“Slash”, by Slash, Anthony Bozza – Book Review!
I picked this book up last week and have to say that I tore through this thing faster than Slash's solo at the end of "Paradise City". Having been a fan of Guns n' Roses, more specifically of Slash's insane guitar skills, I felt almost compelled to read this.
In autobiographical form, Slash takes the reader on an absolutely outrageous journey from the early days before Gun's all the way to the raging success of Appetite for Destruction. Along the way stories of sex, drugs, and rock n' Roll are brought to life in one of the most candid accounts of life on the road I have ever read about.
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What is interesting about this book is how much Slash actually recalls, considering the amount of narcotics running through his veins at any given moment. It becomes clear in reading this book exactly why Guns became so successful: they consistently went against the grain. While the 1980's L.A rock scene was saturated in glam rock, Guns focused on edgy, blues laced guitar hook s more reminiscent of classic rock.For guitarists, Slash also explains his overall approach to playing the guitar and his appreciation of melodic guitar solos over "shreading". For those who want information on his exact rig in order to find Slash's tone, this book does not provide those details.
In case you aren't familiar with Slash and his work, check out the following Video...(there's a suprise around 5:00 Mins into it!):
However, the strength of Slash's autobiography lies in it's brutal honesty and in your face approach, which will satisfy most readers immensely. Slash remains one of the greatest guitarists of all time and this book shows that behind the long hair and 12 inch top hat, a complex and quite intelligent musician exists. Check this one out immediately.
On a side note, for all you guitarists looking to learn Slash's solos - the best way is to dissect them piece by piece, slowly. Be Patient - they are a lot to handle all at once - that guy hits an insane amount of notes in such a short time! A great tool that I've used for a while is RiffMaster Pro...it's pretty affordable software that lets you slow down the solo and dissect it without changing the pitch. Some other freeware programs have a similar approach, but nothing I have come across really compares to the original. Check it out and good luck! Slash rules!
I read it and i love it. im only 14 but still a major slash fanatic, so i emediatly got the book and loved it, i even got an A in adanced english for a book report on this this book. YOU SHOULD READ THIS FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SOUL!!!!
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
I read the book in 12 days, and it was awesome,very well done, written, illustrated. Not to mention how interesting it is to read all hes done in his life. Brilliant. Cgeers from Italy
Ok ,
I am going to be honest, very honest about this.
I found this to be a great read, it was packed full of humour and indepth in slashs perspectives of his early life that one might not be privy to such information.
but as the book wore on you begin to define the minor exagerations or was it hind sight polished with euphoria.
Although i will say it was not as monotanous as Anthony kiedis bragging about being a junky continuously in Scar Tissue, at least with slash you could laugh along with the storys.
also just when slash seems he is about to unleash a tirade on someone he steps back and tip toes around them and wonders off on a smack story contuing from two chapters ago, the book begins to circle and you pick up on some very easy contradictions on various subject.
slash liked to talk about records or various kinds of scandal or goodwill that GNR got up to on tour in this book. but when he got to the south pacific part of the illusion tour in the book nothing was mentioned about the shows breaking national attendance records in Australia , or Axls refusal to play in Queensland something from which brewed up from the appetite tour also not discussed,were the fans being charged up to $5- for water or fires being lit in the crowd of around 80,000 pax as they waited in Sydney. Also GNR visited disabled kids and a spinal unit in sydney or melbourne but the book just had another smack story. maybe it didnt fit the profile.
I will say i enjoyed Slashs book immensly and am promoting it to my friends.
but it could have been tweeked a bit better.
I read it over a weekend and loved it. I will say that I am impressed with the fact that Slash does not slam Axl much in the book. I have been a huge fan forever and have read and seen most of the rise and fall from the Axl perspective and it is interesting to read it from Slash’s point of view. I resent that comment about Anthony Kiedes, I loved his book as well, I agree that the ongoing smack stories get a bit tired, but that is what happened. I was also impressed by how much Slash remembered, I thought that to myself while reading about the Appetite tour, that was almost 20 years ago and he remembered every minute detail. As far as writing goes a thesaurus wouldn’t have been a bad purchase, if I had to read the words epitome or camaraderie one more time I was going to shoot myself. I also agree that it circled many times, which tended to be a bit confusing by way of the reader. But all in all I loved and the book and the tales he had to tell. I pride myself on being a GN’R encyclopedia but I even learned a thing or two from the ‘Slasher’ himself.
Loved it.
The most awesome thing is that slash actually says that Axl is the best singer he’s ever met.