2013.01.29 - 7 Days In Dubai - Slash Says He'll Never Follow In Steve Tyler's Footsteps As A Talent Show Judge

Slash says he'll never follow in Steve Tyler's footsteps as a talent show judge

As a former member of one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Slash could have been forgiven for hanging up his guitar and rolling into retirement.

However, since leaving Guns N Roses, the iconic guitarist remains a switched-on musician.

From setting up new bands and side projects, Slash - who takes to the stage at Dubai Tennis Stadium on Thursday - has worked with everyone from Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie to Iggy Pop. He’s been immortalised as a character in a computer game and has even set up his own film company, with his first movie due out later this year.

He’s pulling plenty of strings but there’s one thing you won’t catch the legendary jack of all trades doing.

And that’s following in fellow rocker Steve Tyler’s footsteps as a judge on a talent show.

“I know the pay’s good for that kind of stuff but it’s just not my forte,” Slash says.

“I have a considerable amount of disdain for all that stuff.

“I actually did ‘American Idol’ for a second - I was a mentor. They talked me into it, they twisted my arm and I ended up doing it. It was because, at the time, Adam Lambert was on it and I thought he was a great singer. The first time I saw him, I went down there because a friend of mine works at the studio and checked him out. Once I went down there I was captive. It was an interesting experience but I would never do it again.”

Would it have been a different tale if talent shows were around when he was starting his career? Would Slash, who was last year inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, have taken the easy route to fame if the opportunity had arrived?

“No, I wouldn’t have done it,” he insists.

“The idea of a rock ‘n’ roll band and how that comes about [goes against] that buying and selling of human beings and what they do on TV. The perception of a career on ‘American Idol’ is just the antithesis of where a rock ‘n’ roll band comes from.”

The passion for music is still there for the rocker who says Dubai fans are in for a treat on Thursday. With no planned set, every gig is different and Slash adds: “What turned me on as a kid - why I first got into music was live bands - they were really my biggest influence. I was really turned on by the energy of performing in front of an audience so that’s carried with me to this day. I don’t put a lot of effort or money into a big show production kind of thing, I just rely on good sound and the band doing what it does best and, to me, I just think that’s a real sort of honest rock ‘n’ roll experience and I thrive on that and that’s why I’ve been having a blast.”

Slash will perform with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators on Thursday at Dubai Tennis Stadium. For tickets or more details, call 050 284 2020 or visit www.slashdubai.com

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