Slash - Slash

Thu 13th May, 2010 in Music Reviews

Okay Gen Y, there used to be this fucking amazing band called Guns N’Roses whose guitarist Slash is one of the best and most easily recognizable axeman in modern rock. Since the demise of G’N’R, Slash has courted many projects ( Slash’s Snakepit, Velvet Revolver ) pursuing the type of electrifying rock and roll that first put him on the map, as well as playing with guys like Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson. He’s just that good.

Slash’s solo self-titled debut is a rocking version of that game “fantasy dinner party” where you list the famous people you’d love to have round your kitchen table. As a guest at Slash’s party you’ll have outstanding people to talk to, there’ll be legends of your record collection asking you to pass the salt (or the bourbon), there’ll be faces from MTV making you wonder, “How the fuck did they get an invite?”

Slash opens the door to his party with unrelenting licks that don’t quit for the duration of rocking first track, Ghost. It’s a forceful striding set up as Ian Astbury’s] dark voice intones: “Kill. The ghost. That hides. In your soul. Rock and roll” as ex-Gunner Izzy Stradlin’s joining in on on rhythm guitar.

Ozzy Osbourne takes the lead on Crucify The Dead, with Taylor Hawkins on backing vocals, and is immediately reminiscent of the dark, heavy flow of classic Black Sabbath, even though it sounds almost uplifting in the first stanza.

The guitar impresario challenged himself to transform Fergie into a rock chick on Beautiful Dangerous and the only thing that wrecks it (besides sounding like a hybrid of Garbage and Limp Bizkit) is the fact that you know it’s Fergie. She has got an amazing set of pipes (really) and sounds sufficiently angry to pull it off: it’s not hurting Slash’s cred and she does scream like a hair metal banshee after all. Video will no doubt be hot, with lots of white lights, black leather, and a ripping frame of Slash’s big solo.

Myles Kennedy is more my speed: he’s in classic rock voice on Back From Cali, though his vocals are truly showcased on slow climb through later track Starlight. It’s no surprise that he’s the tour voice on Slash’s upcoming dates,

Chris Cornell’s Promise is the lazy grunge one would expect; a good, swirly hook, a good chorus, but really it’s not terribly remarkable. Likewise, if you’re expecting anything different from Andrew Stockdale with By The Sword, don’t; though fans will scramble for it.

Maroon 5’s Adam Levine completes the trifecta of passers-by although his pretty, pop familiar vocals on Gotten, a strings-and-guitar-solos slow mover, brings respite from the frenetic, sprawling rock.

Lemmy Kilmeister’s visit to Doctor Alibi is just what you want from the crusty old Motörhead rock dog: rough vocals and distorted bass (Uncle Lemmy doesn’t fuck around, kids).

With Dave Grohl behind the kit and old Guns ‘n’ Roses buddy Duff McKagan joining Slash in the studio the group delivers a sprawling, here’s-the-light-here’s-the-shade instrumental Watch This before the the hard rock orgasm of Kid Rock arrives. The white bread average country-croon of I Hold On. (“I hold on because I won’t let go”) only poses the question – why isn’t Kid Rock working at a diner?

M.Shadows purportedly got into music after his old man bought him Appetite For Destruction so it must give the Avenged Sevenfold leaddude the warm fuzzies to have one of the hardest songs on Slash’s debut. Slash is in ace shredding form, and gives creedence to metal fans I argue with at the pub that reckon since metal guitarists go harder than anyone else, they are better.

Finally flamenco comes on board with Saint Is A Sinner Too. Rocco Deluca has one of those beautiful, warbly voices that reeks of spirituality, so with his distinctive Dobro sound and lush percussion at the table. Deluca almost ends the night on an adult note: where people say, “No thanks, I think I’ve had three standard drinks. How about a coffee?”

Happily, Iggy Pop comes through, balancing his effort between that growly Candy voice and his standard chest-popping glory on We’re All Gonna Die.

You might not enjoy every conversation or every guest – there are certainly some acquired tastes here – but you can walk away thinking, “Jesus, there’s not many dudes who could get these cats to eat the same meal”.

Anyway, the beauty of this record is that each guest vocalist worked on their song in collaboration with Slash, so each song bears both signatures with a flourish. The query is whether you want those signatures in your visitor’s book or not.