The guitar icon Slash called a “total fucking purist”
As the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, Slash confirmed himself as one of the definitive guitar heroes almost as soon as the band’s 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction, hit the shelves. From the iconic ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ to ‘Rocket Queen’, the album is glutted with the hallmarks of his virtuosity.
Slash is an intriguing prospect in the sense that while he was very much at the forefront of his era’s guitar-playing, by blending the influence of punk and aspects of metal, spiritually, he is more closely connected with the masters of the fretboard from the 1960s and 1970s in approach. He has cited the likes of Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Keith Richards as being formative influences, with their swaggering take on the bluesier side of rock making a mark on him. He once even named the late Beck as the only guitarist who truly blows him away.
Yet, players like the aforementioned are only the tip of the iceberg for the Stoke native. One man who significantly impacted him was Rory Gallagher, the Stratocaster-toting wizard who fused blues rock with the folkish traditions of his native land. Famously, Gallagher was such a force that even Jimi Hendrix, perhaps the artist most synonymous with the Fender model, would once coyly dub his Gaelic counterpart the best rock guitarist in the world.
Naturally, Slash was drawn to Gallagher after being exposed to his pulsating sounds through his dad, who had copies of his records at home. However, he only fully got into him once he started playing the guitar. In his mid-teens, he bought 1976’s Calling Card, and from there, he was sucked in and quickly purchased classics such as Blueprint and Top Priority. Then, his love for Gallagher was cast in stone when he heard his live records, which showcased the gravity of his talent fully, such as Irish Tour and Live in Europe.
When speaking to Hot Press in 2020, Slash discussed why he loved Gallagher and described him as a “total fucking purist” when doing so. He said: “Somebody like Rory who was just a total fucking purist was more my speed, with regard to what I was using to teach myself to play.”
It wasn’t just Gallagher’s music but his general attitude and approach that influenced the young Slash. He said: “One of the things I liked about him was that he always seemed to be having a good time, doing what he loved, that was the impression I got, he was down to earth and he didn’t put on any airs.”
Continuing, he added: “I never met him until later and when I did, he turned out to be exactly that, and I had a great time hanging out with him. I’m really honoured to have had the experience that one time. I dug him because he seemed to be just into his guitar and into singing his songs and just doing what he did. There was nothing else important and that meant something to me.”
Watch Rory Gallagher live below.
