Slash reveals his “all-time favourite live band”
There are few people as committed to making rock music as Slash. He practically lives on the road and is always keen on creating exciting, inventive music. Whether in Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver or throughout his recent solo career, he has always been keen on working with different people, making good music, and performing it worldwide.
Given his commitment to the music he loves, it is hardly surprising to learn that Slash is just as keen on watching live music as he is about playing it. When he isn’t on the road, he enjoys seeing what other people are up to, trying to find artists making good music but pushing the boat out at the same time.
It’s easy to think of Slash and just see a rock musician, but he is arguably one of the most versatile guitarists on the planet. His debut self-titled solo album is a testament to this as he worked with artists ranging from Iggy Pop to Adam Levine, experimenting with different styles throughout but persistently delivering killer music.
Nothing draws the guitarist in more than someone being innovative and not being afraid to go beyond what is expected of the standard guitarist. When you understand this, his favourite live band shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as their whole ethos is about going against the grain, and they have one of the most extreme and experimental guitar players on the planet.
“Tom Morello. It’s funny cause we all know he’s one of the most inventive, most interesting and most innovative guitarists around, but no one seems to pay much attention to him,” he said. “He’s phenomenal, I know the guy and have played with him… He’s so talented and creative. I think Rage [Against The Machine] could be my all-time favourite live band.”
Rage Against The Machine puts creativity at the forefront of everything it does. Their message aligns with a lot of punk music, but the way they push the boundaries of how they can use their instruments and fluctuate with vocal melody is properly inspired. Tracks like ‘Bulls on Parade’ give the listener some exciting lyrics alongside a screeching guitar solo that separates itself so much from everything else that’s out there that it begins to sound like something from another world.
Guns N’ Roses was successful right from the get-go because the way they approached making music was different from what was already out there. Yes, they had hard rock at their centre, but Slash’s riffs and Axl Rose’s vocal melody set them apart from everyone else on the market. It’s evident that this ingenuity is something Slash still looks for in the music he listens to, and nobody achieves that better than Rage Against The Machine.
