Questions
What’s Slash’s real name?
He was born Saul Hudson on July 23, 1965, in Hampstead, London. He was reportedly named after the cartoonist Saul Steinberg.
How did Slash get his nickname?
The actor Seymour Cassel reportedly gave him the name because he was always in a hurry, zipping around from one thing to another.
Is Slash British or American?
Both. His father Anthony Hudson is an English artist and his mother Ola J. Hudson was an African-American fashion designer, and Slash holds dual British-American citizenship.
How did he join Guns N’ Roses?
In May 1985, Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin recruited him to replace founding guitarist Tracii Guns.
Where did his famous top hat come from?
Before a 1985 show, Slash reportedly shoplifted a black felt top hat and a silver concho belt from Melrose Avenue stores, then combined them into his signature look.
What got him hooked on rock in the first place?
At 14 he heard Aerosmith’s album Rocks and later recalled that it hit him like a ton of bricks and changed his life.
How big was Appetite for Destruction?
The 1987 album became the best-selling debut album in U.S. history and moved 28 million copies worldwide.
Which of his riffs and solos are considered the greatest?
His riff in Sweet Child o’ Mine was ranked number 1 on Total Guitar’s 100 Greatest Riffs in 2004, and his November Rain solo placed number 6 on Guitar World’s 100 Greatest Guitar Solos in 2008.
How many guitars does Slash own?
He owns over 400 guitars, with the Gibson Les Paul as his preferred instrument and a 1959 Les Paul Standard replica as his main studio guitar.
Is he in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Yes. He was inducted in 2012 as a member of Guns N’ Roses.
Where does he rank among the all-time great guitarists?
Time magazine named him runner-up to Jimi Hendrix for The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players in 2009, and Rolling Stone placed him at number 65 among the greatest guitarists in 2011.
What other bands has Slash played in?
He founded Slash’s Snakepit in 1994, co-founded Velvet Revolver with Scott Weiland in 2002, and later performed with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators.
Did Slash really almost die?
In 2001 he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy from years of substance abuse and reportedly given between six days and six weeks to live, but he survived through physical therapy and a defibrillator implant. He has been sober since 2006.
When did he rejoin Guns N’ Roses?
After about 20 years away, he rejoined for Coachella in 2016 and launched the Not in This Lifetime Tour, which grossed $584 million by 2019.
Has Slash done anything outside of music?
He is a self-described film buff who appeared in the 1988 Dirty Harry sequel The Dead Pool and founded the horror production company Slasher Films in 2010.
