The most important part of being in a band is recognizing the strengths of everyone you’re working with. While the idea of experimenting with something new every time you hit the studio is exciting, you can’t always expect your bandmates to pull off something that lies beyond their natural ability. That said, if a band like Guns N’ Roses only stuck to their comfort zone, Slash would’ve needed other creative outlets for his guitar playing.
As the Use Your Illusion era proved, however, change wasn’t a dirty word for the hard rock legends. Axl Rose understood they couldn’t just recreate Appetite for Destruction, so the band’s shift toward piano ballads felt like a refreshing evolution for a group once seen as the most dangerous band in rock. If anything, though, the shift might’ve been too dramatic for some.
Even though the double album largely delivers on its ambition, it occasionally falters under its own weight. ‘November Rain’ remains a classic and one of the band’s most beloved tracks, but there are moments where the self-indulgence becomes hard to ignore—especially when songs stretch out to nearly nine minutes.
For someone like Slash, deeply rooted in straightforward rock music, it’s no surprise he looked for fresh collaborators. Though he’s widely recognized for his guest appearances with Michael Jackson on songs like ‘Black or White’ and ‘Give In to Me’, his work with Lenny Kravitz hits a different kind of groove whenever they connect.
Kravitz, with his broader musical range, still shares Slash’s unshakable rock and roll spirit, and their chemistry was on full display in ‘Always on the Run’. Fans already knew what Kravitz could do thanks to Let Love Rule, but hearing Slash add a funky, blues-soaked solo to the mix was like dropping a classic riff into a lost Funkadelic jam.
Slash had been holding onto that riff for a while, but he knew it wouldn’t have worked if Steven Adler were still on drums. Reflecting on it, he said, “There were certain songs that didn’t make the record that I recorded with other people. And Axl [Rose] and Duff [McKagan] were like, ‘Why did you do that?’ I was like, ‘Cause Steve couldn’t play ’em.’ Then we got a new drummer and we could’ve played ’em. Especially the Lenny Kravitz tune. But I’m happy I did it with Lenny, ’cause Lenny’s great, and I’m glad the way that turned out.”
Even though Matt Sorum was more than capable as Adler’s replacement, the track would’ve lacked the same rhythmic feel. Kravitz brought a distinct downtempo swagger to the song—something GNR’s usual high-octane rockers of the era didn’t really allow. It would’ve been a shame to hear the track come out sounding rushed or overamped.
Rock stars only have so many ways to make a midtempo groove work, but listening to Slash and Kravitz trade off musical ideas is all the magic ‘Always on the Run’ needs. It may not be a riff on par with ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, but it was a welcome sign of Slash pushing his boundaries, embracing new genres rather than staying locked into hard rock forever.
