Re: 03. 1962-1984 - BEFORE GUNS N' ROSES

by **Soulmonster** Fri Jan 03, 2025 3:07 pm

OCTOBER 1984

SLASH AUDITIONS FOR POISON

As described earlier, after the August 29 show, Slash left Hollywood Rose, and in the fall of 1984 he was looking for another band to join. Marc Canter had become friendly with Poison's Matt Smith and would encourage Slash to audition to become Poison's next guitarist:

Then what happened was Matt got his girlfriend pregnant, wanted to go home and start a family back to Pennsylvania and wanted Slash to replace him. But Slash wasn't really on board because he didn't want to shoot silly string in the air and say, "Hey, my name's Slash," because they all have a point where they, you know, it's kind of bubblegum rock at that, you know, all that silly string and everything. But Slash wasn't in a band right then. That was after Hollywood Rose broke up and there was really nothing going on. So I said, you know, "You really should go, obviously you're going to get the job because you're good enough and, you know, the guitar player wants you to replace him." But he just didn't really want to do it. I said, "Well, you know, they probably have a record deal coming up and it's this good stepping stone. You'll get in there, you'll make some noise and you know, somebody will spot you and you'll be somewhere else." So, you know, I actually had to push him to do it. I actually drove him to see them at Radio City in Santa Ana, you know, on a Saturday night gig for that gig. And I was sick as a dog and I still drove them there. That's how badly I wanted him to... My job was to get Slash to the next level, and the next level was to get him noticed. Because I saw how good he was and how talented he was, and I wanted him to step out of Los Angeles and get into something and hit the ground running. But that's what happened.

Rock Talk with Mitch Lafon, August 18, 2021

The audition likely happened in October of 1984 since Raz Cue would mention that he talked about the audition to Axl who was in LA Guns at the time, and Axl would join LA Guns in October [see quote below and later chapter].

What I used to do was, I would join bands and play one gig with them if it was a big enough place and join the band right at the right time when that gig was gonna happen. I’d rehearse with them and go out and do it for exposure. I was sort of like a loan shark in that sense, and it’s sort of selfish, but it’s a selfish business in that you’ve got to get by. So, I’d go out and play with bands because I couldn’t get my own thing happening.

I wasn’t gonna sit around and keep putting ads in the paper and wait around until I was 20. I could be as old as I am now and not have done anything. I still haven’t seen really anything I’m impressed with come out of Los Angeles. I mean, I love what we’re doing, and I honestly think that out of most of the bands in L.A., this is one of the few that really has any substance to them. And this is what I was fighting against when I was trying out for Poison. Matt, their ex-guitar player, called me and said, 'Listen, I’m going back to Pittsburgh. I’m starting a family, and Poison is open, and if anybody can do it, you can.’

Matt was really cool, and I dug him a lot. So, here I am thinking, 'Great! I know this band from when I played with them in Hollywood Rose! They’re basically the epitome of what I can’t stand, but I’ll go down there and play with them, and it’ll do wonders for me as far as getting out there is concerned. The auditions lasted for, like, two weeks. I went down a couple of times, had the songs down, played them really well, and then they called me up and said, 'Well, everything’s going great. Let’s have a meeting. This is like a dress rehearsal—don’t bring your guitar.’

I went down there, and I figured, if anything, they could have the style and image they had, and I’d still go down there being me, and I could always be the f—ing foil for what they do and probably get away with it, but they wanted me to change my shoes, asked me what kind of pants I wore, how I did my hair and all of this stuff, and I was really irked by the whole thing. Anyway, me and C.C. were the two guitar players who ended up being the last two to be picked, and finally, one day, we had a big argument about this thing in the set where they say, 'Hi’ and introduce themselves, and there was no way I was gonna go up and say, 'Hi, I’m Slash’ and do a guitar lick and be real cute about it, so C.C. got the job, which was no big deal. It was just another passing thing, and I went on to do whatever. Now it’s sort of backfiring on me because I got the impression that it looks like I’m bitter because C.C. got the job and I didn’t, which is not the case. I’m not jealous of their band’s success. I’m not jealous of C.C.’s position or any of that stuff.

Blast! April 16, 1988

I drove Slash out to radio City to see Poison. I think Vicky Hamilton was managing them at the time. Matt Smith, the old guitar player was leaving […] And Matt really liked Slash and wanted Slash for the job. Poison was an established LA band that could sell out almost any club they played and were getting ready to sign a record deal.

Slash went to three Poison gigs to check out the scene and the band gave him their demo tape to learn their material. Slash showed up at rehearsal but couldn't bring himself to join. He didn't like the Silly String act at the end of the show, nor could he stomach saying, "Hi, my name is Slash" during the moment of the set when the band would introduce themselves. He hated their image and considered the music lame. C. C. DeVille was hired a few days later.

Marc Canter, "Reckless Road", 2007

Slash almost joined Poison at that point who were being managed by Vicky Hamilton. He didn’t really wanna join but he knew it was a good opportunity because they were a big drawing act and their guitarist Matt had gotten his girlfriend pregnant and wanted to go back to Pennsylvania but he and Slash were friendly. Matt liked Slash, he had seen HOLLYWOOD ROSE open a couple Poison gigs and and wanted him to take over in Poison gig. Slash really didn’t wanna do it, he didn’t like the music, he didn’t like the silly string and the image. I told him “Dude, you gotta do it, you don’t have a band, you’ll be able to record an album and it will be a stepping stone to other things” but he still really didn’t wanna go audition. He did go because I basically kept buggin him and I actually drove him out to go see them play this sold out show and convinced him to audition like “Man, look at this” though he clearly wasn’t into it and basically blew the audition. He was not into the music or the image and I guess he made some of that way too clear to the Poison guys. They knew he was clearly adept at the guitar parts and all but when it came down to it they were looking for someone who was really into the whole presentation and willing to play that game. Oddly enough, Slash walked out of the audition and saw C.C. walking in and KNEW without even hearing him play that he was the guy they were looking for, he just was so obviously perfect for POISON.

Legendary Rock Interviews, April 22, 2012

It is correct that Hamilton was the manager of Poison at the time, and she wanted Slash in the band:

They wanted to have C.C. in the band and I wanted Slash.

Music Connection, June 1987

I managed Poison, too. They auditioned Slash, and Poison ended up giving him the gig. He was excited, he said he would do it. He said OK. But then he said he would not wear all the makeup, and he said he would not say, “I’m Slash!” You know, how everyone in Poison used to introduce themselves on stage: “I’m Bret! I’m Rikki! I’m Bobby!” Slash said no way, he was not going to do that. So Poison ended up getting C.C. DeVille the next day. He’s the one who got the gig after Slash turned it down.

Metal Sludge, March 2012

Slash would later claim he turned the gig down because he didn't want to die his hair and daub his face, and "look like a clown" [Kerrang! July 30, 1988].

I was always playing, and one of the main things that got me from then to now is the fact that I was in bands regardless of whether I could play. Even though I probably wasn’t that good a guitar player, I was doing the best I could, trying to write songs and form bands I was really into. I went through tons of bands and kept doing it and doing it and doing it.

The Calgary Herald, July 3, 1988

I was the best at the audition, but I refused to join them, because they asked me to dye my hair blue and wear "barbie" make-up. I mean, I'm aware of the fact that you have to be a professional if you want to succeed, but I still wasn't ready to look like a transvestite.

Rock-Pop, January 1989; translated from Serbian

Marc Canter and Raz Cue would confirm this:

And what happened was that, you know, Slash might have auditioned for Poison, not that he wanted to, but we kind of made him do it because it was a good stepping stone. But he basically killed his own audition by saying, "I'm not gonna say 'Hi, my name is Slash' and squirt some silly string in the crowd," or whatever. [...] You know, the band was selling out the Troubadour and their old guitar player, Matt Smith, knew Slash because Poison used to gig with Hollywood Rose sometimes. Matt knew that Slash was the shit and they were friends and they and Matt liked Aerosmith and we hung out a little bit. So slash like Matt, just didn't like the rest of the band. But when Matt knocked his girlfriend up and moved back to Pennsylvania, he recommended Slash for the job. [...] And they auditioned him. If he didn't blow his own audition by saying, "Nah-nah, you guys aren't gonna....there's no way, you guys are lame," but if he would have said, "Yeah, I want to join you," they would have taken him in a second because obviously he's a good guitar player. But instead they got CC Deville.

Let There Be Talk, August 29, 2013

What's funny is I heard that story at the time, because Axl was in LA Guns. And Slash was telling him that he was trying out for Poison, or whatever. And supposedly, Slash said right then, he's like, they were like, "Yeah, it's between you and CeCe for the band," for Poison, right? And then, "You've been to a Poison show?" and he's like, "Yeah," and they go, "Anything about our band that," you know, "you have any thoughts?" and he's like, "You know that part where you do that, 'Hi! I'm Bobby!' 'Hi, I'm Ricky!'? like you just said, and Slash says, "I think that's the gayest shit I ever heard in my life."

Appetite for Distortion, August 6, 2018

Bret Michaels would say the reason Slash didn't join Poison was that they disagreed on how large the band should be:

[…] a funny story with Stan and Slash -- would stand on the street corner, right, just handing out flyers: I mean, hey -- come see Hollywood Rose; come see Poison. You know, that kinda thing. And then Slash, at one point, when we lost our original guitar player, Slash had auditioned for Poison.

And we were looking -- he wanted to be in a-- You know, although there's a million different versions of the story, no one-- And he said we like told him he had to say his name onstage, or I don't know what the fuck. It was in a book that said Slash said he couldn't handle it, because he had to say his name onstage -- or some fuckin' bullshit. But it was because he wanted to be in a five-piece band, and we wanted to be four-piece -- and it was really that simple, you know?

Spin, July 1999

Looking back at the audition:

[...] I almost got the gig. What happened was, Matt [Smith], their original guitar player, quit the band and moved back home to Pennsylvania. I had just been sort of scrounging around L.A., looking for anything that was happening, just to get out there and play. So one day Matt called me up and said “Poison’s going to be auditioning guitarists. You should go out for it.” And I thought... well, I really didn’t like Poison! I didn’t like that whole thing. But there was something exciting about them, and the thought of being able to get out there and start working the scene was enticing to me. I was willing to do whatever I could to break into it. So I learned a few of their songs and went down to the rehearsal space they were all living in at the time to audition. [...] I played the shit out of those songs! And I got called back, twice. Then I was asked to come in a third time, which is when it got serious. And I remember as I was walking in that last time, C.C. [DeVille] was coming back the other way. We passed each other in the hall. So it came down to C.C and me. [...] [C.C] clearly fit the part better than I did. I mean, he came in with his hair all done up, he had all the right clothes and was wearing stiletto heels. I showed up looking the way I look now. And I also remember I had on a pair of moccasins, because the Poison guys looked at me and asked, “What do you wear?” I was like, “This is... it,” you know? And they said, “Well, do you have some different shoes?” So I knew that was it. When I got the phone call that C.C. got the job, I wasn’t surprised. He was perfect for them.

Guitar World, July 2007

It’s almost like I did that because I was looking for something to do, and if for some strange reason it would have happened it wouldn’t have lasted. I never thought about it really but unconsciously I almost did want to join, just to play the shit out of the material and kick their asses that way! But I don’t think I expected to have a successful relationship with those guys.

They were making a covers record when we were at Hansen [studios] doing Libertad, and I would leave out the back door. Because they were recording in the main studio right at the front door, I’d come and go out the back door. It’s not like I have anything against those guys, and we’re amicable and everything, but God I didn’t want to have to say, hey, and the whole bullshit of how are you doing...

Guitarist, October 2007

I was living in LA and I had just gotten done working in a band with Axl, actually, called Hollywood Rose. Steven Adler was in that band as well. I just quit. I told Axl I couldn’t handle it anymore and I walked. That was right after the first time Axl and I ever worked together. Matt, the original guitar player for Poison, who was actually a pretty cool guy, had gotten his wife pregnant or they were getting married or something like that. He was moving back to Pennsylvania. He goes, “You should try out for Poison.” I hated Poison but in those days you did whatever you had to do to keep moving.

Being very ambitious, as I was, I went and auditioned for Poison. I ended up being one of two guitar players left that they were going to pick from. I remember kicking the shit out of the songs they had. There was no denying that I could play them but there was an issue about makeup and stuff. Bobby Dall asked me what kind of shoes I was going to wear. I was like, “What?” It was kind of obvious that this was going to go nowhere.

As I was walking out of the audition, CC Deville was walking in. He had on pancake makeup and a ton of hairspray. I actually remember thinking right then, “That should be the guy.” The next day I got a call from Bobby and he said, “You know, you are great and all but I think we are going to pass on you and go with this other guy.” It was CC and it really did make all the sense in the world. I was in a couple of bands after that and then we started Guns and Roses.

Classic Rock Revisited, September 26, 2010

Slash is one of my all-time favorite guitar players and I believe he would have steered our sound a little more in the Aerosmith direction. He was basically the same guy he is today. What you see is what you get. It never really had a chance to work out or not. The band decided C.C. (DeVille) was the best choice for us.

Austin American-Statesman, September 1, 2012

I was always starting bands and finding people to write with, but I could never find a singer. A bad singer can make a good band terrible. So I just played without one. At one point, this guy Matt [Smith]—he was the original guitarist for Poison, a band I had no affinity for—called me up and told me he was quitting and going back to Pennsylvania. They needed another guitar player.

I thought about it for a while, and finally I decided to put pride aside and go check it out. At least I'd be playing gigs—they were the biggest band on the Strip at the time. I learned four of their songs and went down to play with them, and I gotta say I kicked the shit out of 'em. We had a definite difference of opinion as to what it was all about—image issues, clothing issues. I knew it wasn't going to click. They asked me if I planned on wearing jeans and a T-shirt on stage, and I said, "Yeah."

As I was walking out, C.C. DeVille was walking in. He was dressed to the nines. He had makeup on, his hair was all done up—I knew he was the guy for the gig. Bobby Dall called me and told me they'd picked the guy, and I wasn't surprised. Had it worked out and I'd gotten the gig, it wouldn't have lasted long. I wasn't right for them.

Music Aficionado, August 2017

CHRIS WEBER AUDITIONS, TOO

Slash wasn't the only Hollywood guitarist auditioning to play for Poison, Chris Weber would also take a shot at the coveted position:

Well, when [Slash] tried out for Poison I also tried out for Poison.

Appetite For Distortion, July 30, 2017

Talking about the audition:

I think their guitar player's name was Matt, if I remember right, and they'd all come out from Pennsylvania - I think that's where they're from, you guys know maybe better? [...] Kind of a working town type of thing. But anyway... blue-collar town. And Matt, I think, I mean, I don't know firsthand, but I think he needed to go back. He just wanted to go back and think maybe he had a child or something that he wanted- .[...] and so they were looking for somebody else. I went to meet them. My experience with them is just going to their apartment in Hollywood, I think they were all there, which is Rikki and Bret and Bobby. I hung out. I think I think I had a guitar, there was an acoustic there, me and Bobby played a little bit and Bret was kind of standing over us and just talked for a while and that was it. That was my audition.

Appetite For Distortion, July 30, 2017

Weber had no issues with the glam look of the band and how he was expected to have to dress at shows:

To be honest with you, C.C. is shorter than me but I have that same look back then and that big long white hair sprayed up to the nines-

Appetite For Distortion, July 30, 2017