SLASH Praises New Generation Of Guitarists: 'Little Kids Are Blowing My Mind'

In a new interview with the "Jim Kerr Rock & Roll Morning Show", which airs on New York's Q104.3 FM radio station, GUNS N' ROSES' Slash was asked if he thinks it's easier or harder now for aspiring guitarists to get started than it was when he first began playing the instrument more than four decades ago. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Are you kidding? People are incredible now. They pick up an instrument and there's so much information out there on YouTube and Instagram, all the social networking stuff, where you can really learn how to play, as opposed to having to look in a book or sitting down and listening to records and going to concerts and sort of watching from a distance. You really get tutorials, and people are getting so good so fast. Little kids are blowing my mind."

After one of the interviewers noted that he often tells aspiring guitarists to learn Slash's licks from the GUNS N' ROSES songs "November Rain" and "Sweet Child O' Mine", as well as classic rock tracks from Jimi Hendrix and PINK FLOYD, such as "Comfortably Numb", which features David Gilmour on guitar, they will be able to play anything, Slash said: "Well, the way I see it is, you learn a few of those licks, and I don't know about the 'Sweet Child O' Mine' and all that, but David Gilmour, if you can do that and put it in context of other music, other songs and not just play 'Comfortably Numb' only, yeah, you can do a million things. I mean, when I first picked up the guitar, it was, like, literally five notes that was sort of a blues lick. And it was like the heavens parted… So once you get that structure and start applying it to different pieces of music, it's wide open."

Back in 2014, Slash described his good friend, ZZ TOP's Billy Gibbons, as one of the defining guitarists of his life, telling Esquire magazine: "Billy is somebody I know. But first and foremost, way, way before I ever actually met him, he was one of the tastiest sort of rhythm, blues, and electric-blues guitarists who I had ever heard. As far as me identifying with a certain tone and a certain style of putting notes together, he's got so much soul. And he's got such a great guitar sound. He is obviously very, very well-known in every circle as far as musicians and fans of ZZ TOP, but sometimes I think he's underrated for just how great he really is."

Regarding Hendrix's influence on his playing, Slash said: "[Jimi] was the pioneer for electric lead guitar. Even the guys before him — like [Eric] Clapton and [Jeff] Beck and all that — but the thing about Jimi is he came along and he was definitely the primal wild man, shit coming out of his pores. It was the extremes of all the different nuances that all the different guitar players before him had and just coming out in droves and saying it in a certain way that was uniquely Jimi and nobody else. Jimi's still the man. It's funny because you hear about him so much but he was that great. And his material stands the test of time all these years later."

GUNS N' ROSES officially launched the North American leg of their 2026 world tour on July 23, with an opening performance at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. The show kicked off the band's 18-date stadium, arena and amphitheater run across the United States and Canada this summer.

The North American run follows a landmark period for the band, including the release of two new singles, "Nothin'" and "Atlas", via Geffen Records — their first new music since 2023 — as well as the acclaimed deluxe reissue of "Live Era '87-'93", featuring newly remastered audio and updated artwork. Together, the new releases continue to expand the band's legendary catalog while complementing the classic songs that have defined generations of rock fans.

Produced by Live Nation, the North American tour continues through September 19 with stops at iconic venues including MetLife Stadium, Allegiant Stadium, BC Place, Globe Life Field, Snapdragon Stadium, Busch Stadium, and a historic return to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena — the band's first performance at the legendary venue in more than 30 years.

Limited tickets remain for select dates at gunsnroses.com, with a variety of VIP packages and fan experiences available through VIP Nation, including premium tickets, the pre-show VIP Lounge, exclusive merchandise, behind-the-scenes tour opportunities, and more.

GUNS N' ROSES have steadily been releasing new material in recent years in conjunction with their sold-out tours across the globe. Following 2023's "The General" and "Perhaps", "Atlas" and "Nothin'" join as vital additions to setlists otherwise featuring all the classic hits and deep cut fan favorites from GN'R's early catalog.

GUNS N' ROSES are Axl Rose (vocals, keyboards),Duff McKagan (bass),Slash (lead guitar),Dizzy Reed (keyboard),Richard Fortus (rhythm guitar),Isaac Carpenter (drums) and Melissa Reese (keyboard).