Last evening SLASH denied that the
decision to postpone the South American tour has been made. He said that
Snakepit will either go to South America or Australia in January. So
hold your tickets till a decision is made by SLASH. SLASH and his girlfriend
are planning a New Year's Eve at home, but then they plan to leave tomorrow
for a one week vacation getaway. Have fun, SLASH!
We're going to save the regular reviews and news till January. In keeping
with what many publications do on New Year's Eve, we've gone over the SLASH
news of the past 12 months and pulled the 10 most interesting SLASH news
items for your review. In order of importance:
1. SLASH's Snakepit releases the new album, Ain't Life Grand
2. SLASH signs with Koch Records.
3. SLASH's Snakepit Opens for AC/DC in the US/Canada tour and headlines
their own European club tour.
4. Ryan Roxie leaves Snakepit and is replaced by Keri Kelli.
5. Rumors of GNR reuniting fade as Snakepit tours and Axl Rose brings his
new lineup onstage. Reunion gig and short tour dreams with the original band
are of some interest to the original band although Rose did not comment.
6. SLASH gets a fifth tattoo on the right side of his abdomen. This one's
a smoking cat with a big wink.
7. SLASH and Duff McKagan are sued by BFD Management (GNR managers) for
failure to pay BFD for promotion on Live Era among other matters.
8. SLASH records 2 tracks on a forthcoming Rod Stewart album.
9. SLASH guests on Doro Pesch's Calling the Wild on the "Now or
Never" track.
10. SLASH sells his mansion (including the sadly missed Snakepit studio)
to Billy Bob Thornton/Angelina Jolie.
SLASH's Snakepit was to lead off
the New Year with a tour of South America. That tour has been shifted
and will happen possibly this summer. The three confirmed shows in
Argentina are cancelled. It's possible that January will see the band
in Australia doing that makeup tour. Some fans are speculating on
the 'pit opening for AC/DC there as AC/DC will do extensive Australian
touring in January. We have no word on what kind of tour it would be -
opening act or headlining clubs. We'll keep you posted as January is just
a few days away.
Today there are several SLASH mentions and one review from Italy. In
magazines, Vicki said to be sure to check the February 2001 Guitar
World if you've missed the full page Dragonfly ad featuring SLASH.
Offspring's on the cover and it's about 15 pages in. Vicki also found
that the February 2001 issue of Guitar Player with Lenny Kravitz
on the cover has a nice mention of SLASH in the "Feedback" column. A
reader writes in thanking the magazine for bringing its audience up to
date on SLASH's current works and for the closeups of his ax. The reader
noted that both pictures show his Les Paul with high E dangling off the
fretboard! The reader comments that he knew SLASH was a fabulous player,
but he never realized SLASH did it with just one E! Thanks, Vicki!
Here's more on that Classic Rock article we've been hearing about.
Nasar said the interview was done by Mick Wall who once wrote an
unauthorized bio of GNR. About three pages are devoted to GNR and Axl,
then SLASH gets into Snakepit and other things. SLASH said there is no
chance of GNR getting back together. Even when they played together after
Appetite..., it was a miracle. SLASH talked about Steven Adler and
said it was Steven who showed SLASH how to play his first guitar chords.
They were very good friends until drugs got hold of Steven and wouldn't
let go. Nasar says that a few pages later there is an interview with UFO
which opens with a SLASH mention. SLASH told the bass player that he
was the reason SLASH started getting "f*cked up onstage". SLASH said that
when he was really f*cked up on one occasion, he nearly joined Megadeth.
Nasar found a SLASH appearance in a Metallica video, "A Year And A Half
In The Life of Metallica". SLASH is shown after a shower hanging out with
Dave Mustaine and Lars Ulrich. Then, there's a scene where James Hettfield
and company come in to a bar, and SLASH is there with an almost empty
bottle of whisky. SLASH gets up to shake Hettfield's hand and knocks over
his drink. SLASH says it was somewhere in the Metallica tour in 1992 that
he lost Axl. Thanks, Nasar!
That's magazines, videos, and now TV. Florian says that SLASH was
interviewed in Cologne recently for a show called "Kamikaze" on
German TV station VIVA 2. Florian wants to apologize for all fans
who have any respect at all for SLASH. (uh oh) The VJ took an old
lady along who had a video camera. She spoke to SLASH only in German.
SLASH obviously could not understand her. And she kept trying to grab
SLASH's hair! The inevitable GNR question was asked with SLASH replying,
"Axl is different". And he was asked if his hair was real or a wig!
Florian says he is really sorry about this interview. He says SLASH
was very professional in trying to pick out a word or two he could
understand and then talk about that. He talked about cooking and his
guitars, and the interview limped to a close. SLASH requested a Garbage
video. Florian says he thinks SLASH wanted "Stupid Girl", but of course
they played some newer one. Oh, SLASH!
Now a great net mention. This is on the guitar.com site, and there are
interviews with both SLASH and Adam Day. Eesifreek sent this along to
us, and although the interview with SLASH does not touch any new ground,
the guitar players will be very interested in the equipment lineup. You
can also see Snakepit live in a video or listen to some album tracks.
There are related links given as well. Visit this one when you have some
time. It's great!
Lisa sent us a message about the prize she won from Hard!
magazine in Italy. She and two others were to spend the day with
SLASH! Instead of a full day with SLASH, they actually only had
a few minutes. SLASH shook everyone's hand, and they got to attend
soundcheck. They gave him gifts, and he was very polite about
thanking them. SLASH was asked if he would do an instructional guitar
video, something many fans have asked for, and he said he couldn't
because he plays as he feels and doesn't think about it enough to
explain it. He said tabs and riffs are available in magazines. He
also said that he would be back in Europe this summer. Lisa asked
if "99 Times" would be on the second album, and SLASH said it wasn't
finished but would be completed and appear on the next album. She
also asked about "What Kindda Life", and she wasn't sure of his
answer. His expression was as though he didn't like the song very
much! SLASH was nice and easy to talk to. They got picks and got
everything signed they took in. Someone came in and said they were
late, so SLASH had to go. SLASH was perfect on and off the stage.
That morning Lisa met Keri and Johnny where they were waiting for a
cab. It was very cold outside that day, and the guys were off to do
some sightseeing. When they returned, Keri gave them passes to take
photos under the stage with the professional photographers. Someone
threw a bottle during the show and hit SLASH! (this is really too
much). All the band members were very nice, and the show was just
great. Lisa drove back the 9 1/2 hours home, but she had some wonderful
memories to take with her. Thanks, Lisa!
SLASH checked in on Christmas Eve to say that he made it home safely
with the airlines losing his only bag. However, even the suitcase got
there Christmas Eve, so his homecoming was complete. Christmas carols
were playing, and he said they had a beautiful tree and a good dinner
cooking. We hope SLASH and you got all the things you wanted for
the holidays. If you're making New Year's Eve plans, Snakepit won't
be playing a show according to SLASH. The band has to have some time
off before they launch into the next touring leg. Right now that is
scheduled to be South America, but South America could be pushed back
in order to do some makeup shows. SLASH said he would let us know soon.
While reading the December 2000 issue of the UK publication, Mojo,
we found a small but really nice mention of SLASH. The article was a review
of The Cult's new album. They talk about how some of the best tracks plot
the last stage of the band's metamorphosis; the part where Duffy's
John McGeoghesque-stylings were replaced by taut, Les Paul riffs a la
Page and SLASH! The album's worst tracks were judged to be ones where they
had not made this change to a more SLASH and Page-like styling. SLASH
does have a compact style where every note seems to have a purpose; long,
self-indulgent treatments are not in his repetoire. In fact, most fans
write here begging for LONGER SLASH solos!
There are many, many areas that need to be updated on the page. One that
is completed for the moment is the discography. Several new versions of
Ain't Life Grand are listed along with the two promo singles.
Thus far, "Been There Lately" has not been placed on the market by Koch
as a released single in or outside the UK. "Mean Bone" information is
now listed as the second promo single. Some new versions of the guest
appearances are listed there...primarily cassettes. And a new version
of "Obsession/Confession" was added to the soundtrack section. In the
near future, there will be guitar tabs added, show and album reviews
added, links to Slash-related sites will be added, and some new drawings
and tats for the Fan Section. If you have sent us something, it is safe
waiting to be added. And as always, we will email you when we have your
material up on the site. Thank you for all your contributions in 2000.
Speaking of contributions, there are some really interesting show reviews.
Let's start with the final show, Milan. Mauroguns was onhand before the
show with about 20 other fans. SLASH and Johnny did an interview on
Italian radio called Rock FM. They are in a hurry, but they stop to have
photos taken with fans. The show was very hot. Every song in Ain't
Life Grand was played except "The Truth". Rod's voice was great. Keri
did great backing vocals, and Johnny sang the first verse of "Beggars and
Hangers-On"! Keri threw a lot of picks, and Mauroguns caught one! At the
end of the show, Matt filmed the audience. Snakepit wished everyone a
Merry Christmas! According to Mauroguns, that day was the coldest day of
the year in Italy, but Snakepit music was the best place to get warm.
Thank you! Simone was also at the Milan show and says it was really great.
Rod sang really well. Keri Kelli was singled out for special praise. Simone
has promised to send some photos along. Thank you! Kostas came from Greece
to see the show; he travelled more than 1500 MILES to see Snakepit! Now
that has to be the farthest ever, and the trip was just for the one day to
see Our Guys. Kostas says every meter was f*cking worth it! The show was
not quite 2 hours long, and some people may think that is a bit short but
a powerful band could cause serious health problems if they played
longer! Kostas says Snakepit is like a drug, and you can't take large
amounts and survive! They played their usual set minus "Rusted Heroes", but
they did play "The Alien". SLASH wore a South Park tshirt with "Oh My God,
They Killed Kenny!" on it. SLASH is the best guitarist in the world, and
he played even better than in GNR days. Rod was shirtless from the beginning, and a banner
was thrown saying "Snakepit Get In the Ring" and "Snakepit You're Our
Bad Obsession". Keri is awesome and much more energetic than Izzy and
combines better with SLASH. Matt and Johnny were great. Rod said Johnny
is really dangerous and advised everyone to get home and stay there as
it was the last night of the tour, and Johnny would be out during the
night! Kostas says it was the best show of his life. SLASH is the best
and has found great musicians to work with. Kostas pays a big compliment
to the band...."but really, who needs GNR songs when he has Snakepit
playing in front of him". Overall: amazing concert, amazing band, amazing
SLASH. Thank you, Kostas, and we hope you are safely at home now. The final
Milan review for today is from Meghe who is from Modena, Italy. Meghe has
been a GNR and SLASH fan for 7 years. This is the best f*ckin' show he
has been to! Meghe and two friends arrived at noon, and SLASH got there
at 6:30pm. The doors opened at 7:30, and Snakepit went on at 9:30. They
played great, sounded great, moved great! Keri Kelli is really good with
so much energy. Matt is a great drummer, and Johnny kicks ass. SLASH is
simply incredible. Very strange to have SLASH 2 feet in front of you in
his top hat, curly hair, black tshirt, Les Paul, black leather pants and
boots. He played incredible solos and in the intro to "Mr. Brownstone",
SLASH wished everyone a "Merry f*ckin' Christmas" and a f*ckin' Happy New
Year. After the show Meghe and friends waited and followed the band to
their hotel. There they got to meet everyone and get some autographs sign.
SLASH took a lot of time signing Meghe's guitar. Someone traded their bottle
of Jack for SLASH's bottle. Meghe promises pictures and thanks the band and
SLASH for the great show. Thanks, Meghe!
Stepping back in time to the German Munich show, we've picked up a couple
more reviews. This one is from Mel who says the show lasted 90 minutes and
had great sound. The live music was even better than the album. SLASH and
the guys were in a great mood. Everyone had a great time, and it was great
to see SLASH after such a long time (7 years). Mel wanted to buy the black
hooded shirt but they were sold out. As far as we know those shirts are
only available at the venues. If anyone can help out by buying one, please
let us know and we will put you in touch with Mel. We are tryng to get
SLASH to open a little web shop! Carolin is one of our best net friends.
She saw SLASH appear with Michael Jackson at the big charity concert in
Munich a year or so back. She had really looked forward to seeing him in
a more intimate setting. She got her wish at the Munich show in the first
row. It was wonderful seeing SLASH so close. At first he seemed shy hidden
behind his hair. He played wonderfully! He took off his shirt, and there
was the new tat! Carolin was very happy that they played her favorite,
"Serial Killer". It was the best day of her life, and she got a second
chance to be thrilled when she waited outside in the cold, and SLASH
appeared again. He was nice and kind and signed Carolin's ticket. All
Carolin's problems and worries seemed to vanish in these moments. She
stayed till SLASH got on the bus to leave. She wants to be sure that SLASH
knows that she thanks him for everything, and the memories will make
living throught some of life's bad moments a little easier to bear. SLASH,
thanks for coming to Munich, and please come again soon. Thanks, Carolin!
Florian was also at Munich for Snakepit's show. While the show did not
sell out, all the fans there had one of the best times of their lives.
The band was full of energy. Rod was always talking to the audience and
throwing towels. Johnny and Keri smiled, and the whole band just seems to
love to get out and play. Rod sang "Time After Time" as the intro to
"Back to the Moment". If you are going to a show, SLASH mainly stands
on the right with Keri on the left. They played really loudly, and Florian
thinks they should turn it down a bit as the beauty of SLASH's solos are
sometimes lost in the volume. It's magic to see your childhood hero on
stage in person. Florian thanks the boys for coming to town. Thanks, Florian!
Remember the great Sheffield show on Dec. 3? Lesley and John were there
and said the guys really rocked. They came in from Manchester for the
show. They were about 10 feet from SLASH. Photos were not permitted in
this venue, but they did get a tour program which has terrific pictures
in it. This was the first time seeing SLASH's eyes! Very sexy eyes, SLASH!
The only letdown was waiting outside and SLASH not appearing. It was too
cold to wait longer than 2 hours. They could hear Thin Lizzy's "The Boys
Are Back In Town" being played inside. Rod was so sexy, and they apologize
for the bottles that were thrown. Brilliant band! Snakepit, come back soon!
Slash, love you! You are the ultimate rock god. Thanks!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, SLASH!
Due to illness, the webmaster has
been unavailable. SLASH called in yesterday to say the band all have
colds, but Rod is hanging in there so he should still be rocking Milan
tonight. When that show ends, they will be done with what SLASH called
a really great tour! Great audiences and a lot of great music and fun.
SLASH was glad to meet so many of you before and after the shows. He
says European audiences are super in that they are very accepting of
new bands. He definitely wants to come back there next year. We told
him many of you wrote and said you'd be there anytime, anyplace! We are
anxious to hear about that last show, so if you were at Milan, let us
hear from you. It looks like we haven't yet heard from
Nurenburg fans yet. We plan to be here over the holidays, and we hope
you will be too. We should be getting word from SLASH on where they will
be next. The schedule says Argentina, but there may be some shifting
around. Stay tuned.
Due to illness, we could not get this out to you in time. We
hope there will be a rebroadcast. Maz sent us a note that
there was a one hour special on SLASH including interviews and album
tracks on Totalrock.com 6-9pm UK time Thursday and repeated 12 hours
later. Total Rock is also available in the UK and Europe via satellite on
Sky Digital 950. Maybe Maz can send us a summary of what sounded like
a great program. Our apologies.
Becky sent us information on another UK broadcast. On this net station,
they broadcast
internet rock radio, and one of the DJs interviewed Slash last month. The
show is
archived but you need to have Windows Media 7 to view it with - scroll down
to the bottom where it says ARCHIVE, and then click on SLASH.
Becky reports that
SLASH discusses how GNR first started out, working with people such as
Lenny
Kravitz, Doro and Michael Jackson, getting into parties with fake ID's and
so much more! This is at:
Alex sent us word that SLASH was on the German MTV show on Wednesday.
On Thursday SLASH was the guest on German Music Station VIVA in the
Series Kamikaze. SLASH said he was doing as many interviews as possible!
Thanks, Alex. Another TV show appearance was sent in by Evan. This was
a little different. It was a program called "Wired for Sound: A Guitar
Odyssey", a Gibson documentary. It featured many legendary guitarists and
one was SLASH. SLASH was seen doing an awesome solo in '92 at a GNR
show. Then SLASH talked from the top of a building about how he feels
like he is slacking if he doesn't play for 2 days. He also said that
he likes to go into clubs and just jam with whichever band is playing.
(SLASH told us again he sleeps with his guitar and twanged on it a little
so we'd know it was right there with him. He said it is a Les Paul, and
he just loves it...you could hear that in his voice. He wants everyone to
know that it only sleeps with him if his girlfriend is not around! That's
our SLASH!)
More reviews. This first one is from Lukas who was at the Munich show.
Lukas says they played mostly songs from the new album, the two GNR
covers and one from Snakepit 95. The sound and lighting were great.
The whole band was perfect. SLASH played great solos in his top hat,
black shirt and a blue version of Godzilla. Matt was very powerful on
drums, and Rod had a great voice. SLASH spoke to the crowd! The show
was about 2 hours without a break; they kicked ass! Lukas bought a
tourbook and shirt. It was the best show he's ever been to. On the
MTV Europe show, Lukas saw a show called "Unter Ulmen" which has a
SLASH interview from the Berlin show. SLASH was cool and talked about
Duff, Izzy and how he missed all the GNR guys. Thanks, Lukas!
Tibor came from Zagreb, Croatia to see the show at Stuttgart. The show
was 12 HOURS AWAY! That is definitely a record! Tibor has been a huge
GNR fan for 8 years, and this was his first time to see an ex-GNR member
like SLASH. Tibor said it was like dreaming when SLASH came onstage. He
couldn't speak or move. He says he never felt anything like that in his
life! Tibor says that he thought the sound and vocals were fine. Tibor
promises to send us photos of this major event. The only thing he hated
was someone threw beer at Johnny. Johnny was really angry, and so was
Tibor. Thanks so much, Tibor!
Going back to Amsterdam, we have a couple more reviews. Jeevan was there,
and he says that someone here didn't get to see Matt after the show, but
Jeevan did. He was there with his sister waiting while she tried to get
SLASH's autograph. After about 10 minutes a guy walked by speaking English.
That was MATT! They talked and Jeevan got Matt's picture. What Jeevan
really liked about Snakepit was that all of them are really nice people,
and when they are onstage, they have so much energy! Thanks, Jeevan! One
photo we never see: Matt. He is hardly visible behind those drums onstage.
But he's crucial to the band. Next review comes from Jizz who waited
outside the venue for the band to show up. They came around 4:30 in a
bus. SLASH was not there, but the other guys gave autographs and had their
pictures taken. SLASH came around 5:30. The police were there to get traffic
regulated so the bus could park and SLASH could get out. Impressive. SLASH
was giving an interview on the bus and drinking something. The bodyguard
made everyone move back so SLASH could get out. SLASH promised to sign
things after the show. When the show started, Snakepit was explosive and
within a minute, Jizz and his friends moved up front. It was great to see
the band so close. Rod is a really good singer, and SLASH is wonderful.
Jizz says they took about 55 (!!) pictures. If you were there and saw the
sign "KOBRA GREETZ SLASH" that was from Jizz and his band KOBRA. If anyone
saw it, let us know. After the show, they got autographs. The KOBRA drummer
gave his armband made of rings to Rod who really liked it and wanted one.
They hope to see that little bit of KOBRA in a Snakepit video some day.
Thanks, Jizz!
Tonight is the Snakepit show in
Munchen, Germany. One more German show left: Nurnberg. If you haven't
seen them with all the shows they have done there, get out and make
it a sell out. If you want to see them on the next European tour, you
have to pack the venues. Holland knows all about packing them in!
The final show will be the one in Milan on Dec. 22. We did think this
show was sold out, but we understand that some outlets may have a few
tickets left, so call around till you get one. The final show is always a great
one.
Awhile back, the Italian magazine Hard! advertised a contest where
three winners would be chosen to hang out with SLASH and interview him or
to take 10 tickets for the show. We heard from Lisa that she is one of the
three winners, and of course is taking the time with SLASH! Lisa is thinking
of questions to ask as well as what to wear! Snakepit shirts are always
appropriate for meeting SLASH. Good luck, Lisa, and we hope we'll be
reading that interview soon.
All kinds of interviews are popping up. If you are in the UK, mark January
9 on your 2001 calendar. Mary Anne Hobbs will be broadcasting her
interview with SLASH. We hope the UK people know who this is and if it
is TV or radio. This is all we have so far. Thanks to Scott who spotted
the mention and sent it in. Ternell is one of SLASH's big fans. She
reports that in the winter issue of Experience Hendrix magazine's
news section, SLASH got a mention for listing Jimi Hendrix's "Machine
Gun" in the Nov. 2000 issue of Guitar World. This was where SLASH
did an article for the "60 Minutes: Ultimate Mix Tape". The magazine includes
a black and white concert photo of SLASH. Thanks, Ternell!
Shari posted on the Snakepit list that the current "Christmas Double Issue"
of NME has a review of the Snakepit show at London's Underworld.
Shari says the review is pretty good! The final line of the interview sums
up the show: "This might be a damp Camden, but SLASH is still taking us
where the grass is green and the girls are pretty". The issue date is
December 23/30, so check that out. Thanks, Shari!
Jarmo let us
know about this next interview which is on the web. It's a good one!
When SLASH's Snakepit was in Stockholm, Sweden, he was interviewed by
station Rocket 95.3 FM. SLASH is asked about the past and the present. The
interviewer is a guitarist familiar with the California scene in the
1980's. "A blast from the past!" exclaimed SLASH! Lots of good questions
and comments from SLASH and the interviewer. Thanks, Jarmo! Why not listen
now?
Ismar is from Croatia, and he saw SLASH on German MTV last
Wednesday afternoon. After playing the SCOM video, SLASH asked not
to be asked about GNR, but of course the interviewer asked anyway.
Viewers asked if SLASH would do more guest appearances, and SLASH said
given the chance and time, he would do more. He enjoys doing them. He
talked about working with Lenny Kravitz and said they were in school
together with Lenny being in with the regular kids and SLASH in the "bad
student group". SLASH mentioned he had good relationships with all the
ex-Gunners except Axl whom he hasn't spoken to in five years. SLASH said
that he dropped out of school because he was totally into his guitar and
music, and his parents were OK about it as long as he made some money. He
did this by working as a paperboy (!!), in a clock factory, apprentice at
a law office (HA!) and in restaurants. He worked as a waiter to help
finance GNR. (one riff to go!) Asked about the new rock from Kid Rock and
Limp Bizkit, he thought it was OK. (At other interviews he has said he
likes the attitude although he would not play that brand of rock) He has
no grand goal for Snakepit now, just as he never had one for GNR when they
started out. He was asked why people would be coming to see Snakepit in
Berlin and he said because of GNR, because they bought the album, because
they like rock music and because Johnny Griparic is the only European in
the band! (Johnny is from Sweden). SLASH said that he lives in LA but it
is more a base for touring than a home. Asked about his snakes, he said
he has 33 adult snakes and gives away the babies. Comparing Snakepit 95
with the current version, SLASH said that the first was more of a project
while this is a real longterm band. Finally, he was asked what he was doing
the past five years, and he said he was busy doing music and getting a
divorce! SLASH'S BACK! Thanks, Ismar, for that great report.
As for the Stuttgart show, Annelaure was there, too. The show was
good, but the sound was bad. The guitar solos and Rod's vocals were
inaudible. Another kiss from Rod, and she was on her way! Abi was
there, too, and says it was an exciting show. The crowd went crazy
on the GNR covers, "Landslide" and "Ain't Life Grand". Abi liked that
last one the best - really powerful with a cool ending. Keri tried
spitting in the air but didn't catch it and it landed in his face.
Rod did a little mooning of the crowd. Abi thought SLASH looked out
of it and a lot older than he expected. He speculates that SLASH has
had a rough life. (the older women think he's grand!) SLASH would laugh,
and it was really cool. The whole band sang a beer song, and SLASH tried
to sing it which sounded funny! Rod started to laugh, then SLASH; and they
had to stop! Over all the show was amazing! Thanks, Abi! Tommy saw
the show, too, and says it was a strange moment in his life...to be a
huge fan of SLASH's and then to see him a few feet away. Tommy thought...
it's just like he's a friend of mine I haven't seen in a week. There was
no rockstar about SLASH at all. The band was just having a good time;
and the music was fabulous. Keri Kelli is absolutely great on guitar and
really cool. Rod is the showman but cool. Tommy says that SLASH has
affected his life in a very personal, beautiful way. Thanks, Tommy!
Looking back at the Paradiso show in Holland, Marc said the show was
really great! It was unbelievable being that close to SLASH. Marc and
his best friend were right in front of the stage, just one meter from
the band. A great performance, great show! Marc likes Rod more than
he liked Eric Dover; Rod's voice really fits the kind of music they're
playing. After the show the band did autographs, but it was really cold,
so Marc just got Matt to sign his ticket. He was close to getting SLASH
to sign, but he didn't quite make it. (Maybe when they come back?) Thanks,
Marc! "Mick Jagger" sent in a review. He says they were at the Paradiso
at 7:30pm with a lot of other people waiting. Inside, the opening band
did their set, and Mick thought it was not so bad as others thought. He
said it was just simple music, and all the songs sounded pretty much the
same. The perfect band for background music while you drink beer and talk
to your friends. Thanks, Mick! Ferry was at the show and had a great time.
He and his cousin Dennis tried to get there early but were late. The
doors were still closed though. While in line, Dennis walked to the corner
of the building and motioned Ferry to come over. There was SLASH signing
autographs! Ferry got SLASH to sign his CD covers and had his picture
taken with SLASH. The concert was very cool, and Ferry was right in front
of the stage. He took lots of pictures which he promises to send. He
says Snakepit is best live; they rock like no other. Ferry said he saw
AC/DC, and Snakepit is 10 times better. Catching picks is hard, and Ferry
missed one from Keri and also Matt's drumstick. He DID manage to get
a towel though and hung onto it. Rod was full of energy as was Keri. Johnny
is really cool. SLASH was definitely having a good time. A pretty girl got
a kiss from Rod! Ferry bought a cap and tourbook for himself, and panties
and vest for his girlfriend. Back outside, he waited with 20 other people
and got his tourbook signed by everyone but Matt who did not come out.
Ferry says he had a hell of a night and will send pictures as soon as he
gets them. Thanks, Ferry!
The winner of Contest #2 Is Maria from
New York City. Maria saw Snakepit at Madison Square Garden, one of the
best shows in the U.S. Tour. She is a huge SLASH fan and loved his new
band. She now has a CD autographed by both SLASH and Rod Jackson. You
can win our last one! Contest #3 starts right now and due to the holidays
we'll run it through Saturday, January 6. All the answers can be found
somewhere on the SLASH page, and this set should not give you much trouble.
Click here to get the next set of questions:
Snakepit has an off day today.
They are getting ready for the last three German shows in Koln, Munchen
and Nuremburg. Then, another day off moving to Italy, and on 12/22 is
the final European show: Milan. Tickets are available for the German
show, but we understand Milan is a sellout. A nice sendoff from the
Italian fans! And if you're planning to send the band a fruitcake or
a card, time to get that in the mail. You can send things to any or all
the band members at this address:
(Slash's Snakepit or a band member)
c/o Susan Blond, Inc.
14542 Ventura Blvd., Suite 210
Sherman Oaks, CA
91403 USA
Keri Kelli
P.O. Box 8074
Huntington Beach, CA
92615-8074
Do you remember Damien who wrote to us ripping into the band after the
Kansas City show? He had had foot surgery just before this. Later he wrote
that the show was actually pretty good, but the sound quality really set
him off. Damien is back and says he wanted to make this up to SLASH and
here is how he did it. Damien is a guitar player in a band called Preferred
Villian. He was asked by the Lawrence Journal-World Entertainment staff to give his favorite
albums of 2000, and guess which album he rated #1? Ain't Life Grand!!
Check this out:
There are a good number of reviews that have come in from the last few
shows. Markus was at the Stuttgart show. The concert was about 90 minutes
long. He says he has waited 7 years to see SLASH, and SLASH didn't let him
down. The venue was about half full but it is a large one, and the tickets
were expensive. Markus said all the tshirts sold out except size XXL, so
the coming shows better hope there are more in the bus. There was no
opening band, so the show started at 9pm. The worst thing was that someone
threw a glass of beer in Johnny G.'s face! Johnny told the "fan" what he
thought of him. Shirts and hats were thrown onstage, and Rod put on a grey
hat which looked hilarious. The whole show had not one weak spot. The
band played well together and really put effort into it. The crowd was
very into the show and was louder than larger crowds Markus has been in.
Markus came to see SLASH, but the whole band impressed him. He says that
SLASH has picked the right people to play with. Overall: a great concert
and one of the very best Markus has been to this year. He hopes Snakepit
will do more albums and tours. Thanks, Markus! Stefan was also at the
Stuttgart show, and says the band was loud, wild and rock n'roll! SLASH
wore a yellow shirt and threw it during the show into the audience. Now
THAT is a souvenir! Rod has a good voice and flirts during the show.
Keri was totally into the music, and Matt was very good on drums. Johnny
had beer thrown on him, but he was really cool and gave beer to the
audience to drink. SLASH played his BC Rich guitar while on his knees
and then lying on his back. The band seemed to be having fun. Stefan is
off to the show in Koln tomorrow, and we may get some photos from him.
Thanks, Stefan!
Cordelia sent in her notes from the Berlin show. She wants to thank the
band for the amazing show. SLASH was as sexy and cute as always and
smiled all the time. Cordelia says she has never seen anyone play guitar
with such passion and so well. Doing solos, SLASH often has his eyes closed.
Rod has a great voice and did a very good and sexy show. Johnny, Keri and
Matt were also good, but Cordelia couldn't see them as well. She liked
"Serial Killer", "The Alien" and "Back to the Moment" best. The audience
really liked all the songs. At the end, SLASH, Keri and Johnny threw picks
into the audience, and SLASH pretended he would throw his guitar, too.
After the show, Matt, Johnny and SLASH came out for the autograph signing,
picture taking and talking with the fans that everyone likes so well.
Cordelia said they stayed in spite of the fact it was really cold. They
were all friendly, and SLASH said he would be back next summer. (Note
to U.S. fans...what about us??) Thanks, Cordelia!
The fans in Amsterdam must have been recovering. We've now got a LOT of
reviews from then. Ruud says that he was in front at the show. The sound
was perfect, and Snakepit was having a great time as was the audience.
Ruud wants them back again soon...possibly in another venue. He loves the
current Snakepit which is full of raw power. Ruud promises to send some
pictures. Don't forget! Thanks, Ruud! Daniel writes that Snakepit kicked
ass in The Netherlands. SLASH smiled the whole time. Rod is a great singer
and performer. Rod talked to the audience, and it seems he is a little
horny! Don't worry, Rod, you will be back home soon! Keri seemed to have
had quite a few beers, but he can really rock. Same for Johnny and Matt.
SLASH played with a lot of energy and feeling. Daniel says SLASH is the
one reason that made him go and buy a Les Paul when he had never touched
a guitar in his life! Daniel declares SLASH to be "the best bitchin'
guitar player in the world"! Thanks to the band for the really great rock
show. Daniel says..go out and see these guys! Thanks, Daniel! Toon was
also at the Paradiso. The band led off with "Life's Sweet Drug" and
then played "Been There Lately" without a break. The place was full, and
the band was fantastic. Rod's voice was good, and SLASH's fingers were
fast. The last song was "Speed Parade". The show was 2 hours long, and it
was GREAT! Only one thing wrong: the support act sucked. Thanks, Toon!
Jasper sent his notes on the Amsterdam show. He says that some people were
waiting at 11am in front of the venue! Doors opened at 7:45, and the band
came on at 10 pm. Jasper is part of Roadrunner Records street team which
is something like a promo team. Jasper did the promotion for the band in
Holland! Ain't Life Grand is released in Holland by Roadrunner. Jasper
was fortunate enough to get into soundcheck which was like a private mini-gig.
After soundcheck, Jasper put up posters all over Paradiso. Thanks, Jasper!!
After that, Jasper got to see the interview done by TMF with SLASH. They
gave him a bottle of Jack Daniels and a yellow shirt. SLASH signed Jasper's
CD booklet and got a picture of the two of them together. Jasper hurried over
to the front of the stage and had a great view of SLASH. Jasper says he has
seen lots of bands but this one really rocks! Rod is a great frontman. He
said Rod mooned the crowd, but he doesn't recommend seeing Rod's bare butt!
Everyone seemed to have a really good time, especially Johnny. Matt is a
great drummer. There was a rush on the merchandise stand, and the black
Snakepit shirt sold out. It's rumored that the gig and interview will be
broadcast. Thanks, Jasper, for that unique view of the show. Ed also went
to the show, and they were able to hear soundcheck. Ed was in the first
row with friends Jop and Robbin. The crowd started chanting SLASH after
the support band went off. When they came on, the crowd went crazy. Rod
wins over the crowd with his great voice and personality. The songs were
fantastic. For any fans who have not seen them yet, get to a show and
see them! Ed said his friend Jop owns the SLASH signature amp, and he
brought its certificate along. Every time SLASH came over, Jop held up
the certificate. Ed says that there was a woman photographer taking
pictures who said they would be up on www.rockezine.com in about a week.
The band came out after the show, and Jop got that certificate signed by
SLASH. The band signed a tourbook for Ed, and Robbin got his ticket signed.
There was a lot of merchandise for sale: 3 types of tshirts, a tourbook,
underwear, posters and a Snakepit logo button. Very cool stuff. Ed hopes
to see them again soon. Thanks, Ed! Martijn was at Paradiso and has been
a fan for 11 years. SLASH's Snakepit were so great! SLASH had a great time,
smiling and sweating, talking and smoking like a steam engine. SLASH did
great solos and was everywhere on stage. Rod is a great singer. Keri kept
spitting and catching it. (gag) Keri did some great background vocals
and guitar work. Johnny and Matt rocked! He hopes they will be back soon.
Martijn missed the interview on Dutch radio and wants to hear it on this
website. If someone can send it along, we'd be glad to do that. The
Holland fans must be some of the greatest in the world. There are even
more reviews! This one is from Remco who had a super day. He got to go
to the radio station to see the guys! SLASH, Rod and Keri arrived with
three acoustic Gibsons. Rod was taking cold pills. They did a soundcheck
and had a tour. Rod played acoustic also! Rod told Remco that he is the
one playing intro on the album for "Something About Your Love". They
also played "Been There Lately" which had great acoustic sound. SLASH
wanted vodka with his coke, and he was carrying his own supply. He wanted
ice, and the station ran out and got some. A man with sunglasses came in
that noone knew, and Remco was asked to kick him out! He was a drug dealer
who seemed to be handing out samples or something. Remco got rid of him.
Thanks, Remco! Rod drank warm tea. After the show, Remco asked Keri and
Rod to sign his Japanese copy of the album. Remco wanted a picture of all
of them, but his camera didn't work! Keri and SLASH worked it over, but the
camera wouldn't budge. Remco got SLASH to sign his guitar, and he used his
videocam instead. Later, Remco went to the show in time to see the band
come in and snare some pictures with a working camera. Remco really liked
Matt. Remco also filmed them on his videocam. Remco brought his little
brother who is not a real GNR or SLASH diehard, and he had the time of his
life! His brother said that Snakepit was one of the best bands around.
SLASH's Snakepit is a real band, not just SLASH. The power of each member
is just astonishing. Finally, we have Annelaure who went to the Sheffield
UK show and the Amsterdam shows. Annelaure says the Amsterdam show was
much better. For one thing, she had a friend who let her wait inside, so
she got there in the morning and waited. Keri stopped to talk when he got
there and told her to clear it with the manager about soundcheck. And she
got in! SLASH did his interview with TMF after that, and they gave Annelaure
SLASH's sweaty towel! The show was great with the whole band in a good
mood. Johnny gave her his bandana. She got a nice kiss from Rod. At the
end, the band threw picks, sticks, towels and beers into the audience.
Everything was perfect. The band came out and signed autographs and
were friendly and talked to everyone. Annelaure is also planning to see
the band in Germany! A true road trip! She wants you to know, too, that
the band is not just SLASH. The other members are great! It's the best
band she has seen in her life. And they give kisses! Thanks, Annelaure!
Samurai_99 is from Germany and drove 5 hours to see Snakepit in
Denmark. It was a great show! SLASH and Keri signed his pick guard.
SLASH looked tired, but he smiled and was cool with the fans. It was
the best gig! Thanks, Snakepit! Also, SLASH was on German MTV this
weekend. He gave cool answers about what new bands he likes and what
his former jobs were. SLASH asked them to play "Renegades of Funk"
by Rage Against the Machine. Thanks!
If you're looking for more Snakepit contests, you might try the one
at Metal Meltdown Online. One CD a week is being given away. These are
not autographed but would give you one for the car, one for home!
Sign up for their newsletter to be eligible. Metal Edge online is
having a contest also. They have 5 autographed albums to give away.
Check out Metal Edge Online.
Tomorrow is the cutoff for the second contest
to win an autographed cd from Snakepit. Ain't Life Grand is
signed by both Rod Jackson and SLASH. There's still plenty of time to
get your entry in. Do it by midnight your time tomorrow. The contest
information is right here:
SLASH called from Stuttgart, Germany
today where he was between interviews. He said he was "in beautiful
downtown Stuttgart" in case that helps you get a fix on his position.
In the next 5 days there are 4 German shows. The German fans lucked out on
this tour! We hope to hear from you about the shows there. On the 22nd will
be the final European show in Milan, and Snakepit comes home. What a
Christmas present for their families and friends! They are all thrilled with
the tour's success and the reception that all of you gave them. They will be
back!
Before we move on, we got word from Frank Suicide from the Dutch rock
band Wasted that the support band on Dec. 18 in Koln will be
Frank's good friends, The Alien Swingers Club. We looked up the band on
the net, and they call themselves a rock and roll band. This should be
a good matchup with Snakepit. The Alien Swingers Club is saying goodbye
to Germany and moving to LA in January looking for their big chance.
What a huge thrill to support Slash's
Snakepit. Sounds like a great evening for Koln!
We have quite a few reviews for the past shows. Here's the first one
we've received from Berlin. Fabian was there and says the whole audience
was stunned by Snakepit. They went wild for the GNR covers, but "Serial
Killer" and "Speed Parade" got good reactions, too. The band communicated
with the fans all the time. SLASH threw drinks and cigarettes, Rod spit
water, Matt threw towels and Keri and Johnny threw picks! They could just
throw themselves and forget all the other stuff! The band had a good time
SlASH smiled the whole time. Rod mooned the audience and went off on George
W. Bush, Keri threw a pick right at his friend who couldn't find it. Fabian's
evaluation: Idiot! Fabian said he and his friends talked about it long into
the night. And SLASH and his band did the same...they do go over the show,
too. Another rocking night in Europe!
Have you ever looked forward to a show so much and had such a great time
that when it was over you felt depressed and nothing seemed like much fun
and you wished you could go "Back to the Moment"? We have and Lollo from
Sweden has too. She says the show was the best and worst experiences of her
life. To see an ex-GNR member was amazing, but she felt like it was a dream
when SLASH came out. (We actually cried when he came out because he was
real and had 3 dimensions and wasn't flat.) Two days later, Lollo is still
crying over "Back to the Moment" because she felt that was the finest
moment of the show. Lollo thought SLASH might be fat and old, but of
course he is very trim and sexy and plays guitar like it is his last gig
on earth. Rod suprised her, too, as she thought he would be more like
Lenny Kravitz, but he is a born singer and performer. Keri's style was so
cool, but she didn't see Matt or Johnny much. Lollo left and went home not
realizing that the band came out later to do autographs. So that is another
cause for sadness, but you know they will be back! The band, the music
and the fans make you want to run away and sign up with them!
Here's a bunch from Amsterdam. Dave says the band started about 45 min. early and
played an hour and a half. SLASH was great, and there was a lot of contact
between the band and the audience. Dave wore a top hat, and SLASH looked his
way a few times (probably planning how to get the hat!). There was a guy in
the audience who had SLASH's haircut. It's pretty amazing to see your hero
so close. Dave wants to thank the band for the terrific evening! D & J were
also at the show, and say it was the best they have ever seen. The band
was in a very good mood, and the new video for "Shine" was filmed! Before
the show, they met Rod, Johnny and Matt. SLASH went right in but promised
the guys would be out after the show, and they were. Killing show!! Anton
was at the sell-out show in Amsterdam, too. They led off with "Life's
Sweet Drug" and then did "Been There Lately". The whole show was filmed
for Dutch music TV (TMF). SLASH did amazing solos on "Serial Killer" and
"Landslide". Rod was a very good singer. They didn't play "The Truth"
or "The Alien". Anton hopes they will come back soon. Sunday the new
single will be on the TMV TV station at Rockzone. Thank you, Anton!
Frank Suicide, whose buddies, The Alien Swinger Club, will open for
Snakepit on the 18th, was also at the Paradiso. He said the gig was
absolute magic with the band sharp as a knife. Rod took his shirt off
and won over the crowd. Frank thinks Rod is a brilliant singer. He says
he attended the show with two other bands, and they all thought this was
one of the best gigs ever. Frank is a big GNR fan, but after this he "doesn't
care about any damn reunion, SLASH's Snakepit is the bomb"!! SLASH seemed
to be feeling the effects of something because he basically announced
"Mr. Brownstone" when they had just played it! SLASH is getting punchy!
Time for a day off. SLASH said, "That's why they don't let me get too close
to the mike". And he told Rod, "Kid, that is why you have to keep away
from drugs and alcohol ha ha ha". Thanks, Frank!
Ferry reports that SLASH was on Dutch national radio, and it was
marvelous. Snakepit played two acoustic songs, "Something About Your
Love" (Rod dedicated it to the legalisation of marijuana) and "Been
There Lately" which was dedicated to all the prostitutes because they
haven't been there lately. They also mentioned they love Heineken beer
which was pretty cool. The station also played "Shine" from the album
while the guys tuned their guitars between the two acoustic numbers.
Thanks, Ferry, who was also the winner of our first contest's cd.
Shari from the UK reports that there's a review of the first London
Underworld gig in Kerrang! (issue #832) dated Dec. 16. The review
awards the show 4 out of 5. There is a Top 40 album list in the same
magazine, and Ain't Life Grand moved up one place from number
35 to number 34. Thanks, Shari!
Tonight's the first of the shows in
Germany! Tomorrow night is the long awaited show at the Paradiso
in The Netherlands. This one is SOLD OUT! Checking with scalpers is
your only hope of getting in to this one. This is a familiar venue
for SLASH. Many of you no doubt remember the famous benefit concert
here for Jason Becker that featured Zakk Wylde and SLASH. A dazzler.
Look for the band to pull the stops out in Amsterdam tomorrow! The
boys will need a day off after this show, and they will move to Stuttgart,
Germany and catch up on some sleep while SLASH runs around doing
interviews.
If you're not going to see the band tonight, maybe you'd like to hear
a great online SLASH interview. Actually there are two good ones
available on the NME site. When you get there, there's a condensed
text version, and then you select your modem speed and the interview.
In one, SLASH talks about the Guns N'Roses issue. The second talks more
about what SLASH is doing now. (The picture at right has nothing to
do with the interviews, but the ladies need a SLASH bathing suit photo
fix in winter!) Check out the interviews here:
Nicholas was at the Sheffield show in the UK, and he said it really
rocked! He waited outside a long time, and SLASH did come out! Fans
got autographs and pictures with Nicholas getting his Appetite
... album signed. Pretty much a normal evening for SLASH. But surprise!
Who shows up? Another SLASH! Nicholas snapped this great photo of SLASH
meeting SLASH! Check the real SLASH's expression! Thanks, Nicholas!
Some reviews are in from the Denmark shows and the Swedish show. Torben
was at the show in Esbjerg. He said it was the best and sends a big
thank you to the King of the Guitar, SLASH! SLASH signed his It's
Five O'Clock Somewhere album. Torben said it was a dream come true
meeting SLASH and finding SLASH willing to talk to him. He hopes to see
Snakepit again in Denmark. Thanks, Torben. Jakob went to both shows in
Denmark. That's the way, Jakob! After 6 hours, his ears are still ringing.
Jakob spoke to SLASH, had his picture taken with him and got a personal
SLASH greeting on his arm: "To Jake - SLASH 2000"! And SLASH loved Jakob's
tshirt, too. At the show, his first sight of Snakepit was Rod coming
screaming out with those long dreadlocks. This guy knows how to party!
Keri was on the run right from the beginning. Jakob says Keri is very
cool and reminds him of Izzy in some ways. Matt was beating his drums
in a very professional way, full of energy, and if you watched him
you could catch him doing some drumstick tricks. Johnny G has the coolest
attitude of the band, Mr. Rock N'Roll. Then, SLASH, with his worn out
looking Les Paul doing magnificent solos. The show was great covering nearly
the whole new cd, and for the die-hard Gunners, there was "Mr. Brownstone"
and "It's So Easy". "Beggars and Hangers-On" got a chance at the end of the
set.
Jakob says the best part of the show wasn't SLASH or Johnny or anyone
person...it was the whole band working as a whole band. Keri and Johnny
sat on the stage at the end for an hour signing autographs. The second
show was a larger venue. Jakob has bruises from being smashed up against
the fence. "Shine" was played twice because they were recording a live
video of the song that night! Jakob thinks the coolest guy again was
Johnny G who came down and shook hands with him. Jakob got SLASH autographs
after the show. He told Jakob about his snakes and admired his Kermit the
frog tshirt. Jakob says SLASH is Number 1!! He says he hopes this will give
all the fans an idea of what it is like to see their show and meet SLASH.
If you get the chance, go see them! Thanks, Jakob! Mike was also at
the second show in Denmark. Before the show they were told about the
video for "Shine" and that it would be song number 4 and to go crazy!
There was no opening band so Snakepit started at 8:30pm. When the GNR
tunes were played, the crowd went nuts. Rod was in a great mood and took
a wild stagedive into the crowd. They did "Shine" twice. The best song
was "Serial Killer" with SLASH doing a "killer" solo. "Ain't Life
Grand" was a surprise; it was better live than the original album version.
Mike stayed at the venue, and SLASH came out with his bodyguard to sign
autographs. Everyone there had a chance to meet him. Mike says SLASH is
really a nice guy, and Mike thanked him for a fantastic evening. Mike
had gotten a setlist, and SLASH signed that and shook his hand. A perfect
ending to a perfect evening. This was the best concert Mike has ever been
to. Thanks to Snakepit! And thank you, Mike. Claus was also at the second
show. He said that SLASH riffed like only he can, and Rod was great.
One of the songs, "Shine", was taped for a video. Claus would like to
tell SLASH that he'd like him to come to Copenhagen next time. You just
did, Claus, and thanks very much!
Here's one from the Swedish concert from Jenni. Jenni traveled from
Finland to see the show with no ticket in hand as the promoter promised
to leave tickets at the door. Looking for the promoter, Jenni came to
a hall where Snakepit was doing soundcheck! Although embarrassed, Jenni
couldn't leave and just listened for awhile. Snakepit came onstage and
started rocking hard. The audience went crazy; some fans fainted and w
were carried away. SLASH tried to calm them down, but it didn't help much.
Rod's voice was stunning and powerful, even better live. Rod held Jenni's
hand while singing "Back to the Moment"!! SLASH walked back and forth,
and his solos were amazing. The whole band looked great together and
were very cool. After the show, everyone was signing autographs except
Johnny who slipped away to visit with relatives and friends. Jenni gave
SLASH a bottle of Finnish vodka which he said would surely put him to
sleep. And it did! Jenni says the band gave the best show she'd ever seen,
and she wishes them all the best. Jenni promises to send photos! Thanks,
Jenni!
Dutch fans: we got word from Ferry, Jeroen, and Ivar about publicity
events in Holland. The channel TMF will record and broadcast the show
in Paradiso in the program called "Rockzone". There will be a special
with SLASH in the program TMF Extra probably in late December/early
January. There will be two radio interviews on Dec. 14 at Radio 538 and
second in the program Denk aan Henk on radio 3FM between 1 and 2pm Dutch
time. In this program, SLASH will bring another guitar player (Keri?)
with him and they will jam for a couple of minutes! Note: if anyone tapes
these, we'd love to have a copy to extract some clips from for this site.
Let us know at webmaster@snakepit.org. We can trade some US interviews
on audio or NTSC video if you'd like. Thanks to all of you!
Marte sent us the news that SLASH was on the Swedish TV channel ZTV
yesterday. It was aired three times. SLASH talked about how Snakepit
got its name and his blues influence as well as the rock n'roll attitude.
At the end of the show, SLASH said that in the end of the show, it's
a combination of band and audience; they all come together. Some clips
from a concert were shown. SLASH was relaxed and in a good mood and wore
his F*ck U! tshirt. The last question was that dead horse, are you going
to play with GNR again. SLASH seemed fed up with that one. They ran a
clip from "November Rain" at the end. Watch for reruns! Thanks, Marte!
Tonight is the second show in Denmark.
The guys have tomorrow off to move to Germany. Germany got a lot of
shows, so there should be some good turnouts. Don't forget to let the
rest of us know what happened! We hope to have some pictures from the
Swedish show and are hoping someone from Denmark can scan a ticket and
send some photos, too. The Tour Photo section has some UK photos in it
right now. We've got some from Keri Kelli of Japan. Some nice fans in
these!
The band will be coming home in time for Christmas Eve. Keri will be
checking and answering mail directly again. If you have a question
for Keri, his email address is:
Don't forget to send the guys a Christmas card! You can also send a small
gift if you'd like, but that's not necessary. Let's bury them with
Christmas wishes. You can email them to Rod and Keri if you want or send
a card to the whole band using SLASH's address...be sure you put SLASH's
Snakepit if it is for everyone or the band member's name. Otherwise SLASH
will get everything which we are sure he would like but maybe not what
you had in mind. Get them in the mail soon!
The big show in Amsterdam
is the 14th. Jizz tells us that rumors are
going around that the Paradiso show there will be recorded and
broadcast later by a Dutch music channel called TMF.SO. Jizz says
for all you there to keep your eyes open for announcements. There
is also to be a SLASH special on this channel! Jizz told us the best
news of all. The show is SOLD F*CKIN' OUT! Thanks, Jizz, and keep us
posted on program times. Marijke added that on Thursday, Dec. 14, there
will be a SLASH interview on Radio 538. This may be the same one Jizz
was speaking about or another. Sometimes SLASH does 9 hours of interviews
a day and goes to the show. Marijke also said that Guitar World
did a reader's poll of the Top 100 Guitar Solos, and SLASH came in at
#6 with the "November Rain" solo. Thanks, Marijke!
Four reviews from the first Swedish show, Dec. 9, have come in. Janne
saw SLASH for the first time and thought it was a great show. Janne says
this venue held 600 and was also SOLD OUT! Way to go, Sweden! They were
very close to the stage which made you feel really connected to the band.
Snakepit was LOUD, and it was sometimes hard to hear SLASH's guitar.
(Note to SLASH: LOUDER!) Rod is a great stage performer, and Janne thinks
his singing is great. Rod was the one to talk between songs, and he said
the girls were so beautiful that he was getting married tonight. He
borrowed a camera from someone in the audience but couldn't work it,
so he asked SLASH! They looked at it for a long while then SLASH took
a picture of the audience! The other guys were very cool especially
Keri. SLASH's playing was great, and he did some blues jamming in the
intro to "Mean Bone". Janne thought his slide playing was great, too.
All the songs were very good, but "Ain't Life Grand" was the most
impressive and is a lot better live. Janne promises to send photos.
Thank you, Janne!
Marte gets the prize for coming the furthest away. She and her brother
came from Norway to the Dec.9 Swedish show. It was totally worth it!
Marte has been a GNR and SLASH fan for 9 years, so it was a dream come
true to see SLASH. Marte says her ears are still ringing and is so
excited, sleep is impossible. Snakepit led off with "Life's Sweet Drug",
and the crowd went wild. Marte's favorite was "Serial Killer" but says
all the songs were great. All the Ain't Life Grand songs were
played except "The Truth". Has anyone heard them do this live? Rod is
an excellent singer and awesome on stage. Singing that beautiful ballad,
"Back to the Moment", he sat on the front of the stage, holding a girl's
hand. Everyone was full of energy. Matt was really good, a very talented
drummer. SLASH was brilliant, and everyone wanted to touch him. His solos
are amazing, even better than Marte expected. Keri Kelli was awesome, too,
rocking all over the place, throwing picks and having a blast. Johnny
Blackout is really cool and an amazing bass player. He and Keri were
flirting with the audience, and the crowd loved it. Johnny shook Marte's
hand during the show. Marte was right in front of Johnny who finally walked
over and shook Marte's hand and went back. There was a lot of pressure
forward, and some fans passed out. Marte had to be lifted over the fence
and put in the back of the room at the end. About 20 fans waited at the
end of the show. It was freezing cold outside. Matt came out first, then
Rod. They signed autographs and shook hands. SLASH came out and walked to
the bus, but then he came back out and signed autographs accompanied by
his huge bodyguard (Animal, ex-Atlanta Falcons pro football player). We
stood in line but had to move on when he had signed our things. SLASH
apologized for not having time to talk, but Marte was thrilled to see him
and shake his hand. Keri Kelli came out, and Marte talked to him a lot.
He gave her one of his picks, too. Marte says Keri is a true gentleman...
and gorgeous, too. Johnny Blackout didn't come out. Keri said that Johnny
was going to stay in Stockholm with family and friends for awhile. Marte's
favorite was Johnny, so she'll just have to catch him next time. With this
great show, the band is sure to be back! Thank you, Marte!
Tonight's the second Swedish show. We'd
really love to hear about the show in Denmark and the two in Sweden.
If you went, drop us a line and let us know how it was...the email
address is webmaster@snakepit.org. The band is off tomorrow and moves
back to Denmark for the second show there. We've been discussing the
fan mail issue. There is a big box of it in L.A., and we're trying to
figure out how to get it to SLASH safely or if it should just be held
till his Christmas return. We'll let you know. At this time, our
advice is to be prepared for a wait. SLASH's days seem to be filled
with shows and interviews. If you are trying to get something for
Christmas, that will probably not happen. Just a little patience...
With many college students into final exam time and everyone into
holiday preparations, we've had several requests to delay the contest
ending date for a few days. This seems reasonable, so we will let it
go one more week till next Saturday at midnight. If you need the
information again, click here and you'll see the questions and information
on that autographed cd:
We have two more UK reviews! Chris saw them at
Sheffield and says they played virtually the whole new album, "Beggars
and Hangers-On" and covered GNR's "It's So Easy" and "Mr. Brownstone".
SLASH looked really cool, but Chris doesn't like the goatee that SLASH
is sporting - says it makes him look too old. There were too many crowd
surfers; but the band was great and Rod was great. Rod was hit with a
bottle of water and went ballistic (like Axl, Chris says). There was a
lot of eye contact with the band and the crowd, but they didn't come
out after the show to sign anything. Chris speculates it could have
had something to do with the audience behavior. Best thing: Chris saw
SLASH! Thanks, Chris. Next, Matt says that he has wanted to meet SLASH
for 10 years, and the day finally came! Matt arrived at the venue at
2 pm. SLASH came at 5 and went right in after saying hi. Matt said the
show was great, especially Rod and SLASH. He really liked the GNR covers.
Matt waited around outside for hours. SLASH came out at around 1am and
signed lots of stuff for people. Security wouldn't let anyone near enough
to get a picture with SLASH. After signing, SLASH left in a minibus. Matt
raced to his car and followed. 15 minutes later Matt was at the hotel and
rushed to meet SLASH. SLASH was great and said Matt shouldn't have waited
so long in the cold. He signed everything for Matt, and Matt got his photo
taken with his idol. Matt says, "Thanks for a great day, SLASH! And what
a f*ckin' great guy!!!" See, if you wait long enough, he has to come out
sometime!
Michael sent in a note that he saw SLASH on TV last night! This was on
the FX channel on their "X Program" show. The interview was taped of
course. SLASH talked a little about the GNR breakup and what he is doing
now. We saw this too. One host introduced SLASH by talking about how
GNR made him a man. And he raved about SLASH. Later in the interview he
asked SLASH if he could show him how to play something basic on the
guitar so he could impress girls. SLASH played a riff that was basically
a scale played by a very talented and experienced guitar player! SLASH
said that that was the most basic thing that every guitar player should
learn. Michael was able to catch SLASH later on a rerun of MTV's
"Rock Star Update". Twice in one night! Thanks, Michael.
Awhile ago someone wrote in that SLASH would be in the December 2000
issue of Stuff magazine. Vicki got a copy and "a telling look"
from the cashier. The magazine comes wrapped in a foil package, so you
know this won't be one to share with the kids. On page 44 is a picture
of SLASH in the "Blitz!" section. SLASH is on his bed, shirtless,
barefoot, with his guitar. Under the headline "Living", it says, "SLASH
answers your etiquette quandries". There's a letter from Frank M. in
Baton Rouge, "Is there ever an inappropriate time to don a leather top
hat?" Answer from SLASH, "No". Another tough one. Thanks, Vicki, so we
don't have to brave the checkouts with our Stuff magazine. If
Vicki would just scan in the picture, we'd be satisfied!
For South American fans, Miguel wrote in to say that he did an
interview with SLASH for the Argentinian Rolling Stone
when SLASH was in Mexico. The magazine was released this month!
Thanks, Miguel. We're looking for that one! Anyone feel like doing
a translation?
Ferry was the winner of the autographed CD in our first contest. He
sent in the most marvelous interview with SLASH. This is from Rock
Sound, and we are very pleased to share it with you. The reason it's
special is that it covers a lot of new ground, mostly personal. The
interviewer asks questions that we have never heard SLASH answer before,
and it gives some good insight into SLASH's mind. He's asked about
a belief in aliens, his dreams, the epitaph he'd like to leave with us.
You'll enjoy this one. And even the SLASH page comes in for a small
mention. Take some time and read this one over. Ferry, thank you so
much!
We've got another new video up that's just
super. It's from Rock Star Update, a program which aired on MTV
in October this year. The program updates you on what some of the rock
stars are doing now. The section on SLASH is honest and positive. There
is footage and photos we hadn't seen before. These are a very young
SLASH playing guitar, and the footage is SLASH in his days of being
stoned on drugs and alcohol. We're lucky to have him with us. Today's
SLASH is there and looks so healthy and full of life while he talks
about the battle to keep GNR intact and about the guest appearances he's made
over the years. Adam Day, SLASH's guitar tech, appears briefly to add
some comments. SLASH worked hard to become a guitar legend and has
incredibly solid fans, yet he still is nervous before a show. It's the
portrait of a man who could have collapsed with GNR but instead went
forward to new beginnings. Check it out on the SLASH Video Section of
this page:
If you didn't get a chance to see Snakepit live yet, there is an
Australian site that has two songs from the Ottawa show, "Life's
Sweet Drug" and "Been There Lately". They burned up the stage here!
SLASH takes off on the album version and adds some really cool moments
to intros and solos. Radio station Three M obtained the footage from
Shock Records, Snakepit distributor in Australia. Many thanks to Gabriel
who sent us the information. See Snakepit again LIVE:
Our UK friend Kim tells us that this week's Kerrang! will have a
one page article on a day in the life of SLASH! Kim will be sending that
for you to see. Kerrang! mentions that "Been There Lately" came out
December 4 on Koch Records, so look for that in the UK stores. We
understand it is an exclusive release to the UK. Kim says that there
is a sidebar on records that make SLASH's day, and they are Soundgarden's
Badmotorfinger, Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine,
Stone Temple Pilots' Tiny Music..., the Rolling Stones' Exile
On Main Street and AC/DC's Powerage. Sounds like a good issue!
Some more reviews on those UK shows have come in. Tonight Snakepit is
playing their first Denmark show. Tomorrow night is the Swedish show.
Then they are off for a day moving back to Denmark for the Monday night
show. As far as we know, you can still get tickets; and if you want
them back, let's try to sell them out! John bought tickets for both
shows in London, and he had a great view since the venue was small. His
ears are still ringing! John had only one complaint and that was that
SLASH didn't do autographs after the second show. The fans were told SLASH
was just too tired. This was the night SLASH said that he had not slept
or eaten for 48 hours, so we'll have to be on his side this time! John
would like to know if Snakepit will release a live album soon. As far as
we know the next album will be a studio album but we have heard rumors
that a live album will be out. Andi saw the Dec.4 show
at the Underworld. The gig was excellent, and the band was relaxed. A
guy jumped onstage and was snagged by security but SLASH hugged him before
he left the stage. Andi wasn't pleased with the new album thinking Rod's
vocals were weak, but he has changed his opinion! Rod was awesome, and
Andi thinks the album producer should be shot. SLASH announced that the
Underworld shows would be recorded for a possible live album. We agree with
Andi, you have to see/hear them live to get the full impact! Andi thinks
the band deserves to be big on its own merits not just because SLASH is
a celebrity. Andi's message to the band is thanks! They need more rock
bands there onstage. Thanks, Andi! Simon was at the Sheffield show and
told us that Rod announced that "Beggars..." was written about Axl. "Serial
Killer" was written about Rod's friend who did coke and shot his girlfriend.
An excellent show with Simon up front by Johnny and Keri who really rock.
Simon was so close he could read the headstock on SLASH's guitar! Simon
wants to thank the band and tell them they are 10 times better than
Snakepit 95. Thanks, Simon! Lisa was also at Sheffield...SLASH's
playing is amazing. The crowd was enthusiastic, and Lisa was only
10 feet from SLASH himself. She bought a Snakepit vest and waited
a couple of hours to see SLASH after the show. When it started to
rain, the crowd dwindled from 100 to 20, but Lisa hung in there
and SLASH finally came out! Lisa got her program and her stomach
signed! She plans to have the signature tattoed. Send pictures!
Thanks, Lisa. Next one is from gbewley who was at the Underworld
and would like to know why the show started so late. Is this the
one where the opening band failed to turn up? He got to meet Rod
and and Johnny in a pub before the performance, and they practically
guaranteed SLASH would sign his tat. Is this the one where AC/DC
was in with SLASH..they are talking about touring possibilities now.
He'd like to tell Keri that he really rocks on guitar, looks relaxed
and like he is enjoying himself. Thanks, and hopefully you'll get
that sig when SLASH comes back. Graigor saw the band in Camden and
says it was pure class. The band was up for it although they have done
so many shows recently. Being so close to the band is unbelievable. The
crowd was excited but never got out of hand. Rod and Slash both talked
to the audience with SLASH saying how good it was to be in England. It
was a little hard to hear him. Graigor is a big GNR fan, so he was
going mostly to see SLASH, but each person onstage came into his own,
and he was soon watching them all. Special thanks to Keri for the pick
and pouring Jack Daniels down his throat! Thanks, Graigor! This one is
from the Dec.5 Underworld show. The show rocked! Snakepit came out and
launched into "Life's Sweet Drug", and it was mindblowing! Keri was
amazing, and all the ladies fancied him. He had a Great Britain sticker
on the back of his guitar. Rod was really impressive. SLASH seemed dreamy.
He walked up to a stage pillar and pretended to... (Note: send SLASH's
girlfriend immediately!) In one song, SLASH put down his guitar, lit a
cigarette and threw his lighter into the crowd. After the show, Keri was
surrounded by the ladies! Rod was really nice and very polite. Johnny
spent most of his time looking for ladies (should have looked for Keri).
SLASH and Matt weren't around at all. (SLASH having taken the pillar
back to his hotel no doubt). It was brilliant and a great night.
Jamie was at the Underworld on the 5th, and it was excellent. It
was his first time seeing SLASH. Jamie got up front with SLASH right
in front of him. Some technical difficulties prevented SLASH from
playing "Shine". There was a really good vibe at the club, and SLASH
said they would need a bigger venue next time. Jamie liked seeing them
in this small club where you could be right up front. Jamie sent us
some pictures which we are working on. Thanks for those,
Jamie.
Our
final one is from Steve who saw the last UK show at the Underworld.
He got to the venue very early and went to the bar. In walks SLASH.
By the time they decided to find him, he was gone. Then a taxi pulled up
with Matt and Rod. He got his album signed. After a long wait outside in
the rain, they opened the doors. The club was very small, but you were
right up by the stage. Everything was amazing. Everything was going great
till "Shine" when SLASH's guitar went dead - he had blown an amp. Adam
Day was there, and the others carried on playing. Keri Kelli took over
and did an amazing solo worthy of SLASH. SLASH soon came out guitarless,
stood on an amp, lit a cigarette and gave a funny...what can you do, shit
happens expression. When the song ended he apologized saying they were
breaking everything tonight. Someone yelled to hurry up and play. SLASH
told him to go f*ck himself and carried on. The rest of the night was
stunning. Keri was now a new idol on fire. Johnny G just ruled all night
long, and Steve was blown away by Matt. Rod can do no wrong. SLASH
was happy and into his music. He was everywhere on stage, spinning around,
dancing with Rod...stunning solos and he used nearly all his guitars.
Steve was so anxious to see SLASH, and his goal has been filled. Great!
Thanks to you all. We're happy for you and envious at the same time!
Let's hear from some Danish fans!
The last UK show is on for tonight. It is also SOLD OUT! The band is
pulling out of the UK and moving on to Denmark which gets their first
of two shows. The first show is in Esbjerg on Thursday, December 7.
They will then go to Sweden for two shows and come back to Denmark
for one more! If you want the guys back in your country soon, turn out
for these shows. The UK will be on all future lists! SLASH will be on
a couple of lists, too! Remember if you are in Germany, Sweden, Italy..
check the tour schedule below for some minor changes.
If you can't see a show, how about some cool interviews? The Artist
Direct site now has the SLASH interview video working. Thanks to
Jeroen from The Netherlands who pummeled them with mail about it.
This is well
worth seeing - some good questions that aren't asked everyday, e.g.
the Sam Kiniston question, but the obligatory GNR one is there if
you need a fix on that:
Maria in Toronto told us a few days back about a show on Much Music
on groupies. SLASH and Rod spoke for Snakepit. That episode is on this
week according to Yurich, and he gave us a location where you can see
our two guys comment on the wild women of the rock world. Look for the
word and groupie on your left, click that (guys, that's enough clicking!),
and you'll see Slash on the left. Click SLASH to hear what he and Rod
have to say on this:
A couple days ago the UK people sent in mail about SLASH's appearance
on a daytime TV show there where he used the words blowjob and f*ck
on live TV. Although the TV station apologized to those with tender
sensibilities, our guy did not. He says he was asked a question, and
he answered it. Better to stick to those GNR questions. We have for
you first an audio of the interview, then a comment from SLASH. Thanks
very much to NeMiSiS who sent us the audio version and Janet who posted
the exclusive SLASH comment to NME on our Snakepit list.
The reviews have been coming in from the UK, and we're so pleased that
you took time to write down your thoughts on the shows. The band likes to
read these, and we do, too. Starting with the Sheffield show on December
3, Rob sent us a good summary: Snakepit band is brilliant! Every song on
the new album was played except "The Truth". They played covers of GNR's
"It's So Easy" and "Mr. Brownstone" as well as Snakepit '95's "Beggars
& Hangers-On". Rob said the guys were full of energy and very tight. It
was the best night of his life! The only bad part of the show was when
some idiot threw bottles at Rod. Not cool, friends. An artist can be
seriously hurt by these aside from the fact that they really kill the
show and turn attention to the bottle-thrower instead of the music. Rob
said Rod was seriously angry about it, but he continued. Rod is a great
singer with excellent onstage presence. Matt is the best drummer Rob has
ever heard with total control over the skins. Keri seriously kicked ass
on guitar, and Johnny Blackout was great. SLASH? Rob says there are not
enough ways to describe his brilliance. Thanks, Rob. Jon agrees saying
the whole show kicked ass. SLASH looked cool and the rest did, too.
Rod got heated up by the bottle throwing, but it didn't ruin the show.
They are amazing musicians, and Jon was so close to the stage he couldn't
believe it. To be 2 feet away is amazing! To quote Jon, "It was loud, it
was crazy....it was rock and roll! If you get the chance, see them!".
Thanks, Jon! RHolding summarizes the show as...excellent. They played
the album songs and the two GNR songs. Can't wait for them to come
around again! Thanks! Luke says that there was no opening band as they
didn't turn up! "Life's Sweet Drug" was first, and it was brilliant. They
played over 90 minutes without a break and then did a great encore of the
GNR covers. Rod is the most amazing live singer Luke has ever seen, and the
crowd went wild for him. Luke's favorite song was "Serial Killer".
The
band had so much energy, and the momentum was only stopped by some idiot
throwing a bottle at Rod. The only disappointment was that SLASH didn't
come outside in the freezing rain to sign autographs. (Remember this is
an L.A. person unaccustomed to even the WORD freezing!). "An amazing gig
and a good venue. Nice one, SLASH!" Thank you, Luke! Echo writes that
"I have never enjoyed a gig so much". Rod is so much like Steven Tyler
with the same stage presence and moves. SLASH is just so cool. He hasn't
lost anything in the time from the Illusion tours. Snakepit Rules! Thanks,
Echo! Sharon traveled 2 1/2 hours to see The Boys; they looked cool,
sounded great and were everything you'd expect them to be. The venue was
about 1200, so Sharon was close to the front. SLASH and Rod had their shirts
off and looked hot. (they are pretty hot looking IN their shirts!). SLASH
did talk a bit, thanking people for coming and saying how he enjoyed a live
show in England again. There was a tour program for sale with beautiful
pictures of the guys (we've seen that and it is gorgeous). It's the first
time Sharon has seen SLASH pictured without sunglasses and hat. She thinks
he has really nice eyes. (kind and intelligent as well as wickedly funny
at times). Sharon thanks the band for coming to England and hope they
enjoyed it, too!
What a super fan letter and review, Sharon! Thanks!
Here's a joint letter from Roger, Damo & Big Scotty T. (Let's get Big
Scotty after these bottle throwers!). They say that if you were disappointed
that Snakepit didn't appear with AC/DC in the UK, the band made up for it
and more with their show at the Sheffield. The band was tight, the
atmosphere was hot and the time flew by. There's an apology here to the
band for those who saw fit to throw bottles at Rod. Please don't hold
that against the rest of the fans, and please come back! The Corporation
is Sheffield's premier rock club and small concert venue. The GNR covers
were a huge hit with the crowd. Everyone left happy. Go get a ticket
to the Underworld shows! (These are sold out but there are always ways
of getting a ticket). Rod had amazing vocals, and SLASH looked like he
was having a real blast. Come back soon! Thank you! Emily got back from
London at 4 am but has never been so happy. She said they were so close
she got to touch SLASH twice. SLASH would smoke half a cigarette, come
up by the crowd and wave it around. Emily said she had no chance of
catching it, but SLASH put it right in her hand. She put it out and
kept it and promptly fainted! (SLASH can have that effect on you, best
taken in very small doses at first). She had to be lifted over the barrier
where "I sat under SLASH's concerned eye...BLESS HIM!" Then they let
Emily go sit in the soundbooth with AC/DC!!! WHAT A NIGHT FOR EMILY!
The show was great. Rod made a lot of eye contact with the audience and
so did SLASH. SLASH was in a great mood and smiled a lot...the the
joy of the audience. Thanks, Emily! Pang saw SLASH face to face
at the venue when SLASH came at 3 pm. Matt arrived at 5 and was
very nice. The rest came about 5:30. Pang was disappointed that
you could not take pictures inside the venue. Each venue has their
own rules although SLASH did tell me he can't see his guitar well
if he gets all those flashes in his eyes. Peng was also disappointed
that the show was so short and would have liked more GNR covers
like "November Rain" and "Sweet Child O'Mine". (note: SLASH doesn't
want to play songs strongly identified with the old GNR and Axl
Rose). Pang got Keri's pick! SLASH seemed shy and hardly talked, but
he is the No. 1 coolest guitarist on the planet. Thanks! Antony sent
a great review which really should be read in its entirety. All these
reviews can be found elsewhere on the page (www.snakepit.org, scroll
down to Main Menu, click Slash's Snakepit 1999-2000 and then click
Fan Show Reviews for the complete message, unedited). Antony says the
show was not quite full but was pretty well packed. The sound was almost
perfect. You could hear the guitars and Rod easily. "Serial Killer"
was again the favorite. They rocked the crowd! Antony says it was the best
gig he's ever been to - far beyond anything he has seen. SLASH seemed shy
at first, but then he got into it and would stand so he made that cool
looking shadow. Godzilla and the Gibsons were there as was the BC Rich
Mockingbird. Rod is a serious presence onstage with great singing ability.
For those who were disappointed that SLASH didn't come out, you just
didn't wait long enough! It was 4 degrees, raining and there was a nasty
wind, but Antony hung in there for 3 hours till SLASH came out. He took
SLASH's picture and got autographs. Rod, Keri and Matt were really good
about getting pictures taken, and Keri shook his hand, too. SLASH stood
and signed in the rain for 30 minutes. Rod was being very cool, and the
fans chanted "Snakepit Rules"! SLASH seemed happy about the show and
about being in England. Antony got a setlist signed by SLASH and a
Snakepit program signed by SLASH and about 25 (!!) pictures of the band.
He promises to send these along. PLEASE!! Antony says he is almost
shaking with excitement from meeting the band. It was the best weekend
of his entire life. Finally, Antony drove 3 hours home, got there at
4 am and got up at 6:30 am for work. "It was worth it"! Thank you, Antony!
And thanks to everyone who contributed their comments. We have a couple
from the Underworld show last night and we'll do those tomorrow. It's
never too late too send yours in. Any scans we'll put in the Tour Photos
section. Thanks to you all.
Tour schedule changes! These are just for Sweden, Germany and Italy.
Check the Swedish show on December 8 for
a change of city and venue. Check the German show on December 19 for
a change in the venue only. The Italian show on December 22 also has
a change in venue only. The schedule here starts with Europe:
SLASH's SNAKEPIT - EUROPEAN LEG
Sun., Dec. 3 The Corporation Sheffield, England
Mon., Dec. 4 *SOLD OUT! The Underworld London, England
Tue., Dec. 5 *SOLD OUT! The Underworld London, England
Thu., Dec. 7 Hultihuset Tobaken Esbjerg, Denmark
Fri., Dec. 8 KB Malmo, Sweden
Sat., Dec. 9 Klubben Stockholm, Sweden
(Kollingsbong)
Mon., Dec. 11 Train Aarhus, Denmark
Wed., Dec. 13 Columbia Halle Berlin, Germany
Thu., Dec. 14 Paradiso Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sat., Dec. 16 Kongresszentrum Stuttgart, Germany
Mon., Dec. 18 E-Werk Koln, Germany
Tue., Dec. 19 Babylon Munchen, Germany
Wed., Dec. 20 Furth Stadthalle Nurnberg, Germany
Fri., Dec. 22 *SOLD OUT Alcatrazz Milan, Italy
Sat., Dec. 23 US for Christmas Holidays
SOUTH AMERICAN LEG
Fri., Jan. 19 Obras Stadium Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sat., Jan. 20 Obras Stadium Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mon., Jan. 22 GO Mar del Plata, Argentina
SLASH called from London this evening. He said the shows are going great.
He has hardly slept or eaten at all. Tonight he fell asleep in the alley
by the venue on a crate before the show! Not only is he doing the shows,
but he is doing interviews about 8 or 9 hours a day. But he is having
a great time, and he's just thriving on all this activity. SLASH says
playing London for him is like playing L.A. because he has a lot of
family and friends there. As you know, SLASH is from the UK
originally, and he is so happy to be back there. Make him welcome,
and clap extra loud. We had black and blue hands when we saw Snakepit
for 30 minutes. We expect full set fans to be hoarse as well. SLASH
is also looking forward to Denmark which comes up next. We haven't heard
from too many Danes out there, so we hope you are quietly buying up
all the seats for your shows.
SLASH had a funny story to pass along to you. He did four
interviews today with MTV Europe. When he was in the studio,
they told him he couldn't smoke in the building. They had had a fire
there within the past year or two and were being very careful. So,
SLASH put out his cigarette, but every chance he got, he went outside
and smoked. Each time he came in he kept telling them he smelled smoke.
They thought it was from his old cigarette. Then SLASH discovered his
jacket was burning!! The famous SLASH leather jacket was going up in
smoke! It was lying over a light, and the light was slowly burning the
jacket. It has a hole the size of a half dollar in it now. SLAsh loves
that old jacket. Meanwhile MTV can burn to the ground, but let's save
SLASH's jacket! SLASH laughed and said it was fine. Guess his jacket
needed a smoke.
The contest for the
first autographed cd Ain't Life Grand is over, and the winner
is Ferry Heijkoop of the Netherlands. The question which seemed to
trip up most people was the country that had one bonus track on their
released cd. That is Australia with "Something About Your Love". Koch Records donated three of these cds, and this is the second contest.
Same idea as the first one. Answer these questions about Slash and his
music and bands and send the answers to webmaster@snakepit.org. Please
put Contest 2 in the Subject. The deadline here will be Saturday,
December 9 at midnight your time. Those having all answers correct will
be part of a random drawing for the winner. Winners are notified here
and by private email. There is no charge to enter or to win. Koch
donates the albums, Slash and Ron provided the signatures, postage is
courtesy of your webmaster. Only one week this time, so hurry!
Did you catch the SLASH interview on rocknrollstation.com today? Despite
some technical and sound problems, it was definitely one of the best
interviews we've seen. The interviewer was knowledgeable, and let SLASH
answer the questions! It ran about 75 minutes, and it was a good one
for everyone to hear. SLASH talked in detail about GNR, the breakup,
Blues Ball, Snakepit 95, the current band and plans for the future. Very
complete. He also answered fan questions! For you Australians that may
have missed it, he did say that Snakepit will be back. As to whether or not
Snakepit will tour with AC/DC there, it's still a rumor. It would be a great
rock and roll show for sure. If you're a rock fan, you want to see AC/DC no
matter who opens,
so get your tickets! How can you lose? The station is sponsoring a
contest for fans to win an autographed Snakepit poster and an Ain't Life
Grand cd. We watched SLASH autograph them on the video. For details,
head over to rocknrollstation.com. They will be archiving the interview
in a few days, and you can watch it at your leisure.
There's a video on this site for you, too. It's another new one of our own to contribute.
This was taken from the Koch Records promo video that is an interview
with SLASH intercut with footage from a live concert. The music rules! This link takes
you to the SLASH Videos! Section of the page. Scroll down, and it is
the first one you come to.
SLASH live! SLASH is in the UK right now. Tonight was the first show,
and we hope to hear from some fans soon. He appeared live on the UK
TV show CD:UK where he was interviewed. Bear in mind this is a live
show at 11:30 am. He talked about GNR and the breakup and how he and
Axl would have to have psychotherapy to talk to each other again. He
was asked about the rockstyle life he lives and what was the most
amazing rumor about him. He said...the one where I got a blowjob in
a restaurant! (that's our SLASH!) He was asked about his pets, and he
commented that he had tried to stop his iguana from escaping recently
from his back garden, and it bit the f*ck out of him! HA! SLASH is too
funny. Apologies were made by the interviewers, but not by our man.
Tell it like it is. Those of us bitten by pets know EXACTLY what you
mean! The whole incident took us back to the hilarious AMA ceremony
when SLASH and Duff got up to thank the AMA for the GNR award! Thanks to all of you who sent that one in....Graigor, James, Lewis,
Thomas, Craig, Jamie, Dave, Simrin, Tom, Emily and everyone else. Thanks
for getting up so early to give us a report. We hope you are at the show
right now!
The news tonight is mostly
reminders and reviews! Be advised that SLASH's taped interview will be
aired on rocknrollstation.com Sunday, December 3 at noon, Pacific Time
even though the site advertises it as on tomorrow. You can choose to
have an audio or video session. Personal sessions with SLASH are not
available at this time! Next, the Artist Direct video. It is up and
available at their site, but if anyone can get to it, please let us
know. So far we have clicked through the many levels trying to find
SLASH, and just as we do, we got a Netscape 404 error. We're trying
hard to psych this out. Reminder to the UK fans: set your clocks to
see SLASH live at 11:30 am tomorrow your time! And we all want to know
what it was about! Sunday, December 3 is the big FIRST European show.
Please send some reviews as they are really important to the band as
well as the fans. Pictures and ticket scans would also be terrific.
Just as we were writing about the UK, SLASH called! He made it there
and sounds very excited, in a great mood, but a little tired and hungry.
He says he didn't pack too well for your cold weather, but he did
remember his top hat. People are recognizing him out in the street, and
he seems really happy about that! Yesterday he did 9 hours of interviews
with the press! He has a similar schedule tomorrow. SLASH said the UK
shows are sold out, and thanks to all of you who helped do that! A great
welcome to Europe! SLASH is moving around, so keep your eyes open.
We talked about tomorrow's program on TV, and he seemed to be a little
dubious. But you know SLASH, he's game for anything! If you found a way
to send him a question for tomorrow, he got them. We sent ours to the
producer. He's looking those over right now. We told him Bon Jovi
would be there and for SLASH to take his autograph book. He had to laugh
about that. So that should be an interesting start to his day. He was off
to order room service and go to bed. He hasn't eaten in 48 hours and hasn't
slept much either. But he really sounded happy to be there! Take care of
him...
Another reminder: tomorrow night is the end of the first SLASH contest.
That is midnight tomorrow, your time. Be sure to take a chance and
send it in. All the answers are on the SLASH page somewhere. We will
try to have the winner's name and the new contest questions to you on
Sunday night. We'll be giving away 3 of these autographed CDs in 3 contests.
Ain't Life Grand is autographed by SLASH and Rod. Pretty cool.
Here's the contest questions and where to send the answers:
Nasar wanted to add to the news of SLASH being on the cover of Total
Guitar. In addition to the interview Kim sent us, Nasar says that
there is a full transcription of "Life's Sweet Drug". If you have been
looking for tabs from the new album, there are several on the SLASH
page Tabs section. Now you can get this one, too. Nasar was thinking
about all those tshirts SLASH has. He says his favorite is "You're A
Very Naughty Girl, Go To My Room"! Ours is "If You Don't Like Oral Sex,
Keep Your Mouth Shut". Anyone else have a favorite?! We've never seen one
for sale like that in our lives, and SLASH has 13,000 of them. Thanks, Nasar.
As promised, here is the Metal Edge interview. It covers 4 pages in the
magazine including pictures which we have mostly trimmed off to speed
load times. We think you are pretty familiar with them. This is a really
nice, positive interview with SLASH. Click below to see the pages one at
a time:
We have some reviews from the Galaxy. Michelle says the boys played about
an hour and 15 minutes, but it seemed longer. The crowd was enthusiastic
but respectful of the gang. Good! Michelle took some great photos, but
security grabbed the camera after the show, took the film out and threw
it! Michelle's sister had done a super drawing which you can see on
the Fan Drawing section, and Michelle put it right by SLASH's foot onstage.
Everyone got rushed out right after the show, so they didn't get to see
the band, but it seems like SLASH got a cute picture to take home! Thanks,
Michelle. Mike sent us the setlist which some European fans are looking for.
Here's what they played: Been There Lately, Just Like Anything, Shine,
Mean Bone, Serial Killer, Back to the Moment, It's So Easy, Rusted Heroes,
Landslide, Ain't Life Grand, Mr. Brownstone, Beggars & Hangers-On and
Speed Parade. Mike says he liked this show better than the one at the
Roxy. The band was tight and on top of things even though some had colds.
Johnny was a little more sedate than usual. The sound was excellent. They
played a couple hours or less, but it felt like they played forever! There
were two encores!! These make you feel like you are really getting your
money's worth. And the band must feel great to come back out twice! Mike
got his second SLASH pick, and you were close enough to touch the band.
The band was feeding off the audience, and it was one of the best shows
Mike has ever seen.
SLASH leaves tomorrow for the UK! Looks like
the rest of us will get some dynamite reports because the UK fans are
all over this SLASH visit! The other day we mentioned that SLASH would
be on UK television Saturday morning. We had just the barest of facts
then, and now we know it all thanks to the UK fans. It appears that
SLASH is not going to have to watch cartoons with the kids after all.
The early morning show is SM:TV which is a kiddie magazine show. SLASH
won't be on that one. It becomes CD:UK at 11:30 am, and this is Saturday
not Sunday. So Saturday, 11:30 am, CD:UK is the right place/time to
see SLASH. This is a live interview. As far as we know, he will not be
performing. He might hit some little person with that Les Paul! One of
the other guests is Bon Jovi. So the little kids will love that. We're
all on the same page now, right? Let the rest of us know what SLASH
did, what the kids did, Tico, Heather...the whole gang. Thanks especially
to our great UK correspondents: Craig, Simrin, James and Jamie. Oh, if
you want to check this out, Simrin did find the website. It has a place
where you can send in a question to the guest but both of us got an
error message on it. The url is: www.cdukweb.com/cduk/guests.asp and there
isn't much to see if you can't mail questions.
A reminder to the SLASH world that you can see SLASH on the web this
Sunday, Dec. 3 at noon, Pacific Time, on www.rocknrollstation.com. You need Windows
Media software for this, and you may need to register so allow extra
time. SLASH taped the interview today. Thanks again, Ian, for the
information.
Here's another SLASH web appearance! The promotion on the Artist Direct
site was a little confusing. On Friday, Dec. 1, it says "SLASH:
Uncensored, Smokin' with SLASH" which sounds like an interview for sure.
But they list Snakepit as a video to watch on the schedule. If this is
the international video with SLASH talking intercut with concert clips
of an AC/DC concert, it will be well worth watching. The one we have
seen has SLASH in a guitar shop and that part alone is so interesting and
funny, it makes the whole thing worthwhile. And the live footage is
great. We're not sure how many days this is on the site either. We need
the UK detectives on this one. Brian sent in every bit of sense he could
make of this! The url is this:
Funny SLASH mention in Rolling Stone Online's publication where they always
use an artist's quote to start the newsletter. SLASH said,
"When it first came on, it was just like 'Oh, my God.
A twenty-four-hour cooking channel.' I think that ended
my whole social life right there. I became a f---ing
recluse." -- SLASH on his love for the Food Network. Once SLASH said
he used it as a substitute for eating. He doesn't seem to be a chef, but
he just likes that TV channel.
Back to the European tour: there is good news for Italian fans. You sold
out the show! Dynamite! If you didn't get tickets, FabAxl has another
way for you to try. In the November issue of Hard! magazine, there's a
SLASH contest. You can win 10 tickets for the Milan show OR 3 passes
to spend the day with SLASH!! You get to hang with SLASH all day and
interview him for Hard! backstage after the show. This is the best
contest we've ever heard of....breakfast with SLASH at 2pm, lunch with
SLASH at 6 pm, dinner at 2 am...etc. Imagine the fun activities you can
have with THAT guy. FabAxl says that to get into the drawing, you have
to answer one really tough question: In which band was SLASH the guitarist
until 1995? Tough one! FabAxl says Italy just loves SLASH!
The forthcoming issue of Metal Edge has a really superb FOUR
page article with color photos on SLASH's Snakepit! If you remember,
Metal Edge gave Ain't Life Grand only a so-so review.
New critic, new interview...it's very, very positive. We'll get this
pulled together and have it for you next time, but don't miss this one
when it comes out.
A big Snakepit mention from JohnnyK: at the Philadelphia Flyers game
Sunday, Nov.26, they played "Been There Lately" as one of the "pump
up the fans" tunes during the game. JohnnyK says they have been using
"Welcome to the Jungle" for a long time, but this was the first time
he's heard solo SLASH at a Flyers game. The song sounded extremely good
through the sound system, and JohnnyK says he can only imagine what
it must sound like live. He's hoping to see SLASH and The Boys in Philly
soon. He'd like to see them open for Aerosmith this summer. Maybe SLASH
and Joe could jam a little.
Just a short note to bring this SLASH
interview on the web to your attention. Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 29,
SLASH will be interviewed by web station www.rocknrollstation.com. If
you have a question to ask SLASH, do it asap! The actual broadcast of
the interview will be this Sunday, December 3, at noon. It will be a
video/audio show, and you need Windows Media software. If you want to
send a question, the email address is:
Here are some reviews on the three shows
in California and Arizona. Pjassim saw SLASH for the first time
at 4th and B, and the show rocked. There was an awesome rendition
of "Serial Killer", and SLASH dedicated "Mr. Brownstone" to San
Diego as the audience went wild. The other GNR cover was "It's So
Easy", and from It's Five O'Clock Somewhere came "Beggars
& Hangers-on" which has to based, at least in part, on SLASH's
life as a celebrity. All in all, a stellar performance. Thanks for
the review!
The second review is from MDHite who says the show was great. Rod
was right on key with every song. SLASH rocked of course! Keri
is really opening up and filling the position better than Ryan
Roxie (we saw them at Cabo when Ryan was in the band). Johnny
and Keri have so much energy, that it's wonderful just to watch
them. Thanks! We agree with you on the Keri/Ryan swap. Keri now
seems like he has ALWAYS been in Snakepit.
At the Mason Jar, Spock31572 came out to see the show and pronounced
it a great one with the guys playing 2 hours. The only disappointment
was that SLASH and the band got into the bus and never did come out.
Spock31572 had a Les Paul to be signed, and it did get signed by SLASH,
but SLASH stayed on the bus. There were a lot of people after the show
walking away carrying things they didn't get signed. Was this the band's cold
or did they have to get on their way to California or...? SLASH always
tries to be available, but sometimes he just can't.
There was a major complaint about the Galaxy Theatre Show. Clement said
that Snakepit rocked, but the venue SUCKED! The crowd was mellow, and it
wasn't a sellout although it was fairly well packed. Fans up front were
really behaving well, not grabbing the band or their instruments. During
the opening band, people took photos, used camcorders etc. Just before
Snakepit came on, Security started warning people to put those things
away. Those who didn't had their things confiscated. Clement had a minidisk
taken and Security took him outside, interrogated and threatened him.
SLASH, help! SLASH doesn't care about photos and tapers, so this is some
strange policy of the Galaxy. Clement would like Snakepit to boycott the
Galaxy in the future. Sounds reasonable. Thanks, Clement.
Kim sent us a great article from the UK publication, Metal Hammer.
The article is a good one, so we thought you might want to read it all. Click
on the magazine cover, Page 1, then Page 2, to read another interview with SLASH.
Thanks, Kim!
Page 1
Page 2
Since Snakepit will be leaving for the UK November 30 (or so we've
been told), we want to remind the UK of two television appearances by
the top hatted one. This Saturday watch for SLASH on a program called
cd:uk which appears on Saturday mornings on ITV. Craig sent this to us
saying this is a program for the younger kids. ?? Maybe the kids will
interview SLASH. The first question will be...what about a reunion!
Also, James and Graham say that SLASH or Snakepit will be appearing
on SMTV Live. This program airs from 9:25 am to 1:30 pm on ITV. It will
air Sunday, December 15. This sounds very strange. Has SLASH ever gotten
up that early?? And kids??? We expect a full report on the new Captain
Snake show.
Here's one last article for you to check out. This was sent by Marios,
written by Neil Weiss in LA. The article is about the GNR Reunion
possibilities and is yet another interview with SLASH! Thanks, Marios.
Tonight SLASH's Snakepit plays The Mason Jar in Phoenix, Arizona. The
show has been sold out for sometime as the venue holds just 500. If
you're looking for something to do tonight, and you don't have a
ticket, why not go over and hang outside? SLASH fans have been known
to climb on each other or cars or trash cans to get up and see in
windows! SLASH has the band playing so f*ckin' loud you can get a
fairly decent audio show outside! Set your video cam and tape recorder
on the window ledge, and you're set. SLASH and the boys are interested
in what you thought of the 4th and B show last night as well as this
one. The Sunday one, too! Send show reviews to the SLASH page at
webmaster@snakepit.org, and we'll post them right here for everyone
to read! Thanks!
We have a report from longtime fan Olav who saw Snakepit last night
at 4th and B. Olav said the band played about 2hours! For those of
us who saw the 30-40 minute shows with AC/DC this seems like heaven.
The venue was not sold out, but about 800 fans were there. Olav is
originally from Norway, and he'd like to know what's with the US
promoters. It does seem that US promoters are basically laid back.
SLASH said the backstage area was very small, so they came out to
see the fans after the show right in the venue. First, Keri and Rod
came out with Matt, and SLASH and Johnny came later. During "Ain't
Life Grand", they had musicians playing sax, trumpet and another (Olav
wasn't sure of the English word for this one). The band did a cool
version of "Mean Bone" with a 5 minute blues intro! Olav says he took
a lot of pictures which he promises to send as soon as he can round
up the cash. And from his message, it sounds like Olav will be at the
Santa Ana show, so look for our Norwegian friend if you are there,too.
Thanks, Olav!
We've heard a rumor that "Mean Bone" is out as a promo single.
Another rumor is that "Been There Lately" will be released as a
regular (non-promo) single, UK-only in January. SLASH couldn't
confirm these as yet, so we'll have to wait and see. We ought to
know something very soon. UK people...watch for an announcement!
US fans would be happy to get a special something soon. Of
course, the US DOES have the band living there! But SLASH in particular
is more of a citizen of the world than any one country.
Finally, we'd like to pass on some information on Snakepit's
Swedish shows from Jarmo. On Dec. 8, the venue is Karen Gothernburg (ages 18+).
Tickets: call Bengans in Gothenburg (031-242400). Tickets are 230 SEK.
For 70 SEK, they can mail tickets. On Dec. 9, the venue is Klubben
Stockholm. The tickets are on sale at www.biljett.se for 240 SEK.
Thanks, Jarmo! Jarmo will be at the Gothenburg show along with SLASH,
Keri, Matt, Rod, Johnny, and lots of fans.
We spoke to SLASH briefly as he was
getting ready to leave for San Diego and the show at 4th and B
tonight. He said the whole band has colds right now, but nothing
serious enough to put the 'pit out of action. Ron's voice is solid!
They are looking forward to a big crowd tonight and one Sunday at
the Galaxy in Santa Ana. After that, they'll be rehearsing and wrapping up their
US lives for the European tour.
We asked SLASH about backstage passes
and meeting fans. He said he doesn't get involved with passes because
he is very focused on the show that day. The passes usually just go to
family, friends, media and record label people, but a fan or two sometimes
manages to get one. SLASH said he would love to meet people after the
show at the bus or the hotel, but so much depends on whether they have
to get moving to the next town or not.
If you're in a local band, how can you get to open for Snakepit?
SLASH says he doesn't make that decision; at this point, he is leaving that
to the promoters. So, the one you want to talk to is the promoter of the
gig and see if he/she will give your band a shot at opening for the 'pit.
If you do get that slot, let us know so we can give your band some
additional publicity! Thanks, SLASH for all those answers!
Did you preorder Ain't Life Grand from KNAC's site? You were also
to receive an autographed poster. KNAC hasn't forgotten! The posters are
in the mail and many people have received them already. The posters we've
heard about are all signed by SLASH and are larger than the ones given
out free. SlashUzi sent us a closeup picture of that famous autograph. Terrific!
Vicki sent us a note about that wonderful Seymour Duncan ad featuring SLASH.
It is in January 2001's issue of Guitar Player and is a full page
picture. Vicki also noticed that TV Guide quotes SLASH on their
Music Guide, page 67 (Nov.11-17 issue). The quotation is from VH1's
"100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", and it's the one where he says, "It's
...loud, racy, in your face". Thanks, Vicki!
FabAxl sent some important information for Italian fans. The Italian
music site, www.rockol.it, has a contest to win 6 tickets to see Snakepit
at the Milan show! To win you have to answer 3 questions in Italian about
SLASH and send them the answers. Thanks, FabAxl! Check the site:
Ain't Life Grand.
The prize is an Ain't Life Grand cd autographed by SLASH and Rod.
The rules are simple. You answer via email 20 questions about
SLASH and SLASH's Snakepit. The winner is chosen in a random
drawing of those with all answers correct. Winners will be notified by
email, and the CDs will be sent by mail. It costs nothing to enter and
nothing if you win! The CDs are courtesy of Koch Records, the autographs
are courtesy of Rod Jackson and SLASH and the postage courtesy of your
webmaster. The contests end on Saturday night. The first contest begins
November 19, and ends Saturday, December 2 at midnight your time.
Get started! Click here to see the contest questions:
Tomorrow is the US holiday, Thanksgiving.
The very next day is the San Diego show at 4th and B. It's not too late
to get tickets! Sunday is the Santa Ana show at the Galaxy. The Galaxy
has been a good venue for the guys, so come out and see them rock! We
understand the two UK shows at the Underworld are Sold F*ckin' Out! The
Brits know how to treat a great band! Thanks to all of you! And if you
get anything from pictures to tickets that you can scan in and email
to webmaster@snakepit.org, we would be grateful.
Speaking of the International Tour, we've got some SLASH sightings!
FabAxl is in Italy, and he says that in the November issue of the
Italian magazine Metal Hammer, there's a 2 page SLASH interview.
The interview covers the AC/DC tour, Snakepit and GNR. SLASH is on the
cover! There's a brand new Italian magazine, Metal Shock that
FabAxl says has a very favorable review of Ain't Life Grand.
FabAxl reports that all the reviews in Italian magazines have been
favorable. Sounds like Snakepit will be very welcome for their Milan
show. Thanks, FabAxl.
Rob works at Tower Records in New York. The import Ain't Life Grand
is now available there for about $32. Rob says if you aren't in New York,
try www.TowerRecords.com or the mail order phone number 1-800-ASK-TOWER.
Thanks, Rob!
Rob said that SLASH was on MTV All-Stars last night. This was more of a
new interview with SLASH. They went through GNR history, and SLASH
talked about the circumstances that led to his leaving the band. Adam
Day was also interviewed (Adam is SLASH's amazing guitar tech). They
didn't mention Snakepit '95, but "Beggars & Hangers-on" was playing in
the background. The current Snakepit was playing in SLASH's studio.
Worth seeing!
Declan is in Ireland, and he says the UK fans should check out the
English guitar magazine Total Guitar. SLASH is on the cover,
and there is lots of coverage inside. SLASH talks about his uneasy
relationship with computers, and how he has improved his playing over
the years. Total Guitar calls him the last guitar hero! They
say that SLASH is the only one that is keeping the candle burning for
guitar music. Sounds great! Thanks, Declan.
We've been telling you that SLASH's Snakepit will not be at Rock in Rio
this year. If you feel strongly that you want them to be there, how about
writing the Rock in Rio people and asking them to get Snakepit down there?
Web site url: http://www.rockinrio.americaonline.com.br/
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the US. We're grateful for all of SLASH's
fans that we've met through this site. We're especially thankful for
SLASH and his music.
, SLASH!
Due to a virus attack
and recovery, there were some problems with getting the latest SLASH
contest going on time. With Thanksgiving thrown in, we've decided to
extend the contest date to Saturday, December 2 at midnight your time.
Send entries to webmaster@snakepit.org with subject CONTEST 1. The
prize is a copy of Ain't Life Grand autographed by SLASH and
Rod Jackson. No entry cost! No charge for anything. The CDs are
courtesy of Koch Records, the autographs are courtesy of SLASH and
Rod and shipping is courtesy of the webmaster. Best of luck! Click
here to see the contest questions:
If you missed Rock Show from November 10, you missed seeing Rod
and SLASH doing a great interview with Cane. We have several video clips
from the show. All are on the Slash Videos! Section. If you want to check
them out right now, we can take you there:
We had a note from Rod Jackson and his super nice girlfriend saying hi
to everyone. Rod says he will be glad to answer any questions you
have of him. If he is on tour, his girlfriend will relay them to Rod.
Get a few to him onstage! If you have a burning question for Rod, send
it to: webmaster@snakepit.org. Use subject ROD so we get it to the right
place. And we will email you the answer privately. Here's your chance
to ask things about Snakepit, Rod's professional background, his
relationship with Slash, just about anything professional. Thanks, Rod!
We can't seem to read enough of these good interviews with SLASH.
There's one on the web that Bull found for us. This comes from the
CMJ site. The CMJ Network combines powerful offline media properties with
high traffic online destinations to offer the most comprehensive source
for digital music, related software and information. And
here is their Feature Report on SLASH's Snakepit (thanks, Bull!):
SLASH has been in countless ads for guitar equipment. Now you can see
him in a clothing ad! Vickid sent us a note that SLASH appears in the
January 2001 of Guitar World magazine in a full page clothing
ad for Dragonfly clothing. Printed on the picture is "Rock Legend - SLASH".
They got that right! We have a small picture here, but you may want to
at least have a look at the newsstand. Vickid says it is on the 8th page
after you open the cover. Dragonfly is a California clothing company catering to rock
stars. You might find Christmas gifts here for your own bandmates! Their
website is at www.dragonflyclothing.com.
CONTEST!! We're having a series of three contests
over the next three weeks to give away autographed copies of Ain't Life
Grand. The rules are simple. You answer via email 20 questions about
SLASH and SLASH's Snakepit. The winner each week is chosen in a random
drawing of those with all answers correct. Winners will be notified by
email, and the CDs will be sent by mail. It costs nothing to enter and
nothing if you win! The CDs are courtesy of Koch Records, the autographs
are courtesy of Rod Jackson and SLASH and the postage courtesy of your
webmaster. The contests end on Saturday night. The first contest begins
now, November 19, and ends Saturday, November 25 at midnight your time.
Get started! Click here to see the first contest questions:
SLASH spoke to us from Los Angeles after returning from the Far East.
He said they had a great time and really enjoyed the shows. The audiences
were really enthusiastic. Snakepit is looking forward to the European
shows coming up in December, and they are getting ready for the two
California shows this week. So, come out and see the 'pit in San Diego
this Friday (4th and B) and Costa Mesa (Galaxy) this coming Sunday.
A Japanese fan sent in a report on the third and last show there. He
said the audience only about half filled the 2000 capacity venue. The
band was tight, and SLASH was really great! He played so many solos!
Our fan said that he loves SLASH's rough and highly energized performance.
This was the best show of the three, and our Japanese fan went to all of
them. The song listing was the same, but the show was a little longer.
SLASH and the band wore a bathrobe called "yukata", a Japanese styled
traditional bathrobe, at the encore! When the show ended, SLASH threw them
into the audience! Our friend did not catch one, though. What a great
item to take home! Wonder what they will wear in California?
Kevin also spotted another potential
lawsuit in the making involving SLASH. This was in The Philadelphia
Inquirer on Monday, October 23. It says that SLASH has been accused
of stealing the idea of the electric/acoustic doubleneck guitar from a
New Jersey man. You'll remember that Guild manufactures these, and the
beloved "Godzilla" is one of these. The Jersey man got a patent for his
design in 1991. He thought his place in rock history would be made till
he saw SLASH with his in the 1993 video "Dead Horse". SLASH appeared in
interviews and promos for Guild advertising his idea of the electric/acoustic
while the Jersey man looked for a lawyer. The Jersey guy kept claiming the
idea was his invention and suffered the ridicule of other musicians. Most
musicians feel that this man is copying SLASH's idea. Contacting Guild, they
said only three were made, all prototypes made as gifts to SLASH. When
Guild was sold to Fender, Fender signed a liscensing agreement with the
inventor. Only about a dozen of these guitars have been sold for $3000
each. The Jersey man was convinced that his design would be recognized
and the story would end that SLASH came up with the design, but he
recently saw the story on Guild's site saying that SLASH came up with the
design. Efforts to reach SLASH or his manager have been unsuccessful.
Remind you of the guys who claim Michael Jackson or Bono or Sting stole
their lyrics? Always someone who wants to get a free lunch. If the man
had his patent before Guild got the design from SLASH, Guild should have
found it. Seems like people can come up with ideas that are similar. We
think SLASH designed this as a solution to a specific onstage problem he
was having...switching back and forth quickly from electric to acoustic.
Guild manufactured the solution. If someone's toes were inadvertently
stepped on, he has been compensated by Fender. It seems he also wants
SLASH to admit he copied this man's idea that he had never heard of.
Beggars & Hangers-On again. Thanks, Kevin for that story.
The guys are back in town!
Deciding to pass on the two Korean shows, Snakepit is coming home tomorrow!
The first half of the tour went very well, and we're glad they got to go,
but we really are glad they're back in the USA. SLASH sounded happy to
be on his way, but there is a lot waiting for them here. With a short
R&R time with family, the band will be doing two California dates next
week:
Fri., Nov. 24 4th and B San Diego, CA
Sun., Nov. 26 Galaxy Santa Ana, CA
Several fans have been in touch with us about Snakepit merchandise
at the shows. There are tshirts, baseball caps, panties and camisoles.
Right now these are only at the venues, but some fans would like to
get them sooner - for themselves and Christmas gifts for special
fans. If you are going to a show and would be willing to help out
another SLASH fan by picking up merchandise for them, let us know
at webmaster@snakepit.org. We'll put you in touch with a needy fan.
Thanks!
Speaking of fan problems, SLASH turned over 3 problems. First,
are you Jake or Lisa? Did you write to SLASH and not get a response?
Get in touch with the SLASH page, and we'll see if we can reunite you
with SLASH's reply. Also, a third item looks like something someone
has sent SLASH to be signed. It is the old Snakepit logo printed on
red. No name. If you can describe it, it's yours. Thanks.
Koch Records gave us 3 prizes for contests here at the SLASH page.
Each prize is an autographed Ain't Life Grand album with
autographs courtesy of Rod and SLASH. Wouldn't this be great to
add to your Snakepit collection? We'll have a contest for each
over the next three weeks. There will be questions posted here. You
answer (all answers are in the SLASH page) and send them to us, and
if necessary (and it always is), we have a drawing of all those with
the correct answers. Cost to you is zero! Shipping paid courtesy of
the SLASH page, album courtesy of Koch Records and autographs courtesy
of Rod Jackson and SLASH. We'll start Saturday night so that we don't
run into Thanksgiving next week as a starting date. You will have
till the following Friday to complete your entry. Hey, a week? Some
of you will only need minutes. See you Saturday with the contest. Thanks,
Koch Records!
Here's something our pal Kim from the UK (with that wonderful Nightrain fanzine)
sent us. SLASH is featured in a two page interview in the December issue
of the UK publication Metal Hammer. The interview is en route,
and we'll have all the details soon. Also, we are back in the video
business again after replacing hardware. We'll make the Rock Show
clip featuring SLASH and Rod be our first new one in quite awhile. We
also have a tape from one of the AC/DC opening shows, and we'll be
getting that ready next.
Surfing among the net SLASH mentions awhile ago, we found mention of
a guitarist who says he has recorded with SLASH. Anyone recognize the
name Bernd Schoenhart? He plays funk guitar and is featured on a
copyright free sample disc called Pocket Syndrome Vol.1. Others he
has recorded with include Kenny G, George Michael, and John Secada.
The sampler contains 700 guitar loops at multiple BPMs and keys for
loop. This sampler is for the musician wanting to give his tracks the
Pocket Syndrome Edge". Anyone heard of him and know the SLASH recording?
Awhile ago, Playboy online had a feature on ranking the Top Ten best
jobs on earth and featuring the person who personified that job most.
Well, guess which job was found to be best in terms of sex, money and
fun (lower ranking in the power category)? ROCK STAR! And guess who
they picked as THE man who personifies this best? SLASH! Here's the
article (that SLASH was a little embarrassed about):
We received a report on the Nagoya and Osaka, Japan shows. If you were
there, the set list was the same at both with Ain't Life Grand
songs in the majority. The band covered GNR's "It's So Easy" and "Mr.
Brownstone" as well as Snakepit 1995's "Beggars & Hangers-on". At the
Nagoya show there was an international program on sale for 2,000 yen.
It is 16 color pages, and this could be turning up in Europe, too.
There were long sleeved tshirts, camisoles, baseball caps and panties.
Let's hope they have some of these when they get back to the US!
SLASH said the Osaka show was "the best show we ever did!" There were
about 2,000 people there, close to a sellout. The audience was very
enthusiastic and just going crazy! One more Japanese show, and then
come the two Korean shows. The band will then come home for Thanksgiving.
Don't forget to get tickets for the two California shows in San Diego
and Santa Ana!
Brian sent in some TV news. E! is repeating the true Hollywood story,
"Wild on the Sunset Strip" on
Saturday, November 18 at 9 pm. This is a repeat
story, but you can see SLASH talking about that area and what it was like for him
and the GNR gang. On VH1, SLASH was on the Top 100 Hard Rock Artists
show. He talked about Black Crowes who came in at #92. Brian says he thinks
SLASH will be on all week talking about various bands. Guns comes in
around #9 and will be on the Friday show this week. The show is on every
night at 10 pm, but it's repeated throughout the week. Thanks, Brian!
If you have a new band, what's one of the things you try to
do for publicity? Get a well known artist to review your new album?
How about getting SLASH to review it?! Theoadore Muddfoot is "classic
metal with the voice of an angelic creature", and their new album is
The Beauty of the Swamp. SLASH gave them a good review:
I THOUGHT THIS ALBUM WAS ONE OF THE BETTER GOING TODAY. GREAT LEAD SINGER,
GREAT GUITAR, WELL YOU GET THE PICTURE,
HELL I BOUGHT ONE, I LOVED IT. I THINK THEY
NEED THEIR DAY IN SPOTLIGHT HERE. KEEP
ROCKING AND MAYBE WE'LL DO A SHOW
TOGETHER ONE DAY.
LATER,
SLASH (GnR)
Want to see what these guys are like?
Ray was at the Dallas Hard Rock and saw some SLASH memorabilia. He says,
"When you walk in the front door, it's pretty much a standard HR
layout. There's a central eating area ringed by a balcony. If you walk
straight in and cross the floor, on the balcony rail to the right, in the
corner is a picture of Slash, one of his Gibsons, and the RIAA (I think)
award for Use Your Illusion I".
"The Dallas HR is very Beatles focused, with the famous line from "In the
End",track 16 on Abbey Road, "And in the end, the love you give, is equal
to the love, you make", written on the wall in huge letters. Most of the
artists featured by their memorabilia are of the Beatles era. All the
great guitarists are there, too. So, it's only fitting Slash is
included. He's in great company". Thanks, Ray!
Another note from Brian. He says that the new issue of Rolling Stone
has the Top 100 Pop Songs listed. Guns made it in at #13 with "Sweet Child
O' Mine". Slash talks about how he wrote the song as a
joke, but everyone in the band wanted to make the song happen. And so it did!
Thanks, Brian!
There are two show
reviews we'd like to share from
the international tour. First, we have one from "Tanko" who was at the
Taiwan show. Tanko wants to claim the title of youngest fan at the show.
At 11 1/2, that could well be true! When you start listening to GNR at
age 6, there's only one place to go now: Snakepit! And the final review:
SLASH's Snakepit is the best band in the world. Thanks, Tanko!
Next is one from the first Japanese show in Tokyo. The set was nearly the same
as the US shows, but the performance was "rough". The band really rocked
with highly energized feelings. The audience was about 2,200 which was
about 80% capacity. Some people were too enthusiastic, but the show was
exciting for everyone. Lots of stage diving, moshing, screaming! Sounds
like a great evening! Thanks!
A special thanks to Scott who found video interviews of SLASH on
getmusic.com/idiotbox. They have a funny rubber doll that gets its picture taken
with each guest, so here's the doll with SLASH. In
this case the doll is pretending to be Axl Rose, and it fires SLASH right
after the show. The interviews here are great - really long. These are
from when Snakepit was opening for AC/DC. SLASH covers all kinds of things
like recording technology, attitude, opening for AC/DC, what everyone else
is doing, always be yourself and others. There are three separate videos,
so be sure to click one line speed under each SLASH picture. Use the links
at the left on their page to get around. Celebrity Jamoree is the interview.
Thank you
so much, Scott. If you're ready to go, here's SLASH:
Awhile ago Snakepit was on 102.7, Saturday Night Rocks. The host, Eddie
Trunk, promised to have the interview online at some point. Mike tells
us that it is up on their site. There are also several pictures of the
guys (mostly SLASH) in the studio. This past Saturday, Mike was listening
and Eddie talked about SLASH and how he is one of a kind. He laughed at
how you HAVE to have a delay on a radio station because SLASH is brutal
with his language. Eddie said Ain't Life Grand is an awesome cd,
and he feels it's better than anything Guns did after Appetite....
Mike is disappointed that the US is not behind this new Snakepit album
like the rest of the world is. Maybe that next club tour will help.
Thanks, Mike, for sending that in. And we'll send you now to Eddie's
site to check out the pictures and the interviews. 
For those who prefer reading to listening, we want to pass on two
magazine interviews with SLASH. Bear in mind that these are men's
magazines so look for them in that section of the magazines. The first
was sent to us by Luis. He's a subscriber to Stuff magazine, and
the last issue said that SLASH will be in an issue released in the
beginning of December. So watch for that one. Olivia sent us the
news about a magazine that is more porno than men's called Gallery.
The interview with SLASH is two pages long, and there isn't much new.
Still, it's great to read what SLASH is saying because it's always
pretty lively. Olivia was kind enough to send the article for those who
can't find the magazine or are underage.
Thanks, Olivia!
For the Korean fans, the two shows previously
cancelled are both rescheduled! Snakepit will be there the 17th and 18th
this month. Despite some bad information from ticket sellers, all three
UK shows ARE confirmed. If you are having trouble finding which Underworld
club at which the band will appear, it is the CAMDEN Underworld. Please
contact webmaster@snakepit.org for the full address. The Sheffield show
is linked to the ticket seller, so you can click on that name and buy
a whole fistful. Slash & Co. are still trying to work out something for
France. Keep hoping! Here is an updated schedule with the completed shows
removed:
Fri., Nov. 10 Zepp Music Hall Tokyo, Japan
Sat., Nov. 11 Bay Hall Yokahama, Japan
Mon., Nov. 13 Mother Hall Osaka, Japan
Tue., Nov. 14 Diamond Hall Nagoya, Japan
Thu., Nov. 16 Zepp Music Hall Fukuoka, Japan
Fri., Nov. 17 Pusan Coex Complex Pusan, Korea
Sat., Nov. 18 Century City Hall Seoul, Korea
Fri., Nov. 24 4th and B San Diego, CA
Sun., Nov. 26 Galaxy Santa Ana, CA
Sun., Dec. 3 The Corporation Sheffield, England
Mon., Dec. 4 The Underworld London, England
Tue., Dec. 5 The Underworld London, England
Thu., Dec. 7 Hultihuset Tobaken Esbjerg, Denmark
Fri., Dec. 8 Koren Gothenberg, Sweden
Sat., Dec. 9 Klubben Stockholm, Sweden
(Kollingsbong)
Mon., Dec. 11 Train Aarhus, Denmark
Wed., Dec. 13 Columbia Halle Berlin, Germany
Thu., Dec. 14 Paradiso Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sat., Dec. 16 Kongresszentrum Stuttgart, Germany
Mon., Dec. 18 E-Werk Koln, Germany
Tue., Dec. 19 Colosseum Munchen, Germany
Wed., Dec. 20 Furth Stadthalle Nurnberg, Germany
Fri., Dec. 22 Alcatraz Milan, Italy
Sat., Dec. 23 US for Christmas Holidays
Fri., Jan. 19 Obras Stadium Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sat., Jan. 20 Obras Stadium Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mon., Jan. 22 GO Marde Plata, Argentina
SLASH called in from Tokyo today. He said they had completed the first
show in Japan, and they really put out for the fans. He said Rod was
f*cking amazing. He's happy those Korean dates are rescheduled and said
they will be coming home after that. SLASH is looking for a good turnout
from the California crowds, so let's get those shows sold out. SLASH's
international booking
agent is in South America working on the tour schedule there. Three
shows are firm in Argentina. From what we've heard the shows will be
awesome. So hang on, and maybe next week, SLASH will have the full
schedule!
SLASH was reminded that he is on VH1 TV, the Rock Show tonight.
He's anxious to hear if the breaking guitars part is on there! When they
took a break in filming, Cane pointed out 3 guitars on the set and said,
"Why don't you break those?". One was Zakk Wylde's white Les Paul, one was
an SG and the other was a blue guitar with holes drilled in it. So when
they were filming, Rod picked up the Les Paul, SLASH got the SG and
they went to it. SLASH said the SG smashed immediately, but Rod had to
work on the Les Paul. SLASH said he liked the blue one, so he took it
with him after the show. The producer came out and said..."Why did you
do that?!". They explained that Cane told them to do it; Cane said he
was just kidding! Uh oh. GNR on the Headbanger's Ball all over again
(they were asked to trash the set, and they really trashed it much to
MTV's despair). SLASH gave them their blue guitar back, but the others
were DOA. We laughed at this hilarious SLASH story, and we are hoping
VH1 will show the massacre tonight at midnight, Eastern and Pacific times.
Before we get too far from Halloween, we wanted to show you the
pumpkin Canadian fans Dina and Sylvia entered into the rock star
pumpkin contest. Radio station Q107 held the contest, but the Steven
Tyler pumpkin was the winner. SLASH looks pretty good to us here, and
maybe he will be ready next year if he can just get a good gourd
guitar to play.
Recently we were contacted about a stolen guitar, and we wanted to
get the word out to all of you in case you see it. The guitar belonged
to Michael Kinser. It is a Gibson 1960 Classic Goldtop, and it was
stolen from a private residence in Springfield Ohio. Michael and his
family have been looking and contacting pawnshops and the police, but
things look bleak. The insurance company is dragging its heels on
payment. Michael is devastated at the loss of his guitar as his music is
very important to him. He began playing guitar because of SLASH, and
he was able to see Snakepit in Ohio opening for AC/DC. If anyone out
there has information, pass it on to us at webmaster@snakepit.org.
This is an expensive guitar, so keep your eyes open for one like this
that just appears from nowhere. Thanks! Speaking of stolen guitars,
SLASH feels like the trail is pretty cold on his other stolen guitars.
One of these meant the world to him, too.
Q magazine had a really positive review
of Ain't Life Grand (or ALG as SLASH fans are calling it!).
Singled out for special praise were SLASH, "the worryingly named" Johnny
Blackout and Rod Jackson. The album was given 4 stars which for Q
is great praise indeed. If you're looking for it, Q is a UK
publication, and the review is in the December 20 issue. There were two
other funny, small SLASH mentions. In Music News, they quoted SLASH's
statement that he conducts interviews in the bathroom. Q remarked
that SLASH could probably concentrate better that way! Under Concert
Reviews was one for Kelis, a brash, punky performer with black hair
that has those little curls hanging down everywhere and straight parts
sticking way out. Q says that Kelis is never seen in the same
room as SLASH (implication: they are the same person!). Q is
always good for a laugh. Just in case you can't find it at the magazine
stand, the review is right here! It's in two sections as it was on
front and back.
NYRock.com is an online music news and review site
out of New York City. The Managing Editor was cool enough to let us
know that they had a review of Ain't Life Grand posted on their
site. It's another great one! Since they were kind enough to let us
know, we'd like to share it with you. You'll be at their site which
is a pretty cool way to spend an hour or two!
SLASH on TV! Just a reminder that SLASH and Rod Jackson will be on VH1's
Rock Show this Friday night, November 10, midnight Eastern and
Pacific Times. It says on the site that "Guests Slash's Snakepit give Cane some pointers in debauchery."
This should be fun. If you want to get in on the show in a small way, you
can request videos to be played Friday night. Go to www.vh1.com and
look up the Rock Show, and you can email the host, Cane, through
their site. SLASH and Rod should be choosing some videos, too, along
with comments on debauchery. SLASH will be more famous than he already
is if this comes true! Thanks to VH1 for notifying us of the show date.
We heard SLASH on our answering machine today. He reports that they
are in Tokyo, and the first show there will be this Friday night.
Snakepit is looking forward to another great show with really
enthusiastic fans. There will be five shows almost in a row in Japan,
and then the band comes home to Thanksgiving dinners and those great
California shows in San Diego and Santa Ana. We're counting on our
Japanese fans to share some scans of their tickets, photos, ads etc.
And you California guys are so lucky! We need your help here, too.
The Tour Photos are now in two parts. The second all new piece was just
put up today. These are the warmup and Mexican shows so far. We hope
to have many more things to add before this is all over. Have a look
at the photos...go to www.snakepit.org, scroll down to Main Menu, click
Tour Photos. The second set is reached off the end of the first set. Just
scroll down, and you will see the "More Photos" link. Who knows? You
might be there!
The show in Taipei, Taiwan is over,
and a couple of reports are in. Sounds like it rocked! Sadly, the
Korean shows were both cancelled, and Snakepit was to move
immediately to Japan for some publicity activities before the shows
start November 10. A couple of other things to bear in mind. We have
heard from some Italian fans that the Milan show will be at the
Alcatraz not the Rolling Stone. We haven't gotten the go ahead to
change that yet, but it sounds fairly definite. Tickets are being
sold for the Alcatraz, we are told. While some ticketsellers may
be confused about Snakepit in the UK, we aren't. We checked with
SLASH's booking agency, and the three shows are all confirmed.
There are two at the Underground in London and one at the Corporation
in Sheffield. All 3 are confirmed. If you go to the tour schedule,
there is a place to click and buy tickets for that venue. This was
at the ticket seller's request. Again: all 3 confirmed!
We got a review of the SLASH's Snakepit show in Taiwan from a fan
who is so enthusiastic, the email message is filled with exclamation
points! This is from evil1231 who thinks when the concert starts...
He is SLASH! OH MY GOD! He is the REAL SLASH in Taiwan! Everyone loved
the SLASH solos, and they want him back right away! A direct quote,
"He is GOD in my life!!!! I love SLASH forever!!!" OK, SLASH, better
hurry back there. These people love you to death.
Joyce sent in another Taiwan review. She says she could not believe
her eyes. SLASH has been her favorite since she was 10! It was like
a dream come true to have the band there. Joyce was very close to them.
Now, Joyce says, the 'pit will live in her heart and her life. It was
the happiest moment in her f*ckin' life, she says, and everyone
was jumping, screaming, singing, shouting, laughing. When they played
"Back to the Moment", Joyce says she cried like a baby. SLASH had that
great hair, and they played the songs she loved. Joyce is still really
excited (we couldn't tell, Joyce!) because they were so close. Snakepit
rocked them! Their music and everything are just the best. (We hope the
band reads this and feels this joy!)
One more thing from Taiwan! David Frzier is a staff reporter for the
Taipei Times, and he wrote a couple of articles on SLASH and
Snakepit before the concert. We'd like you to check these out! David,
thanks for these great articles on SLASH!
Some fans luck out even when the news is bad. Alex lives in Australia,
and he won tickets from a local radio station there for the SLASH's
Snakepit show. Then the show was cancelled. It's tough when that
happens even when SLASH promises to come again. Your winnings don't
seem so great. BUT! The radio station came through with a compensation
prize: Ain't Life Grand and an exclusive Snakepit video with
interview and live performance! Alex says he will send details as soon
as he knows more about the video. You lucked out, AND Snakepit is still
coming.
Chris found us a really nice article on SLASH's Snakepit in the Yahoo
area. We hadn't seen this one; and maybe it's one you have missed, too:
If you thought the tour was pretty
much settled, you were wrong. If you live in California, you'll be
glad to hear of TWO more California dates. First of all, SLASH's
Snakepit has left the US. The show in Taiwan is tonight! Then the
Korean shows come in on Monday and Tuesday. We would love to hear
from Far Eastern fans who went to the shows. Tell us how the band
was and how you liked them! If you take some photos and can share
them, we'll put them right up here. Did Slash sign your guitar?
Did you take photos of the bus? Did you get to meet Keri and Matt?
Did Johnny sign your tickets? Don't forget we'd like pictures of
tickets, too. Email webmaster@snakepit.org!
About the California dates, these are when Snakepit is home for
Thanksgiving. These guys only rest briefly. On Friday, Nov. 24,
SLASH's Snakepit will be at 4th And B in San Diego, CA. This is
a 21+ show. On Sunday, Nov. 26, SLASH's Snakepit will be at The
Galaxy Theater. This is an all ages show, we hope. They did a show here
during the prealbum days,
we believe. California fans are so lucky. Be sure to tell the rest
of us how it was and if Snakepit seems more cosmopolitan after their
Far Eastern trip! Here is the whole schedule with completed shows not
shown:
Sat., Nov. 4 National Dr.Sun Yat-sen
Memorial Hall Taipei, Taiwan
Mon., Nov. 6 Century City Hall Seoul, Korea
Tue., Nov. 7 Pusan Coex Center Pusan, Korea
Fri., Nov. 10 Zepp Music Hall Tokyo, Japan
Sat., Nov. 11 Bay Hall Yokahama, Japan
Mon., Nov. 13 Mother Hall Osaka, Japan
Tue., Nov. 14 Diamond Hall Nagoya, Japan
Thu., Nov. 16 Zepp Music Hall Fukuoka, Japan
Fri., Nov. 24 4th and B San Diego, CA
Sun., Nov. 26 Galaxy Santa Ana, CA
Sun., Dec. 3 The Corporation Sheffield, England
Mon., Dec. 4 The Underworld London, England
Tue., Dec. 5 The Underworld London, England
Thu., Dec. 7 Hultihuset Tobaken Esbjerg, Denmark
Fri., Dec. 8 Koren Gothenberg, Sweden
Sat., Dec. 9 Klubben Stockholm, Sweden
(Kollingsbong)
Mon., Dec. 11 Train Aarhus, Denmark
Wed., Dec. 13 Columbia Halle Berlin, Germany
Thu., Dec. 14 Paradiso Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sat., Dec. 16 Kongresszentrum Stuttgart, Germany
Mon., Dec. 18 E-Werk Koln, Germany
Tue., Dec. 19 Colosseum Munchen, Germany
Wed., Dec. 20 Furth Stadthalle Nurnberg, Germany
Fri., Dec. 22 Rolling Stone Milan, Italy
Sat., Dec. 23 US for Christmas Holidays
Fri., Jan. 19 Obras Stadium Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sat., Jan. 20 Obras Stadium Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mon., Jan. 22 GO Marde Plata, Argentina
SLASH didn't have time to reply on whether the Les Paul he threw in the video
"Don't Cry" was a real guitar or not. Fortunately, Max did! He says it was
a '59 Les Paul rented from Sam Ash in NYC. The guitar really WAS thrown
over the cliff, but the $100,000 guitar was caught by a safety net below.
Max was shown a picture of the intrepid guitar and told the story by
the General Manager at Sam Ash about 6 years ago. No word on the car and
young lady that preceded the guitar! Thanks, Max!
There are SLASH mentions from the media, and thank you to all who took time to
send these in. KidRoc reports that VH1's show, The List had
a Best Debut Album category. Madonna was #1 with GNR's Appetite for
Destruction coming in at 2. Beastie Boys came in third. Thanks, Max.
Roman sent us several mentions from the German Rolling Stone.
A poll on the greatest guitar solo of all time had SLASH's "November Rain"
coming in at #6 behind some pretty tough competition: Jimmy Page's "Stairway to
Heaven", Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption", Jimi Hendrix' "All Along the
Watchtower" and a couple others. SLASH was on the Fave Rave's page and
talked about things important to him - dinosaurs (reads the newspapers
and National Geographics to keep up), tours (when it was time to tour, he
sold his house and was gone), BMX memories (he did tricks with these and
thought it was the coolest thing in the world), tshirts (he has 13,000
collected since he was 13 and likes the ones with crazy sentences best).
Thanks, Roman! In the instore Sam Goody magazine, Request, there is
a little bit about the 'pit. Ingrid sent this to us. The review of Ain't
Life Grand is definitely a positive one. It says that SLASH bears the
weight of GNR's legacy as the new GNR album retreats to the land of myths.
SLASH has a lot of pent-up energy, and his band Snakepit unleashes an
excellent album Ain't Life Grand. It says that SLASH is now free of
Axl's tantrums and can focus on creating hard-charging rock with his
inspired axmanship. Rod Jackson laces each song with a fierce, charismatic
delivery reminiscent of Paul Rodgers. Ingrid says the magazine is free
and she got a copy in the mail. Thanks, Ingrid, Sam Goody and Gail Worley,
the astute reviewer! How about some radio mentions now? Kathleen was
listening to 98.9 The Rock out of Kansas City, and they had a short
interview with SLASH followed by "Been There Lately", the first time
they had played Snakepit! Thanks, Kathleen! And our friend Gayle in
L.A. says that the lead DJ on KLOS said some really cool things about
SLASH the other evening, like, this band knows how to rock n' roll. He
then played "Been There Lately" which was very cool. Thanks, Gayle!
Keep the SLASH and 'pit mentions coming. And try to get some requests
in for Snakepit on those web stations and the local radio shows.
SLASH just sent the tour schedule
as it stands before he leaves for Taiwan. This is the official band
schedule. You might have promoters advertising and selling tickets
elsewhere, but these gigs are the only ones that are signed and
sealed right now. Sometimes the paperwork is all that is needed, and
sometimes the show bears some investigation. A Los Angeles venue
recently advertised Slash's Snakepit there, and Slash was in New York.
Buy from reputable ticket outlets and dealers! Here's the schedule:
More South American dates to come of course. Rock in Rio was though to
be on, but the band had commitments they had to keep, so Snakepit will
not be at Rock in Rio.
The Japanese venues are finally on here. Argentina has 3 firm
dates. The UK has 3 firm dates, too. The Australian shows are pulled till
they are rescheduled. France still has no dates due to the lack of
halls at the time Snakepit can be there. Looks great! Thanks to SLASH and
Gayle & Jerry for this schedule!
SLASH gave an update on the tour schedule today. The next show will be
this Saturday, November 4 in Taiwan. The guys are ready to get back
to touring although they have been so busy while at home they have
barely gotten time to be with friends and family. They will be out till
Christmas; they then leave for South America in the New Year. Snakepit
may leave as early as tomorrow for Taiwan. Bye, Guys!
Keri
Kelli also spoke to us about the forthcoming tour. He said he has never
been to Taiwan and was looking forward to it. We asked if he thought he
would get to do any sightseeing in Taiwan and the other countries on the
list. He said they usually had no time to do that with travel and
soundchecks and the actual shows. Besides, he said, they really don't
know where to go and where to avoid! So if you see one of the 'pit
wandering around, show him around! We're counting on fans in other
countries to take good care of the band. Note: they thrive on applause!
Keri has been communicating with fans through email using his
kerikelli@hotmail.com address.
Some fans want to send him things in snailmail. He
has an address for you:
The big news on the tour right now is that the Australian shows are
cancelled. SLASH was well aware of how disappointed fans might be. He
mentioned that Snakepit 95 didn't make it there either.
The cancellation
cause was a problem in reaching agreement on and finalizing the
contracts for the Australian tour. SLASH says to tell Aussie fans not
to be too upset. They are going to start over working out dates and
venues, and they should be there at the end of the tour. That was as
close to a date as he was comfortable giving at this time. Nothing has
really been set in motion, but he did say Snakepit will come!
Last night was the Roxy show. Since it was Halloween, SLASH said they
blocked off streets and had a festival. It took forever for the band
to get to the Roxy. They arrived with 5 minutes to spare and found
they were getting radio frequency interference in the sound, so SLASH
told them to go out and play very aggressively.
The place was packed
and hot and some of the audience weren't too cool. Tugging on SLASH
means he's distracted from playing. SLASH retreated to the back of the
stage after someone started breaking his guitar strings. SLASH tapped the guy
with his Les Paul! Hands off the Les Paul! SLASH says never touch his
guitar. You guitarists out there can understand that. SLASH even
apologized to this guy! It was a strange evening.
Raul was also at the Roxy and says the show rocked! He scored two
setlists and picks from all. The crowd was a little rowdy with people
getting pushed around. A girl grabbed Raul's hair and pulled SLASH's
leg till he fell down. SLASH got angry and swiped his guitar at
someone (not this girl unfortunately). The girl disappeared to be
obnoxious elsewhere in the crowd. They played "Rusted Heroes" and
"Back to the Moment" which were not there during the shows when they
opened for AC/DC. Before the show, Raul got to shake Matt's hand!
He and his girlfriend got there early and got to hear them do
soundcheck. It was an awesome show except for SLASH falling; and after
that, the heart kind of went out of things. Sometimes we wonder why
security is so harsh, and sometimes we wonder where they are when they are
needed. Like they taught us in kindergarten, keep your hands to yourself.
When you buy a ticket, you only buy the performance, not the right to
manhandle the band.
This is a request for information for SLASH's discography. We'd like to
know all the countries that pressed albums for Ain't Life Grand.
If you look at the back of the album at the bottom, it should say made
in USA or UK or...whatever. We think we have the USA done, but there may be
a promo or advanced we missed. Listed in Discography (off Main Menu)
are what we know right now. We also need the catalog number which is
on the end of the jewel case with the album name. It most likely will
be at the right. It should say Koch Records, so if you could send that
along, too, it would be great. And say what format it it: CD or cassette.
We don't think there are any vinyl or minidisks out there, but let us
know if you have one. Also, if you have promos or advance copies, these
are of interest too. Try to describe it: no paper inserts, back insert
only, sticker on front, track listing, red cd with black letters...
something like that. It would be very much appreciated for the
discography. Please send to
A followup on the SLASH-O-Lantern story of two
days ago. Canadian fans Dina and Sylvia entered a local radio's contest.
The pumpkin entries had to carved and decorated as musicians, and the
two friends of course decided to do a SLASH pumpkin. Although SLASH was
attractive as a pumpkin, he was beaten out by Steven Tyler! Well, Steven
has a few years on SLASH. We're hopeful that over time SLASH can make
pumpkin history with a first place finish! Dina and Sylvia were sad but
they had a lot of fun doing it! And we had a lot of fun hearing about it!
Pictures should be along soon.
That's the best Halloween story we have ... except for one. Halloween
night, SLASH's Snakepit appears at the Roxy! Tickets are $14.50, a real
bargain. And if you haven't seen SLASH's Snakepit, you're in luck!
Check the pictures at www.theroxytheater.com,
click Bands and then Slashes (sic) Snakepit. There are 20 pictures from
the pre-album days, and the guys are rocking! (We miss Keri, but maybe the
Roxy will get with it, spell the band's name right and get some pics of
Keri there, too).
If you've been looking for some vinyl stickers for your guitar or
refrigerator, there is a cool SLASH sticker made just for guitars
although you can apply it almost anywhere. It peels right off so
you won't damage the guitar's finish. The company is Graphic
Graffiti, and they are a reputable one. They have a sticker with
SLASH and you can order him in white, silver, blue, yellow, etc. and
in sizes small, medium, large. Want to check them out? They are
at Graphic Graffiti. Just
scroll down the page. SLASH is L5!
Jeff sent us a review of the Petaluma and San Francisco shows. Rod
told the Petaluma crowd that while in Oakland (flight was rerouted
there due to some glitch) Johnny G. got in a fight and was arrested!
Keri was sick or had some other problem! SLASH was ok. After the show,
Rod, Matt and Johnny came out to the van and signed Jeff's CD insert.
Later, he was able to get SLASH to sign it, too. Jeff said there were
only about 500 people there, and the band seemed disappointed. The
San Francisco show was great. There were more people there but it
still seemed only about 1/3 full. Jeff said the radios and promoters
did a lousy job of promoting the show. Friends of his had no idea
the band was playing. Jeff feels that Rod is an amazing singer with
a powerful voice, totally into the crowd and great with the fans.
Matt is trapped behind the drums, but he is also really nice after
the show. Johnny and Keri have so much energy. SLASH never ceases
to amaze Jeff (and the rest of us) with his guitar capabilities.
SLASH just mesmerizes the crowd. Hearing him on an album is awesome,
but seeing SLASH live is beyond explanation! Thanks, Jeff!
Shane sent a review of the Maritime in San Francisco. He liked the
Petaluma show better although it was not as well attended. More people
there were really into the music. People went crazy for the GNR
covers. Shane wants to know why Johnny G sticks his tongue out all
the time. Hmmm. Probably habit. SLASH presses his lips together. We've
seen other guitarists do that same lip pressing. Has to be habit. Shane
said that the band is awesome, nice and in-sync. His favorite songs are
"Alien" and "Speed Parade". Thanks, Shane!
Nick wrote about the Phoenix Theater show in Petaluma. There weren't
very many people there. The venue is 45 min. from San Francisco. He
said he couldn't believe it when he saw that SLASH would play there.
Nick says the Phoenix is a dump and never has any known band played
there. The band was full of energy. Rod is an awesome singer! Nick
would like to see "Mean Bone" become a big hit, and "Serial Killer"
is cool, too. The band did not come out after the show to sign
autographs. They took off right away for San Francisco. Thanks, Nick!
SLASH is heading back from New York City
where he has been filming VH1's Rock Show. Rod Jackson will be on the
show, too, when it airs Friday, November 11 at midnight. Set your VCRs.
The band will do some rehearsals this week in preparation for the big
Halloween show at the Roxy in L.A. Thursday night. Tickets are on sale
right now for that show, so the L.A. contingent should skip the
trick or treating and get to the the Roxy this year. This is an
all ages show. The Roxy gig is the last show before the International Tour.
Snakepit will appear in Taiwan on Saturday, November 4. We're hoping for
some reports and pictures of their first show ever in Taiwan.
This item is from an international fan, Christian, and we believe he's
reporting from Germany. Christian says the charts there had Ain't
Life Grand at #58 without any released single or video! At Viva II
News they had a short report on SLASH with a cool interview. SLASH said
please don't speak German to him because it really sucks when he tries to
speak it! In a regional music newspaper they said that Ain't Life
Grand is the best heavy lp at this time. Christian did a report on
the album himself saying that the riffs and good sound are amazing, but
it's an album you have to hear several times before you realize how great
it really is. "Been There Lately" is a rockin' song to start the album,
but at the middle are songs which could be very big hits if released as
singles or videos: "Back to the Moment" and "Serial Killer" (best song).
"The Alien" ends the album with a very cool song. Christian calls it the
best work since the split of GNR. Thanks, Christian!
Here's another international report; this time from Maria in Toronto.
She says that Much Music had a little show where they asked
musicians about groupies. SLASH and Rod spoke for Snakepit! They said
that guys will draw the line somewhere but girls don't. The Backstreet
Boys were on then talking about how they wished there were tons of
girls screaming for them. Some other baby bands spoke, and it ended
with Rod saying, "I don't think Backstreet Boys get to sign girls'
asses or anything like that"! Rod is like another SLASH!!
Our last international note comes from those two wild and crazy fans,
Dina and Sylvia who you may know from the Tour Photos where they show
off their snakeskin pants and self-designed Snakepit tops for the 'pit
and us! These two are always doing something for and about SLASH and
the Snakepit. A local Canadian radio show is having a Pumpkin Carving
Contest there. You have to carve your favorite musician to get a chance
to win a trip to England to see AC/DC and Snakepit (we're not as sure
of this part but hopeful). You get backstage passes, too! Dina and
Sylvia found a carver to help them out, and they are readying the
scenery and props. They have black curly hair, a top hat, a cigarette,
Jack Daniels. The scenery will be pictures of SLASH and a Jack Daniels
border with Marlboros! They are very excited and promise to send pictures
of The Great SLASH-O-Lantern. You gotta love these two! Good luck, Dina
and Sylvia! UK, stand back!
A couple of days ago Mike was watching MTV's
"Senseless Acts of Video", a show about a stuntman who bases his stunts
on videos. One of the videos he chose was the "Don't Cry" video. He
parachuted a car out of a plane trying to outdo the car driven (by a
stuntman, not SLASH)over the cliff in the video. There was an interview
with SLASH describing the idea behind the "car over the cliff" part of
the video. SLASH also said he was looking forward to seeing the stuntman
drop the car out of a plane. Mike said the show was recent as SLASH had
his goatee. Thanks, Mike! We've always wondered about throwing the Les
Paul after the car. Think Adam Day was down there trying to catch it! Or
was it just a look-a-like shell? As long as SLASH was still at the top,
who really cares?
"Access Hollywood" is an NBC program that covers film, music,
television, celebrities and the entertainment business. Vincent sent
us a note that recently "Access Hollywood" had SLASH's Snakepit on its
New Music segment. Snakepit was shown doing a show, and they played
one of the songs off the new album! Thanks, Vincent!
Our good friend from Scotland, Fiona, found some more current information
about Duff in Kerrang! magazine. She says there is a little bit
about Duff, and his new band Mad For The Racket (seems a somewhat different
name than we read here) will be in the UK on Nov. 13 and 14. They play
Nottingham Rock City on the 13th and London Oxford Street 100 Club
on the 14th. Sounds like Duff is off and running on his international
tour. Hope he runs into SLASH, and Johnny G lets him have the bass for
awhile! Thanks, Fiona, we're always interested in one of SLASH's best buddies, Duff.
Raul scanned in a great article about SLASH! In this one SLASH
talks about leaving GNR, Snakepit and what the songs mean to him. We
can't get enough of these articles! He always says something new and
interesting. Thanks, Raul!
Just a brief mention that the album reviews (by fans) keep coming
in every day. Some places still haven't gotten their copies, so when
you get yours, send it anytime and we'll put it up. These are a real
joy to read, and it's interesting to see how many people agree on
best song! The show reviews are still coming in, too, so it's never
to late to send yours in. You can find these at www.snakepit.org,
scroll down to Main Menu, click Snakepit 1999-2000 and they are filed
under Show Reviews and Fan Album Reviews. We've recently added more
items to the Fan Section which has drawings and tats. These are great!
There are a couple additions to the Fan Music page where you can read
about the bands and music of other SLASH fans. Then there is always
a link to their sites where you can hear their music, see photos, etc.
We're always happy to show off our musicians. At one time, SLASH was
starting out just like these guys. There are some new links from our
site to other SLASH or GNR or related sites. These are really nice,
and we would love to have more.
The lyrics are here, and the
discography is as up to date as we can make it. Right now we show
the US, Canada, UK with their own album editions. If yours says on
the back something other than those three, it would be great if you
could send us the country, catalog number (on the edge) and anything
distinguishing about it. Thank you!
And with less than a week to go, don't forget SLASH's Snakepit plays the
Roxy on Oct. 31. Tickets are available through TicketMaster. On Nov.
11, see SLASH free on VH1's Rock Show at midnight ET.
Here's the new Tour Schedule! One decision
is to give all the early December dates to the UK although nothing is
scheduled as yet. The Kerrang Festival is missing from here as are the
dates in Singapore and New Zealand. The Tokyo venues are not here although
we understand the tickets have been on sale for quite some time. The South
America visit is still not spelled out. These should be coming along soon.
This is the official tour itinerary at this time. Rod and SLASH are in NYC
doing some good publicity things and staying out of trouble! They'll tape
Rock Show for VH1 which is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 11 at midnight.
Wed., Oct. 11 Instore 5 pm,
Tower Records West Hollywood, CA
Wed., Oct. 11 Whisky
Album Release Show Los Angeles, CA (all ages)
Fri., Oct. 13 Hard Rock Mexico City, Mexico
Sat., Oct. 14 Hard Rock Guadalajara, Mexico
Thu., Oct 19 Phoenix Theatre Petaluma, CA
Fri., Oct. 20, 9pm Maritime Hall San Francisco CA Ages 18+
Sat., Oct. 21, 9pm Palookaville Santa Cruz CA Ages 21+
Mon., Oct. 23 Snakepit does Rockline! (National Syndicated
Live in studio Radio Show)
Band does 4 songs LIVE
Call in with questions
Tues.,Oct. 24 SLASH & Rod in NYC VH1
Wed., Oct. 25 NYC
Thurs., Oct.31, 8pm Roxy Hollywood, CA; All Ages
Sat., Nov. 4 National Dr.Sun Yat-sen
Memorial Hall Taipei, Taiwan
Mon., Nov. 6 Century City Hall Seoul, Korea
Tues., Nov. 7 Pusan Coex Center Pusan, Korea
Fri., Nov. 10 Tokyo, Japan
Sat., Nov. 11 Yokahama, Japan
same date VH1 Rock Show U.S. (taped)-midnight
Mon., Nov. 13 Osaka, Japan
Tues., Nov. 14 Nagoya, Japan
Thurs., Nov. 16 Fukuoka, Japan
Sun., Nov. 19 Power Station Melbourne, Australia
Wed., Nov. 22 Metro Sydney, Australia
Fri., Nov. 24 Castle Hill Tavern Sydney, Australia
Sat., Nov. 25 Carnivale Club Brisbane, Australia
Sun., Nov. 26 RSL Club Nambour, Australia
Tues., Nov. 28 Heaven Adelaide, Australia
Wed., Nov. 29 Mercury Lounge Melbourne, Australia
Sat., Dec. 2 - 6 TBA UK
Thurs., Dec. 7 Hultihuset Tobaken Esbjerg, Denmark
Fri., Dec. 8 Koren Gothenberg, Sweden
Sat., Dec. 9 Klubben Stockholm, Sweden
Mon., Dec. 11 Train Aarhus, Denmark
Wed., Dec. 13 Columbia Halle Berlin, Germany
Thurs., Dec. 14 Paradiso Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sat., Dec. 16 Kongresszentrum Stuttgart, Germany
Mon., Dec. 18 E-Werk Koln, Germany
Tues., Dec. 19 Colosseum Munchen, Germany
Wed., Dec. 20 Nurnberg, Germany
Fri., Dec. 22 Rolling Stone Milan, Italy
Dec. 23 US for Christmas Holidays
Jan. 15 - ? South America
Singapore is not holding a grudge over being omitted from the tour.
Jarrett tells us that in a huge page 2 article in the Singapore Newpaper,
there is an article about SLASH. There wasn't much new
information as he was asked about his past and why GNR broke up, about
his childhood and his music. They said Snakepit's brand of music "is
perfect for fans who crave that old blues infected GNR guitar magic which
only band leader SLASH can conjure"! SLASH has a good quote, "I'm not
making very much, but I'm happy and making enough for cigarettes. I get
free tennis shoes from Converse, I have 6 pairs of jeans, and I bum
tshirts off people. But materially, I don't need very much." There's
a huge picture, too. Thanks, Jarrett!
Hector's a friend from Canada who reported that the Canadian magazine
Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles has an article on Snakepit and
a short interview with SLASH and the band including "how did you get
into the band". This magazine is sold at HMV and comes with a CD sampler
(no Snakepit tunes on this one). Hector said that on Much More Music,
a TV program called "Freshly Pressed" had a small section on SLASH and
the new album. They had a clip with Rod and SLASH where they asked SLASH
if he felt weird coming out with a pure record at this time of hybrids,
and he said he felt they were one of the last true rock bands left. Then
they showed footage of "Life's Sweet Drug" from the Toronto show. Thanks,
Hector!
Finally, Brad sent us a note on the online magazine, Metal Edge.
They had been at the Whisky show and said that Rod is sensual and
power-throated! They said that Snakepit scored heavy with their new
Ain't Life Grand tunes but the covers of GNR's "It's So Easy"
and "Mr.Brownstone" were killer renditions that pleased the GNR fans.
"The top hatted guitar wizard was in fine form." Oh, you knew that!
But they also complimented Keri, Matt, and Johnny. Thank you, Brad!
Just a reminder that tonight, Monday, October 23, SLASH's Snakepit will
be on Rockline. Rockline is a nationally syndicated radio show which is
done live. You can call in with questions (1-800-344-ROCK) (1-800-344-7625)
or email rockline@aol.com. The band will be on this evening and they will
do four songs LIVE! If you need a list of stations that carry Rockline,
the web site that has it is at: dchuck.net/rockline. You can also see if
your station does a web broadcast and also where international fans can
listen, too!
SLASH is to be on his way to NYC tomorrow to do the VH1 At Work show.
We're not sure if this is live or not; and VH1 is having some site problems
this evening, so check with them tomorrow at www.vh1.com.
It would be great to hear about the three California shows.
Craig sent one in on Palookaville and says it was an awesome performance.
He says he even enjoys the CD more after hearing the songs done live.
Craig says that Rod is an excellent singer with a lot of energy. Craig
was in the front, right in front of SLASH. It was really a treat to see
him with his guitar. Craig got a good look at those 5 SLASH tats. He
really liked the cat which is more toward his right side than his belly!
Craig would like to know if the Pom Pom girls made his smile as they
made Craig smile. He'd also like to know if the band liked the venue
Craig thought the club was cool with lots of room for fans. And last
note to SLASH from Craig: come back to Santa Cruz! Thanks, Craig!
Can anyone
send in a short review on some of the other shows? The band along with
the rest of us likes to hear if the shows were good...or great! Those
were the last shows till Halloween. The Halloween show is at the Roxy.
Then the guys say goodbye to the US and head for the Far East.There
have been so many questions about the tour schedule. We'll try to get
a new one as soon as possible.
There are a lot of people looking for
lyrics to Ain't Life Grand. SLASH was holding off on having these
printed here so you could have the fun of figuring them out. Now he's
decided it's ok to put them on this site, so here they are. There's
a link to them right here. There is another link to them off the Main
Menu and another off the Snakepit 1999-2000 section. The lyrics were taken
from the Japanese lyric book. Amazing what Rod is saying! There are
lyrics for the 12 regularly released tracks as well as for the 2 bonus
tracks.
SLASH must have been in a good mood after the Mexico shows because he said
it was ok to put up another clip here. This one is "Rusted Heroes" which
is one of the Japanese bonus tracks. This is one great track with a long
sizzling SLASH intro. Too bad this one wasn't on the album everyone got!
This clip is about 3/4 of the song. SLASH is only granting permission for
a clip not the whole song. Enjoy!
SLASH was on MTV Saturday on MTV All Stars. It's a two hour program where
MTV talks about an artist with some sort of crisis, and what the artist
is doing now. Mostly it was bands breaking up, and of course that was
what they talked about with SLASH. SLASH was interviewed as well as
Adam Day, SLASH's super guitar tech. Adam said SLASH loved GNR, and he
tried very hard to keep the band together. SLASH said he became suicidal
at the thought of going in and working with the remains of GNR. When your
work is that painful, it's time to move on, so he did. There was footage
of SLASH in the old days and some pictures. Then they showed him coming
into an arena to open for AC/DC. There was footage of that, too. It wasn't
all that long, maybe 10 - 15 minutes, but it's great to see SLASH. Watch
for repeats of this one.
There are several reviews of the Mexican shows that were at the Hard
Rocks in Mexico City and Guadalajara. Most of the writers didn't
identify the show, so we'll just put them together here. Juan did say
that he was in Mexico City. He had an amazing time even waiting in line
to go in and listening to the comments from the fans. Emotions were
running high! SLASH has not been there for 7 years. It was an incredible
concert including the band intro where SLASH was introduced and he
received 5 minutes of constant cheering and applause! SLASH had a huge
smile - this is a country that truly loves him. Juan was right down front
and was able to see his expressions, the way he attacked his guitar,
everything. The crowd went crazy for the two GNR covers, "Mr. Brownstone"
and "It's So Easy", and the Snakepit 95 cover, "Beggars & Hangers-on".
Juan had an unbelievable time! Thanks, Juan! Mario was also at the Mexico City. His
dad drove about 3 hours to get him there. He says the Hard Rock is small
but has good acoustics. Snakepit came on at 11 pm. SLASH had on his top
hat, purple leather pants, black shirt. He was with his girlfriend, his
guitar and a big smile! The songs were mostly from the new album. Rod
decided to moon the audience. Mario thought SLASH was taller! He's
always moving around the stage. He spoke a little Spanish. He told them
the album would be there Oct. 18. The band sounds great, loud and
sometimes beautiful. Mario will never forget that show because he's
wanted to see SLASH since he was a little kid. He thanks SLASH for
playing his guitar so well and making his dreams come true. Thank you,
Mario! Helizet was at the Guadalajara show, and he says it was great to
see SLASH in a show. It was perfect. They came on time, and you could
see SLASH playing guitar on the side of the stage before they came out.
Everyone screamed when the band came out. The band was friendly, and it
was like seeing a concert with friends playing rather than a big rock
star which SLASH is. SLASH smiled during the show that made Helizet
think SLASH must be very happy. Helizet wants SLASH to know that he
thanks him for coming to Guadalajara, and he hopes to see you soon
again. Thanks, Helizet! Jonathan says the band went on at 11 and
played 1:20. The new album hasn't arrived there yet, so no one knew
the new songs, but they went crazy for "Serial Killer". The band didn't
stay afterward to sign autographs. Thanks, Jonathan! Dulce says the
show was explosive, orgasmic, so cool! Everyone was excited. Snakepit
is a great band - that was the comment during the whole show. Rod
is a good singer, and Dulce liked Rod a lot. Rod is very sexy and just
great. However, SLASH is of course the sexiest one. Dulce says that SLASH
has been the man of her dreams since she was 12 and seeing him at 18
on stage was the best thing in her life. Thanks, Dulce!
Tonight, SLASH's Snakepit is doing their
second Northern California show; this time in Maritime Hall in San Francisco.
We spoke to SLASH by phone on the way to the airport. He said last night's
show at Petaluma was great for them. The band had difficulty getting there
because of a general delay in the air traffic control system. Flights just
couldn't get out of L.A. for a long time, and they arrived at the venue
when they were to go on. So, no soundcheck. They took 15 minutes to get
themselves mentally together, and SLASH said they gave it 110%! The
attendance was a little lighter than he'd hoped, but this club is a little
off the beaten track. So, tonight they are looking for a more relaxed
trip to the show. SLASH was doing an interview before they went on. Johnny
G. was missing a bag (airline is busily selling Johnny Blackout souvenirs!)
which they hoped would be located soon. Travel isn't easy as we all know.
SLASH called later to say that there would be a web cast of the show
tonight! Snakepit goes on at 10:45 PT. (There are two opening bands.)
It turns out the web cast was not Friday night live, but the show was
taped and there will be a web cast of the Snakepit show soon. The
web site is not yet decided. We'll let you know!
Big news on a new show! This is another California show. On Halloween,
(Tuesday, October 31), SLASH's Snakepit will be trick or treating at
the Roxy in Hollywood! Actually, they will be playing their headlining,
long set; but that master of disguise,
SLASH, will be there to show
you a few tricks and musical treats. The show is All Ages! You don't
need a costume or a treat bag to get in, but come ready to rock and roll!
They are billing this as the last show before the international tour
begins, so if you are anywhere near there, get your tickets now. Tickets
can be bought at any TicketMaster outlet including the web. Price is
$18.75. Snakepit is taping this show as well and intends to have a web
cast of this show sometime later. Most likely they will be gone on tour,
but it will be great to have this memory of them. We'll post here where
the web cast will take place.
Another upcoming event: SLASH and Rod are leaving Tuesday for New York to
do the Rock Show on VH1. The show will be aired on Friday, November 10 at
midnight. Last time SLASH was on, it was great. He picked some good videos
of bands he likes. You can email requests during the week for videos you'd like to see.
Andrew from Calagary reports that in the December issue of Guitar World
(Greenday on the cover), there's a reader's poll/survey. Vote for SLASH
as Best Rock Guitarist! And how about Ain't Life Grand for Best
Rock Album? You need to pick up a copy of the magazine, but you'll be
doing a big thing for SLASH. Thanks, Andrew! Be a part of SLASH's StreetTeam
and help promote the best rock guitarist in the world.
SLASH said this morning that the band
would be flying out of Los Angeles to Northern California. First gig is
the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California. Let's hope a lot of you
in the area can make it tonight! The shows in San Francisco and Santa
Cruz are at great looking venues. We hope the 'pit blows the ceiling
off these places. Play it f*ckin' loud, guys!
By now you may have formed your opinion of Ain't Life Grand. While
there have been a couple of negatives, SLASH's fans are almost entirely
behind him. We collected a lot of reviews and are willing to collect more.
Send a short note with your opinions. You can send it to webmaster@snakepit.org.
It would be helpful if you put "Album Review" in the subject. The reviews
will be on the Snakepit 1999-2000 section. If you'd like to see them now,
here they are!
How about helping the band out by requesting songs from "Ain't Life
Grand"? If they tell you they don't have it, get them to tell us, and
we'll see that they get a copy fast! Thanks to SLASH's team we've
got a place on the web where you can look up web radio stations. Look
them up, email a request and a big thank you! Here's where you can
check the list by state. Over on the left on this screen, you'll see
you can look up by call letters, format, international, etc.
Brave Radio sent out this information on SLASH'S buddy, Duff:
THE RACKETEERS is a new band consisting of Duff (GUNS N'ROSES),
Stewart Copeland (The Police), Clem Burke (Blondie), Wayne Kramer (MC5)
and Brian James (The Damned). November 6th will see the release of their
debut, Mad For The Racket. Good luck to this new SuperBand and
especially to Duff.
This Thursday, October 19, at
Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, Snakepit begins its three Northern
California shows! If you haven't seen them yet, they ROCK! You'll see a
full 90 minute show (at least) with songs mostly from Ain't Life Grand.
There should be two GNR covers and one from It's Five O'Clock Somewhere.
The band is hot and tight. The first full length show was at the Whisky,
and we have a couple reviews here for you. After you read these, how can
you stay home? And if Petaluma isn't right, the show on the 20th is in
San Francisco with the one on the 21st at Santa Cruz. The first review
is from the L.A. Times.
Have you checked out the Tour Photos lately? We've been adding more
as they come in. This last set were taken before a show and during
soundcheck! There are some of the released album, too. If you have
any from the tour, we'd love to put them up! And you international fans,
please get your cameras ready too. A Kodak moment with SLASH and the
boys... Speaking of the Tour Photos, do you remember seeing SLASH in
the Johnny Blackout baseball shirt? Here's the picture! Right Rock Sportwear makes these
for bands. We've been talking to them about their merchandise, and
it's possible we may be able to order them in the near future. We'll
keep you posted. By the way, SLASH's real shirt says SLASH 007.
Might as well get another commercial mention in. Lisa in Italy was
listening to rocknrollstation.com. They interviewed Carmine Appice, and
he mentioned SLASH as having played with him. The album is called
Guitar Zeus, and it's wonderful! SLASH plays on "Where You
Belong". You can order this album from any cd online site or check
out Carmine's web site (Links section).
If you have some thoughts on Ain't Life Grand and would like to
share them, now's the time to do it. A brief email is enough. You can
give your overall impression, songs you like best, best SLASH solo,
a song where a bandmember really shows his stuff, and...just about
anything. These will be up off this news section on the next issue.
Email addresses will not be used to protect your privacy. If you want
your name or handle used, just put it at the end of the message. Send
to webmaster@snakepit.org. Thanks!
SLASH is working on the over 100 questions submitted by fans. He's
selecting ones to answer and is trying to finish before he goes to
the Far East. He said he's found he really doesn't have time on tour
to do the questions as well as the fan mail. The fan mail can continue,
but he's asking us to hold anymore questions till he returns. He'll let
us know when we can send a new batch. As soon as the questions are
returned, we'll publish those he's answered right here.
Be sure to pick
up the December 2000 issue of Guitar Player that will be of
particular interest to guitarists. SLASH talks about his influences and
there's a short career history. Then they get into an interview centering
on his equipment. When asked which are his main Les Pauls, SLASH said he
had two he bought in 1987 just after GNR was signed, but one was stolen
from his house (13 stolen, 5 recovered along with top hats, tapes,
DAT recorder, mics). He says he mostly lost practice quitars but losing
that 87 Les Paul really hurt. For Ain't Life Grand, he used the
Les Paul reproduction he used on Appetite and the basic tracks on
the Illusions albums. SLASH was asked if his playing had changed
since the 80s, and he didn't think so but said he never really goes back
and listens to something he's done. He feels his playing is more spontaneous
now. For this album, he didn't work out solos in advance, he just did them
live with the band. Ain't Life Grand was recorded as if it were a
live gig. SLASH doesn't tape ideas. He says when he gets the tape recorder
and the guitar, then he has no ideas. If it's a good enough idea, he
remembers it into the studio. Songs usually come from jamming alone, then
bringing the idea to the band where they work on it till it's a song.
He thinks it's scary to have guitarists looking up to him. He says he feels
that he is just getting up to speed and still goes out almost every night
to get his licks just right. And there is just lots more including details
on his equipment. SLASH is his usual humble self. This is what makes him
approachable and friendly. A great interview! Two color pictures which
we've seen before...SLASH in his old studio and house. Always nice to see
them again.
User791379 wrote to say they saw the SLASH commercial on USA! They said
it switches between black and white clips of a snake, and SLASH's
Snakepit playing live with an announcer saying something like...
Ain't Life Grand out Oct.10. Cool! That's VH1 and USA...any
others?
A special thanks to Thomas Marshall who badgered the Rolling Stone
online site into listing SLASH's Snakepit as one of their artists.
This means you can go there now and click on it and SLASH's Snakepit
has its own little page on Rolling Stone. SLASH had one there, but we
can attest that it is so difficult to find, you just give up. Now
it will be easy. We'll let SLASH know, and this site will construct
a link to this outpost! Thanks, Thomas!
News from Ismar in Croatia: Watching the German TV station VIVA on
their daily news on TV text, Ismar saw a full page dedicated to SLASH
and his hobbies! SLASH is a huge collector of all things dinosaur and
has been studying them since he was a kid. He spends hours trying to
find something he hasn't gotten yet (just like some of us with his
things!). He is desperately looking for all kinds of fanzines from
all kinds of shops. He still collects tshirts though he has some
13,000. (Good Christmas present ideas here). Also, there was an honor
for the GNR guys. The Croatian official TV chart, Hit Depo, celebrated
their 10th anniversary. They played only the best videos for the past
10 years. Best videos of 91 and 92 were GNR videos! "Don't Cry" featured
SLASH's solo and "November Rain" with SLASH's legendary church solo.
GNR was the only band to appear twice. Ismar says GNR is not forgotten
and has a loyal army of fans in his small country in the heart of
Europe. They'd like to request a visit from Snakepit! Thanks, Ismar!
We've got two more reviews from the Whisky. Zeeshan says it was the most
amazing night of his 20 year old life! They waited in line two hours at
Tower Records to get in. They arrived early to make sure they got a chance
to meet the band. At 5 pm, right on time, a black van pulled out and the
band got out. They went in, and there was SLASH sitting at a table
signing autographs politely. SLASH is so nice! Zeeshan told him how
awesome he is and how much he enjoyed the Galaxy show. SLASH thanked him.
Zeeshan shook hands with the whole band and got everyone to sign his CD.
He told his friends he could die happy now, but the night wasn't over
yet! He says the Whisky show was the most memorable show he has seen.
Energy, attitude, intensity were all there, and the song were amazing,
He especially loved hearing "Mr. Brownstone" and "It's So Easy". Zeeshan
gives the show and A+ and will see them anytime they come to town.
Next is a review from our pal Ravi who has seen so many SLASH shows!
Ravi says the Whisky holds about 250 people and has an upper level
which gives a good view. Some idiots were throwing food and drinks
on the stage. (Where is security?) Snakepit played about 90 minutes,
and the sound was good and very loud. Ravi said sometimes he could
not hear the rhythm guitar parts very well. Rod was in good form,
and his voice was good throughout the show although he did blow the
lyrics here and there. (Now that we have the lyrics, we are up on
this). Matt added a solid beat but didn't have even a short solo.
Johnny G was full of energy and did a lot of headbanging. Ravi says
that Johnny is always into the show and that spills over onto the
other guys; he thinks Johnny is very talented. He'd like to see the
guys do a blues cover sometime. SLASH played very well and pulled out
some amazing solos and great crunching riffs. He was wearing an Elvis
tshirt. They played "Life's Sweet Drug" to open. They rocked! SLASH
tells us to put up with the ballad, "Back to the Moment" (our favorite),
as it is Snakepit's one and only f*ckin' ballad! Rod thanked the record
company and everyone for coming out. SLASH thanked friends who were
there and weren't there and family and people who had birthdays (his
girlfriend) and the company for doing the shindig. Ravi says "Serial
Killer" was the best song of the set. Rod says the song is about a
friend of his who was on drugs, went crazy and killed his girlfriend.
There was a horn section with sax and trumpet. The encore was great.
SLASH said hi to all the beggars and hangers-on. Some cool slide work
on that one. Finally, there was "Speed Parade", and everyone went nuts.
Rod did a little crowd surfing. SLASH had a couple of new guitars:
a blueish Guild doubleneck for "Serial Killer" amd a red BC Rich
Mockingbird for "The Alien". Ravi said if you like a good rock show,
you have to catch these guys on tour! Thanks, Ravi!
Back to SLASH's Snakepit tour news! The
international tour begins tonight with an all out rocker show at the
Hard Rock in Mexico City. The guys are doing a full set, and they are
ready to rock and roll! Tomorrow night they'll be blowing the doors off
the Hard Rock in Guadalajara, Mexico. Two big hard rocking shows there
before the band returns to the US briefly for three northern California
shows. Any Mexican fans out there, we'd love to hear your reviews and
see some pictures. We'll start a new tour book for this leg.
The Rolling Stone review of Ain't Life Grand wasn't that great.
The online site makes a big step toward improved relations with SLASH
and fans by having 3 major items on their site right now. First there
is a contest where they are giving away an autographed Les Paul, an
autographed poster and cd. 5 runners up will get the autographed poster
and cd. Enter now!
The reviews we
got on the show at the Whisky are amazing! SLASH's Back! Raul
sent us the setlist which he managed to snag. His autographs will appear
in our World Tour scrapbook. He said the show was a dream come true. Snakepit played 14 songs.
Most were Ain't Life Grand songs, but you see on the setlist there
is LSD, Beggars and Hangers-on (from It's Five O'Clock Somewhere),
Mr. Brownstone and It's So Easy. Raul got a pick from everyone and a
towel from Rod! There was a full house with the band full of energy and
the crowd giving a great, well-deserved response. Raul says that after the
show SLASH was kicking back on the staircase, and he was able to thank
SLASH for a great show. Thanks, so much Raul!
Clement went
to the Tower Records in store as well as the Whiskey. These picks and
ticket are from his night with Snakepit. First, Tower Records. Clement
said the in store was 5-6pm and he got there with only 20 min. to spare.
50 people were in line outside. 5 at a time got to go in. People brought
in all kinds of things to have signed including a bottle of Jack Daniels
and a life size cutout of SLASH. Finally Clement got in, and he had his
acoustic and a poster of Adam Day and SLASH. SLASH took an extra long
time signing the guitar so it looks great. Clement got a chance to talk
to Rod and asked why he changed "Break You". Rod said he didn't have
anything to do with the changes. SLASH didn't think it was much different
from the way it used to be. Later, Clement went to the Whisky where there
were 3 opening bands. He said they finally got in at 10pm. He stood at
the side of the stage, and Adam Day recognized him! Adam gave him the
2 guitar picks you see here. It was so crowded that Clement couldn't bring
his arms up from his sides. SLASH wore his top hat, a tshirt with Elvis
on it, and black leather pants. SLASH and Keri threw picks out right and
left, and people went nuts over them. Clement noticed Johnny G played with
his fingers instead of picking which he hadn't done at other shows. The
show ended at 1:30am! Adam gave him a setlist, and it was over..another
amazing show! He also noted, for you guitar players, that SLASH had 5
guitars, 3 Les Pauls and 2 doublenecks including Godzilla. Thanks so
much, Clement!
Last night by phone we were at the Snakepit rehearsal. We spoke to Sam,
SLASH's manager and to Keri Kelli. Kerri says if you've written to him
lately, he hasn't been near a PC in 3 weeks. Keri tells us that everyone in the
band is rested and healthy and ready to rock the Whisky tonight. Tomorrow Snakepit
leaves for Mexico, and they are all anxious to go back on the road again.
They sounded great! Sam said they will do a 90 minute set tonight at the
Whisky and will play "It's So Easy" as well as "Mr. Brownstone". From
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere they will at least play "Beggars &
Hangers-on". We could hear the band rehearsing and they were great!
Two musicians will be joining them at the Whisky. One will
play harp (blues harp = harmonica) and sax. An updated tour schedule was
faxed in, and here's what it says now:
Here's the tour schedule today! Be sure to
check out those California shows. There's a lot going on as the band
gets ready for the international tour.
Tour Schedule - SLASH's Snakepit
Wed., Oct. 11 Instore 5 pm,
Tower Records West Hollywood, CA
Wed., Oct. 11 Whisky
Album Release Show Los Angeles, CA (all ages)
Fri., Oct. 13 Hard Rock Mexico City, Mexico
Sat., Oct. 14 Hard Rock Guadalajara, Mexico
Thu., Oct 19 Phoenix Theatre Petaluma, CA
Fri., Oct. 20, 9pm Maritime Hall San Francisco CA Ages 18+
Sat., Oct. 21, 9pm Palookaville Santa Cruz CA Ages 21+
Mon., Oct. 23 Snakepit does Rockline! (National Syndicated
Live in studio Radio Show)
Band does 4 songs LIVE
Call in with questions
Tues.,Oct. 25 SLASH VH1 At Work
Nov. 4 National Dr.Sun Yat-sen
Memorial Hall Taipei, Taiwan
Nov. 6 Century City Hall Seoul, Korea
Nov. 7 Pusan Coex Center Pusan, Korea
Nov. 10 Zepp Hall Tokyo, Japan
Nov. 11 Bay Hall Yokahama, Japan
Nov. 13 Mother Hall Osaka, Japan
Nov. 14 Diamond Hall Nagoya, Japan
Nov. 16 Zepp Fukuoka Fukuoka, Japan
Nov. 20 Power Station Auckland, New Zealand
Nov. 24 TBA, Australia
Nov. 25 Carnivale Club Brisbane, Australia
Nov. 26 RSL Club Nambour, Australia
Nov. 28 Heaven Adelaide, Australia
Nov. 29 Mercury Lounge Melbourne, Australia
Dec. 2 Kerrang Festival London, UK
Dec. 3 - 6 TBA
Dec. 7 Hultihuset Tobaken Esbjerg, Denmark
Dec. 8 Koren Gothenberg, Sweden
Dec. 9 Klubben Stockholm, Sweden
Dec. 11 Aarhus, Denmark
Dec. 13 Columbia Halle Berlin, Germany
Dec. 14 Paradiso Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dec. 16 Kongresszentrum Stuttgart, Germany
Dec. 18 E-Werk Koln, Germany
Dec. 19 Colosseum Munchen, Germany
Dec. 20 Nurnberg, Germany
Dec. 22 Rolling Stone Milan, Italy
Dec. 23 US for Christmas Holidays
Jan. 15 - ? South America
As with the other updates, if the information is
not on here, we don't have any more information. We put up the updates just as
soon as we get them.
Here are a couple things we do know. There was an article in some of
the music sites that SLASH played on the new single by Kelle Bryan.
Kelle was formerly with the girl group Eternal until she was fired
by them. Kelle is pursuing a solo career, and her new single,
"I Wanna Know" may be out now. However, SLASH did not play on it. He
was asked but turned it down. He was busy with Snakepit and didn't
see how his music would fit in well. Another one of these is an email
that comes around asking you to download a song by Mark Lennon of
Venice, and the money will be donated to charity. It says SLASH is on
the download and donated his time. It further says that Mark is a good
friend of SLASH's. None of this is true. SLASH is not on the album
at all and doesn't know Mark Lennon. This was confirmed with SLASH as
was the Kelle Bryan story. Drummer Matt Laug is a frequent player with
Venice so maybe that is how the mistake arose. If you are looking for
SLASH though, he is not on either of these recordings.
Prehistoric posted a note to the Snakepit listserv (we're part of the
www.onelist.com groups) that he had found a SLASH interview on the
KNAC website. KNAC has always been a friend to SLASH and Snakepit. It's
very positive and was done pre-release of Ain't Life Grand. SLASH
talks about how he left Guns and the bands he's formed since then. He
also talks about the reunion possibilities. He doesn't slam the door
on that, but he recognizes how hard it would be to get everyone together.
Read the review here:
Mark tells us that you'd better stay in the room during VH1 commercials!
They ran a commercial for Ain't Life Grand. It has SLASH and the
band LIVE on tour opening for AC/DC. It showed clips of the dates on tour,
and had snakes and all kinds of things! SLASH plays a solo during it, and
the whole thing is about 2 minutes! We'll be looking for that one!
Today is the big day! Ain't Life Grand is (finally) released in
the US! Did you get a copy? Did you pick up the cassette? Seems like
we've waited so long. Dump those MP3
versions! Get that great sounding CD - that's the way SLASH wanted it
to sound. The album is already climbing the charts in many places
around the world. Be sure to call radio stations and make requests! Spread the word
that
Tomorrow's the big day
in the US for buying a copy or two of Ain't Life Grand. Keep
that champagne flowing! We
want SLASH to tour some more, right? He says he'll tour as long as the
album has legs (is doing well in sales). We hear that the artwork is
great, and the cover is that same funny, distorted picture of the band.
Right now the album is available in CD and cassette formats with the
vinyl version coming along a little later. Collect them all!
SLASH has been doing a lot of interviews recently. Did you see the small
interview in Rolling Stone? It has Jakob Dylan on the cover. And
inside is a funny SLASH interview. SLASH says he has 13,000 tshirts and
doesn't really check them when he puts them on. He wore one on tour that
had "F*ck you, F*cking F*ck" on it, remember that? He also talked about
being a dinosaur buff and getting underground dino zines. He remembers
riding BMX bikes as a kid and is amazed what kids today can do with them.
He says the political process is such a joke that he doesn't even think
he can vote, but he likes to watch it on tv. You have to read this article
because all of this is said in SLASH's inimitable style. Thanks to Bruce
for finding this for us.
Ravi was out at the Cat Club last Thursday to see Gilby Clarke and in
walked SLASH! He jammed for awhile with Johnny G and Matt Laug. Ravi told
the guys that he would be coming to see them at the Whisky, and they
seemed really excited about that gig. SLASH's girlfriend was there, too,
and she said they were really just out to get a bite to eat, but there
is no restraining SLASH from jamming. She says the Whisky is an important
and fun gig for the band. They are really going to lay it on!
One of our best Canadian reporters is Rat, and he told us about SLASH
appearing on Musique Plus. It was mainly an interview which took
place in Los Angeles. SLASH looked great, but Rat said we didn't learn
anything much. He was asked about new technologies in music, and SLASH
said he hadn't seen anything that blew him away yet. Asked what he was
doing the past couple years, he said he was working on Ain't Life
Grand in his home studio and doing a couple of guest appearances
with Rod Stewart and Doro Pesch. He said that a lot of today's music
is sh*t, but he does like Rage Against the Machine and Stone Temple
Pilots. Some GNR video clips were shown, and SLASH just seemed to
really enjoy things. His hair was in a ponytail, and he had on his
round sunglasses and baseball cap. Thanks, Rat!
Speaking of guest appearances, SLASH did one with Rod Stewart. The
album, Human is due out November 7, and it's available for
preorder at some of the net CD sites.
George lives in Richmond VA. Trivia question: which Snakepit band
member hails from Richmond? If you said Rod Jackson, you're right!
George says he was looking at some local web sites including the
Richmond Music Journal, and there were some photos there from the
Ragdoll reunion show. The first picture (below, at left) is Ragdoll
(and Rod!) in the 80s. The reunion was in 1998, and you see Rod
in a familiar onstage pose (below, at right). Don't you just love
these pics?!
SLASH came through with the latest update on the tour schedule. The
schedule is more complete, but keep in mind that not all shows have been
announced. Where there are no venues (most of the shows), this means
we don't know where the shows will be at this time. Check back here
or in the World Tour section (www.snakepit.org, scroll down till you see
the trucks for tour information, click on them). There are some interesting
additions here - SLASH has cities now for a lot of the dates. You can now
plan your road trips!
Tour Schedule - SLASH's Snakepit
Wed., Oct. 11 Instore 5 pm,
Tower Records West Hollywood, CA
Wed., Oct. 11 Whisky
Album Release Show Los Angeles, CA
Fri., Oct. 13 Hard Rock Mexico City, Mexico
Sat., Oct. 14 Hard Rock Guadalajara, Mexico
Thu., Oct 19 Phoenix Theatre Petaluma, CA
Fri., Oct. 20, 9pm Maritime Hall San Francisco CA Ages 18+
Sat., Oct. 21, 9pm Palookaville Santa Cruz CA Ages 21+
Mon., Oct. 23 SLASH does Rockline! (national radio show)
(Live in Studio)
Tues.,Oct. 25 SLASH & Rod VH1 At Work
Nov. 2 Singapore (tentative)
Nov. 4 National Dr.Sun Yat-sen
Memorial Hall Taipei, Taiwan
Nov. 6,7 Korea
Nov. 10 Zepp Hall Tokyo, Japan
Nov. 11 Bay Hall Yokahama, Japan
Nov. 13 Mother Hall Osaka, Japan
Nov. 14 Diamond Hall Nagoya, Japan
Nov. 16 Zepp Fukuoka Fukuoka, Japan
Nov. 18 Guam
Nov. 20 Auckland, New Zealand
Nov. 24 Newcastle, Australia
Nov. 25 Brisbane, Australia
Nov. 26 To Be Announced, Australia
Nov. 28 Adelaide, Australia
Nov. 29 Melbourne, Australia
Dec. 2 London TBA
Dec. 3 - 6 TBA
Dec. 7 Denmark
Dec. 8 Malmo, Sweden
Dec. 9 Stockholm, Sweden
Dec. 11 Aarhus, Denmark
Dec. 13 Berlin, Germany
Dec. 15 Germany TBA
Dec. 16 Stuttgart, Germany
Dec. 18 Cologne, Germany
Dec. 19 Munich, Germany
Dec. 20 Germany TBA
Dec. 22 Italy
Dec. 23 US for Christmas Holidays
Jan. 15 - ? South America
Ain't Life Grand is released Tuesday in the US! Finally!
And this Wednesday is the album release celebration brought to you
by Snakepit! If you're
in the LA area, you have to ditch school or work and get to Tower
Records in West Hollywood for the 5 pm in store with SLASH's Snakepit!
Buy your album(s) and get SLASH and the boys to sign every booklet
page and picture (just kidding, SLASH!).
Tower Records has this on their website by the SLASH in store
information: "Former Sunset Video Store Employee"! Talk about
getting back to your roots!
Then stick around for the
show at 8 pm at the nearby Whisky, but you better get tickets in advance.
After that, there's bound to be an after show party around there...maybe
at the Rainbow? Buy the band a drink for us, give them a big hug goodbye
because they'll be leaving the US for quite awhile. We sure would like
to see photos and reviews! Party with SLASH and the 'pit!
We still don't have word
on the details of the UK schedule, but we sure have news about buying
Ain't Life Grand there! It appears that at least some distributors
have gotten their albums in, and you can buy one today! Craig went into
his record shop, and the album was right there...for sale! Give your
favorite record store in the UK a call and see if they have theirs
ready to go yet. Enjoy! And anyone who wants to comment on the new
album, tell us what you think! Which is your favorite song? Our opinion on Best Song is that wonderful
love ballad, "Back to the Moment". Ahhh, SLASH, ever the romantic.
If you're in Hollywood, CA, take a walk to Tower Records around 5 pm
on Wednesday the 11th. You just might see the top hatted one signing
CDs! Did you know Axl Rose used to work as night manager there and
challenged Vince Neil to a fight in the parking lot? Rock and
roll history at its finest. That special show is at the Whisky the
same night. Just follow SLASH! We think he can give you the directions.
We're told that if you are a reader of French, you should check out the Musique Plus web site. SLASH
is listed as one of the artists they will discuss on the "FAX" show on
Saturday, October 7, 7:30 pm. This is the Montreal station. If the album
is out early there, you are excused from listening to the program. If not,
we'd like to know what was said en anglais.
This is a reminder that Gibson's autographed Les Paul contest ends
October 31. Guitar One and Koch are in on this, too. There's a really
nice page where you can learn something, see a beautiful SLASH photo
and enter the contest. Only one entry per person is permitted. Check out
this special contest page featuring SLASH! Thanks to Murat who alerted
us to this super contest page. If you want to enter now:
Alex is in Paris, and he located the October issue of the French
Hard Rock magazine. The magazine comes with a CD that has the
complete "Been There Lately" and Doro's "Now or Never" with SLASH.
The cover picture is great, and inside there is a four page interview
with five exclusive photos. One is a double page photo where you can
clearly see SLASH's new tat. SLASH talks about leaving GNR, Eric Dover,
the new band and Koch. He says that opening for AC/DC was a dream come
true and a wonderful promo opportunity for the new band. SLASH says he
misses Europe and looks forward to a club tour there. The tribute to
GNR album, "Appetite for Reconstruction" comes in for some sharp
criticism. SLASH says it was done by West Coast has-beens and losers and
that he doesn't feel honored by it. He feels that these guys were just
out to make a buck off GNR. Other music he's heard is Axl's "Oh My God"
which made him feel he was right to leave the band. Axl and he don't have
the same musical ideals, tastes or projects anymore. SLASH says that he
is very interested in hearing the final result because this is Axl's
big project, and he's putting everything he has into it. Alex says that
the biggest part of the magazine is an article on the AC/DC tour, and
they discuss the opening band! More SLASH mentions. The reviewer says
that the sound was terrible (as we know), and the band wasn't perfect,
but they are very impressive onstage. He singled out Johnny G. for
special praise along with SLASH. Then the new album critic takes a look
at Ain't Life Grand. He says that Rod is bluesy and melancholic
while SLASH's solos are the most beautiful ever. The critic did slam
the songwriting, but he said you have to see them live because the
album is written to be performed that way. He says the production is
excellent, but there is no booklet with the cd. Hmmm. Someone must
have taken it away because there is certainly one with the released
cds. The advance copies don't have them, but they never do. Alex,
thank you so much for this interesting information! If only Paris
were closer, we'd buy a copy and hunt down the new album critic!
You've got to hurry to take part in this contest to win one of 5
autographed Ain't Life Grand cds. The contest is at the
Rock Daily site from Z106 Mississippi's Home of Rock 'N Roll.
You have to answer one question - it's a gig SLASH once did
and give your mail information. That's it! Take a chance!
Thanks to Maria for letting us know about the contest.
SLASH will definitely be at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma, CA on
October 19. Jeff tells us that the tickets went on sale today. They
are available at tickets.com or 1-800-225-bass. Note: Ticketmaster
is not selling these. Get your tickets now for one of those theatre
shows Slash wanted to do!
Caroline is keeping us up to date on that article she did with Johnny
Blackout/G for Bass Player magazine. The article will be in the December
issue which hits the stands in mid-November. We're looking forward to
reading more about Johnny G! Thanks, Caroline!
SLASH gave his permission to put up two clips from Ain't Life
Grand. The new one is almost two minutes from "Just Like Anything".
Lots of SLASH guitar in these two minutes, and the song just rocks. The
other clip is "Been There Lately" which has been here awhile, but it's
always worth another listen!
SLASH requested that since the album is not out yet, only
clips be used from the tracks.
Thomas sent us two radio stations where requests can be sent from the net.
Try requesting "Been There Lately" at www.waaf.com in Boston and
www.rock101wgir.com.
Also on the net is a good review of Ain't Life Grand at
www.electricbasement.com. There are also two tracks there: "Been
There Lately" and "The Alien". The Alien is the only track whose
lyrics will appear in the cd booklet. Look here for the interview:
This review is from Clint who finally recovered enough from Snakepit to
send his show review in! Clint was at the San Jose show and was in the
fifth row. He thought the new songs came off really well and that the
crowd was receptive to Snakepit. Clint says he liked Rod the first time
he saw him and still enjoys his stage presence and singing. Clint said
some fans are complaining about his lyrics, but Clint feels that this is
a band to have a good time with and not to hear about world problems. True!
Rock on, Snakepit and thanks, Clint!
We have some more dates for the tour
schedule. These are for Japan and the Far East. UK!! Please note that
you are scheduled to have SLASH December 1 - 6!! Your voices were
heard! You have no dates that are certain yet, but the 'pit is coming.
As of today, these are
all that are definite. These come from SLASH's management:
Tour Schedule - SLASH's Snakepit
Fri., Oct. 13 Hard Rock Mexico City, Mexico
Sat., Oct. 14 Hard Rock Guadalajara, Mexico
Thu., Oct 19 Phoenix Theatre Petaluma, CA
Fri., Oct. 20, 9pm Maritime Hall San Francisco CA Ages 18+
Sat., Oct. 21, 9pm Palookaville Santa Cruz CA Ages 21+
Mon., Oct. 23 SLASH does Rockline! (national radio show)
(Live in Studio)
Nov. 2 - 7 Far East
Nov. 4 National Dr.Sun Yat-sen
Memorial Hall Taipei, Taiwan
Nov. 10 Zepp Hall Tokyo, Japan
Nov. 11 Bay Hall Yokahama, Japan
Nov. 13 Mother Hall Osaka, Japan
Nov. 14 Diamond Hall Nagoya, Japan
Nov. 16 Zepp Fukuoka Fukuoka, Japan
Nov. 18 Guam
Nov. 21 - 29 New Zealand/Australia
Note: Nov.29 Sony PlayStation 2 Kickoff
Dec. 1 - 6 UK
Dec. 7 Denmark
Dec. 8 - 9 Sweden
Dec. 11 Denmark
Dec. 13 Berlin
Dec. 15 Ludwigshafen
Dec. 16 Stuttgart
Dec. 18 Cologne
Dec. 19 Munich
Dec. 20 Nuremburg
Dec. 21 Milan
Jan. 15 - ? South America
Search for "Eric Dover". Or if you search by letter, use "E". Thanks, Tobbe, for bringing us up to date!
Get them in as fast as you can! Thanks.
Note: Click "Other Media" at left when you get there.
Keep in mind this is not where SLASH buys his hats; that's somewhere in L.A.
Anytime you need to check the tour schedule, you can go to www.snakepit.org,
scroll down to Main Menu and click on Tour Schedule (second row, first
button). Speaking of the tour, we've added several pictures to the Tour
Photos. More have come in to be added, too! The Japanese venues are all
standing, club venues. No theaters or halls, so it's a good time to
get up close to the band!
The rest of the page is having items added now that the band is not on
tour. You might check Fan Music for new bands, Fan Drawings for new
renderings of SLASH, and the Reviews are all up to date with your
complete, unedited reviews of the tour. SLASH's calendar is being updated
with tour and other information. It's a good time to send things in. SLASH
called and said he will go over the 106 fan questions this weekend and
sort out the ones he will be able to answer. We'll post them here and
in their section of the page
Speaking of SLASH, have you noticed he's getting his official page now?
It was on the web for awhile but was taken down for additional work.
From what SLASH says, it will be really something when complete! The
url is www.slashssnakepit.com for you to bookmark. Personally, we liked
the huge snake with the ring in the right nostril, so we hope he'll be
around somewhere. The people building the site for SLASH seem like a
good group.
Janet sent a note that there is a place on the net where you can
buy a SLASH's Snakepit Ain't Life Grand poster for those who
didn't get a chance to visit the Snakepit van during the tour. The
band seems to be just about out of these posters. The company is
PushPosters in the UK, and they also sell the GNR 2001 calendar.
PushPosters says that the promo poster is part of a one-off print
run never to be repeated, so when these sell out, they are gone
forever. If you want one, here's where to order one:
Not long ago, we asked you to vote for the SLASH episode of Tales From
the Crypt as the one you liked best. The episode is "In The Groove",
and it won! This means it will appear during the SciFi channel's marathon.
Mindy and Mark let us know that this episode will be on Thursday, Oct. 5
at 9pm. If you haven't taped it or seen it yet, check it out! This is a
small item in SLASH history, but it's great! Thanks to everyone who
voted!
Last summer, SLASH had an MTV crew at his house filming for an episode
of MTV Cribs. Once they were there, SLASH didn't want them filming
all over his home. He quickly got them down to the Snakepit studio. They
were more interested in nosing into each room and having SLASH say...this
is my lamp, this is my TV, etc. NOT cool! After a lot of negotiations,
he mostly has them filming the studio. Meanwhile, SLASH does not live in
this house anyway! But MTV Cribs lives on. They had an episode on
September 28 which did not have the SLASH film on. The episodes seem to
cover several stars. Their site ad says not to miss the debut on October
5 at 10 pm (ET/PT), 9pm CT. They don't explicitly say who will be on but
the pictures indicate this is not the SLASH episode. We need to keep an
eye on this site for SLASH. They say they will update with pictures and
so on. It is at www.mtv.com, click on SHOWS, then on MTV Cribs. Let us
know if you see when SLASH will be on. Thanks!
If you saw the Sony Playstation
kickoff on the tour schedule, we have some information that Ray found for us. Gamers know that
the Sony Playstation 2 will be released in the US this month with later
dates in the fall for Europe and the rest of the world (Japan had it first).
SLASH will be in Australia Nov. 29 (Playstation 2 released there and New
Zealand Nov.30), and he will be part of the massive
media blitz Sony is planning for Playstation 2. As soon as we know what
he's doing (is it playing along with the rock band game?), we'll let you
know. If you'd like more information on Sony's announcement and
distribution:
Ian got a message from Scott at Total Guitar magazine after SLASH
was interviewed. Scott reported that SLASH was very nice and talkative
and talked for 50 minutes (instead of the promised 30 minutes). The
current plan is to have SLASH on the cover of the issue out on Nov.22.
Look for that one! Scott will tab some GNR and Snakepit music if licenses
permit. Thanks, Ian!
Have you taken time to make a call to your radio station
requesting a Snakepit song? Mark in Boston did! He called WAAF 107.3
and talked to the dj, Mistress Carrie. Mark told her that SLASH is
god and the new album is out October 10. Mistress Carrie said they'd
play it, and SLASH and the boys got some new listeners and more support
in Boston. Thanks, Mark! (and thanks to Mistress Carrie)
If you'd like to call some cool rock stations, here are some more
800 numbers for you. Teresa says this station has always supported GNR:
Thanks, Teresa! Natalia sent a couple from New York. First the flagship
station for the Howard Stern show:
This is the New York station where SLASH did an interview when he
came in for the MSG show. It's the Tourbus station with Eddie Trunk.
SLASH liked these people a lot.
Saturday night is the big rock night then. You can listen live on the
net at www.thetourbus.com. Thanks, Natalia!
Want to win some
great SLASH stuff? How about a Les Paul signed by SLASH and an amp
to go with it? If that doesn't make your "November Rain" sound better,
nothing will! And that's just the Grand Prize. The First Prize winner
and 10 runner-ups will receive a framed SLASH poster signed by the
band and a copy of the new album, Ain't Life Grand! Entering is
easy, and there are two ways to put your name in: get the new November
edition of Guitar One which has an entry form in the book. (Note
the issue pictured here is the October issue). You can also enter through
their web site, www.guitaronemag.com starting October 1. If you are mailing,
entries should be postmarked by October 31. Total Grand Prize value is
$4,448. It would be great if the SLASH fans here picked up ALL the prizes.
Make sure we know if you win anything at all. We'll see you at
www.guitaronemag.com! Thanks to George in Richmond, VA who let us know
about this awesome contest.
SLASH gives away his autographs, pictures, guitars (charity). He's a
really nice, generous person. There's a big rockstar out there who
was thrilled by SLASH's generosity...and timing. Joe Perry of Aerosmith
recently turned 50, and there was a surprise party for him. What do you
think SLASH gave him? Joe got his prized 1957 Les Paul that he used to
own in the 70s back from its former owner, SLASH. Joe said that a ton
of people had owned it after his ex-wife carried it off when they
separated. SLASH owned it for 10 years! Joe was always trying to get
it back from SLASH, but SLASH wouldn't part with it because of its
history. SLASH always said this guitar had that early rock sound he
loved. And when SLASH gave him this gift, Joe tried it out by playing
"Walk This Way" on it. SLASH loved it. If you'd like to read more about
the party, there's a short article based on the Boston Herald coverage
at:
Here's your chance to help SLASH and show everyone what terrific fans
he has. VH1 has a new show coming up called "My Music Awards". Fans
can vote on all kinds of categories: Song Of The Year, Must-Have
album, Coolest Fan Website, Man of the Year, etc. How about going over
to VH1 and writing SLASH and Snakepit in wherever you can?! It would
be great to see SLASH rock the awards! Many thanks to Yasser and Gunner
who let us know about this. If you want to do this now:
Last but not least, we have two more 800 numbers you can dial and redial
asking the station to play "Been There Lately". Yet another chance to
help SLASH's Snakepit. Our leader says it's now or never, so let's get
dialing!
If you're ready to help Snakepit along, start
calling radio stations and asking for "Been There Lately". If you
don't have a good rock station where you are, call KLOS in Los Angeles
which has a net broadcast as well as a radio broadcast. And an 800
number! Reach KLOS at 1-800-955-KLOS. SLASH says they need lots of
requests to get airplay, so let's go! Anymore 800 numbers? We'll
publicize them if you send them in to:
October 2-10 are rehearsals for Snakepit. SLASH has been working hard
since he came home on the touring details, and he's ready to jam.
He asked about the show reviews and the songs mentioned most.He also
asked for the fan questions to be sent to him right away. We have
100, so that should keep him busy. When the answers come in, we'll start
posting them. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for SLASH!
There are a couple of items that have been patiently waiting for the
tour information to quiet down. About the 2001 GNR calendar, we had
suggested www.pushposter.com, a UK company. Maria tells me that US
customers might want to try www.wynnco.com. Maria has bought from them
before and so have we, and they are a very reliable company. The new
calendar is just super with so many Slash pictures. Put Slash up at
work and annoy your boss. Once, we had a run-in with the Board where we
work. They wanted Slash down. Freedom of Speech! On behalf of all of us,
the union filed a grievance. Slash continues to be displayed!
Chris was at a Kenny Wayne Shepherd concert this month, and at the end
they handed out promos with different bands on it. SLASH's Snakepit was
on it! Never turn down free CDs! SLASH might be there. Chris said that
"Been There Lately" was on it, and he liked it. It sounded different than
the live version. Tetsuya is from Japan, and he's a huge SLASH fan that
will probably attend all the Snakepit shows there! The Japanese magazines
have such wonderful photos, and there are three out now with exclusive
SLASH interviews. These are: Young Guitar, Burrn! and
Metallion. Tetsuya also passed along that the Japanese edition
of Ain't Life Grand came out on September 20. It includes a three-way
sleeve, lyrics, liner notes and photo sticker of SLASH. Selected record
stores are giving away the Japanese promo poster with the purchase of
the Snakepit CD. By the way, we asked SLASH if we would get lyrics on
the CD booklet, and the answer was just for one song, "The Alien". He
said this is so we could have the fun of working them out ourselves.
So, get busy on that! He did say he would send them to us, and if he
does send them, we'll print them on the page so you can check your guesses.
Thanks to SLASH and his manager, Jerry Heller, for providing us with
a fresh tour schedule. For dates in the near future, there are venues
and cities listed. As the dates get further out, there may be just a
country or city listed. This is the information we have right now. Mr.
Heller thought he might have some more updates sometime next week.
Meanwhile, if you are in California or Mexico, we have your dates
firmly in hand. Tickets are on sale now for many of these, so don't
wait too long.
Tour Schedule - SLASH's Snakepit
Fri., Oct. 13 Hard Rock Mexico City, Mexico
Sat., Oct. 14 Hard Rock Guadalajara, Mexico
Thu., Oct 19 Phoenix Theatre Petaluma, CA
Fri., Oct. 20, 9pm Maritime Hall San Francisco CA Ages 18+
Sat., Oct. 21, 9pm Palookaville Santa Cruz CA Ages 21+
Mon., Oct. 23 SLASH does Rockline!
Nov. 2 - 7 Far East
Nov. 11 - 16 Japan
Nov. 18 Guam
Nov. 21 - 29 New Zealand/Australia
Note: Nov.29 Sony PlayStation Kickoff
Dec. 7 Denmark
Dec. 8 - 9 Sweden
Dec. 11 Denmark
Dec. 13 Berlin
Dec. 15 Ludwigshafen
Dec. 16 Stuttgart
Dec. 18 Cologne
Dec. 19 Munich
Dec. 20 Nuremburg
Dec. 21 Milan
Jan. 15 - ? South America
There are lots of dates up there now...lots of international touring.
SLASH will be out of the country for quite awhile. We're counting on the
international fans to take care of SLASH and the band and eventually send
them home!
If the album sales go well, SLASH will continue to tour in the
US and Canada. The album is doing really well internationally with radio
play. SLASH will appear on the cover of Brazil's Rolling Stone very
soon. Hopefully you'll send us copies of that and all the other magazine
photos and interviews plus your
pictures for the Tour Photos, and lots of reviews for the Review section.
To get you in the mood for the shows, here are a couple of reviews.
Peter went to the final show at Oakland. He says the show rocked!
He managed to sneak up to the front row but some Hell's Angels came
in and wanted their seats back. Peter says nearly getting your butt
kicked was worth it; Snakepit has the fattest sound. 30 minutes wasn't
enough; AC/DC should have opened for Snakepit! Thanks, Peter!
Clint lives in the Bay Area (think he'll be at the San Francisco show?)
and went to the San Jose and the Oakland Shows. San Jose first: Clint
was able to get up close to the stage for the whole show. Snakepit
rocked! It was amazing to see SLASH live in a big arena. Rod had a
great stage presence. Clint wore his Baked Potato (club where SLASH
often jams with Teddy Zigzag and Johnny G) shirt, and Johnny G noticed
it. SLASH broke a string during "Mr.Brownstone" but finished perfectly
anyway. The only negative thing was the sound; the lyrics weren't loud
enough and neither was SLASH. Many people were pleasantly surprised by
Snakepit.
This is Clint's take on the Oakland show. Same setlist, and the band
rocked again! SLASH wore blue jeans with leather chaps. "Mr. Brownstone"
was dedicated to AC/DC for having Snakepit on the tour. The sound could
have been a lot better. The crowd was enthusiastic, and it was just an
excellent show. Later, SLASH and the band met fans out by the bus. SLASH
was nice and accommodating to everyone. Everyone went home happy thanks
to SLASH. Thanks, Clint!
The tour ended for Snakepit last night
in Oakland CA. After a short break, they will be .
Although SLASH has not passed along any dates, venues are posting dates
for Snakepit. Let's hope we hear soon on these as tickets for these go
on sale soon. We've seen Hollywood, Santa Cruz and San Francisco shows
advertised on web sites, and we hope to have confirmation on these very
soon. As to where they are going next, we can only speculate. SLASH did
mention that Mexico and Japan were firm, so perhaps Mexico will see the
'pit next.
Something more definite now - some reviews! Karen went to the San Jose
show. She said it was incredible seeing AC/DC, but she was more moved
by seeing SLASH. It's been a 10 year wait for her! SLASH was unbelievable,
and the band was fabulous! They played loud and hard, but Karen wished
they had played longer. She'd like to see them headlining, and she's
anxious to get the new album. Karen bought a tshirt and got some of those
free postcards outside. Karen says her hat is off to the man in the top hat.
Thanks, Karen.
Scott was also at San Jose. Despite his age (15), Scott considers himself
to be the biggest fan of SLASH/GNR alive! When SLASH broke into "Mr. Brownstone",
Scott literally cried. And seeing SLASH leave caused another tear. It was
really an emotional time for him. Scott says, "a half-hour WAS NOT
ENOUGH". In spite of everything, SLASH did the greatest performance Scott
has ever seen. He's seen a lot of rock shows like Motley Crue, Anthrax,
Megadeth, and SLASH electrified him more. The show was awesome! Thanks,
Scott!
Shane was at the final show, Oakland. SLASH kicked ass! The band was
great! Rod wore shimmering velvet pants. SLASH was in jeans with leather
over them, a bandanna hanging from his back pocket and a shirt which
came off halfway through the set. SLASH wore his top hat, but it fell off
during "Mr. Brownstone". During the show, SLASH ran around doing his
signature moves, and Rod got the crowd into things. SLASH talked a few
times and dedicated "Mr. Brownstone" to AC/DC for having them on the
tour. The sound wasn't too bad; SLASH was a little drowned out, and the
lyrics were a bit muffled. It was awesome. Shane got a tshirt, and his
girlfriend bought the Snakepit thong panties for which he thanks SLASH!
Thanks, Shane!
Some other Snakepit news...
Caroline is a freelance writer who interviewed Johnny G. for Bass Player
magazine. She said Johnny is very cool. He is really into Phil Lynott
of Thin Lizzy and Bob Marley. The article should appear in the magazine's
October or November issue in their BassNotes section. Caroline says
Johnny is an excellent bassist and loves working with SLASH and Snakepit.
Caroline points out that Johnny's playing in "Shine" are awesome. Thanks,
Caroline. We'll look for your writeup!
Our good friend Maria in NYC reports that station KNAC played "Mean
Bone" recently! The only track we've heard is "Been There Lately", but
NYC is always on the cutting edge. This album wait is still so long!
Thanks, Maria, for the news from NYC.
Tonight is the last night of the tour
with AC/DC, and the show is in Oakland CA. The guys are coming back home
then for a well deserved break. October 3 they'll get back together and
start rehearsals on a full set. This would include all the songs from
Ain't Life Grand. It will also
include some GNR songs and songs from Snakepit '95 which they can mix
into the set. Rehearsals are Oct. 3 - 10. October 10 is the album
release date, so you can look for something happening around then. It
hasn't been announced whether the band will do some rehearsal shows in
California before diving into their own first headlining tour. We think
it's likely there will be warmups. We've gotten some information on these
from fans, but SLASH asked again that we post only information from the
band management. And he just isn't ready to pass it along now.
There is a wonderful article on SLASH in the November issue of Guitar
World. The column is called "60 Minutes: The Hour of Music That Rocks
My World". This is such a great article! SLASH comments on all his choices,
and they are really worth reading. Here are the choices he gave, and we'll
leave it to you to find the magazine and read his comments:
"Bring It On Home" by Led Zep, Led Zeppelin II
"Round and Round" by Aerosmith, Toys In The Attic
"Elephant Talk" by King Crimson, Discipline
"Machine Gun" by Jimi Hendrix, Live at the Fillmore East
"You Really Got Me"/"Eruption" by Van Halen, Van Halen
"Free Man In Paris" by Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark
"She's A Woman" by Jeff Beck, Blow by Blow
"Midnight Rambler" by The Rolling Stones, Get Yer Ya-Ya's OuNNNt
"Kids" by UFO, Strangers in the Night
Just a reminder that we'd like to get the current batch of fan questions
on its way to SLASH before he leaves. If you have anything to ask SLASH,
other than personal questions, send them to:
Tonight is the San Jose show. With
only two to go, Snakepit is going to put everything into these last
two shows. If you're going, you should see a good one..or two. Tomorrow
night is the last show. It's in Oakland, and tradionally SLASH really
pours it on for the last show. Don't forget to take pictures and send
us some reviews.
We talked to SLASH last night where he called from a hotel in San Diego.
The most burning issue right now is what does the tour schedule look like.
SLASH says he doesn't have it yet. AC/DC have asked Snakepit to continue
on their tour with them. SLASH's original plan was that the band would now
be out headlining in smaller venues but with longer sets and contact with
the SLASH/Snakepit fans. A third possiblity is to tour on their own for
awhile, and then hook up with AC/DC later. Until he chooses which way to
go, the tour schedule is up in the air. He says he has to decide soon as
there are just 2 more shows! Then, he says, they are going to rehearse
the songs on the album that didn't get played on this tour. So rather than
taking a vacation, Snakepit will be very busy. SLASH promised to let us
know as soon as he does.
We have two new reviews. Ravi sent one on the San Bernardino show. The
setlist was: Life's Sweet Drug, Been There Lately, Just Like Anything,
Mean Bone, Shine, Mr. Brownstone, Speed Parade. The show started a little
late, but the set was pretty good, and they ran through it quickly, about
35 minutes. SLASH wore his top hat, leather pants and a tshirt. Rod
took off his shirt...it was 108 degrees there! SLASH played well as usual
and the songs rocked. Ravi liked Speed Parade, Life's Sweet Drug, Shine
and Mr. Brownstone. SLASH did a solo section in Mean Bone and Mr. Brownstone.
He did some jumps but not the running he usually does. Keri was pretty
good, but Ravi still prefers Ryan. Keri did have a lot of energy during
the show. Matt was also very good and fits the band perfectly. The drum
volume could have been turned down. Ravi was impressed with Johnny G who
had a lot of energy and even sang with Rod. Rod did well, and Ravi thinks
he's improved since the pre-album tour. The sound was loud, but sometimes
the drums drowned out SLASH and the vocals. Ravi thinks AC/DC couldn't
have found a better band to open! Thanks, Ravi!
Here's Steve's report:
9/16/00- Blockbuster Pavilion, California
Great Concert!
I got there early, so we had time to walk around and
buy t shirts,and as I looked around I could see that
everyone was definitely on a different planet!
We bought 100 dollars worth of food(haha), and the
second SLASH came on, my eyes couldn't leave the
stage!
He was awesome!
The sound quality definitely could have been better,
but being the fan I am, I didn't care!
They stayed on for about 35 minutes, and they played
Shine, Been There Lately, Mr. Brownstone, etc...
AC/DC was also amazing, Angus Young's performance was
dazzling!
A show not to be missed!!
Steve Ornest. Thanks, Steve!
--------------------
Glitter sent some wonderful news from Argentina!
The "Been There Lately" single is #18 in the Rock and Pop ranking
at "R & P" radio FM in Argentina!! WOW! And it's still unreleased!
Tommy let us know that the latest issue of the best selling
German guitar player magazine, Gitarre & Bass contains a 4 page interview with SLASH!
SLASH talks about GNR, Snakepit and many other things. Tommy says the
interview is very good. You might check out the site although it is
in German, of course. There are a couple of SLASH pictures and a
synopsis of the article. Thanks, Tommy!
Nadine lives in France, and she spotted SLASH in the French magazine
Guitar & Bass. The interview is short, but a cool interview of
the past with GNR and the present with Snakepit. Nadine says SLASH is
very cool! So if you can read French, pick this one up. Thanks, Nadine.
Tomorrow in San Jose, Snakepit does their
next to last show. 09/20 is the final show in Oakland CA. There are more
shows coming up! Whether they are opening for AC/DC or headlining their
own shows, we don't know yet. If you're in California, here's a chance
to see the guys before they had back to Los Angeles!
We have some reviews from recent shows. First is San Bernardino CA, and
Brandon says the show kicked ass. The big Snakepit banner was up, the
lights went down, and the audience was screaming and cheering. Brandon
says Rod has a stage presence like you wouldn't believe and knows how
to work a crowd. "Life's Sweet Drug" opened the show followed by "Ain't
Life Grand". "Mean Bone" and "Speed Parade" were in there, too. Before
Snakepit played "Mr.Brownstone", SLASH dedicated the song to Keri and
Johnny! The audience went crazy. The sound was LOUD, and SLASH looked
happy as he worked the stage. Keri was awesome, and Johnny was really
cool. Rod wore a black shirt (this came off) and silvery pants. Johnny
looked like he borrowed his outfit from Duff! It was a patched vest and
black pants. Keri wore Chuck Taylor's with a faded navy blue shirt and
black leather pants. SLASH wore a black shirt with a weird design and brown
leather pants. Rod moves like Steven Tyler, and his voice is amazing.
The sound was not that good - the drums were loud and clear as were the
bass and rhythm guitars. Rod's voice was too loud and SLASH's guitar
was too low. SLASH has a great rockin' band. They are the best rock
band Brandon's seen since GNR. And the tshirts are cool too! Thanks, Brandon.
Raul sent in a review from San Bernardino. He thought it was
awesome. Snakepit is so good live. SLASH and Rod kicked ass displaying
energy and enthusiasm. The set was: Life's Sweet Drug, Been There Lately,
Just Like Anything, Shine, Mean Bone, Mr. Brownstone, Speed Parade.
Raul thought Keri was a pleasant surprise. He's very energetic and
provides a wonderful rhythm to back up SLASH. Johnny was so into it,
and Matt's drumming was perfect. The sound was again a problem. You
couldn't really hear SLASH's leads. The songs are amazing. He can't
wait for the album. Raul bought the Ain't Life Grand tshirt. There
were two new items for sale: a Snakepit baseball and Snakepit panties
with SLASH's Snakepit "Ain't Life Grand" on the front with an arrow
pointing down. (Did SLASH design these?!) Raul was satisfied with the
show, and he wants the club tour to start! That way Snakepit will have
a solidly positive audience, and the sound should be better. Thanks, Raul.
Mersades was at the Las Vegas show. This is the first time she saw
SLASH live! She and her friend had great seats at the end of the
runway. When the first chord was played, Mersades was on her feet.
At one point, SLASH yelled into the mic, "This band f*cking rocks"!
They did "Mr.Brownstone" and ended with "Speed Parade" and brought
down the house. Only one other person stood, though many of the rest
were headbanging. She and her friend left at the end of the Snakepit
set! They went to the tour buses. Eventually they found a group of
30 fans. Johnny and Rod were really cool and had their pictures taken.
Then, Mersades lined up to meet...SLASH! He was totally awesome, smiling
and joking with everyone. She got to talk to SLASH for about 5 minutes!
Mersades says about SLASH, "he is totally kewl and such a sweetheart"!
Pictures were taken, and SLASH really seemed to enjoy being with the
fans. After seeing Snakepit, Mersades says she has no regrets about
not seeing GNR. Snakepit is super cool, and they appreciate their fans!
Thanks, Mersades!
Rhonda and her husband were at the Biloxi MS show, and they traveled
7 hours to get there! Rhonda says it was a dream come true to see
SLASH in person. They had great seats and enjoyed the show. When
Snakepit went offstage, they tried to find the tour buses. Rhonda really
wanted to meet SLASH but the buses were blocked in. She did see the
cool Snakepit van, and she got stickers and postcards. Then they all
took off for Texas. It was a great experience except for not meeting
SLASH and the fact that none of her pictures turned out. Rhonda says
they will definitely go to another Snakepit show and "SLASH is the
greatest"!!!!! Thanks, Rhonda!
Some of these fans were kind enough to send along their photos. We'll
get them on the Tour Photos section right away. About 20 more were
added today. Go to WWW.Snakepit.Org, scroll down to Main Menu, and
click on Tour Photos. You'll be at the thumbnail index. We also trimmed
down some of the massive pictures to a faster-to-load size. We hope
you enjoy them!
The Guns N'Roses 2001 calendar is out now. It is so cool because SLASH
has the majority of the months hands down! Way to go, SLASHer! We ordered
ours from the UK company PushPosters on the web, www.pushposters.com, but they will
probably be available in any number of stores soon. We thought
you might want to see a small version of the giant picture with each month.
There is just one photo we have not seen before, and it's cool:
Doro Pesch's new album is Calling The Wild,
and SLASH makes a guest appearance on Track 11, "Now or Never". Doro was
born in Germany and did most of her work there with bands like Snakebite
and Warlock. She is now doing a solo. In this album she calls upon old
and new friends like SLASH, Lemmy, Al Pitrelli, Bob Kulick to give the
album some real guitar passion. Doro is called "The Metal Queen", and
most of her fan sites are in Germany. Now she has moved to New York City
and is looking to make a presence here in the States. She is signed to
Koch Records! We have a clip from "Now or Never" here.
The entire song is not presented due to copyright
restrictions, but SLASH's entire solo is here along with a good-sized part
featuring Doro. Doro Wails! Calling the Wild is available at all record
stores and on the web:
Tonight is the first California show of
the tour. San Bernardino is the place to be tonight. Tomorrow night,
Snakepit plays San Diego. On 9/19 is San Jose, and the final show is
9/20 in Oakland. California has four shows, and we hope all the Snakepit
fans will get to all four! Hopefully, SLASH will be there to say hello
after the show. Get your picture taken with SLASH or any of the band, and
send it along. Tour Photos is huge but can always use more.
R. White sent us a review from Minneapolis. This review appeared in
Star Tribune written by Vickie Casey, a critic for the paper.
She had a compliment for Snakepit. She says that "the new group that
boasts the name of the former Guns N'Roses axman, likes to slay the
audience with lightning-fast fretwork and a multitude of intricate
notes". So far, so good! Ms. Casey goes after Rod, saying he couldn't
support the material - not enough depth. She writes that SLASH says
he auditioned 200 vocalists before enlisting Rod, and maybe 201 would
have been the lucky number. Ouch. It strikes us that we read the same
criticism of Eric Dover in '95. While SLASH has years of intensive
stage experience before huge crowds, most of the band does not.
The album sound shows what can be done in the studio, and it's
wonderful. The live shows will get better and better with improved
sound and more experience. We love you, Rod! We think he's
just right.
The last three shows are coming up.
First is San Bernardino on 9/16, then San Jose on 9/19 and Oakland
on 9/20. It appears the Sacramento show is cancelled. By now SLASH
must know what Snakepit is doing next. We'll get an update from SLASH
as soon as he lets us know. Keri Kelli says they most likely will
hold a CD release party with KLOS, Los Angeles, on October 11. We'll
get SLASH to confirm that also.
The Tour Photos section is ready for visitors. There is now a link to
Tour Photos from the Main Menu. There are over 100 photos for you to look
at. There is a thumbnail size and the original size (some are quite large).
It's great to see those of you we have come to know - and with SLASH, too!
Everyone looks happy in these pictures! Send new ones if you have them.
We'd be pleased to see you up on the page, too.
Another reminder: we're
getting together a new set of fan questions for SLASH. Send each question
separately to webmaster@snakepit.org. Thanks!
There are a couple of SLASH mentions in Metal Edge. They say that
Ain't Life Grand is postponed till October 10. This must be for
some hermits somewhere. They also mentioned that Keri Kelli is in
Snakepit. His old guitarist job with Ratt has been filled by John
Corabi. Corabi is still in Union but had some time on his hands to
help out old friends.
Reviews have come in from Phoenix and Las Vegas. Ezra was at the
Phoenix show, and it kicked ass like the San Antonio show. Ezra's
seen SLASH FIVE times! About 11:15 the band came out and visited with
about 30 fans. They shook hands and signed autographs for about half
an hour. Ezra says, "They're all great". Thanks, Ezra. James thought the show was
"f*cking incredible", but he didn't like the tshirt prices! And the
cheapest ticket was $45, but he managed to sneak down to a lower
section. When he saw SLASH, he forgot about prices! SLASH had on a
green tshirt, black leather pants, a pair of sneakers, and his top
hat. James wasn't sure what he would think of Rod as he is partial
to Axl Rose, but he was pleasantly surprised. During the set, SLASH
jumped off the stage and did a solo behind the barricade. James zoomed
up and watched...he was a foot away. James was surprised that SLASH
was so short (he's 5'9" but he seems taller in photos). When they
played "Mr. Brownstone", the audience stood up for the rest of the set.
It was James' first time to see SLASH live, and he hopes to see him
again. AC/DC kicked hell, too, and James calls this the best show he
has ever been to! Thanks, James!
Chuck was at the Las Vegas show, and when he pulled in the Snakepit
van was already there handing out posters and postcards. About "Been
There Lately", Chuck thinks "this is the most kick ass song to come out
in a while". SLASH came to the microphone only to introduce "Mr.Brownstone".
SLASH said something like..."If you are familiar with this song, that's
cool, but if you don't know it, GET A LIFE!" They ended with "Mean Bone"
which started mellow but became one of the rockingest, most memorable
songs of the evening. Chuck went to buy a tshirt, and all the Larges were
sold out! At another stand he found one that said "Ain't Life Grand"
on the back. The first stand's shirts had "Slash's Back". Chuck bought
a shirt and went to wait for the tourbus. He had to leave and missed
seeing them. Chuck, like all of us, is praying for a club tour and he
thanks all these great guys for the great night" SLASH, Keri, Rod,
Johnny and Matt! Thanks, Chuck!
Tonight is the Las Vegas show at the
Thomas-Mack Center. SLASH is a frequent visitor to Las Vegas. He plays
the pinball machines and occasionally, the slots. Over the years many
fans have spotted SLASH in Vegas...usually well after midnight. Vegas
never sleeps, and this is SLASH's kind of place! There is no show
tomorrow, so you might see our favorite musician playing pinball. On
9/17 comes a show that was added, San Diego. This leg is nearly ended.
You have to get to California to see them open in the US. They'll be
gone quite awhile very soon. SLASH says they have to do some rehearsals
in order to play a full set. We wonder where that will be held since
Billy Bob Thornton is now the proud owner of the Snakepit studio.
Curtis sent a review of the San Antonio show. He said the set was
excellent but short at just 37 minutes. The show was held in the
Alamodome, and Chris said the sound was unbelievably good! He also
said that AC/DC's sound paled in comparison. The house came alive
when Snakepit played "Mr. Brownstone". Chris has met SLASH in Texas
several times, but not at this show. Chris has been there for the
Snakepit 95 tour, Blues Ball, and the pre-album tour in 99. The
promo van was there, and the guys in it assured Chris that Snakepit
will tour theater sized venues after the AC/DC tour. This will give
fans a chance to meet the band!
Tour Photos! We put out a lot of the tour photos that many of you
were kind enough to send in. One thing that seems to be missing is
copies of tickets, and we'd love to have them. If you have any
pictures to share, we'd be glad to have them. If you have any with
you or frin them, please specify if you want names included or
not. The "scrapbook" is not complete...if you hold the cursor over
a picture it should give you a caption, but more than half still say
the file name. All thumbnails have correct captions. We decided to
put out what we had and keep working on it. And we'd like to have more.
Thanks to everyone that sent in something. Here's how you get there:
go to www.snakepit.org, scroll down to Main Menu, click on Snakepit
1999-2000 in the top row. Scroll down to the menu and click Tour Photos.
That's it! Here's a direct link if you want to see them right now:
There are some good reports on the San Antonio show last night. The
band has tomorrow off to get to Phoenix AZ and get set up. Phoenix
is the home of Alice Cooper's rockin' restaurant. We wonder if any
of the guys will stop in for a drink. Then it's on to the big Las
Vegas show and then to Snakepit's home in California. Remember to look
for that Snakepit van and get some of those free stickers, postcards
and posters!
Mike from Austin sent us a review on the San Antonio show. The band
started right on time at 7:30 and played for 40 minutes. They opened
again with "Life's Sweet Drug" followed by "Been There Lately". "Mr.
Brownstone" was the GNR cover, and they also played "Shine" and
"Speed Parade". The rest of the songs Mike couldn't recognize. Mike
tells us that the opening bands are often not allowed to be as loud
as the headlining band, and they are not allowed to utilize the entire
P.A. He thinks that is what is happening here with Snakepit. Being an
opening band means this is standard, but we are not used to seeing it
with SLASH. Mike said that he could hear everyone including Keri Kelli
who had a good tone and plays great! Keri uses GMP Guitars which he
endorses. SLASH played really well. Mike says he has seen SLASH live
many times, and he was playing very well last night. The audience was
very receptive and went wild for "Mr. Brownstone". Mike has a complaint
unrelated to the show. He really liked "99 Times" and "Rusted Heroes"
during the pre-album tour. Although "99 Times" was really cool, it is
not on the album. "Rusted Heroes" is only on the Japanese release. Mike
would really like to hear these again. (We personally loved the cover of
the Temptations' "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". SLASH said it was boring when
they recorded it, so it was dropped. We'd like to hear that one live
again.) Finishing up...Mike thought AC/DC was incredible! The entire
show was great! Thanks, Mike for your review!
If you go to Koch Records German site, you can now hear a nearly 25
minute interview with SLASH. There's nothing really new here, but
it does go over a lot of past history. There are clips on why GNR
broke up, how SLASH learned guitar, SLASH on touring, SLASH on guest
appearances and so on. The sound was not clear, but you may have better
luck. It was nice to hear that soft-spoken voice with nothing bleeped
out! The site is:
We haven't forgotten Snakepit 95's singer, Eric Dover. Tobbe sent us a note
on what Eric is doing: "Eric Dover is working on a new solo record(he may
put out some songs on www.mp3.com in the future). There
is a record called "Eric Dover BC", but I'm not sure if it's going to be
released(I will get it next week anyway). The record contains early material
from around 1990. I have heard that it will sound like a mix of
Jellyfish, Black Crowes and Imperial Drag. There is an mp3 of a song called
"Tonight" by Eric that can be downloaded at
this adress:
Today SLASH said the shows in Biloxi and Houston were really cool. They
traveled to San Antonio last night, and it looks they will go on any minute
now. He promised they'd do a really cool show tonight, too. SLASH says
that when they started and had done 6 or 7 shows, he couldn't believe that
was all they had done. But now that it's almost over, it's hard to believe
they have done 20-some! They are having a great time thanks to the fans
who are out in force. When they see the place really packed when they
come on, they just do more and more. So get yourself and your friends there
early. You help make the show better and better! They are off tomorrow
as they head into Phoenix. There are tons of rock fans in Phoenix! Please
don't forget to send us your reviews and comments. Copies of your photos
would be great, too.
Annie sent us her review on the August 19 show in Virginia. She said
they were late and missed the first song. They ran to their seats, and
her first impression was the huge Snakepit banner with Rod out there
wailing. She thought Rod looked great and had a lot of energy. SLASH
was looking good, too, in his jeans and Hard Rock shirt (which came right
off). Rod wore just his velvet pants. Most people were sitting except
for Annie and her friend and a few other who randomly stood and went
wild! Many, many people had on the Snakepit tshirt. Annie had the time
of her life especially watching Rod with his hand down his pants and
humping the floor. We gotta get his girlfriend back in town! AC/DC
was super, too, especially Angus who is so great and had so much energy.
Summary in Annie's words: "I loved it!!!!!!". Thanks, Annie!
Some fans are finding tickets a little pricey for the show. They really
want to see Snakepit, but because it is AC/DC headlining, tickets are
a little steep. How about 2 free tickets and backstage passes? If you
can get to San Bernardino for the show on 9/16, why not try for the
ticket drawing that radio station KLOS is having? We don't know if
Snakepit will be at the barbecue, but the tickets are the main thing
and you can go in and see them free if you win them. If you do, let
us know! Here's some information from the web site, www.955klos.com.
As you've been hearing on 95.5 KLOS,
AC/DC and special guest Slash's Snakepit
will be playing at the Blockbuster Pavilion
on September 16, 2000. We'll be giving away
tickets to this show up until the day before
the show, but it's not just tickets that you'll
walk away with! No, no, no...you'll also win
passes to the Backstage Barbecue where
food and drinks will be served before the
show, and you'll also receive two
KLOS/AC/DC commemorative T-Shirts! You
can't beat that for a night at a concert, can
you? Oh, but YES you can! One of you lucky winners that comes to the BBQ
will get the Grand Prize: A chance to meet and greet AC/DC!
SLASH says he'd be happy to answer more fan questions! The ones he has
already answered are stored away under "SLASH Answers Your Questions" on
the Main Menu. If you didn't get an answer last time, try again. If you
have more than one question to submit, you're more likely to get an answer
if you make them separate submissions. You can ask about Snakepit or any
of SLASH's previous bands. You can ask things about music, guitar, future
plans. Just about anything is ok except questions about SLASH's personal
life. Those will not be forwarded. Hunt around through the website to find
the answer to those burning personal questions on SLASH. When you have
one or more ready to go, email:
Last night the 'pit rocked Biloxi MS and
are on their way now to San Antonio TX. Just 7 shows to go on this leg of
the tour: Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Bernardino, San Jose, Oakland and
Sacramento. Road Trip!
There's been some confusion over the next shows on the tour
schedule. A schedule appears on the Koch German site, but SLASH has not
decided yet where they are going. So just hold on till we get the official
schedule from SLASH before you book trips and buy tickets. We spoke to
SLASH's tour manager who promises a longer schedule this week. And SLASH
says these countries are firm: Mexico and Japan. There should also be some
shows in California. In these places it looks like the band will be
headlining not opening for anyone.
They say the part just before and after Japan are uncertain just now.
Thanks, Larry (SLASH's Tour Manager) for the quick response!
Elizabeth sent a review for last night's show in MS. She said it was
awesome, and the band played 40 minutes. SLASH wore his top hat, a
black shirt, jeans with black leather chaps, and those cool converse
sneakers. After about 3 songs, the shirt and chaps came off. Rod was
also in a black shirt which came off quickly. He was wearing those
beautiful velvet pants. Elizabeth had to stand on her chair to get a
good look. SLASH was mostly on the sides of the stage with Rod working
the whole stage. Elizabeth says she is partial to Axl, but Rod surprised
her - he is really very good. The crowd reaction to the band was great!
Everyone loved "Mr. Brownstone" - that being the only song anyone knew.
The stage was kind of sad next to AC/DC's, but they didn't need fancy
lights or smoke. The big Snakepit sign hid the giant Angus figure. She
didn't see them after the show as there was no access to the buses at
this venue. People were handing out Snakepit stickers and postcards.
(Fans at the earlier shows missed out on this! Maybe SLASH can mail
some here and we can send them out?) Thanks, Elizabeth!
Paul sends us a review on Dallas. He flew from Daytona Beach just to
see the top hatted one. This has to be the record! Best comment we've
seen on SLASH is from Paul: "SLASH to say the least is the coolest
motherf*cker on earth!" We think SLASH would like that. Paul stood through
the entire set and saw that SLASH was wearing that great tshirt that
says, "You're a naughty girl. Go to my room!" Courtesy of Koch, he got
a poster and postcard. He liked all their songs and can die happy having
seen his hero! Not yet, Paul, make a will leaving the Koch stuff to us!
Thanks, Paul!
Linda caught two Snakepit shows, the Atlanta and Houston ones. She says
that in Atlanta no one seemed to know who the band was (this explains the
lack of reviews...get these people on the net!) But by the time "Mr. Brownstone"
was played, the audience seemed to have warmed up a bit. She and her friend
were up front and got to see SLASH's "warm and wonderful smile up close and
personal".
In Houston, Linda says the crowd was more into the band. SLASH looked
tired. (perk up, SLASH!) But tired or not, SLASH gave 100% as did all
the guys in the band. They were 9 rows back but SLASH was "sexy -
even from a distance"! Both shows were about 40 minutes long, and the
sound wasn't that great at either show. Linda says that if you have a
chance to see them, get out there and see them play! The band is high
energy, play their hearts out and put on a great show. Thanks, Linda!
A special thanks to Yasser who found an interview with SLASH for us on
the net. It's great with some pictures, too. He talks about his guest
appearances, the Snakepit 95 beginning, the collapse of GNR and reunion
possibilities, plus Snakepit 2000. It's a nice interview! Here's a link
to the Metal-is site. Look for the Snakepit picture on the right:
The band left Texas and arrived in
Biloxi MS for the show tonight. We hope you Texans will do a few more
interviews! And we're looking forward to the ones from Biloxi, too. The
band now says, "Oh! We forgot San Antonio" and heads back into Texas
for another show Monday night. Not many shows left. 13 days to go on this
leg. Get out and see them now! And don't forget if you get any pictures
of the band onstage or offstage with you, we are getting the scrapbook
together. It should appear sometime this week. Right now we have over
100 pictures, but it would be great to have more. Email for more details:
We have one review from Houston to pass along; this makes Dallas the only
city on the entire tour with no notes on their show. Come on, Big D!
We're grateful to Ed for sending us his thoughts on the Houston show.
Ed says that AC/DC were awesome, and Snakepit was cool, too, but there
was not enough SLASH! (Is there ever enough?) Ed said that SLASH looked
SAD! SLASH, cheer up! We have an audience full of fans who would gladly
party you into a great mood. Ed said he saw GNR in the same building in
1991, and he thinks it's time that GNR got back together. Thanks, Ed, and
we'll try to check up on SLASH. We know that when he is concentrating, he
doesn't smile or make eye contact as he is too into playing. Let's hope
that's all it is. What about other fans from Houston?
The "Fall Preview" issue of Time Out New York had a really positive
review of Ain't Life Grand. They say:
"If this hot and funky rock is what SLASH has been keeping under his hat
while we all waited to see if Axl would get his shit together, then we
wish he would've dropped it on us ages ago! It stands up to the best GNR
gave us (and as with GNR, there are just a couple of misteps)." If you
see any magazine or newspaper reviews, please send them in. Lisa tells us
that in Friday's USA Today, SLASH got a mention and so did the new
album. No review, but still, a nice mention! Thanks, Lisa.
Slash says that the new album will also be out in vinyl. Only the
cassettes and CDs are ready with the vinyl coming along soon. That's
why it is not ready for pre-ordering. He says the vinyl will be sold
in the States as well as other countries. In 95 the Snakepit album was
also on vinyl but was a UK only item.
SLASH and the guys appeared on The Tourbus for an interview a couple of
weeks ago. The guys hung out and talked and chose songs for the show.
The Tourbus is a rock station for the internet out of NYC. They promised
to have the interview available, but it still is listed as forthcoming.
They did have a nice picture of the band. Where's Matt? And why is SLASH
leaning?!
The show at Dallas will be starting very soon.
The band is pumped for this one. Tomorrow night they play Houston, Texas.
The tour is going strong but ends in a matter of 15 days. Be sure you get
out and see them. SLASH says we were lucky to see him at the beginning
when they were taking baby steps. Now they are very polished and tight.
Would be nice to see both!
Yes! We got a review from Atlanta. Illusion1982 says the show was
awesome. They had a hazardous trip from central Alabama when the
transmission caught on fire, but they made it to the show. SLASH
and the boys looked great, sounded ok, and acted great. SLASH was
not loud enough; it was hard to hear him in detail. AC/DC was great!
Best $60 he's spent since STP. Thanks!
Caton is a friend of Keri Kelli's, and he reviewed the St. Louis show.
He drove 8 hours (a record here) to get to the show, and it was well
worth it. When he arrived in town, he gave Keri a call, and they
checked out some rock stores, but they didn't have much there. They
did get a few CDs and went back to the hotel to meet a friend. Jamie
Rowe, former lead singer of Guardian, was meeting them. They went out
for dinner and drinks. Keri had to go back to the hotel for the show.
The band opened with "LSD". Rod came running out like a mad man, and
Keri was his usual energized self. The show was incredible! Rod
had the crowd in his hand by the middle of the set. The place exploded
at "Mr. Brownstone". The new tunes were great, and Matt and Johnny
seemed to be having a great time. Caton hung around backstage with
Keri, and then they went to watch AC/DC. Caton thanks Keri for hanging
with him and setting him up for the show. Keri's a great guitarist and
a great addition to Snakepit. Thanks, Caton!
Janet sent in two Snakepit mentions. Radio station WKHY in Lafayette
IN played "Been There Lately" on the day of the Indiana show. They
made favorable comments on SLASH's Snakepit and the new songs. Janet
also heard "Been There Lately" on Q95 in Indianapolis. The dj gave
the album release date as October 10. Time to request "Been There
Lately" from your local stations!
Lenny Kravitz appeared recently on VH1 Live.
He was answering questions from a studio audience.
Someone asked how it was playing with Slash and was he the best guitar
player you've ever collaborated with. Lenny diplomatically dodged the
second half of the question. He did say that is was a great time playing
with SLASH. The two went to high school together and always wanted to
do something together. They recorded "Fields of Joy" and "Always On The
Run" at 8 am (not prime rocker time). The interviewer suggested maybe
they had been up all night. Lenny snickered and said, "Maybe!" Thanks
to Brad for sending that in.
Just to keep things rolling on this "Welcome to the Jungle" thread, Joey
says he was watching the Miss Teen USA Pageant, and right after
the swimsuit competition, they played a variation/ripoff of "Welcome to
the Jungle". It wasn't SLASH playing, but it rocked, and it's always
good to hear a GNR song. Thanks, Joey!
Fan mail story! Craig wrote to SLASH and requested a guitar pick and
sent the IRC. Nothing came. We suggested writing again and explain to
SLASH Craig never received anything. He'd just about given up, but
the letter finally came. He sent Craig NINE picks! And Craig asked
SLASH where he gets those hilarious tshirts. SLASH replied, "To answer
your question, I don't know where I get all the tshirts from. I bum
them off people somehow!? Anyway heres some picks. Enjoy!! SLASH".
So now we all know where he gets them. If he likes yours, he manages
to trade or look sad, and people just hand them over! Thanks, Craig!
Last night was the St.Louis show, and
we didn't get a single review from there. Atlanta still hasn't come
through. Are these people on the net? Tomorrow night is for all those
Dallas fans who came out to the clubs in 95 and for Blues Ball. Let
us know how the guys did! Dallas is an important city for the band.
Should be a great show!
We're still hoping for a club tour at some point. SLASH said when
they headline we'll hear 3 GNR songs, 3 Snakepit 95 songs and the
rest will be from the new album. A full length show!
These reviews are all from Kansas City. Karen said she had terrible
seats but an incredible time. Everyone around her was so pumped for
SLASH! SLASH played the beginning of "Mr. Brownstone" over and over, and
it was terrific! EVERYONE was on their feet! Most of the audience was
there for AC/DC, and Karen was thrilled to see all the enthusiasm for
SLASH. She hopes the tour will result in selling tons of copies of
Ain't Life Grand. Our Man sounded fabulous and looked great, too.
Karen, a true fan, drove 3 hours to get there, had awful seats, paid
for the hotel, dragged a friend along so she wouldn't have to make that
long drive alone, missed AC/DC to get back to her friend and drove back
next morning - all for 45 minutes of Snakepit. And how does Karen feel
about that? "It was so worth it. I would do it again in a second." Thanks,
Karen! That ought to give the boys a boost!
Justin was moved to send in his review when he read Damian's last night
that was less than positive. Justin said that SLASH and Rod f*cking
rocked. The sound was bad with SLASH's guitar not loud enough over the
band. Just his presence made up for it! Every song rocked, and it was
one of the best concerts Justin has ever seen. The music and the energy
were wonderful. Justin plans to get TWO copies of the album and see
Snakepit as many times as he can in the future. And AC/DC was alright,
too! Thanks, Justin!
Damian has decided to take another pass at his review. We definitely
think his sore foot influenced him. Damian says he's sorry if anyone's
feelings were hurt. (After working with Axl, we think SLASH has the
skin of a rhino) He says that the sound is really what made the band
so terrible to him. He says he can't tell really how they played because
of the sound. (When will this EVER be fixed?) Damian really wants to
meet SLASH and thank him for the autographed picture he sent him awhile
back. SLASH is the reason Damian picked up a guitar after 14 years of
piano and violin, and he'd like to tell SLASH someday what an inspiration
he has been to him. (We think you just did!) Thanks, Damian, and don't
worry...we want honest opinions here! Take care of that foot. And thanks
for writing again.
Phoenix Rock tells us that thre was a good program on August 26 on UK
television. They had an evening of programs dedicated to the life of
excess. "Hellraisers" was followed by "The Real Keith Moon" and finally
a program called "Rock Babylon" which featured SLASH talking about
sex, drugs and rock and roll. Watch for reruns! Thanks, Phoenix!
The latest issue of the Japanese magazine Burrn! features
a SLASH interview, review and advertisement of the new album. A
special issue of Burrn! called Metallion is due
out this month featuring a SLASH interview. The rock magazines
are covering SLASH and the band closely in anticipation of their
coming to Japan soon. These aren't easy or inexpensive magazines
to get in the States, but the pictures are always fantastic. The
articles are in Japanese, but the magazines always seem to be
well worth the price.
Tonight is the St.Louis MO show, and
in 2 days on September 7, it is BIG D! This should be another big show
for SLASH's Snakepit. Get out there, Dallas! It's great when Snakepit
can see the seats full when they come out. Give SLASH and the band
a warm Texas welcome.
In going over some of the reviews, SLASH wanted to comment on problems
with meeting him after the show. The deal is the same as always. After
the Snakepit show, he and the band go to the dressing room to relax
by themselves. Then, they meet those with backstage passes in the
backstage area. This is while AC/DC are still doing their show. When
everyone backstage has been acknowledged and talked to, the band
hustles off to their bus. There, they hang out mostly by themselves.
But at this point and later, fans can come around if you can get
access to the bus. If the bus is parked inside in a secure area and
there is no access, there is nothing SLASH can do. He can't come and
find fans, and they can't find him. He says he tries very hard to make
arrangements and be friendly and accessible. Sometimes it just doesn't
work out the way we want. SLASH felt the criticism was a little harsh,
but now that everyone knows he is trying very hard to see them, we
should be a bit more understanding. You can be sad about not seeing him,
but don't be upset with him or the band. You know SLASH wants to meet
you all! And with his availability, it is just a matter of time. We've
waited 7 years to meet him. The wait was well worth it!
Janet sent us a note that on Wed., Sept. 6 at 11:30am EST, VH1 will
re-air the "Sound Affects" show that features SLASH. He talks about
his Aerosmith inspiration to start playing guitar. SLASH also talks
about an early girlfriend named Lori and about GNR opening for
Aerosmith. Should be a winner! Thanks, Janet!
If you haven't visited the Rolling Stone site lately at
www.rollingstone.com, get over there and see the great pictures
of Snakepit (just Rod and SLASH) and AC/DC. They have a super
note under the picture on the News page. They are gorgeous pictures!
Thanks to SlickMojo who made sure we saw these.
x-factor sent a short note form launch.com. It says SLASH was
mesmerized when AC/DC singer Brian Johnson greeted Snakepit during
the tour kickoff. Says SLASH, "He came into our dressing room the
night of the first show. I had my pants halfway up when he came in".
You can always count on SLASH to give you these great mental pictures!
Thanks!
Here's an animated story found by SlickMojo that is absolutely hilarious. You know
how you have heard different stories about why SLASH left GNR? Some strange
mind came up with a new one! And it is so funny, we wanted to share it
with all of you:
There's a Snakepit review from Kansas City, and we have to warn the
hardcore fans that this is not a good one. Maybe go look at that funny
animation again. Damian went with good feelings because he had never
seen SLASH live before, and he is Damian's number one guitar guy. The
sound was atrocious! Damian says he has never heard worse sound for a
show in his life. (SLASH, stop reading this!) Rod seemed a little off
this night. Both Rod and SLASH made (don't say it!) mistakes during the
show. Johnny, Keri and Matt were better than Rod and SLASH that night.
Now that the band is in tatters, Damien does want to say some nice
things (YEA!). Rod is a better singer than Eric Dover and has a great
set of pipes. Even though Damien didn't like SLASH's performance, he
is the main reason Damien picked up a guitar. He's a wonderful guy.
He once sent him his band's second demo CD, and he took time to send
back an autographed photo. (That's our guy!) Damien didn't get to see
SLASH after the show (see opening paragraph above). And Damien ends by
saying he will go and see SLASH if they come through Kansas City again,
and he'll buy the new album. Damian made an effort to get to the show
having had foot surgery two days before. Maybe your foot was really
bothering you? That bad sound can make a sore foot worse. Thanks, Damian!
At least you came and are coming again! SLASH'll getcha next time!
Snakepit is in Kansas City tonight, and there
are some really strong fans out there! Fans are even coming in on
crutches. Go, 'pit! Tomorrow's Labor Day in the US, and SLASH and the
band are off, too. Maybe they will hang out in Kansas City for awhile
or move on to St. Louis early. Look for that blue van with the Snakepit
picture! The picture seems to be the new Snakepit logo. Has the famous
snake retired? And it really is too bad that Keri is not on the logo!
Tonight we have a Minneapolis review and two from Chicago. Taffer23
reports that Minneapolis was a kick ass show. He had a good view of
the band. Snakepit songs were great and so was "Mr. Brownstone". Rod sounds
a little like Axl when he sings, but Taffer23 says...it was good
anyway! He can't wait for Ain't Life Grand to come out and
expects it to be a kick ass record. Thank you, Taffer23!
Jason was at the Chicago show, and he absolutely loved Snakepit! Jason
was lucky enough to have front row seats. He said that he and his friend
were the only ones standing in their sections. Keri and Johnny came over
to rock out with them! Keri threw him a pick! Seeing SLASH only a few
feet away was unbelievable. They didn't get to talk to the band after
the show as the tourbus immediately left, but they are hoping for another
chance on a club tour. Jason, what a great evening! Thanks!
Jay drove 3 hours to Chicago close for Snakepit! SLASH amazed him even
more than he thought he would. He was completely entranced by SLASH the
whole time. The sound was not great; Jason couldn't make out what Rod
was saying; but SLASH's solos were awesome. He went to the gate after
the show, and SLASH's bus driver said he would get his many items
autographed. And he did. Jason wants to thank SLASH and plans to send
a thank you to the fan mail. He says he can't wait for the album, and
"Mean Bone" was awesome. Thanks to SLASH from Jason, and thanks to
Jason from us!
Jason mentioned the fan mail, and last night SLASH's manager was in
L.A. on business and was picking up a box of fan mail to take back to
SLASH. So the new system seems to be working although, of course, it
will take longer since SLASH is on tour. Still, if you want to write
him, or thank him, or ask for an autograph, go for it! SLASH wants
to hear from you! If you haven't written before, please go to Main
Menu, click on Write To SLASH, and read some of the tips there. If
you are an old hand at this, we'll remind you that the new address
is:
c/o Susan Blond, Inc.
14542 Ventura Blvd., Suite 210
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
We just have two SLASH/fan questions left. We'll see if SLASH can do
some more while on tour.
Question from Jordan: What goes through your
head right before you walk on stage in front of thousands of people?
SLASH replies: I am not conscious of thinking anything in particular. I
am full of nervous energy.
Question from Ray: What was the first gig
you ever played where you got paid...real money? Do you remember any of
the songs?
SLASH replies: I was with Hollywood Rose, and we played at Madame Wong's
in L.A.
Tonight we spoke to SLASH's manager. Sam says
the tour is really going well. Right now they have a van with the
Snakepit band picture on it traveling around with them. The van will
be used as a listening station where fans can come in and listen to
the new single (at least). They'll have posters, stickers and other
things to give away along with a cassette of Been There Lately.
That has already started, so look for the dark blue van with the
band pictures. Check it out, hear the music and collect those
Snakepit souvenirs! SLASH
has some cool ideas.
We asked Sam
to get us the phone number of
radio stations, so we can call in and request Been There Lately.
We have quite a few numbers ourselves, and we're hoping to get more,
national and international. Not every station has the promotional CD
yet, but we can help them get one!
SLASH says that he has not come up with anything final on the
October schedule. September is pretty well set with the addition
of Sacramento on 9/22 with AC/DC. Slash's team is working up a
schedule that will be available sometime this month. When it is,
we will post it right here. If you wonder who it is that has the
absolute final say on where Snakepit goes and when, that's SLASH.
He knows all the cool places to go!
Snakepit is getting good publicity. Did you catch The Rock Show last night?
SLASH was on in a taped segment talking about AC/DC and the tour and
the album. VH1 showed some video clips from Snakepit shows. All the
Snakepit shows are being videotaped, and at the end of the tour, a
"Been There Lately" video can be made which can be shown on any and
all stations!
This picture of SLASH was on the Pollstar site yesterday.
This is SLASH at the Atlanta show. Sometimes the site showed a picture
of Angus Young, but if you came back, you'd see SLASH! Thanks,
Vinnie for finding that! By the way, Angus/SLASH aren't there anymore!
For those who keep track of these things, the Japanese release of
Ain't Life Grand will have catalog number: VICP-61160.
Snakepit is off tonight, on the move from
Illinois to Minnesota. Minneapolis may be cold in the winter, but it's
hot when SLASH is in town! Take your friends out to see SLASH! Tomorrow they
will be in Kansas City where all the crazy little women are...take them
to see SLASH and they're yours. Still no word on subsequent tour schedules.
The first single off Ain't Life Grand is "Been There Lately" which
should be out sometime this month. SLASH agreed that the song could appear
here, but only clips, not the full song. The song is 4 minutes long, and we
have 3:06 here with the second verse completely excised. Check this out:
We have some news on the Japanese release of Ain't Life Grand which
goes on sale 9/21/2000. The same 12 tracks will be on the Japanese and
other releases, but the Japanese release has two bonus tracks: "Rusted Heroes"
and "Something About Your Love". The import can be ordered through
(at least) Amazon.com at just under $40. Those two tracks are definitely
of interest! Note that Japanese fans will be lucky enough to have the
album prior to the band playing there in November.
Reviews coming in today are from the Chicago and the Milwaukee shows.
Kathy wrote about the Chicago show where she started out with a lawn
seat but sneaked up closer. The set was about 35 minutes long. After
3 or 4 songs, SLASH did his much appreciated stripping off of his
shirt. Kathy says SLASH is the awesome performer he always has been.
The audience wasn't too into it till they played "Mr.Brownstone". She
felt the guys were impressive live and put on a good show. Thanks, Kathy!
Jason was also at Chicago. He bought the tickets when Snakepit was
announced as the opening act. Jason says the show was great! They started
on time and played 40 minutes. He liked "Speed Parade", "Mean Bone" and
"Shine" best with "Speed Parade" being the favorite. He says it was cool
to see the "Mr.Brownstone" cover as he had missed the GNR shows. It was
a great show, and everyone should get out there because it's really
worth the money to see these two awesome bands. Thanks, Jason!
Jecca and Wayne came on a charitable mission to get SLASH and AC/DC
to sign items for the Christmas Is For Kids charity. Where they were
told to wait, they could only hear but not see the band. It was sheer
torture not to see SLASH perform. Jecca only saw him walk off the stage.
They did see SLASH doing an interview with someone in Japan over the phone. They
met up with SLASH's bodyguard who let them in to see SLASH. They asked
him to sign some caps like the ones he wears. SLASH asked if he could have
one! He said that when his house was robbed, all of his hats were taken
except two. So they found one in his size, and he was happy. (Now you
know what to get him for Christmas!) The charity, as one of its good
deeds, brings teachers in to teach homeless kids music. SLASH nodded and
said it helped him, too. SLASH went off to watch the AC/DC show. His
bodyguard said no one would bother SLASH because he blends right into the
audience. (Is there anyone else he could not fool?!). Thanks, Jecca!
Kate drove 5 hours to see SLASH's Snakepit at the Milwaukee show. She
gives the show an A+! SLASH was in top form and sounded amazing. Rod
is the most energetic front man Kate has seen in a long time. They
played about 40 minutes. When the opening drum beat of "Mr.Brownstone"
started, the crowd went wild! The sound was not good. It was really
distorted, and she couldn't hear Rod or SLASH. SLASH was much better
than she imagined and well worth the long road trip. The only disappointing
thing was that they didn't see SLASH after the show for an autograph.
Thanks, Kate!
Have a look at
Guitar One's October issue. Fozzy tells us
that there is a full page ad with the distorted picture of the band
promoting Ain't Life Grand. At the bottom it has Koch Records
saying, "SLASH's Snakepit-the new album, Ain't Life Grand in
stores everywhere October 10th!" Thanks, Fozzy!
SLASH is on VH1 at midnight doing an
interview and with footage of the AC/DC Tour!! TUNE IN!
about the tour! Tune in!! Tonight Snakepit plays Tinley Park in
Illinois. Last time SLASH was here, he played with Cheap Trick, one
of his favorite bands. Tomorrow is an off day followed by a big show
in Minneapolis. While sound problems continue, the band otherwise
seems to be sounding better and better. The only disappointments
are the set is too short, and SLASH is not available for autographs
and pictures after the show. Watch for him during the day...you just
might spot him roaming around your town.
Dave sent us a review on the Cincinnati show. He says SLASH rocked
just as expected. Snakepit played 6 songs, all from the forthcoming
album, and covered "Mr. Brownstone". SLASH was dancing and jumping
all around, all over. He even jumped down into the audience twice
for awesome solos! David said the sound could have been mixed better,
but the new songs and "Mr. Brownstone" sounded great. Dave says he
can't wait for Ain't Life Grand, and he has promised to send
pictures for the scrapbook which is underway. Thanks so much, Dave!
Michael was at the Indianapolis show. This was his first rock concert!
And who better to show you how to rock than SLASH? He said he liked
all the songs, especially "Mr. Brownstone" and "Speed Parade". Michael
says the bass was up a little too much, and the guitars could have been
up a little more. He said he didn't get to meet Slash because he had
left, but he did manage to get some from AC/DC. A successful evening!
Thank you, Michael!
If you live in New Jersey or New York and like rock music, you've
heard of Saturday Night Rock on WNEW 102.7. This past Saturday,
SLASH's Snakepit was a guest! They hung around live in the studio for
a couple of hours, took live phone calls, and playing tracks from
Ain't Life Grand. Total insanity reigned in the studio and
outside WNEW's Manhattan studios. SLASH signed autographs and posed
with fans for pictures. SLASH did his usual amount of smoking, drinking
and cursing on the air! He answered some questions such as what is the
favorite song you've written ("Paradise City"), how are you and Gilby
getting along (SLASH no longer speaks to Gilby), which artist do you
most want to record with (Stevie Wonder), did you know James Lomenzo
was from White Lion when you hired him for Snakepit '95 (no, SLASH
was not a fan of pop metal bands). The band grabbed a stack of
SNR tshirts and fled into the night where they hung out with fans in
a courtyard. What a super interview! There was much more, of course.
Aside from Ain't Life Grand tracks, SLASH made some requests:
UFO's "Mother Mary" (live), Aerosmith's "Combination"
and Cheap Trick's: "Elo Kiddies" (live). That's SLASH all right...
requests for UFO, Cheap Trick and Aerosmith! The dj, Ed, says that
within a week (should be this Saturday or so) there will be pictures
and interview clips on both www.wnew.com and www.eddietrunk.com. So
check those out!
To USA fans, Happy Labor Day, Monday September 4. The rest of the world should
see improved response times. On 9/4, even SLASH has a day off. The
SLASH page will report through Sunday and take a day off then too.
Tonight the band is in Milwaukee WI with
AC/DC. 8/31: Tinley Park IL. 9/2: Minneapolis MN. SLASH and the band
really appreciate seeing you hardcore fans, so get out there! And don't
forget to send a review - what they played, wore, what the sound was
like, if you met them, etc. The band needs to see your area's support
if you are looking for a club show! Tonight's
news is that we should have the Pacific Rim Tour schedule in a couple
of days. This will be the confirmed schedule from SLASH and company.
We'll publish it just as soon as it gets here. SLASH said the reason
he didn't send it sooner was they were trying to work out a way to
connect up with AC/DC somewhere in Europe and finish that leg of their
tour with them. We've been telling you in Europe that Snakepit will not
tour with AC/DC there. But the bands have had such a great time together,
they are looking for ways to continue. We don't know which countries
are included just yet. The band leaves for Australia on 11/8 for a tour
of about 3 weeks. We're just not sure when they will get back with AC/DC.
We'll keep you posted with information straight from SLASH and his
management.
Just one review tonight, and this one is from last night's show in
Cincinnati OH. Brian says Snakepit appeared on time. SLASH had on his
purple leathers, red Chuck Taylor shoes, and the Snakepit tshirt that
they are selling at all the venues! Rod was in orange velvet pants and
a white tank top. Keri and Johnny wore leather pants and black tshirts.
As usual, Matt was behind the drums. What are you wearing, Matt?!
SLASH did "Been There Lately" on his knees, Rod sang the
theme to WKRP in Cincinnati. SLASH talked, but it was
very hard to u
d him. then did "Mr. Brownstone", and the
place erupted. SLASH tried to say something at the end, but the mike
was turned down and everybody missed it. (Could we PLEASE fix the sound!)
Brian thought the songs were good, and the album will be hot. The mix
seemed to start out fine, but by the middle of the set it was getting
difficult to decipher vocals and guitars. Keri told Brian after the show
that Snakepit doesn't get to do soundcheck. Setting up AC/DC's stage
takes so long there is no time left. Keri also said they are negotiating
for 10 more minutes of their set. Brian said the band was tight and
watching SLASH run around reminds you of the GNR days. He got to hang
out with the band members (minus SLASH) after the show in their bus.
Brian got to talk to each guy a long time and really enjoyed it. SLASH
was not on the bus even when it left. We assume SLASH and his girlfriend
were flying. Thanks, Brian!
Several people have reported that they wrote to Keri Kelli and got
replies! Keri is a super nice guy, and the responses we've seen bear
that out. Here is a Q&A:
Question: I'm George Lopez from Holland, I have heard some sound samples of
Snakepit 2000, and I LIKE IT!! Slash's website says that you are now the
permanent snakepit guitarist...how did you experience that thought?
Aren't you worried that this email address will be spammed bigtime, now
that it's on the net?
Keri Replies: hello holland hope all is well all is great in da pit!!!! im
very
happy to be here. all guys are bros. weve known each other for a few years
now
so i just slide right in. we hope to get over to you here soon
possibly
with ac dc . i have some filters to stop the mail i don't even own a
computer but try to get to one about once a week.i got about 150 (emails) just
since
the 23rd . anyway talk to you later kk
If you have a question or message, write to Keri at this address:
We'll follow up Keri's question with a couple put to SLASH by fans:
Question from Zou in China: When you are in the recording studio and
ready to record, how can you keep the feeling as usual or do you just
have a new feeling? When you are first in the studio, how do you feel?
SLASH replies: When you first walk in, it takes awhile to get in the
mood and get comfortable with the other players. So you talk or fool
around, but at a certain time, you get it and just start playing.
Thanks, SLASH and Zou!
Uros from Slovenia asks: How many GNR and Snakepit pinball machines
were made and are they all over the world or in other countries?
SLASH replies: There were 550 GNR pinball machines made. As for
Snakepit, I am not sure of that number, but it was also a limited
amount. The machines were sold to distributors who then sold them
to individuals or companies. By now many have been sold again, so
they could be anywhere in the world.
Thanks, SLASH and Uros!
The guys have three big shows in a row
starting with tonight's gig in Cincinnati OH. 8/30 has them in Milwaukee
WI followed by Tinley Park IL on 8/31. Good reviews in a minute!
Time to pre-order Ain't Life Grand! Two of our favorite stores
on the web have the Snakepit album ready for pre-orders, www.cdnow.com
and www.knac.com. Price is the same at each, $13.99 plus shipping. CDNOW
also has the cassette tape format at a little over $10. While KNAC does
it only in CD, there are some great advantages to shopping there. They
have autographed posters of the artwork FREE with your preorder while
supplies last. And while you're there, you can enter the contest to
win a pair of tickets to one of the remaining Snakepit/AC/DC shows
beginning with Milwaukee WI. Transportation, etc. is at your own expense.
CDNOW has one day delivery at additional cost while KNAC offers a
priority delivery with number of days not quoted. Other deals are no
doubt around. Let's get those albums preordered now! SLASH says he'll
tour "as long as the album has legs", so we want to get the sales up
high to keep him out there.
On a SLASH personal note, we mentioned that SLASH sold his mansion
before touring started. The buyers were that interesting acting couple
Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie. Dave James from England sent us
an article from the British TV listings magazine, TV Times. It says
Thornton/Jolie slapped down 2.5m pounds to buy SLASH's eight bedroom
house in Beverly Hills. It was the first house they looked at, and
they loved it. The sound studio that SLASH built and where Snakepit
rehearsed and recorded will be used by Billy Bob. Angelina loved the
kitchen in the bedroom. They may put in a velcro wall so they can
throw each other up against it. Somehow the whole place seemed a lot
cooler with SLASH and the snakes. Don't worry! SLASH is not homeless!
He and his girlfriend are in a cool place in the LA area. Thanks, Dave!
Some Indiana reviews: Chad is from Kentucky and drove over 200 miles to
Indianapolis to see SLASH's Snakepit. He said it was worth every mile.
The mixing problem was still there, but the energy was unreal. Chad
singles out Keri and Rod for special praise. This is great; Chad says
he's a huge GNR fan, but after the show last night, he can't remember
the GNR singer's name...Axl something? And SLASH is the greatest
guitarist alive! Chad's looking forward to a club tour...thanks, Chad!
Larry also caught the Indy show and "was knocked off my ass"! It was the
first time he'd heard of the band! Welcome to the 'pit, Larry! Larry
would like to get a copy of the set list. If anyone has one, let us
know. Vocals were hard to understand, but he still was blown out of his
seat. SLASH is "f*cking awesome" and Rod is "amazing".
Our very good pal, Maria in NYC, went over to MSG to see SLASH. Totally
awesome is her quick review. She says SLASH is in shape and wore his
top hat, black Fender tshirt and leather pants. Rod was pronounced
"gorgeous". He said New Yorkers are cool, their bars stay open all night,
they get the best drugs and they are "badass motherf*ckers"! The Garden
went wild at that. Maria said that "Mr. Brownstone" was done with total
respect by Rod and the band. They didn't try to be GNR. SLASH mentioned
the album comes out Oct. 10. They only played for 35 minutes, all songs
from the album except "Mr. Brownstone". The big disappointment was waiting
for SLASH 2 1/2 hours before the show and a half hour after, and he never
came out. SLASH went into the Garden in a white limo and never came out.
Maria says she is going to sleep at the box office when tickets for the
club tour come out. Thanks, Maria, and next time they come to NYC, we
hope to be there. We understand that one reason SLASH didn't come out
at the end was that Steven Tyler and Jack Douglas came backstage and
hung out with the band. Douglas, as you know,
produced Ain't Life Grand. Prior to that, he produced for Aerosmith
and is currently working with that band. Steven was dressed in a beautiful
velvet suit and looked great!
Some SLASH/fan questions:
Question from Jeff of Portland OR: My question is regarding the GNR
pinball machine. There are several GNR songs on there; however, there
are other songs on there that are not on any GNR album. For example,
the "SLASH solo guitar feature" or the song played on the "extra ball
feature". Did you actually record these songs for the pinball machine?
I've also heard that there are other unreleased tracks on the machine.
Is this true?
SLASH replies: There are eight different original GNR recordings which
were taken off the masters. An unreleased song is "Ain't Goin' Down"
with no lyrics. If you see the Viper pinball game which I also did the
music for, you'll find "Speed Parade" there. It's the sound the car
makes.
Thanks, SLASH and Jeff!
Question: I think there's a dispute over which ernie balls you use.
A book, Legends of Guitar says you use 10s standard gauge
strings. On this site it says you use 11s ernie balls. When I ask
my music store what is standard gauge, they say there is no standard
gauge. Could you please specify what gauge strings you really use?
I use 11-46 ernie ball strings. (webmaster will correct the site).
Thanks, SLASH!
Tonight there are reviews
from NYC/NJ and two from Indianapolis. The guys have the night off and
are on their way to Cincinnati OH for the show tomorrow. If you've had
a chance to visit Koch's Germany page for Snakepit, they have a schedule
up for the Pacific Rim Tour. We're waiting for SLASH to confirm this
before we put it up. One of their past schedules had the band in Germany
when they were in Canada, so we just want to be sure we put up the correct
one. If the schedule is correct, the band is playing some interesting
countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, etc. Interestingly, Singapore is not on
the Koch list, and Slash mentioned them specifically so we'll check that
out. One cool thing on their site is what they call a "card" although
you can't send it from there or put text on it. Still it's kind of a
neat thing to download and keep yourself. George clued us in on this
new e-card...thanks, George. The website is at www.slash-snakepit.com.
Did you ever see SLASH in Tales From The Crypt? The episode
was "In The Groove", and SLASH was great. Help get it aired again!
Chris tells us that if you go to:
you can vote for your favorite episode. On Sept.20 the SciFi network will
show the 6 episodes with the most votes. Vote for SLASH!
Snakepit was in Wilkes Barre PA a week ago. Mike tells us that his
favorite radio station there has been playing a ton of Snakepit songs!
They are getting requested especially "Been There Lately"! That must
have been some show!
The Indianapolis reviews are interesting. Laurence said the show was
pretty good, but once again the sound mix wasn't great. Rod's vocals
couldn't be understood, and SLASH wasn't loud enough. But the show
rocked! Snakepit played 35 minutes. Laurence came close to meeting
SLASH by hanging out on the ramp for tour buses. A small green car
came out and got stuck in traffic. A fan ran over, and it was SLASH!
Laurence said he spent too much time thinking what to say, and the
little car with SLASH, Rod, a driver, and either Keri or Johnny G sped away.
Next time, Laurence, yell, "SLASH, can I buy you a Jack and coke?"!
Ryan was also at the Indianapolis show. He says SLASH and Snakepit
kicked ass SLASH style! He got the new tshirt, and reports that the
band covered "Mr. Brownstone" as well as playing a good assortment
of the album songs. The show started right on time and ran for 40
minutes. Ryan's only complaint was the sound system which had a lot
of distortion and reverb. You could hardly make out the vocals. But
SLASH kicked ass, and Ryan says, "SLASH is the best f*ckin' guitarist
rockin' right now". Rod referred to SLASH as the maestro of guitar.
AC/DC fans enjoyed the show, but they miss the old GNR days and
are reserving judgment till the album is out. Thanks, Ryan, and as
you say, "it's finally happening".
Rob sent us information on two shows, the NJ and the NYC shows. Rob
said he was wasted by the time the NJ show started. But he sobered
up some and got to see the show. Rob works at Trump Records and already
has the album! He says that when they were at the Garden, he made eye
contact with SLASH. SLASH saw Rob and his friend standing during a solo
and made a face at them! Rob says he's been near SLASH and met him in
'97, but the NYC/MSG show was a highlight of his life! Thanks, Rob!
Did you hear The TourBus
interview with SLASH on Saturday, 8/26? It was online, and
we have a copy here for you if you'd like to check it out. The interview
starts out with Rod and Johnny G. SLASH talks hoarsely when he comes in
later. For copyright reasons, the full songs have been snipped from the
interview. You can hear it on the Online Interviews and Chats section
under Snakepit 1999-2000, or hear it now:
Tonight the 'pit has finished their show at Indianapolis and are getting
ready to leave for Cincinnati OH. They hope to see a lot of fans there
on 8/29. On 8/30 they will appear in Milwaukee. They are all over the
US map. It's not too late to get tickets! Now, more reviews:
Tommy and his fiance hit the Wilkes Barre show. It's pretty cool because
they live in NYC, but by the time Snakepit was announced as opening act
there, all the good seats were gone. So they decided: ROAD TRIP! These
are two dedicated SLASH fans. The seats were great, and they buzzed out
after seeing Snakepit. Wonder how many of us did that?! Tommy says the
show was great, and SLASH can really move. Tommy was feeling a little
sad about Axl not being up there with SLASH. The end of an era. But he
said that Rod was great and thinks they can sell in the US with enough
touring and will sell better in the rest of the world. They didn't get
to meet SLASH as Security was very strict. Tommy said the best two in
the band are SLASH and Matt Laug, the drummer. Tommy promises to send
some pictures he took from his great seats. He really wishes he could
have gotten his guitar signed and taken a picture of SLASH. Thanks, Tommy!
Let's get back to NYC. Diana says Snakepit rocked Manhattan! She couldn't
believe how great the band is. Rod connects with the audience and makes
you feel like you are on stage, too. Keri Kelli was a special surprise,
playing crouched way down with one foot sticking out. He looked, Diane
says, "like a sexy spider"! Matt was great to watch with his long
hair flying like crazy. Johnny G. was outfitted in full punk glory.
Our "precious SLASH" had Diane nearly crying with joy - seeing him on
his knees, leaning back, playing his guitar. During "Mean Bone" SLASH
and Rod were inches apart. Everyone was up for "Mr. Brownstone". So
don't miss this show! Thanks, Diana!
Our friend Cheryl got to the MSG Snakepit show but missed the first two tunes.
She liked the songs; very heavy. SLASH stayed to the side, but he did
come up to the mic to say hey. The place went wild for "Mr. Brownstone".
Thanks, Cheryl!
Kris was also at MSG. He thought SLASH rocked, but he didn't think much
of Rod's voice. He liked "Mr.Brownstone" as he's a big GNR fan, and he
would have liked it better if Rod wasn't so loud. (again...mix problems)
He really did enjoy SLASH's performance. Thanks, Kris!
Steven made it to MSG also - wearing his Live Era tshirt and wishing there
were more GNR and Snakepit shirts around. SLASH and the boys went on at
8 sharp, and the Garden was pretty well packed. The sound was loud and not
too clear, but the guys rocked. The band had tons of energy, and he loved
seeing a rock band kick ass. SLASH hasn't missed a beat. Steven says
SLASH is truly outstanding; a joy to listen to and watch. They played about
40 minutes. Rod announced that the new album comes out October 10. Thanks,
Steven!
Chris walked into MSG and saw that big Snakepit banner hanging there and
thought...this is great! He's been waiting to see SLASH live again for
a long time. Chris caught SLASH's Blues Ball in '97. Steven's seats were
up near the top, but he had binoculars and watched the set through them.
The sound was distorted, and it was hard to make out what Rod was
saying. SLASH could hardly be heard, but just watching him was pretty
cool. Chris said he wishes more Slash and GNR fans would have showed up
in support of Snakepit, but the opening band was not promoted in any
way. Everyone went wild for "Mr. Brownstone", and it confirmed to
anyone still guessing that the top hatted one was really SLASH. Chris
says he can't wait for them to headline and wishes them the best of
luck. Thanks, Chris!
To all who have sent reviews, we are a little behind moving your full
text reviews to the Review page. Bear with us. While the band is on
tour, it's busy here too, but we are trying hard to catch up!
Been lonely in the big city? There was no need
for Snakepit to feel that way last night! By the number of reviews we
got on the NYC/MSG show, they had a lot of big fans out! That means a
lot to them...seeing your seats filled and hearing that applause. Indianapolis
should give them a good reception tomorrow night. Rock 'em out, SLASH!
We have reviews going back to Wilkes Barre for which we're greatful. The
only city we didn't hear from was Atlanta. It's not too late! And if you
want the gang to think you want a club show, let's get with it! There
are some here from Jersey and the mountain from MSG. Don't forget, the
full text of each review will be on the Review section in the next day
or two. There's now a shortcut
there on the second screen by the picture of SLASH in silhouette.
How about Wilkes Barre PA? Mike says the show completely rocked, and the
new songs blew him away. Snakepit covered "Mr. Brownstone" introduced by
SLASH as, "I know you f*ckers know this song. This is something of
Appetite back in the GNR days"! Our leader speaks! Yes! AC/DC was
good, but Snakepit was something Mike says he will never forget. Thanks,
Mike!
Lola used her vacation to follow AC/DC with a friend. They started in
VA to check out Snakepit. She thought the music was great,and the songs
were phenomenal. She singled out Johnny G. for special praise as "one of
the best bassists I have ever heard". The next stop was Wilkes Barre PA
to see the boys rock the arena. Her favorite song is "Been There Lately".
Johnny again gets high marks. Yoh, Johnny G, you made a big fan here!
Then they were off to New Jersey and New York. Lola loves Snakepit!
She's a big fan of the band and Johnny G. Thanks, Lola, what a great
vacation!
Moving on to New Jersey, Hulubuloo said this first Snakepit show was
incredible. She was in the front row and could see the big banner and
all the guys very clearly. The whole band is so tight; they could have
been together forever. Keri and Johnny looked like cool rock and roll
stars, and their skills were very impressive. Matt is totally killer on
drums and "pounded the hell out of Brownstone". Rod is awesome with
energy off the charts. His voice is superb, and he puts on a great show.
SLASH is superlative! He saw that Hulubuloo got a guitar pick from the
show. They did not get to meet SLASH after the show, but she knows he
saw her screaming "I love you" and saw that she got a guitar pick.
Thanks!
Alla was seeing SLASH live for the first time from row 2. Seeing that
big Snakepit manner made it all become real. SLASH wore tight jeans,
black tshirt, purple converse sneakers and his top hat. Rod had on
silver suede pants. Johnny wore what looked like leather pants, shirt
and vest, and a tie. Keri was in leather pants and carried a beautiful
blue sparking guitar. The band went from one song to the next very
quickly. Alla liked them all. Rod ran around with great stage presence.
Alla loves his voice. The sound was strange again, and they played about
half an hour. Thanks, Alla!
Now the big show, New York. We have ten or so reviews here, so rather
than shorten them up too much, we'll run half today and half tomorrow.
The first review we got was from Tony who says Snakepit played about
35 minutes. The 'pit was louder than AC/DC (SLASH's motto: Play It
F*ckin' Loud"!), but the mix really was not great. Rod's voice was
too loud, and the guitars seemed to be fighting each other. Tony is
a huge fan but found the songs to be mediocre except for "Speed Parade".
The 'pit rushed through the songs possibly to showcase the forthcoming
album. SLASH was looking great with great stage presence. Tony would
like to see them at a smaller venue. Thanks!
Max said the sound was pretty good last night. Rod was amazing with Matt
right on the money, Johnny Blackout did his thing as it should be done,
Keri sounded great! SLASH...does he need to tell you how SLASH was?
SLASH was cool as a cucumber when he went off. Max didn't wait for
AC/DC (neither did we). He worked with Snakepit 95, so SLASH spotted
him, stuck out his tongue, and had a funny picture taken! SLASH is
always so full of life and presence. Thanks, Max! We'd love to see
those photos - especially the tongue!
Ingrid went to her second Snakepit show. She said SLASH sounded great
with little distortion. The guys kicked ass! Ingrid can't get enough
of AC/DC and Snakepit. She didn't get a chance to meet him, and she's
hoping for a chance during the club tour. She wishes SLASH a great
tour and says that NYC/NJ loves him. Thanks, Ingrid!
Mike says that the MSG show was the greatest show he ever went to. SLASH
was great. Snakepit played "Shine" and "Mr.Brownstone" which got everyone
on their feet. Mike can't wait for the new album, and he hopes that SLASH
will be back in NYC soon. SLASH used his signature Snakepit guitar. Mike
wants to thank SLASH because he really only went to see Snakepit, but
he also got AC/CD! Mike scored a Snakepit tshirt knowing SLASH Rulessssss.
Waseem says the band was awesome. The band finished on a wild note with
"Mr. Brownstone", and there were a lot of people in by then to cheer them
on. Waseem promises some photos! We're going to get them out on the page
as soon as we have a few more. Don't forget to scan your ticket, flyer,
whatever!
By the way, Keri Kelli's bio has been updated....under Snakepit 1999-2000,
click on The Band to see the bios. Keri gave us additional information.
We were impressed with his background. He really is a cool guy.
Last night was the great show in New Jersey, and shortly
the band will take the stage for the Madison Square Garden
show. Indianapolis IN is next on August 27. Road Trip!
Did you see SLASH on the Jon Stewart show? Jeans, tshirt,
bandana tied to his back pocket, top hat, sneakers. He's great
just to look at. He and Jon had a short interview on the tour,
the album, and some funny stuff. Stewart implied SLASH was high,
but we can tell you he was drug-free. SLASH looked tired and
thinner, but no matter what, he still gives a great interview.
The show repeats quite often. Try Friday at 7pm or Monday at
10am.
We got another interview from Philly. Greg says the Snakepit show
was one of the best he has ever been to. SLASH went on at 8pm, and
they rocked! He only knew the title for "Shine" and "Mr. Brownstone",
When "Mr. Brownstone" was played, the place erupted. People were
standing and singing along. SLASH wore a top hat, black pants,
and a black shirt. The shirt only made it through two songs. The
sound wasn't the best, but the boys rocked. SLASH wasn't heavily
promoted so a lot of latecomers looked surprised to see him there.
One kid asked, "why is this guy trying to be like SLASH?" Then
someone turned around and said, "That is SLASH, you idiot"! Rod
was good on Mr. Brownstone, but Axl's better. (Greg, get in the 'pit!)
Rod mooned the audience. Greg wishes like many of us that SLASH would
have played a song with AC/DC like "Whole Lotta Rosie". He can't wait
for SLASH to come back and to buy the album. He wants to tell SLASH,
"Hurry back here!!!!!" Thanks, Greg!
Here are the big New Jersey reviews. First up is Nielsen who mailed
his in at 5 minutes past midnight. He and SLASH never sleep! He went
to the show really just to meet SLASH, not caring about the other
band members. And he didn't know anything about Snakepit. When they
went into their first song, Nielsen was totally hooked. SLASH wore
a black tshirt with a face on it, black jeans, purple converse shoes
with black laces, and the top hat. They had awesome stage presence,
and Rod was very energetic. They played "Mr. Brownstone", and the audience
sang along. Nielsen says that he was standing on his chair with his
lighter on! After the set, he spent his food money on a Snakepit
tshirt. SLASH, we think you've made a convert! Thanks, Nielsen. Now
get some rest.
Ingrid was also at the New Jersey show. Her three word review: SLASH
kicked ass!!!!! Her only complaint is that there was a lot of distortion,
so SLASH didn't sound as clear as he usually does. SLASH was great and
so was the rest of the band. Ingrid is also going to MSG and hopes to
meet SLASH there. Thanks, Ingrid.
Our last review on the New Jersey show is from Gary. Gary says that
SLASH wore all black while Rod wore really cool black/silver velvet
pants, no shirt. He thinks the rest of the band may have been in
black also. Snakepit put on about a 40 minute absolutely wild
hard rock and roll show. Rod's voice was mixed too loud to even
understand the words, but the band still sounds incredible. Matt
Laug is very impressive. Johnny G was great live - he has so much
style in his performance. SLASH shook the walls with loud, hard
as hell, razor edged riffs. What makes SLASH the best is his style.
No one makes it look as good as SLASH does! SLASH did killer solos.
Rod Jackson is a brilliant showman. He's got great stage moves and
crazy antics. Snakepit delivered a great set. If you've seen them
this summer, you know what he means. If not, you have to get out there
and see this heavy rock and roll wrecking crew. Gary can't wait for
the album and the next tour and hopes it will be an all ages club!
Thanks, Gary! What a great review!
Don't forget! Tomorrow night at 8 pm tune into www.thetourbus.com
and hear SLASH live! They aren't really sure of the time he will be
on, so settle down in front of your pc with a Jack and coke and
wait for The Man.
Here are a couple of SLASH questions from fans:
Question from Brian: What is the most memorable moment of your career?
What games do you like to play in Las Vegas?
SLASH replies: I like to have memorable moments every day. As for Vegas,
I like play pinball and shoot pool. Once in a while I play the slots.
Question from Robb: Who now owns the rights to Uzi Suicide? If you still
have something to do with it, would you ever release a Snakepit album on
it? Have you ever thought of doing your own label?
SLASH replies: Uzi Suicide is a dead issue. It no longer exists. It never
was a real record label. Before I found Koch, I thought of doing my own
label, but it is a lot of work putting a management and distribution and
publicity team yourself. Koch has great people in those positions already
which allows me to concentrate more on music.
Thanks, Brian, Robb and SLASH!
The big announcement tonight is that SLASH will do a live interview
this Saturday, August 26 on The Tour Bus. The show is syndicated
on WDHA, WRAT, WYBB, WFXH and WBVD. It is also on www.TheTourBus.com,
so you can get a live audio feed right at your PC! The show begins
at 8pm, but they aren't really sure when SLASH will arrive (we are
familiar with that), so tune in for some good music till SLASH makes
the scene! SLASH has been piling up the interviews while he is in
the New York area including VH1, getmusic.com, and (sound broke up here)
AP. We're not sure of that last one. If anyone hears more on when these
will be aired, please let us know. Thanks.
The tour information is a little buried in the SLASH page, so we've
put a direct link to it on the home page. At www.snakepit.org, go
down to the next screen, at the right is a shortcut to the tour
information. Speaking of the tour, tonight is the East Rutherford
NJ show followed by the MSG/NYC show. A big one for Snakepit! Then
they'll move on to the heartland of Indiana.
SLASH sighting:
Dean tells us he was in Philly when his cabdriver got lost and had to
stop for directions in the inner city. He looked out the window and
there were two big guys on a stoop talking with a smaller guy with
a beautiful girl on his lap. He said it was SLASH! You never know
where you'll see him.
Marina and Lisa live in Italy, and they are huge SLASH fans. They wanted us to
know about an Italian magazine called Hard that has some
SLASH mentions. The article is about a future GNR reunion, a report
of what Axl once said about the GNR splitup, information on SLASH
and his new album and band. There was a picture of SLASH in that
leopard hat with sunglasses and a red shirt playing acoustic. Italian
fans should try to find this one.
Some SLASH Q&A's:
Question from Roberto Haddad of Brazil : Have you (SLASH's Snakepit) received any
invitations to come to Rock in Rio III? Would you come if invited?
And finally, would you come for a reunion of GNR?
SLASH replies: We have not been invited, but we would come if asked.
Rock in Rio was one of the best gigs I ever played with Guns. I would
come for a reunion of GNR if it were the original band.
Question from Ashish of Austin, Texas: I read an interview with you in
the April edition of Guitar One magazine. In it you mentioned
that Zakk Wylde had tried out for GNR but it just didn't work out.
Are the two of you still good friends? Do you possibly see some sort
of collaboration in the future with him? Both of you are awesome
guitarists, and it would be a pleasure to hear you jam together.
Thanks very much!
SLASH replies: We were good friends once. I haven't seen or talked to
Zakk in a long time. I don't really see a collaboration because it would
just be too much guitar. Both of us play strong lead guitar, and we
could overwhelm anyone else in the band.
Thanks, SLASH, Roberto and Ashish!
SLASH says that the Pacific Rim tour will lead off with Australia
followed by Japan. The rest has not been settled yet. About that
tour after AC/DC, it may be just a few gigs. AC/DC is adding shows,
and Snakepit will be part of that. SLASH mentioned Meadowlands in
NJ or NY, but so far this is not listed by AC/DC, so we have to
wait for additional information. The band needs rehearsal time for
a full set on the Pacific Rim Tour and any gigs they do, so that
has to be put in the schedule. Everything is fluid on
that tour between AC/DC and Australia. Stay tuned. SLASH's voice
is a little rusty, and he's tired, but he's having a great time.
He says that if the show is good; that's all he needs! Get out
there and support Snakepit!
Tonight's an off night for Snakepit. Tomorrow evening they'll be in
East Rutherford NJ. That's 8/24. Without a break, they go for the big
show at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 8/25. This is SLASH's
second time to play MSG. It's the ultimate East Coast gig. Keep those
reviews coming! Today we heard from Snakepit's drummer, Matt Laug, and
the band does read what you say!
The big news tonight is that SLASH will appear on The Jon Stewart Show
at 11pm Eastern/Pacific. Great! We've heard rumors of a goatee that we
need to check out. And we want to see what Stewart will ask. SLASH and
Jon have been friends for years. SLASH says he's not on too long as there
are a lot of guests. Check it out! If you miss
it tonight, the show airs again on 8/24 at 7pm and 11pm and probably
many other times. The channel is Comedy Central. Thanks, Tiffany, for
letting us know.
Previously, we mentioned SLASH as a choice on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".
Kathleen wrote and said the game is on the net. The SLASH question there
is: Who was the lead guitarist for Guns N'Roses?! Thanks, Kathleen.
A couple of football teams are using GNR songs during their games. Chris
wrote that "Welcome to the Jungle" is the theme of the Jim Rome Show,
a nationally syndicated sports talk radio show based in Los Angeles. The
show is referred to as "the jungle". Rome said that the show was using
the song without permission, and they had to pay to continue using the
song after they were sued. Hey, welcome to the jungle, Jim!
Let's catch up on a couple more SLASH/fan questions:
Question from Michael Alkire in Portland, Oregon: SLASH, for a guitar
player who has been influenced greatly by your playing style, what tips
do you have on getting better at the guitar? How much time do you spend
a day writing? How long did it take you to feel like you were good? How
do you play so fast? What one thing helped you the most in becoming a
better guitar player?
SLASH replies: I work all the time at the guitar. I play a lot not just
when I am out working onstage or in the studio, but I also play a lot at
home. I always have a guitar nearby. Sometimes I play while I am watching
tv. I go out and jam with a band whenever I can. I'm always working, always
writing music. I play while I'm writing. I play when I'm not. You get
better and faster.
Thanks, Michael and SLASH!
Question from Nathan: Hello, SLASH! When touring with GNR on the big
Illusions tour, was there any one gig that really stood out in your mind
as being "the ultimate gig" where all the band members were feeding off
each other especially well? Also, what part of the tour did you favor
the most? I know you probably dug them all but there was the 1993 leg
where you toured arenas and had the acoustic set and also in 1992 with
Metallica and stadiums, then there was 1991 with openers Skid Row. Thanks,
SLASH.
SLASH replies: I couldn't pick out the best gig. Rock in Rio and
Madison Square Garden (for the first time) were among the best gigs we
did. The audiences were amazing! And the band feeds off the audience
reactions. The shows where we did the acoustic set were my least favorite
ones. They slowed down the show so much and were too choreographed with
the sofa and pizza. I like the show to just build and build, not to
slow down for long periods of time.
Thanks, SLASH and Nathan!
More news on the Pacific
Rim Tour. The band leaves November 8. They will play Japan, Singapore,
Korea, New Zealand and Australia. The tour will be 3 weeks long. So all
the fans in that part of the globe...GET READY CAUSE HERE THEY COME!
The AC/DC tour ends for SLASH's Snakepit on September 20. They leave for
the Far East on November 8.
They have a couple
weeks between these arrivals and departures, but they won't be coming home
to check the roses. They are coming out again! This time it will be for
a theater tour in the United States. One date that is a strong possibility
is Nashville. They played at a theater there during the pre-album tour.
Lots of rock-hungry fans in the capitol of Country. As more information
comes along, we'll have it here and on the World Tour section (under
Snakepit 1999-2000 in Main Menu). Rock on, guys!
This great, good
looking guy is Keri Kelli, newest addition to Snakepit. Keri replaces
his buddy Ryan Roxie. SLASH asked Keri to jam with him when Snakepit
was in need of a guitar player. Ryan Roxie formerly held that slot but
has decided to continue with his many other band interests. What SLASH
has always wanted was a permanent band where the members thought o
the 'pit as their home band. In talking to Keri, we found that he was
feeling all that and more about the Snakepit band. So, Keri and SLASH
are the permanent guitar players in Snakepit. For those of you wheard Kei on the AC/DC tour, you know he's great at fitting right
in with SLASH and the rest of the band. Prior to this, Keri's home band
was Warrant, a well known and respected rock band. He played with Ratt
on tour and was in Dad's Porno Mag as a side project. We've got more
details on Keri, and we'll pass them on in the future. He's a really
nice guy, energetic and a lot of fun. He talked about a party for
AC/DC recently where the only ones left at 3 am were SLASH, his bodyguard,
his girlfriend and Keri! Take care of that headache, Keri! Keri says he
will take questions directly. If you have a welcome message for Keri or
a question for him, here is
his email address:
Speaking of that cool and terrific looking SLASH, check out the ad in
the October issue of Guitar. We've compressed it here, but it is
a full page picture.
The ad is for Seymour Duncan, the company that
makes SLASH's pickups. If you haven't seen one before, we've got a
picture of one here for you to check out. SLASH uses Alnico II Pro
Humbuckers.
We've got more reviews for you. Tonight the band plays Wilkes Barre PA.
Then they travel to East Rutherford NJ for the 8/24 show. Still time
to get tickets! We have a report on the Philly concert from Ronnie who
gave the boys an 8 out of 10 because he didn't know the songs. Hang on,
Ronnie, the album is coming for sure. The set was 35 minutes long, but
the band was awesome. Ronnie thinks Rod is a better singer than Eric
Dover, but he thinks Rod imitates Axl's moves too much. (as long as
he doesn't change clothes every 5 min., we are ok with Rod!). SLASH
was all over the stage and pointed to Ronnie in his GNR shirt. Snakepit
played "Mr. Brownstone" which was great, but he still likes Axl better.
(Get in the 'pit, Ronnie!). Thanks, Ronnie!
Going back to Bristow VA, we've got a couple more reviews. Chris and his
wife drove 5 hours to the show, not to see AC/DC but to see Chris's
guitar-idol SLASH. It cost Chris $250 for two 10th row seats, so he had
a lot invested in this show. And was it worth it? You bet! Chris says
it was worth every minute, mile and dollar! The band led off with "Life's
Sweetest Drug" which really rocks. The sound mix was good although SLASH
could have been louder, but, as Chris says...who doesn't want to hear
SLASH as loud as possible? They loved seeing SLASH live. After seeing
Rod perform, Chris says he had one question...Axl WHO?? Chris rated
Rod as up there with Steven Tyler in energy and stage presence with a
voice almost every lead vocalist would envy. Chris said he used to wish
for a GNR reunion, and now all he wants is to see the 'pit live again.
SLASH played some great solos, and after the show, Chris FINALLY got to
meet SLASH. He said SLASH was very cool but looked so tired. He took time
to sign their tickets and take pictures with them. Surprisingly, SLASH
and Chris were the same height at 5'9" (isn't it funny how we all think
of him as extremely tall?) Rod and Johnny also posed for pictures and
did autographs. Thanks, Chris, for that wonderful story!
Deanna and Bob Piviroff sent a detailed and very interesting review
on the Bristow VA show. Be sure to read the rest in the Reviews section
in a day or two. These two are big fans and noticed everything. They
said SLASH wore jeans, a black tshirt which he took off, and the famous
top hat. They say SLASH looked great! He was thin, loose, wiry and
relaxed. Rod mentioned that he was from Richmond VA. SLASH did some
feedback by holding the guitar up to the speakers. There were a lot of
classic SLASH moves...twirling in a cirle while stomping his foot,
running from one end of the stage to the other. "Mr. Brownstone" was
the only GNR song. They felt the Snakepit version was even better than
the GNR version. SLASH went to the mic at the end and gave the album
name and release date, but it was very difficult to hear him. The
Piviroffs left immediately after Snakepit's set! They got to meet
SLASH before the show. SLASH was friendly, laid back and quiet. He had
a new goatee that makes him look older. They prefer the clean shaven
SLASH best. SLASH said he was tired, but he signed autographs. They
have met SLASH many times over the years, and he did recognize them.
Thanks for that review!
Finally, we have one from Ian on the Boston show. He thinks that all
the reviews so far understate SLASH. He says SLASH is phenomenal, and
the whole band rules! SLASH has been an inspiration to Ian who also
has a band. People that see him say he has SLASH style. He says his
band is doing unbelievably well, and he says thank you to SLASH. He'd
really like to open for SLASH's club shows. His review summary: Snakepit
came out. I was in awe. Thanks, Ian. Coming from a fellow musician, those
compliments mean a lot.
Olivia, Naughtycop34, Rohith
and Mike were all at the Bristow, VA show on 8/19. Mike said the show
really rocked, and SLASH was at the top of his game. He especially
liked "Been There Lately" and "Shine" and can't wait for the new
album. "Mr. Brownstone" really got the audience's attention. The new
band is great, but the sound wasn't. SLASH was hard to hear, and Mike
wished he'd done more soloing. The show kicked ass! Rohith said the
show was unbelievable. People who only came for AC/DC were pleasantly
surprised by Snakepit's performance. When Matt Laug pounded out the
opening beat to "Mr. Brownstone", everyone went crazy. Rod Jackson was
suberb, versatile too. Snakepit only played about 30 min., and Rohith
didn't get a chance to see SLASH after the show. Naughtycop34 said he
didn't know what to expect although he knew SLASH was awesome. Since
he hadn't heard anything recently, he was skeptical. But when SLASH's
Snakepit took the stage, they rocked the house! He didn't think anyone
was really expecting that! Naughtycop34 is looking forward to the new
album! Olivia said the sound wasn't good, but she went to hear the
new music and came away hungry for that new album. She really liked
"Mean Bone". Rod is a much better vocalist than Eric Dover was. SLASH
looked hot in blue jeans, sneakers and top hat. Olivia was able to see
that new cat tat. Rod was in brown velvet, very tight pants with shoes.
Olivia pronounced him..."extremely hot looking". Keri, Johnny and Matt
were superb. She thought that Keri really moves around the stage a lot
and does an excellent job with backup vocals. Crowd response: a lot of
people thought it would be a GNR cover band and complained till "Mr.
Brownstone" was played. Overall, the crowd was polite, and Snakepit
got a lot of applause. Thanks to all of you for your reviews.
We've gotten one review of the Philly show last night. Jro2003
says that SLASH rocked! It was a great show, and the rest of the band
was really good, too. Once again, "Mr. Brownstone" was a highlight, and
he liked "Shine" really well, too. Jro2003 says he didn't have great
seats and couldn't understand the song titles or lyrics really well, but
Snakepit put on a great show! Thanks!
Tomorrow night, 8/22, the band is in Wilkes Barre, PA. And after that
we go to some huge shows, NJ on 8/24 and then the ultimate, Madison
Square Garden on 8/24! We have some huge SLASH's Snakepit fans going
to these shows. Snakepit will blow them out the doors! Whole audience
sitting outside on the sidewalk! Rock and roll, guys!
Here's some great fan information. SLASH has set up a way to receive
and answer your fan mail while he's on tour. We have a new address for
you to use. Please check over the "Write To SLASH" hints. These are
found under the Write to Fan button on the Main Menu (www.snakepit.org,
scroll down to Main Menu). We won't repeat those here, but in order to
have this be a non-frustrating experience, check out the tips before
you mail your entire band to SLASH! Here's that address for those who
are experienced SLASH writers:
c/o Susan Blond, Inc.
14542 Ventura Blvd., Suite 210
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
We just got word that the Japan tour will begin November 8. As soon as
we get the cities/venues/dates information, we'll post it here. The
AC/DC tour ends 9/20, so the guys get a couple weeks off before Japan.
Teresa wrote to tell us that the Orlando Predators football team also
uses "Welcome to the Jungle" as their song. And all fans wear black to
the games!
One small SLASH mention! Brian reports that SLASH was a possible answer
on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" last night.
Q.: Which one of these does not play lead guitar?
Answer selection: Eddie Von Halen, SLASH, The Edge or Gene Simmons.
The contestant took The Edge. Whoa! Bad answer. Everyone knows the
great Kiss-er plays bass. You never know where SLASH will pop up.
The Boston show was great! Today we spoke to SLASH as he was getting
ready to leave for Bristow VA which is tonight followed by Philly on
8/20. Lots of traveling. SLASH said that the Japanese tour will follow
this tour with AC/DC (ends 9/20 in the States). The Japanese tour will
be shows and promotional interviews. Tokyo and Osaka will most likely
get shows. More will no doubt be scheduled! Get ready, Japan,
you're next!
Getting back to Boston, Glitter from Argentina came a long way to see
Snakepit! Glitter is a big fan of Ryan Roxie and would really have liked
to seen him up there onstage. She met Matt Laug who she thought was just
really a great guy and drummer. Rod has a great voice and is a great
frontman. The show was awesome and also the songs. Glitter can't wait to
have the new album. Johnny G is one of her favorites, and she was so
glad to meet him again. Glitter says she met "the GOD OF THE GUITARS",
SLASH! She pronounced SLASH as very cool in Johnny's BLACKOUT tshirt.
She's been a fan for 9 years and is finally meeting SLASH. Two things
were missing from the show, she felt...Ryan and some songs from It's Five O'Clock
Somewhere.
Clint sent a note in on the Pittsburgh show saying the audience didn't
give the band the attention they deserved. Clint thought the band rocked!
Most people were there to see AC/DC and were restless waiting for them
to come on. That's often the case with the opening band. Clint thought
it was an awesome show and hopes to see SLASH again.
Yesterday we mentioned that the Kansas City Chiefs were using "Sweet Child
O' Mine". We also got word from BMS5065 that in Cincinnati they
have been using "Welcome to the Jungle" as the opening song before
the kickoff of each Bengals game since 1988. They also refer to the
stadium as The Jungle. Thanks!
Simrin from the UK tells us that this month's issue of Total
Guitar, the best selling guitar magazine in Europe, has an
article on SLASH inside the front cover. The article mentions
Ain't Life Grand, the current tour and SLASH's appearance
on Rod Stewart's forthcoming album. Simrin says the editor seemed
excited about an album that has a close relationship to GNR. They
have high expectations of the new album. Look for the cover with
Page and the Black Crowes.
Another Slash/fan Q&A:
Question from Josh of Alberta, CA: I noticed back in GNR when you did
a solo you would hit an open string every now and then for a split
second that makes a really cool sound you have to really listen for. I
have never seen any other guitar player do this, and I was wondering
how you came up with it and why you do it.
SLASH's Reply: I don't really recall this. It might have been something
spontaneous I used because it sounded cool. Or it just might have been
a mistake here and there. Thanks Josh and SLASH!
Tomorrow night is the Bristow VA show for Snakepit! That's 8/19, and the 8/20
show is in Philly. Still time to get tickets, dress up like a snake and
be at the show.
XMCDoobiesx reported on the Boston show. He says it was the best f*ckin'
show he's ever been to! SLASH rocked the place. Snakepit was about half
an hour late, but they played for 40 minutes. It was phenomenal!
The sound wasn't as good as it could be, but just seeing SLASH in person
is awesome. He had balcony seats but moved up front to be closer. SLASH
was 5 feet from him!
Maria did something different at the Atlanta show. Instead of going to
the show, she was dedicated to meeting SLASH and getting an autograph.
She spent 2 hours wandering around and decided to sit down and wait
for the buses and trailers to show up. Just as she was giving up, she
saw the SLASH bus which went to the Ritz Carlton hotel (pretty snazzy,
SLASH!). The whole band got off the bus, and a couple of people went
right over so she joined them. Maria got an autograph on her jeans
to match the one SLASH signed in 95. After three shows, Maria finally
caught up to SLASH and got her autograph. It seems if you're willing
to put a lot of time into it, you can find him and say hello! Thanks,
Maria!
Back to some regular SLASH items: Kathleen sent us a note that the
Kansas City Chiefs have adopted "Sweet Child O'Mine" as the song
played when they come out on the football field. Go, Chiefs!
Risa had this information from the LA Times. SLASH has sold his
beautiful house for almost $4 million to Billy Bob Thorton and
Angelina Jolie. SLASH sold the house before he went on tour as it would
be vacant for a couple years till he gets back. The strange thing was
that the Times referred to SLASH as a 35 year old British
rock star. Hello? We don't recall giving him away!
Another SLASH/fan Q&A:
Question from Alex Silady of Australia: I read in an interview awhile
back that SLASH put down solos for a couple of Axl's new songs before
he left the band. Is this true?
SLASH replies: No, that isn't true. There were some rehearsals of new
material that I was there for, but I didn't contribute
any solos.
Thanks, Alex and SLASH!
Tonight Snakepit appears
in Atlanta GA. Next show is 8/19/00 at Bristow VA. We hope to hear from
some of you who went!
We have a review from the Quebec City show. Mario went not knowing
anything about Snakepit's music. He was pleasantly surprised, but he
did say that the sound quality was bad. Mario felt the time given
to Snakepit wasn't enough to show their real potential. He praised
SLASH for his energy and said that a whole show is needed to show
the Quebecan public that SLASH is not only the former lead guitarist
for GNR. Thanks, Mario! Welcome to SLASH's Snakepit!
You don't always have to be at the venue to see SLASH! Denis tells us
that a friend was working at a coffeehouse in Ottawa when AC/DC
walked in. He got to serve them and was given a $20 tip. Denis's friend
got 5 feet from SLASH but didn't get to say hello. SLASH was playing
his old Gibson Les Paul at the table. Denis is hoping they will come
again on their next tour. Keep your eyes open if they are in your town!
Thanks, Denis!
Let's take another SLASH fan question!
Question from Christina: Have you ever considered a girl in your band
whether as a vocalist or on an instrument? If you didn't have the
Snakepit band now, and you met a girl who played great, would you have
her in your band?
SLASH replies: No, I wouldn't. I've been in bands with female artists,
and there can be so many problems. The band should bond as a unit; but
inevitably someone in the band starts going out with the girl, and
someone else is jealous. The band starts to split apart. Examples
are Fleetwood Mac and No Doubt. It makes everything more cohesive if
the band is all guys.
Thanks, Christina and SLASH!
Tomorrow night, 8/17, it's back to the US for Snakepit. They are playing
Atlanta GA. When you read the following reviews, well, you gotta be there!
Don't forget reviews, Atlanta! If anyone can send scans of their pictures
(on or offstage), their tickets, flyers, anything, let us know. If you
don't have a scanner, we can scan for you and return your items safely to
you! For pictures, please include the show you went to and your name or
userid if you want it to appear. Anonymous is cool! We have so many people
asking for photos of the band and SLASH!
Two of our Canadian
friends, Dina and Sylvia know what this picture is! It's the Snakepit
tour bus. These two fans got to go into the bus and talk to Adam Day,
SLASH's guitar tech, and a couple of other guys in the Snakepit group.
Adam Day is one of the nicest guys you can meet. Larry, the tour manager,
saw the girls and let them have some time checking out Snakepit's home
away from home. Dina and Sylvia and two friends were wearing snakeskin
print pants and Snakepit tanktops they made using the cover of the old
album! And they had a special SLASH cheer. They got backstage passes!
And they did get to meet SLASH and talk to him and the other guys! This
was, as they said, "...a dream come true". Amazing how one man and one
band can spread so much happiness. For more on Dina's and Sylvia's day,
check the Reviews section. It's under Snakepit 1999-2000 on the Main
Menu.
Moving on to Montreal, Karolyne also went with other fans. They met
Keri Kelli right away. They bought tshirts, but said the venue wasn't
full till AC/DC took the stage. Still, a lot of Snakepit shirts were
seen in the audience. Karolyne said Rod was great and wore blue velvet
pants. SLASH was in his leather pants and top hat. It was hard to hear
him over guitars and drums. She liked the show although she couldn't
catch all the lyrics and didn't know song titles. They waited for
SLASH to come out, but the bus pulled right out. The venue manager then
called the cops to get them to leave! Are these dedicated fans or what?
They were all let down not to get to see SLASH but hope he will be back
there on a club tour. Thanks, Karolyne!
Alan sent us a note on the Montreal show, too. He says SLASH's guitar
sounded great! SLASH came out with his top hat and no shirt. Cool, SLASH!
The songs were great, and "Mr. Brownstone" was pretty cool. Alan says he
can hardly wait for the new album, and he thinks Snakepit was the perfect
band to open for AC/DC. Too bad Snakepit only played a half hour. And
AC/DC rocked! Thanks, Alan.
Marc was also at Montreal and says it was the greatest night of his life!
SLASH switched between his Les Paul and the Snakepit signature guitar.
Rod was in top form, singing his heart out, and loving every minute of it.
Rod used the stage well moving from one end to another. Matt, Johnny G
and Keri were at their best, too. You could feel the energy from the whole
band. Marc's one complaint is that you could not hear SLASH very well but
other than that, the show was excellent. Thanks, Marc!
Montreal was Rat's second show, and he was with Karolyne's group. He says
the show was awesome. People went crazy for "Mr. Brownstone". Even the
beer selling guys were dancing in the aisles and playing air guitar!
Rod is just great connecting with the crowd. SLASH moved around the stage
a lot; it was extremely rock and roll! After the show, they ran into
SLASH, his girlfriend and his bodyguard. Rat yelled at them and took
their pictures. The parking employees would not let them near the bus,
and they had to watch it pull out. Rat says SLASH had 2 awesome shows
that he'll never forget. The crowd seemed to like SLASH a lot and bought
tshirts, too! Thanks, Rat!
Yasser was at the Toronto
show, and the best thing was that after years of waiting, he met SLASH,
shook his hand three times and got a picture of the two of them. He
got to meet the band who he said were f*ckin' friendly! After the show
he met SLASH and Angus Young! Both shows rocked. He also talked to Rod
and Johnny G. (who was instrumental in getting SLASH to sign autographs.
Thanks, Johnny!). Keri Kelli was really nice and talked awhile, too.
Yasser was wearing his top hat and Snakepit tshirt, and the band was
joking that SLASH's brother was there. Yasser sounds like he had a great
time! At the end of the evening Yasser met Matt Laug who talked to him
for about 10 minutes. (Matt is super easy to talk to). Angus Young came
out and did autographs. Yasser said SLASH is playing better than ever
and can't wait for the new album. This was pretty cool: Yasser says, "I
finally got to see my idol play in front of me, and it was something
I have waited for all my life." The band played "It's So Easy" at the
second Toronto show, and Yasser feels that Axl is not even being missed
because Rod can sing. He's hoping the band will turn up at a club show
soon as he wants to get his guitar signed. We do, too! Yasser's feelings
echo ours..."truly the greatest day of my life". Thanks, Yasser and SLASH
and Rod, Matt, Keri, and Johnny G. You're the best!
Nicolas Duval-Mace was at the Quebec City show. He says SLASH looks the
same as in GNR days except for the recent addition of a short beard.
Onstage he wore his hair down, no top hat (!!), black leather pants
and a green shirt which he soon discarded. Nicolas says the gig was
great! It was his the new Snakepit. SLASH was
running around the stage playing great riffs. Rod's voice was great!
Nicolas wished that SLASH would talk more. The high point was "Mr.
Brownstone"; the audience went crazy! The Snakepit banner looked super
onstage...it's huge and looks like the 95 album cover without that
album title on it. Nicolas thanks SLASH for a great performance! Thanks
to you, too, Nicolas, for telling us about the show.
Rat went to both the
Montreal and Quebec City shows. He'll send us more details on the gigs,
but this note is about meeting SLASH. At the tour bus Rat met up with
other fans. He had met the band (minus SLASH) earlier. SLASH was in the
tour bus; and when he came out, he signed autographs. Rat was also able
to get a few pics snapped off which he promises to share. He was even
able to get a SLASH stage-used pick when the stage was cleaned after the
show. SLASH left early and did not sign autographs. This may have had
something to do with his beautiful girlfriend who was visiting! First
things first, guys! Thanks, Rat!
Tonight is the Montreal show. Then we finally retrieve SLASH from
Canada. The next show is in Atlanta GA on 8/17 at the Phillips Arena.
With all these great reviews, don't you want to get out and hear
Snakepit and meet the band? Tell SLASH & Co. we said hi.
If you're from
San Diego, CA, Wake Up, Time To Play! San Diego's been added to the
Snakepit/AC/DC tour schedule. The date is 9/17/00 at 7:30 pm. The
venue is San Diego Sports Arena. Tickets $20-$45, so the price is
right. Tickets are on sale right now. If you buy online, the current
best seats available are VIP tickets down front! Go!
Tonight's the Quebec City show, and tomorrow it's Montreal. We hope
you Canadian fans will get with it and send in some reviews for the
band, SLASH and fans to check out. Use the address near the top of this
page. We have two interview reports to pass along now. Susan from
West Palm Beach was listening to WPBZ 103.1 on Wednesday, August 9,
and guess who the phone-in guest was? SLASH! You get SLASH coming out
of your radio, you're lucky to make it to your next appointment on
time! (Personally we come to a sudden and full stop wherever we are.)
The dj asked SLASH if he had a trailer just for hair products since
he has such killer hair! SLASH laughed and
said no. The dj then asked SLASH if he had been asked to endorse hair
care products, and he asked SLASH to do a slogan for them pretending
to be a Revlon spokesman. SLASH laughed but didn't do it. He did say
that people were always asking him to endorse the craziest things. He
couldn't believe it sometimes! Great story, Susan! Too funny!
One of our best buddies is Elena in Canada. Elena got to attend the Toronto
press conference with her editor. Elena says by the time that SLASH and
the ENTIRE band walked in, she was shaking. Her editor had NO questions
of her own, so she let this major SLASH fan ask questions. Elena then asked
the first question, the last question, and nearly every other question
as no one there knew what she did about SLASH and his band. Is this a
dream come true or what? If you think Elena had competition, here was
a question from a magazine staffer to SLASH, "If you were a pizza, what
kind would you be?" SLASH passed on that one. No un-cool questions, please!
Questions from MuchMusic and other places were dropping like flies as
the band and SLASH seemed puzzled by the weirdness of what they were
hearing. Elena saved SLASH and the band with a barrage of interesting,
knowledgeable questions! Elena asked about the band line-up and how
permanent it is. SLASH replied it was a permanent band. He was asked
about the SLASH in SLASH's Snakepit, and he gave the explanation of a
girl band that was using Snakepit first. SLASH says the statute of
limitations runs out soon, and the band will be Snakepit. Elena asked
whose album he would like to guest on, and SLASH replied, "Stevie Wonder".
She asked him if he had nightmares about Axl, and he said (as the whole
band laughed), "Yes, I have this recurring dream. Axl is late for a
show, and we play AC/DC songs". She asked the band why they were in this
band, and they replied that it was because of Blues Ball that some of
them got involved with SLASH and liked working with him.
Elena also said that SLASH mentioned this fan site! And then she got
to meet the band and talk to them. And SLASH of course. And she got
to give him a giant hug and get her picture taken with him. Thanks,
Elena for that cool story!
We took last night off to rest our fingers, but SLASH's Snakepit rested
NOTHING! Last night was the Ottawa show. We spoke to SLASH afterward. He
sounded tired, his voice was raspy but he is so happy to be onstage with
his band entertaining his fans. Keep sending those reviews! They really
are getting through to SLASH. You want him back for a club tour? How
about letting us know! SLASH, Pittsburgh wants you back for as long as
you can stay! By the way, the two pictures you see here are from going
backstage to see SLASH. Thanks again, SLASH! You're the best. The whole
band was so friendly! SLASH's manager, tour manager, guitar tech and
even his (scary) bodyguard were wonderful. Hi, guys! You're all the best!
Tonight is an off night for the band. Tomorrow is a big show in Quebec.
We've heard from several people on their plans to see Snakepit and trying
to see the guys after the show! Should be a good SLASH's Snakepit crowd
out for this one! Send those reviews! And if anyone takes pictures during
or after the show...we'd like to set up a photo scrapbook on the page
for all your pictures. Scan them in...as many as you want and send them
along. We want proof that you met SLASH! We want to see the stage you
saw. We'll start it off with a few we took in the next few days. Send
them to webmaster@snakepit.org. Thanks!
Now that they know they're loved, let's check out these reviews. We had
one from Toronto and one for Ottawa. Wake up, Ottawa! We need a few more
from you! Go back to Toronto for a minute. Tom let us know that SLASH
was on the Toronto TV station Much Music for a brief appearance the
afternoon of the show. The first thing SLASH did was light up a cigarette.
SLASH says he is having a good time on the tour (you already guessed that,
didn't you?) and a very good time doing what he is doing with Snakepit.
The inevitable question about a GNR reunion was asked, and SLASH replied
that there would never be a Guns reunion. SLASH said the downfall of Guns
is one of the few regrets of his life, but he is very happy with Snakepit.
The Paradise City video was played then because they didn't have a
Snakepit video yet. (But one is coming next month!)
Death's Servant was at the Toronto show. Summary: the show KICKED ASS!
The band was energetic even though half the seats were empty. He's
hoping to see SLASH on the next tour at clubs. He said all he did see
was worth the cash, even if the money Snakepit deserves went to AC/DC.
Thanks!
On to Ottawa, Canada. ASH sent a review of last night's show. He said that
in two words IT ROCKED! The sound was good, not great, but neither was
AC/DC's. The light show was impressive, and the crowd was fairly
supportive. SLASH played two guitars, his signature Snakepit and one
of his Les Paul standards. The only complaint from ASH was SLASH's
Snakepit did not get enough stage time. He also hopes to see SLASH
on that club tour real soon. We want to see Snakepit longer and louder!
Thanks, Ash!
Another SLASH site on the net! Max found SLASH's new website on Koch
Records' German homepage. And he also found SLASH's Snakepit's site.
We saw one of these (Snakepit) but the site is either hard to reach or
not up all the time as we have been unsuccessful accessing it most of
the time. Maybe it is under construction. Here is the Koch url. This is
their German homepage:
http://www.kochrecords.de/kochrecords/kochrecords.html
and here is the Snakepit site
http://www.slash-snakepit.com
Max says the Snakepit page is very cool with some Snakepit music. The
news section there says the album is due out in Germany on October 9.
US releases are Tuesday; European on Monday. US gets it October 10.
We'll finish up with another fan/SLASH question/answer.
Question 8 from Antony Symonds: I am in a rock band that's been going
for a year and a half. Currently, we are having an argument about how
important vocals are in a song. Do you think vocals are important or
should vocals be secondary to the guitar? I always try to put really good
lyrics over the top of it to add extra dimensions. The other guitarist
disagrees. He writes his songs but puts hardly any lyrics over the song
which is consequently very flat.
SLASH replies: Each guitarist has to do what works for himself
as an individual. I write mostly music. Othertimes, I put in lyrics.
It's a very individual and individual song process.
We've got three fan reviews
on last night's show in Toronto. Thanks! As you know, the first single
off Ain't Life Grand is going to be "Been There Lately". The
promo single is just coming out and should be ready very soon for the
radio stations. At left is the artwork from the single. It was drawn
by the Rolling Stone artist whose work you have no doubt seen there.
This picture appears on the tshirts. The tour dates are on the back.
It says SLASH's Back! at the top. We'll put up more in the days to come.
Our friend Yurich was at Toronto, and he loved it. Seeing his idol, SLASH,
for the first time was almost too exciting. SLASH wore brown leather
pants, a white tshirt and his top hat. Yurich was surprised at how tall
Rod is. Keri is using GMP guitars. Everyone played proficiently, and they
played for 30 min. He said that half or more of the audience knew the
lyrics to "Mr. Brownstone", and Yurich liked the way Rod sang it live
better than Axl. He just couldn't keep still and was happy to get up
when everyone stood for Brownstone. His one criticism is the one we
have all made: SLASH is mixed too soft. It's my understanding that
this is based on the mix that AC/DC wants for themselves, so it may
never be right for us. AC/DC was outstanding. Thanks, Yurich!
Brandon was also at the show; and when he got in the door at home,
he sent us
his thoughts on the evening. He said SLASH kicked serious ass! Brandon
has always been a big GNR fan and says it's natural to continue supporting
SLASH in Snakepit. The band did really well, and Brandon hopes they will
be around again. Next time he wants them to be the "BIG" band so SLASH
can play longer and do encores....because you can never get enough of
SLASH. Amen to that!
You've got to go to the Reviews section (click Snakepit 1999-2000 on
the Main Menu, scroll down and click Reviews) and read Matt Ross's
whole review. You feel like you are right there, and he caught a lot
of details. Matt saw SLASH as they came in from backstage. He had on
red high tops and what seemed to be an XXL tshirt. SLASH played his
Les Paul Standard and his custom Snakepit Les Paul. Matt's drums
and the guitars filled the arena. The first song, "Sweetest Drug" (?)
absolutely ruled! You could see how happy SLASH was to be back onstage.
He ran back and forth, wailing away, staying in perfect sync with the
band. Rod made some jokes and decided to go topless. The audience was
going ballistic. When SLASH changed guitars, he started flipping/spinning
the guitar with one hand! Go, SLASH! When "Mr. Brownstone" was played,
the audience hit the roof. SLASH sounded exactly like the old GNR days,
and Rod did an incredibly accurate impression of Axl. SLASH did a blazing
solo, and the guys finished off with one more song. Matt says it was
a fantastic opening - one of the coolest 40 minutes in his life. Thank
you, Matt! And thank you for the two pictures of the Air Canada Center
seen above.
Today we have some new
information on a SLASH guest appearance and two more show reviews! The
metalqueen at left is Doro Pesch, and SLASH is making a guest appearance
on her forthcoming album Calling The Wild. The album will be
released September 12 by Koch Records (get that connection?), and it is
available for pre-orders right now on the net CD stores. Dreamer sent us
a note that Doro was interviewed on the net a few days ago. The interview
is at Metal Meltdown. Doro talks about the artist appearances on
her album including SLASH, Al Pitrelli and Eric Singer. While you are
waiting for Ain't Life Grand, you can check out Doro and SLASH!
We got a review from Maria Vayner from Georgia on the Pittsburgh show.
Maria wasn't pleased with her evening. She said her tickets
were too expensive and not very good. The expense was for seeing AC/DC, and
she really only came to see SLASH. Maria said everything SLASH did was
great, but she wasn't as happy with Rod. When SLASH left the stage, she
went outside and waited in the rain 4 hours for SLASH to come out, and
he never did.
(SLASH had fans come into the trailer to sign
autographs later as it poured in Pittsburgh all night). Maria said she
had a better experience 5 years ago with Snakpit 95. Don't forget! This
is an arena tour, and it's hard to get next to the guys at a large venue.
We don't think AC/DC ever signs autographs anywhere. Soon there will be
a club tour, and it should be easier to talk to SLASH.
A Boston review comes from Jeff who says "it kicked ass"! Jeff was so
close he could have touched SLASH (this is an excellent seat!), and he
says it is the best show he has ever seen even if it was only 30 min.
long. A highpoint was "Mr. Brownstone". Jeff was asking about tshirts.
There are no tshirts for sale here right now, but the venues are all
selling 2 versions: one with a distorted band picture, dates on back
and the other a small woman's, tank-type top. Each is $32. We bought
one of each and will try to get them out on the page asap. Snakepit
was only allotted space for two items at the merchandise stands.
C'mon, Angus, we need more space! Thanks, Jeff and Maria!
Let's take another SLASH question today!
The guys are playing Toronto this evening with tomorrow off as they
move to Ottawa for the show on the 12th. Keep those reviews coming!
Question: Rumor has it that Suns is re-uniting with the original
lineup that was on the Appetite for Destruction album. Is this
true? And if so, are we going to have official reports of this, a new
album, and all of you back on stage together again?
SLASH replies: Guns N'Roses has ended. The rumors you hear about the
band getting back together are just rumors. There is no official truth
to a new GNR album being made. While some of us are willing to get
back together for a show or short tour, not all of us are. So it won't
happen without all of us. Even a show does not look very likely right
now.
Wendy found a SLASH
mention in the August 31 issue of Rolling Stone. It's an article
on the AC/DC tour, and it says this about SLASH's Snakepit:
"Helping AC/DC to heap on the heaviness will be SLASH and his band,
SLASH's Snakepit, who will open each show. 'I'm really f*cking just
happy to be on the same stage with those guys,' says SLASH. 'I've been
listening to AC/DC since I was thirteen, and we used to cover 'Whole
Lotta Rosie' in Guns N'Roses.' And what does Young think of SLASH?
'I've never met him before,' he says of the ex-Guns N'Roses guitarist.
'Is he a big fellow? I'm pretty little, so I'll have to wear my stilts.' "
Angus hadn't met SLASH either! Well, stop in his trailer and get
acquainted. And you won't need stilts!
The Boston show was last night, and the band is off today moving to
Toronto. They play the Air Canada Centre August 10! Get out there and
give the band a Canadian welcome. And here are excerpts from the
Boston reviews. The full text is on the Reviews section under
Snakepit 1999-2000 (on Main Menu):
Dan said the show was good with Snakepit playing about 40 min. The
band played the new songs from their album, and Dan liked "Shine"
best. SLASH was on the radio there and lost his voice which he blamed
on a lot of partying! AC/DC rocked for two hours and didn't stop.
Thanks, Dan. That's a point to stress..this tour is about the new
album. If they cover one GNR song, that may be it. SLASH was planning
to do a show (not opening) with 3 GNR covers, 3 Snakepit 95 covers
and the rest from the new album. Hopefully, we will see that show
when he finishes opening for AC/DC.
Chris sent a high voltage report! He had an excellent time meeting the
guys as well as seeing the show. Snakepit played about 33 min. They
rushed from song to song to get as many in as possible. Rod introduced
everyone with SLASH getting a big cheer. The biggest responses were
for "Mr. Brownstone" and "Mean Bone". Chris really liked "Mean Bone",
"Shine" and "Been There Lately". Rod moves around the stage really well.
The 'pit is a powerful band and you can hear the blues in some songs.
Chris can't wait for the club tour. He got to meet SLASH and Rod and
say hello to some of the other guys. He and Rod discussed the songs on
the album which Rod seemed to enjoy. SLASH is #1 on Chris's list with
Rod at #2! Thanks, Chris!
If you're going to one
of this tour's shows, we wanted to let you in on how the SLASH meeting with
fans went in Pittsburgh. This is probably similar to what you'll find.
Snakepit plays about 40 minutes, and they go off backstage to unwind
and cleanup a little. If there are people with passes (in Pittsburgh
these were primarily label and media people), the guys come out and
chat with them and generally horse around! Around 9:30 SLASH got ready
to leave. He went to his bus. His security guy let one fan at a time
in to see SLASH (some other band members were there, too). Each person
had a chance to talk a little and get an autograph! To find the bus,
look around the venue for all the trailers. The buses were inside that
grouping in Pittsburgh. There were 3 buses, one for Snakepit and two for
AC/DC. The two buses were big, silver, identical. SLASH's bus was very
cool - cream colored with dark writing. Hope this helps you find the band.
SLASH says he really likes seeing the people he entertained after his
show, so don't hesitate to come over.
We have more reviews for you. Since we have quite a few, we'll just
quote briefly and put the entire review in Reviews (under Snakepit
1999-2000 in the Main Menu). Thanks to everyone who has sent one in,
and please keep sending them! Don't forget tonight's show is in Boston,
MA at Fleet Center. Then the band heads for Canada for four shows
beginning with Toronto on August 10.
Keith sent in a review for the Detroit show. Keith said his family
got great seats from the VH1 ticket sale and were right by the soundboard.
Keith said Rod's voice was awesome, and SLASH was great! The guys came
back to the soundboard to watch AC/DC, and Keith was able to attract their
attention. They got waves and winks in return. His young son was at his
very first concert, and Snakepit and AC/DC made another young fan. Bringing
him up right, Keith!
Detroitrockcity0 sent a report from, where else? Cleveland! He said that
SLASH was very good, but he was annoyed that SLASH was never in the
spotlight. He played a really good set and had a lot of energy, but it
took the "Mr. Brownstone" cover before everyone got up. He also wished
that SLASH would say something. The only reason he came was to see SLASH,
but SLASH was silent. All in all, it was an amazing show, and no one
should miss it. NOTE: We asked Slash about the spotlight, and he said
the lighting man never could seem to find him. He said he doesn't really
like to talk onstage and doesn't if someone else will do it. Rod seems to
be the spokesman. We asked SLASH to try to say a few words to the audience.
We noticed in Pittsburgh that he said a few sentences! Come on, SLASH, we
want a funny monologue!
Brian Simer reviewed Cleveland. SLASH did a
2pm interview at 100.7 WMMS. Brian said that SLASH talked about his
early influences, the new album, his artistic side, the new album and
the show. "Shine" and "Been There Lately" were played on the radio.
Snakepit began with the seats less than half full. SLASH wore his top hat,
a black shirt, purple leather pants and converses. Rod Jackson seemed
happy and energized. SLASH did some great solos on "Been There Lately"
while Matt Laug's drumming was very impressive. Brian has a well thought out
review of the different songs and band members. Be sure to check this out
in the Reviews section.
Two more Pittsburgh interviews from Laura and Brandon Tolley. Laura said
that seeing SLASH live was great. A lot different from seeing a picture!
He really had 3 dimensions and can MOVE! She just loved seeing the SLASH
trademark hair and hat, and Snakepit sounded great. The band was really
together and sounded very professional. She didn't get a chance to meet
them in person, but we think she will have the chance someday. Brandon
says his favorite song is "Been There Lately" (ours, too). SLASH did some
soloing, and there was an enormous crowd reaction to "Mr. Brownstone". It
made Brandon wish for that GNR reunion we keep hearing about.
Thanks to all who took time to write and send in their comments. Much
appreciated!
Last night Snakepit left
by tour bus from Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena heading toward Fleet Center
in Boston. Pittsburgh's weather was severe thunderstorms and hard rains
till just about the time the fans were arriving. The weather cleared
till the middle of the night when those thunderstorms started again.
We think Pittsburgh was saying goodbye to SLASH and the boys! Don't forget!
The Boston show is tomorrow night, Tuesday, August 8! Wish we could see them
again!
We have reviews from the Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh shows.
We'll take excerpts for the reviews, and you will find the complete
reviews in the Review section under Snakepit 1999-2000 on the Main Menu.
Some things you've mentioned are very helpful. SLASH has tried to correct
mixing and sound problems. This isn't always possible because Snakepit is
not getting many soundchecks. AC/DC truly has a monster stage show that
takes a very long time to set up, so Snakepit has to go on without a
soundcheck. We told SLASH to play louder! He says he is, but their sound
is at the mercy of the mixing desk. Patience! Our guy will be out on his
own very soon.
Our friend Dori talked about the Detroit show. Just seeing that huge
SLASH's Snakepit tapestry hanging on stage was thrilling! Then, out
they came...SLASH was into the black colors of his wardrobe and wearing his top hat.
Dori says the show was great! The band boomed, and the audience roared!
A direct quote, "SLASH was nothing but perfect"! We love to hear that!
Dori thought the band worked well together, and everyone was right in
step with each other...amazing since it was just the second show. Dori
would love to see another show, but one in a more intimate setting where
you can get up close to the band. She says she'd go to see this show
again, too!
The third show was in Detroit MI, and Eric gave us a report on that one.
Snakepit played 40 minutes as the opening band and did 6 or 7 songs from
the new album. The fans were really supportive of them especially when
they played "Mr. Brownstone". Eric said that "seeing SLASH live was just
so awesome", and he only wished he could have met his favorite guitarist
in person. SLASH was all over the stage, running and doing his famous
"circledance". Rod Jacksons's vocals were a little raspy but good. He
said AC/DC just about blew the house down. It sounds like both bands
were right on it! Thanks, Eric.
Last night was the incredible Pittsburgh show. Dan was at the show
and gave us a late night report! He says he was totally blown away.
SLASH has some great riffs in his new songs and played terrific lead
guitar. "Mr. Brownstone" was outstanding. Dan said he went to the
show to see SLASH and felt he could have left with Snakepit, or they
could have played all night. Dan has nothing but good things to say
about the show and reminded the guys to visit the east more often.
Last night we were at the Pittsburgh show and were lucky enough to have
a chance to meet Snakepit, its management, and that wonderful SLASH.
First we saw the show which we watched standing because we cannot sit
down if SLASH is onstage. Today we have black and blue hands from
clapping so hard. The band is very tight, very professional. If there
are mistakes, we don't hear them. SLASH whirled and ran across the stage
using those moves that make you gasp. Matt Laug pounds those drums like there
is no tomorrow and seems to smile the entire time. Johnny G looks like the
old pro that he is. He and SLASH have played together a long time. Our
new guitarist, Keri Kelli is so good...don't think of him ever as a second
choice. Fantastic, and he and SLASH play really well together. He has a
beautiful blue, sparkly guitar. We were told the make, but we've forgotten.
And then, our man Rod. Well, if this isn't one of the handsomest vocalists
we've seen, we don't know who is. Those dreads down to his waist, and the
way he moves onstage... Well, Rod is going to win a lot of hearts up there.
And he can sing! His voice seemed a little raspy, but when we talked to
the guys, they all sounded a little raspy. Rod's vocals are just right
for the kind of songs he's singing. What a smashing entertainer he is.
After the show we got to meet all these people, see them close up and
talk to them. Everyone in the band is so friendly, and they all seemed
to be having the time of their lives. We've never seen so many smiles in one
little room. They all know about the SLASH page, and they know about
you...all their fans who come here for information. They hope to see you
all really soon. If you expect SLASH to be the big rock star type, he
isn't. He is so much fun. He listens and looks at you when you talk. He
answers and buzzes around the room making sure everyone gets a chance
to say hello. When he needs a rest from visitors, he collapses with his
band on the floor or on a couch. They really seem close to each other.
SLASH is a darling; very considerate; and one of the nicest guys we've
met. Anyone who's met him says this, but we wanted to add our thoughts.
If you're backing this guy, you picked a winner!
Just to top things off, here is the sixth
question SLASH answered for one of his fans:
Question from William Kim: What's up, SLASH? I was wondering what is your
opinion abuot the whole Napster vs. Metallica situation. As an artist, do
you feel that the public is stealing music from the artists or is music
finally brought back to the people?
SLASH replies: Napster is what everyone is asking about. First, bootlegging
shows is cool. With Napster, some controls are needed or the artist and
the record label lose all control of the music. The technology is new and
to an extent it is good. Artists and labels have to make sure that what
happened with MTV doesn't happen again. When MTV started showing music
videos, artists and labels didn't really understand what would happen in
the future. There were no negotiations. As a result, the artists get
nothing when their videos are shown. Radio has to pay for its use of
the music, but MTV pays nothing. I think we have to be careful that this
situation does not happen again.
Thanks, SLASH and William - a very timely questions and thoughtful
answer.
Last night, August
3, SLASH's Snakepit did their second show of this tour at the Palace
in Detroit MI. We have a fan review for you on that, but first, don't
forget that SLASH and the boys will play tonight in Cleveland OH at
the Gund Arena in Cleveland OH. Sunday they will show up in Pittsburgh
PA for a much anticipated show at the Mellon (Civic)Arena. It looks like
Ticketmaster and the promoters are doing what they usually do with seats.
As the time draws closer, and seats get really bad, they will suddenly
throw a whole lot more seats into the pot. These are usually above
average to great seats. So have a look at Ticketmaster before you buy
from a scalper. It appears that right now nearly every venue has some seats
available again.
Kevin sent us a review of the Detroit concert which will be
reprinted in its entirety in the Reviews section (under SLASH's Snakepit
1999-2000). Overall, he thought Snakepit was very good! "Shine" is an
excellent song, and Kevin thought it was the best of their limited set.
"Mr. Brownstone" was the GNR cover at this show. Rod Jackson, lead
vocalist, has stage movements that are a cross between David Lee Roth
and Axl Rose (this we definitely want to see!). Kevin thought Rod's
voice was consistent, strong and somewhat raspy. SLASH didn't have
many solos which Kevin found disappointing. Hey, we are here for
SLASH! The mixing left something to be desired when the drums were
louder than SLASH! SLASH, play it f*ckin' LOUD! Kevin is anxious to
get the new album, and he said they got a decent audience reaction.
And about that great band that selected Snakepit to open for them,
Kevin says that AC/DC were in one word...AMAZING! Thanks, Kevin!
Question from Minnesotoa: SLASH, which do you prefer - playing in
a large stadium back in the Guns days or playing int the club
circuit with the Snakepit?
SLASH replies: Both playing stadiums and playing clubs and everything
in between! It makes touring fun when you do different kinds of
venues. You can reach more people that way, too, since people will
sometimes never go to a club or will never go to a stadium.
Thanks, SLASH and Minnesotoa!
The first show in Grand Rapids MI is over, and
it was a great one! We have a couple of reports here...one from Matt and one from SLASH!
SLASH said everything went really well. They had to get used to the large stage and be
careful not to fall off thinking it was larger than it was! He said he was very nervous.
His worries went up in smoke! Whatever slight problems there were, Rod was
able to cover them. Thanks, Rod! SLASH said Rod sounded just great, and the audience
was very receptive. One of his worries was that there would be just a few people watching
the opening band, but he said it was crowded, and the audience clapped and cheered after
every song they did. Snakepit played about 40 minutes. We asked what Snakepit did then, and
he said they went to the soundboard and watched AC/DC's show which was really great. A great
rock and roll show! SLASH sounded great and was wound up like a top even today. It's
been a long time coming, but now they are out there! Make sure you get to see them.
We got our first review. Matt of Grand Rapids sent us a very excited and enthusiastic
one. Yesterday, Matt told us that their local station, WKLQ, was interviewing SLASH
and AC/DC. WKLQ is also on the net as WKLQ.com. The interview was 3 - 5 pm, and unfortunately
we received the notice too late to attend or to let you know. We'll try to be more heads up
in the future. SLASH did say he would combine the promo tour with the concerts, so please
watch for this on your local radio stations when they come to town.
About the show, we'll let Matt tell you himself below. Don't forget that all the
reviews will be posted in the Reviews area of the Snakepit 1999-2000 Section (off the
Main Menu...first row, third column). Here's Matt:
" I just got back from the show!!!!!! It was awesome. Snakepit Totally
Rocked!!! Their new songs are great!! We got to meet Slash!!!! We met him
on the way into soundcheck. He was very nice. He signed my guitar and a cd
for me. I must say that he is a little smaller than I imagined. I didn't
write down a setlist but i know that they played these songs definitely- Ain't
Life Grand, Shine, and they also played It's So Easy!!!! Slash sounded
great...He was wearing a black T shirt, some purple converse shoes and leather
pants. I purchased a shirt for $32....It's pretty cool....It has cartoon
drawn characters of the band on the front and has the cities from the tour on
the back...Only two shirts were available for Snakepit...The interview was
also pretty good...It was on at about 2:30 eastern time...He discussed
everything from his childhood influences all the way to his current
favorites...They also played three songs from the forthcoming Snakepit CD.
All in all, I must say I had a wonderful day!!!
Thanks much
Matt
Ain't Life Grand!!!!!!!
Think Matt is a happy guy?! Hopefully we have SLASH fans at all the shows.
Speaking of which, Matt in Canada tells us that the August 10 show is SOLD OUT!
Seats for August 11 there are still available. To buy Canadian venue tickets,
check out www.ticketmaster.ca. Edward in Sacremento CA let us know that Ticketmaster
is not handling the Oakland CA tickets. These are being distributed by bass-tix.com,
and you can buy them online. Rod sent us a list of Canadian dates. We do have these
but did not know the status of ticket sales. Thanks, Rod, Matt and Edward for the
ticket information. Next show is tomorrow night, August 3, Detroit MI at the Palace.
The show is SOLD OUT. If you need tickets, check www.ebay.com. Maybe you can be a last
minute bidder. Look in your local paper for some of the ticket dealers handling these.
Get out there and say hi to SLASH!
Before we let you go, how about a fan question/SLASH answer to calm you down?
Question: Paul Modaley or Merseyside, England writes, "I am a very big fan of your playing;
you play with passion, and you are a very proficient player. When I write music for my
band, I am often left confused about how I should do it. I am an isolationist at heart. Do
you think it is better to play with the others straight away? Can you read music?"
SLASH replies: No, I can't read music. I play by ear. I try to make what I hear (sometimes
just in my head) come out my hands into the guitar. When I write music, I usually write
on my own at least to start. Then, I bring it to one or more of the band depending on
what I need to hear...percussion, more guitars, bass. Then we jam on it. When we have
something that's good, we take it to the whole band, and we just jam on it and jam on
it until it's either great or put aside. This is what works for me. Everyone has his
own style, though.
Thank you, Paul and SLASH!
This is the entrance to the Snakepit
Studio in SLASH's house. This is the most used room in the place according to SLASH. Now
the band and SLASH are gone, and this room goes unused. Tonight is opening night for SLASH's
Snakepit as they open for AC/DC on Tuesday, August 1 in Grand Rapids, MI. The show is a sellout!
Right now the band is there rehearsing and getting set up. SLASH left Sunday from Los Angeles
and was looking forward to meeting AC/DC. The shows are sold out until August 6 in Pittsburgh
PA which is down to obstructed view seats. Good luck, Snakepit!
Before he left, SLASH managed to work in some answers to fan questions. It looks like he
answered over 20 of the questions sent in. Let's check these out:
Question: David asked if SLASH would ever consider doing a guest guitarist spot on
Chinese Democracy (the new GNR album) in much the same way that Jimmy Page and
Brian May have.
SLASH Replies: I doubt it. (tension and not having a clear picture of the overall
kind of music the band is working in. Snakepit is busy right now.)
Question: I've been wanting to go to one of your concerts, but most that have been in
my area, (southern California), seem to be in 21 or over places when I call about
tickets. Will you be playing in any 18 and over or all ages places this next time you
start touring?
SLASH Replies: The AC/DC shows are All Ages. When Snakepit tours again after the international
tour, the shows will be in all kinds of venues. We aim for All Ages but often those venues
are taken or the promotor has things set up in another club with admission restrictions.
Question: Do you have a schedule for the tour and if not will Columbia SC be on there?
SLASH Replies: The tour schedule for Snakepit opening for AC/DC is available. It can
be found on this site in the Snakepit 1999-2000 Section off the Main Menu. You can also
check www.ticketmaster.com and AC/DC's official site. Georgia and Virginia are the only
states on AC/DC's tour that are in the South. The Snakepit tour later in the year has not
yet been completely set up so the tour schedule is not yet available.
The third issue of the UK-based GNR fanzine Nightrain is out! Ian
and Kim sent us a copy, and this is a good one. The fanzine is packed
with articles on Gunners past and present. There's information on
how to contact other fans and some of the band. It's a very
exciting publication to read - makes you realize how many of us there
really are! Why not buy a copy today (cost covers just the mailing
and materials)? Want to order or need more information? We have a link for you here:
SLASH'S SNAKEPIT WORLD TOUR STARTS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 1 AT VAN ANDEL ARENA IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN! Michigan, are
you ready for this! You must be, it's SOLD OUT! All the Slash fans better get there
early, grab a seat and give SLASH and the boys a lot of support. Screaming and yelling
is absolutely encouraged! Don't forget those signs! Don't forget anything! We're expecting
reviews!
Here's a couple things we all want to know. We didn't get a chance to confirm either of
these with SLASH: when is SLASH available for greeting fans...after Snakepit or after
AC/DC? Does he play with AC/DC at all? What was the merchandise like?! Send these answers
asap because there is another show 2 days later.
Fans have written about ticket availability. We found this information on Ticketmaster
online. Oh, and we learned that Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) is not
handling the Canadian shows or the Las Vegas show. Here's the availability:
8/1 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena....sold out
8/3 Auburn Hills, MI Palace.....sold out
8/4 Cleveland, OH Gund....sold out
8/6 Pittsburgh, PA Civic (Mellon) Arena....obstructed view
8/8 Boston, MA Fleet Center...sold out
8/19 Bristow, VA Nissan....Good seats
8/20 Philly, PA First Union....sold out
8/22 Wilkes Barre, PA First Union Civic .....Good seats
8/24 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines....Good seats
8/25 NYC MSG.....obstructed view
8/27 Indianapolis IN...Conseco....Good seats
8/29 Cincinnati OH Firstar....Fair seats
8/30 Milwaukee WI Bradley...Upper level
8/31 Tinley Park, IL New World Music....Lawn seats
9/2 Minneapolis, MN Target Center....Sold out
9/3 Kansas City, MO Kemper Arena...Limited View
9/5 St. Louis, MO Kiel Center.....Good seats
9/7 Dallas, TX Reunion Arena....Lower level seats
9/8 Houston, TX Compaq....Average seats
9/11 San Antonio, TX Alamo Dome....Remaining seats are not very good
9/13 Phoenix, AZ America West...Average seats
9/16 Devore, CA Blockbuster....Lawn seats
9/19 San Jose, CA San Jose Arena....Side stage seats
9/20 Oakland, CA Oakland Arena.....not listed (too early or not sold by Ticketmaster)
***** Another show has been added! This is on September 9 in Biloxi, MS at the Mississippi
Coast Coliseum. Tickets are on sale now and second level seats are available. Even sold out
venues are still possibilities. The various online auctions have tickets onsale right now.
There's almost too much excitement over the tour to hit other happenings, but here's an interesting
one. The GNR calendar for 2001 can be bought right now on the net at www.pushposters.com.
Pushposters are located in the UK and are a very reliable company. Whoever makes these
calendars never gives up on the old bands.
Did you catch the interview with SLASH last week on Soundbreak.com? SLASH gave some fairly
long answers to many of the questions fans have asked about the GNR split, the move to
Koch records and others. We have clips from the interview right here for you! Some of these
are lengthy (even SLASH says...to make a short story long), but they really provide a lot
of insight into different SLASH issues. This interview will also be put in the Interviews
section under the Snakepit 1999-2000 section so you can come back and check it out whenever
you want!
If you went to Guitar.Com's chat with SLASH,
you were one of many who were disappointed. The night before, SLASH indicated that he would
have to reschedule. He wanted another band rehearsal as the equipment was leaving for the
tour the night of the 26th. So he did cancel, but they couldn't reschedule on a day before
SLASH leaves for the tour. As you know, the first show is August 1. So, we'll have to hope
for another time. The evening appearance at Soundbreak.Com did take place. This was also to
be a chat/interview. At one point there were over 60 people in the chat room making it very
difficult to keep up with what was going on there. However, they did provide a live video
stream, and the dj interviewed SLASH. As far as we in the chat room could tell, very few
if any questions from there were relayed to SLASH. SLASH talked about the demise of GNR,
the tour, his new band, his new album and so on. He even got some birthday gifts from the
Soundbreak staff. SLASH was not as relaxed as he appeared at the KNAC show. He seemed to
move restlessly and to be not as cheerful. We thought Soundbreak could have done a much better
job. Best thing: live video feed. Worst thing: ignoring fans' questions. Thanks, SLASH,
for appearing! If you'd read the chat room comments you would have seen some really nice
fan remarks!
Several people have asked about Snakepit merchandise and wondering if it will be sold at
the AC/DC concert (or the Snakepit concerts featuring AC/DC as we like to say!). SLASH
said they will have merchandise there, but only about four items will be available. They
are not quite geared up for this, but they are going with four items rather than none!
That's OK! At right is the tshirt from the pre-album tour, and it's very cool. The new
things will be, too! What is the total for one of each item, SLASH?
As you know, SLASH has signed with Koch Records. While he is with the domestic company,
there is the original Koch International which has a real presence in Europe. On the
Koch International web site in Germany, they continue to advertise that SLASH will
appear at Kopkomm (a festival) in Cologne, Germany, on August 17. The AC/DC schedule
lists the bands in Canada just before and after that, so we checked this out with SLASH.
He has never heard of this engagement, and no one has ever mentioned it to him. He says
he will be with Snakepit and AC/DC in Canada at that time. If you're in Germany, that's
the official word. Hopefully, they have other great acts at Kopkomm. SLASH said he will
be over to see you soon. Hang on!
Last night again, SLASH said the first single from Ain't Life Grand will
be "Been There Lately". A video will be made at one of the shows! SLASH always likes those
band videos instead of the ridiculous "story" videos. Maybe you'll be in the audience.
We're not sure which show it will be although one possibility is Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh
fans are really hopeful that there's will be the one!
TWO SLASH net appearances tomorrow,
Wednesday, July 26. Adam let us know that SLASH will be doing a chat at 3:30 pm PT!
The event appears to be sponsored by Guitar.Com, but it will take place at the Yahoo
Celebrity Chat Room. You need to be registered at Yahoo to join the chat. Go to
www.guitar.com and look for the picture of SLASH at the left on the first page. Click
on the word SLASH, and you will go automatically to Yahoo. They open the room 1/2
hour before the chat begins. It is a moderated chat in that SLASH does not see the
questions and remarks from people in the room. He sees what the moderator selects to
give him. No doubt this moderator will be from Guitar.Com. We don't know how long the
chat will last. The celebrity chats are archived in a few weeks and are available on
the Yahoo Celebrity Page. Hope to see and hear you at the chat!
And don't forget SLASH's other
appearance which we told you about before. He'll be interviewed on the net radio
station, soundbreak.com. You need to be registered there. This appearance will be
Wednesday, July 26 at 6:30 pm PT. They have a studio cam so you'll be able to see
SLASh, too.
A lot of fans are looking for GNR merchandise from
the original band, and there is a place on the web where you can get a limited
selection. This site is associated with GNR. Three items relate to Live Era:
a tshirt, a jacket, the CD. There's also, for some strange reason, GNR Lies. The
page says they will have bandanas, earrings, signed vinyl and tour books in the
future. Prices are steep but if you want a Live Era shirt, this is the place to
go. It's at:
If you go over to Amazon.com,
you'll find that you can order an import copy of Ain't Life Grand
right now. It says the album ships in one or two weeks. This is not a
pre-order from the description. It is an import selling for just about
$40. The description also says Extra Tracks! We don't know for sure, but
we think this must be an import from Japan. So, we ordered it not wanting
to wait till October 10! CDNOW also has it at a bit more money.
One last word on Celebrity Deathmatch:
the Axl/Slash fight will eventually be archived on the MTV site but not
anytime really soon. In the meantime you can catch most of it at this
site (and thanks to Christian for letting us know):
We have our summary of SLASH's appearance on KNAC last week. It was
a good interview of about 2 hours with some songs thrown in. We did
not include the songs as that is a copyright violation. But there
is a summary and some SLASH audio! These are going to be installed
on the page in a permanent place under SLASH's Snakepit 1999-2000,
but we don't have that just yet. For now, it will be right here.
Did you see and hear
SLASH on KNAC last night? He was great and did a two hour interview.
If you missed it, there's another net "radio" show coming up with
our favorite guest, SLASH. It will be on Wednesday, July 26, at
6 pm Pacific Time. We're not sure how long he will be on. The station
this time will be soundbreak.com. Soundbreak says their mission is:
To inspire audiences to discover new music and
to make Soundbreak.com a vital part of their daily lives. They're
on the right track with SLASH as a guest. See you there! And many
thanks to Jarmo who sent us the information.
We're still trying to find out when AC/DC and SLASH will be on the
syndicated Mancow show out of Chicago. Bruce tells us he thinks it
will be August 31 as that is the day they have their show in that
city. Keep listening so we can get the time and date for sure. Thanks,
Bruce!
SLASH says that he will be on an MTV show in August. The show is
called Cribs or M-Cribs; he wasn't quite sure. The idea is that MTV
sends a crew to a rocker's house, and they go all through it showing
the house and belongings. SLASH said one of the guys from Korn did this.
SLASH negotiated with MTV hard on this one as he didn't want to walk
around saying...this is where I sleep and this is my lamp. Not cool.
He told them they could do what they wanted, but he'd be in the studio
downstairs. And then he gave them a list of places they could not go in
the house. It turns out he will take
them directly to his studio, and the show will film there. SLASH has sold this
house anyway, so it isn't too exciting to see the rest of it. Watch for
that one in August. Let us know if you see a date on it. Thanks!
We'll have a complete report and some audio clips from that KNAC
interview last night. We expect to have something in a couple of
days. The SLASH page did get mentioned...by SLASH! He knows we're
out there. His comment about the bathroom is funny. Now if we could
just get someone to follow him around that closely, we'd have the
information:
Clear your calendar
for tomorrow night! SLASH will be on radio station KNAC in Los Angeles.
KNAC broadcasts over the internet, so you can tune in even if you're
far away. SLASH is scheduled for 6:30 Pacific Time. KNAC says SLASH
is visiting before heading out on tour with AC/DC for a much anticipated
tour. They say that SLASH is more about rock than blues now and is
returning to the roots that made him a guitar god. Can our guy wail or
what? The web site is at www.knac.com, so get over there and check the
audio lists to be sure your software is ready to go. Thanks to Jan from
Holland for the information, and thanks to KNAC for some help and
information. See you all tomorrow at KNAC!
There's another radio interview coming up although we don't have the date
yet. Krishna tells us that SLASH will be on the Mancow show with AC/DC
in the near future. Krishna missed just when this would be, so if anyone
hears, please pass the information on. Krishna says Mancow is based in
Chicago (Q101), but his show is syndicated all over the US, and you can
get it on the internet. Thanks, Krishna!
A UK publication, Classic Rock did an interview with Steven
Adler. It's interesting to GNR fans and a little sad, too. SLASH gets
some mentions here as he and Steven were friends from high school. The
interview covers
Steven's drug abuse, the health problems he had, and the
damage done. Steven still thinks of himself as a rock and roller and
thinks the original band will get together some day. To check out this
article, only slightly abbreviated from the original, click on Steven
below. Thanks to Kim and Chris.
July 23 is SLASH's 35th birthday! We've
made a birthday section just for him. You'll see some graphics and hear
SLASH play "Happy Birthday" a little unsuccessfully! In typical calm
SLASH fashion, he lets you know what he thinks about playing this tune!
If you'd like to send SLASH a birthday card and/or a gift, you know
where to send it! And if you have forgotten, here's the address:
The birthday section is found off the Main Page, but if you'd like to
go now and have a look and listen, just click on the birthday greetings
below:
SLASH did an interview this past Friday on KLOS 95.5 Los Angeles. He
was on about an hour and a half. Clement managed to catch the whole
show. We were able to capture a good portion of it on tape here on the
East Coast. What you're reading is a mixture. First, SLASH was sometimes
hard to hear with his softer voice. We wondered why they didn't turn up
his mike. In true SLASH fashion, he got bleeped many times. Once the dj
asked him why he was so jingly (the bracelet problem). He was introduced
as a gentleman and nice guy, very polite. That sounds like the SLASH we
know. They played the intro riff to Welcome..., and the dj said...here's
the man that made that sound! SLASH mentioned that he has to play a lot.
He says after 2 weeks he is afraid he will forget how to play. We don't
think so! The first song played from the album was "Been There Lately"
which really rocks. Rod is really something else...his voice is so strong
and non-screechy! Very masculine, down home voice. An excellent singer
who doesn't take an extra breath. The music rocked, and when it was over,
we were bouncing off the walls! We have to mention SLASH's solos...just
fantastic, and he adds that extra punch that pushes the record over the top.
SLASH said that on tour they will play one, maybe two GNR songs, "Mr.
Brownstone" and/or "It's So Easy". At one time he told us that they would
play 3 Snakepit I songs, too, but that was awhile ago. Most of their set
will be the new album. They took questions which were really lame for the
most part. Any of the 100 we sent to SLASH were better than these. SLASH's
girlfriend called in! She has a lovely, sexy voice and called SLASH...
Hey, baby! No wonder SLASH is living the monogamous life these days. SLASH
talked a lot about his experiences playing with other artists, recording
and just jamming at a club. SLASH has a lot of interesting stories to tell.
Clement caught the other two songs, "Mean Bone" and "Shine". We have been
hearing about "Shine" from SLASH for a long time. It will be interesting
to see if it is a single. Chris reported that on "Mean Bone" there is a
woman talking at the beginning, and we figure this is the woman rapper
that they hired for one song. Her name is Raya Beam. The song is about
a woman that takes all of a guy's money.
Some notes about the tour. We've been told that there has been a second show
added in Toronto on August 11 at Air Canada Centre. Sounds like this tour
is going to be a good one if they are already adding second nights.
Hopefully, we'll have someone out there at every show, and we really would
appreciate your reviews. They can be short or long. We'll provide some
editing for spelling/grammar but will print them for the most part as
we receive them. We'll have a special place for them. So don't forget
to take a pencil and paper and jot down the setlist and what it was
like! Tell us what SLASH wore and what the band was like onstage. Did
you like the music? How did SLASH sound? Did you get to see him after
the show? All those things are very interesting to the rest of us as
well as to SLASH who will also get a copy!
Our SLASH page
contest is over! This time we didn't have so many correct entries, but
we still had to do a drawing. Our two winners are Tiffany and Tiago.
We'll have another one soon, and here are the questions/answers from
this contest:
1. Latest mod rocker that SLASH guested with. Album not released.
Name the artist on whose album SLASH will appear. Rod Stewart
2. Current SLASH's Snakepit band member who recently appeared on stage
with Axl Rose. Johnny G.
3. SLASH's Blues Ball vocalist. Teddy Zigzag
4. Name these 3 Snakepit drummers: '95 recording band, '95 touring band, 99-00 recording
(and we hope someday soon) touring band. Matt Sorum, Brian Tichy,
Matt Laug
5. Among others, SLASH's mom designed stage clothing for this
androgynous UK artist. David Bowie
6. Name two artists (or acts) that SLASH played with at the Paris Pay Per View.
GNR doesn't count on this one! Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz
7. LA club where SLASH has his own table! Rainbow
8. Company that makes SLASH's guitar picks. Jim Dunlop USA
9. On the tribute to Alice Cooper, "Humanatary Stew", SLASH played on which
song? No More Mr. Nice Guy
10. A year ago, Graham Bonnet released an album that SLASH guested on. Name
the Beatles song that SLASH covered. Oh! Darling
Did anyone manage to tape SLASH on 95.5 KLOS last evening, the Jim Ladd
Show? Technical difficulties here meant we didn't get to hear the show.
Also we'd love to make some SLASH excerpts and put them out for everyone
to hear. Three Snakepit songs were played off the new album, and it would
be super to hear them. SLASH said today that he was nervous doing the
interview because this is a really big radio station, and Jim Ladd is
someone he has listened to his whole life. So, he forgot to mention the
album name and the band name! Interesting that SLASH still can get
nervous. Anyway he said they spent most of the time harking back to the
old days and music. We'd love to hear it. If you have a copy you'd like
to donate/trade/sell send an email to:
Kim from the UK is one of our best sources. She gave us some
new information on Doro Pesch. Remember, Doro is the European metal
queen who recently signed with Koch Records and is looking to build
a US fan base, too. SLASH appears on her new album which is due out
September 12. The album title is Calling the Wild. If you like
to hear SLASH working with other artists, you'll want to get your order
in for this one. Thanks, Kim!
Brian was reading one of the rock news sites, and there was an article
about SLASH's Snakepit opening for AC/DC. The one new, interesting
fact they gave was that SLASH recently jammed with Herbie Hancock in
L.A. Don't know Herbie Hancock? He's a famous jazz pianist. As a
composer
Hancock cracked the pop
market with the funky gospel tune
"Watermelon Man," which percussionist
Mongo Santamaria made a hit.
Making both ground-breaking jazz and popular
hits is a knack he has maintained throughout his
career. Did anyone happen to see SLASH play with Hancock? Thanks, Brian!
It's official!
SLASH's Snakepit will open for AC/DC on the North American leg of their
tour! This is our big chance to get out there, see the boys LIVE and
show them our support. AC/DC is a rockin' band in their own right so
you get two amazing rock bands for the price of one. AC/DC is touring
in support of their album Stiff Upper Lip, and of course SLASH's Snakepit
is touring in support of Ain't Life Grand. Here's the schedule
from the Elektra AC/DC site. The list will also be posted on the Snakepit
1999-2000 section of this page. Tickets are still available but going fast:
DATE
CITY
VENUE
08/01/2000
Grand Rapids MI Van Andel Arena
08/03/2000
Detroit MI Palace
08/04/2000
Cleveland OH Gund Arena
08/06/2000
Pittsburgh PA Mellon Arena
08/08/2000
Boston MA FleetCenter
08/10/2000
Toronto ON Air Canada
Centre
08/12/2000
Ottowa ON Correl Centre
08/14/2000
Quebec City QC Colisee Pepsi
Arena
08/15/2000
Montreal QC Molson Centre
08/17/2000
Atlanta GA Phillips Arena
08/19/2000
Bristow VA Nissan Pavilion
at Stone Ridge
08/20/2000
Philadelphia PA First Union
Center
08/22/2000
Wilkes Barre PA First Union
Arena
08/24/2000
East Rutherford NJ Continental
Airlines Arena
08/25/2000
New York NY Madison Sq.
Garden Arena
08/27/2000
Indianapolis IN Conseco
Fieldhouse
08/29/2000
Cincinnati OH Firstar Center
08/30/2000
Milwaukee WI Bradley Center
08/31/2000
Tinley Park IL World Music
Theater
09/02/2000
Minneapolis MN Target Center
09/03/2000
Kansas City MO Kemper Arena
09/05/2000
St. Louis MO Kiel Center
09/07/2000
Dallas TX Reunion Arena
09/08/2000
Houston TX Compaq Center
09/09/2000
Biloxi MS Mississippi Coast
Coliseum
09/11/2000
San Antonio TX Alamodome
09/13/2000
Phoenix AZ America West
Arena
09/14/2000
Las Vegas NV Thomas-Mack
Center
09/16/2000
San Bernardino CA Blockbuster
Pavilion
09/19/2000
San Jose CA San Jose Arena
09/20/2000
Oakland CA Coliseum
SLASH says a few more shows may be added to the tour, but they will fall
between the dates given here...nothing before August 1 and none after
September 20. Right now, Snakepit is doing the North American leg of the
tour only. SLASH will send word if that changes.
As for passes and free tickets, SLASH says that won't be happening on
the AC/DC tour. It is their tour, and they want a "no comp" tour. This
means no free tickets, no passes to dressing rooms. SLASH says he'll
still try to meet with fans by the tour buses after the show.
Very important news on the fan mail. SLASH has been so busy that mail
is piling up. He apologizes if you have been waiting awhile. He intends
to finish off this mail as soon as possible. Please do not use the post
office box for mail after July 23. Get whatever you want to send in the
mail before then and make the 23rd your last date. The fan mail box will
CLOSE July 27! SLASH's birthday is July 23, so get those cards and gifts
in the mail as soon as possible! SLASH says some other arrangements will
be made for fan mail in the future.
Chris sent us a translastion of the German Koch Records site. We verified
with SLASH that he has signed for 5 more albums over the life of the
contract. Great! The site said the album will be released in early
September. SLASH says the actual date is October 10. On September 26
a single will be released! There will also be a video, but SLASH was not
sure if it would be released on the 26th or another date. At least we
have the 26th to look forward to. The album is going to follow the tour,
so we expect a lot of bootleg recordings to be floating around. Be advised
that the artists and venues do not permit taping or photographs. You can
snap a few SLASH and Snakepit photos in the parking lot. This is the time
to bring that big poster or your guitar! Get ready! Here they come!
Clement sent us some great news! If you haven't heard
SLASH for a long time, you can hear him tomorrow (Friday 14)! It was advertised
that SLASH will be in the studio for an interview on the
"Jim Ladd Show" this Friday night on 95.5 KLOS in Los
Angeles/Southern Cal. Clement only caught the last half of the announcement,
but he thinks this show usually runs from about 9:30pm til midnight. We
suspect the time is Pacific Time. Catch a nap in the afternoon if you
are on the East Coast or Europe.
Try logging
onto www.955KLOS.com to listen live....
Fans have been sending in some Ain't Life Grand
mentions, but these are mentions other than by or about SLASH. How really strange that
if you look up Ain't Life Grand, you come across mention after mention of sites with
that name. Some are music with albums and tracks by that name. Some are truly bizarre. Her's
what we turned up: Zakk Wylde has a track out on his new album called Ain't Life Grand.
Widespread Panic has a very popular track with the same name. These singers do some track
called Ain't Life Grand: John Coltrane, Joyce Cooling, Florida Slim and the Hurricanes!
We found two sites where both are dealers in dog sales. There's a "wholesome" web ring with
the same name, Warren Bernhard is a jazz pianist with the same album title. Of course there
are many SLASH sites and web rings, but there is also Black Oak Arkansas's album with the
same title. There is one disgusting site that consists of Nazi photos, the ninth comedy
album by Tim Sample of Maine, and there's a letter to the editor of Southern Florida
University that has that title. Frankly we're surprised!
Many of you have asked if SLASH will provide backstage passes for the shows. What do you
think? Since he says he will meet fans after the show, is there a need for passes? If
you think so, what is the need? Is it fair to other fans who are waiting outside while
you chat with SLASH? If SLASH gives out passes, should just one be given to a fan or
should all his friends get in, too? What about a contest? If you have any idea, let
us know. SLASH hasn't made up his mind yet. We tend to lean away from these so that
SLASH has time to spend with a lot of fans not just 3 or 4, but we'd be glad to hear
what you think.
Chris sent us a translation of a postings on the German Koch Records site, www.kochrecords.com.
Keep in mind that SLASH has not verified this, but we thought the number of records was
so interesting, we wanted you to have it right away. We'll check with SLASH, so think of this
as unconfirmed but from a good source:
Here is a translation of the article from kochrecords.com (thanks, Chris):
The American Rock Guitarist Slash will make the next 5 albums with Koch
Records. Slash wrote a contract in New York with Koch Entertainment which
sees a long relationship. The President of Koch Entertainment, Bob Frank
says " We are unbelievably proud to be working with with a legend such as
Slash in the future." Also Slash commented that the deal was satisfying.
"It is good to work with people, that want exactly what I want, good music to
bring forth"(probably not what he said but that's the translation) Slash
will tour with his band in August and on the 17th he will attend Popkomm
live. That from Billboard, (sourcing billboard) new work from the top
American guitarists, will be released beginning in early September in German
stores.
Slickmojo sent some information on an MTV program
with a brief SLASH mention. It's called MTV Bloopers and the SLASH section is about
his appearance of MTV's Loveline.The show was a good one! Slickmojo says there is
a good segment on Lars Ulrich, too, on the Bloopers program. If anyone finds out when
that repeats, please let us know.
You can tell interest in Snakepit is heating up! Not only are we seeing SLASH, but other
band members too. Rebecca let us know that Rod Jackson's name has been in Kerrang!
and mentioned in Metal Sludge. Rebecca is hoping to see the band soon on their tour.
Thanks, Rebecca.
We've heard a lot of arguments about which guitarist
performs "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". By sheer volume, Steve Vai competes with Chris
Impellitteri. Hendrix recorded the track, but Vai did not as far as we can tell.
Impellitteri recorded it in 1988. We've had a chance to hear that track, and we think
Impellitaeri is the one on the MP3. This MP3 is listed as being by SLASH, but SLASH
claims it is not him.
MTV Celebrity Deathmatch is over,
and SLASH WON! There was a tremendous and sometimes gory battle between Axl Rose and
SLASH, but in the end, Our Hero won. It wasn't easy. SLASH's hair caused tremendous
problems for him when he couldn't see where he was going. Bullets fired at Axl
zoomed by the red-haired clay figure as he did his famous "serpentine" from Welcome
to the Jungle. Near the end, Axl looked like he had done in SLASH for good when
he cut SLASH's hair and made omelets from our favorite guitar's brains. (gag). But
SLASH rallied and cut Axl into paper dolls. SLASH was declared the winner as he was
still alive! Whew, a tough match. If you didn't catch it, it will be repeated this
weekend! Watch for it on MTV at 5:30 pm ET on Saturday, July 8. It repeats again on
Sunday, July 9 at 7:30 pm ET. This is one to tape. For those who have asked, we
don't know the European schedule. If anyone there gets the dates/times, please let
us know, and we'll post them. The battle will be shown on the MTV web site, but it
is not showing yet, so we'll watch for that one and post it for sure. Congratulations
to the curly haired one! You had him all the way!
Here's one more set of top hats. These are from a New Orleans company with a web site,
and the Mad Hatter model is under $100. Except for the missing silver conchas, this
looks very much like a SLASH "topper".
Max sent us information from what he called the German web page of Koch Records.
Keep in mind that we can't read other languages to verify or question what's there.
Max reports that the site says SLASH has contracted for 5 albums with Koch. They
also say Ain't Life Grand will be out in early September. We have never heard
SLASH mention a certain number of albums, but we will certainly ask. Koch here said
early September. SLASH said...just say September! We have no certain date ourselves.
Then they said SLASH was going on a long tour in August, and that is certainly true.
They claim SLASH will appear at Popkomm (we don't know what this is but suspect it
could be a festival) on August 17! If SLASH is opening for AC/DC, there are shows
on the 15th and 19th, so it will be a lightning trip! We'll check this out with
SLASH before we all move to Germany! Thanks, Max! If you're an international reader,
would you please check your Yahoo language area for Koch Records and SLASH? Thanks!
Yesterday SLASH got away from the July 4 fireworks and talked about what's
happening with Snakepit. While the album date is announced as September 26
on several sites, SLASH still prefers we think of it as in September at
this time. The album could be released in certain places first (promotional
considerations) which could mean you might be able to buy yours later. When
he has the exact schedule, he'll let us know.
About Johnny G.'s name...mostly he goes by Johnny. Johnny G. and Johnny
Blackout seem to be more nicknames within the band. The bass player is
definitely Johnny Griparic. You saw him in Blues Ball and in the Snakepit
pre-album tour. Same guy! We're wondering what nicknames SLASH might
answer to in the band!
AC/DC has not settled on their opening band for the North American leg
of their tour. Snakepit is definitely being considered. SLASH says they
will go if the offer is made, and he's really psyched for a chance to
get on the road and play again. He should have the information soon and
promises to keep us posted. He says he goes to see AC/DC a lot. They
put on a good show, and the music is real rock and roll. Get your tickets
today, and let's hope for an added bonus of Snakepit.
In the past, SLASH spoke of a promotional tour where he would go from
city to city doing interviews with the press, radio and TV. If Snakepit
tours with AC/DC, SLASH will do promotions while he's on the road with
them; and if the tour doesn't happen, SLASH will do the promo tour
at that time. Whether that is alone or with some/all of the band is
undecided.
Snakepit is charging ahead with rehearsals. SLASH says that Ryan Roxie
was not fired from the band. As you know, Ryan has been touring with
Gilby Clarke and now with Alice Cooper in Europe. If Snakepit gets
rolling with AC/DC, they have to have another guitarist; and Keri
Kelli will fill that position. Ryan's position is there; but if the
band leaves on tour, they have to have someone in his slot. SLASH hasn't
fired anyone, but he has to have that second guitar player.
A reminder again that MTV will air Celebrity Deathmatch this
evening at 10 pm ET. Clay figures of SLASH and Axl Rose will battle
it out. Go, SLASH!
Finally, a reminder that our latest contest is still on. Two winners
receive autographed photos of SLASH. Answer all the questions correctly,
and you get a chance at the drawing! For more information and the
contest questions, scroll down to June 26 (search on "contest" works, too).
The contest ends Friday, July 14.
Although we haven't heard
from SLASH on whether Snakepit will open for AC/DC on the North American
leg of their tour, tickets for the shows are going fast. If you like
AC/DC, get a ticket now before they are all gone. If you're only coming
for Snakepit, that's a problem. Why not take a chance, and then sell the
ticket if Snakepit doesn't open? Any time you can see a rock and roll
concert these days,though, you really ought to go!
If you go to see AC/DC, how about wearing a top hat? Awhile ago we
printed information from Rattus on where to get an elegant black top
hat. The price tag was over $100, so our pal Maria went on the web in
search of a cheaper hat. There's a black rubber one and a Lincoln
permafelt for sale at Star Design Costumes.
Prices are $25 and $8 respectively. Just right for throwing in the air at
the end of the Snakepit set. Maria says this one is more Slash's speed as
it is in Hollywood and is called Retail Slut.
A great looking top hat here goes for $68, and there is even a great derby
like one we've all seen Slash wear.
We've been told by SlickMojo that this is the card for Celebrity
Deathmatch this Thursday, July 6 on MTV at 10 pm ET: Heather Locklear vs Pamela Anderson Lee, Axl Rose vs SLASH,
Jeff Gordon vs. Dale Earnhardt. So this might be the night to watch! The show
repeats Sat., July 8 at 5:30 pm ET and Sun., July 9 at 7:30 pm. If it
isn't on, there's always next Thursday, and the next, and the next.
A short update on an old bandmate and friend of SLASH. Duff McKagan will be
on the forthcoming President's (formerly Presidents of the United States)
album, Freaked Out and Small. Duff appears on the track "I'm Mad".
Our information is from Jeff who also let us know that the album is on
the Musicblitz label and that the Presidents are from Seattle which is probably
how they hooked up with Duff. Thanks, Jeff!
The questions for SLASH have been sent. If you have any new ones, please
hold onto them in case there is a next time. He's starting to get very
busy now! Also, we will be on vacation for a week or so beginning July 5.
We'll attempt to give some updates anyway. Any sightings, send them in, please!
While we are on the beach, we hope you'll be sending in some SLASH news.
Thanks!
With several sites
reporting this Snakepit item, we'll pass it along, too. However, we have
not heard from SLASH on this yet. If you noticed when SLASH did his
interview, he named the band members, and Ryan Roxie was conspicuously
absent. Ryan has been out of town touring with Gilby Clarke and Alice
Cooper for some time. Whether that meant SLASH had to get a new man, we
can't say. Snakepit rehearsed many times without Ryan, but SLASH indicated
that did not affect the band's rehearsal. Amazingly enough, Ryan's
replacement is Keri Kelli. Kelli is from Dad's Porno Mag along with
Roxie. Kelli has also played with Warrant, Ratt, Rubber, Newlydeads and
others. Questions as to whether the album will be re-recorded or if new
artwork is needed have not been answered at this time. We don't see SLASH
allowing this to delay the album further, and we'll find out the other
questions soon.
One last item here - about Johnny Griparic or Johnny G. SLASH gave his name
as Johnny Blackout in a recent interview, but it's still the Johnny that
we're used to seeing on Snakepit's bass guitar.