Slash recently released a star-studded blues tribute album, Orgy of the Damned. While the 12-track collection mainly features songs that originally were written and performed by American artists, in a new interview with RTL, the Guns N’ Roses guitarist admitted that the musicians who inspired his love of the blues the most were British.
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“I think the British discovery of the American blues and their take on it really reinvented the blues altogether, because that became very popular,” Slash explained.
He then noted that so many of these artists interpreted the blues in their own way, and in doing so, created unique and new styles of music.
“[Y]ou start thinking about where [rock music] has gone, it’s all sort of blues based,” Slash maintained. “Everything in rock ‘n’ roll very much comes from the blues, but there’s a lot of different interpretations of it.”
[RELATED: Slash Returns to His Blues Roots on Orgy of the Damned]
He added, “[I]t was interesting that in the ’60s that the Brits really picked up on it and managed to turn it into a really broad spectrum of blues-based music that covers a lot of different styles and a lot of different flavors and sounds. It’s really, really, really cool.”
Slash Names Guitarists Who Have Had a Big Influence on Him
Asked to name some of the guitarist who have influenced him, Slash came up with a list that also included a couple of American musicians.
“Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Keith Richards, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, these guys were all a huge influence on me,” he said. “And they’re all blues musicians.”
Why Slash Loves the Blues
As for why he has such a passion for the blues, Slash said, “[It’s] really, really important music in and of itself. There’s nothing quite like it. And there’s a certain honesty and there’s a certain danger and there’s a certain sexiness to it that everybody wants to pick up on.”
About the Orgy of the Damned Album
Orgy of the Damned was released on May 17. The star-packed album features guest appearances by AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Iggy Pop, Chris Stapleton, The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson, Gibbons, Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers, and Demi Lovato.
About Slash’s Upcoming Tour
Slash is launching a blues-themed U.S. tour called the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival on June 5 in Bonner, Montana. The trek is mapped out through an August 17 show in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Joining Slash on the trek will be a variety of artists, including Warren Haynes Band, Keb’ Mo’, Larkin Poe, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Samantha Fish, Robert Randolph, and Eric Gales.
Tickets for the tour dates are available now via various outlets, including StubHub.
Orgy of the Damned Track List:
- “The Pusher” (featuring Chris Robinson)
- “Crossroads” (featuring Gary Clark Jr.)
- “Hoochie Coochie Man” (featuring Billy Gibbons)
- “Oh Well” (featuring Chris Stapleton)
- “Key to the Highway” (featuring Dorothy)
- “Awful Dream” (featuring Iggy Pop)
- “Born Under a Bad Sign” (featuring Paul Rodgers)
- “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (featuring Demi Lovato)
- “Killing Floor” (featuring Brian Johnson)
- “Living for the City” (featuring Tash Neal)
- “Stormy Monday” (featuring Beth Hart)
- “Metal Chestnut”
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