Guitarist of Guns N ‘Roses: “I have to be busy” – guitar icon slash for the 60th

Dark curly mane, black cylinder hat, sunglasses and mostly with a guitar in your hand – Saul Hudson, better known as slash, is known as cool. His look is as iconic as his guitar play, with which he shaped the sound of the hard rock band Guns n ‘Roses. In addition, the musician, who turns 60 today, pursues numerous other projects – and for good reason.

Main job Guns n ‘Roses and many part -time jobs

“I definitely realized that I have to be constantly busy,” said Slash last year in the interview of the German Press Agency. “I think this is one of the reasons why I used to have so many problems with alcohol and drugs – I didn’t know what to do with myself in between.”

If he does not play in his main job as a guitarist of Guns N ‘Roses in the largest stadiums in the world, he – as a part -time job – with singer Mythedy and the band The Conspirators or published a solo album (“Orgy of the Damned”), on which he covered with well -known stars blues and soul classic. On top of that, he launched a blues rock festival with which he supports various charitable purposes.

Slash alias Saul Hudson was born on July 23, 1965 in Swinging London as the son of a British and an American. He grows up-like Motörhead front man Lemmy Kilmister-in Stoke-on-Trent, which is also the birthplace of Robbie Williams. His mother initially moves alone to Los Angeles, Saul and his father follow her later. But the parents divorce early.

His mother was in a relationship with David Bowie

With the world of rock ‘n’ roll, he comes into contact as a child. Father Anthony designs album cover for stars like Neil Young or Joni Mitchell. Mother Ola works as a costume designer for Diana Ross, Ringo Starr and David Bowie, with whom she is also at times in a relationship – Saul is still a little boy. A friend of his mother gives him the nickname Slash.

With Guns n ‘Roses he becomes a world star

He comes to his instrument late. “On my 15th birthday I started to learn guitar,” said Slash in the dpa interview. “I was guided by the guitarist I liked the most.” Keith Richards and Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones), Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Blues icon Mike Bloomfield fascinated him. “I took the guitar in my hand and learned the first three tones of a solo.”

In the 80s he played in several bands before becoming a member of a newly founded group: Guns N ‘Roses quickly earn a big fan base in Los Angeles. In 1987 the international breakthrough made the debut “Appetite for Destruction”. In 1991 the two successful ointments “Use Your Illusion I” and “Use Your Illusion II” appeared.

Guns n ‘Roses are one of the hottest bands in the world at that time. Songs such as “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City”, “Sweet Child O ‘Mine” or the Ballad “November Rain” are now considered a classic of the rock genre. Slash becomes a guitar icon – and is also in demand for other musicians. For example, he plays the guitar at Michael Jackson’s “Give in To Me”.

The wild rock star life has consequences

Slash has long lived a wild rock star life with all the side effects. “If an appearance or a studio session was in place, I was fully there,” he emphasizes in the dpa interview. “But as soon as I was free, I didn’t know where to go with me.” The result is alcohol and heroin problems.

After leaving Guns N ‘Roses in the mid -1990s, he toured Slash’s Blues Ball, later with Slash’s SnakePit, with which he released two albums. In the 2000s he founded the band Velvet Revolver with the former Guns colleagues Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum as well as singer Scott Weiland. While he delivers sweaty shows on the stage, his alcohol consumption between the concerts increases again.

He realizes that it cannot go on like this. In 2001, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy – a heart muscle disease that is attributed to his lifestyle. His second wife Perla gave birth to the sons London and Cash in 2002 and 2004. So that the children don’t notice his addiction, he sometimes lives in the hotel. In 2006 he finally made a withdrawal.

Music is favorite and self -protection

“When I finally got my life under control and realized that I have a problem, I started to play this time with guitar, recordings or fill whatever,” he says dpa. In the meantime, the rock icon is according to its own statement for almost 20 years of clean.

In 2016 he got back to Guns N ‘Roses together with his buddy, bassist Duff McKagan. Since then the band has been touring tirelessly. In private, Slash has been living with a partner Meegan Hodges for years, who also accompanies him on tour. The two were already a couple at the end of the 1980s and came back together with Perla after the end of his marriage.

Before his 60th birthday, the musician works with himself – also and precisely because of his music. “I noticed that I enjoy it when I’m busy, which inspires me,” says Slash. “It makes me happy when I have sessions with one or the other Jamme, write a song, take something up. I just stay tuned and do what I love.”