
8 Weird Facts About Guitar Icon Slash
Aside from his trademark wild hair, dapper top hat, and epic guitar shredding skills, Guns ‘n Roses guitarist Slash has always been something of an enigma. We’re here to break through his veil of mystery and share 8 incredible facts about this musical magician to get you clued up!
#1: He’s a Non-Smoker
In an interview a few years back, Slash shared that he is a strict non-smoker. However, he did admit to having quite the coffee addiction, citing Cuban as his favorite single-source bean. Before he quit smoking in 2009, the muso would puff through as many as 3 or 4 packs a day, but with the help of fellow industry icon Cher, he was able to kick the habit for good.
Unfortunately, his wake up call came in the form of pneumonia, which he contracted after he took multiple cigarette breaks during one of Cher’s Las Vegas performances. After being bed-ridden and unable to breathe for a few weeks, he simply went cold turkey and hasn’t picked a cigarette up since.
#2: He Has Suffered Heart Problems
Slash, much like the rest of G’nR, was known for being something of a party animal back in the day. Alcohol and heroin were two of his favorite poisons, and their abuse eventually led to him developing cardiomyopathy – a dysfunction of the heart muscles.
At one point, his doctor informed him that he had just a few weeks left to live, but after being fitted with a defibrillator and cutting down on the booze, his heart miraculously began to heal. Nowadays, his advice to everyone he meets is to steer clear of drugs and alcohol altogether! Perhaps online roulette Australia would be a better pastime…?
#3: He Produces Horror Movies
Aside from his excellent music, this talented guitarist is also known for directing some truly spine-chilling horror films. His favorite genre: ‘Slasher’, of course! He made his industry debut with the film ‘Nothing Left to Fear’ in 2013, and has since also produced movies like ‘The Hell Within’.
#4: He Was Inspired by Aerosmith’s ‘Rocks’
Aerosmith’s album ‘Rocks’ was famously an inspiration to Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, but did you know that Slash also drew inspiration from the very same collection of songs? He, along with James Hetfield of Metallica, have credited the album as the main influence behind them both deciding to learn to play the guitar.
#5: His Iconic Hat was Shoplifted
Every true rockstar has their trademark, and for Slash, it’s most definitely his impressive top hat. Interestingly, however, the garment was not a carefully-considered addition to the rock star’s usual outfit. Instead, he has admitted to having shoplifted it from a Melrose store called Retail Slut back in 1985. He also nicked a Concho belt from a different store and wrapped it around the hat, creating the signature look that we still know and love him for today.
#6: He Also Pilfered a Guitar
It was during the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s dedication ceremony to Slash in 2007 that the musician gave hosts and event officials quite the shock by returning a Les Paul electric guitar that he had stolen from their Florida cafe. He later revealed that he had stolen it from the Orlando establishment after spotting it in his dressing room and taking a liking to it. Well… at least he came clean about it!
#7: A Famous Actor Gave Him His Stage Name
You might know him simply as Slash, but his real name is actually Saul Hudson. So where did the moniker come from? Well, US actor Seymour Cassel’s son was good friends with young Hudson back in the day, and the two of them regularly ditched school together. After a while, Cassel began to call him Slash out of habit, and as the years passed, the nickname began to stick. Later, Cassel told Saul that he earned the name because he was always in a hurry and never had time to sit down and chat.
#8: He’s Passionate About Saving Elephants
Slash is very vocal when it comes to illegal wildlife poaching and the ivory trade. He and singer Myles Kennedy saw just how dire the situation was during a trip to South Africa, and he made a point of raising as much awareness about poaching as he could. Kennedy assisted by writing the song ‘Beneath the Savage Sun’, which exposes the atrocities taking place in full force.
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