your Illusion I and II will be released to the US public, marking the largest album shipment in history. The releases also draw a line under a period that dragged Guns N' Roses through hard drugs, firings, food fights, public nudity and - let's not forget - some of the best guitar riffs of the decade.

We were pulling ourselves out of the f•••ing quagmire and going back to work

Looking down on the ringing tills, Slash doesn't know it yet, but these records will be the last great statements his band makes before it fractures, falls and mutates into the freakshow that trades under the Guns N' Roses banner circa 2011. That's all to come. For now, everyone is listening to Use Your Illusion. Everyone, that is, except Slash himself.

"I don't know which one I prefer," he tells us straight out of the blocks. "I haven't listened to the Use Your Illusion albums for so long, I don't even know what's on each. I know people like the blue one over the red one… Or maybe it's the other way around."

Er, right. It's a worrying start to an interview that's based around the 20th anniversary of these twin albums, but things soon warm up. It's not that Slash doesn't care. It's that while making the Illusion records, he cared about nothing else, losing himself to these 30 songs while holed up in Studio B of LA's Record Plant as a kind of heroin withdrawal programme.

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There are memories in this music - musical, personal, glorious and painful recollections- and you sense that listening to it is like sifting through the old photos from a failed marriage. "I don't like to go back and look at stuff, because I find it mesmerising," Slash says. "It freaks me out. So I avoid it."

Push him on it, though, and the dam breaks: "I was just totally obsessed with the creation of the Illusion records and when I got into that studio, I was completely absorbed with everything to do with them, all the time. Because it had been so long.

"We'd made Appetite [For Destruction] and then toured for years and - for me, and I know for a couple of the other guys - we'd crashed and burned. So we were pulling ourselves out of the fucking quagmire and going back to work."

Chicago Roses

It was definitely exploratory compared to Appetite

How bad did things get pre-Illusion? Try rock bottom. An on-and-off heroin user since the late '80s, Slash cleaned up for Guns' first serious stab at the albums: a residential preproduction session in June 1989 that saw the band and crew relocate to Chicago.

If this was intended as a team-building exercise, it tanked; Guns' troubled second guitarist, Izzy Stradlin, often failed to show and Axl Rose drifted by sporadically to jam at the piano. While kicking their heels, Slash and Duff McKagan managed to combine a daily half-gallon of Stolichnaya vodka with an unlikely interest in weightlifting. This wasn't going well.

Still, Chicago wasn't a total flop. The seeds of a few songs emerged, notably Bad Apples, Garden Of Eden and Estranged, with Axl pounding the rehearsal-room piano and Slash wringing rich vibrato from long, hanging notes. But it was becoming clear this new project's grandiose ambition was a sticking point. Making an album to soundtrack fighting and fucking was no longer enough for Guns' lead singer.

"We want to define ourselves," Rose told Rolling Stone. "Appetite was our cornerstone, a place to start. That was like 'Here's our land and we just put a stake in the ground. Now we're going to build something.'"

Slash had misgivings, but didn't want to start rocking an increasingly precarious boat. "It was definitely exploratory compared to Appetite," he explains. "I mean, honestly, I'd have preferred to do a record with just 10 fucking songs that were a bit more straightforward, but it was an opportunity to finally get the band to work again."

According to his autobiography, we remind him, Axl was starting to communicate with the band through management. "Me and Axl were doing okay," he sighs, diplomatically. "The only catch with the Illusion records was the introduction of synthesizers. I disagreed with synthesizers - and I still do."

By the time the Chicago sessions collapsed, the band had become boorish and bad tempered, with Axl dumping the band's Italian buffet on hecklers beneath their apartment and ejecting groupies for failing to deliver.

Back in Hollywood

One by one, Guns N' Roses trickled back to LA, where it was Slash's turn to lose the plot. The period would see him shooting speedballs, blowing a hole in his roof with a .44 Magnum, spraying Izzy's bathroom with arterial blood during a clumsy tie-off and - most spectacularly - running naked and sobbing around an Arizona golf course, hallucinating that he was being chased by the monster from Predator.

It's an episode we gloss over today. However, the fact remained: something had to give. Ultimately, after a hellish withdrawal period, Slash returned from the brink. Then a string of jams at the Mates rehearsal space confirmed that even without chemicals, GN'R had chemistry.

"How was I doing personally?" ponders Slash of the moment when Illusion started to pull together. "Well, by then, I was off smack, so that was good. That was like the motivator for me. So I was having a good time just doing my regular heavy drinking, as normal."

How about the band as a whole? "We reconvened. I think the Guns N' Roses chemistry was a natural thing that was always there if we could just get past other distractions. When we dropped all the bullshit and just started playing, there was a natural synergy between us.

"It was a positive time. We started going out, playing shows, opening for the [Rolling] Stones. We'd gone from fourth on the bill at Donington and all of a sudden we're headlining stadiums."

"I remember thinking my playing had gotten to a point on those Illusion records where I was really happy." Slash

In the end, it was a marathon two-night writing session at Slash's house that broke the back of Illusion, turning the screws on countless half-finished doodles, including pivotal moments such as The Garden, Duff's ferocious Get In The Ring and So Fine, plus a number of songs by the underrated Stradlin.

"I always thought Izzy's Double Talkin' Jive had a cool vibe," reflects Slash of the sneering track about a dismembered body found in a dumpster behind the studio. "And I got to play that little Spanish flamenco part on it." For the first time since '86, it was all so easy.

"It had just been so difficult to get into that groove," reflects Slash. "Finally, Axl, Duff, myself and Izzy had that acoustic session and basically sewed it up."

There was also a sense of closet-cleaning about the Illusion records. Many of the albums' songs had histories that stretched back years: Dead Horse was an old Axl tune, Back Off Bitch predated Gun N' Roses' formation, You Could Be Mine was just a whammy solo away from the version bumped from Appetite, while the long-incubated November Rain had the same soaring solo as its 1986 incarnation.

"Right from its inception," recalls Slash, "when Axl and I first played November Rain, the same guitar melodies that are in the recorded version came through. There was definitely a spark between the two of us.

"It was hard to arrange that song and Estranged, because they were so open-ended and we had to cut November Rain. But those were Axl's epic piano pieces and they were both breakthrough guitar solos for me. Real melody solos, y'know? I had some good sounds and they were melodically very spontaneous."

Before the difficult Chicago sessions, a messy month spent house-sharing with Izzy had yielded Locomotive, plus the song that arguably stands out as the most ambitious guitar moment on either of the Use Your Illusion records.

I'm not what you'd call a 'technique guy'

"I wrote Coma in my heroin delirium," admits Slash of the 10-minute-long opus. "That's a song that I'm still proud of. There's not a lot of 'technique' - it's a pretty straight up kinda Slash approach.

"But the thing that's really interesting was the vamp-out, which was this circular rotating chord progression that never ended: the same chord progression every time, but it just kept changing key. That was my mathematical musical discovery. I just stumbled on it and it's very much me doing my thing… but it worked."

Did Slash try to put his technique under the microscope for Illusion? "I don't know if I had a particular aim with my style," the guitarist considers, "but I do remember thinking my playing had gotten to a point on those Illusion records where I was really happy. I'm not what you'd call a 'technique guy'.

"I've always taken it seriously when I'm actually doing it, but I just go for it: I don't spend a lot of time thinking about that stuff. I don't go, 'Oh, I held my finger this way on the pick and this happened', or 'I stood 14 inches to the left of my cabinet to get this sound'. I mean, I do shit like that… but I don't know what I'm doing!"

[Civil War] was the first song where we went in the studio with Steven and realised that he wasn't really playing up to par

Still, it worked, both on the ambitious Coma and the play-in-a-day arpeggios that kick off Civil War. "That was actually one of the first songs Axl and I wrote after Appetite," Slash explains. "The tour wasn't even finished, Axl heard me playing this acoustic thing and we started rehearsing it with the band in Australia. It was also the first song where we went in the studio with Steven and realised that he wasn't really playing up to par."

Ah yes - Steven Adler . A childhood friend of Slash's, the drummer had taken a similar slide into junkiedom, but with the crucial difference that he could neither kick the habit nor maintain his chops while under the influence. Civil War, a tempo-shifting number with a double-time crescendo, was the final nail in his coffin.

"I did the demo tapes for Use Your Illusion," Adler told this writer in an interview with Classic Rock . "We'd go in, play the songs, go to the listening booth and say together, 'This is gonna be bigger than fuckin' Appetite'. And it would have been. But because of my fuck up, we didn't finish what we started."

Interview: Steven Adler & Matt Sorum, the Guns N' Roses story

With Matt Sorum bumping Adler from the drumstool, GN'R's last-gang-in-town image had its first hairline crack, but as a functioning band they were ready. The five men headed into A&M with producer Mike Clink to lay the foundations of the twin albums.

"It was fucking great," grins Slash. "I'd already spent time in pre-production on all that stuff, where we'd sorta play the song from one end to the other, so when we went in, I basically knew it. When I'm in the studio, I don't want to fuck around. I want to move on. I don't dwell on it too much. Before you know it, we were doing the basic tracks. We did 36 songs in 36 days."

If the music was ambitious, the process of making it was relatively straightforward. "We did what we always did," recalls the guitarist, "which was to go in the studio with the band in one room and just play the songs live, and that's what goes on the record. But because I don't like using headphones, I'd go in there and play along with the band just for the vibe and the energy, then I'd go back into the studio afterwards, get in the control room and do my guitar parts there."

Guitars, guitars, guitars

When you have 30 different songs, different approaches, written at different times, you want to paint each song a certain colour

Working on the guitar and vocal overdubs respectively, Slash and Axl took over Studios A and B at the Record Plant, where the guitarist sank his royalties into a less destructive habit than girls or drugs.

"That was the first time I had enough money to buy some new guitars," he says. "I was like a kid in a candy store, because there was so much material and I wanted all kinds of different guitar sounds, just whatever my vision was for that song. As tumultuous as it was to make those records, the one thing I really enjoyed was those three weeks doing guitars [and] just having a great time down at the Record Plant."

Was he consciously trying to depart from the Appetite tone? "Well, no," he counters. "You have to digest the concept of recording almost three records' worth of material! So it wasn't about anything other than making 30-plus songs sound interesting.

"With a band like Guns N' Roses when we first went into it, we had pretty much one direction. But when you have 30 different songs, different approaches, written at different times, you want to paint each song a certain colour. It called for a more intellectual approach."

I also had a '58 Flying V, I was using Strats, a few different acoustics… Very specific guitars for different sounds

Guitar hopping doesn't seem very 'Slash', we tell him. He's so associated with the Les Paul. "Yeah," he agrees. "I went from using one guitar to… God knows how many on those albums, back to one guitar again now. It was fun at the time and it worked then, but it's never worked for me since. I've found it's very unsatisfying to use multiple guitars trying to make a record…

"Actually," he continues, "when it came to Les Pauls on those records, I basically used my main one that I always play [a handmade Kris Derrig '59 replica with Seymour Duncan pickups].

"I didn't use, like, 10 different models, because at the end of the day a Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul. But I also had a '58 Flying V, I was using Strats, a few different acoustics… Very specific guitars for different sounds. For You Could Be Mine, I think I used a BC Rich Mockingbird."

All good fun, but if you squinted, there was trouble on the horizon. As Slash wrapped up his work and vacated the studio, Axl continued to polish his vocals and lay down those contentious synth parts (the horns in Live And Let Die and November Rain's strings are all synth-generated).

5 guitar tricks you can learn from Slash

Before long, the process stagnated and tempers started to fray. In the mixing stages, Bob Clearmountain was fired for a covert plan to use sampled drums and Sex Pistols producer Bill Price was brought in, with Slash mailing daily samples out to Axl's house in Malibu for his approval.

The obsession that would later define Chinese Democracy was already starting to warm up and so too was the level of alienation, with outside writers such as West Arkeen and Paul Huge complicating the royalty split.

"The problem was with Izzy," recalls Slash. "Because the album reached such gargantuan proportions as far as the production and complexity and the massive expectations [that] Izzy started to bow out. He was harder to find, because that was against his rock 'n' roll philosophy, which I totally agree with.

"We got through the basic tracks and I think that's what gave the albums such a natural feel. But when we started getting into the time it took to do overdubs and vocals, he sorta disappeared."

"When we started getting into overdubs and vocals, [Izzy] sorta disappeared..."

Sure enough, just a week after the Use Your Illusion albums dropped, Izzy announced he would no longer tour with Guns N' Roses, with his departure made official in November. His was the most significant name on a growing list of leavers; after Adler, manager Alan Niven had been fired earlier that year and Slash's autobiography ruefully notes the appointment of Doug Goldstein as "one of the catalysts" for the band's downfall.

To the bean counters at Geffen, everything was roses, with the Use Your Illusion albums storming to number one and two on the UK and US album charts, and the band selling out a residency at New York's Madison Square Garden by the year's end.

"Technique can become the main aspiration, but for me, it’s more about expressing some sort of emotional content"

None of that could disguise the sense that the rock 'n' roll guard was changing. In October, Nirvana 's Nevermind led grunge out of the shadows, with Kurt Cobain cast as Axl Rose's nemesis and Smells Like Teen Spirit doubling as the ultimate guitar-shop riff and a death knell to the old scene.

By contrast, starting with the limp 1993 covers album The Spaghetti Incident?, the world's most dangerous band simply melted away. Slash quit in 1996. McKagan and Sorum were out the following year.

As as we wrap up our interview, it's clear that he's enjoyed the flashback, exorcised a handful of demons, and remembered that, beneath the mayhem and the madness, this is music to be proud of. He gives a smoky chuckle: "There's a lot of good crap on those Illusion records…"

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Guns N' Roses: No shows and bomb scares on the chaotic Use Your Illusion Tour

Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion tour was one of the most volatile and mysterious to ever hit Europe. Classic Rock got the full inside story

Axl Rose has had enough. It’s June 3, 1992 and we’re in Hannover at the Niedersachsen Stadium. He’s sitting on the drum riser, a sweaty, seething 60,000 strong stadium rock crowd swarming in front of him.

The band tore on to stage (on time, for the first time on their massive Use Your Illusion tour), ripped through three songs, but now something’s not right. The petulant singer doesn’t say one word to the assembled throng, and he’s sitting down. Not the usual behaviour for a man who ordinarily races around like a maniac.

Slash, Duff, Matt and Gilby all share confused glances. They’re running around, doing their best to cover up, galloping around the stage. The monitors are checked. The Teleprompter is checked. And rechecked. Nothing’s wrong. Except the singer’s behaviour. It’s all really strange.

Axl, meanwhile, doesn’t move. Then he does. He just wanders to the front of the stage, climbs into the security pit, looks at the audience, then returns to the drum riser and sits down again. And then starts to sing. But not for long…

Blame Bob Dylan. If he hadn’t written Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door , GN’R would never have covered it, and Axl wouldn’t have berated the edgy Hannover crowd for not singing loudly enough. And then perhaps he wouldn’t have introduced Sweet Child O’ Mine as “a song about getting fucked up the ass by a coke bottle”. But that’s exactly what he does. And then he storms off.

Incidents like these characterised Guns N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion tour. It wasn’t an isolated episode, either. It would get weirder. GN’R were suffering from a media backlash after the massive success of Appetite For Destruction . And Axl was getting more and more paranoid. The GN’R on the Illusion tour wasn’t the same one we’d seen storm the Marquee in ’87 or stun the Donington crowd in ’88.

Think about it, a 12-piece Guns N’ Roses? It doesn’t make sense does it? Even now, when Gun N’ Roses means whatever Axl Rose wants it to mean, he’ll be stretching credulity if he walks on stage at this year’s Download Festival with a dozen musicians in his band.

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But the Guns N’ Roses that assembled in Dublin in mid-May 1992 for the start of a 20-date European tour consisted of 12 musicians. It was the culmination of the band’s transition from hedonistic heroes to stadium rockers.

It had been a traumatic adjustment costing two of the original members: drummer Steven Adler was fired from the band at the end of 1990 because, unlike the others, he did not cure his heroin addiction. A year later guitarist Izzy Stradlin quit because he could no longer cope with a “cleaned-up” Guns N’ Roses – even though he too had cleaned up.

They had been replaced by former Cult drummer Matt Sorum, who had experience of playing big gigs, and guitarist Gilby Clarke who did not have big show experience but had played in various Los Angeles bands like Candy and Kill For Thrills and came out of the same gritty club circuit that had spawned GN’R, Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot and the rest.

To this reconstituted band had been added keyboard player Dizzy Reed, a female brass trio, a couple of backing singers (also girls) and Ted Andreakis who was billed as an “emulator” but also played harmonica and keyboards.

It was Slash who had been mainly responsible for putting together the Guns N’ Roses big band. “Around the time Gilby joined I was looking for some horn players to fill out songs like November Rain and get them to sound a bit more like the record,” he said in a TV interview.

“Axl really got into that idea too. I didn’t want anything corny like three guys in tuxedos all moving in unison, so I got some chicks to do it. But that hasn’t changed the way we play,” he added. “It’s as chaotic as it’s always been.”

Pressed about tensions within the band Slash replied, “This band’s always been tense because, you know, this isn’t like a day job. Most bands these days could go out and do their show in their sleep. We go out there all stirred up. We care about every show we do, so if something happens during a particular show then yeah, it can get pretty tense. The way we treat it is to go out and do the best show we possibly can. It’s not pre-meditated, we just go for it.”

Anyone thinking that a 12-piece band couldn’t “just go for it” was reckoning without Guns N’ Roses attitude. For a start there was no set list. The opening number wasn’t decided until a minute or two before they hit the stage. That kind of spontaneity might be fine and dandy in a small club packed with adoring fans but in front of 50,000-100,000 people? Not to mention the lighting guy controlling 900 lights and half a dozen guys operating follow-spotlights precariously perched above the stage, each waiting for instructions.

And then there was the erratic behaviour of Axl Rose. You couldn’t predict what time he and the band would come on stage – although you could generally guarantee that it wouldn’t be within 30 minutes of the scheduled time. You couldn’t predict what he’d do when he got there either: what he’d say or how he’d react to the music, the audience, anything…

No wonder the road crew were always fully focussed as showtime-plus-30 approached. Most bands leave nothing to chance when he comes to stadium shows – even The Rolling Stones have used backing tapes. But Guns N’ Roses deliberately put their stadium shows on a knife edge. That meant the shows could be stunning. By the same token they could also be shambolic. But then Guns N’ Roses knew no other way.

Not that the critics saw it that way. To them, the band they’d championed had sold out. Even worse, they’d become hugely popular. “Just another stadium act, up there with the fatted turkeys,” according to Melody Maker . “A saddening musical mess,” said Kerrang! .

But then Guns N’ Roses had gone to war with the press and the ‘build-‘em-up, slag-‘em-off’ mentality. Demanding copy approval was guaranteed to rile any journalist, but it was another part of the Guns N’ Roses attitude. They’d spelt it out on Get In The Ring on their Use Your Illusion II album. For the crowds who flocked to see them, however, the air of excitement in the (frequently extended) build-up to the show told its own story.

Security, or Axl’s paranoia, had reached ridiculous heights. He wanted control. He demanded complete control. Legal documents flew about backstage – disclaimers, gag orders, the lot. And these weren’t just for those nearest and dearest to the band. No one escaped unscathed. Not the crew, not the caterers, not the bus drivers, not the support band and their associates. No-one. Nearly a decade and a half later, people who were on the tour only agreed to speak with Classic Rock under the shield of strict anonymity, such was the fear of the wrath of God instilled in them. But it’s time to break the silence.

The Use Your Illusion tour had started in May 1991, four months before the Use Your Illusion albums were released. It would carry on for the next 28 months with 128 shows in 27 countries in front of seven million people.

For the first few weeks the shows ran smoothly, apart from the late starts, but at St Louis, Missouri in early July Axl yelled at security to remove a camera from a fan near the stage and when nothing happened he leapt into the crowd to deal with the offender himself. The resulting riot left 50 people injured and Axl facing assault charges.

Another riot was narrowly avoided a week later in Englewood, Colorado when Axl took exception to a heckler. And later that same month at Inglewood, California police sensibly tore up a traffic ticket they’d issued after Axl’s limousine made an illegal left turn outside the Forum and he threatened to cancel the show with 19,000 people already inside.

In contrast, their Wembley Stadium at the end of August under a baking sun was a relatively restrained affair, although the jobsworths at Brent Council had done their best by demanding that the band desist from swearing on stage. That resulted in posters around London proclaiming ‘Guns N’ Fucking Roses. Wembley Fucking Stadium. Sold Fucking Out’. The language from the stage was equally blunt.

But the joke had worn too thin for Izzy Stradlin who had already taken to travelling separately from the rest of the group. By the time the two separate Use Your Illusion albums were released in September he’d gone AWOL, failing to show up for video shoots. A few weeks later it was confirmed that he was leaving.

Slash made the call to Gilby Clarke. “I knew Gilby before Guns N’ Roses even started,” he explained. “He was playing in the same clubs that Hollywood Rose [Axl’s pre-GN’R group] and bands I was in played at. But I hadn’t seen him in all those years.

“His name was brought up by a couple of people and I thought ‘Yeah’. In fact he was the only person we auditioned. I brought him into the studio with us and we jammed and it worked, just like that.”

Clarke confirmed that story while admitting that he’d surreptitiously put himself in the frame.

“I’d heard rumours that something was up,” he said. “And I’d called a friend of mine who’d worked with the band and said, ‘If these guys are looking for someone then put my name in the pot’. And one day I got home and there was the call.”

But wasn’t he concerned that he could be joining a band on the brink of destruction? “Yeah, but that’s the credit you have to give this band: all the things they’ve been through and still to be doing all this. For the first week I was coming in every day and not knowing if I was coming back tomorrow. I just had to put everything else to one side and concentrate on learning 40-odd songs.”

The 12-piece Guns N’ Roses made their debut at Worcester, Massachusetts, in early December followed by three nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden. They flew to Japan for three shows that were filmed for a video and made their first foray into South America with a concert in Mexico City at the start of April.

Later that month they flew over for the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, an unusual move firstly because the band were not best known for playing tribute shows of any description, and secondly because the gay community had taken umbrage with Axl’s less than sympathetic lyrics on the One In A Million song from the GN’R Lies album.

But this was not about sexual preference, it was about Queen. As Slash explained, “We grew up with Queen. They were one of the main bands we were into at the start. So when they asked us to play we jumped at the chance. Then we had this whole gay activist thing going against us but we just decided to do it anyway.”

The band played Paradise City and Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door before Axl duetted with Elton John on a version of Bohemian Rhapsody that was one of the highlights of the show and then got to front Queen for We Will Rock You . Axl, Slash and Duff then joined in the grand finale, We Are The Champions .

So it was a relatively relaxed-looking band that arrived in Dublin to start the European tour. Axl even managed a smile for the photographer who was brave enough to greet him at the airport.

Faith No More, who’d been frequently named as one of Guns N’ Roses’ favourite bands, were the chosen support band on the tour, along with Soundgarden. “The band felt almost honoured to be asked and it was seen as a great opportunity to play to a whole load of people in Europe,” a member of their road crew (let’s call him Mr X) told Classic Rock .

“But it didn’t really work out that way. Most of the kids had just come to see Guns N’ Roses and didn’t pay any attention to us. And for the amount of time that we were out there we didn’t really play that many gigs. We always seemed to be hanging around, waiting a couple of days or more for the next gig.

“I remember being told that some of the band were still in a fragile condition. But that didn’t surprise me with everything they’d been through in the last couple of years. And then losing Steven Adler and Izzy – that must have been hard for them.

“Slash was fine, though. Thriving on it. He carried a bottle of Jack Daniel’s with him wherever he went. It was his medication. But he was always nice and friendly whenever you came across him.

“Duff was on vodka and I think he was finding it harder. That’s why he had his girlfriend, Linda, with him on the tour. They got engaged midway through the tour and they were really sweet together.

“But we scarcely saw Axl. In fact I don’t think many people saw Axl when he wasn’t on stage. He was closeted away and there was this whole entourage looking after him. He had a personal assistant. And the personal assistant had an assistant. There was also a chiropractor and a hypnotherapist. And then there was his sister, Amy. There were a lot of people around him.”

If Axl was incommunicado, Slash and Duff were happy to talk to the media. And they weren’t hiding behind phrases like “musical differences” when it came to the departure of Steven and Izzy.

“Steven Adler just kept on lying,” Duff explained. “He kept saying he’d given up. I’d already been round to his dealer’s house and threatened to kill him if he sold Steven any more drugs. And one night I went round to Steven’s house and pressed the redial button on his phone. And guess where it went? So that was that.”

Izzy’s departure had also rankled, but in a very different way. “He went too hardcore I think,” said Duff. “He couldn’t just have a couple of beers. He couldn’t be around it at all and that was sad. God bless him, that’s all I’ve got to say.”

It was an 11-piece band that showed up for a two-hour sound check the day before the opening date of the tour at Slane Castle, a picturesque spot on a bend in the river Boyne that provided a natural amphitheatre. No prizes for guessing who didn’t make it.

The 250,000-watt sound of the band could be heard in the nearby village of Slane which was already filling up with fans. Another source remembers passing through the village on the morning of the show.

“This little village had been completely taken over by thousands of kids in headbands and denim jackets,” he recalls. “Every now and again some little makeshift band would start up and people would cluster round. And then suddenly they’d get up and lead this big procession round the village and then down this little country lane towards the castle. Obviously loads of them were carrying cans but it was all really peaceful.”

Meanwhile the Irish tabloids had been doing their best to whip up a controversy, fearing for those good catholic Irish girls who might be induced to bare their breasts for the video cameras, following a growing American tradition that provided pre-show entertainment for the crowd on the giant screens as well as the band watching backstage.

A police chief was quoted as saying that they would be monitoring the situation closely. Of course. In fact there were over 800 policeman being drafted in for breast patrol and other more mundane tasks. Sadly they would see more hairy arses than tits as the crowd amused themselves by building human pyramids in front of the stage with the guy at the top getting the chance for a quick moon before the whole edifice collapsed.

The band arrived at the site by helicopter although Axl’s helicopter had still not left Dublin as showtime approached. Still, the rest of the band could console themselves with the crate of 40-year-old Irish whisky and barrel of Guinness that had been sent by U2 who were currently touring Europe with their Zooropa show.

Just over an hour late, the pent-up energy exploded on both sides of the stage as the band ripped into Nightrain and Mr Brownstone as Axl, clad in tight back shorts and a black jacket with emerald trimmings, raced from side to side of the 160ft-wide stage like a man possessed while Slash, wearing an emerald green shirt, Gilby and Duff checked out the various ramps and walkways around and above Matt’s drumkit.

Maybe the unusual experience of playing in daylight was having a benign effect on them (“Playing in sunshine – it’s a new concept,” remarked Axl); there was definitely a relaxed feel to the show. Axl attempted to make some Irish heritage connections on behalf of the band – “We have a McKagan in the band, in case you hadn’t noticed, and I’m half Irish myself, but you can’t tell, right?”

Later on after Duff had taken over his microphone for a version of the Misfits classic, Attitude , he unravelled a new microphone cover and rolled it on. “Much as I love Duff I would never share a condom with him,” he joked.

But the GN’R attitude was never far below the surface. “Here’s a nice pretty song,” said Axl after an impassioned performance of Don’t Cry . “It’s dedicated to all those who can’t keep their mouths out of your fucking business. Misery likes company so if you know someone like that, call them up and tell them from me that they are DOUBLE TALKIN’ JIVE MOTHERFUCKERS!” Cue the song.

Later on, in a rare moment of irony, Axl stamped his foot repeatedly, petulantly yelling “Gimme piano!” until it became apparent that he was standing on top of the instrument as it rose up from below the stage. He then proceeded to give a short recital, breaking into Black Sabbath’s It’s Alright as Duff sat on the edge of the stage, pummelling his bass with his fists until the song transformed itself into November Rain .

Not to be outdone, Slash topped and tailed Civil War with a blast of Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child (Slight Return) , allowing Axl the chance to nip down to a tiny dressing room below the drum riser and change into another pair of cycling shorts and jacket. Later on Slash turned the Theme From The Godfather into a solo tour de force as part of an instrumental jam that included a drum solo and, on a good night, a bass solo.

A couple of songs had fixed positions in the set: Mr Brownstone was invariably the second number and Knockin’ On Heavens Door routinely closed the show before the encores which always finished with Paradise City . But you never knew when the others would crop up. This was tough on the road crew who had giant inflatable beasts to blow up for Welcome To The Jungle and fireworks to let off during Live And Let Die . And the brass section would hang around under the stage on permanent stand-by, never knowing if they’d be needed for the next song.

At Slane Castle the band responded to U2’s liquid gift by playing a bit of One as the intro to Sweet Child O’ Mine . As Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door reached its peak Duff was so excited he leapt into the crowd and nearly knocked himself out with his radio pack as he tried to clamber back. As the last strains of Paradise City echoed across the Boyne valley Slash thanked the crowd for “making us so welcome. You’ve been fucking great.”

The band spent another couple of convivial days in Dublin, relaxing in the bars and clubs and watching the girls dressed up in their ball gowns going to the Trinity Ball. Slash in particular was enjoying himself. “I can always tell a drinking town when the people in the bar get drunk before I do,” he told reporters when they finally headed off to the next leg of the tour in Czechoslovakia.

Prague was a sobering contrast. The country was still emerging from 50 years of communist rule and its status as a stag weekend capital was many years away. At the ageing Strahov Stadium the road crew found the stage was only half built and were immediately called upon to put their motto – “make it happen” – into practice.

The Czech media were less interested in the sex and drugs and rock’n’roll than the high cost of tickets – around £15, way above the means of most kids. No wonder there was a market for cut-price forgeries although it was a bit stupid of the forger to advertise his wares on a university noticeboard complete with a phone number.

Meanwhile the hotel booked for the band had cancelled the reservation on discovering their identity. They were forced to relocate to a tourist hotel on the edge of town where such basic amenities as room service and a telephone switchboard were deemed surplus to requirements.

“Fortunately there was a newly opened McDonalds in town which was a lifeline, otherwise the band would have gone crazy,” a crew member recalls. “There was virtually a shuttle service operating.”

And it wasn’t just McD’s that was keeping the band busy. “A couple of the Guns N’ Roses guys found this strip club,” another source reveals. “They were absolutely fascinated by it because the strippers still had pubic hair.”

In the event the show drew a respectable 30,000 crowd. The band opened with It’s So Easy and Axl told the audience, “Some people talk about how hedonistic we are. Well, sometimes we just write songs about how really fucked up we are.”

Slash however got closer to the mark: “I guess you guys don’t know much English so I’ll just say fucking Hi!” Quite what Matt had done to be introduced as “a man made out of all the thick stuff in the bottom of your toilet” was never explained.

In Hungary there was a Hilton Hotel waiting for the band. Unfortunately they arrived at Budapest Airport just 20 minutes before they were due to play, having been held up at Prague Airport for four hours by a bomb scare. A police escort whisked the band’s motorcade to the Nep Stadium where 70,000 fans were waiting.

“It was kinda weird to finish our set and then be told that the headline band wasn’t even in the country,” Mr X tells us. “Still, it was something we’d get used to.”

Scarcely had Guns N’ Roses started their show before they had to compete with a massive thunderstorm that drenched first the crowd and then the band as water poured through the roof of the stage. As roadies frantically wiped the stage with towels between songs Axl remarked, “We’re going to be sponsoring a car wash. And we’ll all be topless.” The only dry place on stage was by Dizzy Reed’s keyboards and Axl called Duff and Gilby “pussies” for trying to take shelter there. Dizzy meanwhile tried to show solidarity with the others by pouring a bottle of beer over his head.

Midway through the show the crowd got an unexpected treat. “This is a song that Freddie Mercury asked us to sing to you,” Axl announced. “He couldn’t be here tonight, he had other plans, so we tried to learn it in the dressing room tonight.” He and Slash then played a Hungarian folk song, Tavasziszel (easier to sing than pronounce) that Queen had performed when they came to Budapest in 1985. As the crowd joined in Axl tossed the microphone at them and let them take over.

Back in the Western European comfort zone in Vienna, Axl was in playful form. “This is kinda tongue in cheek,” he mused, introducing Live And Let Die . “I wonder if Hitler ever sang this song to himself when he was a kid.” Always a bit of a risk, reminding the Viennese of their most infamous son, but he got away with it.

Vienna was where Guns N’ Roses and U2’s paths crossed on their respective European tours. U2 came to the GN’R show and afterwards Axl and Bono spent over an hour locked in conversation in a private backstage area. “They were sharing this private jet that was ferrying each of the bands around from place to place,” recalls a journalist who managed to get backstage.

“There was definitely a bit of a mutual admiration society going on. Both bands were trying to challenge the whole idea of stadium rock. Most bands tend to behave like rock gods when they play stadiums – and with all those adoring masses in front of them it’s not hard to see why. But Axl and Bono were both trying to turn the whole stadium rock rock thing back on the audience, trying to show in their own different ways why it didn’t have to be like that. That’s what they had in common.”

When U2 played the same venue the following night Bono brought out Axl to sing an acoustic version of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door with him, adding, “This song could be written for him”.

Back in town, Slash and Gilby were so outraged at being charged $300 for a bottle of champagne in a strip club they forgot to notice the state of the strippers’ pubes.

The next part of the tour was focussed on Germany. “The mood seemed to get a little darker at this point,” admits one of the GN’R entourage. “We got to Berlin and when we arrived at the Olympic Stadium where we were playing we could feel the bad vibes there. They were coming out of the walls of the place. Everyone felt it, even the bands. And then we discovered it was the place where [American black athlete] Jesse Owens had won the 100 metres back in 1936 and Hitler had stormed out in disgust.”

Axl caught the mood too. When someone threw a bottle on stage during Civil War , suddenly the spectre of those riotous American shows (and no shows) returned. “Fucking Asshole,” screamed Axl. “We can stop the show you know. It’s no problem. Fucking asshole.” He made to walk off but the band kept playing. Eventually he started singing again and calmed down with the aid of a cigarette and a rose that he wrapped around the microphone. At the end he even managed to incorporate a few lines from Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall into Paradise City .

At Stuttgart there was another incident that typified the Guns N’ Roses attitude. “I standing in the production office and at this point it’s not even an hour late so no one’s panicking,” divulges a source. “Somebody’s asking the sound guy out front what the NWA track he played just before the show a week or so ago was because Axl wants to hear it again. The sound guy says he hasn’t got it with him so what else would Axl like to hear?

“Next thing, there’s a car being organised to go back to the hotel and search the sound guy’s room for the NWA CD. So that takes another hour. But the amazing thing is that the song they played just before the band came on was Sid Vicious’ My Way . I don’t know whether they couldn’t find the CD or whether Axl changed his mind again.”

The tour was heading towards Paris where the show was going to be broadcast live on the American HBO channel. “This meant the show was going to have to start on time because there was no way an HBO audience was going to sit and stare at an empty stage for an hour or so,” another of FNM’s crew told us.

In Paris a day had been set aside to rehearse at the Hippodrome De Vincennes with the special guests who’d come in the bolster the HBO show, people like Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from Aerosmith, Lenny Kravtiz and Jeff Beck.

“I’m a huge Jeff Beck fan so I went down to have a look,” says a member of GNR’s crew. “And I watched Slash, Joe Perry and Jeff Beck jamming away on Train Kept A’ Rolling for nearly half an hour. Can you imagine? That for me was the musical highlight of the whole tour. But the next morning Jeff Beck has gone back to England, complaining of tinnitus.”

As well as Lenny, Joe and Steven, Slash’s girlfriend had also showed up so he was feeling good, but Axl’s girlfriend, model Stephanie Seymour, had not and he had not been sleeping well. In fact he had not been sleeping at all.

To the relief of everyone at HBO the show started on time, Lenny Kravtiz came out to play Mama Said and all went well until Axl, who was wearing his Nobody Knows I’m A Lesbian T-shirt, dedicated Double Talking Jive to Warren Beatty, “a man whose life is so empty he has to fuck around with other people minds and play fucking games.” The fact that Beatty was Stephanie’s previous boyfriend might have had something to do with it.

The rant seemed to clear Axl’s head and apart from describing November Rain as “a song about unrequited love” (Stephanie had of course been in the video) there were no more difficult moments for HBO – apart from the swearing which they’d presumably been warned about. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were saved for the encores and everyone – even Axl – joined in a storming versions of Mama Kin and Train Kept A’ Rolling .

Two free days in Paris before the next show in Manchester should have been enough to clear Axl’s sleepless head but instead things got worse. “I was told that Axl went to see his favourite statue, the Winged Victory, which is in the Louvre,” recalls Mr X. “But he didn’t disguise himself or anything so he ended up getting pestered by all these people.

“And then he agrees to go on a boat trip down the river Seine but on the way to the boat he nods off for a minute or so which is the worst thing that can happen when you haven’t slept for days. After about ten minutes on the boat he wants to get off but there’s nowhere for the boat to pull in. So he’s on the boat for another half hour before he can get off. And by then he’s real mad!”

The Manchester show was postponed the night before it was due to take place. Instead the band flew to London for their third appearance at Wembley Stadium within ten months, and the hottest yet in terms of performance and weather. Three thousand people were treated for heat exhaustion during the course of a very long day.

This time they repaid the favour to Queen, bringing Brian May on for the encores and playing Tie Your Mother Down and We Will Rock You . Earlier in the show they had also played Sail Away Sweet Sister (a May song from The Game ) as an intro for Sweet Child O’ Mine , something they had been doing regularly on the tour.

The next day’s rescheduled Manchester show started nearly two hours late after the band took their time getting there but Gateshead a couple of days later was a lot livelier. After both shows the band flew back to the Conrad Hotel in London’s Chelsea Basin where they ended up staying for ten days.

“It was a real rock’n’roll hotel at that point,” an insider says. “There’s INXS hanging out in the bar with Slash and Duff and Dizzy and Matt and Duff’s planning to go into a studio nearby to do some stuff for his solo album. Axl is nowhere to be seen, obviously, but everyone’s laughing because apparently he’d demanded to be flown by helicopter to the Wembley show but there was nowhere for him to land there and the helicopter ended up dropping him off further away than when he’d started.

“Prince was also staying at the hotel because he was playing concerts at Earls Court nearby, and the hotel staff were saying they’d had to remove every piece of furniture from his suite and he’d had his own bed and everything – even the sheets – flown in from America. They’d also had to black out all the windows so that he wouldn’t see daylight and then he’d demanded that they open up the hair salon for him at two in the morning.”

The Guns N’ Roses tour resumed in Germany and it was a chance for Heathrow Airport customs officials to single out Axl’s luggage for the third degree for the second time in a month. He was so cross he made a statement: “To be singled out by someone who just wants to score a few points and have a story to tell his friends over a beer is really out of order,” he complained.

Their show at Wurzburg was accompanied by the full Wagnerian backdrop of thunder and lightning and the steam rising from the crowd made it hard for those at the back to see the stage. After the next day’s show in Basle, Switzerland, Duff developed flu symptoms and Axl had a sore throat. Copious medication got them both through the next show in Rotterdam, Holland, which started over two hours late. The authorities decided to abandon the curfew after Axl told the crowd, “You have a right to a complete show. You paid for it. If they cut the power, be my guests, do what you want.”

Afterwards Duff was officially declared ill and the following night’s show in Gent, Belgium, was cancelled. The band moved on to Milan, Italy, where Axl’s recovery was aided by the arrival of Stephanie Seymour. Meanwhile Slash and Gilby made a brief extra-curricular trip to Munich to take part in the filming of Michael Jackson’s video for Give In To Me .

After a rousing show in Turin the band and close entourage took a two-day break on a luxury cruiser in the Mediterranean before heading across to Seville in Spain where they could bask in a culture that didn’t bother with words like curfew. This turned out to be the last gig of the tour when the Madrid stadium they were due to play was suddenly closed by the authorities when the concrete structure was found to be at risk from aluminosis.

“By the end of the tour we were spending more time hanging around than working,” confides Mr X. “Faith No More were getting pissed at some of Axl’s antics which they thought were unprofessional.

“But that fact was that whatever it took to get the guy on stage, when he got there it was just mesmerising. You couldn’t take your eyes off him. I’ve never seen any band produce that kind of spontaneous excitement in a stadium before or since.”

Faith No More continued to support Guns N’ Roses on their American stadium tour with Metallica which started later in July although the scheduled was repeatedly interrupted by damage to Axl’s vocals cords and burns to James Hetfield’s arm.

In November Guns N’ Roses headed down to South America for a tour that was buffeted by torrential rain, collapsing stages and a military coup in Venezuela which started just as the band went on stage in a massive parking lot (nobody had been able to find a suitable venue). The band managed to get out but their equipment and half the road crew was left stranded at the airport.

Even Axl couldn’t compete with that.

This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #92 .

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Inside Guns N’ Roses’ History-Making ‘Use Your Illusion’ Albums

By Kory Grow

In April 1990, the classic lineup of Guns N’ Roses played its final show. The occasion was the nationally televised Farm Aid concert, a disastrous set that included, among several bizarre highlights, Steven Adler drunkenly belly-flopping in the general direction of his drum set only to miss by four feet, and Axl Rose ending the live broadcast with a climactic “Good fuckin’ night.” It was the mark of a band breaking apart.

Amazingly, though, the imploding GN’R were in the midst of an artistic surge. One of the songs played at Farm Aid (in a version hampered by Adler’s inability to learn it) was “Civil War,” a sweeping epic that would eventually open the second disc of the massive 30-song, two-and-a-half-hour opus they were hard at work on throughout 1990 and ’91. Slash would later liken Use Your Illusion I and II to the Beatles’ White Album (though “maybe not as good”), a titanic mix of gritty ragers, passionate rock-opera ballads and decadent screeds – from the failed-relationship triptych of “Don’t Cry,” “November Rain” and “Estranged” to the rock-critic indictment “Get in the Ring” to the misogynistic double-header of “Bad Obsession” and “Back Off Bitch.” “Thirty-five of the most self-indulgent Guns N’ Roses songs,” Slash said. “For most bands, it would take four to six years to come up with this much stuff.” Like the White Album , it was brilliance created amid collapse.

The band began seriously considering a follow-up to Appetite for Destruction in the summer of 1989, during a fruitful writing session that took place in Chicago. Izzy Stradlin , who had recently sobered up and often traveled separately from his bandmates, was especially productive. “Izzy has brought in eight songs – at least,” Rose said in 1990. “Slash has brought in a whole album. I’ve brought in an album. Duff [McKagan] knows everybody’s material backwards. So we’ve got, like, 35 songs we like, and we want to put them all out, and we’re determined to do that.” Discussing his newfound sobriety, Stradlin reflected, “I just reached a point where I said, ‘I’m gonna kill myself. Why die for this shit?’ ”

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The Chicago meeting spawned, among other songs, “Estranged” (about Rose’s divorce from Erin Everly, daughter of rock & roller Don Everly), the rocker “Bad Apples” and the bondage jaunt “Pretty Tied Up.” While there, they also fleshed out “Get in the Ring,” the frustration anthem “Dead Horse,” McKagan’s tribute to deceased New York Doll Johnny Thunders “So Fine” and the doomy, 10-minute headbanger “Coma,” notable for Rose’s most dramatic and literal lyric in the GN’R catalogue: “Pleeease understaaand me.”

GN’R began recording in earnest in January 1990, a little over a year after the release of Lies , with an attempt at capturing “Civil War,” a tune they’d sketched out in 1988 and later donated to a compilation benefiting Romanian orphans. Immediately, Adler’s drug problem became an insurmountable obstacle. Addicted to heroin, he began nodding off at his kit. “I said to Slash, ‘Dude, I’m so sick that I can’t do it right now,'” the drummer once recalled. “And he said, ‘We can’t waste the money. We got to do it now.’ ”

After consulting with lawyers, the bandmates put Adler on probation, and within a matter of months, they’d kicked him out altogether. “He was so messed up he couldn’t pull off the drum tracks,” Slash said. “And he would lie to us [about getting clean]. We’d go over to his place and find drugs behind the toilet, under the sink.”

Nevertheless, the band pushed forward. It solved the drummer problem by recruiting Matt Sorum , of hard rockers the Cult –  a band whose affinity for Stones-y riffing and trippy lyrics put them in the same league as GN’R at the time . “He was fucking amazing,” Slash wrote in his autobiography, recalling a Cult show he attended in April 1990.

Around the same time, Rose brought in keyboardist Dizzy Reed. Reed had known the group since its earliest days, when a band he was in practiced in a space next to GN’R’s studio. In early 1990, he called Rose in a panic. Reed, who’d previously auditioned for GN’R, told the singer he’d soon be homeless; Rose offered him a job. “They fucking saved my life,” Reed said. Reed would become the only musician other than Rose to stay in the band in the years leading up to its current reunion.

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With the new lineup in place, work continued more smoothly. The first tune they recorded with Sorum was a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” for the soundtrack to the 1990 Tom Cruise racing movie, Days of Thunder . “We would get to the studio at noon,” Sorum recalls. “We were serious about the work ethic. We’d cut a song and then take a break at one of our favorite bars for a drink or two and then cut another track or two. We never did a lot of takes of a song. We’d get it in two to three takes.” They also recorded a number of covers during the sessions, some of which showed up on “The Spaghetti Incident?” ; among them was a version of Wings’ James Bond anthem “Live and Let Die,” which Rose once called “Welcome to the Jungle 2.”

Digging deep into their history, Guns revived several holdovers from the Appetite for Destruction days, and earlier. Even though Slash would later say the bass-thwacking rocker “You Could Be Mine” was too reminiscent of Appetite to fit the mood of the Illusion albums, it would eventually appear in the 1991 movie Terminator 2 and be released as a single. There was also the punky, two-and-a-half-minute “Perfect Crime,” which Stradlin had brought to their first-ever preproduction session.

Then there were Rose’s ballads, ostensibly kept off Appetite so as not to soften Guns N’ Roses’ image. Rose once claimed that “Don’t Cry” was the first song he’d written for the band. “It was [about] a girl that Izzy had gone out with,” Rose said, “and I was really attracted to her, and they split up. I was sitting outside the Roxy, and I was really in love with this person and she was realizing this wasn’t gonna work – she wanted to do other things, and she was telling me goodbye and I sat down and just started crying, and she was telling me, ‘Don’t cry.’ The next night, we got together and wrote the song in five minutes.”

The band ultimately put different versions of “Don’t Cry” on each of the Use Your Illusion discs, an “original lyrics” version on the first volume, retelling Rose’s story, and an “alternate lyrics” take done impromptu in the studio, in which the breakup is dealt with more forcefully. “I prefer the new version because the original is kind of like a nostalgia piece for me,” Rose later recalled.

Another song Rose had been holding onto since at least 1986 was “November Rain.” In 1988, he effusively told Rolling Stone about how proud he was of the track, threatening, “If it’s not recorded right, I’ll quit the business.” The singer would later explain that “November Rain” was “about not wanting to be in a state of having to deal with unrequited love.” In the years leading up to the Illusion sessions, they’d demo’ed it with guitar and solo piano – one version was 18 minutes long – but the song didn’t come into its own until Rose workshopped it in the studio, carefully creating tones to replicate a full symphony on his keyboards.

“We listened to Elton John for inspiration for the drum fills and overall tone,” Sorum says. “I vividly remember sitting with Axl listening to [John’s] ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’ and Axl pointing out the style of the tom fills.”

For the spoken-word sections of the uptempo rocker “The Garden,” Guns N’ Roses turned to an old friend. Shock rocker Alice Cooper had taken the band out on his Nightmare Returns Tour in 1986, and Rose, Slash and Stradlin accompanied him on a 1988 re-recording of his hit “Under My Wheels.” A couple of years later, Cooper got a call from Rose at two in the morning.

“I’m used to doing things in an hour,” Cooper says. “I know Axl likes to take his time, but if you can’t get a vocal like that in an hour, there’s something wrong. So I told him upfront, ‘I have a tee-off time tomorrow at seven. We’re doing this in about an hour.’ I did it in two takes. I don’t know how long it took him to do all of his takes, but it ended up sounding really, really good.”

In an omen of the darkness surrounding the band, police discovered a dismembered arm and head in the dumpster behind the studio where GN’R were recording. Stradlin would reference the incident in the sinewy “Double Talkin’ Jive.” “Izzy had gone back to Indiana, and when the police found the body parts, he flew back out and sang the opening line and the final vocal,” Sorum recalls.

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Violence seemed to follow Guns N’ Roses out of the studio, too, as they toured while still working on the records. Rose’s wife Erin divorced him in the middle of recording Use Your Illusion , accusing him of assault, and the band toured frequently between sessions, occasionally inciting riots by walking offstage as Rose had done in St. Louis after a fight with a fan. “We all gathered in the dressing room … we’d open a door and there was yelling, we’d open another and see people on stretchers, cops with blood all over them, gurneys everywhere and pandemonium,” Slash recalled.

“After we left the stage, the crowd turned into an angry mob,” Sorum recalls. “Our crew was defending our gear through flying chairs and debris as riot squads arrived with tear gas. We tried to go back onstage but ended up in a van and drove to Chicago, still in our stage clothes, not really sure of the outcome of what had transpired. It was a ride I’ll never forget. Only when I turned on the news the following day to see the damage and destruction did I realize what had happened and the frenzy that had injured many of our fans.” 

When they were released in September 1991 – a week before Nirvana’s game-changing LP Nevermind – the Use Your Illusion albums were immediate hits, selling more than 14 million copies combined. “There’s a ton of material we want to get out, and the problem is, how does one release all of it?” Slash said of the unusual twin-disc offering. “You don’t make some kid go out and buy a record for $70 if it’s your second record.”

The gambit made history: No other artist had put out two records on the same day and claimed the top two spots on the Billboard album chart before. “We poured everything into those albums,” Sorum says of their creation. “The music was all that mattered.”

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Watch Slash Perform 'Use Your Illusion' Deep Cut For The First Time Ever

By Katrina Nattress

January 26, 2024

Slash recently performed "Don't Damn Me" live for the first time ever, and oddly enough, it wasn't even during a Guns N' Roses show. The guitarist gave the Use Your Illusion deep cut its live debut during a Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators concert.

Slash explained why GNR's never played the song live in a 2014 interview when asked if he'd ever play it with Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators. "There’s just too many words," he admitted at the time. "You know, it’s a cool song and everything. I think even [with] Axl [Rose], we never did it because it was just too many words without a breath, and it just makes it really impossible to do it live."

Slash will be on tour with Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators for the next few months, playing across South America, Australia, Asia, and Europe. See a full list of tour dates here and watch fan-shot footage of the performance below.

Last month, GN'R shared a  previously unreleased song called "The General"  that was recorded during their  Chinese Democracy  sessions. It's the b-side to  their single "Perhaps,"  which was released in August and was also written while they were making that album 16 years ago.

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Guns N’ Roses at Slane 1992: Appetite for self-destruction

Twenty-five years ago, while on the brink of falling apart, the rock band came to ireland.

Slash performing at a tribute concert to Freddie Mercury at Wembley Stadium, London, on April 20th, 1992. Photograph: Mick Hutson/Redferns

Twenty-five years ago, Guns N’ Roses were the biggest band in the world. The musicians – waifs and strays who had emerged from the scuzzy Los Angeles hard rock scene – had conquered the planet musically in the previous five years.

But by 1992 they were falling apart.

Their brilliant debut album Appetite for Destruction , released in 1987, took a year to reach the top of the Billboard 200, propelled there by the constant rotation on MTV of the videos for Paradise City and Sweet Child O' Mine . It would go on to become the bestselling debut album of all time.

The follow-up double album, Use Your Illusion I and II , released in September 1991, was a protracted affair far removed from their incendiary debut. It was "ridiculously self-indulgent", confessed lead guitarist Slash many years later, the sound of a band trying too hard to recreate the sound and sense of desperation which had made them special.

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Nevertheless, it sold millions of records, at a time when sales were still measured in hard sales.

Guns N’ Roses arriving at Dublin Airport on May 14th, 1992, for their Slane Castle gig. Photograph: Independent News and Media/Getty Images

In May 1992, Guns N’ Roses arrived in Ireland at the start of their European tour on Saturday 16th. They came trailing a reputation for unpredictability. The “most dangerous band in the world” tag was not just record company hype.

Crushed to death

At Donington Park in Britain in 1988, two fans had been crushed to death during the band’s set; in 1991 singer Axl Rose had stopped a show in St Louis when he had discovered a fan was filming the show. Fans had wrecked the venue; Rose had been charged with inciting the riot.

A year later fans had trashed an arena in Montreal, after Rose again stormed off stage.

Trouble followed Guns N’ Roses wherever they went. Rose’s habitual lateness for every concert tried the patience of fans, and the band racked up huge fines from promoters. When they did go on stage, the ever combustible Rose was capable of anything. They were unpredictable and exhilarating and almost constantly drunk, stoned or both.

At Wembley, a month before they arrived in Ireland, bass player Duff McKagan was so drunk during a tribute concert to the late Freddie Mercury, who had died the previous year, that he had to be carried on to the stage by Elton John.

The concert at Slane had personal resonances for McKagan. His maternal grandfather Jon Harrington was from Co Cork. McKagan was the first of his eight siblings to visit Ireland.

A reception committee of his Irish relatives was on hand, 100 people who hosted a barbecue in his honour. It was preceded by a pub crawl in which his cousins tried to match the man whose gargantuan appetite for booze had earned him the moniker “Duff, the king of beers”.

McKagan knew he was in trouble when he realised he could drink more than his Irish relatives.

"I was around a bunch of Irish relatives who were drinking a ton and then this old gal, a relative, grabbed me by the cheeks and said 'you're drinking too much'," Duff told The Irish Times six years ago.

“I looked around. All these f***ers were drinking. I drink too much compared to these folks? Really?”

Half a gallon

Duff was drinking a half a gallon of vodka a day; at that stage Slash too was drinking heavily and ingesting vast quantities of cocaine, heroin and crack.

Slash's verdict on Slane? He told Hot Press years later: "I remember the place, but not the performance, which is indicative of how blurred my life had become."

The culture of excess extended to every aspect of this now-infamous tour. The band didn’t even have suitcases until their record company Geffen bought them some with their first advance.

In a few short years they had gone from travelling in a transit van to a custom-fitted Boeing 727 borrowed for this tour from the MGM casino in Las Vegas. Slash and McKagan began by smoking crack in the toilet before it had even left the ground in Los Angeles.

As they watched the smoke curl up an air vent, McKagan recalled saying to himself: “Of course we can smoke on here, it’s our plane.”

Gilby Clarke and Slash of Guns N’ Roses onstage at Slane Castle on Saturday, May 16th, 1992. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

By the time of the Use Your Illusion tour, two original members of the band, guitarist Izzy Stradlin and drummer Steven Adler, were no longer with Gun N’ Roses. Adler had been fired in 1990 over heroin addiction (being sacked for excessive consumption was a singular feat within the band). After attaining sobriety, Stradlin had left in 1991, later saying he was sick of the band’s antics.

Guns N’ Roses now had a horn section, a keyboard player and backing singers, as Rose pursued his vision of turning Guns N’ Roses into a hard-rock version of Elton John.

In the music industry at that time, live tours were staged in order to sell albums (now it’s the other way around), and for a band as big as Guns N’ Roses money was no object.

Every night the band hosted themed parties: based on Roman baths, a Mexican fiesta and horror films. Even the band, incorrigible partygoers that they were, grew bored by them.

Hired yachts

They booked out restaurants and hired yachts. They went snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef and booked out a bowling alley in London.

Occasionally, Slash would ask himself who was footing the bill, but would think twice lest he disturb the already-delicate atmosphere.

The answer was that he and the other witless band members were paying for it themselves. Despite playing to seven million people over two and a half years, the tour barely broke even.

McKagan was so shocked by the profligacy that when he got sober later after a near-death experience, he went to business school and founded a wealth management firm.

At Slane, Guns N’ Roses were supported by My Little Funhouse and Faith No More. Slash, Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum arrived early by helicopter and went fishing in the River Boyne behind the stage.

Rose was still in his hotel room in the Conrad Hotel in central Dublin. There was nothing unusual about this. At that stage his semi-detached relationship with the rest of the band was entrenched.

Time ticked on. The restive audience started making human pyramids, the top body mooning to an appreciative audience. Compared with the atmosphere of menace in other venues – one German promoter locked the band into the arena fearing a riot – it was all very good-humoured.

But Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles was worried. The band were supposed to be on stage. Where was Axl Rose? Slash didn't know and pointed Mountcharles in the direction of the band's manager Doug Goldstein, who was blithely fishing in the Boyne.

Rose was still in his hotel room in Dublin when he was supposed to have been on stage. (At least he could be found. In Stockholm he had been spotted watching a fireworks display as the band searched frantically for him.)

He was taken by helicopter from Dublin to Slane. Eventually the band went on stage two hours after the appointed time without an apology. It was growing cold by then.

Denis Desmond of MCD was the promoter – and is again for this year’s Slane concert. He admits there was a “a couple of anxious moments” in 1992. “Those were the days before mobile phones. We had to find a pay phone to call the hotel reception.”

Rose was taken from the hotel by limousine to Dublin Airport, and to Slane by Sikorsky helicopter. He did turn up late, but not the often reported two hours late, says Desmond.

“Believe me, he’s been later,” says Desmond, referring to a 2010 concert in the O2 venue, which ended in farce after Axl Rose stormed off stage.

Was it worth the wait in 1992? “When they went on stage, they really turned it on,” said Henry Mountcharles, recalling the gig this year.

Axl Rose on stage with Guns N’ Roses at Slane Castle on Saturday, May 16th, 1992. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh

Reviewing the concert in The Irish Times the next day, critic Dave Fanning was a little less complimentary.

“Guns N’ Roses gave everything they had but the problem is that with only two or three albums on release they don’t really have a lot. They’re just a very famous hard rock band who have five or six fine songs.”

Ironically, given what we know now, he wrote that Axl Rose had “worked the stage like a true professional”, but said that a long drum solo had been “ludicrous” and that Guns N’ Roses would “have to do better to make it on musical merits”.

And the cracks were evident. Presciently, Fanning mused that the band were “in danger of becoming just another hard-noise outfit on Rock’s lost highway . . . 1992 may be seen in years to come as a period of transition for Guns N’ Roses.”

Incendiary brilliance

If you want to make up your own mind about the gig, there is a shaky but watchable video is on YouTube . Surprisingly, in the days before smartphones, somebody filmed the whole concert.

Guns N’ Roses had blown all the lipstick-pouting, spandex-wearing hair-metal bands away with their incendiary brilliance, but in 1993, they in turn flamed out. The original incarnation of the band quit and Guns N’ Roses faded away. Their brand of hard rock excess was replaced by the plaid-wearing, morose cheerlessness of grunge.

We may never see their likes again, but we thought the same thing in 1992, and now they are back. Some 80,000 tickets sold out within one day last December for the band’s return to Slane Castle this weekend.

Core members Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, and Dizzy Reed will take to the stage, alongside guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, and keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Fans are advised to get there early. Axl apparently turns up on time these days. “They’ve done 100 shows plus on this tour and have turned up on time every time,” says Denis Desmond.

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Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion Albums Retrospective

Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion I & II were released, on September 17, 1991 it was the first time a rock band released two albums the same day. Axl said he had never looked at Use Your Illusion as two separate albums. He had always looked at it as an entire package, because that fit perfectly for the 30 songs in a row.

Slash explained the band had been through so much emotional turmoil after the success of Appetite for Destruction, because they were a garage and that became celebrities, and the albums reflect that. According to his autobiography, while the albums were being recorded, Axl Rose had started to communicate with the other band members through management. In 2011, Slash told Music Radar the only problem at the time was the introduction of synthesizers, because he disagreed with that, but he was still doing okay with Axl.

Guns N’ Roses Use Your Illusion Songwriting

Several songs included in Use Your Illusion I & II had been written long before the release of the albums. Axl said the ballads were the most difficult songs to write, and this kind of “beautiful music” is what really made him feel like an artist. He also explained they wanted to save those ballads, because they wanted to wait until they had a bigger audience.

Axl said Don’t Cry was written in the mid ‘80s, even before they were Guns N’ Roses. It was performed for the first time in Slash’s and Steven’s first gig with the band, on June 6, 1985. Later, it was played a few times in 1986, 1987 and 1988, but became a regular in the setlist during the Use Your Illusion tour.

About November Rain , Slash recalled the first time he placed the song with Axl, the guitar melodies came through. Former guitar player Tracii Guns said Axl had already been working on November Rain on 1983. Two versions of the song were recorded before 1986, along with Don’t Cry, Back off Bitch and Bad Obsession.

Guns N’ Roses lost Steven Adler before the albums

Guns N’ Roses had already been working on Don’t Damn Me, Locomotive, Garden of Eden, Dust N’ Bones and Civil War in late 1989, while Steven Adler was still in the band. This last song was performed for the first time in the last show Adler did with Guns N’ Roses. It’s also the only song he recorded in Use Your Illusion.

Steven said he had to play Civil War around 25 times times until it was useable, because he was feeling so weak. He said he had taken an opiate blocker and everyone knew he wasn’t ok, but Slash told him they didn’t want to wait another week to go into the studio to record.

Guns N’ Roses Coma Meaning Behind Song

About Coma, Slash said he wrote the guitar parts in his “heroin delirium”. Axl told it was heavy to write the lyrics to the song because he’d pass out many times. He also explained he had overdosed in the late ‘80s and he described that situation in the lyrics of ‘Coma’. He was fully concious that he was leaving, but he still thought he had many things to do, so he pulled himself out of that. Axl told some people may get wrong the meaning of the song because it’s tricky, but he was trying to show some hope.

Use Your Illusion I & II have actually shown how Guns N’ Roses grew as musicians since the release of Appetite for Destruction in 1987.  Instead of copying the successful formula of their debut album, they decided to make something different and it was worth it.

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Slash talks new music, making ‘Appetite for Destruction,’ Allman Brothers influence

S lash has always been a rock-and-roller with the soul of a bluesman. Four decades after “Appetite for Destruction,” the Guns N’ Roses guitar legend is wearing his soul on his sleeve.

His excellent new solo album “Orgy of the Damned” is a hot tight set of bluesy covers of artists like Muddy Waters, Albert King, Robert Johnson and Stevie Wonder.

Over live-in-the-studio badassery by Slash and his band, guest vocalists from AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson and Bad Company/Free icon Paul Rodgers to country superstar Chris Stapleton and pop powerhouse Demi Lovato howl at the moon. Mike Clink — the studio genius who helped make the classic “Appetite,” “GN’R Lies” and “Use Your Illusion” records — produced “Orgy of the Damned.”

During GN’R’s late ‘80s ascension, Slash’s bluesy feel is what set his guitar playing apart from the shred-happy hordes. No wonder. He’s loved the blues even longer than he’s been playing guitar. At an early age, Slash’s grandmother introduced him to the music of B.B. King, adding to the musical foundation Slash got from his parents’ The Who and Kinks records.

There are many great guitarists. What sets Slash apart, addition to his melodic sense, is he’s equally great at making one long note feel as blistering as shredding and making shredding soulful as one note. As the son of a white English album-cover artist and Black American stage costume designer, Slash grew up around creatives balancing complexity and simplicity in their work.

It’s easy to get into “Orgy of the Damned.” The music’s cool. The album title — a play on blues being “The Devil’s music” — is cool. The cover art — a sultry juke-joint tableau by Toni Greis — looks cool.

Famously fast-living back in the day, Slash has been clear-headed for many years now. “Orgy of the Damned” is surely one of the best party records ever made by a sober, certifiable rock god.

Besides an arthouse version of Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Awful Dream” with proto-punk Iggy Pop on the mic, the songs Slash covers here are mostly well-known classics. But Slash didn’t make this album for obscurities-obsessed musicologists. The world’s most recognizable living guitar hero made “Orgy of the Damned” to bring blues back to the masses.

This summer, Slash will be touring the “Orgy of the Damned” material on his new S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival . The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s taking out a rotating lineup of bluesy artists, including the likes of Warren Haynes, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram , Jackie Venson and Samantha Fish as openers.

The tour launches July 5 at Montana’s KettleHouse Amphitheater. Here in Alabama, S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival comes to Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater August 13 with Robert Randolph, Larkin Poe and ZZ Ward in tow.

For his headlining sets, Slash’s band is the same musicians who anchor “Orgy of the Damned”: keyboardist Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome, bassist Johnny Griparic, singer/guitarist Tash Neal. In the “Use Your Illusion” era, Andreadis was a touring musician with GN’R. Andreadis and Griparic were also members of Slash’s ‘90s live side-project Blues Ball, which covered some songs revisited on “Orgy of the Damned.”

On a recent afternoon, Slash and I connect on a video call. In conversation, he’s as articulate and heartfelt as his guitar-playing.

Checking in from his hometown of Los Angeles, shelves displaying dinosaur-related collectibles are visible on the wall behind Slash. He’s wearing mirrored aviators, black tee, necklaces and bracelets, and a backwards cap over his curly black locks.

The interview’s to promote Slash’s new solo album and tour, so in advance his publicist tells me no GN’R questions. But the band that made him famous, and with whom he’s been enjoying a highly successful reunion since 2016, comes up naturally in some of Slash’s responses to my questions. Edited excerpts below.

In addition to your headlining set, I was curious if, one, is there’s anything interesting you’re planning for the shows on this tour? Maybe some opening acts sitting-in with you and your band, or you popping-up during some opening sets to play a song. And two, anything cool about the tour’s stage design or production?

Slash: OK, so the jamming part is so wide-open. There’s nothing like, “Oh, we’re gonna do this, this and this,” specifically at this point, I just know there’s going to be a lot of it. And I’m also expecting in in different places, having guests from the record come up and singing. But it’s all very loose at this stage.

As far as the stage is concerned, nothing super complicated about the stage. It’s just, you know, there’ll be a big backdrop and all that kind of stuff, but no flash plots or anything — not that I know of, anyway. [Laughs]

Speaking of singers on the record, I always thought you and Chris Robinson from The Black Crowes would be a good fit. And I don’t know if you remember this, in like ‘90 in New York you sat in with The Crowes and played a Jimmy Reed song together …

Yeah, I do remember that — fuzzy, but I remember.

On the opening track on your new album “Orgy of the Damned,” Chris Robinson sings on the cover of “The Pusher” by Steppenwolf. Got a cool story about picking Chris for that track or recording with him?

Yeah, there’s a whole thing to that. Chris is one of my favorite singers, right, and he and I met way back when The Crowes first sort of came to L.A., and we hung out those guys then and we loved them and so on.

But we’ve known each other all these years. And I’ve jammed with [ Crowes guitarist] Rich [Robinson , Chris’ brother] before, and we, you know, have a relationship, but I hadn’t seen either of those guys in a really long time.

And when I was putting this record together, and I wanted to do “The Pusher” and I decided I’m gonna get different singers, Chris was the first person I thought of. And so I got in touch with him, and I told him about it, and he was like, “Oh yeah, man. Love that song.” I could tell he was genuinely inspired by the idea of doing it.

So I have a studio in L.A., a small little studio, and I made a date with him to come down and sing it. And he showed up, him and his girlfriend [now wife], and he brought his harp [blues-speak for “harmonica”], and he f---ing just belted it out.

He only did two takes and they were both sort of different approaches, and that was the first thing that he did. That’s what’s on the record. And he did it live with the harp, so there was no overdubs or any of that. So it was really cool, and then, he and I’ve been really close since then.

The reason it’s the first song on the record is because that was the best song to f---ing hit you in the face with. It’s not even a blues track, really, when you think about it. It’s more of an old school rock and roll song, but it was just the best way to open that record.

I like how your approach to making a blues record was the blues is amorphous and not confined to certain parameters, because I think that’s what the blues is. And besides getting excited about all the singers that guest on here, seeing Mike Clink’s name involved also got me excited. People who really know your career and really know rock and roll know he has helped make some magic. What is Mike Clink’s magic as a producer?

Well, OK, Mike — and this is all goes all the way back to when Guns N’ Roses first met him back in I guess 1986 or ‘87 — he is a producer, but he’s not an intrusive, overbearing producer. He doesn’t want to try and take his ideas, his style, and his whatever and put it on the band and make the band conform to that, like say Mutt Lange or somebody like that. He hears the band, and he knows how to capture the band’s high points, you know, and get that without having really to say much.

And then the other thing about Mike is that he is an amazing [audio recording] engineer. He was such a great engineer working with … I’m trying to think of the f---ing producer’s name that did like Heart and UFO — it will come to me. [That producer’s name is Ron Nevison.] So he really got great engineering chops.

So when Mike first recorded Guns N’ Roses, we’d recorded with a couple of different people at that point, trying to find a producer, he came in and we did a song called “Shadow of Your Love” with him. And he just captured what the band sounds like but made us sound like that much more professional just because of a good recording, and then just let us fly. And we loved him ever since that.

“Appetite for Destruction” has a lot of Mike Clink on it with you knowing that it’s Mike Clink — you know what I mean? It sounds like Guns N’ Roses, and Guns N’ Roses sounds great on that record, you know. That’s us playing but he really knew how to make it sound nice, like a good version of us, I guess.

And he knows how to get a f---ing guitar sound, too, which is dying art right now. It has been for a while. It’s been dying a slow death I’d say ever since the ‘90s.

But anyway, so with Mike, I did one solo record with him, but the reason I don’t record with him all the time is because there’s always that Guns N’ Roses with like any hard-rock thing that I would do, you know.

But in this context, I was like the guy who could really capture this particular outfit and get these sounds as honest and pure and raw as I want them and make them sound good, is Mike Clink. And he did exactly that.

We recorded all the music live in the studio and with a minimal amount of takes. I mean, we had a couple of weeks of rehearsal to get the arrangements together, went in the studio and just played. And he captured it. He knows exactly how he wants to get the drums exactly how he wants to mike the guitars and just lets us play and makes it sound good. [Laughs]

Yeah, Mike Clink makes raw sound aerodynamic …

It’s hard to put a word on it. It’s raw and it’s real, but at the same time it sounds really good. It sounds professional, but it still has the heart and soul to it, so it doesn’t sound produced too much.

One of my favorite moments on the album is the version of [T-Bone Walker song] “Stormy Monday.” You play this intro that’s kind of flamenco-flecked, maybe a little bit of [Led Zeppelin’s] “Since I’ve Been Loving You” in there, too. And then Beth Hart just destroys the vocals. There’s even a cool kind of modulation in the arrangement at the end. One, did you improvise that intro? And two, got a good story from cutting that one?

Yeah, let’s get into it. [Laughs] The whole recording of that song and the whole arrangement is interesting. The actual beginning I did twice because I had those [improvised notes] and then I heard a melody thing – I said, “I gotta go back and do this thing I heard.” So that took two takes.

But the actual song itself, when we first started doing it was based off of the Etta James live version, which I think is from the ‘60s. And when I talked to Beth about doing it, she goes, “Yeah, I’d love to do it. But what if we did it in a minor key?” And I went, “Oh … Well that would be a whole different trip, but it would be cool.”

So the band got together — she hadn’t come into the picture yet, physically come in [to the studio] — and we worked out a minor arrangement. And then while we were doing that Ted the keyboard player goes, “Well, how about if we modulate at the end back into the original major key?” And so I said, “Oh that’s a great idea.” So we worked all that out.

We did that in the 11th hour of pre-production, so we went into the studio to record the song. We didn’t really know it that well, yeah, right. And Beth is supposed to come down, so we go to rehearse it – we figure, we’ll rehearse a couple times and Beth can sing it.

She was [already] in the studio, and we didn’t even know. So we started to play, and she just started singing, and I didn’t know she was behind me, and I was like, “Oh, f--- …” It was really sort of like flying by the seat of our pants, everybody looking to make sure that the changes were right, and we have that modulation thing and all that. And then also to know where she is gonna go, because she sings sort of loose, and we didn’t know where she was going to land all the time.

And so it was really sort of like a very impromptu take – it was the only take we did. When she was done, she collapsed on the floor, she said what she had to say at the end [”Oh god, that was f---ing badass shit”], which we kept. She was done for the day. She’d put everything she had into that take and that was it.

And that’s why we kept the candid stuff at the end, so you could really sort of get an idea of what that whole energy was like. I didn’t know this until afterwards, she had just come back from Jeff Beck’s memorial, and she landed and came straight to the studio. So she was super emotional. [Hart and Beck had collaborated both on stage and studio.] And it was one of those almost lightning in a bottle of moments.

Well, you all captured it. I got hip to that song “Stormy Monday” back in the day from the Allman Brothers . [Allmans singer/guitarist] Dickey Betts recently passed , and I always heard an echo of the Allman Brothers’ melodic blues in your playing. Do you have any thoughts on Dickey and his passing?

All right, so Dickey was amazing. And it’s really sad that we lost him recently – it really hit home – but as a player, man, he was a f---ing monster.

The thing was the Allman Brothers had a big influence on me without me really knowing that I was influenced by the Allman Brothers, because I was like a hard-rock guy and that was sort of a Southern kind of thing. But the melodic sensibility of what those guys did stuck with me, and it really put a stamp on my playing without me even knowing it.

So now, when I listened to Dickey Betts, I hear me. I hear his playing on my stuff all the time. But it was all very, very what you call subconscious. I don’t think I ever sat down and physically learned any Dickey stuff, you know, or even Duane [Allman, the influential late Allman Brothers guitarist]. But that sound was so prominent that it just influenced me without me even really paying attention.

Now, I’m a huge Dickey Betts fan like in earnest, like I listen to his shit and I know everything note-for-note and I pay attention. But yeah, it was big.

Back to the upcoming tour, whenever I’ve seen your shows, back in the day with GN’R, then with Velvet Revolver and then back on the first solo tour with Myles [Kennedy, singer with Slash’s rock solo band, The Conspirators], you’ve always been set-up on stage-left. You, Joe Perry, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, a lot of guitar players I’m drawn to are on stage-left. Is it so you can see the snare better, since a lot of drummers are righthanded?

You know, it would make sense. Because the relationship to the drums is big for every guitar player that you just mentioned, including myself. [Laughs] So that would make total sense.

I think I ended up there just because all my favorite guitar players maybe were on that side — I don’t know why I ended up on that side. But it was definitely like, “Oh, I’m just naturally going to be on this side, and Izzy [Stradlin, classic-era GN’R rhythm guitarist] is gonna be over there [on stage-right].”

But I’m sure that all those guys before me, one of them started out with just paying attention to the drums, and that’s where it came from.

A blues album is something you’ve wanted to do for a while, and now that’s finally fit into your bandwidth and scheduling. Is there something else you’ve never gotten around to do in your career that you’ve always wanted to do?

There’s stuff, I mean, I can’t think of off the top of my head. Right now, I’m so in the moment, and with the blues thing it is exactly that, because it’s been sort of percolating in my mind. I’m in the midst of this still, because we’re about to do the tour, and I’m putting the songs together for the set and all that.

So I haven’t been thinking much beyond that. I’m working on some [film] scores stuff for a couple movie projects, which has been something that I’ve been slowly really getting into.

But other than that, I can’t say that I’ve got anything else — besides pedal steel, I’m working on that. [Slash makes his recorded debut on pedal steel guitar — a country music instrument also used by some rock by like Zeppelin’s Page and The Rolling Stones’ Ron Wood – on “Orgy of the Damned” closing track “Metal Chestnut,” an instrumental and the album’s lone original composition.]

That’s my obsession at the moment. And I don’t know what I’m gonna do with it, but I just love the instrument. I’m digging learning how to play [pedal steel] because it’s such a complex thing. You can do so many amazing things with it once you get a handle on it — getting a handle on it, that’s the hard part.

Two or three hours a day, at least, are dedicated to learning [to play pedal steel guitar]. And that came out of something that was in the back of my mind too. Like I always wanted to do it and finally broke down and went and bought a use one, and so that’s been going on for last couple of years, so there’s one thing.

Any surprises in your setlists for this tour? What are you going to play in addition to all the stuff on “Orgy of the Damned?”

There’s gonna be a lot of cool shit in the set, but I’m not going to tell you the names of songs and stuff. But the set, you know, there’s a lot of cool blues stuff that’s not on the record. The record will be on there. But we’ve got a full hour and 45 [minutes] or whatever it is to cover, so there’s a bunch of really cool blue stuff that covers a pretty wide gamut of artists, from Rory Gallagher to B.B. King in the set.

And then there’s also some more sort of R&B stuff, so it’s gonna be cool. Definitely some surprises, and I’m gonna bring the pedal steel. I’m not gonna name the song in case that particular song is not the one that we ended up doing – I’m pretty sure it is – but there’s a really cool slow blues that’s I’m gonna use the pedal steel for.

During your career, you’ve worked with a ton of great singers, including on this record. But I’ve always wondered if anybody, whether it was like a producer or management or colleague, tried to talk you into or suggest maybe you should sing as well as play guitar, a la Jimi Hendrix?

OK, when I was in high school and just after high school, I had a hard time finding singers. Trying to find somebody who really can genuinely sing rock and roll is … it’s not easy.

And so I got frustrated at one point and started singing myself. And so I can sing. I have a what you call a very sort of gruff rock and roll voice, you know, but I can sing in key, so it works. But it’s not my personality. It freaks me out to look anybody in the eye even if I’m playing guitar — you know, you hide behind the guitar.

So for me, to write a lyric, which a lyric has to have some emotional content in it, and then you communicate that to an audience to sing your song, f---k, I can’t even approach that wholeheartedly. I’m way too introverted to do it. [Laughs] So it’s come up a few times in passing, you know, but it’s not something that I can imagine doing.

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“Slash says, ‘You got the gig. Learn the whole catalog.’ I was like, ‘Don’t you have a set of songs?’ Slash goes, ‘There’s no setlist. Axl just calls ’em out’”: How Gilby Clarke got the Guns N’ Roses gig – and learned the band’s back catalog in a week

Clarke was formally announced as Izzy Stradlin's replacement in the early ’90s – but not before undergoing an audition process that saw him learn his test tracks in the car last minute

In the early ‘90s, Guns N’ Roses underwent a personnel change that saw the departure of electric guitar player Izzy Stradlin. As such, Slash and co – who were in the midst of the Use Your Illusion tour at the time – were in need of a new guitarist who could hold down the Guns rhythm slot for the foreseeable future.

In 1991, Stradlin was formally replaced by Gilby Clarke, who would serve as Slash's right-hand man for a three-year period that saw him close out the Use Your Illusion tour and feature on 1993’s The Spaghetti Incident?.

Speaking in a new interview with Guitar World , Clarke reflected on his whirlwind Guns N’ Roses career, recalling how he ultimately ended up landing the role as Slash’s sideman.

And his audition – as they so often are in such rock ‘n’ roll circumstances – turned out to be a rather stressful affair. Why? Well, such was the hurry with sourcing Stradlin’s replacement, he didn’t even have time to learn the songs.

After receiving a surprise call from Slash himself, who mooted Clarke for an audition, the guitarist then set about squeezing the slot into his hectic schedule – a schedule that didn’t grant him time to properly get to grips with any Guns N’ Roses material.

“I was working a night gig doing sound around town at small clubs, and I had zero time because Slash wanted me to come down the next day,” Clarke recalled. “So, I had no time to learn the songs and was literally in my car listening to them on the way to the audition. 

“Luckily, they chose three easy ones and had me return the next day. I heard nothing after that, and then a friend said he got a call from Slash to come down, so I thought, 'Okay, I guess I'm not getting the gig.'” 

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Fortunately, Clarke was indeed offered the job a few days later, but if he thought his audition required a quick turnaround, he had another thing coming. As it turned out, Guns N’ Roses had a hectic touring schedule meticulously planned out, so Clarke had to learn the entire GNR back catalog before hitting the road.

“Slash calls and says, 'You got the gig. We leave next week. Learn the whole catalog.'” Clarke continued. “I was like, 'What? The whole fucking catalog? Don't you have a set of 20 or 25 songs?' Slash goes, 'There's no setlist. Axl just calls 'em out, so you gotta know the whole catalog.’

“So, I had one week to learn 50 fucking songs; I was glued to my cassette player. I walked out on stage for my first show with no cheat sheets and having learned all these new songs in one fucking week.”

Clarke evidently did his job as any top professional would, and was able to keep up with the Use Your Illusion tour’s manic schedule. In fact, at the time, the two-plus year event was not only the band’s longest tour, but also one of the longest tours in rock history: 194 shows in 27 countries.

Head over to our full interview with Clarke to read how the guitarist’s time with Guns N’ Roses eventually came to an end.

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Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World , Guitarist and Total Guitar . He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.

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Use Your Illusion 1 "We had thirty-six songs, which was more than enought to fill a double album. I wanted to choose the twelve best of the thirty-six and hone them down to perfection." (Slash)

• Axl Rose: lead vocals, piano, keyboards, sound effects, acoustic guitar on "Dead Horse"
• Slash: lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals, dobro on "You Ain't The First", six-string bass on "Right Next Door To Hell" and "Live And Let Die"
• Izzy Stradlin: rhythm & lead guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Dust N' Bones", "You Ain't The First" and "Double Talkin' Jive", percussion on "Bad Obsession"
• Duff McKagan: bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar on "You Ain't The First" and "Double Talkin' Jive"
• Matt Sorum: drums, backing vocals, percussion
• Dizzy Reed: keyboards, piano, backing vocals, tambourine on "Live And Let Die"
• Additionnal musicians: Alice Cooper (vocals) / West Arkeen (guitar) / Michael Monroe (harmonica & saxophone) / Shannon Hoon (vocals) / Reba Shaw, Stuart Bailey (backing vocals) / Jon Thautwein, Matthew McKagan, Rachel West, Robert Clark (horn) / Tim Doyle (tambourine)
• Right Next Door To Hell (Stradlin / Caltia / Rose)
• Dust N' Bones (Stradlin / McKagan / Slash)
• Live And Let Die (Paul & Linda McCartney)
• Don't Cry (Stradlin / Rose)
• Perfect Crime (Stradlin / Slash / Rose)
• You Ain't The First (Stradlin)
• Bad Obsession (Stradlin / Arkeen)
• Back Off Bitch (Huge / Rose)
• Double Talkin' Jive (Stradlin)
• November Rain (Rose)
• The Garden (Arkeen / James / Rose)
• Garden Of Eden (Slash / Rose)
• Don't Damn Me (Slash / Lank / Rose)
• Bad Apples (Slash / McKagan / Stradlin / Rose)
• Dead Horse (Rose)
• Coma (Slash / Rose)

Music videos

Recording guitars & amps.

• Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 replica
• Gibson Flying V 1959 (lead) (Live And Let Die)
• Travis Bean 1000 (slide) (Bad Obsession / The Garden)
• Fender Bass 6-strings 1962 (rhythm) (Right Next Door To Hell)
• Marshall JCM 800 2203 S.I.R. stock #34 modded by Frank Levi (for distorted sounds)
• Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (for clean sounds)
• Mesa Boogie Mark III (for feedback sounds)

Interviews & articles

• The Hands Behind The Hype (Guitar Player magazine, December 1991)
• No Illusions (Guitar magazine, April 1992)
• Behind Use Your Illusion (Classic Rock magazine, June 2011)
• Double Vision (Total Guitar magazine, July 2011)
• The Story Of Use Your Illusion (MusicRadar, September 2011)

Miscellaneous

• Several album titles were dropped such as Gn'R Sucks or even Girth. Finally, Use Your Illusion was picked out.
• The cover art of both Use Your Illusion albums is a detail from Raphael's painting The School of Athens colored by Mark Kostabi.
• For Use Your Illusion albums the band worked on 37 songs including "Ain't Goin' Down", "Night Crawler", "Bring It Back Home", "Crash Diet", "Sentimental Movie" and "Just Another Sunday".
• "Right Next Door To Hell" lyrics refers to a discord between Axl and a neighbour who accused him of hitting her with a bottle.
• Geffen first refused "November Rain" as a single, judging much too long but finally released it in a shortened version made for radio stations.
• On "The Garden" Axl is sharing lead vocals with Alice Cooper.
• The first day of its release, over 500,000 copies were sold in two hours and very quickly, Use Your Illusion albums rised up to the number ones spot on the Billboard charts.

Home » Guitarists » Slash Guitars and Gear List (2024 Update)

Slash Guitars and Gear List (2024 Update)

One of the most recognizable rock figures of all time, an avid Les Paul collector and an overall guitar legend, the man in the hat, Saul “Slash” Hudson was born into a family of artists before making a name for himself with Guns N’ Roses. Before moving to Los Angeles at the age of five, Slash had already met a vast number of artists from the British music scene.

Upon the release of their debut album Appetite for Destruction, Guns N’ Roses would become one of the world’s largest bands with the best-selling debut of American recording history. Following the success of his professional debut, in time, Slash became one of the latest and most beloved rock guitar icons, finally becoming an ambassador for Gibson , Epiphone, and even Marshall amplifiers.

What Guitars Does Slash Play?

Slash is notorious for playing Gibson Les Paul Standard guitars as his main instrument, both in-studio and live on stage. Over the years, Gibson has issued several renditions of Slash signature guitars, including an entire signature line known as the Slash Collection .

While he is known to own an impressive collection of Gibson Les Pauls, Slash has also embraced several other guitars and pieces of gear throughout his career. See the full list below.

Les Paul Standard – Replica by Kris Derrig #90607

Finish: Appetite Burst / Yellow Years used: 1986 to Present

During the recording process of Appetite for Destruction, Slash was brewing frustration with his equipment, especially since he was no longer satisfied with the sound he was getting from his B.C Rich and Jackson guitars. Manager Alen Niven took notice of this and bought two Les Paul replicas from Jim Foote, these guitars were made by luthier Kris Derrig.

There’s little information on the material this Les Paul is made of, but what is known is that it didn’t have any pickups until it was purchased, just before walking out the door a couple of Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro were installed. According to Alen, it was love at first sight for Slash and he kept this particular Les Paul through several years as a main, even in the years following the first separation of Guns N’ Roses.

The Kris Derrig Les Paul has been one of Slash’s most consistent pieces of equipment, but it had its highs and lows, at one point it was stolen from him by a fan during a concert, but he managed to get it back through security. On another occasion, the neck on the guitar broke during the tour of his first solo album, and ever since then, it has been stored away and kept at home as a centerpiece of his Les Paul collection.

It is important to note that this replica along with Slash’s Max Baranet guitar, laid out the base for Gibson. In more recent years this guitar inspired their Slash Les Paul Standard signature line.

1987 Gibson Les Paul

Finish: Two-Tone Sunburst Years used: 1987 to 1998

These original Gibson Les Pauls came along with the release and success of Guns N’ Roses’ debut, Appetite for Destruction. At this point, Slash had grown tired of his B.C Rich and was extremely cautious regarding his precious Les Paul replicas due to their particular modified sound. So in early 1987, there was a certain need to get a backup instrument of high quality to take on the wearing promotional tour for their album.

According to Watch You Bleed the New York Times Best Selling GNR biography, Slash got two factory second Les Pauls to re-paint and modify with his adopted signature, one was kept in its original classical sunburst finish, and one was repainted in a mild yellow sunburst. Their pickup guards were removed and both would have Alnico II Pro humbuckers installed, their performance was so good that Hudson would store his replicas and keep them safe at home, he would only use them to record the Use Your Illusion double album.

These guitars had seen massive action, considering that Guns N’ Roses were deemed as “the world’s most dangerous band”, and indeed they suffered on the road. One got its neck battered while another one was ultimately stolen along with much of the band’s gear from a shared apartment. Slash would later acquire yet another Gibson Les Paul with a red and yellow sunburst finish, virtually the same guitar.

As for the yellow two-tone guitar, it is reportedly the guitar Slash used for the Welcome to the Jungle music video, while the yellow-red sunburst can be seen in the video for Sweet Child O’ Mine. This set of 87 Gibson Les Pauls were heavily used up until the late 90s when Slash started using more modern models and collaborating with new artists.

1966 Gibson EDS-1275

Finish: Black Years used: 1989 to Present

This double-neck standard briefly earned Slash the title of the successor of Jimmy Page, it is one of the most highlighted guitars on his catalog despite its minimal usage. It was reportedly acquired shortly after the breakthrough success of Appetite for Destruction, as Gibson dealers grew eager to become Slash’s main guy, but the guitarist shared in an interview that he left this task to his trusty guitar tech, who ultimately picked up the guitar for him on the road.

Dubbed “the coolest guitar in rock” ever since it was issued in 1963, the Gibson EDS-1257 was the first double-necked guitar manufactured by the brand. This double SG features 490 Alnico and 498 Alnico humbucking pickups in both bodies in addition to the two-volume and two-tone control knobs, and three-way pickup selector switch. Its craftsmanship also includes a solid mahogany body for every model built prior to 1998, Slash’s guitar being from 66, can be found in this lot.

Any Guns N’ Roses or Slash fan will recognize this as one of the most iconic guitars during the height of the band, famously enough this double-SG was Hudson’ choice for the Knocking on Heaven’s Door rock cover, a live staple where the band would bid farewell to their audience.

The EDS-1275 remains one of Slash’s most precious pieces to this day, while it might not be as frequented as his favored Les Pauls, this particular guitar remains an iconic double combo, for its remarkable trajectory in rock history. On another hand, recent years saw Gibson issue a special model just like this one to the guitarist as they manufactured 250 pieces, Slash got to keep #1.

1987 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Finish: Black Years used: 1992 to Unspecified

This black Les Paul has been described as Slash’s first Gibson guitar, while other guitars have been credited with this title, the guitarist has claimed that this was it. He first got it in 1992, so hard evidence of this being his introduction to Gibson might be in order, but the record seems a tad blurry for this topic.

With an Alnic II setup and a bumblebee yellow binding to its mahogany black finished body, this Les Paul was immediately wired to his preference.

Although Slash didn’t make much use of it in the studio, this was one of his regular rotatory pieces during the Use Your Illusion tour ever since he got it in 1992. It’s hard to tell if this Black Les Paul model is the same he’s used in recent years since there’s no record on whatever happened to this specific guitar.

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Les Paul Standard – Replica by Max Baranet

One of the three guitars Slash got from Howie Hubberman, this guitar was acquired shortly after the guitarist sold his original Hunterburst Les Paul. The story follows a desperate Hudson who was contacted by Guitars R Us, informing him there was a spare replica, a rather similar one to his first model. Slash reportedly agreed to pay the full price of $2600- it took him two years to complete this payment.

The specs on this guitar are special, with an interesting skull and crossbones image that appear naturally on the maple back, it is unknown if this was made on purpose or not. As for its pickups, Hubberman agreed to give the guitar to Slash without a full payment only if he got to keep the original PAF humbuckers on it, after acquiring it, the guitar was taken to Roman Rist, who installed a pair of Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro instead.

This guitar was mainly used for the road, and it was reportedly used to record Paradise City and it can be seen as a notorious companion through Slash’s career. Alike his Kris Derrig replica, this Les Paul featured a finish that is now known as “Appetite Burst” yellow, and it inspired the signature “skully” drawing.

1970s Memphis Les Paul

Finish: Unspecified Years used: 1978 to 1981

The first of a lifelong relationship with the iconic Les Paul model, Slash learned how to manage himself through shreds and blues licks on this 1970s copy of the Gibson model. It was during the late 70s that Saul picked up this first electric guitar right after a miscellaneous, unspecified acoustic, and started his first band in 1981 called Tidus Sloan.

Memphis guitars back then issued rather similar copies when it came to specs. Built with a maple top, mahogany back, and neck, it is very possible that Slash’s first guitar was among this badge of Memphis models with generic humbucker replica pickups.

“The next thing that I got- after my first acoustic- was a Memphis Les Paul copy, and that was my first electric guitar. That was pretty special to me up until I actually learned that it wasn’t really that great. But innocently enough, initially, that guitar was great.”- Slash for My First Guitar.

1978/79 B.C. Rich Mockingbird

Finish: Koa Wood Natural Finish Years used: 1981 to Unspecified

Known as the actual Tidus Sloan guitar, this early B.C Rich six-string was the first high-end game Slash got to his hands after years of practicing in his Memphis Les Paul copy. This was one of the 3 alleged guitars Hudson saved for during the course of 2 years in Los Angeles. Lining up the information, this B.C Rich was the very first of Slash’s extensive collection, one that has expanded vastly throughout the years. This guitar would be used for the very first Tidus Sloan gigs as well as a few songs for his first appearances with L.A Guns. This guitar would accompany a younger Slash into the very early stages of Guns N’ Roses, it is said that it was even used during the studio sessions for the band’s first EP.

The specs on the B.C Rich Mockingbird are a classic that’s changed very little since the model was first introduced. With a Koa Wood single-piece design and a natural finish to its wooden color, this Mockingbird guitar packed a pair of DiMarzio humbuckers to its set up, hence offering an edgier heavier sound.

As for the whereabouts of this guitar, Hudson has expressed that he intended to keep it originally as a relic of his trajectory, nevertheless, he ended up selling it to afford drugs during the wilder years of his career, it is unspecified when this happened. Nevertheless, he mended the mistake by later purchasing and collecting similar models throughout the years.

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Gibson Les Paul

Finish: Hunter Burst Yellow Years used: 1986

Owned for a brief period, as sources suggest, this Hunter Burst Les Paul was Slash’s first Gibson guitar before his more renowned Kris Derrig replica. Slash got this Les Paul from a shop in Los Angeles called Guitars R Us owned by Howie Hubberman. This Les Paul was pawned before Hudson came for it, it is suggested that its prior owner was Lou Reed’s former guitarist Steve Hunter.

Sources point out that this Gibson was in fact a very good replica built by L. A based luthier Peter “Max” Baranet, whose skill was paralleled to that of a Gibson manufacturer. Nevertheless, this pawned guitar had its PAF humbucker pickups removed and replaced with two Seymour Duncan ones prior to Slash.

The footage and evidence of Hudson playing live with this guitar exists, but its format has poor quality, it was last seen on Guns N’ Roses’ performance at the Fenders Ballroom club in Long Beach in late 1986. As far as the story goes, the guitar was sold shortly after to keep up with payments and addiction.

1959 Gibson Les Paul Tobacco Sunburst/ Joe Perry

Finish: Tobacco Burst Years used: 1990 to 2000

This guitar was previously owned by Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, it was gifted to him by his ex-wife before he sold it to Gerry Beaudoin who would sell it to Eric Johnson. When Johnson learned that this guitar was originally Perry’s, he offered to sell it back for a large amount, the guitarist couldn’t afford it at the time, and so Johnson contacted many high-profile musicians, he eventually landed on Slash in 1990 who was yet to start the recording sessions of Use Your Illusion.

This is one of the few Les Paul guitars that Slash kept unmodified, featuring Japanese-style plastic tune pegs with original Gibson PAF pickup guards. The only major modification on this guitar is its re-fretted neck, which according to some sources had pits all over the fingerboard when it was first given to Slash.

This guitar is said to have become Slash’s main during the early 90s, in the Use Your Illusion era when he had shifted from his cherry-yellow sunburst to this Tobacco burst classic Les Paul. Nevertheless this Joe Perry Les Paul would slowly go to his protected collection and it was used for more selective displays, for example, the November Rain music video feature.

This guitar remained on Slash’s catalog up until September 10th in the year 2000, when he decided to give it back to its original owner and friend, Joe Perry. Hudson said about this occasion:

“I kept the guitar for a long time, but I knew that Joe really loved it probably as much as I did. So I gave it to him for his birthday.”

Popular Related Article: Complete List of Tony Iommi Guitar and Gear

Guild Double Neck “Crossroads” Slash Custom

Finish: Black Years used: 1993 to Present

A guitar made following Slash’s design and specifications by Guild, according to the story, this “design” was drawn on a cocktail napkin by a drunken Hudson before giving it to the luthiers. The Guild Doubleneck custom was conceived based on Slash’s need of switching between acoustic and electric sounds during live shows. This was Slash’s first signature model, the Crossroads offered a relieving instrument for Hudson, and it could be often seen with him for the live performances of both Patience and Civil War.

The Guild Crossroads double neck is a unique and somewhat groundbreaking piece of engineering for modern music, it features a wired acoustic 12-string with a completely hollow body, while the bottom part is a completely solid 6-string. Needless to say, there’s no surprise that the electric half of this double ax was designed to Slash’s preferred and unique Les Paul setup with two humbuckers.

As the years went by, Slash bolstered the presence of Guild Guitars, and this became one of the brand’s most prestigious and recognized models to hit the market. As a result of this partnership, several copies have been issued, and Slash owns quite a colored palette number of these, most noticeably there’s a green tortoise, and a classical cherry sunburst one, but this black finished the first issue made a huge difference for the GNR icon back in the 90s.

When Slash got his hands on this double guitar it became a regular feature on his rig, although it didn’t appear much with his final years with Guns N’ Roses during the 90s, it became a regular with Slash’s Snakepit and Velvet Revolver. However, upon the reunion of the band, the Guild Crossroads made a return when playing Civil War and on occasions Knocking on Heaven’s Door.

Appetite for Destruction Gibson/Epiphone Les Paul II

Finish: Appetite Burst / Yellow / November Burst Years used: 2010 to Present

In 2010, Gibson decided to commemorate the release of Guns N’ Roses’ debut album, and so they went for one of their favorite brand ambassadors and recreated the replica that Slash used to record and perform live for many years. This relatively new induction to Hudson’s catalog has been one of the handiest things to ever happen in his career, this Gibson replica of a replica became his standard line of road guitars for every occasion and show.

The AFD Les Paul offers a wide range of colors, and their setup is pretty much the closest thing anybody will get to the 1987 model. It features double Alnico II humbuckers that are now known as Slash signature pickups. It also features 80s control speed knobs and a traditional Tune-O-Matic bridge, as for its neck, this Les Paul line features jungle frets to its C profile and AAA flamed maple top.

B.C Rich Warlock

Finish: Cherry Red Years used: Unspecified to 1987

During the early years and merge of the L. A Guns and Hollywood Rose, Slash had another guitar he purchased during his introductory years to the Los Angeles scene, this other B.C Rich model was reportedly one of his favorite models at the time, and it was extensively used during the formation of Guns N’ Roses. Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide introduced a closed circuit to one of the biggest names in Rock N’ Roll, and reportedly Hudson used this guitar to play most of the tracks in that four-track EP that would later be included in GNR’ Lies.

It is important to note that this guitar entered the studio sessions of Appetite for Destruction but by that time, the guitarist had grown tired of this Warlock model’s sound, so he picked up the Les Paul instead for a full-on meatier end product. This Warlock featured an EMG pickup setup, it was a more aggressive and razor-sharp sound in comparison to Slash’s classic Les Paul.

The whereabouts of this guitar are largely unspecified, and Slash hasn’t spoken much about it in years, it could have been either sold at the time or kept for collection. The guitar was last seen in a show back in January 1987 before reportedly, storing it away. However, in 2016, there were rumors and alleged statements that this B.C Rich model had been found and put up for auction with a starting bid of $30.000 on Julien’s Auctions.

1961 Gibson SG

One of the most dynamic guitars in the industry for popular conception, as for Slash, one of the most annoying and despicable pieces of equipment that ever existed. This is the only single-neck SG he ever wielded, and it wasn’t even used on stage, so whether this belonged to Saul Hudson or not is up to debate and theorists. This 1961 Gibson SG was only used a couple of times, the only reported one being when the Guns N’ Roses recorded My Michelle in 1987, it was suggested by the audio engineer that Slash should try a different setup to spice things up, needless to say, he wasn’t very happy with said suggestion.

The 1961 Gibson SG was, in fact, one of the very first Les Paul models in the market, after a few years around 1965, Les Paul himself asked for his name to be removed from the model, and engraved it into his very own design. Either way, this model featured a fast mahogany slim-taper neck with rosewood fingerboard and featured a classic setup of 61R and 61T humbuckers.

In case you’re wondering what happened to this guitar. It is said that Hudson hated it to the point that he got infuriated and smashed it against the band’s touring van. Be that as it may, the legend says that one piece of the guitar was taken to Guitars R Us.

1987 Gibson Les Paul Reissue Goldtop

Picked up on the road and designated as a touring instrument, this was one of the guitars that marked Slash’s affinity for this particular Gibson model. According to many sources, this was his most babied guitar during the Appetite for Destruction tour until it went missing during the promotional tour for Use Your Illusion.

As for its specs, Slash made sure that every Les Paul he owned sounded similar to his specified and signature set up. But as a vintage high-end guitar reissue, this guitar offered an extra crisp and body to Hudson’s setup.

There was a fair share of gigs in which Slash used this guitar, and it can be distinguished by its zebra-colored Seymour Duncan pickups. The most iconic one has to be the 1991 live at the Ritz concert in New York.

After it was stolen, Slash posted an ad to look for it with a cash reward in case anyone can find it. This ad includes the guitar serial number #70854 and contact information. It’s said that you can contact the guitarist himself about it.

1976 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Finish: Tobacco Burst Years used: 1995 to Present

Yet another two-tone tobacco burst Gibson Les Paul, this was Slash’s main guitar upon his departure from Guns N’ Roses, and into his first project Slash’s Snakepit. This Les Paul saw some extensive action, it also played a massive role in Velvet Revolver and is one of his most precious vintage pieces, especially after he gave back Joe Perry his original model, it’s been quite a career for the guitarist with this classical piece.

Wired and set up after Perry’s six-string, this guitar can be spotted with a zebra neck pickup. Also, this is one of the last “generic” Les Pauls Slash would acquire without a special Gibson or Epiphone issue.

With a considerable amount of live appearances, this 1976 vintage guitar is also known as the one featured on the Velvet Revolver single Slither. He kept using it for special occasions throughout the new millennium and into his legendary status as a guitar hero.

Guild JF-30

Finish: Natural Balm Two Tone Sunburst Years used: 1988 to Present

The records point out that this was Slash’s first acoustic guitar following the success and finalized tour of Appetite for Destruction, it was bought on the road and set up during a brief from the road. Allegedly, Slash kept this guitar close to him, even closer than a few Les Paul models, it is said that he wrote the acoustic part for the ballad Patience while that may be unspecified, it is known that he recorded the track on it.

Shortly after acquiring a first Guild JF-30, Slash decided that he would need a backup so he purchased another identical one. These era of Guild acoustics were the main go-to in live performances and studio even through the Use Your Illusion era and tour, meaning that it had a fair share of live-action with Civil War as well.

One of these guitars remains with Slash stored in his personal collection, while the second one was recently auctioned.

B.C. Rich Mockingbird

Finish: Cherry Red/Black Stripes Years used: 1990 to Present

The Use Your Illusion era saw a peak moment for the band, Guns N’ Roses was hailed as the ultimate Blues/Arena Rock band in the world, and Slash was arguably the most renowned guitarist at that time. The band got a chance to stock on whatever they pleased and so Hudson took the chance to get his hands back on one of his previously favored models, the B.C Rich Mockingbird, which he preferred over his Warlock.

This guitar is very well known to fans as the You Could Be Mine six-string and lawfully ever since the song came out as the promotional single for both the album and the Terminator sequel, Slash has been popping out this guitar when its time to play that specific tune.

He got the guitar from a stranger in Hollywood who reportedly sold it to him for $400, and since at the time Hudson was playing mainly Les Pauls, he saw this as a fit opportunity to get this convenient Mockingbird with a Floyd Rose tremolo and expand his sound palette.

This B.C Rich Mockingbird some extensive action ever since it was purchased. This guitar was also featured on the You Could Be Mine music video, and it’s been a staple to his catalog ever since he used it during the infamous St. Louis concert in 1991.

In 2011 Slash auctioned a B.C Rich Mockingbird model, and while many believe it could be this specific model, there’s still hard evidence needed. Ever since the Not in this Lifetime tour, he’s been using a very similar Mockingbird, black stripes, and everything. It can even in the latest live performance of You Could Be Mine.

Martin D-28

Finish: All Natural Years used: 1987 to 1995

Many sources point out that Slash use to carry this guitar with him at all times during the Use Your Illusion era, but there are records of the guitarist using a Martin D-28 even earlier than the 90s. If this is correct, this was probably the guitar used for Guns N’ Roses guest show at CBGBs back in 1987.

There were several reported Martin D-28 models involved with GNR during the peak height of their career, but probably Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan or even Gilby Clarke could have owned a couple of them since Slash has repeatedly stated that he was a more electric oriented guitarist.

1996 Gibson Les Paul “Snakepit”

Finish: Custom Red/ Custom Artwork Years used: 1996 to Present

The short-lived project Slash’s Snakepit saw massive traction as an innovative act for hard rock/ heavy metal. Late into the decade, Slash was already cemented as a household name, one that could ask for his line and signature special models from major brands, and this is exactly what he did when he asked Gibson for a special Les Paul he wouldn’t have to modify and rewire.

This Les Paul features a unique inlay with a snake all across the fretboard, the Snakepit logo in the lower part of the body, and a cherry red finish with black Alnico II humbuckers, which makes for a unique piece of craftsmanship.

Initially, Hudson received a couple of these guitars, but they were taken from him when his apartment was burgled during the late 90s. Nevertheless, he got to keep one that would be featured in many concerts, but it was immortalized when it appeared in the “cult” psychedelic music video for the single Shine in 2001.

Finish: All Natural Years used: 2010

This Australian-made acoustic was issued to Slash on a special occasion in 2010 during the guitarist’s tenure with Myles Kennedy, it was only seen in one opportunity during the MAX sessions in Australia. It is said that Hudson received the guitar a couple of days before the gig, in it, the duo played a good number of GNR acoustic-based tunes before showing off their original repertoire.

The MAX sessions show served to amplify the project, and spawn massive comparison between Myles Kennedy and Axl Rose, this was mildly controversial in the limelight, nevertheless, the heat was dismissed by all parties.

1991 Gibson Les Paul Black Death Vodka

Finish: Black Chrome/ Black Death Vodka Sticker Years used: 1991 to Present

This rare Les Paul is all about a background story that pairs up perfectly to the sex, drugs, and Rock N’ Roll standard of Guns N’ Roses during the height of their career in the early 90s. Slash was slowly becoming a brand himself; he was already a respected figure that seemed appealing enough for certain companies aside from Gibson. So Black Death Vodka stroke a deal with the guitarist, he would become the face of the brand as long as he played this Les Paul they got for him, which featured a vodka sticker in the bottom part of the body.

This is one of the few guitars that are not set up the signature Slash way, in fact, the only modification it has is the PAF pickup shell removed, he conserved the Gibson patent ones, and as usual, he removed the pickguard.

While this guitar wasn’t Slash’s main go-to for the studio, he would switch to it at random points in live performances in exchange for a generous amount of money and fair good publicity. Its use was extended from the Use Your Illusion tour, all the way to the years following the breakup of GNR, it is in fact considered one of the most pinpointable Velvet Revolver Les Pauls, as Izzy Stradlin would also adopt it from time to time.

It is also known as the Dirty Little Thing because he would often play this Les Paul when performing this specific song.

“Bad Obsession” Travis Bean TB1000

Finish: Black/White Years used: 1992 to Present

During 1992 and the escalating traction that Guns N’ Roses was getting, many rare guitars came in, among them, Slash acquired two Travis Bean models, one in black and one in alpine white. The latter was directly added to his personal collection, while the black one was frequently used to perform Bad Obsession on tour.

The Travis Bean 1000 was one of the most promising prospects of the 1970s, its popularity was rather brief, and it would eventually drift into legendary status. Slash’s interest in this rare piece occurred when he came across these two guitars in a collectors dealership in Los Angeles, whether he acquired them for any specific interest is hard to know. Nevertheless, the black Travis Bean remains a regular guitar when playing specific tunes.

The studio usage of the TB1000 occurred when the band recorded their last album before the first separation, 1993s The Spaghetti Incident.

1958 Gibson Explorer

Finish: Natural Korina / White Pickguard Years used: 1992 to 2010

According to Slash, this as well as a 1959 Flying V, were the most expensive guitars he has ever bought.

The Flying V made a selective return in 2010 however, when Slash released and recorded his very first solo album “Slash”, which featured a heavier sound than usual and a massive special guest list.

Slash managed to acquire a second 1958 Gibson Explorer as well as a Gibson Skylark Lap Steel from the same era. These guitars tend to see extremely limited use due to their rare and valuable nature.

1965 Fender Stratocaster

Finish: Olympic White Years used: 1992

Probably an eyebrow-raising revelation to many, seeing or even imagining Slash playing a Fender Stratocaster is a statement that might come off as gibberish. But it has happened, in fact, Hudson the Les Paul star owns a couple of arch-rival models to his standard guitar. There’s scarce footage of this actually happening, but during the shooting of the November Rain music video, Slash, Duff McKagan, and Gilby Clarke were spotted having a jam session in which the lead guitarist popped out this Olympic white Stratocaster.

Reportedly the white Strat is kept in completely stock condition, presumably for political and image reasons, since Slash has been one of the faces of Gibson since the mid-90s. It was allegedly used for a few overdubs during the recording of the Use Your illusion double album and later for his solo song Sucker Train Blues.

A few years ago Slash came forward in an interview that was later published by Music Radar and shared a few controversial thoughts on the Fender leading model:

“As far as I’m concerned and Gibson probably wouldn’t want me to say it, the Strat is hands down, probably one of the best, most versatile guitars there is. But I’ve always gravitated to a Les Paul. And there’s Strat guys and there’s Les Paul guys…”- Slash on a podcast interview, covered by Music Radar

As far as popular conception goes, this vintage Strat collection must be kept a secret, but this Olympic white Stratocaster, in particular, was caught in Slash’s hands while he was fooling around with it.

Gibson ES-335

Slash loves classic, vintage guitars and so there’s no surprise when you see him with this Gibson/Epiphone industry standard, this is basically a Velvet Revolver exclusive feature, it is often known as the Last Fight ES-335. Whether Slash played it on the record or not is up to theories craft, but it could very much be, as he would often wield it when playing it for live appearances and even on the music video for the song.

Slash’s ES-335 is pretty standard, it features T-Type humbucker pickups, paired with a wired control assembly. With a C-rounded neck and mahogany fretboard, this classical setup makes one of the only pieces of this type in Slash’s collection.

It was played live on various special occasions and extensively on the road with the supergroup Velvet Revolver until its separation following singer Scott Weiland’s passing.

Finish: All Natural Years used: 2014 to Present

A late special acquisition, Slash commissioned JOI for a special guitar, and so his request was delivered, this exotic six-string lacks notoriety in his repertoire, but ever since it was given to him in 2014, it’s become one of the most personal pieces of gear to his catalog. It is rare to see a veteran guitarist being amazed by new equipment, but Slash shared his humbled words upon receiving it.

“When I picked it up, I was completely humbled. It was a shock-and-awe moment. It changed everything I’d ever thought about acoustic guitars leading up to that point, It was the most amazing acoustic guitar I’d ever played or heard. perfect intonation, perfect tension on the neck, perfect sound. And it’s beautiful. I was just floored.”- Slash when interviewed by JOI.

This special model is a small jumbo-scaled acoustic, with a 25.4” scale, it has been nicknamed “The Tree” since it was manufactured with some of the most exotic materials the world has to offer. With an Ancient Sitka Spruce top, ebony bridge, and bindings, this is one of the most remarkable pieces of craftmanship in recent years in the guitar industry.

Table Showing the Guitars Slash Used at Each Point in His Career

Slash’s amps and gear overview, marshall 1959t super lead.

Years used: 1986

This Marshall 1959T was borrowed from SIR (Studio Instrument Rentals) a store in the valley. Slash made exclusive studio usage of it during the recording sessions for Appetite for Destruction, however, it was modified by the studio technician, Tim Caswell. Caswell removed the tremolo circuit from the amp and re-wired it to bolster and max the gain in it.

It was one of the very first amplifiers Slash fell in love with, and after a few bids to SIR and various rejections to his purchase approach, he tried to scheme the rental by saying it was stolen from him. But this ultimately failed as one of the studio technicians returned the amp unknowingly.

Roland JC-120

Years used: 1986 to 1987

Although this sound machine had a brief period with Hudson, it became something of an icon to Guns N’ Roses’ lore, it was suggested in the studio during the recording sessions for the anthemic Paradise City for its ethereal sound filter and switch as well as for its chorus. After the recording of the song, it was pretty much dismissed and was soon replaced by an MXR M134 Stereo Chorus.

Marshall JCM800

Years used: 1987 to 1988

Shortly after the release of Appetite for Destruction Slash got himself a reliable head, this JCM800 stuck through the first year touring, it was used throughout the entire schedule. Nevertheless, it was quickly replaced by a Marshall Silver Jubilee in 1988, it is speculated that the latter amp head was the first time he got himself this type of gear and that this JCM800 was borrowed from someone from a studio.

Marshall Silver Jubilee

Years used: 1988 to 1996

When Slash acquired this Marshall, he immediately decided to add a few modifications, basically, he asked it to be hot-rodded like his Superlead was a few years back and it quickly became his signature sound machine. The Silver Jubilee was extensively used ever since it first appeared on the last leg of the Appetite for Destruction tour, it would be the most prominent and steady piece for the remaining of his tenure with Guns N’ Roses until 1996 when Marshall decided to make him his own signature line of amps, which aimed to recreate this modified amplifier.

It is important to note, however, that even though this was by far the most employed amp head for both studio and live shows, Slash never closed himself to try new things and sounds. Just like his brief trial run with the Vox AC30 he would spend some time experimenting on a Fender Twin Reverb.

Marshall JCM 2555SL Slash Signature Amp

Years used: 1996 to Present

The first-ever signature model ever made by Marshall, it was made especially for Slash when he finally achieved legendary status. It was also commissioned to organically replicate the sound of his Silver Jubilee amplifier with a few extra specs that would emulate the effect of his first vintage 1959T Superlead, but this model wouldn’t excel at it, so Marshall complemented the piece with the AFD 100 model.

Only 3000 were made, and the exact number given to Slash is unknown, nevertheless, this one quickly became his regular amplifier and it remains that way to this day.

Fender Tweed Champ

Years used: 2002 to 2007

Although this is not the most frequented nor main amplifier of this guitarist, Slash picked up this Fender industry standard during one of his most experimental eras and the Fender Tweed Champ is perfect for this task. Reportedly it was used for both Revolver studio tenures Contraband and Libertad and it was also a brief selection for the rhythm sections, the latter might not have been Slash’s task, but it was appointed by him. While the Fender Tweed Champ made it to a few live shows, it was often overshadowed by his signature amp head models.

Marshall AFD100

Years used: 2010 to Present

Exactly 23 years after the release of Appetite of Destruction, Marshall released this replica of the modified 1959T upgrading the first signature Slash amplifier and making it more dynamic towards the vintage sound that made this guitarist an icon. To commemorate the 23 years the brand released 2300 units, needless to say, that Hudson was the very first owner of one of these.

The usage of this amplifier has been prominent in more recent years, and he usually rotates it with his JCM2555SL, but their functionality is very similar when it comes to gain and specs.

Slash Pedals Overview

Often enough Slash relies more on his amplifier heads and rectifiers than a precise pedalboard, nevertheless, there are a few modular and distortion effects he has employed throughout the years. Slash is known to claim that he could make his entire career with his Les Paul, a Marshall, and his trusty Wah pedal with a couple of cables.

MXR M234 Analog Chorus

This bypassed MXR pedal is responsible for Slash’s more ethereal sound palette, it was one of the very first pieces to be incorporated into his rig, and it can be heard mainly on the intro section of Paradise City, and Don’t Cry.

BOSS TU-2 Stage Tuner

This basic pedal can be seen as a regular right beside Slash on almost every concert. The BOSS TU-2 Stage Tuner is a must and it’s used by every guitarist amateur or professional, it is often preferred for its wide variety of tuning selections and obvious precision.

BOSS Digital Delay

Nowadays Slash has employed the upgraded version, the DD-3, but back in the day and obviously in recent years the guitarist used this specific pedal for the iconic Hard Rock tune Welcome to the Jungle. Being the pedal used for this colossal rock staple, Hudson kept it and experimented in certain tunes during the Use Your Illusion recording sessions, especially in single Estranged, where he kept it more subtle and on the back.

Dunlop Cry Baby SW95 Wah

This Wah pedal had Slash’s involvement in its creation and programming, it was created to emulate his talkbox. Often enough this Wah pedal and Slash’s talking tubes have shared the stage bringing a certain aggressiveness when paired with his signature Octave pedal and his distortion settings from his amp heads.

MXR Ten Band EQ

In some interviews, Slash and his technician have referred to this specific pedal as the source of their tone shaping. Slash uses a wireless setup in his rig, and most of the time this can cause high-end frequencies to it causing a rather annoying imbalance, that’s where this MXR jewel comes in, to take it away. Now both the EQ settings are vastly used in this rig, it allows the gain to shine through without forcing any gear.

MXR CAE MC-401 Boost Line Driver

This particular pedal steals the spotlight every time Slash turns it on. It is the quintessential piece for his solos, it features a built-in overdrive to bolster his signal and presence through his standard Marshall setting. Its main function is to bring more saturation and volume as well as mild drive, in some occasions it offers some sustain and gain although these settings are all knobbed down to a bare minimum, it’s in the details. Note that this pedal makes itself present since it’s the first one in the rig, following the EQ, Wah, and tuner pedals.

Slash didn’t have any trouble integrating himself into the Los Angeles underground scene, forming his first band in 1981, Tidus Sloan, a project that would earn him renown as one of the most notorious guitarists in California. It wasn’t until the late 80s when Slash joined the L.A Guns before merging with Hollywood Rose, ultimately forming Guns N’ Roses the band that would benefit from this eventual guitar hero.

After three decades, Slash has cemented himself as one of the most prolific rock icons of all time, he co-founded Velvet Revolver and partnered with other legends on the side, such as Dave Grohl, Lenny Kravitz, and even the king of pop, Michael Jackson. Slash always knew what he wanted from life, and made himself synonymous with Rock N’ Roll, he has stated on many occasions that being able to continuously make records and going on tour are his ultimate way of life.

His blues hybrid beginnings helped him become the ultimate thunderous hard rock guitarist. Named “The Best Guitar Player” by Esquire Magazine, appointed “Riff Lord” by Metal Hammer during the Golden Gods Awards in 2007, and even landing himself the 65th position in Rolling Stone’s “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” There’s no shortage of accolades for this man in cup hat, and it would be an understatement to say there will surely be more to come in the following years.

In 2011, Slash formally became a Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame member along with the other members of Guns N’ Roses. As for ambition and innovation, Slash may not be the first name that comes to mind, but the fact that this man perfected the game to the extreme he has, leaves little words to describe what his magic fingers have achieved.

My name is Chris and I’ve had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. I started this website with some of my friends who are musicians, music teachers, gear heads, and music enthusiasts so we could provide high-quality guitar and music-related content.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all.

I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University. With my engineering experience, I’ve developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. A true passion of mine, I’ve designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community.

3 thoughts on “Slash Guitars and Gear List (2024 Update)”

I have seen pictures of Slash with his collection which includes TWO 1958 Gibson Korina Explorers. His first 1958 Gibson Korina Explorer (serial # 8-4552) has a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece added and is worth over a Million dollars and it’s modified I don’t know anything about his second 1958 Gibson Korina Explorer but it looks to be in original condition which makes it absolutley worth over a Million dollars. Also you list it as a 1959 model which I doubt because only 3 of the original 49 Gibson Korina Explorers made have 1959 serial numbers. Is it possible for you to get the serial # for the second Explorer and post it with the correction for the wrong information you gave in this article? Feel free to contact me for correct data on the 1958/59/63 Gibson Korina Explorer.

Hello…I am the “stranger” that sold Saul the BC Rick Mockingbird back in 1991. I was not a stranger, but did sell him that Mockingbird. The story is, I was the in house stage manager for the venue that housed the famous “Cathouse” and “Scream” clubs, at 836 N. Highland Ave. in 1991 I had been collecting guitars for about 22 years, and in the mid to late 80’s been collecting BC Rich guitars to replace the 120 or so 50’s and 60’s fender Strats that I had begun to sell off. I liked the designs, and they played great, and they were cheap to buy back in the late 70’s into the 1980’s. I wound up with about 60 BC Rich Bitches, Mockingbirds, and a couple dozen Bitch and Mockingbird Doublenecks. I used to take various guitars into the club with me, just to plug in and play a little before the club opened for soundcheck with whatever band was going to play that evening. Slash happened by one night (on a Scream club night), and I showed him my basic plain Mockingbird that I had brought with me that afternoon to play a bit before soundcheck. He told me that when he was working at Hollywood Music, on Fairfax, he had owned one exactly like mine. I told him that mine was for sale. I bought it for $200.00 about a year before, so I just threw out $400 as what I wanted for the guitar, but also that I was looking for a top of the line Guild 12 string, and knowing that Slash had a Guild endorsement, I asked if he could get me a top of the line 12. He told me he had a sunburst one in storage, and agreed to give it to me, along with the $400 bucks. As a collector, I have never liked the idea of a “signed” guitar, as it looks cheesy, and usually signed guitars are low line guitars brought by real strangers to shows to have any rock star sign. I could never wrap my head around that, so imagine my surprise when I was up in the club office with Slash, and he was giving me the guitar, I turned to go to the bathroom and I guess that he had a gold leaf pen and signed the lower bout of the Guild 12, and it read “Slash G’N’R 91 or Not”. I was pretty bummed for a moment, till I figured out what it meant…They were thinking of breaking up! I wound up selling that Guilld 12 string guitar to Hard Rock Cafe a year or so later. I fondly remember going up to Slash’s house off of Mulholland Dr. and bringing him a load of other BC Rich Guitars that I had, one being a Maple Doubleneck Bitch, which happened to be the Namm Show Guitar in 1980, that was displayed in Hollywood Music where Slash worked. He wanted that guitar so bad…I forget the price I sold it to him for, but it was at least $2,500 in 1991. Somewhere in my rock and roll archives, I still have the bottom half of the checks, (for my records), for the guitars that I sold him. I personally delivered the red Mockingbird to Slash at a hanger at Burbank Airport, where they were rehearsing for the “Use Your Illusion” tour. I remember his tech immediately working that guitar to ready it for the Terminator Video that was to be shot at the Roxy Theater that same evening. I went from the hanger to the Roxy, where they did the video of “You Could Be Mine”, what they called “The Terminator” video. Since then, I have still been collecting, and moved along into the pre-civil war Martin Guitars, where I amassed a few hundred very rare and highly decorated (abalone, ivory etc.) guitars from Martin’s 1833 to 1860 period. In this I also bought up as many Martin made Ditson Guitars, Style 1’s all the way to buying one of the four Ditson Style 1-45’s, and one of the eight Ditson Style 42’s. I also bought Eric Clapton’s 1968 Martin D-45, the one he bought during the end of his Blind Faith tour in the US, and used with Delaney, Bonnie & Friends, as well as Derek and the Dominos period of his career. It was used on the Layla album as well. I still collect, mostly acoustics now, Old Martins, and other interesting one off instruments, or to be more specific, the rarest of the rare. So now you know the story, and extra details, of Slash’s Red Mockingbird from the Terminator Video.

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Slash Says ‘Use Your Illusion’ Box Is Coming This Summer

There's good news for anyone who was crestfallen when the 30th anniversary of Guns N' Roses '  Use Your Illusion albums came and went without any announcement of a deluxe reissue: Slash says a belated box set should arrive this summer.

"It got delayed by the pandemic but it is coming out, I think this summer," Slash said during an interview with Biff Bam Pop! editor-in-chief Andy Burns. "There's a bunch of cool live stuff on it, a couple shows. The Ritz from the early ‘90s and a show that we did in Las Vegas back in 1989, I think it was. And it’s actually the show that I met my ex-wife at."

He appeared to be referencing a May 16, 1991 show at the Ritz, the third and final secret warm-up gig before Guns N' Roses embarked on their massive Use Your Illusion Tour . Axl Rose famously broke his foot after taking a flying leap off a speaker while performing " You Could Be Mine ," for which the band was recording a music video.

Slash may have gotten his Vegas dates slightly mixed up, though: He met his ex-wife, Perla Ferrar, backstage after a Vegas show in 1992, not 1989.

Guns N' Roses earlier commemorated their landmark debut,  Appetite for Destruction , with a massive 30th-anniversary box set that included a slew of B-sides, demos and studio outtakes. Released in tandem on Sept. 17, 1991,  Use Your Illusion I  and  II  debuted at Nos. 2 and 1 on the Billboard 200, respectively, and went on to sell a combined 14 million copies in the United States.

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