When Guns N'Roses finished the Illusion tours, the band went home for a
well deserved vacation. SLASH says he is not one to stay around the house
smelling the roses, so instead of gardening, he built a home studio nicknamed Snakepit. Matt
Sorum, GNR drummer, came over, and he and SLASH started arranging some
material SLASH had written. SLASH put on the bass and rhythm guitars, and
then former GNR rhythm guitarist, Gilby Clarke came around and put
in some new rhythm guitar. For bass, SLASH picked up Mike Inez of Alice in
Chains, but finding a singer was difficult. 40 singers were auditioned before
SLASH found Eric Dover, formerly of Jellyfish. SLASH and Eric worked well and
quickly together with lyrics written the day vocals
were recorded. In fact, all the guys worked easily together and experienced none of the heavy
scrutiny they are used to when working with their home bands. In time there
was an album.
The Snakepit band name was borrowed from SLASH's studio. The album title, "It's
Five O'Clock Somewhere" came from a bartender! SLASH was at an airport leaving
for another GNR tour, and he wanted a drink but the signs said that no
liquor was served there before 5 pm. SLASH asked for a drink anyway, and
the bartender said....the album title! Geffen records agreed to back the
album if the group name was changed to SLASH's Snakepit providing the new
band with some name recognition. And that's how some rockers started
out jamming and created a new band and a great rock album.
SLASH and the guys had the music nearly done when he finally found his singer, Eric Dover. Eric wrote a lot of the lyrics on the album, with Slash and alone. To check out the lyrics for It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, click LYRICS!
Above, the Snakepit recording band.
From left are: Matt Sorum (drums), Mike Inez (bass), Gilby Clarke (rhythm
guitar), SLASH (lead guitar), Eric Dover (lead vocals).
A tour was set up to begin April 1, 1995 if all the members could free themselves
from other commitments. Unfortunately for SLASH's Snakepit, Mike Inez had
to bow out as Alice In Chains began recording their own album. Then, Matt Sorum
went back to Guns N'Roses to begin working on their new album. While they
would not tour with the band, the original band members were able to put
together a great video for the first single, "Beggars and Hangers-On".
Then the whole basket of snakes
headed for Memphis for three days rehearsal. SLASH's Snakepit was coiled
and ready to spring for the opening gig, March 31, 1995 at the Six One
Six Club in Memphis. MTV was there for the opening, recording wildly
enthusiastic fans. 
The video of "Good To Be Alive" was done that night, and
it is a must see. The band and audience are so in tune and so excited. This
was what SLASH wanted to get back to - being toe to toe with the audience -
and he got it in spades. A really triumphant opening that set the vibe
for future gigs.
Here's the Snakepit touring band (below) looking relaxed but ready to rip. That old snakecharmer, SLASH, is to the left of drummer Brian Tichy. To SLASH's right are vocalist Eric Dover, guitarist Gilby Clarke and bassist James LoMenzo. Is this a band you would want to miss? No way, and the crowds at the Snakepit shows were large and crazy. After the show, most of the band would come outside to meet the fans informally, answer questions, have photos taken, sign autographs for every last person there even if it meant they pulled out at 3 am. The band traveled by bus, not limo, and the close accommodations made for close friends. While these were not the original band members he had chosen, SLASH soon had constructed a second, strong band.
Starting with Memphis, the US tour took off. These photos were taken by a fan
at the New York City show. Canadian gigs branched off the US tour. Just when we thought we had them back for good, they slithered off to
Japan for a tour at the end of May 1995. Next came a European tour from
early June to mid July followed by a South American ten day tour. The band
returned home but got an invitation to play at Monsters of Rock at Donington
Park in the UK.
That was the last gig SLASH's Snakepit would play, and it
was August 25, 1995. A triumphant 5 months! SLASH did many, many interviews
in support of Snakepit. Near the end of the tour, SLASH said he would bring
back Snakepit again. Recently, he announced that again on an internet chat.Here are some short clips from SLASH's Snakepit. First the recording band brings you one of SLASH's favorites from the album, "Be The Ball".
CLICK ON THE SNAKEPIT BOOT CD, GET IN THE PIT, TO HEAR SOME
OF "BE THE BALL":
(WAV format,349K)
And you can hear the touring band in a live performance of "Beggars & Hangers-On", also a cut from IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE. This was recorded at the New York City show, April 13, 1995. Listen to the crowd singing right along with Eric!
CLICK ON THE SNAKEPIT BOOT CD, GOOD TO BE LIVE, TO HEAR PART
OF A LIVE PERFORMANCE OF "BEGGARS & HANGERS-ON":
(WAV format,349K)
To the guys in SLASH's Snakepit's recording band, thanks for a great album!
It rocks! In 1999 we are still waiting for Snakepit II to live up to that
first Snakepit album.
And for the guys in the touring band of SLASH's Snakepit, thanks for
bringing the music to us! Some of us traveled a long way to see you, and
you didn't disappoint us! What great shows you put on! We won't
forget you and the time you spent after the shows with the fans.
SLASH, as always - thanks for the music. IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE is a rockin' album. And
the concerts were great! You said you wanted to be closer to the
audience....and that was wonderful, because all along WE wanted to be closer to YOU, too!
