Slash Biography

The guitarist and songwriter known as Slash was born in 1965 in Hampstead, London, to creative parents who were already working as visual artists and designers for a number of musicians and actors. As a young child, Slash frequently found himself traveling back and forth to Los Angeles, and upon his parents separation, he found the city to be a refuge where he encountered some of the most creative and inspirational people in the music business.

By the early 1980’s, Slash had begun playing guitar and joined the band Hollywood Rose, featuring singer Axl Rose. Hollywood Rose disbanded, but regrouped as Guns ‘N’ Roses in 1985, and Slash joined Axl, Izzy Stradlin, and Duff McKagan to round out the lineup. Slash was a member of Guns ‘N’ Roses all the way through the band’s rise to fame in 1987 follow the release of their debut, Appetite for Destruction. With Guns ‘N’ Roses, Slash set himself apart as a guitar playing, providing iconic riffs on songs such as “Sweet Child o’ Mine.”

By the early 1990’s, Slash had also formed his own side project, Slash’s Snakepit, releasing the debut album It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere (1995.)  Although  Slash’s Snakepit disbanded in 2002, the album went on to sell over a million copies and paved the way for his next project, Velvet Revolver, which launched in 2002. Velvet Revolver released its debut, Contraband, in 2004, and the single “Set Me Free” helped to bring both song and album to the top of the charts. Libertad followed in 2007, and Velvet Revolver continued to perform and record until 2008, when Slash launched his solo career.

Since that time, Slash has released the albums Slash (2010) and Apocalyptic Love (2012), collaborating with a “Who’s Who” list of artists, including Fergie, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, and Chris Cornell. Both albums were highly successful commercially and have launched a highly successful solo career for Slash, earning him a number of industry recognitions and awards for his guitar work.  He has also appeared in a number of television shows and films in the last decade, including Bruno (2009) and Kid Notorious (2003.) He has even founded his own production company, Slasher Films, which is aptly focusing on the production of horror films.

Slash has been recognized as one of the 100 Greatet Guitarits of All Time by Rolling Stone, and he earned his own star on the Rock Walk of Fame in 2007. He was also listed among the 10 Best Electric Guitar Players by Time Magazine in 2009. Slash continues to perform and record, both as a solo artist and collaborator with other artists. He recently published his autobiography, Slash, in 2007.