While there are many legendary lead guitarists, few are quite as unique as Guns N’ Roses legend Slash. The global hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine” demonstrates how profoundly his work has penetrated popular culture. The cigarette-smoking, top hat-wearing maestro also has many noteworthy moments to his credit.
Although Slash is primarily a hard rock guitarist, his style of playing crosses many genres, including metal and country. A remarkable talent who learned most of his skills on his own, his story is inspiring to those who aspire to reach his lofty standards. Especially considering that he began playing the guitar at the comparatively late age of 14.
Driven by punk, Aerosmith, and The Rolling Stones, Slash immersed himself in the six-string community upon realising his desire to become a professional musician. He took this very seriously and would sometimes practise for twelve hours a day. So, by the time he joined Tidus Sloan, his first band, in 1981, he was well on his way to becoming an excellent guitarist.
Remarkably, Slash always emulated the best virtuosos in his native England. Slash’s stylistic kinship is with the English classic rock guitarists of the 1960s and 1970s, even though he may have made his claim to fame at the end of the hair metal era in the 1980s. This also makes sense because during his early years as a player, the late Jeff Beck was a man from whom he learned a lot.
In 1988, he stated to Guitar Magazine, “I learn everything by ear.” I would learn about anything that I found interesting or cool. I’d be up to date on Jeff Beck like you’d never know. I would also pick up any lick from Wired, Truth, and Blow by Blow that I felt was really good.
It’s interesting to note, though, that Slash wasn’t initially shown the path to becoming a legendary guitarist by Jeff Beck. Through a local guitar teacher, he replaced Eric Clapton in The Yardbirds. In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, the Guns N’ Roses legend stated that he knew he had to pick up the instrument after hearing the tutor. Robert Walling, play Clapton licks. Slash’s life’s course was permanently altered by this incident.
After attending a nearby music school, Slash’s initial plan to learn the bass was quickly abandoned. Remembering this, he said, “I went over there without an instrument, not knowing what the fu*k I was doing. And, I went in and talked to the teacher. This guy Robert Walling, who I’ve talked to a couple of times over the years.” So he led me into the room and we started talking while he played Clapton-esque licks on the guitar the entire time. And I said, ‘Well, that’s what I want to do’. He goes, ‘That’s not bass, that’s lead guitar.’ And that started. That’s where it went.”
