SLASH Is 'Looking Forward' To Hearing 'Chinese Democracy'

James Wigney of Australia's Herald Sun recently conducted an interview with VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On his current relationship with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose:

"I'm just glad that he (Axl) is out there doing his thing again. We didn't know what was happening with him for a long time, but I'm looking forward to hearing this album. I heard a live track from a concert supposed to be one of the new ones, but it was so long ago I don't even remember what it sounded like."

On the fact that many observers have been surprised VELVET REVOLVER has held together long enough to record a second album:

"I don't think it surprised us, it was more a media thing. So this is kind of a big middle finger raised in their faces. We always looked at it as a continuing thing."

On how he and some of his bandmates hit a few speedbumps during the making of "Libertad":

"Everyone is really good right now. But a few of us lapsed back into some old habits. The only one who stayed completely sober actually was Scott [Weiland, vocals]. Dave [Kushner, guitar] doesn't count because he has been clean for years. The thing is that even though you have those urges and might slip back into old habits because you have done them when you were younger, when you get there the shine comes off it pretty quickly. We are all here and have been through it all, so if one of us reaches out, the others know what he has been through."

"I thought it sounded like a great title for an album. (The concept) was really Scott's thing and I didn't have anything to do with it. "I don't really get into concept albums — I think they are either good songs or not. Really, the only concept album I ever liked was THE WHO's 'Tommy' and that didn't really become a concept album for me until it was made into a movie."

On failed working relationship with veteran producer Rick Rubin and the hiring of producer Brendan O'Brien, who oversaw the early '90s efforts of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and PEARL JAM:

"I just want to make it clear that we really admire and respect Rick. But because he is such a busy guy with so many things on the go, we just felt that when it came down to it he wasn't there. So we had written all these songs and we went in and I felt he wasn't being particularly encouraging and we parted ways — quite amicably, I might add. Scott had worked with Brendan before and always spoke very highly of him and he worked out great."