Reverb caught up with guitar hero, Slash, on his most recent tour stop in Chicago in support of his latest record, Orgy Of The Damned. Slash sat down with Reverb after his soundcheck to show off some of the great pieces in his rig and talk about his gear philosophy.
"I'm an addict—I buy guitars because I love guitars," Slash said. But as a collector, it's not all about the vintage, museum-worthy pieces. Slash sees guitars for what they fundamentally are: tools to be played and used. "I honestly believe that you can get an excellent, as good as you're ever gonna need, new guitar that doesn't cost an arm and a leg."
Still, Slash's collection features a good deal of vintage guitars that speak to him for one reason or another. Maybe it's the neck, or the way that they manage to sound just right for what you need the second you pick them up. His vintage Gibson ES-335 from Norm's in LA is a great example of that, serving as a major player throughout his latest record as it had the perfect warmth for the rawer and more down to earth approach of Orgy Of The Damned.
Slash also showed off several Gibson Firebird models that he was inspired to try due to how often fellow guitar legend Johnny Winter used them. These models have also become more recent staples in his live show, opening the potential of his sound to tonal areas that weren't on the radar of rock 'n' roll players coming up in the '80s.
These are only a few of the highlights from Reverb's talk with Slash, check out the full video below to hear the interview in full and to see more of the gear that makes up his live rig.
Slash has released Slash Music Of Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights today, via Snakepit Records LLC/Deko Entertainment, just in time for Halloween.
This limited edition 11-song vinyl-only album comprised of Slash’s original compositions over the last six years for the Halloween Horror Nights ‘Universal Monsters’ haunted house, is sold exclusively onsite at Universal Studios Hollywood from September 5 through November 3. 300 alternate color vinyl that are hand signed by Slash will be placed in stores at Universal Studios Hollywood until they are sold out, and only 100 are available online via Deko Entertainment here.
“As a longtime fan of horror movies and of ‘Halloween Horror Nights,’ I jumped at the chance to once again collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood to produce a soundtrack for the Universal Monsters haunted house,” says Slash. “Similar to the way music affects a film, I composed this score for the legions of infamous characters in these haunted houses to elicit a sense of emotional terror.”
For the past six years, Slash has composed the original music for Halloween Horror Nights ‘Universal Monsters’ haunted house which fans experience live at Universal Studios Hollywood every Halloween season. This year, Slash’s original score for the all-new haunted house “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines,” is headlined by an all-female gathering of classic Universal Monsters – The Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula’s Daughter, She-Wolf of London and the undead, mummified Egyptian princess Anck-Su-Namun. The “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines” haunted houses will introduce guests to an all-new terrifying storyline, as they find themselves in the center of the ultimate battle between two unexpected alliances of classic female Universal Monsters. The terrifying adventure will take guests on a journey between the hunted and the hunters in a life and death battle with only one bloodline left to survive.
As the movie studio that invented the horror film genre, “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines,” haunted house at Universal Studios Hollywood will have even more relevance as it will reside within legendary Sound Stage 12 on the studio back lot, the original filming location for such Universal horror movies as Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), among others revered classic and contemporary films.
Fans can now enjoy the scary soundtrack as the ultimate background music to usher in Halloween night. All music and guitar for Slash Music Of Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights was written by Slash and produced and co-written with other instruments and vocals by Stacey Quinealty. The score was recorded at 741 Studios in Burbank CA and Snakepit Studios, CA.
Tracklisting:
Side A
“Universal Monsters Rising” (Universal Monsters 2018)
“Live Again” (Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives 2021)
“The Monster Reborn” (Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives 2021)
“The Gypsy Theme” (Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives 2021)
“Sweet Licks” (Clowns 3D 2014)
“Dracula's Brides” (Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives 2021)
Side B
“Danse of the Dead” (Universal Monsters 2018)
“Kharis the Mummy” (Universal Monsters: Legends Collide 2022)
“Silent Screams” (Universal Monsters: Unmasked 2023)
“We Belong Dead” (Universal Monsters 2018)
“The Final Scare” (Universal Monsters 2018)
Slash’s unique, and complex composition will once again add a haunting dimension to the “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines,” experience at Halloween Horror Nights. Fans can purchase tickets here: Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
Watch a short clip of the pressing of the vinyl for Slash Music Of Universal Studios Hollywood – Halloween Horror Nights below:
