1995.04.20 - The New York Times - 2 Groups Astride (Slash)

The Pop Life

By Neil Strauss

[...]

2 Groups Astride

Before his concert with his own group, Slash's Snakepit, in Manhattan last week, the guitarist Slash took time to discuss the status of the other band he plays in, Guns 'n' Roses, which hasn't released a record since 1991's two "Use Your Illusion" albums.

"There's a lot of confusion as to what this is about," Slash said in reference to Snakepit. "Did I quit Guns? No. Why am I doing this? Because I felt like it."

Snakepit's album, "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" (Geffen), was recorded with the Guns 'n' Roses drummer, Matt Sorum. But Mr. Sorum was not able to tour with Snakepit because Axl Rose, Guns 'n' Roses' moody lead singer, decided to start working on new Guns 'n' Roses songs. "If Matt was touring with me, it would stop Guns 'n' Roses in its tracks," Slash said.

Referring to the rhythm guitarist Zakk Wylde, Guns 'n' Roses' temporary replacement for Gilby Clarke, who left the band, he added, "I don't know whether he's going to be part of the band or not. Axl really wants to do a Guns record now. But there's a lot of debate over who's going to play guitar. Axl and I were having an argument about it yesterday."

How does Mr. Rose feel about Slash taking five months off for a solo tour? "Axl and I have our differences about the whole thing, but I told him I'm going to finish what I started and when I get back I'll see where Guns is at," Slash said. "I actually had no intention of doing a separate project. I was more or less just writing songs for fun like I normally would. And then I played some of the songs for Axl, and he didn't want to do them. The music was too retro for him or something."

https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/20/arts/the-pop-life-607095.html