SLASH: Being At The ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME Turned Out To Be A Really Great Experience

April 23, 2012

During a press conference in Italy to promote his second solo album, "Apocalyptic Love" (see video below),legendary guitarist Slash (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) was asked what it felt like to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame without singer Axl Rose, who refused to attend the ceremony and be inducted with his former bandmates.

"I specifically don't talk about [Axl]," Slash replied. "But being at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, in and of itself, turned out to be a really great experience. It was a mixed feeling going into… in the months leading up to the induction. It was not necessarily positive, but once I sort of decided, 'OK, I'm gonna go, and Duff [McKagan, former GN'R bassist] decided he was gonna go and Gilby [Clarke, former GN'R guitarist] and Steven [Adler, former GN'R drummer], and all that. Actually being there, being inducted was a really positive and pleasant experience. We recruited Myles Kennedy [of ALTER BRIDGE and Slash's solo band] to sing [at the induction] at the very, very last minute — like the morning of the flight [on our way to Cleveland]. It wasn't my idea this time [to get Myles involved]; it was Duff's idea."

In addition to Axl Rose, who announced earlier in the month that he would not attend and was not accepting his induction, other missing members included original guitarist Izzy Stradlin and longtime keyboardist Dizzy Reed, who still plays in the current version of the band.

For the Rock Hall induction performance, Slash, McKagan and Adler were joined by drummer Matt Sorum and Clarke for three songs — "Mr. Brownstone", "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Paradise City" — from the band's classic 1987 debut, "Appetite For Destruction".

GREEN DAY's Billie Joe Armstrong delivered the induction speech for GN'R, saying, "The first time I saw GUNS N' ROSES on MTV, I thought, 'One of these guys could end up dead or in jail,'" He raved about "Appetite For Destruction", calling it "the best debut album in the history of rock and roll."

The 27th Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will air on HBO Saturday, May 5 at 9:00 p.m. EDT/PDT.

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