On Friday, October 4, Slash - the iconic, Grammy Award-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, guitarist, and songwriter - visited the Ray Charles Terrace at the Grammy Museum for an evening discussing his latest album Orgy Of The Damned, a star-studded, vibrant homage to the blues. Grammy Hall of Fame producer and longtime Slash collaborator Mike Clink joined the conversation to discuss the creative process for the album. An intimate acoustic performance followed.
Fan-filmed video from the event can be viewed below:
Released May 17, 2024, Slash’s critically acclaimed sixth solo album Orgy Of the Damned - produced by Clink - is available worldwide on Gibson Records. A first for Slash, Orgy Of The Damned spent 13 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart in the U.S. The new album also debuted as the #1 Blues Album in the U.S and the U.K., #2 on the U.S. Rock Albums Chart, as well as achieving Top 10 Chart positions in seven countries around the world.
A beautifully tailored love letter to the blues, on Orgy Of The Damned Slash revitalizes blues classics with the album’s handpicked diverse guest vocalists, which include Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Chris Stapleton, Iggy Pop, Gary Clark Jr., Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Chris Robinson (Black Crowes), Dorothy, Paul Rodgers, Demi Lovato, Tash Neal, and Beth Hart. Slash selected standard blues songs made famous by Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, and tracks from blues rock bands like Peter Green‘s Fleetwood Mac and Steppenwolf. He even strays from the blues for the Motown tracks from the Temptations and Stevie Wonder, showcasing the inherent blues underlying all great music from the '60s and '70s. The legendary guitarist reunited with two of his bandmates from his Blues Ball Band outfit in the '90s, Johnny Griparic (bass), and Teddy ‘ZigZag’ Andreadis (keys), and brought on drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal who round out his blues band in the studio and on the road.
Orgy Of The Damned tracklisting:
“The Pusher” feat. Chris Robinson (vocal and harmonica) Written by Wayne Hoyt Axton
“Crossroad Blues” feat. Gary Clark Jr (vocal, rhythm guitar, and solo) Written by Robert Leroy Johnson
“Hoochie Coochie Man” feat. Billy F. Gibbons (vocal, rhythm guitar, and solo) Written by Willie Dixon
“Oh Well” feat. Chris Stapleton (vocal) Written by Peter Alan Green
“Key To The Highway” feat. Dorothy (vocal) Written by Charles Segar, William Broonzy
“Awful Dream” feat. Iggy Pop (vocal) Written by Sam (Lightnin’) Hopkins, Clarence Lewis, C Morgan Robinson
“Born Under A Bad Sign” feat. Paul Rodgers (vocal) Written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones
“Papa Was A Rolling Stone” feat. Demi Lovato (vocal) Written by Barrett Strong, Jesse Norman Whitfield
“Killing Floor” feat. Brian Johnson (vocal) Written by Chester Burnett *Special guest Steven Tyler on harmonica.
“Living For The City” feat. Tash Neal (vocal) Written by Stevie Wonder *Special guest background vocals: Jenna Bell, Jessie Payo
“Stormy Monday” feat. Beth Hart (vocal) Written by T-Bone Walker
“Metal Chestnut” Written by Slash
"Papa Was A Rolling Stone" video:
"Oh Well":
"Killing Floor" video:
For a deep dive into the making of the new album, watch Gibson TV’s music documentary “The Making Of Slash’s Orgy Of The Damned”. Episodes 1, 2, 3 and 4, are all streaming now, in the YouTube clip below.
(Slash photo courtesy of Gene Kirkland)
