Slash leaves memories in Vegas

On Saturday night, I went to the Hard Rock to interview Slash at a dedication for a memorabilia case to the guitar legend. I have a sort of odd history with Guns & Roses. I first saw the band open for Alice Cooper when I was an undergraduate in the Midwest in the '80s, and Appetite for Destruction, their debut, had just come out. Slash was in G&R then, of course, and I remember his extraordinary guitar-playing technique.

But when I experienced my most vivid knowledge of Slash, he was not present. In fact, they weren't even my memories. I did a series of interviews a few years ago with former Guns & Roses drummer Steven Adler (who at the time was living in Las Vegas). Adler spent hours telling me about his best friend from childhood, Slash, and how they had grown up together with dreams of being rock stars. Those stories of Slash and Adler and their kiddie hopes while penniless on Sunset Strip have always stuck with me. Of course, they achieved those dreams, before Adler became the first member of the group that made Appetite for Destruction booted out by G&R's mercurial lead singer, Axl Rose.

By the time I moved to Vegas in 1999, Axl Rose had reformed G&R without even Slash. Professionally, in Vegas, I have covered two post-Slash, Guns & Roses shows for Rolling Stone magazine. At one of those shows, Slash showed up to watch the band he used to be a member of play and was denied admission.

Of course, Slash has had plenty of opportunity to play Vegas. I once interviewed him when he performed with side project Camp Freddy at the opening of a Vegas topless bar. That night, his first words to me: "No questions about Guns & Roses."  Most recently, for a New Year's Eve show in 2005, I saw a very drunk Slash on stage at the Hard Rock playing with Velvet Revolver.  Most fans didn't seem to notice. Slash is a legend even if he never plays another note and an off night means nothing. He has fully paid his dues.

At the Hard Rock on Saturday night for the dedication of his memorabilia case hundreds of fans turned out just to catch a glimpse of Slash. Since there was also a Mary J. Blige concert in the Hard Rock's Joint right next to the Slash memorabilia case, for our brief interview,  I suggested a nearby VIP lounge. We had to be hustled to the lounge by security, while desperate fans were thrusting their own memorabilia at Slash to sign (oh, why do people ask a guitar player to sign a drum skin?).  Anyway, Slash is old school when it comes to pleasing fans. He asked security to arrange after the interview an orderly way he could sign autographs for his fans. So, as we had our 3 minute interview, the entire time, through tinted glass, I  watched the fans being lined up outside the VIP lounge:

Q: So, do you have any good stories to go with the memorabilia in the case?

A: There is a story with everything in the case. The jean jacket is something I got off of somebody in Canada a long time ago. I wore the jacket in the "Sweet Child of Mine" video. The top hat is one of the ones I've had for years, and it was sort of hard to part with it. But I get it back one day. They hold the stuff here,  but I can take it back. The guitar has the best story. I stole that from the Hard Rock in Orlando. It was in the dressing room.  I didn't know what it was doing there, so I took it. I mean it was in the dressing room and no one claimed it. So, I've had it all these years and been playing it. But then I thought what better way to honor the Hard Rock for honoring me than to give it back, sort of.

Q: So, any thoughts on having a case to honor you like this in Vegas?

A: It is very cool. At least, it has genuine stuff in it. As we all know, a lot of stuff isn't real, because people don't like to part with stuff.

Q: So, do you have any good Vegas stories? Last time I saw you on stage here you seemed pretty drunk.

A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That was the only time with Velvet Revolver that I got really...um, well. We had a big party in my room. I'd been drinking wine. I have a very even way of drinking wine and sustaining alcohol without overdoing it. One of my friends says that it is New Year and I've got to do a shot with him. I wound up doing three shots of Jack and that took me over that little edge. Then I got on stage. That was a memorable night at the Hard Rock.

Q: Of course, with G & R you never played Vegas?

A:  I never played Hard Rock with Guns or anything. But I did come to a Guns show in Vegas to see Axl's new band and they would not let me in. That was memorable. I kind of knew Axl didn't know I was there and they were trying to protect him from me for some reason. When I got there they thought I brought my guitar with me and had heard all this stuff. And, I was just going to the gig. So, we went to Green Valley Ranch instead and had a blast.

(photos by Sarah Gerke)