Gaining fame thanks to his time with Guns N’ Roses, Slash watched as the band reached worldwide success. At the same time, many considered the musician one of the greatest guitarists ever. Even Rolling Stone placed him on their list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. While spending the majority of his career on stage with other artists, in May, he will release his second solo album, Orgy of the Damned, which features numerous stars like Chris Stapleton. And although Slash is a top name in music, he admitted to having to cold call Stapleton to get him on the project.
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Speaking with Rolling Stone about his new album, Slash explained how he collaborated with several artists like Iggy Pop, Demi Lovato, and Billy Gibbons. His recent single, “Killing Floor” featured the guitarists performing alongside Steven Tyler and AC/DC’s Brian Johnson. Still, when it came to Stapleton, Slash noted, “His singing cadence and that drawl that he has for this particular song, in my mind’s eye, it sounded perfect.” He added, “I had to get his number and cold-call him. And he was really gracious about it and really bent over backwards to help me get it done.”
Slash Hopes To Give Back With S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival Tour
Covering Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well”, both Stapleton and Slash gained high praise from fans as comments included, “I’m 48 years old. Been a fan of Slash since appetite for destruction. I was a boy then. Everything gets better with age and Slash is absolute proof of it. The newest stuff is the rock the world needs hands down. The collaborations with the artist he’s working with is phenomenal. Keep on Rocking on.” Another fan added, “Slash & Chris Stapleton are both masters of putting their unique vibe of style in their offerings while respectfully maintaining the integrity of the composition and it is all masterfully awesome.”
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With just a few weeks left before Orgy of the Damned hits shelves, Slash held his performance with Stapleton close. He even insisted, “I think it was one of the best ideas I’ve had in recent memory, was to have him sing that song.”
Outside of the studio, Slash also prepares for his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival Tour. Standing for “Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance”, the guitarists revealed how the festival hoped to help “support and uplift people.” “We are contributing a portion of every ticket and VIP package sold from the tour to those ends. S.E.R.P.E.N.T. will also provide an environment where folks can get together for a day of great music and hang out and have a good time.”
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
