SLASH Says He Doesn't Understand 'Level Of Hysteria' Around The Name GUNS N' ROSES

July 12, 2011

Heineken Music recently conducted an interview with legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER being hard acts to follow:

"I don't really like to spend time talking about them, but the interesting thing is the strong legacy about each band. The level of hysteria around the band or should I say the name GUNS N' ROSES has continued. I don't totally understand that. VELVET REVOLVER happened because Duff [McKagan] and I got together with Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, and it was so good and intense we decided to carry it on. So trying to follow in GUNS N' ROSES' footsteps wasn't an issue for us at all, because it's been so long since Duff and myself had been in the band."

On how he has changed his personal and lifestyle habits:

"You can only push the excess to a certain extent it never has the same appeal when you've done it so often. I'm fortunate in that I was definitely suspect of being one of those types of people at some point or another. Sadly, a lot of people have gone down that road and not come back. Most come out of the fog completely jaded and tired and don't even understand what they were doing."

On his image as the epitome of rock 'n' roll excess and dissipation:

"When I see the image of what the media and general public perceive as being a rock star, I don't see myself on that particular level. Cartoonish, sometimes, yes, and I do live certain aspects of the life still to this day. At the same time, this is just the image. For me, it's never been about dressing to impress. There's a thing about pushing your self over the limits, as far as possible, even to the point where you wake up in the hospital. After a while, however, it just gets a bit boring."

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