In addition to playing guitar on one of the best selling albums of all time, Slash has been honored with a Rock Walk Hall of Fame and was awarded the 2nd spot on Time Magazine’s 10 Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time list. With his famous top hat and ever-present cigarette, the Guns N’ Roses guitarist has become an icon synonymous with rock n’ roll. If you’ve ever wondered about the person behind the rock star, then keep reading. We’ve compiled a list of interesting trivia to give you a peek at what this guitar legend was like long before rockstar fame.

• Saul Hudson was given the nickname “Slash” by a family friend because he was “always in a hurry, zipping around from one thing to another.”
• Slash attended Beverly Hills High School in the early 1980’s with musician Lenny Kravitz but never graduated, dropping out in the eleventh grade.
• Slash’s mother was clothing designer Ola Hudson, whose work includes costumes for David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976).
• Slash’s father is Anthony Hudson, who designed album covers for Geffen Records such as Joni Mitchell’s “Court and Spark.”
• Before joining Guns N’ Roses, Slash was a very popular session guitarist, playing with Cheap Trick, Bad Company, Alice Cooper, and Rod Stewart.
• Slash started playing guitar at 15 years old and has mentioned influences including Rory Gallagher, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper, and Queen.

The whole premise of Rockabye Baby! series is rather interesting to me. The idea of taking classic rock melodies and working them into mellow songs for youngsters really challenges some prevalent and somewhat outmoded ideas. I mean, just how important are the trappings of rock and roll anyhow? Of course the classic sex, drugs & rock and roll cliches still abound across the globe, but at this point in time it seems quaint to me that at one time bands like Led Zeppelin or the Beatles were considered amongst the greatest threats to western civilization. Yes, rock music subculture was one of many influences that shaped the latter part of the 20th century, but people of all age groups still purchase huge quantities of these records based on their musical content, not the aged propaganda that propelled these acts to their dizzying heights of fame. It’s obvious that people still cling to the rock mythos;  a recent post on a major gossip site regarding our new album Lullaby Renditions of Guns N’ Roses (out tomorrow!) is proof positive of people’s lack of lightheartedness when it comes to rock icons. Guess what? Rock stars grow, have kids, pet puppies and some even garden! That being said, I thought that I’d do a little research and see how many of the Gunners have gone on to that most un rock and roll job of jobs–parenting.

Finding info on the reclusive W. Axl Rose was a bit difficult. Although there’s no public mention of offspring, a few sources site a possible daughter. It seems that original founding member and 1st defector Izzy Stradlin, as well as original drummer and reality TV star Steven Adler have yet to procreate. However, Guitar legend Saul Hudson (Slash) seems to have taken to fatherhood quite well. Having married back in 2000, he and his wife Perla have 2 sons, London and Cash. Rounding out the original line-up, bassist and former Fartz member Duff McKagen was the first father of the group. His daughter Grace was born back in ‘97 and in 2000 he and wife Susan Holmes were blessed with a second daughter, Mae Marie. Izzy replacement Gilby Clarke is also a proud parent, in fact his wife Daniella named her popular line of Frankie B. jeans after their daughter Francesca. Adler replacement and former Y Kant Tori Read member Matt Sorum hasn’t any children, but his recent work for the Freedom Children organization, which works to gain assistance for children in war ravaged nations, well deserves mention.

Welcome to the jungle indeed…

P.S. Lullaby Renditions of Guns N’ Roses hits the streets 11/10! Listen to an exclusive sneak peek of our version of Sweet Child O’ Mine here.