David Bowie’s advice to Slash about drugs and his “little translucent friends”
David Bowie courageously confronted his own struggles with substance abuse throughout his life. However, having triumphed over his personal demons, he often sought to prevent others from succumbing to the same pitfalls of addiction. With genuine empathy, Bowie openly extended a helping hand to those who found themselves in a situation reminiscent of his own past.
Slash has openly admitted his struggles with drugs and alcohol for many years. In 2001, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy caused by long-term drink and drug usage – something that his doctors said meant he only had weeks left to live. However, following successful cardioverter-defibrillator surgery in 2005, the musician declared his decision to quit drugs and alcohol – a pledge he’s managed to uphold ever since.
However, at the peak of Slash’s addiction in the 1980s, he remembers a distinctive hallucination phase that didn’t seem all that concerning, that is, until he raised it to Bowie. He revealed that the British icon astutely recognised a growing vulnerability to the outside world within the guitarist, which stemmed from his troubled mental state and consequently triggered his hallucinations. This profound observation served as a pivotal moment for Slash, opening his eyes to the importance of prioritising his mental well-being and addressing his addiction.
In his autobiography, the legendary musician describes the moment Bowie asked him about his relationship with drugs: “He asked me about what I was doing drug-wise and what I was going through emotionally, psychically, and with the band. I rambled on for a while, but once I started talking about my little translucent friends, David interrupted me… He’d heard enough.”
During an interview with Kerrang, Slash recalled: “I talked to [Bowie] about [the hallucinations] because it was disturbing. Was this when I was seriously drinking? This was more drug-related. And he’d said, ‘No, you’re probably in a bad place right now, and you have become vulnerable to a lot of outside interaction with things that people don’t normally see, and you’ve exposed yourself to this.’ And I was like, ‘Woah! That’s heavy…’ But that was a sound piece of advice. Or maybe an eye-opening clarification of the state of mind I was in.”
Although Slash had been functioning as an alcoholic even at the peak of his admission, with many dismissing his alcoholism as an inherent part of his personality, few individuals genuinely extended their support and assistance to him throughout his journey. He himself acknowledged the presence of these compassionate figures who crossed his path, offering a glimmer of hope and guidance along the way.
Bowie’s guidance didn’t yield immediate results in transforming Slash’s life. Nonetheless, his words served as an important catalyst from which he continues to draw strength. It was a long journey, but from that one conversation, Slash ultimately was able to bring himself out of the dark.
