2004.10.DD - Big Cheese Magazine - Paying Homage to Slash

Grande Fromage paying homage to the legendary six-stringer Slash

by Dwight Bernard

Born in Hampstead during the summer of 1965 to a pair of notably artistic parents, Saul Hudson was raised in Staffordshire until the age of eleven where he migrated to the concrete jungle of Los Angeles. Already an outcast during his school years, he spent a lot of his time at home enjoying the company of his parent's artistic friends, including David Bowie, Joni Mitchell and Iggy Pop who paid regular visits.

By the age of fifteen, his parents recently divorced, he adopted guitar as a means of escaping the harsh realities of the world. His interest quickly developed into obsession, seeing the young virtuoso dedicating a minimum of twelve hours a day to the instrument, jamming with countless bands around the area and creating a solid reputation for himself. Slash dropped out of school in the eleventh grade and began pursuing music full-time, forming the band Road Crew with Steven Adler. He eventually met with Izzy Stradlin who introduced him to Axl Rose and Duff McKagan, thus setting up the framework for the band that certified Slash as a guitar god in the most dangerous rock'n'roll band of their time, Guns N' Roses. They released the gutter punk rock full-length 'Appetite For Destruction' which went on to become a stone cold killing classic, garning much critical acclaim and a fanbase to kill for.

After GN'R's 'Use Your Illusion' tours, Slash began contemplating side projects and opted to focus his creative energies into a new band, which he named Slash's Snakepit, playing alongside friends Matt Sorum, Gibly clarke, Mike Inez and Eric Dover.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Mr. Hudson accepted an invitation to perform at a Hungarian blues festival in 1996. This resulted in an even newer band he fondly referred to as Slash's Blues Ball.

It was also during this period that Slash and Axl began butting heads over the direction of the Gunners, which ultimately led to Slash's resignation. A born figher, Slash didn't allow these events to overcome him and resumed work with The Snakepit, eventually releasing their 2nd album in 1998.

The Snakepit endured a slightly less sternuous touring regime than Guns N' Roses, but ultimate Slash decided to put his band to rest in 2001, announcing that he would be working on a new project alongside his ex-Guns N Roses bandmates Izzy and Duff. This new band became a primary focus amongst the members who began auditioning vocalists in 2003 and selecting the charismatic ex-Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland to front their band, the hugely anticipated and critically lauded Velvet Revolver and the cracking 'Contraband' album.

Slash's career so far has showcased an unprecedented tenacity and an unwillingness to lay down or compromise that could only make him the Big Fucking Cheese..